Known as one of South Korea’s most talented actors, Lee Jung-jae has won numerous awards for his work in South Korean dramas and movies. In addition to six Baeksang Arts Awards, he has been nominated for Golden Globe and Gotham Awards. Listed below are some of his most notable performances. If you want to know more about Lee Jung-jae, read on to find out more about his varied career and background.
Seong Gi-hun in “Squid Game”
This South Korean drama stars Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun. He is a high school student, and is a close friend of Park Hae-soo. The two are involved in a murder. In the first episode of the series, they kill the man who kills Jung Ho-yeon. The second episode follows the story of the killer and his accomplice.
Seong Gi-hun plays an unintentional squid who wins the eponymous Squid Game. His goal is to kill the opponent before the squid reaches the top. The winner of the game must kill his opponent, but Gi-hun feels no responsibility for the death of Sang-woo. Gi-hun refuses to kill Sang-woo, despite his desire to win the game. In the end, he tries to end the game and save Sang-woo, but he cannot.
The first stage of the game has Gi-hun vote for the end of the game, which ends with half of the participants dying. Gi-hun is determined to achieve his goal, and is ready to put his own life at risk for the sake of others. He sacrifices himself in the process of helping his friends and family members who are in danger. But his decision-making is based on emotions rather than reason, and he often acts without thinking about the consequences of his actions.
Another character in the film is Kang Sae-byeok, a North Korean defector who joins the Squid Game to help his family. The character is good with a knife and is a master pickpocket. This is Jung’s first movie role, but he has already appeared on Korea’s Next Top Model. He also walked the runway in Chanel.
In the first scene of the movie, Gi-hun becomes aware of the Squid Game. He accepts an invitation to play the game after learning about the danger. He hopes to win a large sum of money to pay off his debts and gain custody of his daughter. He reunites with his childhood friend Cho Sang-woo, and they form an alliance to try and survive the games. Gi-hun is also compassionate to Player 001.
Breakout role in Sandglass
Before landing his breakout role as the silent bodyguard in the 1995 Korean drama “Sandglass”, Lee Jung-jae worked as a fashion model before pivoting to acting in the mid-to-late ’90s. The role earned him widespread praise and a Best Actor award at the Blue Dragon Film Awards. Afterwards, he went on to star in the critically acclaimed film “City of the Rising Sun.”
Upon starring in Sandglass, Lee earned several more acting gigs in other films, including the acclaimed drama series Feeling and Love Is Blue. He then starred in the action-comedy “Big Match” in which he played a mixed martial arts fighter who saves his brother by winning a high-stakes game. He later reunited with director Choi Dong-hoon, who had worked with him on The Thieves. He starred in the action-thriller “Assassination” as well, which was set in 1930s Korea and Shanghai under Japanese occupation. The film won Lee his first Best Actor Award and he was named Best Actor at the 24th Buil Film Awards. Lee also won two awards at the 3rd Marie Claire Asia Star Awards and was named Actor
In addition to her role in Sandglass, Lee Jung-jae has had several other notable roles. In 2012, she appeared in the critically acclaimed South Korean film “The Thieves,” which is still the sixth highest grossing South Korean movie of all time. In addition to her acting work, Lee Jung-jae appeared in the 13-minute split-screen thriller “El Fin del Mundo.” In addition to acting, Lee Jung-jae has also produced two movies, including the upcoming film ‘The Face Reader’. Lee’s most recent film, ‘Sandglass,’ also won the Blue Dragon Film Awards.
The eponymous Korean drama Sandglass boosted Lee Jung-jae’s career in the late 1990s. While his mother and grandparents were well-to-do, his paternal family consisted of doctors. While Lee Jung-jae was still in his teens, he appeared in several other noteworthy projects, including the erotic thriller The Housemaid (2010). In addition to Sandglass, Lee Jung-jae had the lead role in The Thieves (2012), which ended up being one of the highest grossing films in Korea.
Diverse career path
The actor’s agent confirmed his recent signing to the Creative Artists Agency, which will see him enter the global film and television market. Lee Jung-jae will also fulfill the roles of film & television director and producer. His new company will also represent co-star Kim Hyun-joo, who recently signed with the agency as well. The agency will serve as the actor’s representative in the U.S.
The actor has starred in multiple films and television dramas in South Korea. He starred as a Yakuza gangster in Deliver Us From Evil and a villainous prince in The Face Reader. In Along With The Gods: Two Worlds and 49 Days, he starred as the god of death. Lee Jung-jae began his career as a model and worked his way up to lead roles in television series.
In addition to acting, Lee also has a film directing debut titled Hunt. The movie, which is based on his memoir, received world premieres at Cannes. It centers on two South Korean spies, one of whom is played by Lee. Lee is married to Jung Woo-sung, a writer and editor who has been her friend for nearly three decades. Lee’s next project will also be his directorial debut.
Among the Mason students who are currently pursuing graduate degrees, a senior majoring in Information Technology at the Fairfax campus, has been accepted to several graduate programs. She will study Digital Forensics and Cyber Analysis in the fall. Another Mason Korea student, Sohee Kim, is a Global Affairs major. She has attended the Global Classrooms International Model UN in New York and recently began an internship with ReDI.
His career spans a wide range of genres. He has acted in a number of films and dramas, including “Silenced” (based on a real-life case of sex abuse against children with disabilities), as well as a comedy called “Miss Granny” based on Lee’s experiences as a single mother. He also hopes to increase the number of Korean films and TV series he has produced, and hopes that one day he can have an amusement park with different games and figurines of his cast.
Return to “Squid Game”
A second season of “Squid Game” is expected to air sometime in 2023 or 2024. The hit series was the most-watched show in Netflix history. In a recent announcement, Netflix revealed that 111 million people watched the first season. The number beat the previous record, set by Bridgerton. However, it is not clear yet if Lee Jung-jae will return as Seong Gi-hun.
Netflix recently announced that the South Korean comedy-drama will return for a second season. Lee Jung-jae, who played the squid-like character, is thrilled to be returning to the show. While the actor has yet to give away any specifics, he did reveal that Hwang is “diligently writing” the script for season two. Lee Jung-jae plays the role of Seong Gi-hun, a cash-strapped gambler who is recruited into playing a deadly children’s game. His character’s mother, Jung Ho-yeon, is played by actress Hana Ji-min.
The film also follows the story of another young man who is traumatized by the events that unfold in his life. He is a victim of a crime committed by his father and faces a dangerous situation. The film’s creator, Bruce Lee, has praised Lee Jung-jae for his vision and commitment to making “Squid Game” a popular film. However, it’s Lee Jung-jae’s sensitivity and talent have made it a hit in the Korean film industry.
In season two, Lee Jung-jae’s character, Sae-byeok, has been betrayed by Sang-woo in the final game. Sang-woo, the protagonist, tries to kill Sae-byeok before the final game, but in the end, he kills himself so that Gi-hun can win the game. Fans have been hoping that some of the characters would return, but Lee Jung-jae has a way to reinstate her.
Squid Game season 1 ended with a shocking conclusion, but there’s already talk of a second season. Netflix has already confirmed that the show has been renewed. Lee Jung-jae, the show’s creator, says he is excited by the global response. Though no official date has been set yet, viewers can expect the show to come back next year. This is great news for fans of the Korean drama.
