Lee Min-jung (; born February 16, 1982) is a South Korean actress. She began her career in Jang Jin's stage play, and for a few years appeared in supporting roles on film and television. She became known after her appearance in Boys Over Flowers (2009), and landed her first lead role in family drama Smile, You (2009).
Lee achieved widespread recognition for her leading role in the romantic comedy Cyrano Agency (2010). She also starred in Wonderful Radio (2012), Big (2012), Cunning Single Lady (2014), and Come Back Mister (2016). In 2020, she starred and gained recognition in the KBS weekend drama, Once Again.
Career
Lee began her career in playwright/filmmaker Jang Jin's stage plays, then appeared in the Christian-themed indie Pruning the Grapevine, while doing minor roles on film and television. She became a household name in 2009 through her supporting role in the popular high school series Boys Over Flowers, which then landed her first leading role in the weekend drama Smile, You. The same year, she won the Best New Actress award at the Korean Association of Film Critics Awards for her performance in the mystery thriller White Night.
Lee's breakout role was in romantic comedy Cyrano Agency in 2010, where she swept Best New Actress awards at various local award-giving bodies.
Commercials and endorsements flooded in, and Lee gained a "goddess" label in the press. One of the challenges of her next film Wonderful Radio, was to strip her of that image. She successfully carried the film, with one review praising her as "expertly swinging from girly ditz, through self-centered pop diva (with memorable temper tantrums), to serious singer-songwriter." Co-star Lee Jung-jin said her actual personality is similar to the character's - "really upbeat and outgoing."
After playing a disillusioned fiancée to an ambitious fund manager in Midas, Lee returned to the romantic comedy genre in the body-swapping TV series Big written by the Hong sisters. In 2013 she starred in another rom-com series All About My Romance, about a secret relationship between two politicians of rival parties. This was followed by Cunning Single Lady in 2014, in which she played the titular character who schemes to win her ex-husband back now that he's rich and successful.
Lee made her acting comeback after three years in the SBS drama Come Back Mister with Rain. The series began airing in February 2016, and Lee won positive reviews for her performance.
In 2018, Lee returned with a SBS weekend drama Fates & Furies. She re-united with her former co-star Joo Sang-wook from Cunning Single Lady as main leads. In 2020, Lee gained widespread recognition portraying the role of Song Na-hee alongside actor Lee Sang-yeob in the weekend drama, Once Again.
Personal life Her maternal grandfather was renowned painter Park No-soo, who led the first generation of modern traditional Korean ink painters which emerged after the country's liberation from Japanese rule. Park died on February 25, 2013, at the age of 86.
Lee married actor Lee Byung-hun on August 10, 2013, at the Grand Hyatt Seoul. The couple had briefly dated in 2006, then resumed their relationship in 2012. She gave birth to their first child, Lee Joon-hoo, a boy, on March 31, 2015. On August 4, 2023, it was confirmed that she was expecting her second child. She gave birth to her second child, a daughter, on December 21, 2023.
Filmography Film Year Title Role 1999 The Gate of Destiny Icarus member 2003 Wishing Stairs Jin-sung's ballet dance double 2004 Someone Special Yi-yeon's friend 2005 Wet Dreams 2 Second year student #3 2006 Moodori Yoon-hee 2007 Pruning the Grapevine Yoon Soo-ah / Helena 2009 Searching for the Elephant Soo-yeon White Night Lee Si-yeong 2010 Cyrano Agency Kim Hee-joong 2012 Wonderful Radio Shin Jin-ah 2023 Switch Gong Soo-hyun
Television series Year Title Role 2005 Love and Sympathy Kim Young-joo 2006 Love Me When You Can Ha Jung-hwa 2007 Kimcheed Radish Cubes Lee Min-do 2008 Who Are You? Yang Ji-sook 2009 Boys Over Flowers Ha Jae-kyung Smile, You Seo Jung-in 2010 Sunday Drama Theater:"Lunch Box" Hee-young 2011 Midas Lee Jung-yeon 2012 Big Gil Da-ran 2013 All About My Romance Noh Min-young 2014 Cunning Single Lady Na Ae-ra 2016Come Back Mister Shin Da-hye / Han Hong-nan 2018–2019Fates & Furies Goo Hae-ra 2020Once Again Song Na-hee 2026OK! Let's Get Divorced Baek Mi-young
Web series Year Title Role 2025 VillainsHan Soo-hyun
Television shows Year Title Role 2019 The Barber of Seville Cast member 2021 Up Grademyself MC 2021 Peace Concert - Heart, Connect Host 2023 Oh Eun-young Game
Music video appearances Year Song title Artist 2005 "" Player 2006 "Like a Man" Fly to the Sky 2008 "Violin + Miss You" Zia "Doll + A Man's Love" 2009 "Girls Like Bad Boys" December "I Don't Care" 2NE1
Theater Year Title Role 2004 Taxi Driver Hwa-yi Clumsy People Yoo Hwa-yi 2007 The Game of Love and Chance Silvia
Discography TitleYearAlbum "It Was You"(with Park Shin-hye) 2010 Cyrano Agency OST "Again" 2012 Wonderful Radio OST "Write the Truth" "You're My Angel" (with Seo Young and Ahn Mi-na)
Accolades Awards and nominations
+ Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the nomination Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / Work Result APAN Star Awards 2021 Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Serial DramaOnce Again Popular Star Award, Actress Baeksang Arts Awards 2010 Best New Actress – TelevisionSmile, You 2011 Best New Actress – FilmCyrano Agency InStyle Fashionista Award Lee Min-jung Blue Dragon Film Awards2010Best New ActressCyrano Agency Cine21 Film Awards 2010Best New Actress Director's Cut Awards Grand Bell Awards2010 Popularity Award, Actress Herald Donga TV Lifestyle Awards 2012 Style Icon Award Lee Min-jung KBS Drama Awards2012 Excellence Award, Actress in a MiniseriesBig 2020 Top Excellence Award, ActressOnce Again Excellence Award, Actress in a Serial Drama Netizen Award, Actress Best Couple Award (with Lee Sang-yeob) Korean Association of Film Critics Awards 2010 Best New Actress White Night Korea Jewelry AwardsRuby Award Lee Min-jung Korea First Brand Awards 2026 Celebrity YouTuber (Female Category) MBC Drama Awards 2014 Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries Cunning Single Lady SBS Drama Awards 2009 New Star Award Smile, You 2011 Excellence Award, Actress in a Special Planning Drama Midas 2019 Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Mid-length Drama Fates & Furies Style Icon Awards 2010 Style Icon - Movie Actress Cyrano Agency University Film Festival of KoreaBest New Actress
State honors + Name of country, year given, and name of honor Country or Organization Year Honor or Award Sungkyunkwan University 2021 Sungkyun Artist Award
Listicles + Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement Publisher Year Listicle Placement Forbes 2011 Korea Power Celebrity 29th 2012 29th 2013 37th
References
External links