14 Years Of Lee Min-Ho: From Gu Jun-Pyo To Emperor Lee Gon
We take you through all the K-Drama heartthrob’s looks to see his evolution through the years!
Perhaps one of his generation’s most successful actors, Lee Min-ho and his enduring career in TV and film has spanned almost 15 years in South Korea and beyond. Prior to his official debut in 2006, he first made small appearances in several shows before he landed the role of Park Du-hyeon in Secret Campus. He also starred in films Get Up and Our School’s E.T. before making a major breakthrough in 2009 with Gu Jun-pyo in Boys Over Flowers—the role that ultimately launched him into superstardom.
Since then, he has top-billed a stream of notable projects including City Hunter, Heirs, Gangnam Blues, Bounty Hunters, and Legend of the Blue Sea, won a flurry of awards, released studio albums, became the face of many international brands, and dated high-profile actresses before taking a hiatus for his mandatory military service at the age of 30. Needless to say, the “first act” of Lee Min-ho’s career often left his fans waiting with bated breath for what he’ll do next.
Now staging the “second act” of his career, Lee Min-ho is cementing his place as K-Drama royalty in The King: Eternal Monarch with new episodes currently airing on Netflix every weekend.
As storied as his career has been, we can’t talk about this Korean superstar without mentioning his handsome features—those prominent cheekbones, that perfect nose, his poreless skin! From an impressionable school boy to the Emperor of the Kingdom of Corea, the 32-year-old has had many different faces and phases throughout his career. Take a peek at his past and present looks in our gallery below!
Lee Min-Ho's Evolution
Lee Min-Ho's Evolution
Pre-Debut
While he’d go on to star in trending K-Dramas and date some of South Korea’s most beautiful, Lee Min-ho’s first love wasn’t acting nor was it any of his exes—it was actually football! As a child, he dreamed of playing the sport professionally. Here, we can see him wearing his hair clean and short, just practical enough for the field.
Photo Credit: AsianTown
Pre-Debut
Unfortunately, he suffered from an injury in his younger years that prevented him from pursuing his dream. Luckily for us, he set his sights on acting in high school until he signed to Starhaus Entertainment during his senior year. Even then, you can already see the future Gu Jun-Pyo in this graduation photo!
Photo Credit: K-Pop Herald
School Boy
In 2006, Lee Min-ho landed his debut role as Park Du-hyeon in Secret Campus. He played a high school athlete in the drama, with much of his look remaining unchanged from his own high school self. He just wore his long-ish hair a little spikier.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
School Boy
As Min Wook-gi in Get Up (2008), the 21-year-old Lee Min-ho looked every bit the carefree campus heartthrob he portrayed in this made-for-TV movie. He still kept his hair quite similar, but you can already see a bit of transformation in his look.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
School Boy
He joined the ensemble cast of the movie Our School’s E.T. in 2008 for his first feature film where we first see him sport a shorter ’do that highlighted his strong jawline and straight nose.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Big Break
Possibly his most iconic role, the one that catapulted him to stardom: Boys Over Flower’s Gu Jun-pyo in 2009 featured Lee Min-ho as the leader of the F4 gang and a chaebol to a business empire (popularized by Jerry Yan in the Taiwanese remake Meteor Garden). As Jun-pyo, he permed his hair to stay true to his manga-based character.
Photo Credit: Channel Korea
Best New Actor
While Boys Over Flowers was still airing, Lee Min-ho was recognized as Best New Actor at the 45th Baeksang Arts Awards. He received the honor looking every bit the up-and-comer, ditching Gu Jun-pyo’s curls and opting for straight and textured hair.
Photo Credit: KoreanCorner
Best New Actor
Later on in the year, he cleaned up even better at the 2009 KBS Drama Awards to receive yet another Best New Actor award as well as a Best Couple award with Ku Hye-sun for Boys Over Flowers. Here, we see him for the first time with a bit of quiff for a cleaner, more polished look and a bit more makeup that made him look even fresher.
Photo Credit: Dramabeans
The Kiss
(1/2) As his popularity continued to rise, Lee Min-ho starred in the music video for Dara’s solo debut “Kiss” during the height of 2NE1’s fame. Released in 2010, the MV featured him wearing a heavily styled version of his hair and a bit of eyeliner!
Photo Credit: Oh! Dara
The Kiss
(2/2) As his popularity continued to rise, Lee Min-ho starred in the music video for Dara’s solo debut “Kiss” during the height of 2NE1’s fame. Released in 2010, the MV featured him wearing a heavily styled version of his hair and a bit of eyeliner!
Photo Credit: Oh! Dara
Personal Taste
His next starring role was in Personal Taste (2010), opposite actress Son Ye-jin, where he played an architect. Desperate to keep his design firm afloat, he pretends to be gay to do so. In the rom-com, Lee Min-ho kept his look neat yet trendy with his long hair styled with brushed-up soft spikes.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Excellent Actor
In December 2010, Lee Min-ho took home the Excellence Award at the MBC Drama Awards for his work in Personal Taste. We can now see a bit more change in his look, his long hair cut shorter with a side-swept fringe that framed his gorgeous facial features.
City Hunter
Lee Min-ho played the titular character in the TV adaptation of the Japanese manga City Hunter in his next drama where he starred alongside Park Min-young. As the vengeful lead Lee Yoon-sung, he dyed his hair a deep auburn and grew out his side-swept fringe a bit longer for the action-thriller drama.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Multi-Awarded
By the end of 2011, he gained more praise for his talent as he won three awards at the 19th SBS Drama Awards. He accepted his Top Excellence, Popularity, and Top 10 Awards with visibly darker hair and his signature side-swept fringe.
Photo Credit: Love Minsun
Making History
Lee Min-ho’s next drama, The Great Doctor (2012), transported him 700 years into the past where he played General Choi Young of the royal guard. The heartthrob, who starred opposite Kim Hee-sun, sported his longest hair yet for a character: chopped in layers and styled in waves.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
International Ambassador
His global fame continued to rise in 2012, particularly in other Asian countries. In the Philippines, he was announced as an ambassador for local clothing brand Bench and Bench Fix for their 25th anniversary. In one of his ads for the brand, his usually textured locks were styled sleek and straight—something new for the K-Drama star based on his previous looks!
Photo Credit: BENCH FIX
Chaebol Charm
The Heirs (2013, also known as Inheritors) showcased a more mature, more dashing Lee Min-ho onscreen. At the press conference for the show, he had cut his hair the shortest and the most tapered it’s ever been. It’s definitely one of his best looks yet!
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Gangnam Grit
In his first lead role in a feature film, Lee Min-ho turned gritty in the noir action film Gangnam 1970. To play Kim Jong-dae, the actor flexed some facial hair (another first!) and side-parted hair.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
When in Rome
In an Instagram post September 2015, he shared a candid snap of him in front of a shop in Rome—his dimples, his jawline, and his red hair grabbing everyone’s attention.
Photo Credit: @actorleeminho
Mr. Popular
That same year, he took home yet another Popularity Award at the 36th Blue Dragon Film Awards where he walked the red carpet and received the honor looking super dapper with his pompadour!
Photo Credit: KIMSOCOOL
Bounty Hunter
As his enlistment drew near, Lee Min-ho worked on several projects in 2016; the first of which was the action-comedy film Bounty Hunter. Appearing before the press, he still looks as fresh as ever with his short hair blown out so perfectly.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Legend of the Blue Seaa
We see a bit of Lee Min-ho’s earlier self in his character Heo Joon-jae, his long fringe back with a trendier vengeance. Slightly lighter in color and a bit wavy in texture, it was a perfect beach look for the gorgeous actor.
Photo Credit: Hancinema
Military Service
The actor shared a snap of him on Instagram sporting his crew cut after he finished his four-week basic training in the military. His service lasted between May 2017 to April 2019.
Photo Credit: @actorleeminho
Military Service
He was discharged from the military in April 2019 with his hair already grown a considerable length. Apart from his basic training, Channel Korea spent reports that he mostly spent his service at a government agency where he often wore masks while on civil duty.
Photo Credit: Koreaboo
From Paris, with Love
Shortly after serving the military, Lee Min-ho shared happy snaps of him in Paris with his tousled hair down.
Photo Credit: @actorleeminho
King of K-Drama
With The King: Eternal Monarch marking his comeback and his “second act,” Lee Min-ho stuns as Emperor Lee Gon starring opposite Kim Go-eun. Looking every bit an ageless royal—his strong jawline, high cheekbones, poreless skin, and straight nose highlighted beautifully in this promotional photo for the series. We definitely can’t wait to see more of this heartthrob in 2020 and beyond!
Photo Credit: Hancinema
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