From a talented book editor to a ruthless serial killer, one of the Korean entertainment industry’s finest actors has played a variety of roles. Recently in the news for his relationship with K-pop sensation IU, the actor has an impressive filmography and a ton of upcoming projects. If you’re not familiar with Lee Jong-suk yet, we’ve handpicked some of his fascinating career-defining movies and TV shows.
Lee Jong-suk rose to fame and spotlight at the age of 15 when he became the youngest male model to debut at Seoul Fashion Week’s Seoul Collection program, followed by numerous fashion shows, idol training and a career change before making his debut in the romantic comedy “Star Wars.” Prosecutor Princess.
A few years later, he School 2013 — for which he won the Best New Actor award at the 2012 KBS Drama Awards. The rest, as they say, is history. The actor’s filmography is a hodgepodge of genres, including romance, thriller, melodrama, and fantasy. Needless to say, there’s something for everyone. Let’s take a look at Lee Jong-Suk’s best movies and TV shows.
Stream-worthy movies and TV shows starring Lee Jong-suk
Doctor Stranger
director: Jin Hyuk and Hong Jong Chan
cast: Lee Jong-suk, Jin Se-yeon, Park Hae-jin, Kang So-ra
release date: May 5, 2014
episode: 20
Synopsis: Park Hoon (Lee Jong-suk), who was trapped in North Korea with his surgeon father as a child, grows up to be a brilliant cardiothoracic surgeon. He also smuggles K-Pop DVDs as a side business and attempts to defect to South Korea with his high school sweetheart, Jae-hee (Jin Se-yeon), a traditional Chinese medicine doctor. Unfortunately, the two get separated along the way.
About the show: The drama was a huge success, garnering millions of views, and Lee Jong-suk’s incredible performance earned him a nomination for Best Actor at the 2014 Korea Drama Awards, as well as a Special SBS Award at the SBS Drama Awards that same year.
Pinocchio
director: Jo Soo-won, Shin Seung-woo
cast: Lee Jong-suk, Park Shin-hye, Kim Young-kwang, Lee Yu-bi
release date: November 12, 2014
episode: 20
Synopsis: Four idealistic journalists discover themselves in their pursuit of justice, including Choi In-ha (Park Shin-hye), a broadcast journalist who suffers from “Pinocchio syndrome,” which causes her to get the hiccups whenever she lies. Her colleagues include the shabby but extremely intelligent and sharp Choi Dal-po (Lee Jong-suk), the wealthy but spoiled Seo Beom-jo (Kim Young-kwang), and fangirl Yoon Yu-rae (Lee Yu-bi).
About the show: The show is considered a staple of Korean entertainment and enjoyed high viewer ratings when it aired. Lee Jong-suk’s performance won him numerous awards, including Best Actor at the 8th Korea Drama Awards, Best TV Actor at the 51st Baeksang Arts Awards, Best Actor at the 27th Grime Awards, and Top 10 Star at the SBS Drama Awards.
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director: Jung Dae-yoon
cast: Lee Jong-suk, Han Hyo-joo
release date: July 20, 2016
episode: 16
Synopsis: A wealthy webtoon character, Kang Cheol (played by Lee Jong-suk), becomes involved with a real-life surgeon, Oh Yeon-joo (played by Han Hyo-joo).
About the show: The drama topped the popularity charts and garnered Lee Jong Suk the Grand Prize at that year’s MBC Drama Awards.
Advanced
director: Park Hoon-jung
cast: Jang Dong-gun, Kim Myung-min, Park Hee-soon, Lee Jong-suk
release date: August 23, 2017
Synopsis: Gwang-il (played by Lee Jong-suk) is a song about a high-ranking North Korean official. Thanks to this song, he was able to escape charges for raping and murdering women all over the world. Interpol from both North and South Korea tries to track him down.
About the film: This was Lee Jong Suk’s first time playing a villain. Reflecting on the role, the actor said: Soompi “Many times in movies, serial killer characters have expressive faces and look tense. In contrast, I tried to stay as relaxed as possible and follow the example of my older actors,” he said.
While You Were Sleeping
director: Oh Choong Hwan
cast: Lee Jong-suk, Bae Suzy, Lee Sang-yup, Jung Hae-in
episode: 16
release date: September 27, 2017
Synopsis: Reporter Nam Hong-joo (Bae Suzy), prosecutor Jeong Jae-chan (Lee Jong-suk), and police officer Han Woo-tak (Jung Hae-in) all have the power to have prophetic dreams. Some of them point out important cases worth investigating, while others warn of impending disaster. The three try to stop these prophecies from coming true.
About the show: The drama was one of Lee Jong Suk’s most popular works, and its success brought him instant recognition. For his performance, he was nominated for Best Actor in a Miniseries and K-Star Award at the Asia Model Awards that year, and also won Best Actor in a Wednesday-Thursday Drama at the SBS Drama Awards.
Romance is a Bonus Book
director: Kim Na-young, Lee Jung-hyo
cast: Lee Na-young, Lee Jong-suk, Jung Woo-jin, Wi Ha-jun
episode: 16
release date: January 26, 2019
Synopsis: Cha Eun-ho (Lee Jong-suk), a writer, is the youngest editor-in-chief at a publishing company. His childhood friend Kang Dan-i (Lee Na-young), a divorced, unemployed, single mother and former copywriter, lies to get a job at his company. At the same time, she moves into his house until she can find her own place. The two quickly fall in love, but are also troubled by other romantic relationships.
About the show: It is one of the most popular Korean romance dramas. In a heartfelt letter to fans after the final episode, the actor wrote, “There was a time when my simple desire to do well became a burden, things became difficult, and I continued to feel disappointed in myself.” He added, “But through this drama, I learned how to blend in with my character. I started to see things from a different perspective, and I feel like I’ve grown a little.” Soompi I will report.
Big Mouth
director: Oh Choong Hwan
cast: Lee Jong-suk, Lim Yuna, Kim Joo-hoon, Park Kwang-jae, Yoo Soo-bin
episode: 16
release date: July 29, 2022
Synopsis: Park Chan-ho (Lee Jong-suk) is an ordinary lawyer. His colleagues call him Big Mouth because he has a habit of speaking before he acts or thinks. While solving a murder case, he gets embroiled in a con man called “Big Mouth” and is mistaken for the con man.
About the show: The TV show was a commercial success and earned Lee Jong Suk the A Award-Charisma Award at the 2022 A Awards.
Which Lee Jong Suk TV shows and movies will you be watching this weekend?
(Hero and Feature Images: Netflix/Lee Jong Suk/Romance is a Supplement)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Who is Lee Jong Suk’s wife?
Lee Jong Suk is not married, but is in a relationship with K-pop singer IU.
