ActorKorea Management Group
Lee Sang Bo
Lee Sang Bo (이상보) spent two decades building one of Korean televisions quieter, more resilient careers. Born in Seoul in 1981, he debuted in 2006 with the KBS2 daily drama The Invisible Man Choi Jang Soo under the stage name Lee Bo Hyun before returning to his real name in 2016. Credits accumulated across KBS daily dramas including Daughters-in-Law and Cruel Love, while film work included Secretly, Greatly (2013) and the thriller Mephisto. His breakthrough came in 2021 with Miss Monte-Cristo on KBS2, a modern revenge drama that confirmed him as a lead-capable talent. In 2022, a preliminary drug test returned a false positive for morphine. Lee contested the result immediately, attributed it to prescribed antidepressants and tranquilizers, and hospital testing came back negative. Pyeongtaek Police cleared him of all suspicion. The exoneration cleared the path for a comeback. He stepped into The Elegant Empire in 2023 after the original lead stepped down, and his performance earned him Best Actor in a Daily Drama at the 2023 KBS Drama Awards. In 2025, he signed an exclusive contract with Korea Management Group. Lee Sang Bo died on March 27, 2026, at his home in Pyeongtaek City. He was 44.
1 articles5 creditsDebut: January 1, 2006South Korean
Gallery
Filmography
2023
The Elegant EmpireK-Drama
Na Seung-pil
2021
Miss Monte-CristoK-Drama
Lead
2020
RugalK-Drama
Supporting
2015
MephistoFilm
Supporting
2013
Secretly, GreatlyFilm
Supporting
Fans Also Ask
What was Lee Sang Bo best known for?
Lee Sang Bo was best known for his lead role in The Elegant Empire (2023), which earned him Best Actor in a Daily Drama at the 2023 KBS Drama Awards. He was also recognized for Miss Monte-Cristo (2021) and two decades of work across Korean television and film.
When did Lee Sang Bo debut?
Lee Sang Bo debuted in 2006 in the KBS2 drama The Invisible Man Choi Jang Soo under the stage name Lee Bo Hyun. He returned to his real name in 2016. His career spanned 20 years.
What happened with Lee Sang Bo drug case?
In September 2022, a preliminary home test returned a positive result for morphine. Lee attributed it to prescribed antidepressants and tranquilizers. Hospital testing came back negative and Pyeongtaek Police cleared him of all suspicion.
How did Lee Sang Bo die?
Lee Sang Bo was found unresponsive at his home in Pyeongtaek City, Gyeonggi Province on March 27, 2026. He was 44 years old. His agency declined to disclose the cause of death at the family request. Police found no signs of criminal activity.
What agency was Lee Sang Bo signed to?
Lee Sang Bo signed an exclusive contract with Korea Management Group in 2025. The agency issued the official statement confirming his passing in March 2026.
