Jung Ga Eun turns taxi driver after financial struggles & divorce scandal involving ex-husband
Former South Korean actress Jung Ga Eun has opened up about her journey from screen to steering wheel, revealing she is now working towards a career as a taxi driver after years of financial and emotional struggle.
In a video shared on her YouTube channel ‘Wonder Ga Eun’, the 48-year-old was seen preparing for South Korea’s official taxi driver qualification exam — which she has since passed.
Source: Soompi
It marks a dramatic yet determined career pivot for the former model and actress, best known for roles in dramas like The Master’s Sun (2013).
Source: Namu Wiki
Cheated by ex-husband, left to raise daughter alone
Jung’s decision to leave the entertainment industry came after her divorce in 2018 from a businessman who was later exposed for defrauding investors of 13.2 billion KRW (S$12.4 million) using her name. He fled abroad, evading justice, and has not paid child support or living expenses since.
Jung herself lost over 100 million KRW (S$94,067) to his schemes.
Source: Yahoo News
“After my last film, there was no work. I looked at my bank account and felt completely lost,” she said in a previous interview. “Before, not having money used to terrify me. But now I just think, ‘I’ll live within my means.'”
“Things are still uncertain … but raising my child has made me stronger.”
A family legacy behind the wheel
Jung had also revealed that her father had worked as a private taxi driver for over 30 years and raised her with that income. With few acting roles on offer, she decided to follow in his footsteps, hoping to make him her first passenger after she passed the test.
Source: China Press
In the lead-up to her exam, Jung met with transport YouTuber Park Rae-ho, who commended her efforts and guided her through mock questions. She shared her goal of scoring over 90 points, but ultimately passed with a respectable 75.
“The test was difficult,” she admitted, “but I’m proud I passed.”
Source: Wonder Ka Eun on YouTube
“Even big companies don’t pay this well” about taxi driving
Jung also pointed out that taxi driving — while unconventional for a former celebrity — offers a stable income with flexibility. “With hard work, you can earn around 10 million KRW (S$9,407) a month. These days, even major companies don’t pay that much,” she said.
She added that becoming a taxi driver had renewed her sense of purpose and financial independence. “This is a job that can give dignity back to someone starting over.”
Source: Wonder Ka Eun on YouTube
A role model in reinvention
Jung Ga Eun first entered the spotlight in 1997 as a model and gained national attention after becoming runner-up in the Miss Korea Gyeongnam pageant in 2001. Her acting career spanned more than a decade.
Source: KIYOUNG KIM from Flickr
Now, as a single mother and newly licensed taxi driver, she’s gaining a different kind of admiration — one rooted in perseverance, responsibility, and resilience.
Source: China Press
“I just want to keep going,” she said. “This is for my daughter — and for myself.”
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Featured image adapted from The Star and Yahoo News.
