Lee Dong Wook recalls the time Gong Yoo helped him get out of a slump

Whenever you hear the name Lee Dong Wook, the first thing that comes to your mind is probably an acclaimed South Korean actor who's best known for his leading roles in various K-dramas.

However, what you don't know is that as his fame rises, he begins to question his identity and his worth as a talent.

In an interview for W Korea, Lee Dong Wook opened up about how he never felt satisfied with his own body of work with which he responded, “I do.”

“The words 'you did well' are meaningful when someone else says them and I think that I have to look at myself in a realistic point of view,” he explains.

“That personality trait can be hard sometimes because there are moments when I need to love myself but I'm purposely careful not to do that. My agency director tells me sometimes not to be so hard on myself but I say to them, 'No, I have to fully understand reality. I have to know myself.'

“Maybe, I've been able to come this far thanks to that.”

The 38-year-old actor also confessed that his thirst to improve his craft is in correlation to his own self-esteem, eventually leading him into an actor's slump.

He recalled, “There was a time when I went through a severe slump and didn't leave my home for two to three months. It was right after shooting the JTBC drama 'Life.'

“I felt too scared about leaving the house because I felt people would just pint at me when they saw me and no one was on my side. I got so deep into that feeling that when I hit rock bottom, I didn't meet up with anyone and I just stayed at home or worked out.”

Following the success of Guardian: The Great and Lonely God, Lee Dong Wook played the doctor Ye Jin Woo in Life, his only K-drama of that year.

Thankfully, with time and presence of friends, including Korean actor Gong Yoo, he was able to get out of that slump.

“When I was lost in thoughts about what was wrong with me, I was helped by a lot of people who encouraged me by telling me that I was a good person. Gong Yoo was one of those people.

“I once again realized that even when I'm going through a crisis and having a hard time, it's the people who matter the most who you can count on to.”

Finally, the Korean actor also shared his current ambitions as he moves forward with his career in his new Korean drama, The Tale of Gumiho.

“Well, I want to receive more recognition from the public and people in the industry -- whatever concept of 'success' that may be.

“I hope one day I will feel satisfied with myself. I don't mean at all that everything I've done so far has been no good. I just want to feel satisfied with myself too and feel more relaxed every day.”

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