Lee Jung-jae
Encyclopedia
Lee Jung-jae is a South Korea
n actor.
by E-J Yong. This was followed up by another success, City of the Rising Sun, for which he received a Best Actor award at the domestic Blue Dragon Film Awards
ceremony.
After starring in the Korean-Japanese coproduction Asako in Ruby Shoes, released in December 2000, Lee found considerable popular success in a melodrama titled Last Present
, where he was cast opposite Lee Young-ae, and in the action/mystery/drama The Last Witness
directed by Bae Chang-ho. In 2002 he starred in the romance Over the Rainbow
with Jang Jin-young
.
In 2003 he starred opposite Lee Beom-soo in Oh! Brothers, a comic drama about two brothers, one of whom has an unusual disease. The film was one of Lee's biggest hits ever, topping three million admissions at the local box office. Nonetheless he remained out of the limelight for the next couple years. Finally at the end of 2005 he returned in Typhoon, a big-budget action blockbuster by Kwak Kyung-taek
, the director of Friend.
Lee's much-anticipated return to television a decade after his memorable turn in Sandglass was not successful ratings-wise; Air City
and Triple both flopped.
With the period action comedy The Accidental Gangster and the Mistaken Courtesan, Lee said he wanted to try his hand at playing a different kind of role, a comical loose cannon type of character.
In August 2008 Lee was awarded his master's degree from Dongguk University
's Department of Theater & Film Art in the Graduate School of Cultural Arts. He made his first foray into theater in December of that same year, taking on the titular role in Hamlet
in Water. The play ran for four days at his alma mater's Lee Hae-rang Theater.
He then starred in the high-profile erotic thriller The Housemaid
, which screened at the Cannes Film Festival
and Toronto International Film Festival
. Lee nabbed a Best Actor award at the Fantasporto
Director's Week.
He is currently filming The Professsionals
, a star-studded heist film inspired by Ocean's Eleven
.
for three years; the couple broke up in late 2006.
Apart from his acting, Lee is also known for having launched a chain of upscale Italian restaurants in Seoul named after his movie Il Mare
. Having studied interior design, he himself took responsibility for designing the interiors of his restaurants.
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n actor.
Career
Lee Jung-jae, apart from being a top star in film and TV, also works as a highly successful fashion model. One year after his debut on television in 1993, Lee was cast in his first film, a feature by Bae Chang-ho. His breakthrough would come in late 1998 in the award-winning film An AffairAn Affair
An Affair is a 1998 South Korean film. The quiet film about a woman who falls in love with her sister's fiance was the seventh-highest grossing Korean film of 1998 and won the Best Asian Film award at the 1999 Newport Beach International Film Festival....
by E-J Yong. This was followed up by another success, City of the Rising Sun, for which he received a Best Actor award at the domestic Blue Dragon Film Awards
Blue Dragon Film Awards
The Blue Dragon Film Awards is an annual awards ceremony that is presented annually by Sports Chosun for excellence in film in South Korea....
ceremony.
After starring in the Korean-Japanese coproduction Asako in Ruby Shoes, released in December 2000, Lee found considerable popular success in a melodrama titled Last Present
Last Present
Last Present is a 2001 South Korean film. Directed by Oh Gi-hwan, it tells the tale of Yong-ki , a struggling comedian who continues to see parallels between his disintegrating relationship with his wife, Jung-yun , and the characters he's playing on the stage.- Plot :The film traces the romance,...
, where he was cast opposite Lee Young-ae, and in the action/mystery/drama The Last Witness
The Last Witness (2001 film)
The Last Witness is a 2001 South Korean thriller film directed by Bae Chang-ho and starring Lee Jung-jae, Ahn Sung-kee and Lee Mi-yeon. The Last Witness is based upon the novel of the same name by Kim Seong-jong.-Plot:...
directed by Bae Chang-ho. In 2002 he starred in the romance Over the Rainbow
Over the Rainbow (film)
Over the Rainbow is a 2002 South Korean film starring Lee Jung-jae and Jang Jin-young.- Plot :Weather presenter Jin-su is involved in a car accident, and though physically unhurt, he is left with a case of selective amnesia. Haunted by the memory of a woman he can't quite recall, he sets out to...
with Jang Jin-young
Jang Jin-young
Jang Jin-young was a South Korean actress. Her death came after a year-long battle with stomach cancer.Jang began her career as a model, and participated in the 1993 Miss Korea beauty contest, before making the switch into acting. After making her film debut in 1998, Jang received critical praise...
.
In 2003 he starred opposite Lee Beom-soo in Oh! Brothers, a comic drama about two brothers, one of whom has an unusual disease. The film was one of Lee's biggest hits ever, topping three million admissions at the local box office. Nonetheless he remained out of the limelight for the next couple years. Finally at the end of 2005 he returned in Typhoon, a big-budget action blockbuster by Kwak Kyung-taek
Kwak Kyung-taek
Kwak Kyung-taek is a South Korean film director best known for his 2001 record-breaking film Friend.- Career :Friend, a drama where conflicting criminal alliances turn old friends into enemies, set a new Korean box office record with an audience of 8 million, and he received the Holden Award for...
, the director of Friend.
Lee's much-anticipated return to television a decade after his memorable turn in Sandglass was not successful ratings-wise; Air City
Air City (TV series)
-Synopsis:Han Do Kyung was specially scouted by the Incheon Airport Director and willingly accepted 1/3 of the pay she was receiving when working in Singapore to come back to Korea as the chief of operations of Incheon Airport. She speaks five different languages. However, Do Kyung lives with an...
and Triple both flopped.
With the period action comedy The Accidental Gangster and the Mistaken Courtesan, Lee said he wanted to try his hand at playing a different kind of role, a comical loose cannon type of character.
In August 2008 Lee was awarded his master's degree from Dongguk University
Dongguk University
Dongguk University is a private, coeducational university in South Korea. It operates campuses in Seoul, in Gyeongju City, North Gyeongsang province and in Los Angeles, United States...
's Department of Theater & Film Art in the Graduate School of Cultural Arts. He made his first foray into theater in December of that same year, taking on the titular role in Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
in Water. The play ran for four days at his alma mater's Lee Hae-rang Theater.
He then starred in the high-profile erotic thriller The Housemaid
The Housemaid (2010 film)
The Housemaid is a 2010 South Korean melodramatic thriller film directed by Im Sang-soo. The story focuses on Eun-yi, played by Jeon Do-yeon, who becomes involved in a destructive love triangle while working as a housemaid for an upper-class family. Other cast members include Lee Jung-jae, Seo...
, which screened at the Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
and Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...
. Lee nabbed a Best Actor award at the Fantasporto
Fantasporto
Fantasporto, also known as Fantas, is an international film festival, annually organized since 1981 in Porto, Portugal. Giving screen space to commercial feature films, auteur films and experimental projects from all over the world, Fantasporto has created enthusiastic audiences, ranging from...
Director's Week.
He is currently filming The Professsionals
The Professionals (2011 film)
-Synopsis:Directed by Choi Dong-hun, The Professionals is about thieves from Korea and China teaming up with each other to steal a diamond worth 40 billion won locked away in a special room at a casino in Macau....
, a star-studded heist film inspired by Ocean's Eleven
Ocean's Eleven (2001 film)
Ocean's Eleven is a 2001 American comedy-crime caper and remake of the 1960 Rat Pack caper film of the same name. The 2001 film was directed by Steven Soderbergh and features an ensemble cast including George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, Andy García, and Julia Roberts. The film was...
.
Personal life
Lee dated actress Kim Min-heeKim Min-hee
Kim Min Hee is a South Korean actress. She landed stardom after she was cast in a commercial. She graduated from Dankook University...
for three years; the couple broke up in late 2006.
Apart from his acting, Lee is also known for having launched a chain of upscale Italian restaurants in Seoul named after his movie Il Mare
Il Mare
Il Mare is a 2000 South Korean film, starring Jun Ji-hyun and Lee Jung-jae. The title, Il Mare, means "The Sea" in Italian, and is the name of the seaside house which is the setting of the story. The Korean title, Siworae is the Korean pronunciation of Hanja characters "時越愛", which means...
. Having studied interior design, he himself took responsibility for designing the interiors of his restaurants.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Grief For Surviving (TV) | KBS | |
| Dinosaur Teacher (TV) | SBS | ||
| Love is Oh Yeah! | |||
| 1994 | The Lonely Man (TV) | KBS | |
| Feelings (TV) | KBS | ||
| Love is Blue (TV) | SBS | ||
| The Young Man | Lee Han | ||
| 1995 | Sandglass (TV) | Baek Jae-hee | SBS |
| 1996 | Albatross | ||
| 1997 | Firebird | ||
| Park vs Park | |||
| Snail (TV) | Dong-cheol | SBS | |
| 1998 | White Nights 3.98 (TV) | Lee Yeong-jun | SBS |
| An Affair An Affair An Affair is a 1998 South Korean film. The quiet film about a woman who falls in love with her sister's fiance was the seventh-highest grossing Korean film of 1998 and won the Best Asian Film award at the 1999 Newport Beach International Film Festival.... |
Woo-in | ||
| 1999 | City of the Rising Sun | Hong-gi | |
| The Uprising | Lee Jae-su | ||
| 2000 | Interview | Eun-seok | |
| Il Mare Il Mare Il Mare is a 2000 South Korean film, starring Jun Ji-hyun and Lee Jung-jae. The title, Il Mare, means "The Sea" in Italian, and is the name of the seaside house which is the setting of the story. The Korean title, Siworae is the Korean pronunciation of Hanja characters "時越愛", which means... |
Han Sung-hyun | ||
| Asako in Ruby Shoes | U-in | ||
| 2001 | Last Present Last Present Last Present is a 2001 South Korean film. Directed by Oh Gi-hwan, it tells the tale of Yong-ki , a struggling comedian who continues to see parallels between his disintegrating relationship with his wife, Jung-yun , and the characters he's playing on the stage.- Plot :The film traces the romance,... |
Yong-gi | |
| MOB 2025 | Dust | ||
| The Last Witness The Last Witness (2001 film) The Last Witness is a 2001 South Korean thriller film directed by Bae Chang-ho and starring Lee Jung-jae, Ahn Sung-kee and Lee Mi-yeon. The Last Witness is based upon the novel of the same name by Kim Seong-jong.-Plot:... |
Detective Oh | ||
| 2002 | Over the Rainbow Over the Rainbow (film) Over the Rainbow is a 2002 South Korean film starring Lee Jung-jae and Jang Jin-young.- Plot :Weather presenter Jin-su is involved in a car accident, and though physically unhurt, he is left with a case of selective amnesia. Haunted by the memory of a woman he can't quite recall, he sets out to... |
Lee Jin-su | |
| 2003 | Oh! Brothers | Oh Sang-su | |
| 2005 | Typhoon | Kang Se-jong | |
| 2007 | Air City Air City (TV series) -Synopsis:Han Do Kyung was specially scouted by the Incheon Airport Director and willingly accepted 1/3 of the pay she was receiving when working in Singapore to come back to Korea as the chief of operations of Incheon Airport. She speaks five different languages. However, Do Kyung lives with an... (TV) |
Kim Ji-sung | MBC Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC (Hangul : 문화방송주식회사, Munhwa Bangsong Jushikoesa) is one of four major national South Korean television and radio networks. Munhwa is the Korean word for "culture". Its flagship terrestrial television... |
| 2008 | The Accidental Gangster and the Mistaken Courtesan | Cheon-doong | |
| 2009 | Triple (TV) | Shin Hwal | MBC Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC (Hangul : 문화방송주식회사, Munhwa Bangsong Jushikoesa) is one of four major national South Korean television and radio networks. Munhwa is the Korean word for "culture". Its flagship terrestrial television... |
| 2010 | The Housemaid The Housemaid (2010 film) The Housemaid is a 2010 South Korean melodramatic thriller film directed by Im Sang-soo. The story focuses on Eun-yi, played by Jeon Do-yeon, who becomes involved in a destructive love triangle while working as a housemaid for an upper-class family. Other cast members include Lee Jung-jae, Seo... |
Hoon | |
| 2012 | The Professionals The Professionals (2011 film) -Synopsis:Directed by Choi Dong-hun, The Professionals is about thieves from Korea and China teaming up with each other to steal a diamond worth 40 billion won locked away in a special room at a casino in Macau.... |
Popeye |
Awards
- 2011 FantasportoFantasportoFantasporto, also known as Fantas, is an international film festival, annually organized since 1981 in Porto, Portugal. Giving screen space to commercial feature films, auteur films and experimental projects from all over the world, Fantasporto has created enthusiastic audiences, ranging from...
Director's Week: Best Actor (The HousemaidThe Housemaid (2010 film)The Housemaid is a 2010 South Korean melodramatic thriller film directed by Im Sang-soo. The story focuses on Eun-yi, played by Jeon Do-yeon, who becomes involved in a destructive love triangle while working as a housemaid for an upper-class family. Other cast members include Lee Jung-jae, Seo...
) - 2010 Mnet 20's Choice AwardsMnet 20's Choice AwardsThe Mnet 20's Choice Awards is a major music awards show that is held annually in South Korea.-2011:*Hot Drama Actor: Cha Seung Won*Hot Drama Actress: Gong Hyo Jin*Hot Style Icon: Gong Hyo Jin*Hot Korean Wave Star: KARA...
: Most Influential Star - 2008 Style Icon Awards: Style Icon Actor
- 2006 Golden Cinematography Awards: Best Actor (Typhoon)
- 2001 Prime Minister's Commendation
- 1999 Korean Critics' Choice Awards: Best Actor
- 1999 Blue Dragon Film AwardsBlue Dragon Film AwardsThe Blue Dragon Film Awards is an annual awards ceremony that is presented annually by Sports Chosun for excellence in film in South Korea....
: Best Actor (City of the Rising Sun) - 1999 Baeksang Arts AwardsPaekSang Arts AwardsPaekSang Arts Awards, also known as BaekSang Arts Awards, is an awards ceremony held annually by IS PLUS Corp, since 1965. It is to honour outstanding achievements in the South Korean entertainment industry and to garner public attention upon the best in Korean films and dramas...
: Popularity Award, Film (City of the Rising Sun) - 1997 Baeksang Arts AwardsPaekSang Arts AwardsPaekSang Arts Awards, also known as BaekSang Arts Awards, is an awards ceremony held annually by IS PLUS Corp, since 1965. It is to honour outstanding achievements in the South Korean entertainment industry and to garner public attention upon the best in Korean films and dramas...
: Popularity Award, Film (Firebird) - 1995 Baeksang Arts AwardsPaekSang Arts AwardsPaekSang Arts Awards, also known as BaekSang Arts Awards, is an awards ceremony held annually by IS PLUS Corp, since 1965. It is to honour outstanding achievements in the South Korean entertainment industry and to garner public attention upon the best in Korean films and dramas...
: Best New Actor, TV (Sandglass) - 1995 Korean Critics' Choice Awards: Best New Actor (The Young Man)
- 1995 Blue Dragon Film AwardsBlue Dragon Film AwardsThe Blue Dragon Film Awards is an annual awards ceremony that is presented annually by Sports Chosun for excellence in film in South Korea....
: Best New Actor (The Young Man) - 1995 Grand Bell AwardsGrand Bell AwardsThe Grand Bell Awards is an awards ceremony presented annually by The Motion Pictures Association of Korea for excellence in film in South Korea....
: Best New Actor (The Young Man)