For K-actor Lee Jun-hyuk, the real jackpot is finding purpose in his work

SEOUL – Office K-drama The Ordinary Jackpot has a provocative hook: A corporate worker wins the lottery jackpot, but decides to stay at his desk job.

The choice is largely rooted in financial reality. A first-prize lottery winner in South Korea takes home about 1.3 billion won (S$1.25 million) post-taxes. It is a handsome payout, but not enough to bankroll an early retirement.

Instead of leaning into a dopamine-fuelled revenge fantasy of an employee breaking his corporate shackles, The Ordinary Jackpot quietly examines how people may define their professional purpose when work is no longer a means of survival.

South Korean actor Lee Jun-hyuk, 42, said he took on the project hoping to convey that every profession, however routine, carries its own value and dignity.

“I wanted viewers to take pride in the work they do. Cinema and mainstream media frequently glamorise certain professions, even when the daily reality is vastly different,” he said recently during a press roundtable in Seoul.

“Yet, ordinary office life possesses its own distinct rhythm and pull, and those living it recognise that shared reality in one another... I hoped this project would spark that kind of meaningful dialogue among people who live those experiences,” he added.

While such commentary might appear disconnected coming from an established film star far removed from a standard nine-to-six routine, Lee sees a parallel between his own career trajectory and his character’s narrative arc.

“I haven’t made an enormous amount of money from my looks over the past 20 years, nor have I become some huge star. I’m still at a stage where I’m simply working hard,” Lee noted.

“Even if one of my titles turns into a runaway hit, I can’t coast on that single triumph for the rest of my career, can I? I imagine landing a lottery jackpot works much the same way. That’s why I felt a kinship with (my character) Eun-tae, who chooses to keep working despite the windfall,” added Lee.

He also finds common ground with Eun-tae’s inner resilience and steady temperament, traits that keep the character grounded despite a life-altering payday.

Like Eun-tae, Lee has built his career through steady determination.

Born in 1984 in Seoul, Lee made his acting debut in the 2007 television series Drama City. He gained wider recognition playing prosecutor Seo Dong-jae in the crime thriller series Stranger, which aired in 2017 and returned for a second season in 2020.

His film credits include the fantasy blockbusters Along With The Gods: The Two Worlds (2017) and Along With The Gods: The Last 49 Days (2018). He also appeared in the 2023 crime action film The Roundup: No Way Out.

Lee reprised his role as Seo Dong-jae in the 2024 spin-off series Dongjae, The Good Or The B******. In 2025, he starred alongside Han Ji-min in the romantic drama Love Scout.

For Lee, a dedicated cinephile, that internal anchor stems from a deep devotion to studying the craft and continually evolving as an artiste.

“I think I have my own core too,” Lee said. “I’ve always loved films, and I want to keep studying them. I go home and watch movies, and then I do it all over again. That’s the cycle I keep coming back to.”

According to Lee, that artistic drive remains fuelled by watching fellow performers throw themselves completely into their craft, regardless of their net worth or industry status.

“I used to wonder why Tom Cruise pushes himself to such extremes when he commands hundreds of millions of dollars. But ultimately, it comes down to a passion for the work,” Lee reflected, citing a recent viewing of the US actor’s latest film Digger as a key source of creative motivation.

“I went to the theatre seeking creative inspiration, and was struck watching an actor endure hours in prosthetics, master complex technique and bring a character to life.

“It made me reflect on why someone with immense wealth would still go to such extraordinary lengths.”

Witnessing that level of artistic dedication re-energises Lee’s commitment to screen acting, ensuring that financial security will never dull his creative hunger.

“It supplies me with the fuel to keep pushing forward as an actor, even if better opportunities come my way,” Lee said.

“Whenever I encounter artistes who love acting even more deeply than I do, it inspires me to fall in love with the craft all over again.” THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK