He is best known for his supporting roles on television and film, notably his much-praised performances in Golden Time (2012), Broken (2014), Misaeng: Incomplete Life (2014), and Reborn Rich (2022).
[2][3][4][5] Lee has also received critical acclaim for his role in the 2018 espionage film The Spy Gone North, for which he won Best Actor at the 55th Baeksang Arts Awards.
[6] Lee Sung-min was born on October 15, 1968, in a small village called Dochon, located between Bonghwa and Yeongju in North Gyeongsang Province.
Perhaps, by absorbing movies through my father from an early stage, it enabled me to pursue an acting career and consistently engage in emotive performances.
Reflecting on those days, Lee Seong-min remarked, "Each troupe at the time pursued distinct directions, identities, and showcased different works.
As a result, 'Pig Hunt' received a prize of 20 million won and invited to the Seoul Performing Arts Festival held in October.
[10] In 2002, despite being in his mid-thirties, Lee Sung-min made a tough decision to leave his wife and daughter in Daegu and venture alone to Seoul.
Determined to pursue a career as an actor, he yearned to test and validate his skills in Daehangno, the heart of the Korean theater industry.
In order to save on transportation costs, Lee Sung-min would undertake a two-hour walk from Dongdaegu Station to his home in Shijidong.
He carried taxi and chauffeur service phone numbers in his pocket, always prepared to quickly earn money in case of unemployment.
Actor Ahn Jae-wook, who was the lead in the drama Oh Feel Young, even adjusted his schedule to accommodate Lee Sung-min's theater commitments.
After much contemplation, he made the bold decision to remain in Seoul, determined to set a precedent and prove that actors hailing from provincial backgrounds like himself could achieve nationwide recognition for their acting prowess.
Lee Sung-min vividly recalls how, during that time, he could only afford to buy cheap pork belly priced at around 1,000 won, which left his daughter disappointed.
[9] Lee Sung-min, who had often portrayed unlikeable villain roles, successfully underwent an image transformation in the 2012 MBC drama The King 2 Hearts.
It was reported that Lee Sung-min lost 7 kg of weight in order to showcase a different style of acting from his previous role as Go Jae-hak in the drama Brain, where he also played a doctor.
In the MBC drama Miss Korea, which aired around the same time, he portrayed Jung Sun-saeng, a former gangster who is chased by debt from Kim Hyung-jun (played by Lee Sun-kyun), the CEO of a cosmetics company.
Notably, Misaeng, made history as the first Korean drama to be filmed on location in Jordan, with actors Im Si-wan and Lee Sung-min shooting the series's prologue in Amman, Petra, and Wadi Rum.
[9][25] In early 2016, Lee Sung-min made his debut as a lead actor in the film Sori: Voice From the Heart in which he portrayed the character Hae-gwan.
They commended his portrayal, stating, "Sori is at its strongest when it focuses on Hae-Kwan and the surprising onion-layer style discoveries he makes about the daughter he was sure he knew (played by Chae Soo-bin in flashback).
[28] He flawlessly embodied the role of a first-generation chaebol who tenaciously clings to his position in the company, creating a profound emotional impact on viewers.
Lee Sung-min's commanding presence in the drama sparked discussions among viewers about the noticeable decrease in immersion after Jin Yang-chul's departure.
[29] Lee Sung-min's wife was a contemporary dance major who also served as the director overseeing the choreography for one of his performances in Daegu.