The actor says nearly two decades of nonstop work helped him understand his character in TVING’s “Lottery Winner Still Goes to Work”
Lee Joon Hyuk is preparing to transform into an ordinary office worker whose life changes overnight—but not enough for him to stop showing up at work.
The actor attended a press conference for the new TVING original series “Lottery Winner Still Goes to Work” at CGV Yongsan I’Park Mall in Seoul on September 8. Director Yoon Young Bin and cast members Seo Hyun Woo, Oh Dae Hwan, Hong Jin Ki, Ha Yul Ri and Baek Ye In also attended the event.
Ahead of the drama’s premiere, Lee discussed the pressure of leading another series and explained why he personally connected with its central character, Gong Eun Tae.
Lee Joon Hyuk reflects on nearly 20 years of work
In the series, Gong Eun Tae is a sales-team manager who has spent years enduring pressure from both his superiors and subordinates. His routine changes when he wins 1.3 billion won—approximately $930,000—in the lottery.
Instead of immediately submitting his resignation, however, he keeps the winnings secret and returns to the office with a completely different perspective on his job.
Lee said he recognized parts of his own life in Eun Tae’s long history of working without interruption.
“I have worked for nearly 20 years and appeared in more than 50 productions,” the actor said, explaining that his career has largely consisted of continuously moving from one project to another.
For Lee, that professional environment has become his version of an ordinary life, complete with its own difficulties, satisfaction and daily routines. He said several of Eun Tae’s lines reminded him of experiences from his own career.
The comparison gives the seemingly comedic lottery premise a more personal dimension. Like Eun Tae, Lee has spent much of his adult life defined by work, making the character’s complicated relationship with his job feel familiar.
A different challenge from “Dongjae, the Good or the Bastard”
Lee also addressed whether he felt additional pressure from taking the title role.
The actor said every production brings a similar sense of responsibility because he always feels obligated to deliver his best performance. However, he noted that “Lottery Winner Still Goes to Work” required a different acting approach from his previous leading project, “Dongjae, the Good or the Bastard.”
While Seo Dong Jae was a character who often moved independently and dominated situations through his own personality, Gong Eun Tae exists within an ensemble of office workers.
Lee therefore described teamwork as one of the most important parts of the new series, adding that he received significant support from his fellow cast members.
That collaborative dynamic reflects the drama’s workplace setting. Rather than focusing only on what Eun Tae buys with his prize money, the story explores how financial security changes the way he responds to unfair demands, difficult colleagues and corporate hierarchy.
Why would a lottery winner continue working?
The drama’s central question is immediately recognizable: If someone suddenly won the lottery, would they still go to work the next morning?
Eun Tae’s 1.3 billion-won prize is undeniably life-changing, but it is not presented as unlimited wealth. After taxes and the realities of long-term living expenses, it may not be enough to guarantee a lifetime without work.
Instead of instantly escaping the company, Eun Tae uses the money as a private source of confidence. Situations that once left him anxious or powerless begin to look different when his survival no longer depends entirely on his monthly salary.
This creates a distinctly relatable K-office drama. Eun Tae is a relatively young team leader caught between senior executives and the employees he manages. He must absorb pressure from above while resolving complaints and conflicts below—an experience familiar to many middle managers.
The lottery win does not simply solve his problems. It forces him to reconsider why he works, what he is willing to tolerate and whether his colleagues are only obstacles or people facing similar struggles.
Based on a popular Korean web novel
“Lottery Winner Still Goes to Work” is adapted from Seo In Ha’s web novel of the same name, which has also been developed into a webtoon.
Yoon Young Bin, known for directing the crime film “Tomb of the River,” serves as both writer and director. The supporting cast includes Seo Hyun Woo, Oh Dae Hwan, Lee Hyun Kyun, Ok Ja Yeon, Hong Jin Ki, Ha Yul Ri and Baek Ye In.
Lee plays Gong Eun Tae, the head of Sales Team 5 at Hongseong International. Seo Hyun Woo portrays deputy manager Yang Joon Ho, a former high-performing employee struggling with frustration and stalled career growth. Oh Dae Hwan appears as Jung Sun Hyuk, the leader of Sales Team 4, who has gradually come to believe that workplace connections matter more than ability.
Together, the characters represent different stages of corporate survival, allowing the drama to explore promotion, hierarchy, burnout and office politics through humor.
According to TVING’s official page, “Lottery Winner Still Goes to Work” premieres on September 10 at 6 p.m. KST. The series is also scheduled to begin airing on tvN on September 14.