Korean actor Ji Chang Wook recently appeared as a guest on tvN's entertainment program "You Quiz on the Block", with a special episode titled "The Power of Family".
In Korea, children often live on their own when they grow up, but Ji Chang Wook surprised him by sharing that he still lives with his mother to this day, even though he is 37 years old.
The actor explained: "I think it will be very lonely living away from my mother because she lives alone. I haven't found the right time to live independently."
Ji Chang Wook continued: “My motivation is my mother. My father passed away early, and my mother suffered a lot. As a child, a family member and a man, I always think that I have to stay by my mother's side to protect her.
When I was little, we held hands and walked down the shabby alley at night. At that time, I just wanted to grow up quickly so I could protect her."
The actor revealed that his mother is someone who does not like to talk about herself: "My mother told me not to talk about her when I go somewhere, even though I am a famous person. I think she feels burdened."
Not only has he lived with his mother for nearly 40 years, Ji Chang Wook also shows filial piety by always trying to help his mother with her work since he was young.
“When I was young, my mother ran a meat restaurant and a spicy soup restaurant in the neighborhood,” he said. Even though it was a small restaurant, she was the only one working. When my mother was too busy, I would come and serve her.
At a meat restaurant, cleaning the oven is very difficult. As for the spicy soup restaurant, cleaning the fish tank is the most difficult."
The actor also mentioned that he did not have money to go to school because the tuition was too expensive. Ji Chang Woo had to work many different jobs: "I work part-time with a friend, currently the CEO of my company. He is my best friend and we have known each other for 20 years, since first year of high school.
I worked at a cafe and a rice wine restaurant... But the place that paid me the most was parcel handling, about 60,000 won per day.
I set a very big goal, which is to make sure my mother doesn't have to suffer and doesn't have to worry about money."
Ji Chang Wook thinks that the best thing he can do is spend time with his mother: "I try to have dinner with my mother when I can. We have a relationship like a friend.”
The actor confessed that he used to suffer from stress and bad mental state while working. But just seeing his mother go through daily life helped him heal.
“When I was having a hard time mentally, I opened the door to the house and saw my mother watching TV in the living room, sleeping and doing laundry. Or when I walk in and see my mother eating, we eat together, talk and relax. I think it would be out of place if I sat alone in a dark room" - Ji Chang Wook shared.
Ji Chang Wook is currently attracting attention with his leading role in the movie " Revolver ".
