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Lee Byung-hunSouth Korean actor
Date of Birth: 12.07.1970
Country:  South Korea |
Content:
- Early Life and Career
- Television Debut
- Film Career
- International Recognition
- Hollywood Breakthrough
- Recent Projects
- Personal Life
- Controversies and Scandals
- Current Projects
- Filmography
Early Life and Career
Birth and EducationLee Byung-hun, born on July 12, 1970, in Seoul, South Korea, to a wealthy entrepreneur, holds a Bachelor's degree in French Literature from Hanyang University, a private research university. Additionally, he is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and English, and has a black belt in taekwondo.
Television Debut
Lee's acting career began with a television audition prompted by his mother's friend. His breakthrough role came as the lead in the TV series "Asphalt My Hometown." The subsequent drama "Tomorrow Love" earned him widespread recognition and the title of "Korean Brad Pitt" due to his attractive physique and model-like features.
Film Career
Breakthrough with "Joint Security Area" and "All In"Lee rose to fame after starring in the military drama "Joint Security Area" (2000), directed by Palme d'Or winner Park Chan-wook. He won Best Actor for his role as a South Korean soldier abducted by North Korea. His performance in the film "All In" (2003) also earned him a Best Actor award.
International Recognition
In 2004, Lee signed with the American talent agency Creative Artists Agency, aiming to expand his career beyond Korean cinema. His roles in "A Bittersweet Life" (2005) and "The Good, the Bad, the Weird" (2008) gained recognition at the Cannes Film Festival. The latter marked Lee's first negative character portrayal.
Hollywood Breakthrough
Lee's Hollywood debut came in 2009 with the superhero film "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" and its sequel "G.I. Joe: Retaliation." He also starred in "RED 2" (2013) as "the world's greatest assassin" and in "Terminator Genisys" (2015) as the advanced T-1000 robot.
Recent Projects
Lee joined the cast of "The Magnificent Seven" (2016), a remake of the Western classic, and starred in "Beyond Deceit" (2016) with Al Pacino. He also earned a Drama Acting Award for his role in the Korean drama "Iris" (2009).
Personal Life
Marriage and FamilyIn 2013, Lee married actress and model Lee Min-jung, who is 12 years his junior. The couple met in 2006 but rekindled their romance after five years. They have a son born in 2015.
Controversies and Scandals
Lee has faced several scandals throughout his career. Accusations of womanizing and an alleged affair with gymnast Kwon Miyeon surfaced in the early 2000s. In 2014, he was blackmailed by two women over a recorded conversation. The incident resulted in the women being sentenced to prison and fined.
Current Projects
In 2017, Lee starred in the melodrama "I Can Speak" and signed with the agency United Talent Agency, which represents celebrities such as Benedict Cumberbatch and Channing Tatum. He is slated to appear in the Korean drama "Mr. Sunshine" (2018) and the film "The Man Standing Next" (2019).
Filmography
- Joint Security Area (2000)- All In (2003)
- A Bittersweet Life (2005)
- The Good, the Bad, the Weird (2008)
- G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009)
- Iris (2009)
- Masquerade (2012)
- G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013)
- Terminator Genisys (2015)
- The Magnificent Seven (2016)
- Beyond Deceit (2016)
- I Can Speak (2017)
- Mr. Sunshine (2018)
