Lee Min-ho is a South Korean actor, singer, creative director, model, and entrepreneur. He is widely known for his works in the South Korean television series Boys Over Flowers (2009), City Hunter (2011), The Heirs (2013), The Legend of the Blue Sea (2016), and The King: Eternal Monarch (2020).
Wiki/Biography
Lee Min-ho was born Monday, June 22, 1987 (age 35 years; as of 2022), in Heukseok-dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, South Korea. His zodiac sign is Cancer.
A childhood picture of Lee Min-ho
He did his schooling at Seoul Namseong Elementary School, Banpo Middle School, and Danggok High School, all in Seoul, South Korea.
A picture of Lee Min-ho from his high school days
He wanted to become a professional football player as a child, and he even attended South Korean manager and former professional player Cha Bum-kun’s soccer classes. However, an injury in the fifth grade of elementary school put end to his dreams.
Lee Min-ho (shy child wearing no.19 jersey) with the other soccer players of Cha Bum-kun’s soccer classes
He began learning acting in the second year of high school. He did his Bachelors in Film & Arts at Konkuk University in Seoul. He earned a master’s in Film & Art at Kookmin University, Seoul.
Physical Appearance
Height: 6′ 1½” (187 cm)
Weight: 73 kg
Eye Color: Black
Hair Color: Black
Descent
He is the 42nd descendant of the Lee clan from Gyeongju. The clan was founded by Yi Al-pyeong (李謁平), one of the village headmen who chose Park Hyeokgeose as the first King of Silla.
Family
Not much is known about his parents.
Lee Min-ho’s mother
He has a sister named Lee Yong-jung, who is the CEO of his current agency MYM Entertainment.
Lee Min-ho with his sister
Relationships
When he was in high school, he had a girlfriend.
Lee Min-ho (standing; second to left) with his high school girlfriend (next to him in checkered blazer) and friends
In 2011, Min-ho and South Korean actress Park Min-young were rumored to be dating each other. Their agencies confirmed the rumors. After the announcement, they dated for eight months but separated due to their busy schedules.
Lee Min-ho with actress Park Min-young
After the 2013 Kdrama ‘Heirs’ aired, the on-screen chemistry of the South Korean actress Park Shin-hye and Lee Min-ho led to speculations that the actors were dating. However, rumors were never confirmed.
Lee Min-ho with Park Shin-hye
In March 2015, the rumors of him dating the South Korean actress and singer Bae Suzy began. Dispatch made reports on many of Lee Min-ho and Suzy’s dates, after which their agencies confirmed that they were dating each other for a month. In September 2015, a report on their breakup started circulating, but their agencies denied it. In November 2017, the couple announced their breakup.
Lee Min-ho’s ex-girlfriend Bae Suzy
In 2016, there were several rumors of the American singer and songwriter Taylor Swift being in a relationship with Min-ho. However, Min-ho’s agency later confirmed that it was not true.
Taylor Swift
In 2015, after Lee Min-ho and South Korean actress and singer Seolhyun (South Korean girl group AOA member) starred in Gangnam Blues, her dating rumors with Lee Min-ho began.
Lee Min-ho with Seolhyun
In 2020, Kim Go-eun and Lee Min-ho were believed to be in a relationship as they had shared many pictures with each other on Instagram.
Lee Min-ho with Kim Go-eun
In August 2021, there were rumors of him dating the actress and singer Yeonwoo (former member of the South Korean girl group Momoland), but his agency refuted the rumors.
Yeonwoo
Career
Agency: MYM Entertainment
Early Career
He began receiving many street casting offers in his school days. He later began working as a model for a magazine, where he encountered the president of his agency by mistake and entered the acting industry. He then began auditioning earnestly after enrolling at Konkuk University.
Kdramas
In 2003, he made his debut with the KBS2 drama ‘Sharp’ as ‘Lee Jin-ho,’ an art academy student. The series is focused on a female high school student and her student life and love life.
Lee Min-ho as Lee Jin-ho in Sharp (2003)
He played minor roles in the MBC Kdramas Nonstop 5 (2005) as ‘MC Mong’ and Recipe of Love (2005) as ‘Waiter.’ In 2006, he appeared in his first major supporting role as ‘Park Du-hyun’ in the EBS youth drama ‘Secret Campus.’ In the drama, he is a contemplative kid who takes care of friends behind their back and is in danger of being expelled from the school soccer team.
Lee Min-ho in Secret Campus (2006)
The same year, Lee Min-ho experienced a serious car accident in which he suffered serious injuries. As a result, he took an acting break and was taken out of the Kdramas High Kick! (2006) and Two Outs in the Ninth Inning (2007). He played his first lead role in the high school drama ‘Mackerel Run’ in 2007. In the drama, he plays ‘Cha Gong-chan,’ who enters an affluent school because of his soccer skills. But, he soon quit soccer and becomes an outcast in the school. After a beautiful girl named Min Yoon-seo (played by the South Korean actress Moon Chae-won) enters school, he becomes enthusiastic about his school and love life. The series only received a low viewership of the 3-4% range.
Lee Min-ho in a scene from Mackerel Run (2007)
In 2007, he went back to playing the supporting role of ‘Heo Mo-se’ (Principal’s son) in the South Korean drama ‘I Am Sam’ which aired on KBS2. The series received an average viewership of around 6.5%. Next, he appeared in the 2008 MBC drama ‘Get Up’ in which he played the lead role of ‘Min Wook-ki.’ The series focused on the issues like youth, school violence, and racism.
Lee Min-ho in a scene from Get Up (2008)
He received positive reviews for his portrayal of Wook-ki. After this, he appeared in mostly superhit Kdramas. They are-
- Boys Over Flowers (2009)
Boys Over Flowers (2009)
Lee Min-ho made his breakthrough with the role of Gu jun-pyo in the series ‘Boys Over Flowers,’ which was aired on KBS 2 and is based on the Japanese manga series Boys Over Flowers. The series was written by Yoon Ji-ryun and directed by Jeon Ki-sang. The series chronicles the story of a working-class girl named Geum Jan-di (played by the South Korean actress Koo Hye-sun) who gets entangled in the lives of the F4 members, consisting of Jun-pyo, Yoon Ji-hu (played by South Korean singer and actor Kim Hyun-joong), So Yi-jung (played by South Korean actor Kim Bum), and Song Woo-bin (played by South Korean actor and singer Kim Joon). F4 is a group of wealthy young school kids who dominate Shinhwa High School.
Lee Min-ho in a scene from Boys Over Flowers (2009)
The 25-episode series was a superhit, and it received an average viewership of 25-28.5%. The series made the cast of the series household names and is credited to launch the career of Lee Min-ho. The series became popular in countries like Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, India, Nepal, Taiwan, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Zambia, and many more.
- Personal Taste (2010)
Personal Taste (2010)
Lee Min-ho played the lead role of ‘Jeon Jin-ho’ in ‘Personal Taste,’ which aired on MBC. In the series, Jin-ho, an architect who wants to win a project bid, rents a part of modernized hanok Sanggojae and pretends to be homosexual. Park Kae-in (played by South Korean actress Son Ye-jin) owns Sanggojae and Kae-in and Jin-ho fall in love with Kae-in unaware he is actually straight. The series was a hit in South Korea with a nationwide average of 11-14%. Its overseas rights were sold to the ABS-CBN in the Philippines, KNTV in Japan, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Trans 7 in Indonesia, 8TV, NTV7 in Malaysia, and Channel 7 in Thailand.
- City Hunter (2011)
City Hunter (2011)
The next year, he was seen as ‘Lee Yoon-sung’ in the SBS drama ‘City Hunter’ which was directed by Jin Hyuk. A commercial success, the series chronicles the journey of Yoon-sung in finding and avenging his father’s five killers. He uses the identity of a Korean-American teenager (who had died) and becomes an employee at South Korea’s presidential palace, where he crosses paths with Kim Na-na (played by South Korean actress Park Min-young), a presential bodyguard, and falls in love with her.
Lee Min-ho in a scene from City Hunter (2011)
The advertising space of the series was sold out at a high price of ₩420 million ($420,000) per episode, and by the end, the series collected ₩10.45 billion ($10.45 million) from television advertising. The series received positive reviews and earned a nationwide rating of 16%. For his role in the series, he was recognized as an ‘Honourable Prosecutor’ by Seoul Prosecutor’s Office in a ceremony in January 2021.
- Faith (2012)
Faith (2012)
Lee Min-ho next appeared in ‘Faith’ in the lead role of ‘General Choi Young’. The series was broadcast by SBS. In the series, a modern-day plastic surgeon, Yoo Eun-soo (played by the South Korean actress Kim Hee-sun) is kidnapped by Choi Young and brought back to the Goryeo period to save the queen’s life. Soon, Young and Eun-soo fall in love. The series received an average nationwide rating of 10-11%.
- The Heirs (2013)
The Heirs (2013)
He was next seen in the superhit Kdrama ‘The Heirs’ that aired on SBS and was written by Kim Eun Seok; the series was directed by Kang Shin-hyo and Boo Sung-chul. In the series, Min-ho plays ‘Kim Tan,’ heir to a large Korean conglomerate called Jeguk Group, who was exiled to the US by his half-brother (who is trying to take over the family business). In The States, Tan meets Cha Eun-sang (played by the South Korean actress Park Shin-hye) and falls in love with her, despite being engaged to Yoo Rachel (Kim Ji-won), also an heiress. The series shows the problems Tan faces as he has to choose between the family business and love.
Lee Min-ho as Kim Tan in The Heirs (2013)
The series was a huge commercial success and received a nationwide average rating of 16.7%. The series was also remade in China in 2014 and titled ‘Billion Dollar Heir’ starring Chinese actors Yu Xiao Tong, Kan Qing Zi, and Korean singer-actor Choi Si-won.
- The Legend of the Blue Sea (2016)
The Legend of the Blue Sea (2016)
He next starred in ‘The Legend of the Blue Sea’ that was aired on SBS. The series was written by Park Ji-eun and directed by Jin Hyuk and Park Seon-Ho. The series chronicles the love story of mermaid Shim Cheong (played by the South Korean actress Jun Ji-hyun) and witty con artist Heo Joon-jae (played by Lee Min-ho). The story is running parallel to the story of their Joseon-era incarnations Se-hwa (mermaid) and Kim Dam-ryeong (town head). In the series, Joon-jae is fighting hard to avoid the tragic end of the relationship of their Joseon-era incarnations.
Lee Min-ho in a scene from The Legend of the Blue Sea (2016)
The series started with an average nationwide viewership rating of 16.4% and reached as high as 20.7% for some episodes. It was ranked first in the timeslot it came in, and was well-received around the world, including South East Asia, the Americas, and Europe.
- The King: Eternal Monarch (2020)
The King: Eternal Monarch (2020)
After completing his mandatory military service, he returned to television with the Kdrama ‘The King: Eternal Monarch’ as ‘Emperor Lee Gon.’ The series was written by Kim Eun-sook and directed by Baek Sang-hoon, Jung Ji-hyun, and Yoo Je-won. In the series, Lee Gon is a modern-day emperor of the Kingdom of Korea (KOK) who, with the help of manpansik (a flute) travels to an alternate reality to the Republic of Korea (ROK). He meets Jung Tae-eul, a detective, whom he had first met during his father’s assassination. Lee Gon is in a fight with his uncle (who killed his father) who is swapping people from ROK to KOK to build his army.
Lee Min-ho as Emperor Lee Gon in The King: Eternal Monarch (2020)
Although the series courted many controversies for its historical inaccuracies and even received advisory warnings from the Korea Communications Standards Commission for scenes challenging gender equality, it was a commercial success. It became one of the most popular dramas of 2020 in South Korea, India, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and one of the top two in the US. The premiere viewership rating of the series was 11.4% and went up to 11.6% on the second; however, it hovered around 6-8% in the later episodes. The low ratings were believed to be caused by the rise of streaming platforms in South Korea.
- Pachinko (2022)After two years, Lee Min-ho was seen in the American-South Korean series ‘Pachinko’ in which he played ‘Koh Hansu.’ The series is based on a novel of the same name (by Korean American author Min Jin Lee). It was created and written by Soo Hugh and directed by Kogonada and Justin Chon. The series is based on a Korean immigrant family who leaves their homeland to survive and thrive. In the series, Koh Hansu is a Zainichi Korean merchant and fish broker living in Osaka, Japan, and visiting Busan, South Korea regularly. He later was found to be a member of the largest transnational organized crime syndicate in Japan Yakuza.
After two years, Lee Min-ho was seen in the American-South Korean series ‘Pachinko’ in which he played ‘Koh Hansu.’ The series is based on a novel of the same name (by Korean American author Min Jin Lee). It was created and written by Soo Hugh and directed by Kogonada and Justin Chon. The series is based on a Korean immigrant family who leaves their homeland to survive and thrive. In the series, Koh Hansu is a Zainichi Korean merchant and fish broker living in Osaka, Japan, and visiting Busan, South Korea regularly. He later was found to be a member of the largest transnational organized crime syndicate in Japan Yakuza.Films
Lee Min-ho made his big-screen debut with the South Korean film ‘Public Enemy Returns’ (2008) in which he played the supporting role of ‘Jung Ha-yeon.’ The film was written by Jang Jin and directed by Kang Woo-suk. The film centers around Kang Chul-joong (played by South Korean actor Sol Kyung-gu), a cop who is looking forward to retirement, but his boss hands him one last case related to a few murders. It was the 4th most-watched film of 2008 in South Korea.
Lee Min-ho in a scene from Public Enemy Returns (2008)
In 2008, he starred in the comedy-drama ‘Our School’s E.T.’ in which he played the supporting role of ‘Oh Sang-hoon.’ The film was directed by Park Kwang-chun and written by Choi Jin-won. It centers around a gym teacher who has been underperformance for years. The school announced gym classes to be switched with English classes, and he is desperate to get a permit to teach English and secure his job, despite zero knowledge of the subject.
Lee Min-ho in a scene from Our School’s E.T. (2008)
In 2015, he appeared in his first role as ‘Kim Jong-dae’ in the action film ‘Gangnam Blues’ written and directed by Yoo Ha. The film revolves around the empty bottle collectors and childhood friends Jong-dae and Baek Yong-ki (played by South Korean actor Kim Rae-won), who join different gangster clans and get involved in the struggle of political interests over a development project in Gangnam, Seoul. The film was a huge commercial success and collected US$20 million.
Gangnam Blues (2015)
In 2016, he appeared in the film ‘Bounty Hunters’ in which he played ‘Yi San.’ The film was a Chinese-South Korean-Hong Kong production and was directed by Shin Terra. The film chronicles the lives of five bounty hunters who go after fugitives for money in China, Hong Kong, Korea, and Thailand. The film grossed a total of US$31.1 million.
Bounty Hunters (2016)
Promotional Series
From 2011 to 2012, Lee Min-ho appeared in the series ‘The One and Only’ for Toyota Camry. In the series, Lee Min-ho plays Joon Kwon who rises from a coma without having a clue of his identity. He only has keys to his 2012 Toyota Camry, and when he gets inside it, his memories are triggered. He then uses the car’s Entune System and sets on a journey with the only key memory from his past.
The One and Only (2011-2012)
In 2012, he appeared in ‘First Love’ for Innisfree in which he played Innisfree’s CEO. In 2014, he appeared in the 3-episode mini-drama ‘Line Romance’ for Line in which he played Min-ho. In the series, a female Chinese tourist Ling Ling falls in love with Min-ho (a music producer). Due to their language barrier, they use the LINE app to communicate with each other. The series aired on iQiyi.
In 2015, he appeared in ‘Summer Love’ for Innisfree as Min Ho. In the series. Yoon Ah and Min Ho, best friends for a long time, spend their time together and discuss a new Innisfree product while they fall for each other. The show aired on YouTube.
Summer Love (2015)
In 2016, Lee Min-ho starred in ‘7 First Kisses’ (for Lotte Duty Free), which focuses on a Lotte Duty Free store female employee who is single. One day she meets the goddess of date who gives her a choice of selecting her partner from seven handsome men; Lee Min-ho, a travel writer, being one of them.
7 First Kisses (2016)
Singing
In 2009, he made his singing debut with the song ‘Extreme’ which he sang along with South Korean-American singer Jessi.
Another Non-album single is he sang was ‘Thank You’ (2015).
He sang the OSTs ‘My Everything’ from Boys Over Flowers (2009) and Painful Love from The Heirs (2013). He released his first EP ‘My Everything’ in May 2013 with the lead single ‘Love Motion. The album had 7 songs and it peaked at number 5 on the Korean charts.
The same month, he release the Japanese version of the album and it peaked at 11 on Japanese charts. In 2014, he released another EP ‘Song For You’ in Korean. The album had six tracks and peaked at 3. His first single album was ‘The Day’ which was released in 2015. The Day peaked at number 6 on Korean charts.
His second single album ‘Always’ (2017) peaked at number 5. His Japanese singles include Thank You and The Day, both peaked at 11 and 15, respectively.
Other Works
In 2009, he appeared in the music video of ‘Kiss’ by Sandara Park.
He was an MC at the KCON 2016 LA X M Countdown. He also narrated the South Korean documentary ‘DMZ, The Wild’ in 2017. In the documentary, the actor was seen wandering in the Southside of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), a wide stretch of land separating South Korea and North Korea where human access has been forbidden since 1953, and introducing the wildlife to raise awareness regarding endangered wildlife species in the area. During the filming of the documentary, which took place between October 2015 and March 2016, Lee camped out in the cold (of temperatures as low as -20 degrees Celcius) and waited for hours until animals appeared.
In October 2020, he launched a YouTube channel named Leeminho Film, where he works as a creative director and executive producer. As of March 2022, he has 867K subscribers on his channel. Lee Min-ho has endorsed Lotte, Pizza Hut, Levi Strauss Korea, LG, Samsung, Hyundai, Toyota, Naver, Ferrero, bbq, and Domino’s Pizza.
Lee Min-ho promoting Ferrero
He has served as a brand ambassador of Cadillac CTS in 2009 and Konkuk University in 2010.
Lee Min-ho being named the ambassador for Konkuk University
In 2009, he was the honorary ambassador for UNICEF Love Net (fighting malaria), PR ambassador for Patagonia Reforestation Project in 2013, PR ambassador for Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games and Paralympic Winter Games from 2015 to 2018, and ambassador of Visit Korea Year from 2015 to 2018. He was also named public ambassador for the ‘Korean Tourism Campaign,’ also called ‘The Face of Korean Tourism’ in 2015, and honorary ambassador for the King Sejong Institute Foundation (KSIF).
Philanthropy
In 2014, Lee Min-ho established PROMIZ, a fundraising website to raise awareness and donations for social and humanitarian causes.
PROMIZ logo
The amount collected from PROMIZ merchandise is given to the charity partners to execute any charity project. The site collected US$50,000 for constructing wells in Malawi through the non-profit organization Charity: Water in 2014. PROMIZ has also raised funds for causes such as Good Neighbours, Transparent Umbrella Project, World Water Day, and Making Warm Winter for Both Bodies and Hearts campaign. The website won Korea Good Brand Awards in 2016.
Lee Min-ho in his Instagram account talking about Promiz receiving Korea Good Brand Award
To help the victims of earthquakes in Nepal, Lee Min-ho donated 100 million won to UNICEF in 2015. The following year, the Ministry of Health and Welfare of South Korea recognized him by presenting him with the Happiness Sharing Award for his contribution to society.
Lee Min-ho receiving the Happiness Sharing Award from the Ministry of Health and Welfare of South Korea
On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of his debut, his fans did several charity events. His Chinese fans planted 510 trees in Inner Mongolia. His Mexican fans donated to children who have cancer (collected by selling bottle caps to recycling companies). His Taiwanese and Hong Kong fans donated funds to World Vision and UNICEF.
Awards, Honors & Achievements
Baeksang Arts Awards
- Best New Actor – Television for ‘Boys Over Flowers’ in 2009
- Most Popular Actor – Film for ‘Gangnam Blues’ in 2015
- iQiyi Star Award in 2015
Lee Min-ho giving his award acceptance speech at Baeksang Arts Awards
Weibo Movie Award
- Weibo Movie Award for Most Anticipated Action Comedy Actor for ‘Bounty Hunters’ in 2016
- Asian Movie Pioneer for ‘Bounty Hunters’ in 2016
Lee Min-ho with his Weibo Movie Award
KBS Drama Awards
- Best New Actor for ‘Boys Over Flowers’ in 2009
- Best Couple Award (with Ku Hye-sun) for ‘Boys Over Flowers’ in 2009
Lee Min-ho giving his award acceptance speech at KBS Drama Awards
Korea Drama Awards
- Top Excellence Award, Actor for ‘City Hunter’ in 2011
- Hallyu Star Award for ‘City Hunter’ in 2011
SBS Drama Awards
- Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Drama Special for ‘City Hunter’ in 2011
- Popularity Award, Actor for ‘City Hunter’ in 2011
- Top 10 Stars for ‘City Hunter’ in 2011
- Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries for ‘Faith’ in 2012
- Top 10 Stars for ‘Faith’ in 2012
- Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Drama Special for ‘The Heirs’ in 2013
- Popularity Award, Actor for ‘The Heirs’ in 2013
- Top 10 Stars for ‘The Heirs’ in 2013
- Best Couple Award with Park Shin-hye for ‘The Heirs’ in 2013
- Best Dressed for ‘The Heirs’ in 2013
- Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Fantasy Drama for ‘The Legend of the Blue Sea’ in 2016
- Best Couple (with Jun Ji-hyun) for ‘The Legend of the Blue Sea’ in 2016
- Top 10 Stars Award for ‘The Legend of the Blue Sea’ in 2016
- Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries Fantasy/Romance Drama for ‘The King: Eternal Monarch’ in 2020
Lee Min-ho giving his award acceptance speech at SBS Drama Awards
Seoul International Drama Awards
- 10th Anniversary Hallyu Achievement Award in 2015
- Mango TV Popularity Award in 2015
Lee Min-ho giving his award acceptance speech at Seoul International Drama Awards
Drama Fever Awards
- Best Actor for ‘Faith’ in 2013
- Best Kiss Award ( with Kim Hee-sun ) for ‘Faith’ in 2013
- Best Actor for ‘The Heirs’ in 2014
- Best Drama Award for ‘The Heirs’ in 2014
- Best Bromance Award (Friendship) ( with Kim Woo-bin ) for ‘The Heirs’ in 2014
Soompi Awards
- Male Actor of the Year for ‘Legend of the Blue Sea’ in 2017
- Spot-on Best Couple (with Jun Ji-hyun) for ‘Legend of the Blue Sea’ in 2017
Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 40
Other Awards & Honors
- MTN Broadcast Advertisement Festival for Most Popular Advertisement Model in 2009
- MBC Drama Awards – Excellence Award, Actor for ‘Personal Taste’ in 2010
Lee Min-ho giving his award acceptance speech at MBC Drama Awards
- China Xingxiang Awards – Asia’s Most Popular Award for ‘The Heirs’ in 2013
- Sohu Media Award for Most Popular International Actor in 2013
- China Fashion Awards for Most Popular Asian Actor for ‘The Heirs’ in 2013
Lee Min-ho posing with his China Fashion Award
- Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards – Prime Minister’s Commendation in 2014
- Blue Dragon Film Awards – Popularity Award for ‘Gangnam Blues’ in 2015
Lee Min-ho (third from left) during his award acceptance speech at Blue Dragon Film Awards
- Grand Bell Awards for Best New Actor for ‘Gangnam Blues’ in 2015
Lee Min-ho giving his acceptance award at Grand Bell Awards
- Korea Brand of the Year – Daesang (Hallyu Star) in 2015
- Voted Asian Male God on a Chinese Entertainment magazine poll in 2014 & 2015
- Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival – Producer’s Choice Award in 2015
- Baidu Feidian Awards for ‘Best Asian Actor’ for the Kdrama ‘The Heirs’ in 2015
- Korea Brand Stars – Daesang (Grand Prize) in 2015
- Korea SNS Industry Grand Award – in 2015
- Korean Tourism Awards for The STAR of Korean Tourism 2015
- LeTV Awards for Most Popular Asian Idol Award in 2016
- Selected as Most Favoured Korean Actor US fans of Korean Wave in 2017
Car Accidents
In 2006, Lee Min-ho was involved in a serious car accident with a fellow actor Jung Il-woo and two other friends. While they were on a ride to Gangwon Province, a car crossing from the opposite lane, which was fleeing from a hit-and-run scene, hit their car, destroying the hood and engine. Where two of his friends sitting in the front instantly died, Lee and Jung (both sitting in the rear seats) survived with severe injuries. Min-ho suffered from broken ribs, thigh, and ankle, including a tear in his knee cartilage; he was in a coma for a month and spent several months bedridden after gaining concious. A 46-centimeter metal pin was inserted in his thigh as a part of the treatment, which left one of his legs longer than the other. In 2011, while filming for ‘City Hunter,’ he encountered another car accident when his car collided with a truck. Luckily, he only suffered minor injuries during the accident.
Mandatory Military Service
Lee Min-ho was exempted from mandatory military service due to the injuries he sustained during his 2006 fatal car accident. The Military Manpower Administration made a public explanation that though Min-ho is exempted from the military, he would do community service. He began his military service as a public service officer at the Suseo Social Welfare Centre in the Gangnam District Office on May 12, 2017. On March 15, 2018, he began his basic military training at the Korea Army Training Center in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province, South Korea, and returned after four weeks to his public service duty. On April 25, 2019, Lee Min-ho was discharged from his mandatory military service.
Lee Min-ho during his mandatory military service
Controversies
- In 2021, Dispatch reported that Lee Min-ho and Yeonwoo were dating after which their agencies denied the rumor, saying that they were only acquaintances and there were other friends with them at the time of gathering. This led to Lee being accused of violating social distancing rules as social gatherings of more than two people was banned after 6 pm in South Korea. Min-ho’s agency later clarified that the gathering was held on July 1 when the restriction was only for gatherings of five or more than five; restrictions on gatherings of more than two people were stated on July 12.
- In November 2020, South Korean media reported that a well-known actor was being investigated by National Tax Service for evading a tax amounting to around 1 billion won ($1.2 million) by setting up a company in his family’s name and taking advantage of the difference in tax rates between corporations and high-earning individuals. This implied that he reduced his income and increased his agency’s earnings to pay fewer taxes and lowered the company’s taxes by importing vehicles as corporate expenses by using credit cards. While no details on the actor were disclosed, many suspected Lee Min-ho and Ha Jung-woo as the culprits. Min-ho’s agency denied the rumors, saying they always paid taxes according to the law.
Signature/Autograph
Signature of Lee Min-ho
Properties
He lives in a luxury apartment at Mark Hills, Heukseok-dong, Seoul, South Korea. The place is known as ‘Star’s Residency’ and is home to Korean celebs like Hyun Bin, Jang Dong-gun, and Ko So-young, F(x)’s Krystal, Girls’ Generation’s Jessica Jung, and Big Bang’s Daesung.
Mark Hills, Heukseok-dong, where Lee Min-ho resides
Apart from this, he has two houses in Seongbuk-dong, Seoul, with areas of about 740 meters² and 391,84 meters². He purchased one of the houses for 5.35 billion won in September 2018.
Lee Min-ho’s houses in Seongbuk-dong, Seoul
Lee Min Ho also has an apartment with luxury facilities in Nonhyeon Lapolium, also called Star Villa. It is located in Nonhyeon, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Apart from them, Lee Min-ho bought an additional penthouse for 5 billion won in Star Villa in 2015. One of the two apartments was chartered to a tenant.
Favorites
- Book: The Gift by Spencer Johnson
- Actor(s): Edward Norton, Leonardo Di Caprio, Kim Su-Ro
- Film: A Beautiful Mind (2001)
- Color(s): Navy, Black, White, Gray
- Football Player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Car Collection
- Mercedes-Benz CLS
Lee Min-ho with his Mercedes-Benz CLS
- Genesis G90
Lee Min-ho getting in his Genesis G90
Salary
He is one of the highest-paid actors in South Korea and charges US$ 80,000 per episode for a series (as of 2021).
Facts/Trivia
- When Lee Min-ho had finished shooting for ‘Secret Campus,’ his agency decided to give him a stage name as they thought that his real name was too ordinary. After a discussion with his agency, they decided on his name as ‘Lee Min’ after eliminating ‘ho’ from his real name; there were other competitors too but Lee Min sounded cool. The inspiration behind the stage name was actor Jung Woo-sung’s character named ‘Min’ in the film ‘Beat’ (1997). For two years, he worked under the stage name Lee Min. After his 2006 car accident, he did not work for a long time and appeared finally in Mackerel Run. However, when he looked up his stage name on the internet, he couldn’t find himself; he only found ‘overseas immigration’ (the latter word in Korean has the same pronunciation as ‘Lee Min’). He then decided to go back to his real name.
- Lee Min-ho is widely known as ‘Hallyu Prince.’ Hallyu in the name translates to Korean Wave and signifies the increase in the global popularity of South Korean culture since the 1990s, which was driven by the spread of Kdramas and Kpop.
- He was not good at studying in school and said that he would get average marks if he studied. Instead, he was popular for his good looks.
- In April 2013, his wax statue at Madame Tussauds Shanghai was unveiled. In January 2014, his second wax statue was unveiled at Madame Tussauds Hong Kong.
Lee Min-ho with his wax figure at Madame Tussauds Shanghai
- In January 2014, Min-ho became the first Korean celebrity to perform at CCTV Lunar New Year Gala in China, where he sang a song with Taiwanese singer Harlem Yu.
- Lee Min-ho and South Korean actor and singer Jung Il-woo are friends since childhood and even lived in the same neighborhood, and their schools were close by too.
Lee Min-ho’s childhood friend Jung Il-woo
- In his spare time, he mostly likes to rest. However, he also likes playing computer and mobile games. He is also into skiing.
- In October 2020, Lee Min-ho became the first Korean star to surpass 20 million followers on Instagram. Consequently, he was named the King of Social Media in South Korea.
- Lee Min-ho’s official fan club is known as ‘MINOZ.’ It was established on June 21, 2009, and the fan club operates its official fan clubs in Korea and Japan, and fan communities formed in 145 countries around the world.
- When talking about his ideal type in an interview, Lee Min-ho said that his ideal type would be the one who understands herself, share common values with him, and be respectful of her superiors and the people around her.
- Lee Min-ho, in an interview, once said that he had a crush on the South Korean actress Song Hye-kyo.
Song Hye-kyo
- In 2018, a scammer who posed as Lee Min-ho’s agency convinced his fans to spend money in exchange for a meet-and-greet with him. The scammer claimed that fans who give a certain amount would be allowed to see and walk with Min-ho at the military base; they even vowed to let them meet Min-ho’s parents. After this, Min-ho’s agency said that they will take strict action against the company for using Min-ho’s name.
- In an interview, he said that he cannot drink well. He added that he can drink only four glasses of Soju and has been trying to increase it to six. When he is out with his friend, he like eating or karaokeing with them, rather than drinking.
- Lee Min-ho is an avid dog lover and he owns a pet dog named Choco.
Lee Min-ho with his pet Choco
Categories: Biography
Source: SCHOOL TRANG DAI
