Lee Jung-jae
Lee Jung-jae (Korean: 이정재; born December 15, 1972)[2] is a South Korean actor. Considered one of South Korea's most successful actors,[3][4] he has received numerous accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Critics' Choice Television Award, six Baeksang Arts Awards, in addition to nominations for a Golden Globe Award and a Gotham Award.[5] Aside from his acting career, Lee is also a businessman, having launched a chain of restaurants in Seoul, as well as founding several businesses including the development company Seorim C&D. He owns several of his businesses with fellow actor and close friend Jung Woo-sung.[6][7]
Not to be confused with Lee Jeong-jae.
Lee Jung-jae
December 15, 1972
Actor
1993–present
- Artist Company
- Creative Artists Agency
Im Se-ryung (2015–present)
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I Jeong-jae
Yi Chŏngchae
Born in Seoul, Lee debuted as a fashion model, then began his acting career on television, notably in the drama Sandglass (1995). After his acting breakthrough in An Affair (1998), Lee's film career took off. He has starred in a variety of film genres, among them dramas such as City of the Rising Sun (1999), romantic films Il Mare (2000) and Last Present (2001), well-known comedies such as Oh! Brothers (2003), action films Typhoon (2005) and Deliver Us from Evil (2020), thrillers The Housemaid (2010) and New World (2013), heist film The Thieves (2012), and espionage films Assassination (2015), Operation Chromite (2016) and Hunt (2022). He won Best Supporting Actor at the 50th Baeksang Arts Awards for his role in The Face Reader (2013).
In 2021, Lee gained widespread international stardom and fame for his role as Seong Gi-hun, the main protagonist of Netflix's survival drama Squid Game. For his performance in the show's first season, he was nominated for numerous accolades, including the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series, the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama, the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series, making him the first male actor from Asia and Korea to receive individual nominations in those categories across all four awards shows, with his win for the latter two also making history. In December 2021, he was selected as Gallup Korea's Film Actor of the Year.[8] In 2024, he is listed among the most impactful Asians A100 list by Hold House.[9] Lee is set to reprise his role as Gi-hun in Squid Game’s second season, which began filming in July 2023.
Early life[edit]
Lee was born on December 15, 1972, in Jung District, Seoul.[1] He enrolled at Dongguk University, and was awarded his master's degree from the university's Department of Theater & Film Art in the Graduate School of Cultural Arts, in August 2008.[10] He made his first foray into theater in December of that same year, taking on the titular role in Hamlet in Water. The play ran for four days at his alma mater's Lee Hae-rang Theater.[11][12]
Career[edit]
1993–1997: Acting beginnings and rising popularity[edit]
Lee was discovered by designer Ha Yong-soo while he was working at a café in Apgujeong-dong (located in the Gangnam District), then worked as a fashion model for a number of years. Upon making his acting debut with the 1993 TV drama Dinosaur Teacher, Lee became a star practically overnight, and was almost always cast in lead roles thereafter. A year later, he received favorable reviews for his first big screen role in Bae Chang-ho's The Young Man, but it was the 1994 hit campus drama Feelings that made him a household name.[13]
In 1995, what was supposed to be a small supporting role as the heroine's silent, devoted bodyguard in ratings behemoth Sandglass turned Lee into a national heartthrob, such that his screen time was increased throughout the series' run.[14]
However, that success would be cut short because shortly after, he would be called up for National Service.
In 1997, following his return from the military, his career went into a slight decline. It was then he decided to return to acting school by enrolling into Chinese University's Department of Drama and Film.[15]
1998–2006: Breakout roles and mainstream popularity[edit]
Lee's acting breakthrough would come in late 1998 in the award-winning film An Affair by E J-yong. This was followed up by another success, City of the Rising Sun, for which he won Best Actor at the Blue Dragon Film Awards and the Korean Association of Film Critics Awards.[16]
Though his time-travel romance Il Mare was not a popular success in 2000, since then it has developed a loyal fan base a la Somewhere in Time and attained the status of a minor classic among Korean cinema fans (Keanu Reeves played Lee's role in the 2006 Hollywood remake The Lake House).[17] Lee followed up with melodrama Last Present alongside Lee Young-ae[18] and action mystery The Last Witness directed by Bae Chang-ho; both of which were considerable successes.
Business ventures[edit]
Apart from acting, Lee is known for launching a chain of upscale Italian restaurants in Seoul named after his film Il Mare. Having studied interior design, he assumed responsibility for designing the interior of his restaurants.[16][76] Lee also founded the real estate development company Seorim C&D in 2008,[77] and owns several businesses with actor Jung Woo-sung, a close friend whom he first worked with on the film City of the Rising Sun.[78]
In May 2016, Lee and Jung established and became CEOs of their entertainment label Artist Company.[79]
Philanthropy[edit]
On March 8, 2022, Lee donated ₩100 million to the Hope Bridge Disaster Relief Association along with Jung Woo-sung to help the victims of the massive wildfire that started in Uljin, Gyeongbuk and has spread to Samcheok, Gangwon.[80]
On August 3, 2022, Hope Bridge Disaster Relief Association announced that Lee along with Jung Woo-sung joined the Hope Bridge Honors Club, a group of major donors with more than ₩100 million donations.[81]
Personal life[edit]
In 1999, Lee was charged with driving under the influence (DUI) after crashing his BMW into a car in the adjacent lane. His blood alcohol content was 0.222%. As a result, his driver's license was revoked.[82][83] He also got another DUI in 2002 that led to his license being revoked again.[84]
In January 2015, Lee confirmed that he was dating Lim Se-ryung, the former wife of Samsung's chairman Lee Jae-yong.[85] Lee had previously dated Kim Min-hee.[86]