Lee Soo-hyuk, also known as Lee, is a South Korean model turned actor. His impeccable sense of style has elevated him to the status of a fashion icon among the Korean youth. Lee has walked the runway and posed for a slew of renowned designers and photographers. His chiseled face and well-shaped body have elevated him to the top model ranks. Lee has given some magnificent performances in films such as ‘Runway Cop’ and ‘My Boss, My Teacher’, but it is ‘The Boy from Ipanema’ that brought him recognition. He has also appeared in a number of television dramas, but is perhaps best known for his outstanding performance on ‘Vampire Idol’. The actor is currently in South Korea serving his mandatory military service.
Childhood & Adolescence
Lee was born in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea on May 31, 1988. His parents and a four-year-old younger sister make up his family.
Lee has always desired a career in acting and began his preparations during his school years. He participated in every outdoor sport and learned to dance and play the piano.
Lee began modeling for various campaigns during his junior and senior years of high school. Lee had already established a name for himself in the fashion industry by the time he entered college.
Lee was a sophomore in college when he struggled to strike a balance between his academic and professional lives. His hectic shooting schedule caused him to miss classes, and he eventually dropped out of college.
Although Lee was studying film and theatre in college, he felt caged by the department’s strict and disciplined environment. This had a detrimental effect on his creative quotient and also hampered his professional commitments.
Lee continued his acting and modeling endeavors and eventually established himself in those fields.
Career of Lee
Lee began his career as a model before transitioning to acting. In 2006, he debuted as a model in a runway show for fashion designer Jung Wook-collection. jun’s Star J Entertainment Company sponsored and organized the event.
Following the show, Lee wowed the audience with his fashion choices and the way he carried himself on the runway. Lee appeared on the cover of several opulent lifestyle magazines in the latter half of 2006, including GQ, Bazaar, and Elle.
Lee’s meteoric rise to fame as a model quickly earned him accolades such as Best New Model and Best Dressed Model. He was later signed by Sidus HQ, an entertainment agency.
Following a successful modeling career, Lee shifted his focus to acting. His background in sports, swimming, and music aided him significantly in securing roles in numerous films.
Another feature that drew many directors to Lee was his husky, low gruff voice, which contrasts sharply with his appearance. Lee made his feature film debut in 2006 with ‘My Boss, My Teacher’.
Lee had no intention of looking back following the enormous success of his debut film. He starred in films spanning a variety of genres, including romantic comedies, horror, and period pieces.
By the end of 2013, numerous directors had signed Lee for their subsequent ventures. Lee left Sidus and signed a contract with SJ Entertainment at the height of his acting career.
Lee was included in ’13 Top Breakout New Male Faces’ during this time period. Style Minutes, an online lifestyle and fashion magazine, conducted the survey. Lee has also walked the catwalks during the London and Paris fashion weeks.
Lee announced in January 2017 that he would take a break from acting and modeling to fulfill his mandatory military service and subsequent service as a public officer.
Films of Lee
My Boss, My Teacher – Lee debuted as an actor in this film, which was released on 19 January 2006. Lee went unnoticed, despite the film’s massive success.
The Boy from Ipanema – This film is considered a watershed moment in Lee’s film career, as Lee’s acting was deemed mature and polished. The film follows a young man who experiences memory loss and forgets everything about his ex-girlfriend.
He then regains consciousness after meeting a girl, and the two of them enter a fantasy world where they can actually manipulate people’s dreams. This fantasy romantic film, which debuted on November 4, 2010, was a box office smash.
Runway Cop – Produced by CJ Entertainment, this comedy film debuted in theaters on May 30, 2012. This film is about a private detective who is introverted, overweight, and has an awful sense of fashion. Then Lee’s supermodel character, Kim Sun-ho, comes to his rescue and grooms him to be a classy spy.
Horror Stories 2 – This anthology, published in 2013, included a story titled ‘The Cliff’ in which Lee appeared. Two friends become stranded on a rocky island after falling from a cliff.
White Christmas on Television – This is the second installment of an eight-part omnibus series that aired on KBS. On January 30, 2011, the premiere episode aired. Lee played a minor role in this suspenseful murder mystery as Yoon Soo.
Lee made a guest appearance in this period television drama as a deep-rooted tree. Lee portrayed Yoon Pyeong in the SBS drama from October 5, 2011.
Vampire Idol – Debuting on MBS in 2011, this sitcom family drama provided Lee with much-needed exposure in the television industry. The series follows a vampire prince who develops feelings for a rock star and seeks assistance from one of his trusted servants in order to impress her. Soo-hyuk, Lee’s servant, possesses authentic vampire characteristics. Lee’s guitar and piano lessons in high school aided him in creating a naturalistic appearance for the character.
High School King of Savvy – This is a seventeen-episode romantic comedy-drama series that premiered on June 16, 2014. Lee portrayed Yoo Jin-woo, the female lead’s assistant who assists the male lead in wooing his love interest.
Scholar Who Walks the Night – In this mini-series based on a Chinese comic book, Lee reprised his role as a vampire. As a negative character, the audience saw a different side of Lee. The audience reacted positively to Lee’s portrayal of a malevolent vampire named Gwi. The series, which aired from July 8 to September 10, 2015, won numerous awards, including series of the year.
Distinctions & Honors
Korea Fashion Photographers Association (2007) – Lee was named Best New Model in recognition of his collaborations with top designers.
Lee was the Best Dressed Model in the model category at the 25th Korea Best Dresser Swan Award (2008).
Lee was the Best Dressed Male in the actor category at the 29th Korea Best Dresser Swan Awards (2014).
MBC Drama Awards (2015) – Lee won the Best New Actor award for ‘Scholar Who Walks The Night’ in the debut actor category.
Life in General
For two years, Lee was romantically linked to actress Kim Min Hee. They met for the first time in July 2008 and broke up in 2010. Due to a lack of time for one another, the couple separated.
Lee was rumored to be dating actress Hara, and the two were frequently spotted in Japan together. They both, however, refuted the rumor.
Lee previously stated that he does not get along with his younger sister because of their age and ideological differences.
Estimated Net Worth
Lee Soo, a handsome model and actor, is estimated to have a net worth of approximately $15.1 million. He earns a living through his professional career.
He is one of the fashion industry’s most successful models and actors. He has not made his properties available to the general public.
Trivia
During the filming of ‘The Boy from Ipanema,’ Lee was stung by a jellyfish.
He is a surfer with experience.