Ji Seung-hyun Says He Almost Left Acting While Filming 'Descendants of the Sun'

Acclaimed South Korean actor Ji Seung-hyun, who captured widespread attention in the mega-hit drama "Descendants of the Sun," recently opened up about a dark period in his career when he seriously considered walking away from the acting industry entirely.

On the JUNE 18 episode of KBS2’s popular celebrity cooking reality show "Stars' Top Recipe at Fun-Staurant," Ji shared the second installment of his countryside lifestyle in Miryang. The actor has been living out a "5 do 2 chon" routine—a buzzing lifestyle trend in South Korea where individuals spend five days working in the bustling city and two days relaxing in the peaceful countryside.

During the episode, Ji received a surprise visit from his close real-life friend and Goryeo Cyber University alumnus, the popular trot singer Young Tak. While preparing a custom batch of tteokbokki (Korean rice cakes) for his guest, Ji candidly reflected on his long, challenging years as an anonymous actor.

"There was a specific time during the production of 'Descendants of the Sun' when I genuinely thought, 'Maybe this path isn't meant for me,'" Ji confessed. "We filmed the series back in 2015, and it didn't hit the airwaves until 2016. Unfortunately, every other acting project I had lined up for that entire year fell through. That single drama was the only piece of work I had for a whole year. With zero income coming in, I was forced to live off financial allowances provided by both my parents and my in-laws."

He continued, "I truly felt that acting wasn't my calling at that point, so I actively made plans to open a small snack shop with my family. I even started developing potential menu items. Because I cannot handle spicy food very well, I experimented by mixing traditional soybean paste with chili powder, which I jokingly dubbed 'godoen tteokbokki' (hardship rice cakes)."

The 2016 military romance drama "Descendants of the Sun," starring superstars Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo, went on to become an unprecedented cultural phenomenon across Asia, peaking at a staggering 38.8 percent nationwide viewership rating. Ji delivered a breakout performance as An Jeong-jun, a cold yet principled North Korean special forces operative. The high-profile role ultimately served as the major turning point that put his name on the map with mainstream audiences.

"Stars' Top Recipe at Fun-Staurant" airs every Friday evening on KBS2.