Lee Jung-jae
Overview
Lee Jung-jae (李政宰, December 15, 1972–) is a South Korean actor, film director, and businessman. After debuting as a fashion model in the early 1990s, he became a symbol of youth stardom, and later broadened his acting range by moving between major commercial films and auteur films such as New World (신세계), Assassination (암살), and The Thieves (도둑들). In 2021, he gained global recognition for his role as Seong Gi-hun (성기훈) in the Netflix drama Squid Game (오징어 게임), and in 2022 he won the 74th Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, becoming the first Asian actor to win in that category.
Key Details
Birth and Debut
He was born in Seoul in 1972. In 1993, he entered the entertainment industry as a model for a fashion brand, and in the same year made his acting debut in the KBS youth drama Dinosaur Teacher (공룡선생). The following year, he made his screen debut with the film The Young Man (젊은 남자) and rapidly rose as a youth star representing the 1990s. He appeared in the drama Sandglass (모래시계, 1995), which recorded the highest viewership ratings, solidifying his popular standing.
Transition in Acting Career
In the 2000s, he attempted a transformation as an adult actor in works such as Typhoon (태풍) and A Man Called God (신이라 불리운 사나이), and in the 2010s he appeared consecutively in The Thieves (2012), The Face Reader (관상, 2013), New World (2013), Assassination (2015), Operation Chromite (인천상륙작전, 2016), and the Along with the Gods (신과함께) series (2017–2018), establishing himself as a box-office star. In particular, his role as Jung Chung in New World is considered one of his signature characters, and he won the Blue Dragon Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for The Face Reader. In 2019, he returned to television in the JTBC drama Chief of Staff (보좌관), portraying a politician's ambition.
Squid Game and Global Activities
In the Netflix original Squid Game, released in 2021, he played the protagonist Seong Gi-hun and stood at the center of a global phenomenon. The work set Netflix's all-time viewership record, and Lee Jung-jae won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Series – Drama and the Critics' Choice Award, before going on to win the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. He later appeared as Jedi Master Sol in the Disney+ series The Acolyte (애콜라이트, 2024) in his Hollywood debut.
Directing and Business
In 2022, he made his directorial debut with the spy action film Hunt (헌트), which was invited to the Midnight Screenings section of the Cannes International Film Festival. Together with his close colleague and fellow actor Jung Woo-sung (정우성), he co-founded the entertainment agency Artist Company (아티스트컴퍼니) and is also active as an executive, and he has invested in various fields including the restaurant industry.
Awards and Reception
He has won across major domestic awards ceremonies including the Blue Dragon Film Awards, Grand Bell Awards, and Baeksang Arts Awards, and is regarded as a leading actor who raised the global standing of Korean content through his Emmy win. With a filmography that pursues both popular appeal and artistic merit, he has earned the reputation of being an actor equipped with both box-office power and acting ability.
Latest Trends
In December 2024, Squid Game Season 2 was released and he returned as Seong Gi-hun, with Season 3 set to be released in 2025. In the same year, he took the lead in the Hollywood series The Acolyte on Disney+, and he appeared in the film About Family (대가족) and others. In 2025, he is reportedly continuing to work in both directing and production while preparing his next project.
Related Topics
- [[오징어 게임]]
- [[정우성]]
- [[황동혁]]
- [[아티스트컴퍼니]]
- [[에미상]]