Lee Jung-jae is a superstar in South Korea and now around the world. He’s been acting since the 1990s and has played many different roles. From romantic leads to scary villains, Lee can do it all. Let’s look at his 10 best Korean dramas and movies as of 2025.
1. Squid Game (2021-2025)
Squid Game is the show that made Lee Jung-jae famous worldwide. He plays Seong Gi-hun, a man who joins a deadly game to win money. The show is exciting and scary, with lots of twists and turns. Lee’s acting as Gi-hun is amazing. He makes us feel sorry for Gi-hun and want him to win.
In Season 1, we see Gi-hun struggle through the games. He makes friends and enemies, and we see his kind heart. By the end, Gi-hun has changed a lot. In Season 2, Lee Jung-jae comes back as Gi-hun. This time, Gi-hun is trying to stop the games. It’s exciting to see how Lee plays Gi-hun differently now that he knows the truth about the games.
Squid Game Season 3 is coming out soon, and we can’t wait to see what happens next!
2. Hunt (2022)
Hunt is special because Lee Jung-jae not only acts in it but also directs it. It’s an action movie set in the 1980s. Lee plays Park Pyong-ho, a spy trying to find a traitor. The movie is full of exciting chases and fights.
As the director, Lee Jung-jae does a great job. The movie looks beautiful and the action scenes are really cool. As an actor, he shows us how good he is at playing tough characters. Park Pyong-ho is smart and brave, and Lee makes him feel real.
3. Deliver Us From Evil (2020)
In this movie, Lee Jung-jae plays a very different kind of character. He’s Ray, a bad guy who wants revenge. It’s not often we see Lee play a villain, but he does it so well. Ray is scary and cruel, but Lee’s acting makes us understand why he’s so angry.
The movie is about a man trying to save a little girl while Ray chases him. It’s full of action and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Lee Jung-jae won awards for this role, showing how good he is at playing all kinds of characters.
4. The Housemaid (2010)
The Housemaid is a remake of an old Korean movie. Lee Jung-jae plays Hoon, a rich man who has an affair with his maid. This movie shows us a darker side of Lee’s acting. Hoon isn’t a good person, but Lee makes him interesting to watch.
The movie talks about big issues like rich vs. poor and how people treat each other. It’s not always easy to watch, but it’s a powerful movie. Lee Jung-jae’s acting helps us understand these big ideas.
5. Assassination (2015)
Assassination takes place during a sad time in Korean history when Japan ruled Korea. Lee Jung-jae plays Yem Sek-jin, a man fighting against the Japanese rulers. It’s a big movie with lots of characters and stories.
Lee’s character is complicated. He wants to help Korea, but he also works with the Japanese sometimes. Lee Jung-jae does a great job showing all the different sides of Yem Sek-jin. The movie is exciting and helps us learn about history too.
6. The Thieves (2012)
The Thieves is a fun movie about a group of criminals trying to steal a diamond. Lee Jung-jae plays Popie, the leader of the group. At first, the movie is funny and exciting, like Ocean’s Eleven. But then it gets more serious, and we see how good Lee is at both funny and serious acting.
This movie was very popular in Korea. It broke records for how many people went to see it. Lee Jung-jae’s charm as Popie is one big reason why people loved it so much.
7. New World (2013)
New World is about gangsters and undercover police. Lee Jung-jae plays a police officer pretending to be a gangster. It’s a tense movie that keeps you guessing what will happen next. Lee’s character has to decide between his job as a police officer and his friendships with the gangsters.
Lee Jung-jae is great at showing how stressed and confused his character feels. The movie is full of surprises and Lee’s acting helps make those surprises work.
8. Il Mare (2000)
Il Mare is a sweet love story with a twist. Lee Jung-jae plays Han Sung-hyun, a man who can talk to a woman in the future through letters in a mailbox. It’s a magical story that lets Lee show his softer side.
This movie was so good that Hollywood made their own version called The Lake House. But the original with Lee Jung-jae is special. It shows how good he is at romantic roles.
9. City of the Rising Sun (1999)
In City of the Rising Sun, Lee Jung-jae plays Hong-ki, a young man who becomes best friends with another guy named Do-chul. The movie is about their friendship and how they help each other. Lee is charming and fun to watch in this role.
The movie shows how important friendship is, especially between men. Lee Jung-jae and his co-star have great chemistry, making their friendship feel real and touching.
10. An Affair (1998)
An Affair was one of Lee Jung-jae’s first big movie roles. He plays Woo-in, a young man who falls in love with his fiancée’s older sister. It’s a serious movie about forbidden love. Even though he was young, Lee showed he could handle difficult roles.
This movie helped start Lee Jung-jae’s successful career in movies. It’s interesting to watch it now and see how he’s grown as an actor since then.
