5 things to know about Squid Game’s Lee Jung-jae, a star of the hit Netflix K-drama – and former fashion model, interior designer and real estate tycoon
- He’s the boyfriend of heiress Lim Se-ryung, daughter of Daesang Group’s chairman Lim Chang-wook, and the ex-wife of Samsung chairman Lee Jae-yong
- At 21 he won best newcomer at the Blue Dragon Film Awards, Baeksang Arts Awards and Grand Bell Awards, and has an entertainment label with actor Jung Woo-sung
Lee plays the kind-hearted gambling addict, Seong Gi-hun, who winds up joining the high-stakes game. He soon won our hearts as by showing his empathy for the other money-hungry participants.
Even before starring in Squid Game, Lee was already a household name in South Korea. As the 48-year-old actor navigates his new-found international stardom, let’s get to know him better through these key facts.
He was scouted as a model while working at a cafe
Acting hasn’t always been Lee’s bread and butter. Though he grew up in a wealthy family, he started working from a young age at a local cafe in Apgujeong, Seoul.
It was there that a designer named Ha Yong-soo discovered the young lad’s smouldering looks. After being a fashion model for a couple of years, Lee jumped into the acting scene and made his debut in the 1993 Korean TV drama Dinosaur Teacher.