Leading Korean Talent Continue March into Hollywood

Actor Lee Jungjae 

The newly minted Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award winner Lee Jungjae has signed with the leading Hollywood talent agency CAA (Creative Artists Agency). Also joining the roster of CAA clients is the successful Korean drama series director Lee Myungwoo.

A major star in Korea since the 1990s, Lee Jungjae is known for starring roles in films such as City of the Rising Sun (1999), Il Mare (2000), The Housemaid (2010), New World (2013), Assassination (2015) and the 2020 action noir DELIVER US FROM EVIL, the highest-grossing Korean film released so far during the pandemic. 

Over the past few months, Lee suddenly exploded onto the international stage following his leading role in the global smash Squid Game, the Netflix series directed by Hwang Donghyuk. The role landed him Best Actor nominations from major American awards bodies such as the Gotham Independent Film Awards, Critics' Choice Television Award and the Golden Globes. Lee made history last month as the first Korean recipient of the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series Award at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG).

In addition to his pursuits on the screen, Lee is also in the midst of launching a behind-the-scenes career. He is currently in post-production on his feature directing debut Hunt, an espionage action-thriller in which he co-stars with fellow actor Jung Woosung.

Lee Myungwoo is one of the top small-screen directors in Korea, where he is known for hit dramas such as The Fiery Priest. His most recent show was One Ordinary Day, the flagship series of streaming service Coupang Play. Next up for the director will be an English and Korean language series based on the story of a famous Korean-American musical act. Lee will continue to be represented by Chris S. Lee of B&C Content, whose client roster also includes Don Lee (aka Ma Dongseok) and Steven Yeun.