Lee Min-ho

June 22, 2025

Fast Facts
Background
Career Timeline
Why We Love
Surprising Facts
FAQs

Lee Min-ho was born on June 22, 1987, in Seoul, South Korea. He is one of the most influential South Korean artists. Lee rose to fame with the movie “Boys Over Flowers” (2009). The role not only earned him several awards, including that of ‘Best New Actor’, but opened doors to leading roles in various movie projects like “Legend of the Blue Sea” (2016), “City Hunter” (2011), and “The Heirs” (2013), to name a few. The actor has contributed to the rise and success of Korean dramas on a global level. He is considered a top Hallyu star due to his success in the T.V. industry. Apart from acting, Lee enjoys a massive following on various social media platforms where he creates short-form content and films.

Fast Facts

Full Name:

Lee Min-ho

Nickname:

Chemi-Shin

Birth date:

June 22, 1987

Age:

Zodiac Sign:

Cancer

Height:

6' 2"

Relationship Status:

Single

Net Worth:

$117 million

Background

Lee Min-ho is a well-known and accomplished South Korean actor, singer, and creative director. He is known for his lead role in the T.V. drama series “Boys Over Flowers” (2009) and a significant role in “Personal Taste” (2010). He was born on June 22, 1987, in Heukseok-dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, South Korea. Little is known about his parents; however, his older sister, Lee Young-Jung, is the current C.E.O. of his company, M.Y.M. Entertainment. Lee aspired to be a professional footballer. However, he suffered an injury and turned to acting in the second year of high school.

In 2006, he debuted in the lead role in the EBS series, “Secret Campus.” In the same year, his acting career was halted due to a severe car accident. In the following years, he appeared in various movies, such as “Public Enemy Returns” and “Our School’s E.T.” His breakthrough arrived in 2009 when he played an important role in “Boys Over Flowers.” This role earned him worldwide fame and the ‘Best New Actor’ award. In 2011, he featured in the drama series “City Hunter,” which became a commercial success and catapulted his popularity. Apart from acting, he has tried his luck in music and has released two albums, “My Everything” (2013) and “Song for You.”

He has established the PROMIZ website for fundraising, creating awareness, and encouraging donations for humanitarian causes. The site has raised donations for several humanitarian projects. He has also been an Honorary Ambassador for the UNICEF Love Net Campaign to Fight Malaria (2009-2010), P.R. Ambassador for Visit Korea (2016-2018), and Honorary Ambassador for the King Sejong Institute Foundation, to name a few. He has a fan base of over 20 million followers on Instagram and Facebook. He has previously dated the South Korean actresses, Kim Hee Sun and Park Min Young. Presently, he is single.

Career timeline

2002

His Initial Acting Pursuit

He starts auditioning and has minor roles in several T.V. productions.

2006

His Movie Debut

He makes his debut in the EBS series, “Secret Campus.”

2009

His Breakthrough Arrives

His lead role in “Boy Over Flowers” is his breakthrough in acting as the movie becomes a smash hit!

2011

He Achieves Global Success

He gains international fame with the movie “City Hunter,” which becomes a commercial success and contributes to his popularity.

2014

His Humanitarian Project

He sets up the PROMIZ website, a fundraising platform, and the proceeds from the forum are donated to selected partners.

2021

His Popularity Soars

He emerges as the most-followed actor in South Korea with over 22.5 million fans on Weibo, 17 million followers on Facebook, and three million followers on Twitter.

Why We Love Lee Min-ho

He is charitable
He has established the PROMZ website, an online platform that raises funds and awareness for charitable causes. In 2015, he donated almost $100 million to UNICEF to help earthquake victims in Nepal.
He is an ambassador
He has held various ambassadorial roles, including Honorary Ambassador for UNICEF Love Net Campaign to Fight Malaria (2010) and Honorary Ambassador for the King Sejong Institute Foundation (2019), to name a few. He has taken the South Korean entertainment industry to a global level.
His amazing reach
He uses his huge social media reach to teach and educate his fans about acting. He is also the creative director and executive producer of his YouTube channel.

5 Surprising Facts

He is bilingual
He is fluent in both Korean and English.
His military service
He served his mandatory service in the South Korean military from 2017 to 2019.
He is not religious
Although he belongs to a family of devoted Buddhists, he calls himself irreligious.
He wanted to be a sportsman
He wanted to be a professional football player before making a switch to acting.
A dangerous car crash
In 2006, he was involved in a near-fatal car accident, which left him bedridden.