Lee Sung-kyung, the ‘Gigi Hadid of South Korea’, at 30: how the ulzzang model-turned-K-drama actress won hearts and earned that immortal nickname

Lee Sung-kyung of Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo and Dr. Romantic 2 fame turns a milestone 30 on August 10 – a perfect moment to look back on the unconventional career of a K-pop starlet who set out to fame as a model. Here’s five facts to learn and share.

She likes guys who are true to their feelings

Lee revealed in an interview with Elle Korea, that she thinks men who are straightforward and are able to honestly express their true feelings are the most masculine and attractive, adding that she herself is the type who openly expresses her feelings. “If I also liked them, I probably wouldn’t hide it. And if I didn’t, then I would clearly tell them,” she said.

Dubbed the ‘Gigi Hadid of Korea’, Lee didn’t initially plan to be a model

In 2017, following Lee’s rise to fame from her leading role in Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo, W Magazine called Lee the “Gigi Hadid of Korea” – pointing out that a good 10 per cent of South Korea’s population was following Lee on the platform, which is similar to Hadid’s following in America.

Lee was first a model before diving into acting, yet modelling wasn’t her first goal either. During her first fan meeting in Manila, Lee revealed that she actually wanted to be a pianist and practised for 10 years. She can also play the drums.

The 5-foot, 7-inch (1.7-metre) statuesque beauty wanted to be a police officer

Lee once dreamed of becoming a policewoman, as per a Channel Korea report, because of an incident when thieves broke into her parents’ house. The artist is also said to be fond of dressing in uniforms, so when in 2019, she played one of the female leads in crime comedy film Girl Cops she got to tick both boxes.

Lee is known for having one of the best faces in Korea, or what they call ulzzang