Comedian Lee Guk-joo Reveals Why She Chose to Live in Tokyo

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Comedian Lee Guk-joo has opened up about her decision to live in Tokyo, sparking interest among fans.

On the 15th, the YouTube channel 'A-Class Jang Young-ran' featured a video titled 'Why Did Successful Lee Guk-joo Suddenly Move to a Rental House in Japan?'.

Lee Guk-joo debuted as a comedian in 2006 through MBC's 15th open recruitment. She gained popularity with her candid and humorous personality on various entertainment programs such as 'Comedy Big League', 'I Live Alone', and 'The Manager'.

From the beginning of her career, Lee Guk-joo received attention, winning the Best New Female Comedian award at the 2007 MBC Entertainment Awards, the New Star Award in the Entertainment category at the 2014 SBS Entertainment Awards, the Best Female Entertainer award in the TV category at the 2015 Baeksang Arts Awards, and the Best Female Variety Performer award at the 2016 MBC Entertainment Awards.

In 2022, she won the Best Female Variety Performer award at the MBC Entertainment Awards for 'The Manager', and in 2024, she received the Best Chemistry Award at the SBS Entertainment Awards, proving her presence in the entertainment industry.

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Last February, Lee Guk-joo surprised many by leaving Korea and moving to Japan. She introduced her modest home in Japan to Jang Young-ran, sharing both the hardships and satisfactions of living abroad.

Her rental space, costing about 130,000 won per month, was small but neatly organized. She explained, "Since the house is small, I use magnets for storage," and "I sleep on the sofa instead of a bed," describing her simplified lifestyle.

Regarding her decision to move to Tokyo, she said, "In Korea, I felt the pressure of always having to be prepared because people recognized me everywhere," adding, "Here, I can escape that gaze a bit, which is comfortable."

Reflecting on the past year, Lee Guk-joo said, "I wondered why these things kept happening," and added, "The hardest part was believing I was happy."

She confessed, "Three years ago, I thought I was happy, but looking back, I was pretending to be," revealing she was experiencing burnout.

She explained her confusion at the time, saying, "After realizing that, I wondered, 'How should I live?'"

Now, she feels a bit different. Lee Guk-joo shared, "These days, I think I know a little about who I am," and "I can now tell my mom that I'm truly happy."

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She also talked about her income during her peak years, saying, "When I was really busy, there were many people around me, and a lot of money was spent," and "There was money I didn't receive," she candidly revealed.

Her current goal is simple. Lee Guk-joo stated, "Even if I reduce my home in Korea, I want to maintain my place in Japan," and "I need a space where I can rest."

Living in Tokyo has been more than just a change of residence; it has been a time for self-reflection. Lee Guk-joo shared that she is gradually finding her direction through this process.

Previously, on the SBS variety show 'My Little Old Boy', Lee Guk-joo mentioned, "Last year was an off-season for work, and I was mentally exhausted," adding, "I thought, 'What's the point of just resting?' so I came to Japan to relax and try creating content."

In April last year, through her YouTube channel, Lee Guk-joo revealed, "I turned 40, and next year marks my 20th anniversary since debut. I want to take on new challenges," and added, "Instead of just waiting for work to come, I thought of trying something during the downtime," receiving much support for her aspirations.

Reporter Na-yeon Cho, Ten Asia nybluebook@tenasia.co.kr