Lee Ji-ah
Lee Ji-ah | |
---|---|
Born | Kim Sang-eun February 2, 1978[1] South Korea |
Other names | Kim Ji-ah E Ji-ah |
Occupations | |
Years active | 2007–present |
Agents | |
Spouse | |
Korean name | |
Hangul | 이지아 |
Hanja | |
Revised Romanization | I Ji-a |
McCune–Reischauer | I Chia |
Birth name | |
Hangul | 김상은 |
Revised Romanization | Gim Sang-eun |
McCune–Reischauer | Kim Sangŭn |
Kim Sang-eun (born February 2, 1978), known professionally as Lee Ji-ah, is a South Korean actress. After her breakout role in The Legend in 2007, she has starred in television series Beethoven Virus (2008), Athena: Goddess of War (2010), Me Too, Flower! (2011), and Thrice Married Woman (2013).
Early life
Lee was born Kim Sang-eun on February 2, 1981 in South Korea. Her grandfather is educator Kim Soon-heung who was one of the patrons for the creation Seoul Arts High School, and was chairman of Kyunggi High School.[2] Her father was a businessman. She was in the sixth grade when their family moved to the U.S. and stayed there for 10 years.
She majored in graphic design at the Pasadena Art Center College of Design.[3][4]
During a brief visit to Korea in 2004, she made her entertainment debut by appearing in an LG Telecom TV commercial with actor Bae Yong-joon. She left the U.S. and returned to Korea in early 2005 and legally changed her name from Kim Sang-eun to Kim Ji-ah and adopted the stage name Lee Ji-ah.
Career
2007–2013
In 2007, Lee made her acting debut in the fantasy television series The Legend opposite Bae Yong-joon. The high-profile, big-budget production shot Lee instantly to stardom.[5][6][7][8] At the year-end MBC Drama Awards, Lee won the Best New Actress award, Popularity award, and Best Couple award (with Bae).[9] She again won Best New Actress for TV at the Baeksang Arts Awards a year later.[10]
She then starred in 2008's Beethoven Virus wherein Lee played a violinist who gets diagnosed with a disease that results in complete hearing loss.[11]
She was next cast in Style, a TV series based on the 2008 chick lit novel of the same title. Inspired by The Devil Wears Prada, Lee played a hardworking assistant to a perfectionist fashion magazine editor played by Kim Hye-soo.[12][13][14] She next starred in the Korean-Japanese romance film The Relation of Face, Mind and Love alongside Kang Ji-hwan, which marks her big-screen debut.[15]
In late 2009, she joined the seven-part "Telecinema" series, which brought together Korean stars and directors, and Japanese writers. Each "telecinema" was released in movie theaters and also aired on television on SBS.[16]
Lee then co-starred along Jung Woo-sung, Cha Seung-won and Soo Ae in the 2010 spy series Athena: Goddess of War, a spin-off to 2009's Iris.[17][18][19]
In 2011, she starred in the television drama Me Too, Flower!, playing an ill-tempered police officer who falls in love with a young millionaire masquerading as a parking attendant.[20][21][22][23][24][25]
When Lee's five-year contract with Bae's agency KeyEast expired on December 31, 2011 she signed with Will Entertainment in March 2012.[26][27][28] In 2013, she took on the leading role in Thrice Married Woman.[29]
2014–present
In April 2014, Lee signed with a new management agency, HB Entertainment.[30] This was followed by a three-picture contract with Hollywood indie outfit Maybach Film Productions as a screenwriter.[31][32]
In 2015, Lee starred in the two-episode fantasy drama Snow Lotus Flower.[33]
In 2016, Lee made her big screen comeback in the action thriller film Musudan.[34] In May 2016, Lee left HB Entertainment and signed with new management agency BH Entertainment.[35]
In 2018, after a three-year hiatus, Lee made her return to the small screen in the melodrama My Mister.[36] The same year, she was cast in the horror mystery drama The Ghost Detective.[37]
Personal life
In March 2011, a photo taken by a tourist of Lee and Athena costar Jung Woo-sung on a date in Paris surfaced on the internet, and the two confirmed that they were romantically involved.[38][39][40]
On April 21, 2011, Sports Seoul broke the story (later confirmed by numerous media outlets) that she and Korean pop/rock icon Seo Taiji had been secretly married since 1997, before splitting in 2006. News leaked after two hearings had been held at the Seoul Family Court (court papers used Seo and Lee's birth names - Jeong Hyeon-cheol and Kim Sang-eun, respectively) since Lee filed a ₩5.5 billion lawsuit against Seo for alimony and division of assets. Both celebrities were believed to have been single.[41][42][43][44][45][46]
Lee left for the United States to study in 1993 and met Seo through an acquaintance at a concert in Los Angeles the same year. They developed a long-distance relationship through letters and phone calls while Lee stayed in the U.S. and Seo went back to Korea to continue his entertainment activities with his band Seo Taiji and Boys. In 1996, Seo announced his retirement from show business, after which he went to the U.S. where he and Lee quietly married on October 12, 1997. The couple lived in the States, moving to Atlanta and then Arizona.[4][47][48][49]
They separated when Seo returned to Korea in June 2000 for his comeback to the K-pop scene as a solo artist. Lee, who stayed behind in the U.S., began divorce proceedings in 2006 at the Santa Monica Family Court on the grounds of irreconcilable differences due to incompatible lifestyles and personalities.[50]
Lee claimed in the 2011 lawsuit that she filed for the divorce in 2006 and the court decision became effective in 2009, thus the three years required under Korean law for seeking alimony hadn't expired. But Seo's assertion was that the divorce officially took effect on August 9, 2006 and the statute of limitations had passed.[51] Lee lodged the suit in January and withdrew it on April 30, citing psychological suffering after her private life was made public.[52][53][54][55][56] Seo's lawyers opposed the motion,[57][58] and Lee resumed her case, with her lawyer arguing that the California court ruling was invalid and that the two were still legally married.[59][60] Through mediation, the ex-couple reached an out-of-court settlement in July 2011, which included a non-disclosure agreement.[61][62][63][64]
Filmography
Television series
Year | Title | Role | Network |
---|---|---|---|
2007 | The Legend | Sujini / Saeoh | MBC |
2008 | Beethoven Virus | Du Ru-mi | |
2009 | Style | Lee Seo-jung | SBS |
2010 | Athena: Goddess of War | Han Jae-hee | |
2011 | Me Too, Flower! | Cha Bong-sun | MBC |
2013 | Thrice Married Woman | Oh Eun-soo | SBS |
2015 | Drama Special: Snow Lotus Flower | Han Yeon-woo | |
2018 | My Mister | Kang Yoon-hee | tvN |
The Ghost Detective | Sun Woo-hye | KBS2 |
Film
Year | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
2009 | The Relation of Face, Mind and Love | Wang So-jung |
2011 | Athena: The Movie | Han Jae-hee |
2016 | Musudan | Shin Yoo-hwa |
Music video
Year | Song Title | Artist |
---|---|---|
2010 | Please Come Back to Me | Vibe |
Discography
Year | Title | Artist | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2008 | Love Virus | Lee Ji-ah | |
So Much | Super Sta feat. Baby Boy's Soul and Lee Ji-ah | ||
2009 | Cupcake and Alien | Lee Ji-ah | |
2010 | Vampire Romance | Lee Ji-ah |
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2007 | Best New Actress | Won | ||
Popularity Award, Actress | Won | |||
Best Couple Award with Bae Yong-joon | Won | |||
2008 | Best New Actress (TV) | Won | ||
Excellence Award, Actress | Nominated | |||
Popularity Award, Actress | Nominated | |||
Best Couple Award with Kim Myung-min | Nominated | |||
2009 | Excellence Award, Actress in a Drama Special | Nominated | ||
2011 | Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Special Planning Drama | Nominated | ||
2014 | Top Excellence Award, Actress | Nominated | ||
Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Serial Drama | Nominated | |||
Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Serial Drama | Nominated |
References
- ^ "Lee Ji-ah (이지아)". HanCinema. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
- ^ Sunwoo, Carla (December 20, 2011). "E Jiah granddaughter of wealthy man". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on June 29, 2013. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ "Profile". Ejiah.com. Archived from the original on July 9, 2013. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ a b "Mystery Deepens Over Seo Tai-ji's Secret Marriage to Lee Ji-ah". The Chosun Ilbo. April 22, 2011. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ Garcia, Cathy Rose A. (May 8, 2007). "Newcomer Lee Ji-ah to Play Bae Yong-joon's Love Interest". The Korea Times. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ Kim, Rahn (October 21, 2007). "Star Couple's Divorce Most Searched". The Korea Times. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ Kwon, Mee-yoo (December 12, 2007). "E Ji-ah Surges as New Inspiring Actress". The Korea Times. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ "Culture Trends 2008". The Korea Times. December 26, 2007. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ "2007 Year-end Korean drama awards round-up". Hancinema. January 7, 2008. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
- ^ "The 44th PaekSang Arts Awards Sparkles with Stars". KBS World. April 24, 2008. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
- ^ Han, Sang-hee (September 9, 2008). "Dramas Bring Hero, Gamblers and Orchestra". The Korea Times. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ Han, Sang-hee (July 21, 2009). "Style to Bring Fashion, Love and Career". The Korea Times. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ Oh, Jean (July 27, 2009). "Fighters, fashionistas spice up small screen". The Korea Herald. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ Park, So-yeon (November 5, 2011). "E Ji-ah says is receiving treatment for paralyzed heel". 10Asia. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ "[REVIEW] Film "My Love, Ugly Duckling"". 10Asia. November 6, 2009.
- ^ Lee, Hyo-won (November 5, 2009). "Relation Trips Over Own Subject Matter". The Korea Times. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ Hong, Lucia (April 20, 2010). "E Ji-ah locked in as female lead for IRIS spin-off". 10Asia. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ Ko, Jae-wan (November 30, 2010). "E Ji-ah says did not use double for action sequences". 10Asia. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ Han, Sang-hee (November 30, 2010). "Athena to sneak into homes this month". The Korea Times. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ Kim, Jessica (September 20, 2011). "E Ji-ah confirmed for November TV series role". 10Asia. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ Lee, Sun-min (September 22, 2011). "E Jiah returns to TV in new series". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on November 12, 2011. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ Kim, Yoon-mi (September 22, 2011). "E Ji-ah to come back in TV drama". The Korea Herald. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ "Lee Ji-ah to Return to TV Screens". The Chosun Ilbo. September 21, 2011. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ Hong, Lucia (October 31, 2011). "E Ji-ah: I want to repay those around me by returning to acting". 10Asia. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ "Lee Ji-ah Resurfaces After Divorce Scandal". The Chosun Ilbo. November 1, 2011. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ "Will Entertainment".
- ^ Sunwoo, Carla (January 22, 2013). "E Jiah wants a name for herself". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on January 26, 2013. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ Sunwoo, Carla (January 12, 2012). "Actress E Jiah parts ways with her agency". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on February 16, 2012. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ Kang, Jung-yeon (September 30, 2013). "E Ji-ah to Be Back on Small Screen After 2 Years". 10Asia. Archived from the original on April 7, 2014. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
- ^ Lim, Ju-hui (April 5, 2014). "Lee Ji Ah signing a new contract with HB Entertainment". StarN News. Retrieved April 18, 2014.
- ^ Kim, Erika (July 11, 2014). "E Jiah to Debut in Hollywood as Screenwriter". enewsWorld. Archived from the original on July 13, 2014. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
- ^ Kim, June (July 16, 2014). "LEE Ji-ah to Pen Hollywood Screenplay". Korean Film Biz Zone. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
- ^ "Lee Ji-ah in "Seol-ryeon's Story", disguised as a male". Hancinema. Nate. November 11, 2015.
- ^ "Actress makes a thrilling comeback". Korea JoongAng Daily. March 11, 2016.
- ^ "Actress Lee Ji-ah joins BH Entertainment". Korea JoongAng Daily. May 14, 2016.
- ^ "Lee Ji-ah to Star in TvN "My Mister" as Lee Sun-kyun's Wife". Hancinema. Nate. December 10, 2017.
- ^ "Lee Ji-ah Becomes a Mysterious Woman for "Today's Detective"". Hancinema. Osen. June 21, 2018.
- ^ Kwon, Mee-yoo (March 21, 2011). "Jung admits dating E Ji-ah". The Korea Times. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ "Jung Woo-sung Admits Romance with Lee Ji-ah". The Chosun Ilbo. March 21, 2011. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ Kim, Jessica (March 21, 2011). "Jung Woo-sung admits to dating E Ji-ah". 10Asia. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ "Seo Taiji's secret marriage (and divorce) exposed". Korea JoongAng Daily. April 21, 2011. Archived from the original on June 29, 2013. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ Kim, Jessica (April 21, 2011). "E Ji-ah and Seo Taiji said to be married, filing for divorce". 10Asia. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ Kim, Yoon-mi (April 22, 2011). "Former idol's secret marriage creates stir". The Korea Herald. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ Choi, Shin-ae (August 12, 2014). "E Jiah Told Jung Woo Sung About Her Marriage with Seo Taiji When They Were Dating". enewsWorld. Archived from the original on August 13, 2014. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
- ^ Noh, Hyun-gi (December 28, 2011). "Secret marriage, lawsuits, rumors: stars make headlines". The Korea Times. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
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- ^ Kim, Rahn (April 22, 2011). "Mass public deception vs. private life". The Korea Times. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
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- ^ Lee, Hyo-won (April 24, 2011). "Cyber mobs hunt for truth about Seo-E scandal". The Korea Times. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
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- ^ "Star Korean actress drops alimony lawsuit against ex-singer husband". The Korea Herald. May 1, 2011. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ "Lee Ji-ah Withdraws Alimony Suit Against Seo Tai-ji". The Chosun Ilbo. May 2, 2011. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ Park, Min-young (May 1, 2011). "E Ji-ah drops suit, Seo Tai-ji speaks up". The Korea Herald. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
- ^ "No dealing made about dropping of suit: Seo's side". The Korea Times. May 1, 2011. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
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- ^ Kim, Rahn (May 18, 2011). "Seo-E battle enters season 2". The Korea Times. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
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