Your Ultimate Lee Joon Gi Drama Guide
As one of Korea’s top action stars, this gifted actor has fought his way into our hearts with thrilling and emotional dramas we will not soon forget—’Flower of Evil,’ ‘Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo,’ just to name a few
Chances are, as K-drama lover and fan, you're familiar with Lee Joon-Gi who impresses not just with his unique and striking visuals but with his incredible talent. Or, perhaps, this action stud and "King of Sageuk" caught your eye in hit dramas Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo, where he starred alongside Lee Ji-Eun (IU), Lawless Lawyer, and the recently concluded Flower of Evil.
While his career in entertainment actually began in 2003 in the drama Nonstop 4 where he had a minor role, it wasn't until 2005 where he was cast as a lead in the critically acclaimed film The King and the Clown (2005) where he played Gong-gil, a clown. He gained further recognition in My Girl (2005), a romantic comedy, which had him starring alongside Lee Da-hae, Lee Dong-wook, and Park Si-yeon, rising stars in their own right then. After that, the amount and diversity of projects offered to him poured in, and critics and audiences alike marveled and recognized his versatility, hard work, and passion for his craft. It was in two particular genres that the multi-awarded actor found his star shining brightest: historical dramas (sageuks) and suspenseful dramas.
Lee Joon-Gi as Wang So in 'Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo' | SBS
If you're having withdrawals ever since Flower of Evil ended, why not try out one of his other dramas for size? Action thrillers, mystery dramas, and sageuks abound—here are all 18 dramas you can catch Lee Joon-Gi in!
Your Ultimate Lee Joon Gi Drama Guide
Your Ultimate Lee Joon Gi Drama Guide
Nonstop 4 (2003)
Nonstop was a sitcom series that was popular for its cast of teen idols, many of whom gained vast popularity after making their debut on the show.
Photo Credit: MBC
Nonstop 4 (2003)
Lee Joon-Gi may have only had a minor role in this show but this role marked his debut in the industry.
Photo Credit: MBC
Drama City: What Should I Do? (2004)
Drama City: "What Should I Do?" is 234th episode of Drama City—a collection of single episode short dramas. Each episode has a different story, and the cast changes every week. Seong Ho, played by Lee Joon-gi, lives a poor life with his father and his sickly mother is hospitalized.
Photo Credit: KBS
Drama City: What Should I Do? (2004)
One day, after one of his arguments with his dad, Seong-ho runs out of the house to let off steam by taking a spin on his roller blades. Suddenly, he travels through time and he meets his parents prior to their dating. He uncovers more information about his parents and how they met.
Photo Credit: KBS
Star's Echo (2004)
This two-part mini-series sees its story = centered on the love between a musically gifted South Korean man, Sung-jae (Jo Hyun-jae), and a Japanese woman, Misaki (Nakagoshi Noriko).
Photo Credit: MBC, Fuji TV
Star's Echo (2004)
Misaki, who feels guilty over her boyfriend's death, is transferred to Korean and meets Sung-jae who helps her cure her wounds of the past memories with love. Lee Joon-Gi plays Sung-Jae's cousin Chan-Kyu.
Photo Credit: MBC, Fuji TV
My Girl (2005)
A native of Jeju Island, Joo Yoo-rin (Lee Da-hae) lives with her father, a gambler. Because of her father's numerous debts, Yoo-rin has become particularly skilled at lying and grifting. When her father escapes the island to hide from his debtors, Yoo-rin is determined to support herself and clear up the debts. One day, she meets Seol Gong-chan (Lee Dong-wook), the sole heir to the L'Avenue Hotel fortune.
Photo Credit: SBS
My Girl (2005)
Lee Joon-gi brings to life the character of Seo Jung-woo, the son of one of the major shareholders of L'Avenuel Hotel. He is also Gong-chan's best friend. Unlike Gong-chan who is responsible and hardworking, Jung-woo is a playboy who is known to have many girlfriends.
Photo Credit: SBS
The 101st Proposal (2006)
Forever bachelor Park Dal-jae (Lee Moon-sik) has gone on more marriage blind dates than he can count and yet he still can't find a wife. It's a tough market since he's not young, good-looking, or rich—however, he's got his heart in the right place. On his 100th date, he finally meets the perfect girl, 29-year-old announcer Han Soo-jung (Park Sun-young).
Photo Credit: SBS
The 101st Proposal (2006)
Lee Joon-Gi makes a cameo appearance as himself in one of the episodes, enjoying himself at a party.
Photo Credit: SBS
Time Between Dog and Wolf (2007)
After his mother is brutally murdered by the Triad in Thailand, Soo-hyun (Lee Joon-Gi]) is adopted by NIS agent Kang Joong-ho. He grows up with Min-ki (Jung Kyoung-Ho) like brothers and they both become NIS agents later on. One fateful day, Soo-hyun meets Ji-woo (Nam Sang-Mi) after last seeing her in Thailand when he was a child and they start seeing each other.
Photo Credit: MBC
Time Between Dog and Wolf (2007)
On a mission one day, Soo-hyun's suppressed memories of the day his mother died surfaces in his mind. NIS Director Jung gives Soo-hyun an undercover assignment to infiltrate the Triad and Soo-hyun takes the job. Soo-hyun fakes his death and assumes a new identity to become a member of the Triad. With his fake identity and new name, he prowls the streets of Bangkok.
Photo Credit: MBC
Il Ji-Mae: The Phantom Thief (2008)
This period-action drama stars Lee Joon-gi in the title role of Iljimae and is loosely based on the comic strip Iljimae, published between 1975 and 1977, written by Ko Woo-young and based on Chinese folklore from the Ming dynasty about a masked Robin Hood-esque character during the Joseon era. Lee Gyeom (Lee Joon-gi) is the son of the virtuous nobleman Lee Won-ho, the king's trustworthy supporter and brother, and a central member of the secret organization Cheonwoohoe, composed of other five important nobles with the king as their leader.
Photo Credit: SBS
Il Ji-Mae: The Phantom Thief (2008)
Because of a fortune told, the king killed Lee Won-ho as he believed that 'two suns cannot exist on the same sky'. Gyeom, from the inside of a safe, manages to survive and witnesses the murder of his father; later, when he is forced to throw a rock at his mother's head to prove that he isn't her son, he loses his memory for the shock and is adopted by a retired thief, Soe-dol, who renames him "Yong-i". Then, thirteen years later, Yong-i regains his memories only to discover that his older sister Yeon has been sentenced and hanged. The murder of his older sister leaves Gyeom seeking revenge and, with the emblem on the killer's sword he remembers from thirteen years ago as his only clue, he swears to avenge his family.
Photo Credit: SBS
Hero (2009)
Hero is an action-comedy drama about passionate reporters who work for a third-rate newspaper fighting against corruption and inequality in society. It stars Lee Joon-gi, Yoon So-yi, Um Ki-joon, and Baek Yoon-sik.
Photo Credit: SBS
Hero (2009)
Lee Joon-gi plays the character of Jin Do-hyuk who lost his parents at an early age. His older sister raised him, though she is immature and impulsive, and often takes Do-hyuk's money if he has any. Do-hyuk wants to become a journalist like his father, and his dream job is to work at the prestigious newspaper Daese Ilbo. But because of their situation, he is unable to attend college and instead gets hired at the tabloid Monday Seoul, famous for its scandalous articles and ruthless paparazzi.
Photo Credit: MBC
Arang and the Magistrate (2012)
A period horror-romance that is based on the folklore of Arang (who died unjustly and returns as a ghost in order to reveal the circumstances surrounding her death), Arang and the Magistrate sees its story begin with a nobleman named Kim Eun-oh (Lee Joon-gi) who comes to town searching for his mother after hearing a rumor that she is staying at the village of Miryang. He has the special ability to hear, see, and touch spirits, but pretends he doesn't because he gets annoyed when they ask him for favors.
Photo Credit: MBC
Arang and the Magistrate (2012)
A-rang (Shin Min-ah) lost all her memories when she became a ghost and is unable to rest in peace until she finds out how she died. She finds out that Eun-oh is able to see her and she begs for his help. Eun-oh rejects her request, as expected. However, he changes his mind after seeing that A-rang somehow has a distinctive hairpin that he gave his mother at their last meeting. He believes that if he helps her, Arang will regain her memories and give him information about his mother. As the town's newly installed magistrate, he teams up with her to investigate the circumstances surrounding her death, which may involve the mysterious nobleman Joo-wal. Along the way, they must prevent Arang from being captured by Mu-young, the leader of the local grim reapers. Events unfold and things at Miryang may be even more horrifying than they appear.
Photo Credit: MBC
Two Weeks (2013)
Jang Tae-san (Lee Joon-gi) is a gangster who had to learn to survive with his fist and wits. He meet, and ultimately falls in love with a college student, Seo In-hye, who sees a good heart and wounded soul underneath his tough exterior.
Photo Credit: MBC
Two Weeks (2013)
When In-hye gets pregnant, Tae-san prepares to leave the gangster syndicate to start a life with her. But he is blackmailed by the gang boss, Moon Il-seok, who wants Tae-san to be his fall guy for an assault charge and go to prison in his place; Il-seok threatens to kill In-hye if Tae-san refuses. So Tae-san tells In-hye to get an abortion and cruelly breaks up with her, then goes off to prison for several years. Eight years later, he learns that he has a daughter with leukemia. Tae-san spends the next two weeks in a life-or-death struggle to save himself and his little girl.
Photo Credit: MBC
Gunman in Joseon (2014)
The drama's story begins in 1876, the third year of Emperor Gojong's reign—a time of great upheaval and rapid modernization. There is conflict brewing between the two leading political factions, the Sugu (conservative) and the Kaehwa (enlightenment). As time goes by, Gojong's Kaehwa supporters have begun, one by one, to fall victim to a mysterious figure toting a brand-new style of gun.
Photo Credit: KBS
Gunman in Joseon (2014)
Park Yoon-kang (Lee Joon-gi) is the son of the last great swordsman of nineteenth century Joseon. After Jin-han, his father, is killed by conspirators then falsely branded a traitor, his children are also punished. His younger sister was then enslaved. The girl Yoon-kang loves, Soo-in (Nam Sang-mi), helps him escape arrest but while on a boat he is shot, falls into the water, and is presumed dead. Fortunately, Yoon-kang is rescued by a group of men heading to Japan, and three years later, he returns to Joseon under the assumed name Hasegawa Hanjo to embark on his revenge mission and has traded his sword for a rifle.
Photo Credit: KBS
The Scholar Who Walks the Night (2015)
This 20-episode drama directed by Lee Sung-Joon and written by Jo Joo-Hee (original comic), Han Seung-Hee (original comic), Jang Hyun-Joo, stars Lee Joon-gi, Lee Yu-bi, Shim Chang-min, Lee Soo-hyuk, and Kim So-eun. This drama sees the reunion of Lee Joon-gi and Kim So-eun who both starred in the 2006 film, Fly, Daddy, Fly.
Photo Credit: MBC
The Scholar Who Walks the Night (2015)
Lee Joon-gi plays the character of Kim Sung-yeol, "Night Scholar," aloyal and courageous scholar who is a close friend of Crown Prince Jonghyun, who works at the Hongmungwan. Sung-yeol has spent 120 years as a guardian vampire who is responsible for getting rid of any vampire who disobeys the rules. As a guardian vampire, he is able to go out in sunlight as long as he wears his special black robe.
Photo Credit: MBC
She Was Pretty (2015)
This hit romantic comedy, based on a true story, is about two past acquaintances who meet again after they've gone through a reversal of fortunes and appearances, set in the backdrop of a fashion magazine's publishing office. It stars Hwang Jung-eum, Park Seo-joon, Go Joon-hee and Choi Si-won.
Photo Credit: MBC
She Was Pretty (2015)
Lee Joon-gi makes a cameo appearance as himself, in episode 9 as one of the The Most 20th Anniversary party guests.
Photo Credit: MBC
Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (2016)
Based on the Chinese novel Bu Bu Jing Xin, Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo follows the story of a 25-year-old 21st-century woman, Go Ha-jin (Lee Ji-eun/IU), who is transported back in time to the Goryeo Dynasty suddenly during a total solar eclipse. She wakes up in the year of 941 in the body of Hae Soo, among the many royal subjects of the ruling Wang family during the reign of King Taejo.
Photo Credit: SBS
Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (2016)
Though Hae Soo initially falls in love with the gentle and warm-hearted 8th Prince Wang Wook (Kang Ha-neul), she later on really falls for Wang So (Lee Joon-gi), the fearsome 4th Prince who hides his face behind a mask and is given the derogatory label of "wolf dog". As the story develops, Hae Soo finds herself unwittingly caught up in palace politics and the rivalry among the princes as they fight for the throne.
Photo Credit: SBS
Criminal Minds (2017)
Based on the American series of the same name, this drama follows a group of highly trained profilers in the fictional National Criminal Investigation (NCI) team who track down criminals to solve cases.
Photo Credit: tvN
Criminal Minds (2017)
Lee Joon-gi plays the character of Kim Hyun-joon. He is a second-generation police officer who joined the NCI at the recommendation of Kang Ki-hyung (Son Hyun-joo). As a child, he witnessed his father being murdered by a suspect and so has little sympathy for criminals. His brash nature and temperament has put him at odds with Ki-hyung and Sun-woo (Moon Chae-won) at times but he quickly proves his worth with his attention to detail, sharp instincts and accurate profiling skills.
Photo Credit: tvN
Lawless Lawyer (2018)
Written by Yoon Hyun-ho and directed by Kim Jin-min, the series is set in the fictional city of Kisung which is described as lawless and corrupt. The series follows characters Bong Sang-pil (Lee Joon-gi) and Ha Jae-yi (Seo Ye-ji) who form the Lawless Law Firm.
Photo Credit: tvN
Lawless Lawyer (2018)
Lee Joon-gi's Sang-pil is former gangster turned lawyer who takes advantage of loopholes in the law and boasts an excellent win rate. As a member of his uncle's gang, he became an excellent fighter. Prior to becoming a lawyer, he spent time in prison for his gang activity, and lived a life of hardship. While now a lawyer, he is not afraid to use his fists and his old gang connections when needed for a case. He is defined by his desire to gain justice for his mother and his loyalty to Jae-yi whom he trusts completely, even when his life, freedom, or work is on the line.
Photo Credit: tvN
Hotel Del Luna (2019)
This dark fantasy drama stars Lee Ji-eun and Yeo Jin-goo as the owner and manager, respectively, of the eponymous hotel that caters only to ghosts.
Photo Credit: tvN
Hotel Del Luna (2019)
In episode 3, Lee Joon-gi appears as a priest who has come to perform exorcism. This minor role marks Joon-gi's quick reunion with his Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo co-star Lee Ji-eun (IU).
Photo Credit: tvN
Flower of Evil (2020)
Baek Hee-sung (Lee Joon-gi) is a man who hides his identity and past from his wife Cha Ji-won (Moon Chae-won), a cop. On the surface, they appear to be the perfect family: a loving couple with a beautiful young daughter who adores her parents, Hee-sung especially.
Photo Credit: tvN
Flower of Evil (2020)
When Cha Ji-won and her colleagues begin investigating a series of unexplained murders, she is confronted with the reality that her seemingly perfect husband may be hiding something from her. A series of events unravel and all is not what it seems. This project marks Lee Joon-gi and Moon Chae-won's reunion after their 2017 drama, Criminal Minds.
Photo Credit: tvN
And there you have it—all of the appearances of Lee Joon-gi in dramas! Which of these have you watched already? And which ones of these are dramas you'd watch again (and again)? Let us know!
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