# Lee Se-young

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).

## Career
### Beginnings

Lee began her career as a child actress; and was best known for the films When I Turned Nine, Lovely Rivals, and The Wonder Years.
As she entered her early twenties, Lee also appeared in the television series Puberty Medley, Missing You and Goddess of Marriage, as well as films Horror Stories 2 and Hot Young Bloods. Lee got increasingly larger roles in music romance drama Lovers of Music and fantasy mystery thriller The Vampire Detective.

### 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. She and co-star Hyun Woo were dubbed as The Ahchoo Couple by fans. Lee also won the Best New Actress award in the television category at the Baeksang Arts Award for her performance.
In 2017, Lee starred in her first leading role in free-to-air TV station with KBS2's youth drama Hit the Top. Lee then starred in the fantasy romantic comedy drama A Korean Odyssey by the Hong sisters, and was praised for her portrayal of three different characters.
In 2018, Lee played her first big-screen leading role in the comedy film Duck Town.
In 2019, Lee starred in the tvN historical drama The Crowned Clown, based on the 2012 Korean historical film Masquerade, where she played the role of Queen Yoo So-woon. The same year, she appeared in the horror film Lingering and the medical drama Doctor John.
In 2020, Lee starred in the mystery thriller Memorist as a genius profiler. She then reunited with Shin Sung-rok, whom she previously worked with in Lovers of Music, for the MBC drama Kairos.
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.
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.
In November 2023, she also appeared in the time-traveling historical fantasy drama titled The Story of Park's Marriage Contract.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2004 | Dance with Solitude | Young-hee | |
| 2004 | When I Turned Nine | Jang Woo-rim | |
| 2004 | 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 |
| 2012 | Grape Candy | Female bank customer | Cameo |
| 2013 | Horror Stories 2 | Se-young | Segment: "444" |
| 2014 | Hot Young Bloods | So-hee | |
| 2018 | Duck Town | Hee-jung | |
| 2020 | Hotel Lake | Yoo-mi | |
| 2022 | Seoul Vibe | cinema employee | Special appearance |

### Television series

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

### Web series

| Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
| 2020 | How Are U Bread | Noh Mi-rae | |
| 2024 | What Comes After Love | Choi Hong | |

### Television shows

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

### Hosting

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

### Music video appearances

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

## 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 | 2022 | Best Couple | Lee Se-young (with Lee Jun-ho) The Red Sleeve | Nominated |
| APAN Star Awards | 2022 | Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries | The Red Sleeve | Nominated |
| APAN Star Awards | 2022 | Popularity Star Award, Actress | The Red Sleeve | Nominated |
| Baeksang Arts Awards | 2005 | Best New Actress – Film | Lovely Rivals | Nominated |
| Baeksang Arts Awards | 2017 | Best New Actress – Television | The Gentlemen of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop | Won |
| Baeksang Arts Awards | 2022 | Best Actress – Television | The Red Sleeve | Nominated |
| Chunsa Film Art Awards | 2004 | Best Young Actress | When I Turned Nine | Won |
| KBS Drama Awards | 2005 | Best Young Actress | Rain Shower | Won |
| KBS Drama Awards | 2016 | Best Couple | Lee Se-young (with Hyun Woo) The Gentlemen of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop | Won |
| KBS Drama Awards | 2016 | Best New Actress | The Gentlemen of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop | Won |
| KBS Drama Awards | 2022 | Best Couple | Lee Se-young (with Lee Seung-gi) The Law Cafe | Won |
| KBS Drama Awards | 2022 | Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries | The Law Cafe | Nominated |
| KBS Drama Awards | 2022 | Top Excellence Award, Actress | The Law Cafe | Nominated |
| Korean Broadcasting Awards | 2023 | Best Actor/Actress | The Law Cafe | Won |
| Korea Drama Awards | 2017 | Best New Actress | The Gentlemen of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop | Nominated |
| Korea Drama Awards | 2019 | Excellence Award, Actress | The Crowned Clown | Won |
| Korean Film Awards | 2004 | Best New Actress | When I Turned Nine | Nominated |
| MBC Drama Awards | 2020 | Best Couple Award | Lee Se-young (with Shin Sung-rok) Kairos | Nominated |
| MBC Drama Awards | 2020 | Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Monday-Tuesday Miniseries / Short Drama | Kairos | Nominated |
| MBC Drama Awards | 2021 | Best Couple Award | Lee Se-young (with Lee Jun-ho) The Red Sleeve | Won |
| MBC Drama Awards | 2021 | Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries | The Red Sleeve | Won |
| MBC Drama Awards | 2023 | Best Couple Award | Lee Se-young (with Bae In-hyuk) The Story of Park's Marriage Contract | Nominated |
| MBC Drama Awards | 2023 | Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries | The Story of Park's Marriage Contract | Won |
| SBS Drama Awards | 2019 | Excellence Award in Miniseries (Actress) | Doctor John | Won |
| SBS Drama Awards | 2019 | Best Couple | Lee Se-young (with Ji Sung) Doctor John | Nominated |
| Seoul International Drama Awards | 2021 | Outstanding Korean Actress | Kairos | Nominated |

### Listicles

Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement :
| Publisher | Year | Listicle | Placement | Ref. |
| Forbes | 2023 | Korea Power Celebrity 40 | 20th | |
| Forbes | 2024 | Korea Power Celebrity 40 | 34th | |