Lee first became known for her role in the teen drama series School 4, and subsequently gained popularity with her role in the family drama Precious Family (2005).

In 2014, Lee won the Grand Prize at MBC Drama Awards, gaining 385,434 (about 54%) out of 712,300 votes sent in by the viewers.

[2][3] She was also ranked in the top five of Gallup Korea's "Actor of the Year", climbing to second place just behind Kim Soo-hyun.

[4] In 2011, Lee and fellow actress Kim Soo-kyum co-launched female apparel shopping mall 'Miss Today'.

[5][6] Lee Yu-ri met her husband, a missionary theologian, through bible study in 2008.