"When I filmed Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift, I was still making a living as a waiter. Yes, literally. The movie was already in theaters, people were lining up to see it, my face was on the posters... but I was still relying on tips to pay the rent. For that role, I was given about 20 thousand dollars, more money than I had ever seen. But even with that, I couldn't leave my job at the restaurant.
People saw me on screen and thought: 'This guy has made it.' What they didn't know is that after every interview or premiere, I would put on my apron and go back to serving burgers and beers. Hollywood gives you fame, but it doesn't always put food on the table.
Being in a multi-million dollar franchise is not synonymous with security. I was still struggling, caught between the lights of cinema and the smell of fast food. But even though the world didn't know it, every scene I shot confirmed one thing for me: this was my calling. I wasn't acting for money or glory, but because it was the only thing that made me feel truly alive.
And in the end, it was worth it. Because when no one else believed in me, I did."
— Sung Kang revealing the harsh reality behind "success" in Hollywood.
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