Biography of Lee Min-ho
Actor, singer, model, producer and creative director Lee Min-ho is one of the most influential artists in South Korea. He has been ranked by the South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as the top Korean actor amongst international audiences for four consecutive years from 2018 to 2021. He has managed a remarkable global reach with a record as the first Korean celebrity to hit more than 25 million followers on Facebook and Instagram. Currently, the actor is represented by MYM Entertainment.
Early Life and Education
The famous South Korean actor Lee Min-ho was born on 22 June 1987 in Seoul, South Korea. He was raised with his elder sister Yun-jeong. He completed his elementary education at Namseong Elementary School, middle education at Banpo Middle School and high school at Danggok High School. Min-ho aspired to be a football player during his childhood. He attended the junior football class of ex-professional player Cha Bum-kun at his elementary school. However, his urge for football came to an end after having an injury while he was in fifth grade.
Lee Min-ho’s interest in acting and modelling turned out during his high school days. He also did some modelling experiments while in high school. He enrolled at Konkuk University in 2006 and graduated in Film and Arts from the College of Art and Design. Presently, Min-ho is pursuing his post-graduation degree in Film from Kookmin University Graduate School.
Career and Achievements
Lee Min-ho began his acting career during his high school days and joined Starhaus Entertainment. Since, 2000, he appeared in minor roles in television dramas including, ‘Romance’ by Lee Dae-young, ‘Nonstop’ and ‘Recipe of Love’.
Early on in his career, the actor was known by the stage name, Min-ho, after his agency found his birth name too ordinary. However, he did not find it convenient and reverted to his birth name Lee Min-ho.
Min-ho made his acting debut in the lead role in an EBS series, ‘Secret Campus’ in 2006, directed by Chang Yong-lee. He was forced to take a career break for one year after a car wreck in 2006. In 2007, he played a lead role in a high-school drama, ‘Mackerel Run’, directed by Kim Yong-jae, Choi Young-hoon and Kim Hong-seon. The producers of the drama had to reduce it to eight episodes due to its poor viewership ratings.
In 2008, Min-ho made his film debut with the film, ‘Public Enemy Returns’, directed by Kang Woo-suk. The same year, he appeared in television dramas, ‘Get Up’ by Lee Jae-dong and ‘I am Sam’ by Kim Jung-gyu. Min-ho was seen in the film, ‘Our School’s E.T’ by Park Kwang-chun in the same year.
Min-ho’s breakthrough role came in 2009 when he was cast as the hero of the television series, ‘Boys Over Flowers’, directed by Jeon Ki-sang. The South Korean television series stars Koo Hye-sun, Kim Hyun-joong, Kim-bum, Kim-joon, and Kim So-eun was based on a Japanese series ‘Boys Over Flowers’.
In a 2010 romantic television series, ‘Personal Taste’, Min-ho appeared as a young architect who disguised himself as a gay man to become a roommate with a furniture designer woman, leading to romantic complications. In the television drama, he starred opposite Son Ye-jin.
Lee Min-ho was the male lead in the South Korean television series, ‘The Heirs’, starring opposite Park Shin-hye and Kim Woo-bin in 2013, directed by Kang Shin-hyo and Boo Sung-chul. The series gained millions of viewers globally. The following year, he received recognition from the Korean government for his contributions to uplifting the profile of Korean content worldwide.
Again in 2015, Min-ho played a notable lead role in the South Korean action film ‘Gangnam Blues’, starring opposite Kim Rae-won. The film was produced and directed by Yoo-ha. In 2016, Lee Min-ho appeared in the lead role in the television drama, ‘Bounty Hunters’, opposite Wallace-chung, Tiffany-tang, Jeremy-tsui, Karena-ng and Louis-fan. The film was a Chinese-South Korean-Hong Kong co-production.
Min-ho gained more popularity by starring in the Netflix original series, ‘The King: Eternal Monarch’. The series became one of Netflix’s most-watched global series in 2020. He played the lead role starring alongside Kim Go-eun, Woo Do-hwan, Kim Kyung-nam, Jung Eun-chae, and Lee Jung-jin.
The ongoing project of the actor is the American drama television series, ‘Pachinko’, by Soo-hugh based on the 2017 novel by Min Jin-lee. Youn Yuh-jung, Lee Min-ho, Kim Min-ha, and Jin-ha played the main roles in the series. The drama received critical acclaim and popularity for its cinematography, cast performances and script.
Min-ho is all set to star in an upcoming South Korean television series, ‘Ask the Stars’, by Park Shin-woo in the lead role opposite Gong Hyo-jin. The 2023 drama follows the critical encounter of a space tourist and an astronaut on a space station.
Endorsements
-
Honorary Ambassador for UNICEF’s Love Net campaign to fight malaria.
-
PR Ambassador for Konkuk University.
-
Honorary Prosecutor for the Korean Supreme Prosecutor’s Office.
-
PR ambassador for the Chilean campaign ‘Reforestemos Patagonia’ organized by Minoz Chile.
-
Public Ambassador for the ‘Korean Tourism Campaign’, also called ‘The Face of Korean Tourism’.
-
Honorary Ambassador for the ‘2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics’.
-
PR Ambassador for Visit Korea, 2016–2018.
-
Honorary Ambassador for the King Sejong Institute Foundation (KSIF).
-
PR Ambassador for Fendi(Italian luxury fashion house).
-
Global Ambassador for Hugo Boss.
Military Life
The most popular South Korean actor Lee Min-ho began his mandatory military service on 12 May 2018 as a public service officer at the Suseo Social Welfare Centre in the Gangnam District office. He failed to do his mandatory military service actively because of the car collision in August 2006 and another car wreck in 2011 at the shooting location of the film ‘City Hunter. However, he was discharged from military service on 25 April 2019, after two years of service.
Personal Life
The marital status of Lee Min-ho is single and, so far, he has not been involved in any controversies in his professional career or affairs in his personal life.
Net Worth and Lifestyle
One of the most famous South Korean actors, Lee Min-ho, has an estimated total net worth of 26 million US dollars. His main source of income comes from acting, modelling and brand endorsements. Based on reports from Korean news websites, Min-ho has paid around 4.3 million US Dollars for purchasing two villas in Seongbuk-dong recently.
In addition to his villa ownership, he also has several other homes in Korea’s wealthiest neighbourhoods. He is the owner of a nine-story building in Nonhyeon, which is situated in a posh area in Gangnam. He also owns a party area, gym and a theatre, valued at more than 2 million US dollars.
Philanthropy
The most loved entertainer in the South Korean film industry, Lee Min-ho, is also notable for his philanthropic activities. To begin with his benevolence, Min-ho set up a website, ‘PROMIZ’, a fundraising platform to generate awareness and cheer donations for social and humanitarian causes. The site had raised around 50,000 US Dollars from Min-ho and his fans to assist in constructing wells in Malwai through a non-profit organisation, ‘Charity: water’. They hosted several campaigns as part of World Water Day, including Transparent Umbrella Project and ‘Making Warm Winter for Both Bodies and Hearts’.
Lee Min-ho donated 100 million US Dollars to UNICEF to support the Nepal earthquake victims in 2015. ‘PROMIZ’, with its amazing charity works, won the Korea Good Brand Awards in 2016. In the same year, Lee Min-ho was acknowledged by the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare for his charity to society.
Awards
- Baeksang Arts Awards (2009)
Best New Actor – Television Award (2009) - Baeksang Arts Awards (2005)
Most Popular Film Actor Award (2005) - ‘iQiyi Star Award’ (2015)
- Baidu Feidian Awards (2013)
Best Asian Actor Award (2013) - Blue Dragon Film Awards (2015)
Popularity Award (2015) - Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival Award (2015)
Producer’s Choice Award (2015) - China Fashion Awards (2013)
Most Popular Asian Actor Award (2013) - Grand Bell Awards (2015)
Best New Actor Award (2015) - Gold Derby Awards (2022)
Breakthrough Performer of the Year (2022) - Independent Spirit Awards (2023)
Best Ensemble Cast award (2023) - KBS Drama Awards (2009)
Best New Actor Award (2009) - Korea Brand Stars Award (2015)
- Korea Drama Awards (2011)
Top Excellence Actor Award (2011) - Korea Drama Awards (2011)
Hallyu Star Award (2011) - Korea SNS Industry Grand Award (2015)
President Award of the National Information Society Agency (2015) - Korean Tourism Awards (2015)
The STAR of Korean Tourism Award (2015) - LeTV Awards (2016)
Most Popular Asian Actor Award (2016) - MBC Drama Awards (2010)
Excellence Actor Award (2010) - MTN Broadcast Advertisement Festival (2009)
Most Popular Advertisement Model Award (2009) - SBS Drama Awards (2011)
Top Excellence Actor in a Drama (2011) - SBS Drama Awards (2011)
Popularity Actor Award (2011) - SBS Drama Awards (2011)
Top 10 Stars Award (2011) - SBS Drama Awards (2012)
Top Excellence Actor Award in a Miniseries (2012) - SBS Drama Awards (2012)
Top 10 Stars Award (2012) - SBS Drama Awards (2013)
Top Excellence Actor in a Drama (2013) - SBS Drama Awards (2013)
Popularity actor award (2013) - SBS Drama Awards (2013)
Top 10 Stars Award (2013) - SBS Drama Awards (2013)
Best Couple Award with Park Shin-hye (2013) - SBS Drama Awards (2013)
Best Dressed actor award (2013) - SBS Drama Awards (2016)
Top Excellence Actor Award (2016) - SBS Drama Awards (2016)
Best Couple Award (2016) - SBS Drama Awards (2016)
Top 10 Stars Award (2016) - SBS Drama Awards (2020)
Top Excellence Award (2020) - Seoul International Drama Awards (2015)
10th Anniversary Hallyu Achievement Award (2015) - Seoul International Drama Awards (2015)
Mango TV Popularity Award (2015) - Sohu Media Awards (2013)
Most Popular International Actor Award (2013) - Annual Soompi Awards (2017)
Actor of the Year award (2017) - Annual Soompi Awards (2017)
Spot-on Best Couple Award (2017) - Weibo Movie Awards (2016)
Most Anticipated Action Comedy Actor Award (2016) - Weibo Movie Awards (2016)
Asian Movie Pioneer Award (2016)
Credit: Pinterest
Interesting Facts about Lee Min-ho
- Lee Min-ho was a passionate soccer fan.
- Min-ho attended an all-boys high school.
- The South Korean actor Lee Min-ho received multiple Hollywood offers, but it seems he is not ready to take it yet.
- Min-ho does not know swimming.
- Min-ho feels uncomfortable saying cheesy lines in dramas.
FAQs
-
What is the height of Lee Min-ho?
Lee Min-ho is 187 centimetres tall. -
What is the eye colour of Lee Min-ho?
Lee Min-ho’s eye colour is black. -
When was Lee Min-ho born?
Lee Min-ho was born on 22 June 1987. -
What is the Instagram handle of Lee Min-ho?
‘@actorleeminho’ is the Instagram handle of Lee Min-ho.
