Lee Se-young

This article is about an actress. For the comedian and actress, see Lee Se-young (comedian).

In this Korean name, the family name is Lee.

Lee Se-young (Korean: 이세영; born December 20, 1992) is a South Korean actress. She debuted as a child actress in 1997 and was best known for her roles in Dae Jang Geum (2003), When I Turned Nine (2004), Lovely Rivals (2004), and The Wonder Years (2007). She is best known for her leading roles in The Crowned Clown (2019), The Red Sleeve (2021), The Law Cafe (2022), The Story of Park's Marriage Contract (2023), and What Comes After Love (2024).

Lee Se-young
Photo time at the production presentation for the drama "What Comes After Love" 2024
Born	(1992-12-20) December 20, 1992 (age 32) Seocho District, Seoul, South Korea
Alma mater	Sungshin Women's University – Media Communications[1]
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1997–present
Agent	Prain TPC
Korean name
Hangul	이세영
Hanja	李世榮
Revised Romanization	I Seyeong
McCune–Reischauer	I Seyŏng

Early life and Education

Lee Se-Young was born on December 20, 1992 in Bangbae-Dong Seocho District, Seoul, South Korea. Born with natural beauty, when Lee was 5 years old her parents were afraid she would be kidnapped. During the early 1990s, there were many child-kidnapping incidents that shook South Korea. Lee parents got her into entertainment Industry hoping if she got famous no one would kidnap her.^[2]

Lee Se-Young attended Seoumun girl’s middle school and high school. Lee attended Sungshin Women's University majoring in Media Communications where she were named Queen of Campus.^[3]

Career

Beginnings

Lee began her career as a child actress;^[4] and was best known for the films When I Turned Nine,^[5] Lovely Rivals,^[6] and The Wonder Years.^[7][8]

As she entered her early twenties, Lee also appeared in the television series Puberty Medley,^[9] Missing You^[10] and Goddess of Marriage,^[11] as well as films Horror Stories 2 and Hot Young Bloods.^[12][13][14] Lee got increasingly larger roles in music romance drama Lovers of Music and fantasy mystery thriller The Vampire Detective.^[15][16][17]

2016–present: Rising popularity

Lee gained increased popularity after starring in the family drama The Gentlemen of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop (2016), where she received favourable reviews.^[18] She and co-star Hyun Woo were dubbed as The Ahchoo Couple by fans.^[19] Lee also won the Best New Actress award in the television category at the Baeksang Arts Award for her performance.^[20]

In 2017, Lee starred in her first leading role in free-to-air TV station with KBS2's youth drama Hit the Top.^[21] Lee then starred in the fantasy romantic comedy drama A Korean Odyssey by the Hong sisters,^[22] and was praised for her portrayal of three different characters.^[23]

In 2018, Lee played her first big-screen leading role in the comedy film Duck Town.^[24]

In 2019, Lee starred in the tvN historical drama The Crowned Clown, based on the 2012 Korean historical film Masquerade,^[25][26] where she played the role of Queen Yoo So-woon. The same year, she appeared in the horror film Lingering^[27][28] and the medical drama Doctor John.^[29]

In 2020, Lee starred in the mystery thriller Memorist as a genius profiler.^[30] She then reunited with Shin Sung-rok, whom she previously worked with in Lovers of Music, for the MBC drama Kairos.^{[31][unreliable source?]}

In 2021, Lee played the role of Sung Deok-im in MBC hit historical romance drama The Red Sleeve, co-starring alongside Lee Jun-ho.^[32]

In 2022, Lee made a special appearance as a cinema employee in the film Seoul Vibe. Lee also played the lead role as a lawyer named Kim Yu-ri in KBS romantic comedy drama The Law Cafe, reuniting with A Korean Odyssey co-star Lee Seung-gi.^[33]

In November 2023, she also appeared in the time-traveling historical fantasy drama titled The Story of Park's Marriage Contract.^[34]

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref.
2004	Dance with Solitude	Young-hee		[35]
	When I Turned Nine	Jang Woo-rim
	Lovely Rivals	Go Mi-nam
2005	All for Love	Jasmine, an aspiring actress	Cameo
2007	The Wonder Years	Soo-ah
2012	All About My Wife	Jang Sung-ki's stalker	Cameo
	Grape Candy	Female bank customer		[36]
2013	Horror Stories 2	Se-young	Segment: "444"
2014	Hot Young Bloods	So-hee
2018	Duck Town	Hee-jung
2020	Lingering	Yoo-mi
2022	Seoul Vibe	cinema employee	Special appearance	[37]

Television series

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref.
1997	The Brothers' River
1998	The Path of the Great Dynasty	Princess Cheongseon
	My Mother's Daughters
1999	Did We Really Love?	Kang Jae-young (young)
	Promise	Jin-ju
	Sunday Best: "Dangerous Lullaby"	Im Ja-min
2000	MBC Best Theater "Song, Let's Play"	Kang Song-yi
	MBC Best Theater: "He was Abandoned by Her"	Hye-jin
	Foolish Princes	Yeo Sat-byul
2001	I Want to See Your Face	Lee So-dam
2002	Present	Kim Da-hee		[38]
	Original Fairy Tales on TV: "Robinson Crusoe in the Classroom"	Lee Hye-jung
	My Love Patzzi	Yang Song-yi (young)
	Kitchen Maid
2003	Country Princess	Lee Eun-hee (young)
	Land of Wine	Lee Sun-hee (young)
	Drama City "Queen of Disco"	Kang Soo-ji
	Merry Go Round	Sung Eun-kyo (young)
	Jewel in the Palace	Choi Geum-young (young)		[39]
2004	Beijing My Love	Jang Na-ra
2005	HDTV Literature: "Sonaki"	Girl		[40]
	Single Again	Lee Soo-jin
	Sisters of the Sea	Song Choon-hee (young)		[41]
2006	High Kick!	Lee Se-young	Cameo (Episode 143)	[42]
2008	Kokkiri (Elephant)	Gook Se-young		[43]
2011	KBS Drama Special: "Yeongdeok Women's Wrestling Team"	Cha Bong-hee		[44]
	Bachelor's Vegetable Store	Han Tae-in		[45]
2012	Dream of the Emperor	Chun Gwan-nyeo		[46][47]
	Missing You	Han Ah-reum
2013	Goddess of Marriage	Noh Min-jung
	Puberty Medley	Yang Ah-young
	Drama Festival: "Haneuljae's Murder"	Mi-soo		[48]
2014	Lovers of Music	Park Soo-in
2016	The Vampire Detective	Han Gyeo-wool
	The Gentlemen of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop	Min Hyo-won
2017	Hit the Top	Choi Woo-seung
	A Korean Odyssey	Jin Bu-ja / Jung Se-ra / Ah Sa-nyeo
2019	The Crowned Clown	Yoo So-woon
	Doctor John	Kang Shi-young
2020	Memorist	Han Sun-mi
	Kairos	Han Ae-ri		[49]
2021–2022	The Red Sleeve	Seong Deok-im		[50]
2022	The Law Cafe	Kim Yu-ri		[51]
2023–2024	The Story of Park's Marriage Contract	Park Yeon-woo		[34]
2025	Motel California	Ji Kang-hee		[52]

Web series

Year	Title	Role	Ref.
2020	How Are U Bread	Noh Mi-rae	[53]
2024	What Comes After Love	Choi Hong	[54]
TBA	The Remarried Empress	Rashta Isqua	[55]

Television shows

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref.
2017	King of Mask Singer	Contestant	as "Kisses It's Nice to Meet Kissing Gourami" (Episode 109)	[49][56]
2018	The Ultimate Watchlist	Main host
2018–2019	Weekend Playlist	Cast member		[57]

Hosting

Year	Title	Notes	Ref.
2023	19th Seoul International Drama Awards	with Jun Hyun-moo	[58]
	2023 MBC Entertainment Awards	with Jun Hyun-moo and Dex	[59]

Music video appearances

Year	Song Title	Artist	Ref.
2002	"S.II.S (Soul To Soul)"	S.E.S
2008	"가슴아 그만"	Black
2011	"Don't Touch My Girl"	Boyfriend	[60]
2014	"If I"	Chung Dong-ha	[61]
	"I Feel on You"	Lee Seung-hwan feat. Lee So-eun	[62]

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	Ref.
APAN Star Awards	2022	Best Couple	Lee Se-young (with Lee Jun-ho) The Red Sleeve	Nominated	[63]
		Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries	The Red Sleeve	Nominated	[64]
		Popularity Star Award, Actress		Nominated	[63]
Baeksang Arts Awards	2005	Best New Actress – Film	Lovely Rivals	Nominated	[citation needed]
	2017	Best New Actress – Television	The Gentlemen of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop	Won	[20]
	2022	Best Actress – Television	The Red Sleeve	Nominated	[65]
Chunsa Film Art Awards	2004	Best Young Actress	When I Turned Nine	Won	[66]
KBS Drama Awards	2005	Best Young Actress	Rain Shower	Won	[67]
	2016	Best Couple	Lee Se-young (with Hyun Woo) The Gentlemen of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop	Won	[68]
		Best New Actress	The Gentlemen of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop	Won
	2022	Best Couple	Lee Se-young (with Lee Seung-gi) The Law Cafe	Won	[69]
		Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries	The Law Cafe	Nominated	[70]
		Top Excellence Award, Actress		Nominated	[71]
Korean Broadcasting Awards	2023	Best Actor/Actress		Won	[72]
Korea Drama Awards	2017	Best New Actress	The Gentlemen of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop	Nominated	[citation needed]
	2019	Excellence Award, Actress	The Crowned Clown	Won	[73]
Korean Film Awards	2004	Best New Actress	When I Turned Nine	Nominated	[citation needed]
MBC Drama Awards	2020	Best Couple Award	Lee Se-young (with Shin Sung-rok) Kairos	Nominated	[74]
		Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Monday-Tuesday Miniseries / Short Drama	Kairos	Nominated	[75]
	2021	Best Couple Award	Lee Se-young (with Lee Jun-ho) The Red Sleeve	Won	[76]
		Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries	The Red Sleeve	Won	[77]
	2023	Best Couple Award	Lee Se-young (with Bae In-hyuk) The Story of Park's Marriage Contract	Nominated	[78]
		Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries	The Story of Park's Marriage Contract	Won	[79]
SBS Drama Awards	2019	Excellence Award in Miniseries (Actress)	Doctor John	Won	[80]
		Best Couple	Lee Se-young (with Ji Sung) Doctor John	Nominated
Seoul International Drama Awards	2021	Outstanding Korean Actress	Kairos	Nominated	[81][82]

Listicles

Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement

Publisher	Year	Listicle	Placement	Ref.
Forbes	2023	Korea Power Celebrity 40	20th	[83]
	2024		34th	[84]