'My Royal Nemesis' Star Heo Nam-jun Admits He Worked 7 Days a Week as a Laborer

The charming rising actor Heo Nam-jun, who is currently winning hearts as the leading man of the hit SBS weekend drama My Royal Nemesis, has surprised fans by opening up about his hardworking past. On the June 24, 2026, broadcast of tvN’s popular variety show You Quiz on the Block, the 31-year-old star sat down with hosts Yoo Jae-suk and Jo Se-ho. He shared a collection of funny and humble stories from his days working odd jobs before finding fame as an actor.

Working 7 Days a Week in Heavy Construction

"Back then, I forced myself to wake up at 4:00 AM every single morning to head to the job site. I had always worked out and thought I was in great shape. But after my very first day on the construction site, I woke up the next morning feeling like my entire body was broken into pieces."

Despite the heavy physical exhaustion, the actor’s intense work ethic surprised the show’s hosts: "Most workers take the weekends off, but I chose to work seven days a week straight for three months without a single day of rest. The crew paid me a daily wage of 130,000 KRW, which meant I was taking home 910,000 KRW a week. I remember feeling so happy holding that money."

The Hilarious Shoe Store Struggle and Driving a Tractor

In complete contrast to his success in construction, Heo Nam-jun laughingly confessed that his short time working at a department store shoe section was an absolute disaster:

"I still feel so sorry toward the store owner. Whenever a customer pointed at a pair of shoes and liked them, I was supposed to quickly run into the back storage room and grab their correct size. But the inventory system was so confusing to me that my self-esteem dropped. I worked there for over a month and still couldn’t figure it out. One time, it took me almost the entire day just to find a single pair of shoes, and the customer got tired and walked away."

The actor added that serving at busy barbecue restaurants and casual beer pubs was a much better fit. "I realized early on that I prefer jobs that use physical body strength over complex headwork. I love just turning my brain off and physically moving around to complete clear tasks," he joked, making the entire studio burst into laughter.

The rising star also revealed his humble countryside roots, sharing that his father currently runs a farm in the rural county of Hoengseong in Gangwon Province. "Because it’s my family’s business, I know how to do a fair amount of heavy farm work. If my dad leaves me out in the fields, I can easily drive a massive combine tractor while soaking up the sun," he bragged proudly.

Closing the interview on a sweet note, Heo Nam-jun shared how much his family’s attitude has shifted since his drama My Royal Nemesis became a massive prime-time success: "In the past, whenever I visited, my dad would playfully complain, 'What could you possibly be so busy with?' But nowadays, his tone has completely changed. He tells me, 'Don’t come all the way out here. You’re far too busy, why waste your time coming down?' Seeing myself finally succeed and watching my parents be happier than anyone else is truly the absolute best part of this entire journey."