Lee Ki Hong American actor of Korean descent Date of Birth: 30.09.1986 Country: USA

1. Early Life and Education
2. Rise to Acting Stardom
3. Breakthrough Role in "The Maze Runner"
4. Continued Success
5. Personal Life
6. Recognition and Legacy

Early Life and Education

Ki Hong Lee, a Korean-American actor, was born on September 30, 1986, in Seoul, South Korea. His family later moved to New Zealand and then to the United States. As a child, he struggled with his name being difficult for English speakers to pronounce, so he adopted the name Thomas in elementary and middle school. The family owned a restaurant in the United States, where Lee worked after graduating from college. His parents hoped he would pursue psychology or graduate school, but in his senior year, he rediscovered his childhood passion for acting and began taking classes.

Rise to Acting Stardom

Lee faced numerous rejections in auditions, often waiting weeks for a callback. His first roles were in television series, including "Modern Family" and "Victorious." He also wrote, produced, and starred in the short film "Fratervention: The End of Bro'ing Out."

Breakthrough Role in "The Maze Runner"

Lee's breakout role came as Minho in the dystopian film "The Maze Runner" (2014). The film's success brought him international recognition. He subsequently starred in "Stanford Prison Experiment" (2015), based on the real-life experiment, and "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" (2015).

Continued Success

Lee continued to work on the sequels of "The Maze Runner" franchise, "The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials" (2015) and "The Maze Runner: The Death Cure" (2018). He also appeared in films such as "Wish Upon" (2017) and "Special Citizen" (2017). In addition, he starred in the television series "The Whispers" and "Looks That Kill."

Personal Life

Lee is married to Choi Ha-yon, whom he met on the set of "She's Got a Boyfriend." They married in 2015. Lee enjoys sleeping, listening to music, singing, and playing soccer. He holds American citizenship and considers himself a Californian.

Recognition and Legacy

Lee has been recognized for his sex appeal, ranking among People magazine's "100 Sexiest Men" in 2014. He is known for his versatility and ability to portray diverse characters. Lee has had a significant impact on representation for Asian actors in Hollywood.