Lee Tae-ran (; born 25 March 1975) is a South Korean actress currently signed under Hyper Story. She is best known for her roles in Korean dramas such as Yellow Handkerchief, My Rosy Life, Famous Princesses, Wang's Family, and Sky Castle.
Early life and education Lee Tae-ran was born in Seoul on 25 March 1975. She is the second of two daughters. Lee moved to Seoul as a child. After graduating from Haeseong International Convention High School, she worked in a company for three years and supported herself with part-time jobs at a cafe in Myeong-dong or a Japanese restaurant in Daehangno. Lee once expressed her sadness at being a mere high school graduate in a television show. In 2008, she enrolled as a theatre and film student in the College of Art in Hanyang University.
Career 1997–2004 Lee was discovered by an agent while doing part-time jobs. She had a small role in the SBS drama The Brothers' River, marking her TV debut. Lee next entered the 1997 SBS Top Talent Competition after a friend's suggestion and won the Grand Prize. She has since appeared in many television dramas in the late 1990s, such as Fascinate My Heart, Goodbye My Love, Days of Delight and Soonpoong Clinic. For her performance in Fascinate My Heart and Days of Delight, she was honoured with 1998 SBS New Star Award and 1999 MBC New Star Award respectively.
By the early 2000s, Lee's career was gaining momentum. In 2002, she received KBS Excellence in Acting Award for her portrayal of the bubbly model Lee Ha-na in the romantic comedy Who's My Love. The following year, she landed a lead role in the well-received drama Yellow Handkerchief, co-starring Jo Min-ki. Lee received her first KBS Top Excellence in Acting Award for her portrayal of Yoon Ja-young, a designer who was dumped by her boyfriend of ten years and raised a child alone.
2005–2012 In 2005, she appeared in the highly popular KBS series My Rosy Life, written by Moon Young-nam, which also featured Choi Jin-sil. She earned the KBS Popularity Award for her character of Maeng Young-yi, a successful career woman who didn't believe in love. After the success of My Rosy Life, she played the lead in the KBS drama Famous Princesses, also written by Moon. The drama recorded high audience rating and garnered several award nominations and wins for its actors. Lee's portrayal of Daewi Na Seol-chil has been widely acclaimed, earning her second KBS Top Excellence in Acting Award and Best Couple Award with Park Hae-jin in 2006.
Lee next starred in lead role of Jang In-ho in KBS's My Precious You alongside Kim Sung-soo in 2008. In 2010, she appeared in KBS's war drama Legend of the Patriots, opposite Choi Soo-jong, in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Korean War. In 2012, Lee starred in JTBC's drama How Long I've Kissed, alongside Lee Sung-jae.
2013–present In 2013, Lee returned to SBS in the drama Goddess of Marriage, after a three-year hiatus from major Korean TV networks. She also played the role of Wang Ho-bak in the KBS weekend drama Wang's Family, which was her third work written by Moon Young-nam.
In 2018, she starred in the hit drama Sky Castle as Lee Soo-im, a novel writer and the humble and loving housewife and stepmother in the Hwang household.
China In conjunction with her success at home, Lee has become one of the most recognised Korean actresses in China. In 2001, she had a supporting role in CCTV's drama Modern Family, playing a Korean daughter-in-law who married into a Chinese family. Her works Yellow Handkerchief and My Rosy Life were shown on CCTV-8. In 2009, Famous Princesses was shown on Hunan Television. It became a huge hit nationwide and was voted "Overseas TV Drama of the Year". In 2010, Lee landed a lead role in the Chinese TV drama The Lure of Cloud. In 2011, she appeared in the Chinese historical drama Di Jin with Korean actor Kangta. In 2012, she had a lead role in another historical drama For the Sake of Beauty with Hong Kong actor Patrick Tam. In 2013, Lee filmed a drama The Way We Were, produced by Huayi Brothers, a big-shot Chinese entertainment agency.
Films In 1997, Lee made her film debut in Story of A Man, opposite Choi Min-soo as the film's title character. In 2007, she starred in Love Exposure, the Korean version of Sex and the City, alongside Lee Mi-yeon. In 2012, she appeared alongside Cha In-pyo in the film My Boy, on a pro bono basis and was also involved in the production. The film made its world premiere at the 18th Busan International Film Festival in October 2013, and hit Korean theatres on 10 April 2014.
Personal life On 17 February 2014, it was announced that Lee was going to marry businessman Shin Seung-hwan. The couple wed in a private Christian ceremony at Villa de Bailey in Seoul on 1 March 2014.
Philanthropy In May 2008, Lee travelled to Nepal with the Seollebal Mountain Club to carry out volunteer work. She joined singer Lee Moon-sae, actor Park Sang-won and film director Han Ji-seung to help reconstruct a school. Lee's self-portrait, based on a photo taken in Nepal, was made public for the first time in Korea Art Summer Festival 2009. She hoped that proceeds from the sale of her painting would go to charity. In March 2009, alongside Hanyang University celebrity alumni Jang Keun-suk, Ha Seok-jin, Park Mi-sun and Jung Il-woo, Lee participated in the Blood Donation Festival "Seventy Days of Miracles", an effort to raise money for children with heart disease and other people in dire need. On 8 July 2011, Lee attended charity-sponsored fashion show and bazaar Wello! Africa, with Sistar and Jo Dong-hyuk, to promote education in Africa. The event was hosted by World Vision. In October 2012, Lee travelled to Tanzania for the filming of MBC's reality show 2012 KOICA's Dream, alongside Nichkhun, Taecyeon, Park Sung-woong, Kim Hyuk and other volunteers. It's a show where celebrities do community service work in underprivileged countries.
Lee was named an ambassador at the Mapo Happiness Sharing Food Market in 2009. She volunteers at the food market, donates rice, and also visits elderly citizens living alone, people with disabilities, and low-income families at least twice a month. Her service was recognised by the Ministry of Health and Welfare at the 4th Food Bank National Food Sharing Convention in 2010 and the 7th Food Bank National Food Sharing Convention in 2013. On 6 December 2013, she donated 2.76 tonnes of fan rice to the Mapo Happiness Sharing Food Market.
Lee arrived in Uganda in April 2014, just one month after her wedding. She travelled to remote villages where many people are suffering from elephantiasis and found it "heartbreaking". Her week-long mission was featured in "2014 SBS Hope TV", a show designed to raise awareness about the issues that Africans face, and bringing in donations at the same time.
On February 15, 2023, Lee donated 10 million won to help 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake through Warm Day.
Filmography Television Year Title Role Network Notes 1997The Brothers' River SBSTV debutOver the Horizon Cho Soo-hee 1998 Fascinate My Heart Eun Hee-sooWon – SBS Drama Awards: New Star Award Seven Brides 1999 Love Now Jang Hye-ji Goodbye My Love Choi Hee-jungMBC Days of Delight Goo Yoo-jungWon – MBC Drama Awards: Best New Actress 2000 Soonpoong Clinic Oh Tae-ranSBS More than Love Seo Hee-jooMBC All Above EveCameo 2001 Hong Guk Young Ms Seo Navy Park So-yeon How Should I Be Yoo Ri Modern Family Park Yeon-heeCCTV, MBC 2002 Who's My Love Lee Ha-naKBS2Won – KBS Drama Awards: Excellence Award, Actress 2003 Yellow Handkerchief Yoon Ja-youngKBS1Won – KBS Drama Awards: Top Excellence Award, Actress Long Live Love Lee Min-jooSBS 2004 The Woman Who Wants to Marry Jin Soon-aeMBC 2005 Best Mother Yoon So-youngSBSMy Rosy Life Maeng Young-yiKBS2Won – KBS Drama Awards: Popularity Award 2006Famous Princesses Na Seol-chilWon – KBS Drama Awards: Top Excellence Award, ActressWon – KBS Drama Awards: Best Couple Award with Park Hae-jin 2007Several Questions That Make Us Happy Cameo 2008 My Precious You Jang In-hoNominated – KBS Drama Awards: Excellence Award, Actress 2010 Legend of the Patriots Lee Soo-kyungKBS1Nominated – KBS Drama Awards: Excellence Award, ActressThe Lure of Cloud Shu LinHunan Television 2011 Di Jin Jin YuanShanghai East Movie Channel 2012How Long I've Kissed Hong Ji-sunJTBCFor the Sake of Beauty Han Yingzhu Zhejiang Television First aired on Shanghai TV Drama Channel 2013 The Way We Were Kazuko Miura Post-production Goddess of Marriage Hong Hye-jungSBS Wang's Family Wang Ho-bakKBS2 Won – KBS Drama Awards: Excellence Award, Actress 2015 Make a Woman Cry Choi Hong-ran MBC 2018 Sky Castle Lee Soo-im JTBC 2022 The Driver Mi-seon MBN 2023 Delightfully Deceitful Jang Kyung-ja tvN 2025 Our Golden Days Go Seong-hee KBS2
Film Year Title Role Notes 1997 Story of A Man Hee-kyung Film debut 2006 My Boss, My Teacher Mi-ran's sister Cameo 2007 Love Exposure Yoon Hee-sooNominated – 28th Blue Dragon Film Awards (2007) for Best New ActressNominated – 45th Grand Bell Awards (2008) for Best New Actress 2013My Boy I-cheon's mother 2015Granny's Got Talent Mi-hee Helios Yoon Hee-seon Cameo Twenty Again Min-ha Nominated – 53rd Grand Bell Awards (2016) for Best Actress
Variety show series Year Title Notes 2016 Let Me Home MC
Theatre Year Title Role Notes 2004 Educating Rita Rita Stage comedy
Other work Music Soundtrack appearances Year Song Notes 2005 "Reunion" My Rosy Life OST
Photo album Year Title Notes 2009 Butterfly · Lee Tae-ran Shot and published in China
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External links