Lee Hyun-woo (actor, born 1993)

2005–2011: Beginnings as a child actor

Lee began his career as a child actor, building up his resume by playing roles in a number of large-scale productions, such as The Legend, The Great King, Sejong, The Return of Iljimae, and Queen Seondeok.^[1][2] He rose to fame for his role in Master of Study, a Korean screen adaptation of Japanese manga Dragon Zakura.^[3][4] The same year, Lee took to the stage for the 2010 musical production of Footloose, where he played the leading role of Ren.^[5]

In 2011, he and K-pop singer Yoon Doo-joon (from Beast) began hosting the music program Music on Top for cable channel JTBC.^[6] He was then featured in IU's music video for the song "You and I".^[7] Lee further expanded his acting scope in historical drama Gyebaek,^[8] revenge thriller Man from the Equator,^[9][10] and made a guest appearance in medical drama Brain.^[11]

2012–2018: Rising popularity

In 2012, Lee co-starred in To the Beautiful You, the Korean television adaptation of Japanese manga Hana-Kimi, with his role based on the character Shuichi Nakatsu.^[12][13] Despite low ratings during its domestic run, To the Beautiful You led to increased Korean Wave exposure for Lee in countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan and China.^[14][15][16] He and co-star Hwang Kwang-hee were later announced as the new hosts of live music show Inkigayo.^[17] His breakthrough continued when he landed a major role in 2013 box office hit Secretly, Greatly, an action-comedy film in which he played a North Korean undercover spy disguised as a high school boy.^[18] Lee also sang "Ode to Youth" for the film's soundtrack.^[19][20] He became the first male celebrity to be appointed ambassador of the Puchon International Film Festival.^[21]

Lee in 2014 (L) and 2015 (R)

In 2014, he and real-life best friend Park Ji-bin (both were child actors and belong to the same agency) appeared in the travel/reality show Real Mate in Saipan.^[22] Lee next played a hacker in the heist movie The Con Artists.^[23][24] He then starred in Northern Limit Line, a 2015 naval thriller about the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong.^[25] The film sold 6,024,894 tickets (grossing US$38,945,231), making it the most-watched Korean film in 2015.^[26] In 2016, he starred in the fantasy youth drama Moorim School: Saga of the Brave.^[27] Initially slated for 20 episodes, the drama was reduced to 16 episodes instead due to low ratings.^[28] In 2017, Lee starred in the drama The Liar and His Lover, the Korean remake of the Japanese manga Kanojo wa Uso o Aishisugiteru alongside Red Velvet's Joy.^[29] In 2018, Lee released a digital single titled "Twenty-Six", prior to joining the army.^[30]

2022–present

In 2022, Lee returned to the small screen with the Netflix drama Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area, his first work on the small screen in five years.^[31]

Military service

On February 19, 2018, Lee began his mandatory military service as an active duty soldier.^[32][33] He completed his military service and was discharged on October 19, 2019.^[34]

Film

Television series

Web series

Music video appearances

Singles