Lee Dong Wook Reveals His Secret To A Successful Career Without Controversy

An interview of actor Lee Dong Wook recently went viral on Korean forums where he talked about what he believed helped him create a long and successful entertainment career.

Lee Dong Wook | @leedongwook_official/Instagram

Lee Dong Wook made his acting debut in 1999 in a single-episode MBC drama. The very next year, he landed a role in a KBS anthology series, School 2. But it wasn’t until School 3 that he started gaining recognition in the industry.

Lee Dong Wook in “School 3”

Despite being 24 years into the game, Lee Dong Wook’s popularity has never stopped rising. In fact, some of his most popular works have come in the past few years, including milestone projects like Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (2016-17) and the two seasons of Tale of the Nine Tailed (2020, 2023).

Lee Dong Wook and Gong Yoo in “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God” | Hancinema

Lee is also one of those rare celebrities who has never been part of any scandal or controversy whatsoever. Given the stature of his fame and the longevity of his career, it is a rare feat. According to the actor, it all boils down to one mantra, which he had talked about during his appearance on MMTG, the popular YouTube show hosted by JaeJae.

(From L to R) JaeJae, Han Ji Min, Lee Dong Wook | @mmtg_oops/YouTube

In 2021, Lee Dong Wook worked in a movie called A Year-End Medley with Han Ji Min. The pair went to MMTG to promote the project, but at one point, the interview touched upon some of Lee’s personal values and beliefs. Talking about his long and controversy-free career, the actor explained, “I don’t do what people tell me not to do,” adding, “And stay out of things that violate the law.”

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Han Ji Min also added her two cents, explaining how fickle success can be and, in the end, such actions only end up hurting the person doing them. So, it shouldn’t be that hard to avoid such circumstances.

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Lee Dong Wook further elaborated his point of view, saying that the pleasure from doing those things is much smaller than his fear of messing up his life with one mistake, and that’s what steers him to steer clear of trouble.

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While the logic is simple, as JaeJae jokingly pointed out, it isn’t easy to avoid certain temptations.

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Being a wholesome K-Drama heartthrob is hard work, but Lee Dong Wook definitely makes it look easy!