ActorTHE BLACK LABEL
Lee Jong-won
Lee Jong-won (이종원) took the long route into lead-actor territory. He entered entertainment through modeling in 2017, shifted into acting in 2018, and spent the next stretch proving he could hold more than one kind of screen pressure before the industry started framing him like a headline name. That climb gave him range before it gave him hype. The Golden Spoon put him into the breakout conversation, Knight Flower turned that momentum into a broader ratings story, and Brewing Love confirmed he could carry romantic tension without losing edge. By the time he moved into Salmokji: Whispering Water, the pattern was already clear: Lee was no longer a prospect. He was being trusted with heavier structural weight across both series and film. With THE BLACK LABEL backing this phase, plus visible work tied to Showbox and the premium-drama lane around Netflix, Lee Jong-won is operating in the part of the market where consistency starts turning into real star power.
2 articles10 creditsDebut: January 1, 2018South Korean
Gallery
Filmography
2027
The Facade of LoveK-Drama
Dae-heeNetflix
2026
Salmokji: Whispering WaterFilm
Ki-taeShowbox
2025
You and Everything ElseK-Drama
Lee Seung-jaeNetflix
2024
Bad Memory EraserK-Drama
Lee Shin
2024
Brewing LoveK-Drama
Yoon Min-joo
2024
Knight FlowerK-Drama
Park Soo-ho
2022
The Golden SpoonK-Drama
Hwang Tae-yong
2021
Hospital Playlist 2K-Drama
Kim GeontvN
2020
The Spies Who Loved MeK-Drama
Tinker
Other Credits
2020
XXWeb Drama
Hwang Jung-deun
Fans Also Ask
Who is Lee Jong-won?
Lee Jong-won is a South Korean actor and former model born in 1994. He debuted in fashion in 2017, entered acting in 2018, and steadily climbed through projects including The Golden Spoon, Knight Flower, Brewing Love, and the 2026 film Salmokji: Whispering Water. His rise stands out because it came through consistent performance work rather than instant idol-style visibility.
What dramas made Lee Jong-won break out?
Lee Jong-won's breakout run came through The Golden Spoon in 2022, which earned him MBC's Best New Actor prize, and Knight Flower in 2024, which pushed him into a much bigger mainstream lane. Brewing Love then confirmed he could handle lead-romance pressure while keeping the intensity that made his earlier supporting work so effective.
Did Lee Jong-won start as a model?
Yes. Lee Jong-won first worked as a model before moving into acting. That background still shows in his camera awareness and physical control, but his current profile is being driven by acting results. By 2024 and 2026, the conversation around him centered on breakout drama roles and commercially visible film work, not fashion crossover curiosity.
What agency is Lee Jong-won under?
Lee Jong-won is represented by THE BLACK LABEL. He joined the company in 2023, placing him inside one of the most visible management ecosystems in Korean entertainment. That move lined up with the period when his profile expanded from strong-supporting-actor territory into headline roles across both television and film.
Is Lee Jong-won in Salmokji: Whispering Water?
Yes. Lee Jong-won is part of the key cast of Salmokji: Whispering Water, the 2026 horror film released by Showbox. The project matters because it gives him a commercially visible film credit at the same moment his K-drama momentum is accelerating, helping extend his career beyond television-only recognition.
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