Ju Ji Hoon has revealed that he accepted a lower appearance fee for "Kingdom" at a time when Netflix was still unfamiliar to many people in South Korea.
Speaking at Actors House during the 31st Busan International Film Festival on October 9, the actor looked back on joining the 2019 series before global streaming platforms became a major force in the Korean entertainment industry.
Ju Ji Hoon admitted that he did not fully understand what Netflix was when he agreed to star in *Kingdom*.
He said, *“At the time, I didn’t even really know what Netflix was.”*
According to the actor, the production was still in its early stages and had budget limitations, which meant he received less than his usual acting fee.
Ju Ji Hoon explained, *“My appearance fee was lower than what I normally received. They told me it was still in the beginning stages and that the production budget was limited.”*
Despite the unfamiliar platform and lower pay, he decided to join because he found the story entertaining.
Recalling his first reaction to the unusual concept, Ju Ji Hoon jokingly said, *“At first I wondered, ‘What kind of story is this? Can we really convince viewers with something like this?’ But the story itself was fun.”*
He added that his decision ultimately came down to a simple approach: *“If it’s fun, just do it.”*
Ju Ji Hoon also admitted that because Netflix was still relatively unknown to him at the time, he viewed the project as an opportunity to try something different without putting too much pressure on the outcome.
*Kingdom* later became one of the Korean series that helped introduce Netflix’s original K-drama productions to a wider global audience, while also expanding Ju Ji Hoon’s international recognition.
Looking back, the actor said the scale of the project’s success was far beyond what he had expected when he first agreed to take the role for a reduced fee.
