Lee Byung-hun is a South Korean actor. He has worked in many South Korean and Hollywood films. He is the first South Korean actor to be honoured to present an Oscar at the annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles. In 2023, he was announced to appear in the second season of the popular Netflix South Korean survival drama series ‘Squid Game.’
Wiki/Biography
Lee Byung-hun was born on Sunday, 12 July 1970 (age 53 years; as of 2023) in Seoul, South Korea. His zodiac sign is Cancer. He went to Joongdong High School in Seoul. He did his graduation with a major in French literature at Hanyang University in South Korea. Later, he did a major in theatre and cinematography at the Graduate School of Chung-Ang University. His father introduced Lee Byung-hun to Hollywood films as his father was a huge fan of Hollywood films.
A childhood image of Lee Byung-hun with his father
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 9″
Weight (approx.): 70 kg
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Family
Parents & Siblings
His father, Lee Jong-kun, was a businessman. Following his father’s passing, Lee faced financial difficulties and had to pay off his father’s debts. This experience led him into a state of depression, and he began experiencing panic disorders, which made attending award ceremonies challenging for him.
Lee Byung-hun with his father
He has a younger sister named Lee Eun-hee, who is a model and an actress.
Lee Byung-hun with his mother and sister
Wife & Children
On 10 August 2013, he got married to Lee Min-jung, a South Korean actress. The couple has a son named Lee Joon-hoo.
A wedding day image of Lee Byung-hun and Lee Min-jung
Lee Byung-hun’s son
Relationships/Affairs
Song Hye-kyo
In the early 2000s, Lee Byung-hun was in a relationship with his fellow lead actress from the 2003 TV series ‘All In’, Song Hye-kyo. Despite the relationship being kept very private and rarely publicized, it lasted for about fifteen months before they decided to part ways in mid-June 2004.
Lee Byung-hun with Song Hye-kyo
Lee Min-jung
In 2006, he date Lee Min-jung for a short period of time and later, they got back together in 2012.
Lee Byung-hun with Lee Min-jung
Signature/Autograph
Career
Television
In 1991, Lee Byung-hun made his acting debut as Jinwoo with KBS2’s South Korean TV show ‘Asphalt My Hometown’ after qualifying for the KBS talent audition.
Poster of the 1991 South Korean TV show ‘Asphalt My Hometown’
He played the role of a baseball player named Seo Tae-poong, who kept searching for his brother and three sisters, in SBS TV’s series ‘Happy Together’ released in 1999. He has worked in many South Korean TV series including ‘The Fragrance of Love’ (1994), ‘White Nights 3.98’ (1998), ‘Beautiful Days’ (2001), and ‘Iris’ (2009). In 2011, he appeared in a special appearance as John in Fuji TV’s Japanese drama TV series ‘Diplomat Kosaku Kuroda.’ In 2022, he appeared in tvN’s popular South Korean series titled ‘Our Blues.’
Film
Korean
In 1995, he debuted in the South Korean film industry with the romantic comedy film ‘Who Drives Me Crazy.’
Poster of the 1995 film ‘Who Drives Me Crazy’
He has worked in many South Korean films including ‘Kill the Love’ (1996), ‘The Harmonium in My Memory’ (1999), and ‘Bungee Jumping of Their Own’ (2001). He hit the spotlight after he played the role of Lee Soo-hyuk, a South Korean soldier in the action thriller film ‘Joint Security Area.’ In 2017, he starred in the popular historical drama film ‘The Fortress’ in which he portrayed the character of Choi Myung-kil, a Korean Joseon politician.
English
In 2009, he played the role of Su Dongpo in the English neo-noir thriller film ‘I Come with the Rain,’ which was directed by Vietnamese-born French director Tran Anh Hung.
Lee Byung-hun in a still from the 2009 film ‘I Come with the Rain’
In the same year, he made his Hollywood debut with the famous Sci-fi action film ‘G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.’ In the film, he portrayed the character of Storm Shadow, which turned out to be a breakthrough role for him.
In 2013, he returned to play the character Storm Shadow in the movie ‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation’ in which Dwayne Johnson, Bruce Willis, and Channing Tatum were cast in lead roles. In the same year, he co-starred in the American film ‘RED 2,’ which is the sequel to the action-comedy movie ‘RED’ released in 2010. In ‘RED 2,’ he appeared alongside renowned actors such as Bruce Willis, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Helen Mirren, and John Malkovich. He has worked in many notable English films including ‘Terminator Genisys’ (2015), ‘Misconduct’ (2016), and ‘The Magnificent Seven’ (2016).
Singer
In 1999, he released his first album ‘Lee Byung Hun – To Me.’ In 2008, he released a single soundtrack titled ‘Itsuka’ (Someday). He lent his voice to two original soundtracks, ‘Stay’ and ‘Endless Road’ from the 2009 South Korean TV series ‘Iris.’
Philanthropist
In March 2011, Lee Byung-hun donated 700 million won to the Korean Red Cross to aid local residents who were impacted by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. In November 2016, Lee Byung-hun made a voice donation to the Green Umbrella Children’s Foundation for the ‘Haru’ campaign, which was dedicated to providing support to sick children. In April 2019, both Lee Byung-hun and his wife, Lee Min-jung, donated 100 million won to support the victims affected by the forest fires in Gangwon-do, South Korea. In February 2020, Lee Byung-hun donated 100 million won through the Fruit of Love campaign organized by the Community Chest of Korea. In October 2020, Lee Byung-hun made a voice donation to a multi-media-type Braille sensory book created by The National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage. On 30 December 2020, Lee Byung-hun donated 100 million won to the Green Umbrella Children’s Foundation to support children from low-income families who were facing difficulties in their lives due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. On 12 July 2021, on the occasion of his birthday, Lee Byung-hun donated 100 million won to Asan Children’s Hospital in Seoul. On 6 March 2022, Lee Byung-hun donated 100 million won to the Hope Bridge Disaster Relief Association to aid residents who were affected by the Uljin and Samcheok wildfires. His contribution was utilized to provide temporary shelter for the victims, who were forced to evacuate from their homes due to the devastating wildfires.
Controversies
Accused of Causing Physical Harm & Gambling
On 9 December 2009, Lee Byung-hun’s ex-girlfriend, Kwon Mi-yeon, filed a civil lawsuit against him, alleging that she was deceived into having a sexual relationship with him based on the promise of marriage. She said that Lee caused her mental anguish and physical harm, and also accused him of being a chronic gambler. Kwon sued Lee for 100 million won. In response, Lee’s agency, BH Entertainment, refuted all of Kwon’s allegations, asserting that they were false and that they believed the lawsuit was retaliatory in nature due to their breakup. Later, Lee also countersued Kwon for defamation and extortion. Lee Byung-hun was cleared of the illegal gambling charges on 19 March 2010, as prosecutors found no evidence to support the allegations. Kwon Mi-yeon’s alleged claim for damages was eventually dropped in August 2010, as she did not actively participate in the legal proceedings. In 2010, TV show host Kang Byung-kyu appeared on the set of the TV drama ‘Iris,’ which Lee Byung-hun was working on at the time. Kang was accused of bringing in gangsters and causing a disturbance due to a conflict with a producer. Kang said that the producer spread rumours linking him to the feud between Lee and Kwon Mi-yeon. As a result of this incident, Kang was arrested on assault charges. Later on, Kang Byung-kyu was indicted on charges of blackmail and defamation. Prosecutors alleged that Kang and Kwon colluded to blackmail Lee for significant sums of money in November 2009. When Lee refused to comply with their demands, Kwon went on to file her civil lawsuit in December of the same year. Kang Byung-kyu was ultimately sentenced to one year in prison and three years of probation in 2013 for his fraud and assault charges.
5 Billion Won Blackmail Scandal
On 28 August 2014, Lee Byung-hun faced blackmail from singer Dahee, a member of the K-pop girl group GLAM, and model Lee Ji-yeon. They demanded 5 billion won (approximately US$4,000,000) from him, threatening to release a compromising video of him making sexual jokes while drinking with them on 3 July 2014. On 1 September 2014, after Lee Byung-hun reported the crime to the police, Dahee and Lee Ji-yeon were arrested, when they handed two suitcases of money to Lee Byung-hun as part of their blackmail scheme. After investigations, it was revealed that Dahee and Lee Ji-yeon pre-planned the blackmail, and they even searched for plane tickets to escape to Europe. The two women also tried to secretly film an additional video of Lee Byung-hun hugging Lee Ji-yeon by placing a smartphone in a kitchen sink to capture the footage secretly; however, they couldn’t do so. Lee Ji-yeon alleged that the blackmailing was an impulsive act following her breakup with Lee Byung-hun. In response, Lee Byung-hun’s agency released an official statement denying any one-on-one meetings between Lee and Lee Ji-yeon. The statement also mentioned that Lee did not want to meet them after suspecting ulterior motives from them, as they had discussed their financial difficulties and requested him to buy them a house. In March 2015, they received a suspended sentence for two years following Lee’s pardon request.
Fined $102,000 after Tax Audit
In 2023, Lee Byung-hun was fined 100 million won (US$102,000) following a special tax audit conducted by the National Tax Service. According to the government agency, it conducted an irregular tax audit against Lee and his management agency BH Entertainment in September 2022. BH Entertainment, founded by Lee in 2006, issued a statement in which it said,
Lee has never had a single tax-related incident over the past 30 years. It is true that the tax was collected by the National Tax Service, but it is not a problem of tax evasion. We paid bonuses to all employees with personal money, but accounting for the part that was treated as company expenses was a problem, and some of the model fees were set aside for donation, which became the subject of additional surcharges.”
According to a South Korean news agency, in 2018, Lee purchased a 10-storey building in Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul, using both personal and corporate funds. In 2021, he allegedly sold the property, making a profit of 10 billion won. BH Entertainment clarified that the sale of the property and the tax investigation were not related to each other.
Awards, Honours, Achievements
Awards
- 1992: Best New Actor Award for ‘Day of Sunshine’ at the KBS Drama Awards
- 1993: Excellence Award (Actor) for ‘Tomorrow Love’ at the KBS Drama Awards
- 1995: Best New Actor Award for the South Korean film ‘Who Drives Me Crazy’ at the 6th Chunsa Film Art Awards
- 1995: Best Actor in TV for the TV show ‘Son Of Wind’ at the 4th Korean Culture and Entertainment Awards
- 2000: Best Actor for the film ‘Joint Security Area’ at the 1st Busan Film Critics Awards
- 2003: Grand Prize (Daesang) for the TV series ‘All In’ at the SBS Drama Awards
- 2005: Best Actor for the film ‘A Bittersweet Life’ at the 13th Chunsa Film Art Awards
- 2009: Won Grand Prize (Daesang), Netizen Award (Actor), and Best Couple Award (with Kim Tae-hee) at the KBS Drama Awards
Lee Byung-hun at the 2009 KBS Drama Awards
- 2010: Best Actor in Asia for the TV series ‘Iris’ at the Tokyo Drama Awards
- 2010: Best Asian Influential International Actor at the China Music Awards and Asian Influential Awards
- 2013: Popular Star Award for the American films ‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation’ and ‘RED 2’ at the 34th Blue Dragon Film Awards
- 2016: Star Asia Award for the South Korean film ‘Inside Men’ at the 15th New York Asian Film Festival
- 2016: Best Actor for the South Korean film ‘Inside Men’ at the 25th Buil Film Awards
Lee Byung-hun at the Buil Film Awards
- 2020: Outstanding Artist for a Film for the South Korean film ‘The Man Standing Next’ at the 10th SACF Artists of the Year Awards
- 2021: Asian Film Excellence Award at the 15th Asian Film Awards
- 2022: Best Actor in a film for the film ‘The Man Standing Next’ at the 20th Director’s Cut Awards
- 2022: A-Awards – Impression for the South Korean TV series ‘Our Blues’ at the A-Awards
Honours
- 2011: Received Presidential Commendation from the government of South Korea
Achievements
- 2010: Ranked 4th on Korea Power Celebrity list by Forbes
- 2014: Ranked 16th on Korea Power Celebrity list by Forbes
- 2016: Ranked 40th on Korea Power Celebrity list by Forbes
- 2019: Ranked 19th on Korea Power Celebrity list by Forbes
Car Collection
He owns many swanky cars.
Lee Byung-hun getting out of his car
Assets & Properties
Lee Byung-hun and his wife own a luxury villa located in Cheongdam-dong, South Korea, worth 3.18 billion won. In 2019, he purchased a house worth 2.3 billion won (US$2 million) in Los Angeles.
Lee Byung-hun house in Los Angeles
The couple owns an apartment in Samseong-Dong, South Korea worth somewhere between 4 billion to 5 billion won (approx. $3.6 million to $4.5 million USD).
“Section TV” Reveals Interior of Lee Byung Hun and Lee Min Jung’s Extravagant New Home http://t.co/1I4ElDlybO pic.twitter.com/YWzOtWTQRg
— Soompi (@soompi) May 25, 2015
Salary
He earned 150 million KRW (136,886 USD) per episode for the 2018 South Korean TV series ‘Mr. Sunshine.’
Net Worth
In 2022, Lee Byung-hun’s net worth was estimated to be US$20 million.
Facts/Trivia
- Lee established a management company called BH Entertainment, which oversees the careers of numerous actors, including Han Hyo-joo, Go Soo, Jin Goo, Jinyoung, and Han Ji-min.
- He also owns a shop named BHNC, which sells many items including hats, scarves, and wallets.
- Reportedly, in 1995, he was adopted by Daewoo Group’s chairman, Kim Woo-joong and his wife, creating a special bond between them.
Daewoo Group’s chairman Kim Woo-joong and his wife
Former Daewoo Group chairman Kim Woo-joong and his wife, Jung Hee-ja, had three sons and one daughter. The eldest son and heir to the Daewoo Group, Kim Seon-jae, passed away in a car accident when he was 24 years old. Four years after the tragic death of her son, Jung Hee-ja came across a rookie actor named Lee Byung-hun on TV, who had a striking resemblance to her late son.
Lee Byung-hun (right) and Kim Seon-jae (left)
Upon seeing this, she felt a deep connection and asked Yoo In-chon, a former model of Daewoo Electronics commercial, to help arrange a meeting with Lee Byung-hun. At the meeting, Jung Hee-ja made an unexpected suggestion to Lee Byung-hun that he become her adopted son. At first, Lee Byung-hun was surprised by the idea of being adopted; however later, he agreed to the proposal. He also modelled for Daewoo Motors Tico. After his 5 billion won blackmail scandal in 2014, he flew to the US and apologised to Kim Woo-joong and his wife for causing trouble. He still maintains his bond with the Kim family and pays regular visits to the mortuary of former chairman Kim Woo-joong, who passed away in 2019.
- Lee Byung-hun is recognized in the video game industry for lending his likeness to the main character, Wayne Holden, in the 2006 game Lost Planet: Extreme Condition, available on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC platforms.
- In 2010, Lee Byung-hun was appointed California’s tourism promotion ambassador to Korea.
- He loves to drink coffee. In 2010, he took a break from acting and decided to become a certified barista.
Lee Byung-hun making coffee
- In 2013, Lee Byung-hun was chosen as an honorary ambassador for the Association of Film Commissioners International annual meeting. This organization is dedicated to supporting and facilitating international co-productions in the film industry. In the same year, Lee Byung-hun was appointed as an honorary ambassador to promote the 50th Daejong Film Awards.
- In 2016, Lee is a voting member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
- Lee has worked in many famous Hollywood films; however, during his initial days in Hollywood, he had to face racism. During an interview in 2016, he shared his experience of facing racism in Hollywood and said,
I can’t say who, but there are actors who wouldn’t even look me in the eyes because I was Asian. I tried to introduce myself and shake their hands, but they would ignore me and walked past me. I couldn’t shake their hands until we had finished filming the movie. Rather than feeling sad, I felt really enraged. To them, I could just be the ‘actor who couldn’t speak English. Still, to confront them, there would be cultural and linguistic barriers. I went to a coffee shop for a cup of coffee and the baristas asked me, ‘You’re a movie star, right?’ I thought, ‘Finally someone recognizes me,’ but then they said that they really enjoyed the movie ‘The Hangover.’ To them, all Asians look the same.”
- In 2017, he performed in the music video of the song ‘I LUV IT’ by the famous South Korean singer Psy.
Lee Byung-hun with Psy (left) in a still from the music video of the song ‘I LUV IT’
- During his free time, Lee enjoys practising taekwondo.
- He follows a non-vegetarian diet.
Lee Byung-hun having a non-vegetarian meal
- He is often spotted consuming alcohol in public.
Lee Byung-hun consuming alcohol
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education