Lee Yo-won

South Korean actress (born 1980) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lee Yo-won

Lee Yo-won (born April 9, 1980) is a South Korean actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Queen Seondeok in the eponymous hit period drama.

Quick Facts Born, Education ...
Lee Yo-won
Lee Yo-won in 2019
Born (1980-04-09) April 9, 1980 (age 45)
EducationDankook University – Theater and Film
OccupationActress
Years active1997–present
AgentManagement Koo
Height1.72 m (5 ft 7+12 in)
Spouse
Park Jin-woo
(m. 2003)
Children3
Korean name
Hangul
이요원
Hanja
Revised RomanizationI Yo-won
McCune–ReischauerI Yowŏn
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Career

Summarize
Perspective

Lee Yo-won was a sophomore in high school when she won a modeling contest and first appeared as a model in the November 1997 issue of fashion magazine Figaro. This led to commercials, then to minor roles in television series and movies. Though she started getting recognized by the public after the box-office success of anarchic comedy Attack the Gas Station (1999),[2] her first notable acting role was in controversial TV drama Blue Mist (2001), where she played a young woman in her 20s who becomes romantically involved with a married man in his 40s.[3]

Critical darling Take Care of My Cat (2001) followed shortly, for which she received several newcomer awards. In a later interview with Elle Korea in 2009, she cited the film as her most memorable work.[4]

But after starring in a number of big-screen star vehicles that weren't received well by audiences and critics, Lee felt mentally and physically exhausted.[5] After finishing the historical drama Daemang (lit. "The Great Ambition", 2002), she made the surprising announcement that she was temporarily retiring from the entertainment scene.[6]

Lee made a successful acting comeback in 2005, as the lead actress in period drama Fashion 70's, which she chose because she wanted to work with TV director Lee Jae-gyu (who had previously directed Damo), and because it was not a typical love story, but depicted a woman's success in life and career.[7] A supporting role followed in romantic comedy When Romance Meets Destiny.[5]

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Lee Yo-won at the 49 days press conference in 2011.

In 2007, Lee played the titular character in hit medical drama/romance Surgeon Bong Dal-hee,[8] though her next series, melodrama Cruel Love was less successful in the ratings.[9] She then switched to more serious fare as part of the ensemble cast of May 18, a film about the Gwangju massacre and one of the highest grossing Korean films of all time.[10][11]

Tired of playing fragile characters, Lee portrayed Queen Seondeok of Silla in the massively popular period drama Queen Seondeok (2009).[12] Her follow-up, fantasy melodrama 49 Days (2011) in which she played dual roles as a woman possessed, also resonated with audiences.[13][14] Afterwards she appeared in The King's Doctor (2012) about a Joseon-era veterinarian turned royal physician,[15] and Empire of Gold (2013) which revolved around a power struggle over a chaebol.[16][17]

On the big screen, Lee said after her enjoyable experience working with Jeong Jae-eun on Take Care of My Cat, she wanted to work with other female directors, so she starred in Anna Lee's romantic mystery The Recipe (2010)[18][19] and Bang Eun-jin's crime thriller Perfect Number (2012). In contrast, she was cast in the only female starring role in Kang Woo-suk's Fists of Legend (2013), about middle-aged men who join a televised mixed martial arts tournament/reality show.[20]

In 2016, Lee made a successful comeback to the small screen with the quirky romantic-comedy My Horrible Boss. Her role as a hot-headed career woman was well-received, with many citing it as her "rediscovery role".[21] She then participated in another film, titled Yes, Family, playing a reporter who is the oldest among-st four siblings.[22] Lee also starred in the MBC drama Night Light, alongside Jin Goo and Uee.[23]

In 2017, Lee starred in the black comedy series Avengers Social Club.[24]

In 2019, Lee starred in the espionage melodrama Different Dreams and [25] The Running Mates: Human Rights.

Personal life

Lee married businessman and professional golfer Park Jin-woo on January 10, 2003.[26][27] The couple have two daughters & one son (born in Dec 2003, May 2014 and May 2015).[28][29][30][31] Lee is Catholic.[32]

Filmography

Film

More information Year, Title ...
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1998 Scent of a Man young Eun-hye
1999 Attack the Gas Station Ggal-chi
2001 Take Care of My Cat Shin Hye-joo
2002 A.F.R.I.K.A. Lee Ji-won [33]
Surprise Party Wang Ha-young [34]
2005 When Romance Meets Destiny Go Yun-kyung [35]
2007 May 18 Park Shin-ae [36]
2010 The Recipe Jang Hye-jin [37]
2012 Perfect Number Baek Hwa-sun [38]
2013 Fists of Legend Hong Gyu-min [39]
2017 My Little Brother Oh Soo-kyung [40]
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Television series

More information Year, Title ...
Year Title Role
1998I Hate You, But It's FineLee Bit-na
1999MarchJung Yo-won
School 2Kim Yeon-jin
2000Tough Guy's Love[41]Heo Ji-hye
2001Blue MistLee Shin-woo
Pure Heart[42]Han Se-jin/Kang Hyun-joo
2002The Great AmbitionYoon Yeo-jin
2005Fashion 70sHan Deo-mi
2007Surgeon Bong Dal-heeBong Dal-hee
Cruel LoveNa In-jung
2009Queen SeondeokPrincess Deokman/Queen Seondeok
201149 DaysSong Yi-kyung
2012The King's Doctor Kang Ji-nyeong
2013Empire of GoldChoi Seo-yoon
2016My Horrible BossOk Da-jung
Night LightSeo Yi-kyung
2017Avengers Social ClubKim Jung-hye
2019Different DreamsLee Young-jin
The Running Mates: Human RightsHan Yoon-seo
2022Green Mothers' Club[43]Lee Eun-pyo
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Variety

More information Year, Title ...
Year Title Episode
2008tvN World Special "LOVE"Vietnam
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Music video appearances

More information Year, Song title ...
Year Song title Artist
1998"Please Baby Don't Cry"Deep
"WAYO!WAYO!"O.P.P.A
1999"Will You Forgive Me"A4
"To Her Lover"K2
2000"I Love You"Position
2001"I Wish You Happiness (Joy Project - 1 Year of Love)"WHY
2002"울고 싶어지는 오후"Ji Seo-ryeon
2006"Liquor"Vibe
2007"Love's Greeting"SeeYa
"Ice Doll"
2009"I'm Terrible in Love"Shin Seung-hun
2012"Love Is All the Same"Yangpa
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Discography

More information Year, Song title ...
Year Song title Notes
2009"Bidam (A Sad Story)"Track from Queen Seondeok Special OST Part 2
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Awards and nominations

More information Year, Award ...
Year presented, name of the award ceremony, category, nominated work and the result of the nomination
Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2001 KBS Drama Awards Popularity Award Blue Mist Won [44]
9th Chunsa Film Art Awards Best Actress Take Care of My Cat Won
22nd Blue Dragon Film Awards Best New Actress Won [45]
4th Director's Cut Awards Best New Actress Won [46]
2002 38th Baeksang Arts Awards Best New Actress (Film) Won [47]
SBS Drama Awards New Star Award The Great Ambition Won [48]
2005 Excellence Award, Actress in a Special Planning Drama Fashion 70's Won
Top 10 Stars Won
2007 27th Blue Dragon Film Awards Best Leading Actress May 18 Nominated
SBS Drama Awards Top Excellence Award, Actress Surgeon Bong Dal-hee Won [49]
Netizen Popularity Award Won
Best Couple Award with Lee Beom-soo Won
Top 10 Stars Won
KBS Drama Awards Top Excellence Award, Actress Cruel Love Nominated
2009 22nd Grimae Awards Best Actress Queen Seondeok Won [50]
10th Korea Visual Arts Festival Photogenic Award Won [51]
MBC Drama Awards Top Excellence Award, Actress Won [52]
Best Couple Award with Kim Nam-gil Won
2010 Asia Model Awards Special Award for Asian Drama Won [53]
2011 SBS Drama Awards Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Drama Special 49 Days Nominated [54]
Producers' Award, Actress Won
Top 10 Stars Won
2012 MBC Drama Awards Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Special Project Drama The King's Doctor Nominated
2013 6th Korea Drama Awards Top Excellence Award, Actress Empire of Gold Nominated
SBS Drama Awards Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Drama Special Won [55]
Top 10 Stars Won
2019 MBC Drama Awards Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Monday-Tuesday Miniseries Different Dreams Nominated
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Listicles

More information Publisher, Year ...
Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement
Publisher Year Listicle Placement Ref.
Forbes 2010 Korea Power Celebrity 22nd [56]
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References

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