She is best known for her roles in Korean dramas such as Yellow Handkerchief, My Rosy Life, Famous Princesses, Wang's Family, and Sky Castle.

After graduating from Haeseong International Convention High School, she worked in a company for three years and supported herself with part-time jobs at a cafe in Myeong-dong or a Japanese restaurant in Daehangno.

[4] She has since appeared in many television dramas in the late 1990s, such as Fascinate My Heart, Goodbye My Love, Days of Delight and Soonpoong Clinic.

In 2002, she received KBS Excellence in Acting Award for her portrayal of the bubbly model Lee Ha-na in the romantic comedy Who's My Love.

Lee received her first KBS Top Excellence in Acting Award for her portrayal of Yoon Ja-young, a designer who was dumped by her boyfriend of ten years and raised a child alone.

[4][5] In 2005, she appeared in the highly popular KBS series My Rosy Life,[6] written by Moon Young-nam, which also featured Choi Jin-sil.

[13][14] In 2018, she starred in the hit drama Sky Castle as Lee Soo-im, a novel writer and the humble and loving housewife and stepmother in the Hwang household.

She joined singer Lee Moon-sae, actor Park Sang-won and film director Han Ji-seung to help reconstruct a school.

[32] In March 2009, alongside Hanyang University celebrity alumni Jang Keun-suk, Ha Seok-jin, Park Mi-sun and Jung Il-woo, Lee participated in the Blood Donation Festival “Seventy Days of Miracles”, an effort to raise money for children with heart disease and other people in dire need.

In October 2012, Lee travelled to Tanzania for the filming of MBC’s reality show “2012 KOICA’s Dream”, alongside Nichkhun, Taecyeon, Park Sung-woong, Kim Hyuk and other volunteers.

She volunteers at the food market, donates rice, and also visits elderly citizens living alone, people with disabilities, and low-income families at least twice a month.

[38] Her week-long mission was featured in "2014 SBS Hope TV", a show designed to raise awareness about the issues that Africans face, and bringing in donations at the same time.