[4][5] Lee had previously acted opposite Im in Red Shoes (1975) and continued to do so in Blue Classroom (1976), I've Never Felt Like This Before (1976), Angry Apple (1977), When We Grow Up... (1977), The First Snow (1977), The Hey Days of Youth 77 (1979), and Love's Scribble (1988).

[6][7][8] On the small screen, Lee won the prestigious Daesang (or "Grand Prize") for the contemporary drama Love and Ambition (1987) and period epic Han Myung-hoe (1994).

The latter is among the many real-life historical figures that Lee has played in his prolific career, including Joseon prime minister Han Myung-hoe in Han Myung-hoe (1994), Goryeo military dictator Yi Ui-min in Age of Warriors (2003), Tang dynasty general Xue Rengui in Dae Jo-yeong (2006), Goryeo military commander Gang Gam-chan in Empress Cheonchu (2009), and King Dongmyeong of Goguryeo in The King of Legend (2010).

[15] In 2013, Lee received glowing reviews for his turn as King Injo in the period drama Blooded Palace: The War of Flowers, shown on cable channel jTBC.

[23] He actively campaigned for Lee Myung-bak during the 2007 primaries and presidential election, making speeches at sorties and taking an advisory post for the team's art and culture policy.

[23][24] In 2009, Lee, Cho Jae-hyun, Choi Soo-jong, Sul Kyung-gu, Kim Hye-soo, Ahn Sung-ki and Park Joong-hoon each taught a master class in acting at the Im Kwon-taek Film and Art College of Dongseo University.