# Lee Hanee

Lee Hanee (Korean: 이하늬; born March 2, 1983), also known as Honey Lee, is a South Korean actress, model, and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Korea 2006 and represented her country at Miss Universe 2007. She is known for starring in the films Deranged (2012), The Bros (2017), Extreme Job (2019), and Black Money (2019). In television, she gained recognition for her roles in The Rebel (2017), The Fiery Priest (2019–2024), One the Woman (2021), and Knight Flower (2024). For her performance in the latter, Lee won the Baeksang Arts Award for Best Actress.

## Early life

Lee Hanee is the middle child of three, and has an elder sister and a younger brother. Her father, Lee Sang-eob, was a high-ranking official with the National Intelligence Service. Her mother, Moon Jae-suk, has a PhD in Korean music history and is a professor at Ewha Womans University as well as music director of the Gimhae City Gayageum Orchestra. Her sister is Lee Seul-gi, a member of the KBS Orchestra of Traditional Korean Music. Lee's maternal uncle is politician Moon Hee-sang (former Speaker of the National Assembly).
Lee graduated from Seoul National University with high honors in traditional Korean music. She received her master's degree from the same university.

## Career
### Beauty pageant

Lee won the 2006 Miss Korea pageant and represented South Korea in the Miss Universe 2007. She managed to break into the Top 5 and was placed 3rd runner-up; Riyo Mori from Japan was crowned Miss Universe that year. Lee was also named Miss Grand Slam 2007.

### Music

Lee is a professional gayageum player, a Korean music instrument. She was named a gayageum prodigy by the Kumho Art Center, the most prestigious musical foundation in Korea. She has released four CDs and played in more than 25 countries, including concerts at Carnegie Hall in New York City. In 2017, she participated in the largest-ever mass performance of the gayageum as part of the two-day Uijeongbu International Gayageum Festival. Lee performed at the closing ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics, where she reinterpreted '춘앵무 (Chunaengmu)', one of the royal dances of the Joseon period. Lee appeared in the music video For Dynamic Duo (South Korean duo)'s song "Jam". Presumably Lee plays a Honeybee in the video which is a pun on the honeybee themed video.

### Film and television

Lee Hanee co-hosted Real Time TV Entertainment, on the national TV network SBS, a 12-year-old show focusing on show business, beginning July 18. In 2008, she made her acting debut in the musical Polaroid which opened at PMC Daehangno Jayu Theater in Hyehwa-dong, Jongno-gu. She has since starred in musicals Legally Blonde, playing Elle Woods and Chicago, playing Roxie Hart.
In 2009, Lee starred in her first television series The Partner, playing a femme fatale attorney. She next starred in the romantic comedy series Pasta (2010), playing a celebrity chef. Lee won her first acting accolade at the MBC Drama Awards, the Best Newcomer award for her performance in the family drama Iron Daughters-in-law (2011). In 2011, Lee was cast in her first big screen role in action film, Hit. She also featured in the disaster film Deranged and period comedy I Am a King (2012).
After appearing in E J-yong's ensemble mockumentary Behind the Camera (2013), Lee starred in the gambling film Tazza: The Hidden Card (2014), playing a rich widow. She also appeared in a comedy drama in 2014 called Modern Farmer which is about a rock band called "Excellent Souls." The band consists of Lee Min-Ki (Lee Hong-Ki), Kang Hyeok (Park Min-Woo), Yoo Han-Cheol (Lee Si-Un) and Han Ki-Joon (Kwak Dong-Yeon). The band decides to move to the countryside. The drama series follows their dreams, loves, and friendships.
Lee then played Queen Daemok in the 2015 historical drama Shine or Go Crazy, which depicts a fictional romance between a cursed Goryeo prince and the last princess of Balhae. The same year, she starred in the science fiction film Sori: Voice From The Heart. In 2016, Lee starred in the comedy drama Come Back Mister. Lee was praised for her chemistry with co-star Oh Yeon-seo, whom she has acted with in her previous project Shine or Go Crazy. In 2017, Lee played famous gisaeng Jang Nok-su in the historical drama The Rebel. She won critical praise for her portrayal, and won several acting awards. The same year, she featured in crime thriller Heart Blackened and action comedy film The Bros.
In 2019, Lee starred in the comedy film Extreme Job as a narcotics detective. The film became the second-most successful Korean film ever with 16 million tickets sold. The same year, she starred in comedy crime drama The Fiery Priest as a prosecutor. The drama was a commercial success with over 20% in ratings. Both projects proved Lee's versatility and contributed to her rise in popularity.
In 2021, Lee starred another SBS drama One the Woman with Lee Sang-yoon, Jin Seo-yeon and Lee Won-keun, making a small screen comeback in two years. She played dual roles as Jo Yeon-joo, a smart but corrupted prosecutor (which is similar to her previous drama The Fiery Priest) and Kang Mi-na, an illegitimate daughter of a chaebol who is abused by her family and her husband's family. The drama was a hit with the last episode achieving 3.2 million viewers and a rating of 17.8%. For her successful portrayal of dual character with polar opposite personality, she earned a top excellence award and daesang nomination at 2021 SBS Drama Awards.

## Personal life

Lee has been actively involved in voluntary work for several organizations such as UNICEF, Compassion and World Vision. She serves as the Goodwill Ambassador for Beauty Mind Charity and Korea Green Foundation. Lee holds a third degree black belt in Taekwondo, and is a scuba diver and a competitive skier. She is of Christian faith and once followed a vegetarian diet. But she began eating meat and fish for her own freedom according to her.

### Relationship and marriage

On November 8, 2021, it was confirmed that Lee was dating a non-celebrity boyfriend. They have been dating since early 2021. On December 21, 2021, Saram Entertainment confirmed that Lee has married that day, and the wedding ceremony was held in Seoul where only family members attended. According to Lee's agency, her husband is a Korean-American office worker. In January 2022, Lee's agency announced that Lee was 4 months pregnant with her first child. On June 20, 2022, she gave birth to a daughter at a hospital in Seoul. On March 7, 2025, it was announced that Lee was expecting her second child.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2011 | Hit | Seon-nyeo | |
| 2012 | Deranged | Yeon-joo | |
| 2012 | I Am the King | Soo-yeon | |
| 2013 | Behind the Camera | herself | |
| 2014 | Tazza: The Hidden Card | President Woo | |
| 2015 | Sori: Voice From The Heart | Ji-yeon | |
| 2016 | Lost in the Moonlight | Lady Maehwa | voice role |
| 2017 | Fabricated City | Min Cheon-sang's secretary | |
| 2017 | Heart Blackened | Yoo-na | |
| 2017 | The Bros | Oh Ro-ra | |
| 2019 | Extreme Job | detective Jang Yeon-soo | |
| 2019 | Black Money | Kim Na-ri | |
| 2022 | Alienoid | Min Kae-ae | |
| 2023 | Phantom | Park Cha-Kyung | |
| 2023 | Killing Romance | Hwang Yeo-rae | |
| 2024 | Alienoid: Return to the Future | Min Kae-ae | |

### Television series

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2009 | The Partner | Kim Jung-won | |
| 2010 | Pasta | Oh Se-young | |
| 2011 | Indomitable Daughters-in-Law | Kim Yeon-jung | |
| 2012 | Immortal Classic | Seo Young-joo | |
| 2013 | Don't Look Back: The Legend of Orpheus | Jang Young-hee | |
| 2014 | Modern Farmer | Kang Yoon-hee | |
| 2015 | Shine or Go Crazy | Hwangbo Yeo-won | |
| 2016 | Come Back Mister | Song Yi-yeon | |
| 2017 | The Rebel | Jang Nok-su | |
| 2019 | The Fiery Priest | Park Gyung-sun | |
| 2019 | Be Melodramatic | Actress | Cameo (Episode 1) |
| 2021 | One the Woman | Cho Yeon-joo / Kang Mi-na | |
| 2024 | Knight Flower | Jo Yeo-hwa | |
| 2024 | The Fiery Priest 2 | Park Gyung-sun | |

### Web series

| Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
| TBA | Aema | Jeong Hee-ran | |

### Television shows

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2007–2008 | TV Entertainment Tonight | Host |
| 2010 | Honey Lee's My Sweet Canada | Host |
| 2011 | Opera Star 2011 | Host |
| 2014 | Four Sons and One Daughter - Season 1 | Cast member |
| 2015–2017 | Get it Beauty | Host |
| 2016 | Saturday Night Live Korea | Host |
| 2016 | LOVE Challenge 2 | Cast member |
| 2017 | Shall We Walk | Cast member |
| 2018 | The Secret and Great Private Lives of Animals | Cast member |

## Theater

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2008 | Polaroid | Lee Se-yeon |
| 2009–2010 | Legally Blonde | Elle Woods |
| 2013 | Chicago | Roxie Hart |
| 2013–2014 | Guys and Dolls | Sarah Brown |

## Accolades
### 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 |
| APAN Star Awards | 2015 | Best Supporting Actress | Shine or Go Crazy | Nominated |
| APAN Star Awards | 2022 | Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries | One the Woman | Nominated |
| APAN Star Awards | 2024 | Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries | Knight Flower | Won |
| Baeksang Arts Awards | 2015 | Best New Actress – Film | Tazza: The Hidden Card | Nominated |
| Baeksang Arts Awards | 2018 | Best Supporting Actress – Film | Heart Blackened | Nominated |
| Baeksang Arts Awards | 2019 | Best Supporting Actress – Film | Extreme Job | Nominated |
| Baeksang Arts Awards | 2024 | Best Actress – Film | Killing Romance | Nominated |
| Baeksang Arts Awards | 2024 | Best Actress – Television | Knight Flower | Won |
| Baeksang Arts Awards | 2024 | Most Popular Actress | Lee Hanee | Nominated |
| Bechdel Day | 2023 | Bechdelian in Film | Phantom | Won |
| Bechdel Day | 2024 | Bechdelian in Series | Knight Flower | Won |
| Blue Dragon Film Awards | 2014 | Best Supporting Actress | Tazza: The Hidden Card | Nominated |
| Blue Dragon Film Awards | 2019 | Best Supporting Actress | Extreme Job | Nominated |
| Blue Dragon Film Awards | 2019 | Popular Star Award | Extreme Job | Won |
| BIFF Marie Claire Asian Star Awards | 2019 | Marie Claire Award | Extreme Job | Won |
| Daegu Musical Festival | 2013 | Best Newcomer | Chicago | Won |
| Elle Style Awards | 2024 | Woman of Inspiration Award | Lee Hanee | Won |
| Golden Cinema Film Festival | 2021 | Best Actress | Black Money | Won |
| Grand Bell Awards | 2014 | Best New Actress | Tazza: The Hidden Card | Nominated |
| Grand Bell Awards | 2014 | Popularity Award | Tazza: The Hidden Card | Won |
| Grand Bell Awards | 2020 | Best Supporting Actress | Extreme Job | Nominated |
| KBS Entertainment Awards | 2018 | Rookie Award, Variety | The Secret and Great Private Lives of Animals | Won |
| Korea Drama Awards | 2017 | Top Excellence Award, Actress | The Rebel | Won |
| Korea Drama Awards | 2024 | Grand Prize (Daesang) | Knight Flower | Won |
| Korea Film Actors Association Awards | 2017 | Best Supporting Actress | The Bros, Heart Blackened | Won |
| Korea Jewelry Awards | 2010 | Sapphire Award | Lee Hanee | Won |
| MBC Drama Awards | 2011 | Best New Actress | Indomitable Daughters-in-Law | Won |
| MBC Drama Awards | 2017 | Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Monday-Tuesday Drama | The Rebel | Won |
| MBC Drama Awards | 2024 | Grand Prize (Daesang) | Knight Flower | Nominated |
| MBC Drama Awards | 2024 | Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries | Knight Flower | Won |
| MBC Drama Awards | 2024 | Best Couple Award | Lee Hanee (with Lee Jong-won) Knight Flower | Nominated |
| Miss Korea Pageant | 2006 | Miss Korea - Jin | Lee Hanee | Won |
| Miss Universe Pageant | 2007 | Third runner-up | Lee Hanee | Won |
| Mnet 20's Choice Awards | 2011 | Hot Body Female | Lee Hanee | Won |
| New York Asian Film Festival | 2023 | Best from the East Award | Killing Romance | Won |
| SBS Drama Awards | 2014 | Excellence Award, Actress in a Drama Special | Modern Farmer | Nominated |
| SBS Drama Awards | 2016 | Special Acting Award, Actress in a Fantasy Drama | Come Back Mister | Nominated |
| SBS Drama Awards | 2019 | Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Mid-Length Drama | The Fiery Priest | Won |
| SBS Drama Awards | 2019 | Producer's Award | The Fiery Priest | Nominated |
| SBS Drama Awards | 2021 | Grand Prize (Daesang) | One the Woman | Nominated |
| SBS Drama Awards | 2021 | Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries Romance/Comedy Drama | One the Woman | Won |
| SBS Drama Awards | 2021 | Best Couple Award | Lee Hanee (with Lee Sang-yoon) One the Woman | Nominated |
| SBS Drama Awards | 2024 | Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Seasonal Drama | The Fiery Priest 2 | Won |
| Style Icon Asia | 2016 | Top 10 Style Icons | Lee Hanee | Won |
| The Seoul Awards | 2017 | Best Supporting Actress | The Rebel | Won |

### State honors

Name of country, year given, and name of honor :
| Country Or Organization | Year | Honor Or Award | Ref. |
| South Korea | 2019 | The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism commendation | |

### Listicles

Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement :
| Publisher | Year | Listicle | Rank |
| Cine21 | 2022 | Actress to watch out for in 2023 | 5th |
| Forbes | 2018 | Korea Power Celebrity 40 | 26th |
| The Screen | 2019 | 2009–2019 Top Box Office Powerhouse Actors in Korean Movies | 30th |