Lee Byung-hun

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This is a Korean name; the family name is Lee.
Lee Byung-hun

Lee at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival for The Good, the Bad, the Weird
Born (1970-07-12) July 12, 1970 (age 41)
Seoul, South Korea
Nationality South Korea
Occupation Actor, Singer
Years active 1991–present
Korean name
Hangul 이병헌
Hanja 李炳憲
Revised Romanization I Byeong-heon
McCune–Reischauer Yi Pyŏnghŏn
Website
www.leebyunghun.kr

Lee Byung-hun (Korean: 이병헌; born July 12, 1970) is a South Korean actor known for starring in the critically acclaimed Joint Security Area (2000), A Bittersweet Life (2005), The Good, the Bad, the Weird (2008) and I Saw the Devil (2010). His more popular television dramas include Iris (2009), All In (2003) and Beautiful Days (2001).

Lee, along with Ahn Sung-ki, are the first Korean actors to imprint their hand and foot prints on the forecourt of Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles.

Contents

[edit] Career

Lee auditioned in the 1991 KBS Super Talent Audition and was accepted, making his debut in the television drama Asphalt My Hometown.[1] His breakthrough role was in the 2000 film Joint Security Area directed by Park Chan-wook. He played a border-guard soldier who crossed to North Korea nightly and forged a friendship with a soldier on the opposing side. The film was a critical and commercial success and broke records as the highest grossing film in Korean history.[2] His performance earned him Best Actor jointly with Song Kang-ho at the Pusan Film Critics Awards.[3] He also starred in the film Bungee Jumping of Their Own, about a man whose girlfriend dies and is later reincarnated as a man.[4]

In 2001 he played Lee Min-chul in Beautiful Days, a drama about an arrogant businessman who falls for an innocent orphan, played by Choi Ji-woo. He also starred in the film Addicted as a man who falls into a coma and wakes up believing he is his dead brother. In 2003 he took the leading role in the poker drama All In opposite Song Hye-kyo. For his performance, he won the Grand Prize at the SBS Drama Awards and Best Actor at the Baeksang Arts Awards.[5][6] In 2004, Lee appeared in the romantic comedy Everybody Has Secrets.[7]

In 2005 he earned critical acclaim for his performance in A Bittersweet Life which was screened out of competition at the Cannes Film Festival.[8] Lee was nominated for Best Actor at the Blue Dragon Film Awards and Grand Bell Awards, and won at the Chunsa Film Art Awards, Baeksang Arts Awards and the Critics Choice Awards. He also appeared in the romance film Once in a Summer opposite Soo Ae.

He took his first villain role in The Good, the Bad, the Weird, a Korean western directed by Kim Ji-woon and also starring Song Kang-ho and Jung Woo-sung.[9] The film revolves around three men in a race to acquire a treasure map and was also a major success, screening out of competition at the Cannes Film Festival.[8] In 2009 he co-starred with Josh Hartnett and Takuya Kimura in the film I Come with the Rain. He then made his American debut as Storm Shadow in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.[10]

In late 2009, Lee returned to TV in the espionage action thriller Iris playing a secret agent with Kim Tae-hee. It was one of the most expensive shows ever produced with filming locations in Hungary, Japan as well as South Korea. [11] It became one of the highest rated dramas of 2009 and his performance earned him the Grand Prize at the KBS Drama Acting Awards and Best Actor at the Baeksang Arts Awards.[12][13]

In 2010 Lee costarred with Choi Min-sik in I Saw the Devil, his third collaboration with director Kim Ji-woon. He played Soo-hyun, an intelligence agent who tracks a serial killer who murdered his fiance.[14] It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and won him the Grand Prize at the Paeksang Arts Awards.[15][16] In 2012, he will reprise his role as Storm Shadow in G.I. Joe: Retaliation.[17][18]

On 23 June 2012, Lee, along with Ahn Sung-ki, became the second Asians after director John Woo, and first Korean actors to leave their hand and foot prints on the forecourt of Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles. He was recognised as an emerging star in Hollywood for his role of Storm Shadow in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra and its sequel G.I. Joe: Retaliation.[19]

Lee will next appear in the American film RED 2, the sequel to the 2010 action-comedy hit RED, alongside Bruce Willis, Catherine Zeta Jones, Helen Mirren and John Malkovich.[20][21] The film is scheduled to be released in 2013.

[edit] Other work

Lee has formed his own management company BH Entertainment which manages many actors including Han Hyo-joo, Go Soo, and Han Chae-young. He owns a shop BHNC which sells hats, scarfs and wallets.[22]

[edit] Personal life

He has a younger sister, Lee Eun-hee, who was Miss Korea in 1996. He graduated from Hanyang University with a major in French Literature and the Graduate School of Chung-Ang University with a major in Theater and Cinematography.

Lee dated his All In co-star Song Hye-kyo. They broke up in 2004.[23][24] In Lee Byung-hun spare time he practices taekwondo.[25] [26]

[edit] Filmography

[edit] Film

Year Title Korean title Role
1995 Who Drives Me Mad? 누가 나를 미치게 하는가 Lee Jong-du
Runaway 런 어웨이 Lee Dong-ho
1996 Kill the Love 그들만의 세상 Love
1997 Elegy of the Earth 지상만가 Park Jong-man
1999 The Harmonium in My Memory 내 마음의 풍금 Kang Soo-ha
2000 Joint Security Area 공동경비구역JSA Sgt. Lee Soo-hyeok
2001 Bungee Jumping of Their Own 번지점프를 하다 Seo In-woo
2002 My Beautiful Girl, Mari 마리 이야기 Namoo (voice)
Addicted 중독 Dae-jun
2004 Everybody Has Secrets 누구나 비밀은 있다 Choi Su-hyeon
Three Extremes - segment "Cut" Ryu Ji-ho
2005 A Bittersweet Life 달콤한 인생 Kim Sun-woo
2006 Once in a Summer 그해여름 Yun Suk-young
2007 HERO N/A Kang (cameo)
2008 The Good, the Bad, the Weird 좋은 놈, 나쁜 놈, 이상한 놈 Park Chang-yi, the Bad
2009 I Come with the Rain N/A Su Dongpo
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra N/A Storm Shadow
2010 Iris: The Movie 아이리스 Kim Hyun-jun
The Influence 인플루언스 W
I Saw the Devil 악마를 보았다 Kim Soo-hyeon
2012 G.I. Joe: Retaliation N/A Storm Shadow
Masquerade 광해:왕이된 남자 King Gwanghae[27]
2013 Red 2 N/A

[edit] Television

Year Title Role
1991 Asphalt My Hometown
Family
Flower That Never Wilt
1992 Wild Sunflower
Days of Sunshine Choi Hyung-man
Dawn
Tomorrow Love Shin Bum Soo
1993 The Sorrow of the Survivor Ja-myung
Police Oh Hae-sung
1994 The Fragrance of Love Kim Jun-ho
1995 Asphalt Man Kang Dong-joon
Son of Wind Chang Hong-pyo
1997 Beautiful My Lady Hwang Jun-ho
I Do
White Sand
1998 White Night 3.98 Min Gyeong-bin
1999 Happy Together Suh Tae-poong
Love Story - Story 1: Sunflower Tae-sung
Sally is Back
2001 Road Woo-sik
Beautiful Days Lee Min-chul
2003 All In Kim In-ha
2009 Iris Kim Hyun-jun
2011 Diplomat Kosaku Kuroda John (cameo)

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

Album # Album Information Tracklisting
1 Lee Byung Hun - To Me[28]
  • Released: August 1, 1999
  • Label: Doremi Media Co., Ltd
  • Language: Korean

[edit] Single

Single # Single Information Tracklisting
1 いつか

Itsuka (Someday)[29]

  • Released: October 15, 2008
  • Label: Universal Japan
  • Language: Japanese

[edit] Soundtrack

Year Track Album
2010 "Stay" Iris OST
"Endless Road" Iris OST

[edit] Awards and nominations

[edit] Won

[edit] Nominations

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.yesasia.com/us/yumcha/lee-byung-hun-man-of-the-world/0-0-0-arid.209-en/featured-article.html
  2. ^ "Joint Security Area". koreanfilm.org. http://koreanfilm.org/kfilm00.html. Retrieved 2010-10-28. 
  3. ^ http://www.korean-drama-guide.com/List-of-Pusan-Film-Critics-Awards.html
  4. ^ "Bungee Jumping of Their Own". koreanfilm.org. http://koreanfilm.org/kfilm00.html. Retrieved 2010-10-28. 
  5. ^ Drama Awards' past Daesang winners Electric Ground. December 27, 2010.
  6. ^ http://www.imdb.com/event/ev0001111/2006
  7. ^ Chen, Ross. "Everybody Has Secrets (KOREA 2004)". lovehkfilm.com. http://www.lovehkfilm.com/panasia/everybody_has_secrets.htm. Retrieved 2010-10-28. 
  8. ^ a b "Festival de Cannes: A Bittersweet Life". festival-cannes.com. http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/archives/ficheFilm/id/4280559/year/2005.html. Retrieved 2011-01-01. 
  9. ^ Obsessedwithfilm.com
  10. ^ IESB.net - Movie News, Reviews, Interviews and More! - UPDATED WITH STUDIO CONFIRMATION - GI Joe Casting!
  11. ^ "Lee Byung-hun in Expensive Spy Drama Series IRIS". Beyond Hollywood. http://www.beyondhollywood.com/lee-byung-hun-in-expensive-spy-drama-series-iris. 
  12. ^ http://www.mb.com.ph/node/236653/gi-joe-
  13. ^ http://www.allkpop.com/2010/03/winners-at-the-46th-baeksang-awards-ceremony
  14. ^ "Good Becomes Evil in 'I Saw the Devil' Trailer!". BloodyDisgusting. http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/20358. 
  15. ^ http://sundance.slated.com/2011/films/isawthedevil_sundance2011
  16. ^ http://www.allkpop.com/2011/05/winners-of-the-47th-baeksang-arts-awards-t-o-p-park-yoochun-wins-awards
  17. ^ Park Soo-mee. "Lee Byung-hun to Reprise 'G.I. Joe' Role". The Hollywood Reporter. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/lee-byung-hun-reprise-gi-72401. 
  18. ^ "‘G.I. Joe 2′ Gets a Release Date; But Will We See The Cast Return?". The Film Stage. http://thefilmstage.com/2011/03/04/g-i-joe-2-gets-a-release-date-but-will-we-see-the-cast-return. 
  19. ^ "Ahn Sung-ki, Lee Byung-hun to Leave Handprints in Hollywood". Chosun Ilbo. 26 April 2012. http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2012/04/26/2012042600800.html. Retrieved 4 May 2012. 
  20. ^ http://collider.com/red-2-cathertin-zeta-jones-bruce-willis/165440/
  21. ^ Schwartz, Terri (2012-05-11). "'Red 2' Adds Catherine Zeta-Jones, Byung-Hun Lee". MTV News. Viacom. http://splashpage.mtv.com/2012/05/11/red-2-catherine-zeta-jones-byung-hun-lee/. Retrieved 2012-05-11. 
  22. ^ http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SH/SH_EN_7_2.jsp?cid=1017491
  23. ^ http://www.dramabeans.com/2008/10/interview-from-the-drama-set-with-song-hye-gyo/
  24. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQ7cnEv75tw
  25. ^ "Byung-Hun Lee Talks Storm Shadow and "G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra". Comic Book Resources. http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=22451. Retrieved 2012-05-13. 
  26. ^ "Q&A - G.I. Joe Star Byung-hun Lee Explains Storm Shadow's Martial Arts Style". ACMTV. http://blogs.amctv.com/movie-blog/2009/08/byung-hun-lee-interview.php. Retrieved 2012-05-13. 
  27. ^ "Lee Byung-hun to star in ‘The Prince and the Pauper’ remake" JoongAng Ilbo 15 November 2011. Retrieved 2011-11-23
  28. ^ http://www.yesasia.com/us/lee-byung-hun-to-me/6111-0-0-0-en/info.html
  29. ^ http://www.yesasia.com/us/itsuka-normal-edition-japan-version/1011975338-0-0-0-en/info.html
  30. ^ http://www.allkpop.com/2011/05/winners-of-the-47th-baeksang-arts-awards-t-o-p-park-yoochun-wins-awards
  31. ^ http://www.allkpop.com/2010/09/5th-annual-seoul-international-drama-awards-2010
  32. ^ http://m.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/special/2010/12/178_71196.html
  33. ^ http://www.movie-voters.com/3001.html
  34. ^ http://10.asiae.co.kr/Articles/new_view.htm?sec=ent0&a_id=2010022318231953641
  35. ^ http://www.allkpop.com/2009/12/kbs_acting_awards_winners
  36. ^ http://www.imdb.com/event/ev0001111/2006
  37. ^ http://www.imdb.com/event/ev0001546/2009
  38. ^ http://www.cinemasie.com/en/fiche/prix/25/

[edit] External links

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