Hong Kong-born actor and entrepreneur Sammy Sum has opened up about the financial struggles he endured during the early years of his career at TVB.
In a recent interview with fellow actress Lee San San on her YouTube programme, the 42-year-old revealed that he once earned a monthly salary of HK$6,000 (RM3,243).
Out of that, HK$4,000 (RM2,162) went towards rent for a tiny subdivided flat in Tsim Sha Tsui, leaving him with just HK$2,000 (RM1,081) to cover all other living expenses.
To make ends meet, Sum took on part-time jobs, occasionally borrowed money from friends and would spend no more than HK$50 (RM27) a day.
“I used to walk from Tsim Sha Tsui to this barbecue shop in Mong Kok to buy two meal boxes for HK$20 (RM10) each. I was really just surviving on HK$50 a day,” he said, adding that he kept up with this lifestyle for nearly seven years.
Despite the hardship, Sum pressed on out of his passion for acting and remained grateful for simply having a roof over his head.
“As long as I had a bed to sleep on, I was fine. I could chase my dreams with a simple heart, and that alone made me happy,” he added.
Sum, who joined TVB in 2006, first gained popularity for his performance in the 2011 series Lives Of Omission.
His breakout moment came in 2014 with the hit crime drama Line Walker, which earned him a nomination for Most Improved Male Artiste at the TVB Anniversary Awards.
After his contract ended in 2016, Sum parted ways with TVB but made a return in 2020 to film two dramas – Final Destiny (2021) and I’ve Got The Power (2022).
The actor later signed an exclusive deal with Emperor Entertainment Group in 2022, following the expiration of his TVB contract in July 2021.
