Han Hyo-joo
He was then cast as the male lead in SBS's weekend drama "Brilliant Legacy" in 2009, co-starring Han Hyo-joo. The drama maintained its top spot in viewer ratings throughout its run, with its final episode attaining a viewer rating of 47.1%. The huge success boosted Lee's popularity as an actor and led to increased advertising offers for the actor. With this drama, he received the "Excellence in Acting" award, the "Top 10 Stars" award and the "Best Couple" award with Han Hyo-joo at the 2009 SBS Drama Awards.