# Lee Seo-jin

Lee Seo-jin (born January 30, 1971) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for the reality shows Three Meals a Day and Grandpa Over Flowers. As an actor, he came to prominence with his leading roles in television series Damo (2003), Phoenix (2004), Lovers (2006), Yi San (2007) and Marriage Contract (2016).

## Career

Lee Seo-jin made his acting debut in 1999 in the television series House Above the Waves. After several supporting roles on TV, he rose to fame in the 2003 hit period drama Damo, followed by the also popular contemporary drama Phoenix in 2004. Lee then landed his first big screen leading role in the 2005 action blockbuster Shadowless Sword.
Lee played a vampire in the cable series Freeze (2006), a gangster in Lovers (2006), and a criminal profiler in Soul (2009). However, he became well known for his portrayals of Korean historical characters King Jeongjo of Joseon in Yi San (2007), and General Gyebaek of Baekje in Gyebaek (2011).

## Other activities

Lee comes from a family with strong ties in the financial sector, and believed to be involved in the banking, transportation and tourism industries, among others. He has a Business Management degree from the New York University Stern School of Business. In 2011, Lee joined the company Ask Veritas Assets Management, which specializes in intellectual property and real estate investment. He was appointed as managing director for the firm's second global contents division.
A regular volunteer of Habitat for Humanity since 2006, he was appointed its Goodwill Ambassador for Korea in 2008. Together with the Nippon Foundation and South Korean food franchise Genesis, Lee established the "Let's Tree Fund" in 2010 to conduct reforestation activities. In 2011, Lee joined relief efforts for victims of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. Like many celebrities, Lee also publicly protested the forced repatriation of North Korean defectors.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2000 | Ghost Taxi | Gil-nam |
| 2001 | I Love You | Jin-sung |
| 2005 | Shadowless Sword | Dae Jeong-hyun, the last prince of Balhae |
| 2006 | Freeze | Male |
| 2009 | Hon | Shin-ryu |
| 2015 | Love Forecast | Lee Dong-jin |
| 2015 | The Shameless | |
| 2018 | Intimate Strangers | Joon-mo |
| 2019 | Trap: Director's Cut | Kang Woo-hyun |

### Television series

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1999 | House Above the Waves | | |
| 1999 | Wang Cho (The Boss) | | |
| 2001 | Her House | Lee Joon-hee | |
| 2001 | New Nonstop | | guest |
| 2001 | Sunday Best "A Good Man, Lee Young-woo" | | one act-drama |
| 2002 | Since We Met | Kang Min-suk | |
| 2002–2003 | Shoot for the Stars | Do-hyun | |
| 2003 | Damo | Commander Hwangbo Yoon | |
| 2004 | Phoenix | Jang Sae-hoon | |
| 2006 | Freeze | Baek Joong-won | |
| 2006–2007 | Lovers | Ha Kang-jae | |
| 2007–2008 | Lee San, Wind of the Palace | Yi San (King Jeongjo) | |
| 2008 | On Air | Himself | cameo, ep 9 |
| 2009 | Soul | Shin Ryu | |
| 2011 | Gyebaek | Gyebaek | |
| 2014 | Wonderful Days | Kang Dong-seok | |
| 2016 | Marriage Contract | Han Ji-hoon | |
| 2019 | Trap | Kang Woo-hyun | |
| 2021 | Times | Lee Jin-woo | |
| 2022 | Behind Every Star | Matthew / Tae-oh | |

### Web series

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2014 | The Best Future | Choi Kang-ja |
| 2022 | Dr. Park's Clinic | Park Won-jung |
| 2024 | High School Return of a Gangster | Kim Deuk-pal |

### Television show

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2013–2015 | Grandpas Over Flowers | Cast member |
| 2014–2015 | Three Meals a Day | Cast member |
| 2016 | Talents for Sale | Cast member |
| 2016 | Three Meals a Day: Fishing Village 3 | Cast member |
| 2017–2018 | Youn's Kitchen | Cast member |
| 2017 | Three Meals a Day: Sea Ranch | Cast member |
| 2018 | Grandpas Over Flowers Returns | Cast member |
| 2019 | Little Forest | Cast member |
| 2020 | Friday Joy Package | Cast member |
| 2021 | Youn's Stay | Cast member and vice-CEO |
| 2022 | Unexpected Journey | Cast member |
| 2023–2024 | Jinny's Kitchen | Cast member and owner of the restaurant |
| 2023 | Jinny's Kitchen: Team Building | Cast member |

### Music video

| Year | Title | Artist |
| 1999 | Forever | SKY |
| 2000 | Lieblich | Boohwal |
| 2001 | Goodbye | Jung Jae-wook |
| 2004 | Where Are You? | Yim Jae-beom for Ditto 3 compilation album |

## Stage
### Musical

Musical's performance :
| Year | Title | Title | Role | Theater | Date | Ref. |
| Year | English | Korean | Role | Theater | Date | Ref. |
| 2000 | Shakespeare's Love Method | 세익스피어식 사랑메소드 | Hamlet | Hoam Art Hall | May 12–14 | |
| 2001 | Shakespeare's Love Method | 세익스피어식 사랑메소드 | Hamlet | Daehakro Performing Arts Center Grand Theater | November 17–25 | |

## 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 | 2014 | Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Serial Drama | Wonderful Days | Nominated |
| Baeksang Arts Awards | 2008 | Best Actor – Television | Yi San | Nominated |
| KBS Drama Awards | 2014 | Excellence Award, Actor in a Serial Drama | Wonderful Days | Nominated |
| KBS Drama Awards | 2014 | Netizen Award, Actor | Wonderful Days | Nominated |
| KBS Drama Awards | 2014 | Best Couple Award with Kim Hee-sun | Wonderful Days | Nominated |
| MBC Drama Awards | 2001 | Best New Actor | Her House | Won |
| MBC Drama Awards | 2003 | Excellence Award, Actor | Damo | Won |
| MBC Drama Awards | 2003 | Popularity Award, Actor | Damo | Nominated |
| MBC Drama Awards | 2003 | Best Couple Award with Ha Ji-won | Damo | Won |
| MBC Drama Awards | 2004 | Top Excellence Award, Actor | Phoenix | Won |
| MBC Drama Awards | 2004 | Popularity Award, Actor | Phoenix | Nominated |
| MBC Drama Awards | 2004 | Best Couple Award with Lee Eun-ju | Phoenix | Won |
| MBC Drama Awards | 2007 | Top Excellence Award, Actor | Yi San | Won |
| MBC Drama Awards | 2007 | Popularity Award, Actor | Yi San | Nominated |
| MBC Drama Awards | 2007 | Best Couple Award with Han Ji-min | Yi San | Nominated |
| MBC Drama Awards | 2016 | Grand Prize (Daesang) | Marriage Contract | Nominated |
| MBC Drama Awards | 2016 | Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Special Project Drama | Marriage Contract | Won |
| MBC Drama Awards | 2016 | Best Couple Award with Uee | Marriage Contract | Nominated |
| SBS Drama Awards | 2006 | Netizen Popularity Award, Actor | Lovers | Won |
| SBS Drama Awards | 2006 | Top 10 Stars | Lovers | Won |
| Style Icon Awards | 2013 | Style Icon | Lee Seo-jin | Won |
| tvN10 Awards | 2016 | Grand Prize (Daesang), Variety Performer | Three Meals a Day: Jeongseon Village, Grandpas Over Flowers | Won |
| tvN10 Awards | 2016 | Variety Icon | Three Meals a Day: Jeongseon Village | Nominated |

### State honors

Name of country, year given, and name of honor :
| Country Or Organization | Year | Honor Or Award | Ref. |
| National Tax Service | 2019 | Presidential Commendation | |

### Listicles

Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement :
| Publisher | Year | Listicle | Placement | Ref. |
| Forbes | 2015 | Korea Power Celebrity 40 | 25th | |