Song Joong-ki says he won’t star in another movie for free

Song Joong-ki has said he won’t star in another movie for free following his appearance in his latest project, Hopeless.

The actor made headlines recently when he revealed that he had rejected a fee for his work in the film.

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During an interview on the latest episode of Lee Dong-jin’s YouTube series, Song commented on the interest in his lack of payment. “Things went bigger than I expected,” he laughed (translated by SBS Star). “I’m starting to worry that production companies might want me to star in their movies without getting paid.”

He went on to explain that wouldn’t be possible anymore, thanks to changes in his personal life. “My wife and I just had our baby, which means I’ll have to work harder,” he said lightheartedly.

“I’m not in a position to take unpaid roles now. Filmmakers watching this show, please know that I can’t afford to do that anymore.”

Previously, Song shared why he had agreed to appear in Hopeless for free. “I didn’t receive any fee because I was worried that the original charm of the work would decrease if my appearance commercialised it,” he said ahead of the film’s Korean premiere at Busan International Film Festival.

“It’s not a big deal, but I was embarrassed because it was talked about too much. Not receiving fees wasn’t even that big of a deal. But it is embarrassing that there are so many articles about it.”

Hopeless follows 18-year-old Yeon-gyu (played by Hong Sa-bin), who joins a gang to escape the harsh realities of life and ends up immersed in a world of crime. Song appears as Chi-geon, the leader of the underground crime organisation that Yeon-gyu joins, while singer-songwriter Bibi plays the teenager’s sister, Hayan.

Earlier this year, Song opened up about his career and how he feels “there is still room for improvement”. He pointed to Hopeless as an illustration of how he is “still hungry for roles in diverse genres”, saying: “I have a strong desire for it […] I’m just giving it a try.”

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