Lee Dong-gun | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Lee in October 2019 | |
| Born | (1980-07-26)26 July 1980 (age 45) Gangnam District,Seoul, South Korea |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Agent | FNC Entertainment |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 이동건 |
| Hanja | 李東健 |
| RR | I Donggeon |
| MR | I Tonggŏn |
| Website | Official website |
Lee Dong-gun (Korean: 이동건; born 26 July 1980) is a South Korean actor and singer.
Lee Dong-gun made his debut in the entertainment industry in 1998 as a singer, but he would later gain fame as an actor, starring intelevision dramas such asSweet 18,Lovers in Paris, andStained Glass.[1][2]
Lee took a break from acting in 2005, claiming he felt overwhelmed with his workload in both television and film.[3] He resumed his work in 2006, withSmile Again.
During a fan meeting event in Japan held on 5 December 2005, Lee announced the release of his first photobook which also included a making-of DVD, poster and postcard. The success ofLovers in Paris along with promotions for his new filmMy Boyfriend Is Type B helped to increase his popularity in Japan.[4][5]
Lee participated in theHallyu Expo in Asia onJeju island which commenced on 28 November 2006 and spanned a total of 100 days. This large-scale event was intended to promote Korean culture across Asia and expected to bring in 150,000 tourists to stimulate the local economy.[6][7] He also attended the sequel to the Hallyu Expo which was held in Japan titledFACE in Japan Premium Event. This two-day event from 14 to 15 August 2007, featured Korean celebrities with large fanbases and was intended as a cultural exchange program between Korea and Japan.[8]
Lee released a 14-track album titledMy Biography in 2008, his first full-length album in a decade.[9] It included 6 Korean songs, 6 Japanese songs and 2 instrumentals. It was first released in Japan before becoming available in Korea.[10] The same year, he starred in the television series Night After Night alongsideKim Sun-ah,[11] and starred alongside anensemble cast in the romance filmLove Now.[12]
In December 2011, three months prior to the completion of his mandatory military service, Lee signed with talent agency Mask Entertainment.[13][14] After the termination of his contract with Mask Entertainment,[15][16] Lee signed withFNC Entertainment in November 2012.[17][18]
In 2013, Lee was cast in the lead role for the time-travel romanceMarry Him If You Dare.[19] This was followed in 2015 by the titular role in cable seriesSuper Daddy Yeol, which was based on thewebtoon of the same name.[20][21] In 2016, Lee starred in the family dramaThe Gentlemen of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop.[22] He also starred in his first Chinese drama,Hello Mr. Right alongside actressGuan Xiaotong.[23]
In the historical dramaQueen for Seven Days, Lee impressed viewers with his a wide range of emotions and acting performance with his role as the tyrannical Joseon rulerYeonsangun.[24] He then starred in action dramaSketch, playing a member of a special operations command who seeks revenge for the death of his wife;[25][26] and slice-of-life dramaWhere Stars Land.[27]
In 2019, Lee was cast in the fantasy romance dramaAngel's Last Mission: Love.[28]
On 20 March 2008, Lee's 19-year-old brother Lee Joon-yub, a student at theUniversity of Sydney, was fatally stabbed during a brawl with two Chinese teenage gang members atHungry Jack's inWorld Square, Sydney.[29] The victim's friend, 22-year-old Song Jung-ho, was critically injured but survived.[30] Lee flew to Sydney to identify his brother's body and attend arequiem mass at the Chapel ofSt. John's College; after cremation, his family brought back Lee Joon-yub's ashes toSeoul.[31]
Lee enlisted for hismandatory military service on 15 June 2010 at the 102 Reserves inChuncheon,Gangwon Province for four weeks of basic training followed by 21 months of active duty.[32] He served at the Defense Media Agency of theMinistry of National Defense and was appointed Honorary Ambassador of Military.[33] He was discharged on 28 March 2012, and on the same day, he was appointed promotional ambassador for the2012 Korean Formula One Grand Prix held at theKorea International Circuit in October.[34]
On 28 February 2017, Lee was confirmed to be datingJo Yoon-hee, his co-star inThe Gentlemen of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop.[35] On 2 May, Lee announced that they have registered their marriage and are expecting their first child.[36][37] The couple held a private wedding ceremony on 29 September[38] and welcomed a baby girl on 14 December 2017.[39] On May 29, 2020, they divorced due to irreconcilable differences.[40]
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Sales | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KOR [41] | JPN [42] | |||
| Korean | ||||
| Time to Fly |
| — | — | N/a |
| Much More |
| 42 | — |
|
| Japanese | ||||
| Beautiful Beginning (美しいはじまり) |
| — | — | N/a |
| My Biography (マイ・バイオグラフィ) |
| — | 108 | |
| The Key to Myself (ザ・キー・トゥ・マイセルフ) |
| — | 262 | |
| "—" denotes album did not chart or was not released in that region. | ||||
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Salad Song"(Yoon Eun-hye featuring Lee Dong-gun) | 2008 | Salad Anniversary |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Family | Ha Yong-cheol | ||
| 2005 | My Boyfriend Is Type B | Young-bin | ||
| 2007 | Love Now | Park Yong-jun |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Ad Madness | |||
| 2002 | Friends | Park Kyung-joo | ||
| Ruler of Your Own World | Han Dong-jin | |||
| 2003 | Sang Doo! Let's Go to School | Kang Min-suk | ||
| A Problem at My Younger Brother's House | Park Sang-gu | |||
| 2004 | Sweet 18 | Kwon Hyuk-joon | ||
| Lovers in Paris | Yoon Soo-hyuk | |||
| Stained Glass | Han Dong-joo/Yuichi Yamamoto | |||
| 2006 | Smile Again | Ban Ha-jin | ||
| If in Love... Like Them | Jeong-tae | |||
| 2008 | Night After Night | Kim Bum-sang | ||
| Star's Lover | Hyun-joon | Cameo | ||
| 2013 | Marry Him If You Dare | Kim Shin | ||
| 2015 | Super Daddy Yeol | Han Yul | ||
| 2016 | The Gentlemen of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop | Lee Dong-jin | ||
| 2017 | Queen for Seven Days | Yeonsangun | ||
| 2018 | Sketch | Kim Do-jin | ||
| Where Stars Land | Seo In-woo | |||
| 2019 | Angel's Last Mission: Love | Ji Kang-woo | ||
| Leverage | Lee Tae-joon |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Hello Mr. Right | Zhou Yuteng | Chinese drama | |
| 2022 | Kiss Sixth Sense | Hong Sung-joon | Cameo (Ep. 1, 10–12) | |
| 2023 | Celebrity | Jin Tae-jeon | [44] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023–present | My Little Old Boy | Cast member |
| Year | Title | Artist | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | "Tardy Love" | Eun Hyul | |
| 2007 | "A Day" | Position | |
| "Last Farewell" | Big Bang | ||
| "Don't Love Her" | Lee Hyori | [45] | |
| 2008 | "Salad Song" | Yoon Eun-hye (feat. Lee Dong-gun) | |
| 2009 | "Tomorrow" | 4Tomorrow |
| Award ceremony | Year | Category | Nominee / Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andre Kim Best Star Awards | 2004 | Best Star Award | Lee Dong-gun | Won | [46] |
| APAN Star Awards | 2015 | Hallyu Star Award | Lee Dong-gun | Won | [47] |
| Baeksang Arts Awards | 2005 | Most Popular Actor – Film | My Boyfriend Is Type B | Won | |
| 2009 | Most Popular Actor – Television | Night After Night | Nominated | ||
| Dong-a TV Fashion Beauty Awards | 2004 | Best Dressed | Lee Dong-gun | Won | |
| Grand Bell Awards | 2005 | Best New Actor | My Boyfriend Is Type B | Nominated | |
| 2008 | Best New Actor | Love Now | Nominated | ||
| KBS Drama Awards | 2004 | Excellence Award, Actor | Sweet 18 | Nominated | |
| 2013 | Best Couple Award | Lee Dong-gun(withYoon Eun-hye) Marry Him If You Dare | Nominated | ||
| Excellence Award, Actor in Miniseries | Marry Him If You Dare | Nominated | |||
| 2016 | Excellence Award, Actor in a Serial Drama | The Gentlemen of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop | Won | [48] | |
| 2017 | Excellence Award, Actor in a Mid-length Drama | Queen for Seven Days | Won | [49] | |
| Korea Best Dresser Swan Awards | 2008 | Best Dressed Actor | Lee Dong-gun | Won | |
| MBC Drama Awards | 2008 | Excellence Award, Actor | Night After Night | Won | |
| SBS Drama Awards | 2004 | Excellence Award, Actor in a Special Planning Drama | Lovers in Paris | Won | |
| Top 10 Stars | Lovers in Paris /Stained Glass | Won | |||
| Top Excellence Award, Actor | Nominated | ||||
| 2018 | Excellence Award, Actor in a Monday-Tuesday Drama | Where Stars Land | Nominated | ||
| SBS Entertainment Awards | 2023 | Hot Issue Award | My Little Old Boy | Won | [50] |
| 2024 | Good Partner Award | My Little Old Boy[a] | Won | [51] | |
| SeoulHallyu Festival | 2008 | Plaque of Appreciation | Lee Dong-gun | Won |
