Lee Jong-hyun is a well-known South Korean actor, musician, and vocalist who rose to prominence after joining the rock band CNBLUE. After playing in Japan for a while, the band began their musical journey in South Korea with the single “I’m a Loner” in 2010. Lee made his feature film debut in 2010 with the anthology film ‘Acoustic,’ and has since appeared in a number of TV programs and variety shows. With his album ‘Sparkling Night,’ he made his debut as an independent musician in 2016. Though he is an accomplished actor, music has always been his first love, and he enjoys entertaining his fans through solo projects and as a member of the CNBLUE band. Lee got an award for his OST ‘My Love’ at the Seoul Music Awards in 2013 in the category Best OST. He earned the New Star Award for his series ‘A Gentleman’s Dignity’ at the SBS Drama Awards in 2012, after being nominated for several of his acting performances. He just starred in Netflix’s South Korean historical drama series ‘My Only Love Song,’ and he is excited for all of his upcoming ventures, both musically and as an actor.
Early life and childhood
Lee Jong-hyun was born on May 15, 1990, in Busan, South Korea, to a middle-class South Korean family. He has two older sisters. The family continued to relocate, and when Lee was four years old, they relocated to Japan for business reasons. Lee liked it there, and he described Japan as his “second home” in a recent interview. However, for unclear reasons, he returned to Busan with his family and completed his elementary and secondary school education in his hometown.
The American rock music movement influenced Lee greatly, and he copied their techniques in front of his mirror. Listening to music for longer periods of time piqued his interest in pursuing a career in music, and when he met Eric Clapton, a well-known singer and songwriter, he made the decision to pursue a career in music right then and there. He then engaged in guitar lessons and, because he was a rapid learner, learnt to play in a short period of time.
Lee was also well-versed in martial arts during his middle school years. He had a good connection with it because it was one of his many interests. But he had always wanted to be a musician in the back of his mind, and his wishes came true when he auditioned for FMC Entertainment in 2007, where he met some of the artists who would later join his band. Lee began his bass technology training at the prestigious FNC Academy shortly after.
By 2009, CNBLUE had formed as a band, and the members traveled to Japan to learn music and try their luck. The Japanese like their music, and the band was able to make some money by performing at live performances and on the streets. It was the most thrilling time of Lee’s life, he says, because he learnt a lot about life through ups and downs. It was also the ideal start for the young youngster, since the band began work on their first record in Japan in the mid-2009s.
Career of Lee Jong-hyun
In August 2009, CNBLUE’s little album ‘Now or Never’ was released in Japan. It was an English-language album with American-inspired rock beats that was warmly appreciated by the Japanese public. Despite their modest success, the band quickly began work on their second album, ‘Voice,’ which was released in November. They sang in English with a touch of Japanese, and their second album prompted them to return to South Korea, owing to social media’s role in presenting CNBLUE to the youth of the country.
The band debuted on the South Korean music scene in January 2010 with the release of the single “I’m a Loner.” They’ve published several successful songs since then, usually as an independent band. ‘Blind Love,’ ‘Lie,’ ‘Rain of Blessing,’ ‘No More,’ and ‘Kimio’ are some of their songs. Within a few years of making their South Korean debut, they began to become acquainted with pop culture. They composed the song ‘Get Away,’ which was utilized as the ending theme for the Japanese adaptation of the hit American show ‘Gossip Girl.’
In 2010, Lee and one of his band mates, Kang Min-hyuk, starred in the drama film ‘Acoustic,’ which dealt with love, heartbreak, and music. Lee was deemed ideal for a career in acting, but he didn’t want to put his music career on hold for the sake of acting. He turned down roles in a number of films, television programs, and variety shows in order to focus on his music.
He was drawn to the 2012 series ‘A Gentleman’s Dignity,’ and he joined the cast. The romantic comedy weekend series follows the lives of a group of metropolitan youths as they navigate the rigors of corporate life while searching for the meaning of true happiness. Lee’s contribution to the series was not limited to acting; he also composed the song “My Love.” The series was a game changer for Lee, as he not only received nominations for ‘My Love’ at major music awards events, but he also won the Best New Actor award at the SBS Drama Awards.
In December 2013, Juniel, a label member, and Lee formed the duet ‘Romantic J,’ and released their first digital song, ‘Love Falls.’ It didn’t exactly live up to expectations, but it was nonetheless well-liked by the South Korean youth at the time. The song was promoted on SBS MTV and a few other venues, however it didn’t even make it into the Melon Charts’ top ten.
Lee then appeared in two films in a row, ‘Adolescence Medley’ and ‘One Sunny Day.’ In 2015, as his popularity grew not just in South Korea but also in Japan, he organized a solo fan meeting in Tokyo for his Japanese followers. Lee was delighted by the love he got during the meeting, which drew 10,000 of his followers.
Lee made his film debut in ‘The Orange Marmalade’ in May 2015, playing a vampire in a role that was highly welcomed by the public, and in 2017 he starred in the historical drama ‘My Only Love Song.’
Lee released his solo full-length album, ‘Sparkling Night,’ in July 2016, and it became a smash with Lee’s followers and general music listeners in Japan and South Korea. The record went on to sell over 13000 copies, and Lee went on to perform his first solo show, ‘Welcome to Sparkling Night,’ immediately after its release.
Personal Experiences of Lee Jong-hyun
Lee Jong-hyun has kept his personal life private, but when he joined the cast of the variety show ‘We Got Married,’ the local media linked him to his on-screen wife Gong Seung-yeon. When Lee’s parents came on the show, they disclosed that Lee had a large number of girlfriends in middle school and would occasionally bring them around. He was shy around girls, yet he enjoyed their company. Lee is an outspoken dog lover who currently owns two dogs. He also invites them to some of his vacations.
Estimated Net Worth
The total net worth of Lee Jong Hyun is $1 million.