Lee Sang-woo

Quick Facts: Who was Lee Sang-woo?

Subject:

Lee Sang-woo

Known for:

South Korean actor known for roles in First Wives' Club and leading dramas.

Born:

1980-02-13

Century / Era:

1980s Historical Era Archive

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Lee Sang-woo (Korean: 이상우; born February 13, 1980) is a South Korean actor. He rose to fame in the 2007 television drama First Wives' Club, and has since played leading roles on The Road Home (2009), Don't Hesitate (2009), Life Is Beautiful (2010), and Feast of the Gods (2012). Lee Sang-woo launched his acting career in 2005, starring in a Drama City episode and a minor role in the television drama 18 vs. 29. This was followed by more supporting roles on television, including his big screen debut in Almost Love, a romantic comedy film headlined by Kwon Sang-woo and Kim Ha-neul. During this time, he also starred as one of the three leading actors of the independent film Don't Look Back (2006), which was the closing film of that year's Jeonju International Film Festival, and won a critic's prize at the Locarno International Film Festival.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Lee began his rise to fame with a supporting role in First Wives' Club, a popular drama which aired from 2007 to 2008 with a peak viewership rating of 41.3%. For his performance, he received a New Star Award at the SBS Drama Awards. It was not until 2009 that Lee was cast in his first mainstream leading role, in The Road Home, followed soon after by another daily drama Don't Hesitate. In the same year, he also appeared as one of the leading actors in Searching for the Elephant, an erotic-psychological thriller about three thirty-something men struggling with schizophrenia, sex addiction and infidelity. In 2010, Lee starred with Song Chang-eui in Life Is Beautiful as a gay couple.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The drama is one of the few Korean dramas about an openly gay couple in Korean society, which have conservative views on sexuality. Despite the controversy, the show was successful in the ratings, and Lee would later work again with renowned screenwriter Kim Soo-hyun on A Thousand Days' Promise (2011) and Childless Comfort (2012). After a supporting role in Believe in Love (also known as My Love, My Family, 2011), Lee was once again cast in the leading role in Feast of the Gods (2012). He later won the Excellence Award, Actor in a Special Project Drama at the MBC Drama Awards for Feast of the Gods and his supporting role in the period drama The King's Doctor. In 2013, Lee joined the ensemble cast of Goddess of Marriage, followed by the adultery drama One Warm Word.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1980 (1980-02-13): Birth of Lee Sang-woo — South Korean actor known for roles in First Wives' Club and leading dramas.
2. 2005: 2005 Milestone — Lee Sang-woo launched his acting career in 2005, starring in a Drama City episode and a minor role in the television drama 18 vs.
3. 2006: 2006 Milestone — During this time, he also starred as one of the three leading actors of the independent film Don't Look Back (2006), which was the closing film of that year's Jeonju International Film Festival, and won a critic's prize at the Locarno International Film Festival.
4. 2007: 2007 Milestone — He rose to fame in the 2007 television drama First Wives' Club, and has since played leading roles on The Road Home (2009), Don't Hesitate (2009), Life Is Beautiful (2010), and Feast of the Gods (2012).
5. 2009: 2009 Milestone — It was not until 2009 that Lee was cast in his first mainstream leading role, in The Road Home, followed soon after by another daily drama Don't Hesitate.
6. 2010: 2010 Milestone — In 2010, Lee starred with Song Chang-eui in Life Is Beautiful as a gay couple.
7. 2011: 2011 Milestone — Despite the controversy, the show was successful in the ratings, and Lee would later work again with renowned screenwriter Kim Soo-hyun on A Thousand Days' Promise (2011) and Childless Comfort (2012).
8. 2013: 2013 Milestone — In 2013, Lee joined the ensemble cast of Goddess of Marriage, followed by the adultery drama One Warm Word.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Lee Sang-woo

True or False: “Lee Sang-woo won a critic's prize at the Locarno International Film Festival for his role in Don't Look Back.”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): The Wikipedia extract confirms that Lee starred as one of the three leading actors in Don't Look Back (2006), which was the closing film of the Jeonju International Film Festival and won a critic's prize at Locarno.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Lee Sang-woo