Born in 1962 to legendary film director Lee Manhee and a stage actress, Lee Hyeyoung decided at a young age that she wanted to be an actor. After passing an audition to join Hyundae Theater, she made in 1981 – at the age of 18 – her acting debut, in a stage production of <Sound of Music>. This was soon followed by other musicals such as <Jesus Christ Superstar> and <Evita>. Widely recognized as a versatile newcomer, she made a short appearance in Kim Won...More

Born in 1962 to legendary film director Lee Manhee and a stage actress, Lee Hyeyoung decided at a young age that she wanted to be an actor. After passing an audition to join Hyundae Theater, she made in 1981 – at the age of 18 – her acting debut, in a stage production of <Sound of Music>. This was soon followed by other musicals such as <Jesus Christ Superstar> and <Evita>. Widely recognized as a versatile newcomer, she made a short appearance in Kim Wondu’s family drama <Mom’s Wedding> (1981) before getting her first major role in Jeong Inyeob’s <Mrs. Kim Ma-Ri> (1983). Her attractive looks made her one of the most sought-after performers during the 1980s as the film industry was dominated by the erotic romance genre, but these roles often consisted in strong-willed women with their own agency. She was also known as one of the few actors of the time to dub herself in post-recording sessions, at a time when sync recording wasn’t yet the norm. In <Winter Wanderer> (1986), she played a prostitute who only receives US Army soldiers, and in Im Kwontaek’s <Ticket> (1986), she was one of the girls working at a coffee house that offers more than the hot drink. In 1990, she landed the role of a communist insurgent in Chung Jiyoung’s <North Korean Partisan In South Korea> (1990). She was next seen playing against Ahn Sungki in <The Hair Dresser> (1995) and co-starring Park Joonghoon in <Hallelujah> (1997). In Ryoo Seungwan’s <No Blood No Tears> (2001), she was a taxi driver who teams up with the mistress of a gang boss played by Jeon Doyeon to prepare a robbery. Since the 2000s, Lee has been best known for her television roles, notably with popular drama series like <I’m Sorry, I Love You> (2004) and <Boys Over Flowers> (2009). After she was almost completely absent from the public eye in almost two decades, she made a successful comeback in 2018 with the television series <Mother> and <Lawless Lawyer>. <In Front of Your Face> (2021) marked her return to the big screen as well as her first collaboration with famed author Hong Sangsoo. She was next cast in Kwak Jaeyong’s upcoming project <Happy New Year>.Less