Lee Joon-gi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lee Joon-gi
Lee in 2022
Born	(1982-04-17) 17 April 1982 (age 43) Busan, South Korea
Alma mater	Seoul Arts College
Occupation	Actor singer dancer model
Years active	2001–present
Agent	Namoo Actors
Korean name
Hangul	이준기
Hanja	李準基
Revised Romanization	I Jungi
McCune–Reischauer	I Chun'gi
Signature

Lee Joon-gi (Hangul: 이준기; born on April 17, 1982) is a famous South Korean actor, singer, dancer, and model. He became well-known for his first main role as a clown in the movie The King and the Clown (2005). He also gained more fans from the romantic comedy TV show My Girl (2005−06).

Since then, Lee Joon-gi has acted in many different types of shows. These include historical dramas called sageuk and exciting action thrillers. He is also famous for his roles in Iljimae (2008), Arang and the Magistrate (2012), Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (2016), Lawless Lawyer (2018), and Flower of Evil (2020). His work is very popular in other countries, especially in Asia. This has made him a top Hallyu star, which means he is part of the "Korean Wave" of popular culture.

Early life

Lee Joon-gi was born in Busan, South Korea. He spent his school years in a nearby city called Changwon. He first became interested in acting when he was in high school. He watched a play called Hamlet and was inspired.

After high school, he wanted to become an actor. His parents wanted him to go to university, but he moved to Seoul to follow his dream. For several years, Lee worked many part-time jobs, like waiting tables. He also tried out for roles and started modeling for print ads in 2001. He later got a scholarship to Seoul Arts College and finished his studies in 2007.

Career

2005: King and the Clown and becoming famous

In January 2006

After acting in a few small roles, Lee Joon-gi got his first big part in the 2005 movie The King and the Clown. In this film, he played Gong-gil, a clown from the Joseon period. The movie was very successful and made him a star across Asia.

Lee won many awards for "Best Newcomer" for this role. He also won the "Best Actor Award" at the Max Movie Awards. The movie's director, Lee Joon-ik, said he chose Lee Joon-gi just by seeing him do handstands! After the movie, Lee became known for his "pretty boy" image in South Korea. However, Lee has tried to change this image. He said his character in the film made him feel stuck, and he wanted to show different sides of himself.

2006–2007: Popularity overseas

Lee then starred in the TV show My Girl on SBS. This romantic comedy was a big hit in Korea and other Asian countries. It helped Lee become even more famous as a Korean Wave star.

In 2007, Lee filmed a movie with Japan called Virgin Snow. He played a Korean exchange student. This movie did well and set a new record for a Korean film released in Japan. Lee also won the "Rising Star Award" at the Hawaii International Film Festival. The same year, he was in the movie May 18. This film was about the Gwangju Massacre of 1980. It was very successful at the box office.

Lee also took on his first main role in a TV drama called Time Between Dog and Wolf. He played a secret agent who wanted revenge. He won an award for his acting in this show. The director later said this role helped Lee change his "pretty boy" image. It also showed off his amazing martial arts skills.

2008–2009: Becoming a tourism ambassador

In Shanghai in May 2009

From April to July 2008, Lee played the main character in Iljimae on SBS. This was a historical action drama about a masked hero, similar to Robin Hood, during the Joseon era. The last episode of the show had very high viewership. Lee won a "Top Excellence Award" for his role.

In 2008, Lee was chosen as an Ambassador for the Seoul Hallyu Festival. He was also named the first Honorary Legal System Officer. In 2009, he became a promotional ambassador for the Korea Tourism Organization. That same year, he starred in the comedy-action drama Hero, where he played a reporter.

2010–2012: Military service

In February 2010, Lee signed with a new agency called JG Company. On May 3, 2010, Lee joined the Republic of Korea Army for his mandatory military service. He first had five weeks of basic training. He did very well, especially in shooting. He was then assigned to the public relations department of the Ministry of National Defense.

Lee had asked to delay his service because he was filming a movie and was cast in a TV drama. He was also chosen to be a goodwill ambassador for the 2010 Shanghai Expo. However, the military said no, so he had to leave both projects.

In August, Lee acted with another actor, Ju Ji-hoon, in a military musical called Voyage of Life. This musical was to remember the 60th anniversary of the Korean War. After serving for 21 months, Lee was discharged on February 16, 2012. On the day he was discharged, Lee held a fan meeting for his fans. He also went on a fan tour in Japan.

2012–2013: Comeback

In May 2012, Lee starred with Shin Min-a in the historical horror-romance show Arang and the Magistrate on MBC. This was his first project after finishing his military service. The show was very successful. It was the most expensive drama MBC sold to Japan. Lee won an award for "Outstanding Korean Drama Actor" for his role.

In 2013, Lee starred in the action thriller Two Weeks. He played a father trying to save his daughter from a serious illness while also fighting a murder charge. He received a "Top Excellence Award" for his acting.

2014–present: Historical dramas and action roles

Lee signed with a new management agency, Namoo Actors. He then starred in the historical drama Gunman in Joseon (2014). He was praised for his acting and action scenes. He won the "Outstanding Korean Drama Actor" award again. The drama was very popular in Korea and overseas, especially in China.

In 2015, he was in the vampire romance series Scholar Who Walks the Night. For this role, Lee won a "Top Ten Stars" award. The same year, he acted in his first Chinese movie, Never Said Goodbye.

In January 2016, Lee was cast as the lead role of the 4th prince, Wang So, in Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo. This was a Korean version of a Chinese TV series. The show was not as popular in Korea, but it was a huge hit in China. It had over 100 million views per episode on a Chinese video site. Lee lost about 15 kg (33 lbs) for this role. He said the director wanted him to look sharp, like an injured animal.

In October 2016, Lee became a new model for Lotte Duty-Free Shop. He also starred in a short web drama called 7 First Kisses for the company. Lee also made his Hollywood debut with a small role in the movie Resident Evil: The Final Chapter. This movie was released in January 2017. The director, Paul W.S. Anderson, saw Lee Joon-gi's action scenes and offered him the part. Lee Joon-gi said he was a big fan of the Resident Evil movies.

Lee Joon-gi poses for a photo with Milla Jovovich, who visited Korea to promote "Resident Evil: The Final Chapter" on January 13, 2017.

In 2017, Lee starred in the crime drama Criminal Minds. This show was based on an American series. His acting as a criminal profiler was highly praised by critics and viewers.

In 2018, Lee returned to tvN for Lawless Lawyer. This was his first time playing a lawyer. He worked again with director Kim Jin-min, who he had worked with before on Time Between Dog and Wolf.

In 2020, Lee was cast in the thriller melodrama The Flower of Evil. He reunited with his Criminal Minds co-star Moon Chae-won. People praised their chemistry as a married couple. Lee's name was the most searched online for three weeks in a row. He was nominated for "Best Actor" for his performance.

In 2022, Lee came back to TV with the SBS drama Again My Life. This was his first time on a main TV channel in six years. In 2023, Lee starred in the second season of the historical fantasy drama Arthdal Chronicles. In this show, he played a set of twins.

Personal life

Lee Joon-gi loves to learn and practice different types of martial arts in his free time. His father signed him up for martial arts lessons when he was a child. He continued practicing as an adult, especially to prepare for his acting roles. Because he is very good at taekwondo and other martial arts, he rarely needs a stunt double for fight scenes. He is known in the entertainment industry as one of the best action stars in Korea.

Filmography

Musical

Discography

Albums

Soundtrack

Ambassadorship

Awards and nominations

See also

In Spanish: Lee Joon-gi para niños