Early life
Lee Sung-min was born on October 15, 1968, in a small village called Dochon, located between Bonghwa and Yeongju in Gyeongsangbuk-do. During his early years, he frequently moved with his father, who relocated to various places across the country, including Seoul and Gangwon. It wasn't until the fourth grade of elementary school that he finally returned to his hometown of Bonghwa, where he completed his middle and high school education. Afterwards, he left his hometown once again to pursue higher education, enrolling as a university student in Daegu Science University.[7]
Reflecting on his past, it was his father who paved the way for his acting journey. His father, known for his kindness and warmth, greatly enjoyed watching movies with his son. Although Bonghwa lacked movie theaters at the time, Yeongju had two cinemas. As valued customers, his father and he would eagerly rush to the theater ahead of others whenever a new film was released. "I still vividly recall the movies like 'King Kong' and 'Bruce Lee' that I watched with my father during my childhood."[7]
Actor Lee Sungmin shared, "When I was young, my father always ensured that I watched 'masterpiece films' on weekends. Thanks to him, I had the opportunity to experience cultural elements that were challenging for a rural child to access at such a young age. Perhaps, by absorbing movies through my father from an early stage, it enabled me to pursue an acting career and consistently engage in emotive performances."[7]
Career
Early career in Daegu
He began his theater journey by becoming a part of the theater company 'Audience and Stage' (객석과 무대) in Daegu. During this period, he had the opportunity to collaborate with esteemed colleagues, including directors Choi Joo-hwan and Jeong Cheol-won, both of whom had previously held positions as directors at the Daegu Municipal Theater Company. Reflecting on those days, Lee Seong-min remarked, "Each troupe at the time pursued distinct directions, identities, and showcased different works."[7]
While actively engaging in theater activities in Daegu, he swiftly gained recognition for his talent. Whenever he participated in various theater festivals, he effortlessly swept away awards. At the age of 24, he received the New Actor Award at the Daegu Theater Festival, an honor that can only be bestowed once in a lifetime. Additionally, he achieved the highest honor among actors in the Daegu region by winning the Daegu Theater Festival Best Actor Awards.[7][8]
Lee Sung-min crossed paths with his future wife in the play B Unso. She was the choreographer for the play B Unso. Their encounter marked a turning point in his life, as Lee Sung-min went on to achieve remarkable milestones.[9] In 2001, Lee joined the play produced by theater group Yeoninmudae (연인무대의) titled 'Pig Hunt'. The play received the top prize (Presidential Award) at the 19th National Theater Festival, jointly organized by the Korea Arts and Culture Promotion Agency (Director Kim Jeong-ok) and the Korean Theater Association (Chairman Choi Jong-won). As a result, 'Pig Hunt' received a prize of 20 million won and invited to the Seoul Performing Arts Festival held in October. The director of this work, Han Jeon-gi, and the lead actor, Lee Sung-min, received the Best Director Award and the Best Acting Award, respectively.[10]
Moving to Seoul
In 2002, despite being in his mid-thirties, Lee Sung-min made a though decision to leave his wife and daughter in Daegu and venture alone to Seoul. Determined to pursue a career as an actor, he yearned to test and validate his skills in Daehangno, the heart of the Korean theater industry. Encouragement from those around him further pushed him to embark on the journey to Seoul. At that time, Lee Sung-min made a promise to his family, saying, "I will give it a try for three years, and if things don't work out, I will return."[9]
However, Lee faced financial hardships in Seoul. To make ends meet, he would make a weekly trip back to Daegu and rely on a modest allowance of 100,000 won provided by his wife. After deducting expenses for transportation, card charges, and cigarettes, there was barely anything left. In order to save on transportation costs, Lee Sung-min would undertake a two-hour walk from Dongdaegu Station to his home in Shijidong. He carried taxi and chauffeur service phone numbers in his pocket, always prepared to quickly earn money in case of unemployment.[9]
In Daehangno, Lee joined theater group Chaimu. As a member of the theater group Chaimu, Lee appeared in plays such as B Unso, Pig Hunt! and There? In 2003, Pig Hunt, a satirical play, was performed from the 19th to the 26th of October at the small theater of the Dongsoong Art Center.[11]
He also ventured into the film industry. He started with minor roles, and in 2004, he made an appearance as 'Loan Shark Gangster 1' in the film Father And Son: The Story Of Mencius, which led to a growing recognition of his talent in supporting roles. During his time working on the film in 2004, alongside Son Hyun-joo, he was recommended for a role in a television drama. Actor Ahn Jae-wook, who was the lead in the drama Oh Feel Young, even adjusted his schedule to accommodate Lee Sung-min's theater commitments.[9]
The promised three years with his family swiftly passed, yet Lee Sung-min had not been able to shake off his unknown status. After much contemplation, he made the bold decision to remain in Seoul, determined to set a precedent and prove that actors hailing from provincial backgrounds like himself could achieve nationwide recognition for their acting prowess. With the unwavering support of his family, they too relocated to Seoul. However, despite their collective efforts, financial hardships persisted. Lee Sung-min vividly recalls how, during that time, he could only afford to buy cheap pork belly priced at around 1,000 won, which left his daughter disappointed. These challenging memories from the past continue to resonate with him to this day.[9]
Career breakthrough, from supporting roles to lead roles
Lee Sung-min made appearances in several films, including Marathon in 2005, but a considerable portion of his scenes were edited out. In 2006, he took on the role of Seong-cheol, a humane gangster, in the film Silk Shoes, which was collaboratively produced by actors from the theater group 'Chaimu.' Although it garnered attention in the film industry, it didn't achieve widespread recognition among the general public due to the limitations of being a low-budget film.[12] However, Lee gradually made a breakthrough as a supporting actor in various films and dramas. He portrayed characters such as Choi Man-ri, a scholar in The King's Letters, a pop columnist in Go Go 70s, and a chief prosecutor in The Unjust.[9]
Lee Sung-min seized the opportunity to appear in director Park Chan-wook's film Thirst. Song Kang-ho, with whom he had previously worked in Secret Sunshine, personally recommended him.[13] However, during the audition, when asked if he was close to Song Kang-ho, Lee Sung-min honestly replied, "We're not close." As a result, it seems that Lee Sung-min didn't pass the audition, possibly due to his response. Later, when Song Kang-ho asked him, "Why didn't you say we were close?" Lee Sung-min reportedly responded, "To be honest, we weren't really close."[14]
Regardless, Lee Sung-min gradually began to leave a lasting impression on viewers. It all started with his portrayal of restaurant manager Seol Joon-seok in the 2010 MBC drama Pasta. Despite his character's unlikeable traits, Lee delivered a captivating performance as a villain who was hard to hate. Following that, he continued to appear in dramas such as Gloria, Can You Hear My Heart, films like A Little Pond, and plays such as The Story of Nulgeun the Thief.[9]
In 2011, he took on the role of Dr. Go Jae-hak, a doctor consumed by ambition, in the KBS 2TV drama Brain. In the MBC drama My Princess, he portrayed President Lee Young-chan, who pretended to be just and righteous while focusing on his own interests.[9] Lee Sung-min, who had often portrayed unlikeable villain roles, successfully underwent an image transformation in the 2012 MBC drama The King 2 Hearts. At that time, he received praise for his portrayal of Lee Jae-kang, the older brother of the protagonist (Lee Seung-gi) and the former Crown Prince.[9]
A few months later, in the MBC drama Golden Time, he took on the role of trauma specialist Choi In-hyuk. In terms of significance, he was practically on par with the lead role. It was reported that Lee Sung-min lost 7kg of weight in order to showcase a different style of acting from his previous role as Go Jae-hak in the drama Brain, where he also played a doctor. Furthermore, there is a famous anecdote that during filming, he dragged around worn-out sneakers to capture the essence of an emergency room doctor. In the end, Lee Sung-min was confidently recognized as a lead actor by the public.[9]
Career peak and critical acclaim
In the movie The Attorney, released at the end of 2013, he played the role of Lee Yoon-taek, a high school classmate of the protagonist Song Woo-seok, who is a lawyer (played by Song Kang-ho) and a journalist for a social department at a newspaper in the Busan area. Although it was a supporting role, he had a considerable presence. In the MBC drama Miss Korea, which aired around the same time, he portrayed Jung Sun-saeng, a former gangster who is chased by debt from Kim Hyung-jun (played by Lee Sun-kyun), the CEO of a cosmetics company.[9]
Lee Sung-min reached the peak of his acting career with his appearance in the 2014 tvN drama Misaeng: Incomplete Life. Guided by director Kim Won-seok and writer Jung Yoon-jung, this 20-episode series was an adaptation of Yoon Tae-ho's webtoon series of the same title.[15][16][17][18] The title itself, translated from Go terminology, conveys the idea of "an incomplete life," capturing the essence of not yet being fully alive. Notably, Misaeng, made history as the first Korean drama to be filmed on location in Jordan, with actors Im Si-wan and Lee Sung-min shooting the series's prologue in Amman, Petra, and Wadi Rum.[19] The drama became a cultural phenomenon, achieving remarkable viewership ratings for a cable network program in South Korea.[20][21][22][23][24] Lee received accolades from viewers for his authentic portrayal of the working professional Oh Sang-sik. His exceptional performance earned him the Best Actor award in the TV category at the 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards and the Best Actor award for the same role at the 2016 tvN10 Awards.[9][25]
In early 2016, Lee Sung-min made his debut as a lead actor in the film Sori: Voice From the Heart in which he portrayed the character Hae-gwan. Hae-gwan is a robot who possesses the ability to remember every sound in the world. The storyline revolves around his relentless search for his daughter, whom he lost in Daegu in 2003. Joining the cast as Hae-gwan's wife is a fellow member of Chaimu, Jeon Hye-jin.[26] Lee's performance in the film received praise from The Hollywood Reporter. They commended his portrayal, stating, "Sori is at its strongest when it focuses on Hae-Kwan and the surprising onion-layer style discoveries he makes about the daughter he was sure he knew (played by Chae Soo-bin in flashback). Lee balances regret and disbelief effortlessly, and makes the man’s sadness real without tipping into histrionics."[27]
Two years later, he made his first appearance on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival with the movie The Spy Gone North (2018). His acting receiving critical acclaim and winning multiple awards, including the Buil Film Awards, Grand Bell Awards, Korean Film Critics Association Awards, and Director's Cut Awards for Best Actor. His accolades continued in 2019 when he won the Best Actor award in the film category at the 55th Baeksang Arts Awards.[9]
In 2020, his performance in the movie The Man Standing Next once again received high praise. Portraying former President Park Jung-hee, Lee Sung-min defied initial skepticism with his masterful portrayal, incorporating a distinct Gyeongsang dialect and delivering a powerful performance.[9] Notably, his portrayal of the character Kang Won-jun in the Netflix drama Juvenile Justice (released in early 2022) showcased his versatility and garnered acclaim for his ability to depict a complex character torn between his harshness towards his family and the guilt he feels towards his son while simultaneously investigating his own potential downfall.[9]
At the end of 2022, Lee Sung-min's performance as Jin Yang-chul in Reborn Rich received praise.[28] He flawlessly embodied the role of a first-generation chaebol who tenaciously clings to his position in the company, creating a profound emotional impact on viewers. By skillfully incorporating his Gyeongsang dialect and adopting a raspy voice that suits older characters, he brought vibrancy to the character. Lee Sung-min's commanding presence in the drama sparked discussions among viewers about the noticeable decrease in immersion after Jin Yang-chul's departure. In 2023, he received the Best Actor award in the TV category at the 59th Baeksang Arts Awards.[29]
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