In August 2014 BornJune 22, 1987 (age 29) Seoul, South Korea EducationKonkuk University (B.A. Film) OccupationActor, singer Years active2003–present AgentMYM Entertainment (Korea) IMX Inc. (Japan) Huayi Brothers (China) Websitewww.leeminho.kr
Lee was born in Heukseok-dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul. As a child, Lee had hoped to become a professional football player. He was selected for the youth football class of South Korean manager and former professional player Cha Bum-Kun, but an injury in the 5th grade of elementary school put an end to this aspiration.[1] In his second year of high school, Lee turned to acting. He majors in Film & Art at Konkuk University.[1]
2006–2008: Beginnings[edit] Lee started auditioning and landed minor roles in several television dramas such as Nonstop 5 and Recipe of Love. His official debut role was in an EBS series, Secret Campus (2003).[2] Early in his career Lee went by the stage name Lee Min because his agency thought his birth name was too ordinary. However, as his stage name was pronounced and written (Hangul) in the same way as the Korean word imin, which means "immigration", it made it hard for him to show up on internet search results. He eventually went back to using his original name.[3] In 2006, his acting career was put on hold for a year following a serious car accident, while riding with fellow actor Jung Il-woo. Lee was severely injured and spent several months bedridden.[1] Upon recovery, Lee received his first leading role in the high-school drama Mackerel Run in 2007, but the series was reduced to only eight episodes due to low viewership ratings.[4] In 2008 he appeared in various roles on television (dramas Get Up and I Am Sam) and two movies, Public Enemy Returns and Our School's E.T.. During the shooting of the latter he became good friends with actor Kim Su-ro, who later praised him on a variety show: "I recognize a star when I see one. When I was doing Our School's E.T., I knew that Lee Min-ho would become one of the top actors in the country".[5]
In December 2012 Lee's breakthrough came in 2009 with the lead role of Gu Jun-pyo in KBS's Boys Over Flowers, the Korean adaptation of the popular Japanese television drama Hana Yori Dango, which was based on the popular Shōjo mangaBoys Over Flowers (花より男子 Hana Yori Dango). Competition for the leading role was very intense and Lee only got to know he was cast from the newspapers.[6] The series attracted high viewership ratings and buzz throughout South Korea during its broadcast,[7] and created another Korean Wave throughout Asia which made Lee a household name and Hallyu star.[8][9] Dubbed as the 20 billion won CF King, Lee's new-found popularity gained him many endorsement deals.[10] In 2010, Lee starred in the romantic comedy Personal Taste, in which he played an ambitious perfectionist young architect who poses as a gay man to become roommates with a young woman, leading to romantic complications. When asked about why he chose the role during an interview he responded "I think I would do a better job playing heavy and more defined roles when I am older. I think "Personal Taste" was perfect because it is bright, cheerful but you can also laugh and cry over it as well."[11] In 2011, he played the titular character in action drama City Hunter, which was loosely based on Tsukasa Hojo's popular manga. The drama was a commercial success across Asia, and contributed to Lee's growing popularity, most notably in Japan, Philippines, China,[12][13] and parts of Europe.[14] He participated in a popular Chinese variety show Happy Camp in December 2011.[15] On April 6, 2012, Lee announced on his Facebook page that he would appear in a new drama called Faith. The historical/medical drama aired from August to October 2012. Despite garnering viewership ratings around the 10% range, Faith was a commercial flop due to its high budget.[16]
2013–present: International fame[edit] Lee released his first album "My Everything" in May 2013 and went on a fan meeting tour in Asia in cities such as Yokohama, Osaka, Shanghai, Beijing, Kuala Lumpur, Manila and Taipei.[17][18] In April 2013 his wax figure was unveiled at the Madame Tussauds in Shanghai.[19] In December 2013 On March 29, 2013, Lee announced his return to television with a new drama titled The Heirs.[20][21] Premiering on October 9, 2013,[22] On why he decided to take on the role of a chaebol heir in high school four years after playing one in Boys Over Flowers, his answer was, "Before I grew past my 20s, I wanted to play a more upbeat character, one that would allow me to return to that feeling of simple, uncomplicated innocence that I had when I was younger."[23] Premiering on October 9, 2013,[24]The Heirs enjoyed immense popularity both locally, with a peak rating of 28.6%,[25]and internationally, having over one billion hits on the Chinese streaming website iQiyi.[26] Thanks to the drama, Lee experienced a resurgence in his popularity internationally, and was named as a top Hallyu star.[27] On Jan 30, 2014, Lee became the first Korean celebrity to perform on China's CCTV Lunar New Year gala.[28] He sang a song with Harlem Yu, the original singer of the theme song of Meteor Garden, the Taiwanese version of Boys Over Flowers.[29][30][31] The appearance has since increased his popularity in China, where he has been nicknamed "long-legged oppa" in both mainstream and social media.[32][33] He was also invited to the third conference of the South Korean Presidential Committee for Cultural Enrichment as the representative for the entertainment industry, to share and contribute to the discussion of issues related to developing Korea's cultural content.[34][35] He then took on a starring role Yoo Ha's noir action film Gangnam Blues (2015), which is set in the 1970s when the real estate development boom swept across Gangnam. The movie, which co-stars Kim Rae-won, marks Lee's first leading role in a feature film.[36][37][38][39][40] He subsequently recorded and released his second EP Song for You in October 2014 under Universal Music. As with his previous album, he stated that the tracks were recorded for his fans and that he had no ambition to pursue a singing career.[41][42] The album release coincided with the start of his RE:MINHO fan meeting tour in Asian cities such as Beijing, Tokyo, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Bangkok, Shanghai and Seoul.[43][44][45] On 22 June 2015, Lee released a song titled "Thank You", which he penned the lyrics to. On August 2015, Lee started filming for action comedy Bounty Hunters, directed by Shin Terra, with an estimated budget of $31 million.[46] The movie was released in July 2016, grossing 9 billion won (US$7.8 million) on its first day.[47] In November 2015, he released the EP single "The Day", which included 2 songs. In November 2016, Lee made his small-screen comeback in the fantasy romance drama, The Legend of the Blue Sea alongside actress Jun Ji-hyun.[48] Lee also co-starred in the promotional web drama First Seven Kisses (2016) by Lotte Duty Free.
Personal life[edit] Lee has an older sister, Lee Yong-jung, who is also the CEO of MYM Entertainment, Lee's current label.[3][49] He started dating South Korean singer and actress Suzy in early 2015.[50]
Filmography[edit]Film[edit] YearTitleOriginal TitleRoleDistributor2008Public Enemy Returns강철중: 공공의 적 1-1Jung Ha-yeonCJ Entertainment Our School's E.T.울학교 이티Oh Sang-hoonFinecut 2015Gangnam Blues강남 1970Kim Jong-daeShowbox 2016Bounty Hunters바운티 헌터스Yi SanLe Vision Pictures Television drama[edit] YearTitleOriginal TitleRoleNetwork2003Sharp성장드라마 반올림StudentKBS2 2004Nonstop 5논스톱 5MC MongMBC 2005Recipe of Love사랑찬가Waiter 2006Secret Campus비밀의 교정Park Du-hyunEBS 2007Mackerel Run달려라 고등어Cha Gong-chanSBS I Am Sam아이엠샘Heo Mo-seKBS2 2008Get Up나도 잘 모르지만Min Wook-giMBC 2009Boys Over Flowers꽃보다 남자Gu Jun-pyoKBS2 2010Personal Taste개인의 취향Jeon Jin-hoMBC 2011City Hunter시티헌터Lee Yoon-sungSBS 2012Faith신의 (神医)Choi Young 2013The Heirs왕관을 쓰려는 자, 그 무게를 견뎌라 – 상속자들Kim Tan 2016The Legend of the Blue Sea푸른 바다의 전설Kim Dam-ryeong/Heo Joon-jae Web series[edit] YearTitleOriginal TitleRoleNetwork2011Toyota Camry The One and OnlySeason 1Joon / Kwon 2012Toyota Camry The One and OnlySeason 2Joon / Kwon Innisfree First LoveInnisfree CEO 2014Line Romance라인 로맨스Min-hoiQiyi 2015Innisfree Summer Love썸머 러브Himself 2016First Seven Kisses첫키스만 일곱번째Lee Min-hoNaver TV CastDVD[edit] YearTitleDetailsTrack listing2010Minoz Japan First Event[51][52][53] Release Date: March 20, 2010 (Japan) Format: 2DVD Length: 142 min. Track listing[show] 2011Lee Min Ho 2009–2010 DVD[54][55][56] Release Date: February 2, 2011 (Japan) Format: 2DVD Length: 200 min. Track listing[show] 2012Minoz Japan 2nd Event[57][58][59] Release Date: March 14, 2012 (Japan) Format: 1DVD Length: 99 min. Track listing[show] 20132012 MJ 3rd Event -Lee Min Ho With Winter Symphony-[60][61][62] Release Date: May 15, 2013 (Japan) Format: 2DVD Length: 131 min. Track listing[show] 2013Lee Min Ho – 2013 Global Tour 'My Everything' in Seoul[63] Release Date: Sep 9, 2013 (Korea) Format: 2DVD Length: 118 min. Track listing[show] 2013Lee Min Ho 2013 Global Tour in Japan – My Everything[64][65] Release Date: Oct 16, 2013 (Japan) Format: 2DVD Length: 135 min. Track listing[show] 2014Lee Min Ho – All My Life[66][67] Release Date: Apr 22, 2014 (Korea) Format: 2DVD Length: 183 min. Track listing[show] 2014Lee Min Ho – Encore Concert 2014 My Everything in Japan[68] Release Date: Aug 8, 2014 (Korea) Format: 2DVD Length: 147 min. Track listing
Discography[edit]Albums[edit] YearAlbum TitleDetailsTrack listing2013My EverythingKorea[69][70] Released: May 22, 2013 (Online Release) : May 24, 2013 (CD Release) Label/Distributor: LOEN Entertainment Format: CD+DVD+photobook(+poster) Language: Korean Japan Limited Editions[71][72][73] Released: May 27, 2013 Label/Distributor: IMX Inc. Format: CD+DVD (Jacket A), CD+photobook (Jacket B) Language: Japanese Regular Edition[74][75][76] Released: June 5, 2013 Label/Distributor: Universal Music Japan Format: CD Language: Japanese Track listing[show] 2014Song for YouKorea[77][78] Released: Oct 10, 2014 (Online Release) : Oct 11, 2014 (CD Release) Label/Distributor: Universal Music (South Korea) Format: CD+DVD+Photo cards Language: Korean Japan Limited Edition[79] Released: Oct 10, 2014 Label/Distributor: Universal Music Japan Format: CD+Photo Cards+Polaroid+Draw to Meet Artiste (Type I), CD+DVD+Photo Cards (Type II) Language: Japanese Regular Edition[80] Released: Oct 16, 2014 Label/Distributor: Universal Music Japan Format: CD Language: Japanese Track listing[show]Singles/Soundtrack contributions[edit] YearTitle / TrackAlbumNotesRef. 2009"My Everything"Boys Over Flowers OST (F4 Special Edition)[81] 2013"Painful Love"The Heirs OSTcomposed by Hwang Chan Hee, lyrics are written by Kang Yi Deun 2015"Thank You"Thank Youlyrics by Lee Min-ho, written by composer and producer Hwang Chan-hee "The Day"The Day "I Love You" 2016"Run"Bounty Hunter OSTFeaturing with Yu Quan Promotional songs[edit] YearSong TitleArtistProductNotesRef. 2009"Extreme"with Jessica GomesCass 2X Beer 2014"You're so Beautiful"Himself with Park Shin Hye, EXO, Super Junior Etc.Lotte Duty FreeAwards and nominations[edit] YearAwardCategoryNominated workResult200945thBaeksang Arts AwardsBest New Actor (TV)Boys Over FlowersWon Most Popular Actor (TV)Nominated MTN Broadcast Advertisement FestivalMost Popular Advertisement ModelTrugen CommercialWon 14th Asian Television AwardBest Drama ActorBoys Over FlowersNominated 3rd Mnet 20's Choice AwardsHot Male Drama Star[82]Nominated Hot CF StarDunkin' DonutsNominated Hot New StarN/ANominated Hot Summer Heat Popularity AwardN/ANominated Hot Character ("Gu Jun-pyo")Boys Over FlowersNominated 4th Seoul International Drama AwardsPeople's Choice ActorNominated 2nd Style Icon AwardsViewers' Best Popularity IconN/ANominated Yahoo! Asia Buzz AwardsTop Buzz Star: Male CategoryN/ANominated ASAP Pop Viewers' Choice AwardsPOP Kapamilya TV Character "(Gu Jun-pyo)"Boys Over FlowersWon KBS Drama AwardsBest New ActorWon Netizen Award, ActorNominated Best Couple Award with Ku Hye-sunWon 20104th Mnet 20's Choice AwardsHot ActorPersonal TasteWon 3rd Style Icon AwardsPopularity AwardN/ANominated Yahoo! Asia Buzz AwardsTop Buzz Star: Male ActorN/ANominated Top Buzz Star: Male CategoryN/ANominated MBC Drama AwardsExcellence Award, Actor[83]Personal TasteWon Popularity Award, ActorNominated Best Couple Award with Son Ye-jinNominated 20114thKorea Drama Awards[84]Top Excellence Award, ActorCity HunterWon Hallyu Star AwardWon 5th Mnet 20's Choice AwardsHot Male Drama StarNominated Hot 20's VoiceN/ANominated SBS Drama Awards[85]Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Drama SpecialCity HunterWon Popularity Award, ActorWon Top 10 StarsWon Best Couple Award with Park Min-young[86]Nominated 201248th Baeksang Arts AwardsMost Popular Actor (TV)Nominated 7th Seoul International Drama AwardsOutstanding Korean ActorNominated People's Choice ActorNominated 5th Style Icon AwardsTop 10 Style Icons[87]N/ANominated SBS Drama AwardsTop Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries[88]FaithWon Popularity Award, Actor[88]Nominated Top 10 Stars[88]Won 201312th China Fashion AwardsMost Popular Asian ActorN/AWon 1st DramaFever AwardsBest ActorFaithWon Best Couple with Kim Hee-sunWon 49th Baeksang Arts AwardsMost Popular Actor (TV)Nominated 8th Seoul International Drama AwardsPeople's Choice ActorNominated Sohu Media AwardsMost Popular International ActorN/AWon Baidu Feidian Awards[89]Best Asian ActorThe HeirsWon SBS Drama Awards[90]Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Drama SpecialWon Popularity Award, ActorWon Top 10 StarsWon Best Couple Award with Park Shin-hyeWon Best DressedWon 20142nd DramaFever AwardsBest ActorWon Best Bromance with Kim Woo-binWon 50th Baeksang Arts AwardsMost Popular Actor (TV)Nominated Singapore Entertainment AwardsMost Popular Korean TV ArtisteN/AWon OMY Hot StarN/ANominated 9th Seoul International Drama AwardsOutstanding Korean ActorThe HeirsNominated People's Choice ActorNominated 7thKorea Drama AwardsGrand Prize (Daesang)Nominated 7th Style Icon AwardsTop 10 Style IconsN/ANominated 3rdAPAN Star AwardsTop Excellence Award, Actor in a MiniseriesThe HeirsNominated 5th Korean Popular Culture & Arts AwardPrime Minister AwardN/AWon NATE AwardsPeople's Choice Hallyu StarN/ANominated 201551stBaeksang Arts AwardsBest New Actor (Film)Gangnam BluesNominated Most Popular Actor (Film)Won Most Popular Hallyu Star/IQiyi Star AwardN/AWon Korea SNS Industry Grand AwardPresident Award of National Information Society AgencyN/AWon 19th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival AwardsProducer Choice AwardN/AWon 10th Seoul International Drama Awards10th Anniversary Hallyu Achievement AwardN/AWon Mango TV Popularity AwardN/AWon 52nd Grand Bell Awards / Daejong Film AwardsBest New ActorGangnam BluesWon Popularity AwardNominated 36thBlue Dragon Film AwardsBest New ActorNominated Popularity AwardWon 2015 Korean Tourism AwardsThe STAR of Korean Tourism 2015N/AWon 2016Lotte Duty Free Awards2015 Best Model AwardsN/AWon Beijing LeEco NightMost Popular Asian Idol AwardN/AWon 1st Weibo Movie Award 2016Most Anticipated Action Comedy ActorBounty HuntersWon Asian Movie PioneerWon SBS Drama AwardsBest Couple (with Jun Ji-hyun)The Legend of the Blue SeaPending K-Wave Star AwardPending Others[edit] In December 2015 Social contributions[edit] Honorary Ambassador for UNICEF's Love Net campaign to fight malaria (2009–2010) PR Ambassador for Konkuk University (2010) Honorary Prosecutor or basically a PR ambassador for Korean Prosecutor (2012). PR ambassador for the Chilean campaign "Reforestemos Patagonia" organized by Minoz Chile (2013)[91] In 2014, Lee set up the PROMIZ website to raise awareness and encourage donation for social and humanitarian causes.[92][93] Proceeds from the sale of PROMIZ merchandise are given to the selected partners to execute the charity projects. The site has since raised US$50,000 from him and his fans to help create wells in Malawi through non-profit organisation Charity: Water.[94][95] Public Ambassador for 'Korean Tourism Campaign', also called as 'The Face of Korean Tourism' (July 28, 2015) Honorary Ambassador for the '2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics' (September 25, 2015) PR Ambassador for Visit Korea Year 2016–2018 (November 7, 2015) Social media[edit] As of November 2016, Lee has 2.95 million followers on Twitter, 22.5 million and 17 million fans on Weibo and Facebook respectively.[96][97][98][99][100] In 2014 and 2015 Lee topped an online poll organised by a Chinese entertainment magazine to be crowned as the "Asian Male God".[101][102][103]