Lee appeared on the KBS Joy variety show "Ask Anything" on the 20th.
He said projects he prepared from 2024 to 2025, as well as one he was preparing this year, were postponed indefinitely because of budget problems.
"If acting really doesn’t work out, I could boldly give it up," Lee said. "The problem is that offers do come in. But when production gets canceled or delayed, it feels like false hope."
Lee also said he recently traveled to Germany as part of an effort to break into Hollywood. He said he auditioned in 2022 and appeared in a project about representative killers from different countries gathering to assassinate the main character, with Lee playing the killer representing South Korea.
He said some people misunderstand his situation as "complaining because of my looks," but added, "I’m about to starve," and said he is ready to audition even if it means taking a pay cut.
Seo Jang-hoon advised Lee, saying Lee has strong pride and stubbornness, and that he should now set that aside, rebuild his image as an "actor who tells life stories" and promote himself more actively.
Lee debuted in the 1994 SBS series "Cheongnyeon Naegak" and rose to popularity through "Seoului Dal."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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