Actor Lee Jang-woo opened up about the challenges that actors face in Korea's drama world and how his career opportunities have narrowed down over the past years as he prepares for his marriage.

According to discussions shared on theqoo, Ham Eun-jung asked Lee Jang-woo about his current situation and said, "Oppa, you're a businessman now."

Lee Jang-woo replied, "Well, I'm doing a lot of things. There aren't many friends who are working in dramas like you right now. My friend is working part-time." He also mentioned, "There are many people around me as well."

He said, "When I see that, I feel like I'm dying inside. There was a golden age of dramas, but due to certain circumstances, it became so difficult. When viewers see us, it seems like we're living such glamorous lives, but all my friends who were actors are having a really hard time. There hasn't been work for three or four years."

He continued, "I've let go. It's similar to getting married. I'm going to live my life the way I want now. If I live like this, I think I'll regret it so much when I'm in my 80s. I think I'll be like, 'I got swept up in someone else's life and now I'm going to die.' That's so foolish. From the moment I decided to live my life the way I want instead of struggling to get ahead, things got better."

She said, "I think I was like that too. As I let go, dramas kept coming in."

Naver's entertainment ranking page also reported Lee's remarks about the drama slump. Lee said, "The drama industry is a mess. It's so hard. All the camera directors are just playing around these days. I was really the son of MBC and KBS weekend dramas, but even weekend dramas aren't getting good ratings anymore."

The reaction to theqoo from the public also included frustrations about the changes within the industry. In relation to comments like: "It's because Netflix sucks everything up," "Even actors who didn't seem like they'd do YouTube are doing it. LOL," and "I don't watch dramas these days."

"Even actors who did not seem like they would be doing YouTube, are doing it. LOL," and "I don't watch dramas these days."

Lee Jang-woo is getting married and changing his focus but his awkward statements express more deep-rooted concerns that are recurrent to many who work in the Korean entertainment landscape that is changing.