Actress Choo Ja-hyun, who now has a higher standing in China than Korea, revealed that she had to start from the beginning to launch her career in China.

Speaking on an SBS documentary about China’s rapidly increasing wealth, Choo said she had to start by taking auditions to get to where she is today.

(SBS)

Choo made her debut in China in 2005, when she had almost a decade of experience in Korea.

She has since built up her reputation in China, and is now reported to be receiving about 100 million won ($93,000) for each episode of a drama series she stars in.

According to Choo, her fee is now 10 times larger than when she started in China.

“I did not have a choice (but to debut in China). Acting is my trade, and I have to act to make a living, but in Korea the work was not steady enough for a stable income,” she said.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)