# Lee Hwi-jong

Lee Hwi-jong (Korean: 이휘종; born May 15, 1991) is a South Korean actor. He is mostly active in theater plays and musicals, but he also does independent film. He is known for his supporting roles in the dramas Law School, Goodbye Earth and the film The Girl on a Bulldozer.

## Early life

When Lee Hwi-jong was young, he was quite introverted and fell in love with gaming, considering becoming a professional gamer. However, his mother, who was involved in theater at school, encouraged him to try acting. At first, Lee felt very uncomfortable standing in front of people and even just saying one line would make his face turn red. Despite this initial discomfort, Lee gradually became more aware of the appeal of acting. He attended the Korea National University of Arts Preparatory School and then entered a theater academy, steadily working towards becoming an actor.
Lee was a part of the Class of 2010 in the Department of Theater and Film at Korea National University of Arts, along with classmates Kim Go-eun, Lee Yoo-young, Park So-dam, Ahn Eun-jin, Lee Sang-yi, Kim Sung-cheol, and Cha Seo-won.

## Career

Lee Hwi-jong primarily focused on independent films while studying at Korea National University of Arts. Starting from his second year, he also had the opportunity to work on commercial films. However, balancing outside activities with a packed class schedule from 8 a.m. to 4-5 p.m. was challenging. He graduated early with a Bachelor of Arts degree, determined to continue making films, both short and after graduation.
Lee made his debut in Daehakro in 2015 with the play Sewol Ferry: Room in the Air. After graduating in 2016, by chance, he auditioned for the play "History Boys" and made his professional stage debut in the role of Acta.
In December 2016, Lee attended his film press conference alongside Lee Jun-sang, Park Jeong-geun, Kwon Ki-ha, Park Myung-shin, Go Won-hee, and Jeong Ji-sun. On January 5 2017, the queer independent film 'Don't Worry' released in theater. It is an omnibus work consisting of three films, 'A Yearning Heart' (director So Joon-moon), 'Little Finger' (director Kim Hyun and Kim Dae-gyeon), and 'Sowol-gil' (director Shin Jong-hoon).
He was also cast as Myeong-gu in play Voice of the Millennium.
In 2017, Lee was cast in musical History of Fools. It was performed at the Suhyeon Theater at DCF Daemyung Culture Factory in Daehakro from June 3 to August 27.
In 2018, Lee played the role of the illegitimate son Smerdyakov in musical Brother Kamazarov, who realizes true evil through his own death, alongside Park Jun-hwi in a double cast.
In the same year, Lee portrayed Stone, a helper robot, in the musical "Thank You Berry Strawberry," which ran at Daehakro Art One Theater Hall 2 until October 28.
In 2018, Lee was triple-cast with Oh Jong-hyuk and Ki Se-joong in the role of Arthur, a vampire who dreams of the day he can fly. The performance ran from November 30, 2018, to February 10, 2019, at Chungmu Arts Center's Black Theater.
In 2019, Lee were double cast with Yang Hee-jun to play the role of Dan, a character who lives in style and style while reciting Sijo in musical Swag Age: Shout, Joseon!. It performed at Doosan Art Center Yeongang Hall from June 18th to August 25th. He reprised his role in encore performance at Daehakro Hongik University Art Center Grand Theater from February 14 to April 26, 2020. He won New Actor award in 3rd Korea Musical Awards and win with other cast ensemble award in 8th Yegreen Musical Award.
In 2020, Lee joined two-hander play Mouthpiece. Lee and Jang Ryul were double in the role of Declan, who is unable to develop his artistic talent while being neglected by his parents and society's indifference. It was performed at Art One Theater Hall 2 from July 11th to September 6th.
In 2021, The play The Glass Menagerie performed at Daehakro Art One Theater Hall 2 from April 6 to May 30. Lee and Hong Joon-ki were named for the role of Tom, a young man who dreams of becoming a poet but struggles in reality.
In 2022, Lee participated in the third installment of The 9th Best Plays Festival, Touching the Void by David Greig. It is based on the true story of the survival of two British mountain climbers, Joe Simpson and Simon Yates. Shin was triple casts with Kim Seon-ho and Shin Sung-min for the role of Joe Simpson. The Korean premiere, directed by Kim Dong-yeon, was performed at Art One Theater 2 in Daehangno from July 8 to September 18, 2022.
Start Production second creative musical 'Youth Noise' met the audience with its premiere stage at the Cotton Hall of Dongduk Women's University in Daehakro from January 1, 2023. Youth Noise. Lee, Kim Yi-dam, Jeong Wook-jin, and Kim Min-seong were cast in the role of Oh Young-won, a popular online travel writer who loves Pinocchio and dreams of traveling to Italy, but has never actually been on a trip.
Musical Wonder Boy, seasonal production of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts' Sync Next 22, was performed at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts S Theater from Friday, August 19th to Saturday, August 27th. Lee and Kim Beom-jun take turn perform the role of Wonder Boy, Jung Hoon, who gained superpowers after losing his father in an unexpected accident.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2014 | Cart | | bit |
| 2016 | Don't Worry segment: Sowol Road | son | Short, supporting role |
| 2016 | Happy Papa's Birthday! | | Short |
| 2016 | Black Reporter | soldier | Main actor |
| 2019 | Digressions | Huizong | |
| 2020 | Please Don't Save Me | Teacher | Main actor |
| 2021 | I Risked Everything | Kim Jeong-hwan | |
| 2022 | The Girl on a Bulldozer | Eun-seok | supporting role |
| 2022 | The Woman in the White Car | Yong-jae | supporting role |

### Television series

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2017 | Someone who Might Know | Hwi-jong |
| 2018 | The Hymn of Death | Hwi-jong |
| 2021 | Law School | Ko Young-chang |
| 2023 | King the Land | Photographer 2 |
| 2023 | Behind Your Touch | Yeom Jong-hyuk |

### Web series

| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
| 2024 | Goodbye Earth | Jo In-tae | YouTuber 'Jade Rabbit' | |

## Stage
### Concert

Concert performances :
| Year | Title | Title | Role | Theater | Date | Ref. |
| Year | English | Korean | Role | Theater | Date | Ref. |
| 2016 | Musical Talk Concert Housewarming - The Rest of the Class | 뮤지컬 토크 콘서트 집들이 - 나머지 수업 | Tae | TOM Theatre 2 | May 30, 2016 | |
| 2019 | Pop-up concert in TOM | 팝업 콘서트 in TOM | Himself | Daehak-ro T.O.M. 1 | January 16 to 22 | |
| 2019 | Musical 'Swag Age: Shout, Joseon' mini concert | 뮤지컬 '스웨그에이지: 외쳐, 조선' 미니콘서트 | Dan | Doosan Art Center Yeongang Hall | June 18th to August 25th | |

### Musical

Musical play performances :
| Year | Title | Title | Role | Theater | Date | Ref. |
| Year | English | Korean | Role | Theater | Date | Ref. |
| 2017 | B Class | B클래스 | Lee Hwan | Daehangno Freedom Theater | April 1 - May 28, 2017 | |
| 2017 | The History of the Fool | 찌질의 역사 | Kwon Ki-hyuk | Yes24 Stage 3 | June 3 - August 27, 2017 | |
| 2017 | The Legend of the Little Basketball Team - Ansan | 전설의 리틀 농구단 - 안산 | Soo-hyun | Ansan Culture & Arts Center Dalmaji Theater | October 20 - 29, 2017 | |
| 2017 | The Legend of the Little Basketball Team - Ansan | 전설의 리틀 농구단 - 안산 | Soo-hyun | Ansan Culture & Arts Center Byeolmuri Theater | November 21 - 25, 2017 | |
| 2018 | The Brothers Karamazov | 브라더스 까라마조프 | Smerdyakov | Yes24 Stage 3 | February 10 - April 15, 2018 | |
| 2018 | Bungee Jumping Concert | 번지점프를 하다 콘서트 | Hyun Bin | Blue Square Chaos Hall | May 28, 2018 | |
| 2018 | Bungee Jumping | 번지점프를 하다 | Hyun Bin | Sejong Center for the Performing Arts M Theater | June 12 - August 26, 2018 | |
| 2018 | Thank You Very Strawberry | 땡큐 베리 스트로베리 | Stone | Art One Theater 2 | August 16- October 28, 2018 | |
| 2018–2019 | Vampire Arthur | 뱀파이어 아더 | Arthur | Chungmu Art Center Black Box | November 30, 2018 - February 10, 2019 | |
| 2019 | Swag Age | 스웨그에이지 | Dan | Doosan Art Centre Yeongang Hall | June 18 - August 25, 2019 | |
| 2020 | Swag Age | 스웨그에이지 | Dan | Hongik University Daehakro Arts Center Main Theater | February 14 - May 24, 2020 | |
| 2020 | The Brothers Karamazov | 브라더스 까라마조프 | Smerdyakov | Daehakro Free Theater | February 7 - May 3, 2020 | |
| 2020 | Swag Age - Daejeon | 스웨그에이지 - 대전 | Dan | Daejeon Yeonjeonggugakwon Keunmadang | December 24 - 27, 2020 | |
| 2022 | Wonder Boy | 원더보이 | Jeong Hun | Sejong Center for the Performing Arts S Theater | August 19 - 27, 2022 | |
| 2023 | Youth Noise | 청춘소음 | Oh Young-won | Dongduk Women's University Performing Arts Center Cotton Hall | January 1 - February 26, 2023 | |
| 2023 | The Happy Prince | 행복한 왕자 | Wilde and others | Chungmu Art Center Black Box | April 29 - June 18, 2023 | |
| 2024 | Kiki's Borderline Personality Disorder Diary | 키키의 경계성 인격장애 다이어리 | Kiki | CKL Stage | January 27 - February 25, 2024 | |

### Theater

Theater play performances :
| Year | Title | Title | Role | Theater | Date | Ref. |
| Year | English | Korean | Role | Theater | Date | Ref. |
| 2015 | Sewol - The Air of the Dead | 세월호 - 공중의 방 | Tae | Hyehwa-dong Theatre Research Institute | August 26 - August 30, 2015 | |
| 2016 | The History Boys | 히스토리 보이즈 | Acta | Baekam Art Hall | April 8 - May 8, 2016 | |
| 2016 | Voice of Millennium | 보이스 오브 밀레니엄 | Myeong-gu | Dongsung Art Center Small Theater | November 5 to December 31, 2016 | |
| 2019 | The History Boys | 히스토리 보이즈 | Posner | Doosan Art Centre Yeongang Hall | September 20 - October 27, 2019 | |
| 2020 | The Best Play 8 - Mouthpiece | 연극열전8 - 마우스피스 | Declan | Art One Theater 2 | July 11 - September 6, 2020 | |
| 2021 | The Glass Menagerie | 유리동물원 | Tom | Art One Theater 2 | April 6, 2021 - May 30, 2021 | |
| 2021–2022 | Mouthpiece | 마우스피스 | Declan | Art One Theater 2 | November 12, 2021 - January 30, 2022 | |
| 2022 | The Best Play 9 — Touching the Void | 연극열전9 - 터칭 더 보이드 | Joe Simpson | Art One Theatre 2 | July 8 to September 18, 2022 | |
| 2023 | The Case of Wrong Growth | 잘못된 성장의 사례 | Human criminal | Doosan Art Center Space111 | September 5 to 23 | |

### Awards and nominations

Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, work, and the result of the nomination :
| Award ceremony | Year | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
| 3th Korea Musical Awards | 2019 | New Actor Award | Swag Age | Won | |
| 8th Yegreen Musical Awards | 2019 | Ensemble Award | Swag Age | Won | |