ActorHB Entertainment
Lee Sung-min
Lee Sung-min (이성민, born December 4, 1968, Bonghwa County, North Gyeongsang Province) spent two decades in theater before becoming one of Korean cinema and television's most decorated performers. He studied at Daegu Science University and honed his craft in stage productions throughout the 1990s before transitioning to screen work in the early 2000s.
His television breakthrough arrived with Golden Time (2012) before Misaeng: Incomplete Life (2014) transformed him into a household name. The gritty JTBC office drama cast him as Manager Oh, a figure of quiet dignity inside a brutal corporate hierarchy, earning Lee the Grand Prize at the Baeksang Arts Awards and cementing his status as a leading dramatic actor.
On film, Lee built an equally commanding body of work. The Spy Gone North (2018) saw him play a North Korean official in the espionage thriller, winning Best Actor at the Grand Bell Awards, Blue Dragon Film Awards, and Daejong Film Awards simultaneously. He followed with the political thriller The Man Standing Next (2020) as the KCIA director. In 2022, Disney+ series The Tyrant and the mega-hit Reborn Rich opposite Song Joong-ki brought him a second Baeksang Grand Prize, making him one of the rare actors to win the award twice.
Recent highlights include Shadow Detective (2022-2023) on Disney+, the military coup thriller 12.12: The Day (2023), Handsome Guys (2024), and a supporting role in Park Chan-wook's No Other Choice (2025), co-produced by Moho Film and CJ ENM. In May 2025, he joined HB Entertainment, one of Korea's premier talent agencies.
1 articles9 creditsDebut: January 1, 1985South Korean
Gallery
이성민 at Money Game tvN production press conference, 2020 (CC BY 3.0)
Filmography
2025
No Other Choice (어쩔수가없다)Film
Supporting Actor
2024
Handsome Guys (핸섬가이즈)Film
Lead Actor
2023
12.12: The Day (서울의 봄)Film
Supporting Actor
2020
The Man Standing Next (남산의 부장들)Film
Supporting Actor
2018
The Spy Gone North (공작)Film
Lead Actor
Other Credits
2022
Reborn Rich (재벌집 막내아들)TV Series
Lead Actor
2022
Shadow Detective (형사록)TV Series
Lead Actor
2014
Misaeng: Incomplete Life (미생)TV Series
Lead Actor
2012
Golden Time (골든 타임)TV Series
Lead Actor
Fans Also Ask
What is Lee Sung-min best known for?
Lee Sung-min is best known for Misaeng: Incomplete Life (2014) and Reborn Rich (2022), both of which won him the Grand Prize at the Baeksang Arts Awards, making him one of very few actors to claim Korea's top acting honor twice. His espionage film The Spy Gone North (2018) also won him three simultaneous major awards for Best Actor.
What awards has Lee Sung-min won?
Lee Sung-min has won the Baeksang Arts Awards Grand Prize twice, for Misaeng (2014) and Reborn Rich (2022). He also swept the Grand Bell, Blue Dragon, and Daejong Film Awards for Best Actor for The Spy Gone North (2018). In 2025, he won Best Supporting Actor at the 46th Blue Dragon Film Awards for No Other Choice, making him one of the most consistently decorated actors in South Korean cinema.
Who does Lee Sung-min represent with?
Lee Sung-min is currently represented by HB Entertainment, which he joined in May 2025 after concluding his long-term contract with Hodu&U Entertainment. HB Entertainment is a comprehensive agency known for representing top Korean talent including Joo Sang-wook.
What is Lee Sung-min's role in No Other Choice?
Lee Sung-min plays a supporting role in Park Chan-wook's No Other Choice (2025), co-produced by Moho Film and CJ ENM. The film was pre-sold to over 200 countries, surpassing the record set by Park's Decision to Leave (2022).
What is Lee Sung-min's theater background?
Before his screen career, Lee Sung-min spent nearly two decades as a theater actor in Daegu. He began with the troupe Audience and Stage (객석과 무대) in the early 1990s, collaborating with directors Choi Joo-hwan and Jeong Cheol-won. His deep stage training underpins the naturalistic intensity he brings to complex, understated roles in film and television.
