Hangul: 이민호
Hanja: 李敏鎬
Born Date: 22 June 1987
Born Place: Seoul, South Korea
Zodiac Sign: Gemini
Profession: Actor, Singer, Model
Eye Color: Black
Height: 6′ 2″ (1.87 m)
Years active: 2002–present
Claim To Fame: Boys Over Flowers (2009)
Who is Lee Min-ho?
LEE MIN-ho → Born on 22nd June 1987 in Seoul, under the sign of Gemini, to Buddhist parents, Lee Min-ho is a South Korean actor widely known for his roles in the TV series Boys Over Flowers (2009) and The Heirs (2013). He has an older sister, Yun-jeong, who is the CEO of his current agency MYM Entertainment.
In September 2020, Lee Min-ho became the first Korean celebrity to exceed 20 million followers, both on Facebook and Instagram. With a combined total of 100 million followers, Lee Min-ho is regarded as the “Korean King of Social Media.”
Lee made headlines for starring in the TV series The King: Eternal Monarch, which ranks as one of Netflix’s most-watched worldwide series in 2020. Throughout his 20 years of career, Lee Min-ho starred in six movies, eight animations, and over 15 television series.
Facts about Lee Min-ho:
- His favorite football player is Nal-do Ho.
- At the age of 19, Lee received his first leading role in the TV series Secret Campus.
- The King: Eternal Monarch grossed US$135 million globally.
- His longest-running TV series is Faith/Shinui, with 24 episodes.
- Lee Min’s highest-grossing movie is Bounty Hunters/Shang jin lie, with $32 million worldwide.
- At the beginning of his acting career, he went with the stage name Lee Min. He eventually went back to using his original name.
- As of October 2022, Lee Min-ho amassed: 31 million followers on Instagram, 28 million followers on Facebook; 3 million followers on Twitter; and 28 million on Weibo.
- Lee Min-ho earns around US$2.5 million from product endorsements alone.
Education
Since childhood, Lee Min-Ho daydreamed of a career as a professional football player (soccer). During his attending to Namseong Elementary School (서울남성초등학교)… Lee Min-Ho won a spot in the junior football class of former professional player Cha Bum-Kun. An injury during his 5th grade put an end to his dreams.
In his second year at Danggok High School (당곡고등학교), Lee Min-Ho started to show interest in acting, and by the end of high school, he joined Starhaus Entertainment.
In 2006, Lee Min-ho entered Konkuk University Department of Art and Design, where he majored in Film Arts, getting his bachelor’s degree. Then, Lee Min-ho pursued his master’s degree in Film at Kookmin University Graduate.
Acting career
Between 2002 and 2005, Lee Min-ho scored four minor roles in the TV drama series: Romance, Nonstop, Sharp, and Recipe of Love. In 2006, the 19 years old Lee Min-ho received his first leading role in the Kdrama series Secret Campus. Lee Min-ho rose to fame after portraying Gu Jun-pyo in the KBS2 drama Boys Over Flowers (2009). In 2015, Lee Min-Ho landed his first leading role in a movie called Gangnam 1970, followed next year by his biggest-grossing movie Bounty Hunters.
Throughout his 20 years of career, Lee Min-ho starred in six movies and over 15 television series like The Heirs (2013), The Legend of the Blue Sea (2016), and The King: Eternal Monarch. His voice is on eight animation films, including names like Cheburashka (2010), Doraemon (2006), and Shin angyo onshi (2004).
Lee Min-ho almost died in a car wreck
In 2006, Lee Min-Ho and his fellow actor Jung Il-woo were involved in a car accident that left him in a coma for a month, followed by several months of bedridden. His acting career was on hold for a year which he spent in the hospital to recover. The front passengers died instantly.
Lee Min-ho recorded 2 EPs and 2 music albums
In May 2013, Lee Min-ho released his first EP, “My Everything.” In October 2014, Lee recorded his second EP, “Song for you.” In 2015, Lee Min-ho premiered his first single album called The Day, and in 2017, he recorded his 2nd album, Always. He stated that the tracks are recorded for his fans, and he has no ambition of pursuing a singing career.
Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ Awards and nominations
Awards and nominations
Throughout his acting career, Lee Min-ho won 16 awards from 28 nominations
2 KBS Drama Awards
In 2008, Lee Min-ho gained two KBS Drama Awards for Best New Actor and Best Couple (shared with Ku Hye-Sun) thanks to his role in Boys over Flowers.
2 KDF AWARDS
In 2011, Lee Min-ho earned two Korea Drama Awards for Best Actor and The Hallyu Star Award, thanks to his role in City Hunter (2011).
5 SBS DRAMA AWARDS
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- In 2012, Lee Min-ho won two SBS Drama Awards for Top Excellence Actor in a Miniseries and Top 10 Star Award, thanks to his role in Shinui/Faith.
- In 2013, Lee brought home three SBS Drama Awards, Top Excellence Actor in a Mid-length Drama, Top 10 Star Award, and Best Couple (shared with Park Shin-Hye) thanks to his role in The Heirs (2013).
1 Seoul International Drama Awards
In 2015, Lee Min-ho was awarded the 10th Anniversary Hallyu Achievement Award at the Seoul International Drama Awards. A trophy shared with Lee Yeong-ae and Byoung-hoon Lee.
1 Grand Bell Award
His first leading role in a film brought Lee Min-ho a Grand Bell Award in 2015 for Best New Actor, thanks to his interpretation in Gangnam 1970.
2 Gold Derby Awards
In 2022, Lee Min-ho won two Gold Derby TV awards with his Pachinko series for Drama Actor and Breakthrough Performer of the Year.
1 Blue Dragon Award
In 2015, thanks to his film Gangnam 1970, Lee won a Blue Dragon Popularity Award for a Star.
1 Baek Sang Art Awards
His role in Gangnam 1970 brought Lee Min-ho the award for Most Popular actor at the 2015 Baek Sang Film Festival.
What movies and TV Series did Lee Min-ho play in?
→ SINCE HIS Official ACTING DEBUT IN 2005, Lee Min-ho STARRED IN 6 MOVIES AND landed leading roles in 11 TV SERIES ←
Here is the list of all the movies and TV series of Lee Min-ho in reverse chronological order.
↓ (Everything about his acting career) ↓
Mysterious Fighter Project B
It’s a sequel to his 2018 movie Mysterious Fighter Project A. The cast of Mysterious Fighter Project B includes Lee Min-ho and David Torok. The release date is yet unknown.
Do-cheong (upcoming)
Lee Min signed for an upcoming Korean television series Do-cheong. Directed by Dong-hoon Choi, this action drama follows an intelligent crime investigations team that focuses on the ‘bugging’ system.
The release date is yet unknown. The cast of Do-Cheong includes names such as Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, Kim Woo-bin, Jung-ah Yum, and Kim Eui-sung.
Pachinko (2022- )
In 2022, Lee Min landed a role in the Apple TV series Pachinko, based on the bestseller novel of the same name written by Min Jin Lee. Pachinko consists of 8 episodes available in three languages Korean, Japanese, and English, premiered in March 2022.
Directed by Kogonada and Justin Chon, Pachinko tells the hopes and dreams of a Korean immigrant family across four generations in their quest to survive far from their homeland. The cast includes Youn Yuh-jung, Kim Min-ha, and Jin Ha.
The King: The Eternal Monarch (2020)
In 2019, Lee Min-ho received the leading role in the romantic fantasy series The King: Eternal Monarch. The series follows the story of Lee Gon, a Korean emperor who rules The Kingdom of Korea (North and South are unified in his world). He passes through a mysterious portal and into a parallel universe, where he meets a beautiful and fierce police detective. Through his stay in today’s world, the king falls in love with detective Jung Tae Eul. Both must work together to find a way of closing the portal before their two worlds collide and freeze in time for eternity.
Lee Min-ho’s series ranks as the most popular Kdrama series on Netflix in India, the Philippines, Malaysia, U.S, and Singapore. The King: Eternal Monarch has all the ingredients of a hit show: parallel universes, time travel, a handsome and brave king, a fierce female character, tragedy, and romance. The series consists of 16 episodes.
Mysterious Fighter Project A (2019)
In 2019, Lee Min received a role in the movie Mysterious Fighter Project A… which tells the story of a pilot who assumes the name Leon and discovers he is a master in martial arts. The cast includes names such as Lung-Kay Lee, Tae-Ri Lee, and Kwong Wan.
The Legend of the Blue Sea (2016 – 2017)
Between 2016 and 2017, Lee Min-ho starred with Jun Ji-hyun in the romantic fantasy series The Legend of the Blue Sea. The series tells the love story between Shim Cheong, a mermaid from Joseon’s medieval legend who ends up in present-day Seoul, and Heo Joon-jae, a clever and humorous con artist. The series consists of 21 episodes and was sold in regions such as Southeast Asia, the Americas, and Europe.
Bounty Hunters / Shang jin lie ren (2016)
In 2016, Lee Min-ho starred as Li San in the action rom-com film Shang jin lie ren. The movie tells the story of five reward hunters who chase fugitives for money in Korea, China, Thailand, and Hong Kong. The cast includes names like Wallace Chung, Yan Tang, Daniel C Kennedy, and Martin Bravo Santiago. The film grossed worldwide $31,918,573.
Gangnam Blues / Gangnam 1970 (2015)
Lee Min starred as Jong-dae in the 2015 action drama Gangnam 1970, marking his first leading role in a feature film. The movie tells the story of Jong-dae and Yong-Ki, who make a living by collecting paper and bottles. Both protagonists join different mobster clans, which become involved in the struggle for power and political interests over the Gangnam district of Seoul. The cast includes names such as Rae-won Kim, Jin-young Jung, Kim Ji-Soo, and Gwi-hwa Choi.
The Heirs / Sangsogjadeul (2013)
In 2013, Lee Min-ho starred in the teen Kdrama series The Heirs. He took the role of a powerful heir four years after portraying one in Boys Over Flowers.
Lee Min confessed: “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.”
- The Heirs amassed over one billion views on Youku, China’s biggest streaming platform.
- It had the highest selling price per episode in Japan among all 2013 Korean dramas at US$30,000.
Starring Kim Ji-Won, Park Shin-hye, and Kim Woo-bin, the series action takes place in an über rich high school in Korea. The Heirs consist of 20 episodes.
Shinui / Faith (2012)
In 2012, Lee Min-ho and Kim Hee-sun starred in the historical Kdrama Faith (also known as Shinui or The Great Doctor). The series, which consists of 24 episodes, tells the story of a modern plastic surgeon kidnapped into medieval Korea to treat the future queen, who was badly wounded. Captain Choi Young, portrayed by Lee Min-ho, uses a wormhole to bring Dr. Yoo Eun-Soo, played by Kim Hee-seon, 700 years back in the past. Because of its high budget, the series was a commercial failure.
City Hunter (2011)
In 2011, Lee Min-ho landed a role in the South Korean TV drama City Hunter based on Tsukasa Hojo’s popular Japanese manga. Lee Min-ho portrays Lee Yun-seong, who received training from his father’s best friend to take revenge on the government for murdering his father’s entire unit. The series, which consists of 20 episodes, paved the road for Lee Min-ho’s popularity in Europe, Japan, and China.
Personal Taste (2010)
In 2010, Lee Min-hoo played in the romantic comedy Personal Taste (Gae-in-eui chwi-hyang). where he portrayed a young architect Jeon Jin-ho, who assumes he is gay, only to become roommates with a beautiful furniture designer, leading to complications. Son Ye-jin plays the main female role in this TV series, composed of 16 episodes.
Boys Before Flowers: F4 After Story (2009)
A music Kdrama that wraps up the F4 saga, featuring the four richest boys portrayed by Lee Min, Kim Hyun-joong, Kim Bum, and Kim Joon five years after we last saw them. The mini TV series has four episodes of 25 minutes each.
Boys Over Flowers (2009)
Lee Min-ho rose to fame in 2009 thanks to his leading role as Gu Jun-pyo in KBS’ Boys Over Flowers. Based on the popular Shōjo manga with the same title is considered a pioneer in Korean high school series, helping to propagate the Korean Wave.
The 25 episode TV series tells the story of a poor girl who studies at the elite Shin Hwa High School, where she gets bullied by the leader of F4, portrayed by Lee Min-ho. In time, he starts to have feelings for her. However, she has a crush on her best friend.
- His role as the leader of F4 (the four richest boys) is opposite to his character from Mackerel Run.
- The competition for the leading role was rough, and Lee found out he got it from newspapers.
Our School’s E.T. (2008)
In 2008, Lee Min-ho landed a role as Oh Sang-hoon in the Korean movie Wool-hak-kyo I-ti (also known as, Our School’s E.T.) During the shooting of the film, Lee met the actor Kim Su-ro, who later praise him on a show called Win Win:
“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”.
Public Enemy Returns (2008)
He received the role of Jung Ha-Yeon in the 2008 movie Public Enemy Returns (Kang Chul-jung: Gonggongui jeog 1-1).
I’m Sam (2007)
In 2007, Lee Min-ho portrayed Heo Mo Se in the Kdrama series I’m Sam. The series has 16 episodes focusing on the conflicts between young teachers who want to solve the problems that their high school students have.
- Part of the cast is also Park Min-Young, with whom Lee Min will share the screen five years later in the Kdrama series City Hunter. He and Park Min Young will end up in a relationship.
Mackerel Run (2007)
In 2007, after his car wreck, Lee Min-ho acted post-recovery as Cha Gong-chan in the high-school drama Mackerel Run. The series ended after only eight episodes because of low views ratings.
Secret Campus (2006)
In 2006, Lee Min-ho made his official debut in a leading role in a Kdrama series called Secret Campus. Lee portrayed Park Du Hyeon in a story mainly focused on how six modern students are affected by stress during their school years. Each one with different goals and dreams, which they struggle to achieve despite the obstacles.
Banolim (2005)
In 2005, Lee appeared for five episodes as Lee Jin-ho in the Korean drama television series Banolim.
At the beginning of his career, between 2002-2005, Lee Min-ho landed minor roles in several Korean TV series such as Romance, Sharp, Nonstop, and Recipe of Love.
Lee Min-ho Dating History → Ex-girlfriends
Lee Min-ho and Park Min-Young (2011)
In 2011, while playing in the Kdrama series City Hunter, Lee Min-ho met Park Min-young. Both portrayed the leading roles of lovers, and at one point, they were stuck in a filming location sparking their relationship. Their love story was short-lived since they broke up after the shooting ended. But that’s not all about their love affair!
A small detail to mention! Park Min-Young and Lee Min-ho knew each other for about five years before the TV series City Hunter. They previously starred together in the 2007 KBS2 drama I am Sam.
After the breakup, Park Min-young went for a spring cleaning on her Twitter, deleting everything related to Lee Min-ho. Soon after was reported that they frequently met in secret. And one of Park Min-young’s friends confirmed that their love for each other runs deep at the time of the reports.
Lee Min-ho and Bae Suzy (2015-2017)
In 2015, Lee Min-ho and Bae Suzy officially started dating, and their relationship was long-lasting for almost three years. When Lee Min-ho went to fulfill his duty in the military service, the duo broke up. Before dating, Bae Suzy, who is a former member of the South Korean girl group Miss A, was heavily courted by Lee Min-ho.
Lee Min-ho and Suzy Bae made headlines when Dispatch released their photos together in London on 22snd March 2015. Juggling stage and screen, the pair had a busy work schedule, but they met at least once per month. On 16th November 2017, after almost three years, their relationship ended. There is no official reason for they broke up other than what their agencies announced. Work-life comes first, and they are too busy to see each other.
Lee Min-ho and Yoon Ina (Rumor)
The relationship between Lee Min-ho and Yoon Ina is just a rumor. Yoon Ina was his girlfriend before Lee Min-ho became famous. First love from the teenage years. Yoon Ina dated Lee Min-ho before Park Min-young or Suzy Bae.
Yoon Ina is a South Korean actress and DJ who was also a model for Wheesung’s music video, “Love Is Delicious.” At one point, Lee Min-ho’s letter of love for Yoon Ina leaked in cyberspace, where he expressed his feelings for his girlfriend in a very romantic manner.
Lee Min-ho’s Nicknames
Over the years, Lee earned the nickname kkamdungi (깜둥이; lit. ‘darkie’) because of his tan skin. Skeleton is the nickname earned during his studies at Banpo Middle School (반포중학교) because he was too skinny. During high school, Lee Min-ho earned the nickname ‘demon’ because of his playful personality.
Lee Min-ho’s Military service
On 12nd May 2017, Lee Min-ho started his mandatory military service as a public service officer at the Suseo Social Welfare Centre in Seoul Gangnam District Office. Due to a car accident in 2006, Lee couldn’t serve as an active soldier.
In March 2018, Lee began his military training at the Korean Army Training Centre in Nonsan. After four weeks, he returned to his public service duty. Lee Min-ho was discharged from the South Korean Military service in April 2019.
Did you know?
- He is the first Korean to have a sculpture of himself exposed in 2013, at Madame Tussauds in Shanghai.
- Lee Min-ho confesses that his ideal type of partner on screen is the actress Song Hye-kyo.
- SanDara Feat. CL: Kiss – The music video for “Kiss” features Lee Min-ho and Sandara Park as lovers. Their kiss scene is considered one of the most famous events of 2009.
Lee Min-ho soundtrack credits
- In 2013, Lee Min-ho sang the song “Painful Love” for the popular Kdrama The Heirs.
WEB SERIES
- The One and Only – An advertisement where our hero rises from the coma and has no idea who or where he is. The only thing he has, are the keys to his 2012 Toyota Camry.
- Innisfree First Love 2012
- Line Romance 2014
- Innisfree Summer Love 2015
- 7 First Kisses 2016
- In 2019, Lee Min-ho starred in an advertisement for the ginseng company Cheong Kwan Jang Everytime: Charming.
Lee Min-ho’s voice over on animation films
Doraemon Nobita no Takarajima (2018)
In 2018, he did the voice of Diabolo in the animation movie Doraemon Nobita no Takarajima, directed by Kazuaki Imai.
Gekijouban Shimajirou no wao!: Shimajirou to niji no oashisu (2017)
In 2017, Lee Min was the voice of Li San Jung in a new film adventure of Shimajiro and his friends. He meets Coco, a girl who lost her mom during a sandstorm, and Shimajiro decides to help her.
Gekijouban Shimajirou no wao!: Shimajirou to ehon no kuni (2016)
Released in 2016, Gekijouban Shimajirou no wao!: Shimajirou to ehon no kuni is the fourth animation film starring a tiger boy called Shimajiro. Lee Min Ho played Solen Lau / Fundamental Gold.
Kuru Kuru and Friends: The Rainbow Tree Forest (2015)
In 2015, Lee Min-ho starred alongside Park Min-Young and Kim Soo-hyun in the Korean animation film Kuru Kuru and Friends: The Rainbow Tree Forest. The movie follows the story of The Green Forest Village and a legendary secret discovered by Curucuru and his friends.
Eiga Doraemon: Nobita to himitsu dougu myûjiamu (2013)
In 2013, Lee Min was the voice of Pong in the Japanese anime SF comedy Doraemon: Nobita’s Secret Gadget Museum. The film follows the story of Doraemon, whose golden bell got stolen by a thief named Kaito DX. To recover his bell, he and his friends will travel to the 22nd century.
Cheburashka (2010)
Lee Min-ho’s voice was on the 2010 remake of a soviet animation film about Cheburashka and Crocodile Gena. The cast includes names such as Garri Bardin, Garri Bardin, Vladimir Ferapontov, Kim Hyun-joong, and Park Min-Young.
Doraemon (2006)
In 2006, Lee Min-ho was the voice of Detective Legendary in season one, episode eighty-seven of the TV series Doraemon called All the Way from the Future World.
Shin angyo onshi (2004)
In 2004, Lee Min-ho landed his first minor role as the voice of Fuan-Bo in the South Korean-Japanese manga television series Shin angyo onshi.
