To Support Her Family, Former Korean Actress and Beauty Queen Becomes a Taxi Driver
JUNG GA EUN – The South Korean actress and former beauty queen has taken a surprising yet inspiring turn in her life — she is now pursuing a career as a taxi driver.
Known for her role in the 2013 Korean drama The Master’s Sun, Jung, now 48, opened up about her new path in a YouTube video posted in May 2025. She shared that she chose this job after reflecting on her father’s example. He worked as a private taxi driver for over 30 years and supported their family through it. Her father’s health is currently fragile due to surgery for esophageal cancer, and he still requires ongoing treatment.
Jung explained that she researched the potential income from taxi driving and found that a hardworking driver could earn up to 10 million Korean won (around PHP400,000) per month—an amount that even major companies often don’t offer. For Jung, who has seen a decline in acting opportunities, becoming a taxi driver seemed like a practical way to support herself and her child.
Her journey to this decision was not easy. In 2016, she married a businessman and gave birth to a daughter. But just two years later, in 2018, she announced their divorce. Things worsened when she revealed that her ex-husband had scammed her out of her life savings—100 million won (approximately PHP4 million)—which he had promised to invest in a business. It was later discovered that he was involved in 660 fraud cases and had stolen over 13.2 billion won (PHP538 million) from various people. He even used Jung’s name in illegal transactions and has since been hiding abroad.
Despite these painful experiences, Jung remains resilient. She admitted feeling lost when she saw her bank account empty and had no work after her last film. But motherhood gave her strength. “I used to be terrified of having no money,” she said, “but now I just think, ‘I’ll live within my means.” While her future remains uncertain, she says raising her daughter has made her stronger than ever.
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