Lee Min-ki (; born January 16, 1985) is a South Korean actor, singer, and model. Lee's first leading role in television was in the 2005 sports drama Taereung National Village. He has gone on to star in many television series, including Love Truly (2006), Dal-ja's Spring (2007), Because This Is My First Life (2017), The Beauty Inside (2018), My Liberation Notes (2022) and Behind Your Touch (2023). Lee has also starred in feature films, most notably in the box office hits Tidal Wave (2009), Quick (2011), Spellbound (2011) and Very Ordinary Couple (2013).
Career
Acting After honing his acting in one-act dramas, Lee Min-ki first gained popularity on television in romantic comedies Love Truly (2006) and Dal-ja's Spring (2007). He then starred in the quirky low-rated cult series Evasive Inquiry Agency (2007) and alternated mainstream films with indies such as Oishii Man (2009). He gained favorable notices for his supporting roles in the thriller A Million as a hot-tempered Marine-turned-janitor who finds himself involved in a survival reality show, and the disaster film Tidal Wave, in which he plays a lifeguard who makes a heartbreaking sacrifice when a tsunami hits the Korean beach town of Haeundae. Lee then solidified his bona fide movie star status with his leading roles in the action film Quick and romantic comedy Spellbound.
Lee starred alongside Kim Min-hee in the relationship drama Very Ordinary Couple (2013), a critically-acclaimed a box-office hit. He followed with leading roles in thriller Monster (2014), action noir For the Emperor (2014), and drama film Shoot Me in the Heart (2015), based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Jeong Yu-jeong.
In 2017, Lee starred in the romantic-comedy drama Because This Is My First Life opposite Jung So-min, which had been his first television leading role in 10 years. This was followed with the fantasy melodrama The Beauty Inside (2018), based on the 2015 romantic comedy film of the same name. He played a man who suffers from prosopagnosia.
In 2019, Lee returned to the small screen opposite Lee Yoo-young in the crime detective drama The Lies Within as detective Jo Tae-sik. On January 13, 2020, it was announced that Lee would star in the occult thriller film Three Days alongside Park Shin-yang and Lee Re.
In 2021, Lee starred alongside Nana in the MBC romantic comedy Oh My Ladylord. After the contract with his former agency expired in September 2021, Lee signed a contract with Yeongsang ENT. The same year, he joined the JTBC television series My Liberation Notes which premiered in April 2022. He played the role of Yeom Chang-hee, the second of three siblings with no proper goal in life.
In 2026, Lee starred in dark comedy short film Grim Reaper Life Extension Project as Kang-rim, a senior grim reaper who always deviates from the rules but ranks first in performance, alongside Monsta X's Hyungwon.
Singing After performing a stylized version of "My Way" at the 2008 Mnet KM Music Festival, Lee lent his vocals to a track with Korean electronica/pop singer Sheean in a collaboration with Japanese electronica/Shibuya-kei artist FreeTEMPO. The song, titled "Power of Love," was released as a digital single, and Lee also appeared in the music video. On August 11, 2009, he unveiled his musical debut No Kidding, a six track EP with a very indie-electro rock sound. The album's title song "Eternal Summer" was the first and only single released. In 2013, he released two singles titled "Those Days I Had with You" and "Everything" in collaboration with Gold Coast.
Personal life Military service Lee enlisted for his mandatory military service on August 7, 2014, and was assigned as a public service worker. He was discharged in August 2016.
Tax audit In May 2026 Sangyoung ENT said Lee had paid additional tax after an audit related to a one-person corporation. The agency did not disclose the amount or further details of the audit. It stated that Lee had cooperated and submitted documents, that the shortfall came from differing interpretations of expense-booking rules in corporate operations, that there had been no intentional concealment of income or fraudulent evasion, and that the assessed amount had been paid through the required procedures.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2006 Riverbank Legends High school student #7 Special appearance 2007 A Good Day to Have an Affair College student 2008 Humming Oh Chun-jae Special appearance Romantic Island Lee Jung-hwan 2009 Oishii Man Kim Hyun-seok Tidal Wave Choi Hyeong-sik A Million Park Cheol-hee 2011 Quick Han Ki-su Spellbound Ma Jo-goo 2013 Very Ordinary Couple Lee Dong-hee 2014 Monster Tae-soo For the Emperor Lee Hwan 2015 Shoot Me in the Heart Ryu Seung-min 2018 Detective K: Secret of the Living Dead Jeon In-kyul Special appearance 2022 Decibel Captain Hwang Special appearance 2024 Devil's Stay Priest Van 2026 Grim Reaper Life Extension Project Kang-rim Short film
Television series Year Title Role Notes 2004 My Older Brother Kang Min-kiDrama City2005 Oh! Sarah Kim Dong-kang Be Strong, Geum-soon! Noh Tae-hwan Booyong of Mt. Kyeryong Hyeong-sooDrama City Taereung National Village Hong Min-ki Rainbow Romance Lee Min-ki 2006 Love Truly Nam Bong-ki2007 Dal-ja's Spring Kang Tae-bong Evasive Inquiry Agency Park Mu-yeol 2012 Flower Band Joo Byung-hee Guest, Episodes 1-2 2017 Because This Is My First Life Nam Se-hee 2018 What's Wrong with Secretary Kim young Kim Young-man Cameo, Episode 10 The Beauty Inside Seo Do-jae 2019 The Lies Within Jo Tae-sik 2021 Oh My Ladylord Han Bi-soo 2022 My Liberation Notes Yeom Chang-hee 2023 Behind Your Touch Moon Jang-yeol 2024 Crash Cha Yeon-ho Face Me Cha Jung-woo 2025 Mary Kills People Jo Hyun-woo / Ban Ji-hoon 2026 The Scarecrow Cha Yeon-ho Special appearance
Music video appearances Year Song title Artist 2004 "Hit'm" Nina 2005 "Only One for Me" Soul Star 2007 "After... The Break-up" The Name feat. Choi Jin-yi 2008 "My Girl" The One 2012 "The Day Before" Nell 2013 "I'm Sorry" Han So-hyeon 2021 "Beautiful Jeopardy (위로 危路)" Nell
Discography Albums Album informationTrack listingPower of Love Single Artist: FreeTEMPO feat. Sheean and Lee Min-ki Released: September 26, 2008 Label: Power of Love Part 2 Single Artist: FreeTEMPO feat. Lee Min-ki Released: November 14, 2008 Label: We Can't Forget the Reason Single Artist: Lee Min-ki feat. Weekenders Released: December 10, 2008 Label: No Kidding EP Artist: Lee Min-ki Released: August 11, 2009 Label: Locksmith by Shyoshyo Type/CJ E&MThose Days I Had with You Single Artist: Lee Min-ki feat. 3rd Coast Released: March 14, 2013 Label: Go_od/CJ E&MEverything Single Artist: Lee Min-ki feat. 3rd Coast Released: April 11, 2013 Label: Go_od/CJ E&M
Soundtrack appearances Year Song title Notes2006 "Like Candy 2" Track from Love Truly OST "Before Sadness Comes" Track from Rainbow Romance OST 2009 "Frozen Mountain" "Neanderthal Man II" "Disappears Like That" "A Match for You" Tracks from Oishii Man OST 2012 "Not in Love" "jaywalking" Track from Flower Band OST
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result 2004 KBS Drama Awards Best Actor in a Special/One-Act Drama My Older Brother 2005 KBS Drama Awards Best Actor in a Special/One-Act Drama Oh! Sarah, Booyong of Mt. Kyeryong MBC Drama Awards Best New Actor Be Strong, Geum-soon! 2007 43rd Baeksang Arts Awards Best New Actor (TV) Love Truly 28th Blue Dragon Film Awards Best New Actor A Good Day to Have an Affair KBS Drama Awards Excellence Award, Actor in a MiniseriesDal-ja's Spring, Evasive Inquiry Agency Popularity Award, Actor 2009 2nd Style Icon Awards New Movie Icon 30th Blue Dragon Film Awards Best Supporting ActorHaeundae 2010 46th Baeksang Arts Awards Best New Actor (Film) 2014 50th Baeksang Arts Awards Most Popular Actor (Film) Monster 2018 13th Soompi Awards Actor of the Year Because This Is My First Life Best Couple Award with Jung So-min 2019 14th Soompi Awards Best Couple Award with Seo Hyun-jin The Beauty Inside 2021 MBC Drama Awards Best Couple Award with Nana Oh My Ladylord 2023 Global Film & Television Huading Awards Best Global Teleplay Leading Actor My Liberation Notes
References
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