Lee Jung-jae Net Worth & Biography 2025

Lee Jung-jae Biography Lee Jung-jae born December 15, 1972 is a prominent South Korean actor and businessman, regarded as one of the country’s most successful actors. He has earned numerous accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Critics’ Choice Television Award, and six Baeksang Arts Awards, along with nominations for a Golden Globe Award and a Gotham Award. Lee Jung-jae is a South Korean actor and former model with a net worth of $12 million. Born on December 15, 1972, in Seoul, South Korea, he gained international recognition for his role as Seong Gi-hun in the Netflix series Squid Game (2021-present)

Lee Jung-jae Net Worth 

As of 2025, Lee Jung-jae’s estimated net worth stands at $12 million. This substantial figure reflects his prolific acting career, successful business ventures, and lucrative endorsement deals. His earnings skyrocketed following the global success of Squid Game, which reportedly earned him around $2 million. Moreover, his work in international projects, including Disney+’s The Acolyte, has added to his growing wealth.

Lee Jung-jae Biography

In addition to his success in film and television, Jung-Jae Lee has also established himself as a highly successful fashion model. Just one year after his television debut in 1993, Lee made his film debut in a feature directed by Bae Chang-ho. His breakthrough role came in late 1998 with the award-winning film An Affair directed by E-J Yong. This was followed by another major success in City of the Rising Sun, where his performance earned him the Best Actor award at the domestic Chungryong Awards. In 2000, Lee starred in the Korean-Japanese co-production Asako in Ruby Shoes, and later found considerable popularity in the melodrama Last Present, where he was cast alongside Lee Young-ae. He also appeared in the action/mystery/drama The Last Witness, directed by Bae Chang-ho.

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Lee Jung-jae Biography Details

BornDecember 15, 1972 (age 52)

Seoul, South Korea

EducationDongguk University (MA)
OccupationActor
Years active1993–present
Agents· Artist Company

· Creative Artists Agency

PartnerIm Se-ryung [ko] (2015–present)
HonoursGeumgwan Order of Cultural Merit (2022)
Net Worth$12 million

About Lee Jung-jae

Lee Jung-jae is a South Korean actor and businessman. Considered one of South Korea’s most successful actors, he has received numerous accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award, a Screen Actors Guild …

  1. Born: 15 December 1972 (age 52 years), Seoul, South Korea
  2. Height: 8 m
  3. Awards: Blue Dragon Film Award for Best Actor · See more
  4. Parents: Lee Chul-seong
  5. Education: Dongguk University (MA)
  6. Hangul: 이정재

Early Life and Education

Lee was born in Jung District, Seoul, on December 15, 1972. He attended Dongguk University and earned a master’s degree from the university’s Department of Theater & Film Art in the Graduate School of Cultural Arts in August 2008. That same year, he made his stage debut in the play Hamlet in Water, performing the titular role for four days at his alma mater’s Lee Hae-rang Theater.

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Bio/Wiki

NicknameJJ
Profession(s)Actor, Model, Producer, Director & Entrepreneur

Physical Stats & More

Heightin centimeters- 180 cm
in meters- 1.80 m
in feet & inches- 5’ 11”
Eye ColorBlack
Hair ColorBlack

Career

Agencies• C-JeS Entertainment (2013-2016)
Artist Company (since 2016)
DebutActing
TV (South Korean): Dinosaur Teacher (1993) as ‘Lee Jung-jae’
Feature Film (South Korean): The Young Man (1994) as ‘Lee Han’
Short Film (South Korean): MOB 2025 (2001) as ‘Dust’
Feature Film (Chinese): Tik Tok (2016) as ‘Jiang Cheng-jun’
Other Works
Feature Film (as a producer): Namsan (South Korean)
Feature Film (as a director): Hunt (2021; South Korean) (he also produced the film
Awards, Honours, AchievementsBlue Dragon Film Awards
• Best Leading Actor for ‘Assassination’ in 2015
Supporting Actor for ‘The Face Reader’ in 2013
• Best Leading Actor for ‘City of the Rising Sun’ in 1999
Best New Actor for ‘The Young Man’ in 1995
Baeksang Arts Awards
• InStyle Fashionista Award in 2015
Best Supporting Actor (Film) for ‘The Face Reader’ in 2014
• Most Popular Actor (Film) for ‘City of the Rising Sun’ in 1999
Most Popular Actor for the film ‘Firebird’ in 1997
• Best New Actor (TV) for ‘Sandglass’ in 1995
Grand Bell Awards
Popularity Award for the film ‘The Face Reader’ in 2013
• Best Actor for the film ‘Typhoon’ in 2006
Best New Actor for the film ‘The Young Man’ in 1995
Style Icon Awards
• Bonsang in 2016
Style Icon Actor in 2008
Korean Association of Film Critics Awards
• CJ CGV Star Award for ‘New World’ and ‘The Face Reader’ in 2013
Best Actor for ‘City of the Rising Sun’ in 1999
• Best New Actor for ‘The Young Man’ in 1995
Other Awards, Honors & AchievementsAsia Artist Award — Grand Prize (Daesang) – Film for ‘Deliver Us from Evil’ in 2020
• Elle Style Award for Super Icon (Male) in 2018
Ranked 24 on Forbes’ Korea Power Celebrity list in 2016
• Busan International Film Festival – Actor of the Year in 2015
• Buil Film Award for Best Actor for ‘Assassination’ in 2015
Marie Claire Asia Star Award for Actor of the Year for ‘Assassination’ in 2015
• KOFRA Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for ‘The Face Reader’ in 2014
Fantasporto Director’s Week – Award for the Best Actor for ‘The Housemaid’ in 2011
• Mnet 20’s Choice Award for Most Influential Star in 2010
Golden Cinematography Award for Best Actor for ‘Typhoon’ in 2006
• Verona Love Screens Film Festival – Award for the Best Actor ‘Asako in Ruby Shoes’ in 2002
38th Savings Day – Prime Minister’s Commendation in 2001
• SBS Drama Award for Best New Actor for ‘Sandglass’ in 1995

Personal Life

Date of BirthDecember 15, 1972 (Friday)
Age (as of 2025)52 Years
BirthplaceSeoul, South Korea
Zodiac signSagittarius
Autograph
NationalitySouth Korean
HometownSeoul, South Korea
SchoolSungui Elementary School, Gwangju
Cheongdam Middle School, Seoul
Hyundai Senior High School, Seoul
College/UniversityDongguk University in Seoul, South Korea
Educational Qualification(s)• Bachelor’s degree in Theater and Film Art
• Master’s degree in Theater and Film Art
Religion/Religious ViewsProtestant Christian
Blood GroupB
Controversies• DUI Charges
Lee Jung-jae was arrested in 1999 on the charges of driving under the influence (DUI) after he slammed his BMW into a car in the adjacent lane. He was arrested on DUI charges again in 2002 by the Seoul Gangnam Police after he drunk drove in front of the Cheongdam Elementary School in Seoul. His driving licence was suspended due to his actions.
• Accusations of Outing of his Friend
In 2013, he was accused of outing his friend after an interview he gave to the Vogue Korea was published. In the interview, referring to his friend as ‘Y,’ he stated,
“A while ago, Y left for heaven. [Before he died,] I said to Y, ‘You should stop being gay. Haven’t you been that way enough?’ But it was not easy.”
In the interview, Vogue hinted ‘Y’ as South Korean creative director in fashion and show business Woo Jong-wan as Lee Jung-jae had said that Y committed suicide. Woo Jong-wan, a good friend of Jung-jae, committed suicide at his home in Seoul on September 15, 2012. Even though there were rumours of Lee Jung-jae being a gay, he never confessed to being a gay publicly. As a result of the interview, Lee faced huge criticism from bloggers for outing his dead friend.  However, Vogue soon removed the excerpts from the interview posted online and called it a misunderstanding on their official Twitter account.
• Under Probe in a Fraudulent Bond Issuance Case
In 2015, Jung-jae and Tongyang Group’s Vice Chairwoman Lee Hye-kyung were under investigation in an alleged fraudulent bond issuance case. The victims (investors) of the fraud case and members of the civic group Spec Watch Korea filed a complaint against the two with the prosecution, claiming Lee Hye-kyung to have provided 16 billion Won to Jung-jae’s company Seorim C&D in 2009 for developing a luxury apartment project (called La Terrace) in Samseong-dong, southern Seoul, where Tongyang Inc. (a subsidiary of Tongyang Group) was a contractor. The victims made an argument that the funds they provided for La Terrace was one of the reasons for Tongyang’s downfall, as the project was unable to recover the investments. All of the allegations on Jung-jae were denied by Lee Jung-jae’s agency.

Relationships & More

Marital StatusUnmarried

Note: In a past interview, he confessed that because of various dating rumours, he didn’t wish to get married. He said,
“I don’t want to get married because of things like that, though. Many actors my age aren’t married yet. That’s what the people around me are like, and so I don’t think much [of marriage] either. I’m also used to living freely.”

Affairs/Girlfriends• Kim Min-hee (South Korean actress) (2003-2006)
• Lim Se-ryeong (South Korean Entrepreneur)

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Family

Wife/SpouseN/A
ParentsFather- Lee Chul-seong
Mother- Name not known
SiblingsHe has an elder brother.

Favourites

Artist(s)On Kawara (Conceptual), Jenny Holzer (Neo-Conceptual), Park Jina, Lee Wan, Chosil Kil
SculptorFred Sandback

Style Quotient

Car CollectionHe owns a BMW.

Money Factor

Salary (approx.)300 million Won (about $257.098K) per episode in The Kdrama ‘Squid Game’ (2021), amounting to $23.02 million for the show
Assets/Properties• La Terrace: He owns an eighteen-floor (sixteen floors above the ground and three floors below the ground) luxury residential complex in Samseong-dong called La Terrace. He designed the interior of the villa. The price of an apartment in the building ranges between 1.6 billion and 5 billion won. Jung-jae, with his neighbour as Jung Woo-sung (South Korean actor and his best friend), lives on the combined fifteenth and sixteenth floors in the building.
• An Apartment in Cheongdam-dong: Since 1999, he owns an apartment in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul, which was priced between 1.1 billion won and 1.2 billion won (as of 2015).
• A building in Sinsa-Dong: In 2011, he purchased a three-floored building in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam, Seoul, which included the 271.1 square meters, at 4.75 billion won. In 2020, Jung-jae sold the building, priced at 8.2 billion, earning a profit of 3.45 billion won.
luxury villa in Samseong

 

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