South Korean actress Jung Ga-eun – who began her career as a model and has acted in The Master’s Sun (2013) – has faced some tough years.
Now 48, she’s taken on a new job as a taxi driver to support herself and her daughter.
Jung recently passed South Korea’s official taxi driver qualification exam, a journey she documented on her YouTube channel Wonder Ga-eun.
Feeling positive about the change of profession, she said: “With hard work, you can earn around 10mil won (RM30,822.43) a month. These days, even major companies don’t pay that much.”
Her decision comes after years of financial and emotional struggles, said entertainment portal allkpop.
Jung became a single mother in 2018 following a divorce from her businessman husband – who was later found to have defrauded investors of 13.2bil won (RM40.7mil) using her name.
He fled overseas and has not paid child support or contributed to their daughter's upbringing.
Jung herself reportedly lost over 100mil won (RM308,472.95) to his scam.
“After my last film, there was no work. I looked at my bank account and felt completely lost,” she said in a past interview.
“I used to be terrified of having no money, but now I just think, ‘I’ll live within my means.’ Things are still uncertain, but raising my child has made me stronger.”
With acting jobs drying up, Jung decided to follow in the footsteps of her father, who drove a private taxi for over 30 years.
“He raised me with that job," she shared, adding that she wants her father – now battling esophageal cancer – to be her first passenger after passing the exam.
In preparation for the test, she met with transportation YouTuber Park Rae-ho at the exam centre. Though nervous, she was determined.
“I’m confident I’ll pass. I want to score over 90,” she said with a smile. Jung ended up passing with 75 points.
“The test was difficult," she said but felt proud to have passed.
