In the 6th episode of ‘SuChwiTa (Time to Drink With SUGA),’ actor Lee Sung Min appeared as the first actor to guest on the show.
On this day, SUGA expressed his admiration of the actor’s works and revealed that he had always wanted to meet him in person. SUGA explained that he had actually gone to the high school behind the college where Lee Sung Min attended.
SUGA shared that he had actually searched which celebrities were from Daegu and found that Lee Sung Min was also from Daegu. SUGA explained, “When I was young, I looked up how many celebrities were from that neighborhood, and your name came up. So I remember thinking if I make it, maybe I’d get to meet you one day.”
Since both Lee Sung Min and SUGA are from Daegu, SUGA prepared special cuisines from their hometown.
While eating, the two stars talked about their humble beginnings starting out in the small town of Daegu. Lee Sung Min and SUGA reminisced back on the time they went through hardships.
Lee Sung Min explained that he was able to be cast for roles in musicals, but they were not lucrative enough to support his family. He explained, “Well, I wasn’t an actor who couldn’t get an acting job. When I first joined the theater, I was the male lead. I had a lot of chances to perform on stage, but it didn’t change my life or anything since I was just acting in a small city.”
He explained it became harder after he had a family to support. Lee Sung Min explained he decided to go to Seoul to earn money while his wife and daughter stayed in Daegu. Still, even in Seoul, he wasn’t able to earn money.
SUGA also shared, “Our team went through a lot too. This industry is so tough until you catch on (and become successful). I passed out flyers and performed but didn’t even get paid.” SUGA continued, “Our studio was in Namsan-dong. It was in the basement and water leaked in a lot when it rained. We had no money, we had no money to buy furniture. So, we’d go around the neighborhood and pick up old furniture that people threw out.”
Lee Sung Min explained that is why he is not able to confidently tell his juniors to “Not give up,” because he knows the difficulties of walking down this path of theater and the arts.
SUGA and Lee Sung Min both agreed, “Even so, there will be people who say this is the only path for them, and no matter how much we try to talk them out of it, or how badly off they are. They’ll never give up.”
