Lee Je Hoon reveals his father turned to day labor after IMF crisis shut family business, calls Big Deal ‘meaningful'

Pink Villa

3 days ago

South Korea was plunged into one of the worst financial crises in 1997, now remembered as the IMF crisis. Businesses folded overnight, unemployment skyrocketed, and middle-class families across the country saw their lives unravel. For actor Lee Je Hoon, this wasn't just history; it was part of his own story.
On June 2, a press interview was held to promote Lee Je Hoon 's latest film Big Deal. He candidly reflected on how the events of 1997 disrupted his childhood and reshaped the trajectory of his life. As it turns out, the film's subject matter (which portrays South Korea during the peak of its economic collapse) aligns closely with Lee's lived experience.
Lee Je Hoon's firsthand account of family collapse
Reflecting on his younger years, Lee Je Hoon shared that he was in middle school when the financial crisis hit. At the time, his family owned two small businesses: a rice store and a restaurant. They were modest but stable ventures that helped them maintain a comfortable life. However, like countless small business owners during that period, the crash came swiftly and without mercy. His family's businesses couldn't withstand the economic shock, and they were forced to shut down.
The most painful moment for Lee Je Hoon, he shared, was seeing his father 'going out to do day labor' to make ends meet. It was a sobering experience for a teenager to watch. 'That's when I realized just how difficult things had become,' he shared.
From Biotechnology to the big screen
Though the crisis brought severe hardship, it also instilled in Lee a level of emotional maturity beyond his years. He witnessed not only his family's hardship but also the collective pain of a nation. Small shops closed, neighbors lost jobs, and people who once lived comfortably had to rethink everything.
Interestingly, Lee didn't begin his adult life on an acting path. He was initially enrolled as a Biotechnology student at Korea University, a route that promised academic stability. But the desire to pursue acting led him to abandon that conventional track. He later transferred to the Korea National University of Arts, where he studied drama. Over the next two decades, Lee worked his way up from indie films to mainstream blockbusters and critically acclaimed dramas.
Big Deal marks a full-circle moment
For Lee Je Hoon, working on Big Deal is more than just another acting project; it feels like a full-circle moment. He expressed, 'I actually experienced a difficult time during the IMF crisis, so it was meaningful to tell this story.'
Big Deal is set in the chaotic financial landscape of 1997. The film focuses on a conflict between two professionals caught in a high-stakes struggle over control of Korea's national soju industry. While the characters are fictional, the backdrop is historically accurate.