[1] In 2020, Lee directed his first Netflix original series, Sweet Home, which is based on the Naver webtoon of the same name by Kim Carnby and Hwang Young-chan.
[4] In 2009, Lee made his debut as director in KBS2's Monday-Tuesday drama Hometown of Legends - Forbidden Books written by Bang Ji-young.
[5] In 2010, Lee teamed up with director Jeon Woo-seong to direct The Reputable Family (Myeongga), written by Baek Young-sook and Yoon Young-soo.
[7] A year prior, in January 2009, media outlets reported that Bae Yong-joon, hallyu actor and chairman of KeyEast, would collaborate with Park Jin-young's entertainment company JYP to co-produce a television drama.
[9] Bae served as the creative producer of the drama, contributing to the overall concept, goals, and ideas, while Park composed the music and choreographed the dance for the series.
[13] The main cast included Ok Taec-yeon and Jang Wooyoung from the group 2PM, Bae Suzy from Miss A, Hahm Eun-jung from T-ara, singer IU, and Kim Soo-hyun.
It also gained popularity overseas, contributing to increased recognition for its cast members, including Kim Woo-bin and Lee Jong-suk.
[19] Secret Love garnered positive reviews consistently for its well-structured portrayal of a passionate melodrama involving four individuals intertwined with revenge and desire.
Hwang Eui-kyung, the Chief Producer of the KBS drama department, acknowledged that broadcasting companies traditionally hesitated to hire new writers for mini-series, due to the financial implications and higher risk.
Producer Lee Eung-bok was initially drawn to Descendants of the Sun when he was still experiencing anger and frustration following the Sewol Ferry disaster, finding solace in the story.
Since Lee had limited experience shooting abroad, he enlisted the help of director Kang Myeong-chan and Kim Dong-sik, who had previously worked as a coordinator during the filming of the Korean portion of the movie Avengers.
[24] On September 28, 2015, the entire cast and crew, including the four main leads and supporting actors Kang Shin-il and Onew, embarked on a trip to Greece.
These special episodes showcased highlights and memorable scenes from the series, provided insights into the drama's production process, featured behind-the-scenes footage, included commentaries from the cast members, and concluded with a final epilogue.
[39] Following Lee's move to CJ ENM he joined forces once again with Kim Eun-sook for tvN's Friday-Saturday drama Guardian: The Lonely and Great God.