On the October 9 episode of MBN and Channel S’s Jun Hyun Moo’s Plan 4, Lee Joon appeared as a special guest alongside Jun Hyun Moo and Kwak Joon Bin as they explored local restaurants and culinary specialties in Ulsan.
During the episode, Lee Joon expressed frustration over his reputation as one of the entertainment industry’s most notoriously frugal celebrities. “That’s not true at all,” he insisted. However, Jun Hyun Moo and Kwak Joon Bin immediately began sharing amusing stories about his spending habits, drawing laughter from everyone.
Jun Hyun Moo recalled noticing that Lee Joon had worn the same outfit during different television appearances. “The clothes he was wearing in the video were exactly the same as the ones he wore in the studio. It was literally the same outfit,” he revealed. His comments suggested that Lee Joon frequently stuck to a limited wardrobe both on camera and in everyday life.
Kwak Joon Bin also shared a memory from a trip abroad with the actor. “We once traveled around the world together for a week. I’ve traveled with many guests, but Lee Joon showed up with just one small backpack,” he explained. He added, “He wore practically the same outfit for the entire week. Whenever I think of Lee Joon, that’s the only outfit I can remember.”
Jun Hyun Moo then revealed another amusing incident from their time filming in Da Nang, Vietnam. According to him, Lee Joon repeatedly wore the same pair of lightweight, loose-fitting pants commonly known in Korea as “refrigerator pants.” “He wore them for four straight days. He was even wearing them at the airport,” Jun Hyun Moo said. The actor had apparently purchased the pants during the trip, worn them throughout filming, and continued wearing them on his flight home. Lee Joon could only respond with an embarrassed smile.
Despite the teasing, Lee Joon continued to deny being particularly frugal. When Kwak Joon Bin suggested that he seemed careful with his spending, the actor replied, “I’m not frugal. I just don’t buy things.” His straightforward explanation that he simply avoids purchasing unnecessary items left Jun Hyun Moo and Kwak Joon Bin laughing, with both acknowledging that his approach to money was difficult to argue against.
The conversation eventually turned to Lee Joon’s demanding schedule during his years as an idol. Recalling how intensely he worked, he revealed, “I was practically passing out during filming and had to be carried away.” He explained that his schedule involved portraying physically demanding characters in dramas, hosting music programs, appearing on variety shows, and attending dance rehearsals afterward. “I couldn’t even walk on my own,” he recalled, emphasizing how exhausted he had become.
Lee Joon also revealed that his family’s financial circumstances played a significant role in shaping his spending habits. During his time as a member of MBLAQ, he worked through an exhausting schedule and earned money from numerous entertainment activities. However, because his family was experiencing financial difficulties at the time, most of his earnings went toward household expenses.
Sources: Naver