Dongguk University graduate LEE Sung-jae, born in 1970, quickly rose to the ranks of the biggest Korean stars following his acting debut in the mid-1990s. He first appeared in the television drama <The Love of Two Women> in 1995 and after a little more TV work embarked on a film career when he was cast as one of the leads of the classic romantic drama <Art Museum By the Zoo> (1998), alongside fellow rising star SHIM Eun-ha. He followed that hit with the romance &l...
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Dongguk University graduate LEE Sung-jae, born in 1970, quickly rose to the ranks of the biggest Korean stars following his acting debut in the mid-1990s. He first appeared in the television drama <The Love of Two Women> in 1995 and after a little more TV work embarked on a film career when he was cast as one of the leads of the classic romantic drama <Art Museum By the Zoo> (1998), alongside fellow rising star SHIM Eun-ha. He followed that hit with the romance <Ghost in Love> the next year and then KIM Sang-jin’s smash hit anarchic youth comedy <Attack the Gas Station>, which turned much of its young cast into stars. In 2000, he appeared as the frustrated dog-killing assistant professor in BONG Joon-ho’s debut, the black comedy <Barking Dogs Never Bite>, alongside BAE Doo-na. Next for him was the drama <A Day> and the gangster comedy <Kick the Moon>, for which he re-teamed with director KIM Sang-jin. Expanding his thriller credentials, he appeared opposite SUL Kyung-gu as the antagonist of the cop film <Public Enemy> (2002). Following the disappointing performance of the big budget moutaineering romance <Ice Rain> in 2004, his star power began to fade, yet he remained one of the most recognizable faces in the industry. In 2005 he appeared in the hit thriller <Holiday> and the next year starred alongside Gianna JUN and JUNG Woo-sung in the hitman romantic drama <Daisy>, directed by Hong Kong filmmaker Andrew LAU. Since 2010, LEE has mostly concentrated on TV work.
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