Lee Jung-jae’s Biography, Net worth, Career and Awards

Lee Jung-jae’s Early Life

Lee Jung-jae was born in Seoul, South Korea, on the 15th day of December, 1972.

Lee Jung-jae’s Personal Life

In 1999, Jung-jae hit a car in the lane next to him while driving his BMW and was charged with DUI after it was discovered that his blood alcohol level was 0.222%. He was charged with DUI again in 2002. In 2008, Lee earned a master’s degree in theatre and film from Dongguk University’s Graduate School of Cultural Arts, and a few months later, he appeared in his first play, “Hamlet in Water,” at Lee Hae-rang Theater. In 2015, Jung-jae revealed that he was in a relationship with Im Se-ryung, the executive director of the Daesang Group. The couple met in 2005, and Lee has said of the relationship, “As an entertainer, I think that getting attention from the public is a part of my job and I have to endure it to some extent. But Im Se-ryung is just a normal person and especially a mother of two children, so I want to prevent Im Se-ryung and her family from being hurt or their privacy being violated.”

What Is Lee Jung-jae’s Net Worth and Salary?

Lee Jung-jae is a South Korean actor and former model who has a net worth of $12 million. Born on December 15, 1972, in Seoul, South Korea, Lee gained international fame for his role as Seong Gi-hun on the Netflix series “Squid Game” (2021-present). Jung-jae has more than 40 acting credits to his name, including the films “Il Mare” (2000), “The Housemaid” (2010), “New World” (2013), and “Deliver Us from Evil” (2020) and the television series “Sandglass” (1995) and “Chief of Staff” (2019).

He also opened a chain of Italian restaurants in Seoul called Il Mare, and he designed the restaurants’ interiors. In 2008, Lee founded Seorim C&D, a real estate development company, and he has owned several businesses with his friend and “City of the Rising Sun” co-star Jung Woo-sung. In 2016, the two co-founded the entertainment label the Artist Company. In 2001, Jung-jae received a Prime Minister’s Commendation.

Lee Jung-jae’s Career

While working at an Apgujeong café, Lee was discovered by a designer named Ha Yong-soo. He spent several years modeling, then he shot to stardom after making his acting debut on the television series “Dinosaur Teacher” in 1993. In 1994, he played Han Joon on the TV series “Feelings” and appeared in his first film, “The Young Man.” Jung-jae played Baek Jae-hee on the SBS series “Sandglass” in 1995, then he appeared in the films “Albatross” (1996), “Fire Bird” (1997), “Father vs. Son” (1997), “An Affair” (1998), “City of the Rising Sun” (1999), and “The Uprising” (1999) and the television series “Snail” (1997) and “White Nights 3.98” (1998). In 2000, Lee starred in “Il Mare,” a time-travel romance that was remade as “The Lake House” (starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock) in 2006. He appeared in 2000’s “Interview” and “Asako in Ruby Shoes,” and in 2001, he played Jung Yong-ki in “Last Present” and Detective Oh in “The Last Witness.” After starring in 2002’s “Over the Rainbow,” Jung-jae co-starred with Lee Beom-soo in one of his most commercially successful films, 2003’s “Oh! Brothers.” In 2005, Lee starred as Kang Se-jong in the action film “Typhoon,” which brought in the equivalent of $26 million at the box office.

Jung-jae played Kim Ji-sung on the MBC series “Air City” in 2007, then he appeared in the 2008 film “The Accidental Gangster and the Mistaken Courtesan” and the 2009 MBC series “Triple.” In 2010, he starred in “The Housemaid,” an erotic thriller that was shown at the Cannes Film Festival, and in 2012, he appeared in “The Thieves,” the sixth highest-grossing Korean film in history (grossing the equivalent of $86 million). In 2013, Lee narrated the television documentary “Contemporary Art, Bury the Boundary” and appeared in the films “New World” and “The Face Reader.” He starred in the films “Big Match” (2014), “Assassination” (2015), “Tik Tok” (2016), “Operation Chromite” (2016), and “Warriors of the Dawn” (2017), and he played the God of Death (King Yeomra) in “Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds” (2017) and “Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days” (2018). In 2019, Jung-jae starred as Jang Tae-joon on the JTBC series “Chief of Staff,” and he reprised the role in a cameo on “Delayed Justice” in 2021. He appeared in 2019’s “Svaha: The Sixth Finger” and 2020’s “Deliver Us from Evil.”

Lee was named a global ambassador for Gucci in November 2021.

Squid Game

In 2021, Lee Jung-jae began starring as Seong Gi-hun on the Netflix hit “Squid Game.” Within a few months of its release, “Squid Game” was the most-watched series in the history of Netflix having been viewed by more 142 million households since it premiered in mid-September.

Awards and Nominations

In 1994, Lee earned a Best New Actor nomination for “Feelings” at the KBS Drama Awards. In 1995, he won numerous awards: Best New Actor for “Sandglass” at the SBS Drama Awards, Best New Actor (TV) for “Sandglass” and Best New Actor (Film) for “The Young Man” at the Baeksang Arts Awards as well as Best New Actor for “The Young Man” at the Blue Dragon Film Awards, Grand Bell Awards, and Korean Association of Film Critics Awards. The Baeksang Arts Awards named Jung-jae Most Popular Actor for “Firebird” in 1997 and for “City of the Rising Sun” in 1999, and “City of the Rising Sun” also earned him a Best Actor award at the Korean Association of Film Critics Awards and a Best Leading Actor award at the Blue Dragon Film Awards. He won Best Actor awards for “Asako in Ruby Shoes” at the 2002 Verona Love Screens Film Festival, “Typhoon” at the 2006 Golden Cinematography Awards, and “The Housemaid” at the 2011 Fantasporto Director’s Week. Lee was honored with a Style Icon Actor award at the 2008 Style Icon Awards, and he was named Most Influential Star at the 2010 Mnet 20’s Choice Awards. In 2013, he won a CJ CGV Star Award for “New World” and “The Face Reader” at the Korean Association of Film Critics Awards, and he received a Popularity Award at the Grand Bell Awards and a Best Supporting Actor award for “The Face Reader” at the Blue Dragon Film Awards.

In 2014, “The Face Reader” earned Jung-jae awards from the KOFRA Film Awards and the Baeksang Arts Awards, and in 2015, the Baeksang Arts Awards presented him with an InStyle Fashionista Award. That year he also won a Marie Claire Asia Star Award for Actor of the Year and a Buil Film Award for Best Actor for “Assassination.” Lee was named Super Icon (Male) at the 2018 Elle Style Awards, and “Deliver Us from Evil” won the Grand Prize (Daesang) – Film at the 2020 Asia Artist Awards. For “Squid Game,” he received the Fabulous Award – Actor, Actor of the Year (Daesang) award, and the Hot Trend Award at the 2021 Asia Artist Awards. Jung-jae has also earned nominations for “An Affair” (Blue Dragon Film Awards), “Last Present” (Grand Bell Awards), “Tik Tok” (Golden Lotus Awards), and “Chief of Staff” (Korea Drama Awards).