# Lee Jae-yoon

Lee Jae-yoon (Korean: 이재윤; Hanja: 李在允, born December 15, 1984) is a South Korean-Canadian actor and model. He is best known for his roles in the television dramas My Love By My Side (2011), Heartless City (2013), Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo (2015–2016) and Mother (2018).
Lee is a brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and a committed fitness enthusiast.

## Early life and education

Lee was born to Lee Hwan-mook and Oh Young-hee in Seoul, South Korea on December 15, 1984, and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He attended the St. Elizabeth Catholic High School in Thornhill, Ontario for his secondary education. Lee was completing a degree in sports at the University of Toronto when he was scouted by a South Korean talent agency in an audition, and thus introduced into Korean show business.
Moving back to South Korea and starting his career as an actor, Lee enrolled in and would eventually complete a theater studies degree from Dongguk University, where he would later on be appointed as university ambassador.

## Career beginnings

In an interview, Lee disclosed that his beginnings as an actor in South Korea came with some challenges and difficulties. Besides the very competitive auditions for roles, there were also the suggestions and offers for him to do cosmetic surgery; to trim his nose, soften his jawline, and straighten his teeth. But Lee said he decided not to do any of the procedures because he felt he was doing away with what his parents have naturally given him in terms of appearance, and that he hated the thought of getting any aesthetic enhancements.
He also tried losing weight as a new actor, because it was required for him to do so. There was one project where he had to lose 10 kilograms, and he did. But Lee said it did not really open new doors for him. So, upon getting more acting experience, he decided to keep his weight and strengthen his physique instead. Now, projects and producers look for him, "because there aren't many like me. They want that masculine look, the jawline and everything. They are finally looking for that now."

## Personal life

Lee is a brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and had competed in tournaments, before his foray into acting and modeling. He still goes to the gym, swims, and does jiu-jitsu three or four times a week to keep his physique.
Lee has revealed his father has played a major influence on his healthy and athletic lifestyle. He says he has always been the athletic type, joining marathons in school, because his father encouraged him so. In high school, he was the fastest track and field athlete, that even his peers expected him to eventually make it to the Olympics. Lee further disclosed that aside from this parents, Bruce Lee was always an inspiration for him growing up.
As an adult, Lee maintains he is a committed fitness enthusiast; besides doing the usual rounds at the gym and jiu-jitsu, Lee is also into judo, muay thai, and deep-water diving. This healthy and athletic lifestyle even influences his choice of an ideal partner. Lee has revealed in an interview that he would be pleased to find a romantic partner in the future who is also into sports and the active lifestyle, one with whom he can swim, run, or dive.
As an athlete, Lee has been working closely with the sportswear and sports gear brand Puma, both as an endorser and ambassador. He regularly joins the Puma Run events in Singapore and Malaysia.

### Relationship

In October 5, 2022, it was confirmed that Lee will hold a wedding ceremony with his non-celebrity girlfriend in November 2022.

## Filmography
### Television series

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2004 | Nonstop 5 | |
| 2006 | Wolf | |
| 2008 | I Am Happy | |
| 2009 | Heading to the Ground | Shin Poong-chul |
| 2010 | A Man Called God | Park Chul |
| 2010 | Stormy Lovers | Lee Hyung-chul |
| 2011 | My Love By My Side | Lee So-ryong |
| 2011 | Just Like Today | Jang Ji-wan |
| 2012 | Phantom | Jo Jae-min |
| 2013 | King of Ambition | Joo Yang-heon |
| 2013 | Heartless City | Ji Hyung-min |
| 2013 | Golden Rainbow | Kim Man-won |
| 2014 | A Witch's Love | Ban Ji-yeon's blind date (cameo, episode 4) |
| 2014 | Drama Festival : The Diary of Heong Yeong-dang" | Lee Chul-joo |
| 2015 | Heart to Heart | Jang Doo-soo |
| 2015 | I Have a Lover | Min Kyu-suk |
| 2015 | Glamorous Temptation | Hong Myung-ho |
| 2016 | Another Miss Oh | Han Tae-jin |
| 2016 | Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo | Jung Jae-yi |
| 2017 | Revolutionary Love | Byun Woo-sung |
| 2018 | Mother | Jin-hong |
| 2018 | The Beauty Inside | Himself (Cameo, ep 1) |
| 2018 | Less Than Evil | Kang Woo-Jun |
| 2019 | Joseon Survival Period | Jeong Ga-ik |
| 2019 | Watcher | Kim Kang-wook (Cameo) |
| 2020 | Alice | Kim Dong-ho |
| 2021 | Let Me Be Your Knight | judo master (Cameo) |

### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2009 | K&J destiny | | |
| 2012 | A Company Man | Shin Ip-nam, sales | |
| 2012 | First Love Archive | Hyun Woo | Short film |
| 2013 | Weird Business | | segment: "The First Love Keeper" |
| 2014 | Venus Talk | Hwang Hyun-seung | |
| 2014 | You Are My Vampire | Lee Joo-hyung | |
| 2015 | Escape | Kim Kyung-wi | Short film |
| 2019 | The Bad Guys: Reign of Chaos | Skull tattoo | |
| 2023 | 12.12: The Day | Lim Hak-ju | |

### Web series

| Year | Title | Role | Website |
| 2005 | Yap | | DMB Drama |

### Variety shows

| Year | Title | Notes |
| 2004 | Park Chul's Entertainment Road Show | VJ |
| 2005 | Good Sunday - Banjun Drama | |
| 2006 | Happy Sunday - Choi Hong-man and Strong Friends | |
| 2006 | Happy Sunday - Heroine 6 | Guest |
| 2009 | Star Secret Life | |
| 2014 | The Friends in Cebu | |
| 2014 | Law of the Jungle in Solomon Islands | Cast member (Episodes 131–136) |
| 2015 | Cool Kiz on The Block | |
| 2017 | Law of the Jungle in New Zealand | Cast member (Episodes 268-270) (after Sumatra trip) |
| 2024 | Physical: 100 Season 2 – Underground | |

### Music video

| Year | Song Title | Artist |
| 2005 | "Prayer to Overcome Sadness" | Boohwal |
| 2006 | "Crescent Moon" | Wheesung |
| 2006 | "Much Laugh" | MayBee |
| 2009 | "Sunflower" | Kim Jong-wook |
| 2010 | "Sick Enough to Die" | MC Mong |
| 2012 | "Day by Day" | T-ara |
| 2014 | "Hesitating Lips" | Yoo Seung-woo |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| 2011 | SBS Drama Awards | Excellence Award, Actor in a Weekend/Daily Drama | My Love By My Side | Nominated |
| 2011 | SBS Drama Awards | New Star Award | My Love By My Side | Won |
| 2015 | KBS Entertainment Awards | Best Newcomer Award | Cool Kiz On The Block | Won |