Lee Seung-yeon (born August 18, 1968) is a South Korean actress and talk show host.

Career

Lee Seung-yeon graduated from Inha Technical College in

Incheon Incheon (; ; or Inch'ŏn; literally "kind river"), formerly Jemulpo or Chemulp'o (제물포) until the period after 1910, officially the Incheon Metropolitan City (인천광역시, 仁川廣域市), is a city located in northwestern South Kore ...

with a degree in Airline Navigation, and became a

flight attendant A flight attendant, also known as steward/stewardess or air host/air hostess, is a member of the aircrew aboard commercial flights, many business jets and some government aircraft. Collectively called cabin crew, flight attendants are prima ...

for

Korean Air Korean Air Co., Ltd. (), operating as Korean Air (Korean Air Lines before 1984), is the flag carrier of South Korea and its largest airline based on fleet size, international destinations and international flights. The present-day Korean Air ...

. In 1992, she joined and won third place in the

Miss Korea Miss Korea ( ko, 미스코리아) is a national beauty pageant in South Korea. Lee Seung-hyeon won the title on October 26, 2022. History The first Miss Korea competition took place in 1957 and was sponsored by the Korean newspaper Hankook I ...

beauty pageant. She was South Korea's representative to the 1993

Miss World Miss World is the oldest existing international beauty pageant. It was created in the United Kingdom by Eric Morley in 1951. Since his death in 2000, Morley's widow, Julia Morley, has co-chaired the pageant. Along with Miss Universe, Miss Int ...

pageant, where she became one of the top ten finalists. Shortly after the pageant, Lee became a reporter for entertainment news program ''Scoop TV Entertainment'', then launched her acting career in 1993 with the campus drama ''Our Paradise''. She appeared in 1990s television dramas such as ''Love Is in Your Embrace'', ''Hotel'', ''Icing'', ''Wedding Dress'', and ''

First Love First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...

'', the last of which became the most highly rated Korean drama of all time with a peak viewership rating of 65.8%. She also made her big screen debut in 1996's ''Piano Man'', followed by the films ''Change'' and ''Saturday, 2:00 p.m.''. Lee's popularity was at its peak during these years, and in 1998 she hosted her own

talk show A talk show (or chat show in British English) is a television programming or radio programming genre structured around the act of spontaneous conversation.Bernard M. Timberg, Robert J. Erler'' (2010Television Talk: A History of the TV Talk Show ...

''Lee Seung-yeon's Say Say Say''. With her sophisticated and cosmopolitan image, the clothes and accessories she wore became fashion trends, such as her blue-colored

contact lens Contact lenses, or simply contacts, are thin lenses placed directly on the surface of the eyes. Contact lenses are ocular prosthetic devices used by over 150 million people worldwide, and they can be worn to correct vision or for cosmetic ...

es in ''Spider'', her head

kerchief A kerchief (from the Old French ''couvrechief'', "cover head"), also known as a bandana, bandanna, or "Wild Rag" (in cowboy culture), is a triangular or square piece of cloth tied around the head, face or neck for protective or decorative purpos ...

in ''Cinderella'', and her black suit in ''Man of Autumn''. Capitalizing on her image as a trendsetter, she launched her own clothing line ''About el'' in 2007, which became a hit among consumers. This paved the way for Lee's first talk show in eight years, ''Style Magazine'' on cable channel OnStyle. Though she continues to act, Lee has become more known in recent years for hosting various style-related talk shows on cable.

Controversy

Illegal driver's license

In May 1998, Lee was found to have illegally obtained a

driver's license A driver's license is a legal authorization, or the official document confirming such an authorization, for a specific individual to operate one or more types of motorized vehicles—such as motorcycles, cars, trucks, or buses—on a public ...

without going through the requisite tests and seminars. She was sentenced to one year's

probation Probation in criminal law is a period of supervision over an offender, ordered by the court often in lieu of incarceration. In some jurisdictions, the term ''probation'' applies only to community sentences (alternatives to incarceration), such ...

and 80 hours of

community service Community service is unpaid work performed by a person or group of people for the benefit and betterment of their community without any form of compensation. Community service can be distinct from volunteering, since it is not always performed ...

. Because of public disapproval regarding the incident, her drama ''Heart of Lies'' was cut short, and she lost roles she had been previously cast in to

Yoo Ho-jeong You Ho-jeong (born January 24, 1969) is a South Korean actress. She made her acting debut in 1991 and has been starring in television and film since. Roles include a divorcee whose husband lives next door in daily drama Drama is the specif ...

(''Trap of Youth'') and

Lee Young-ae Lee Young-ae (born January 31, 1971) is a South Korean actress. She is known for her appearances in the Korean historical drama ''Dae Jang Geum'' (2003), and as a revenge seeking single mother in Park Chan-wook's crime thriller film ''Sympathy ...

(''Invitation'').

Hit and run

In April 2002, Lee was implicated in a

hit and run In traffic laws, a hit and run or a hit-and-run is the act of causing a traffic collision and not stopping afterwards. It is considered a supplemental crime in most jurisdictions. Additional obligation In many jurisdictions, there may be an ...

because she owned the vehicle driven by Kim Mo-sshi, son of celebrity Jang Young-ja. Since her costar

Lee Geung-young Lee Geung-young (born December 12, 1960) is a South Korean actor. He graduated from the Department of Drama in Seoul. He debuted in 1977 and after completing his mandatory military service, he debuted in 1982 as the 10th public relations actor fo ...

was also being investigated at the time for having sex with a minor, both scandals caused their film ''Forgive Me Once Again Despite Hatred'' (also known as ''Love Me Once Again 2002'' or ''Again'') to flop at the box office.

Comfort women photographs

On February 12, 2004 Lee, and companies Lototo Inc. and Netian Entertainment held a press conference to announce their plan to sell erotic photographs and videos of Lee posing as a comfort woman over the Internet, starting in March. "

Comfort women Comfort women or comfort girls were women and girls forced into sexual slavery by the Imperial Japanese Army in occupied countries and territories before and during World War II. The term "comfort women" is a translation of the Japanese '' ia ...

" is the

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

ese term for women who were forced to serve as their armies'

sex slaves Sexual slavery and sexual exploitation is an attachment of any ownership right over one or more people with the intent of coercing or otherwise forcing them to engage in sexual activities. This includes forced labor, reducing a person to a s ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. The first part of the project was shot on Palau Island in the

Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...

, where real comfort women were taken, with the next phases planned in

Nepal Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne, सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...

and Japan. They declared they did this to return the issue to the spotlight and that part of the profits would go to surviving comfort women. A few photographs were released, showing a semi-nude Lee bathing in the sea, sleeping on the floor, and wearing somewhat revealing white clothes, with dirt on her face. This caused a great outcry from the surviving comfort women and the Korean Council for Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan. A press conference to announce the project's cancellation was held on February 16. Following the cancellation, Lee tearfully made a personal apology on her knees at the House of Sharing, a residence for some of the survivors. The women rejected her apology until the materials were destroyed, something the producer was hesitant to do. The producer further proposed a preview screening to obtain public approval for the project—they had 1 hour and a half of video and about 1,500-2,000 photos. Finally on February 19, he shaved his head (in a traditional gesture of apology) and publicly burned the materials in front of some of the surviving comfort women. Disregarding feminist criticisms of her casting,

Kim Ki-duk Kim Ki-duk ( ; 20 December 196011 December 2020) was a South Korean film director and screenwriter, noted for his idiosyncratic art-house cinematic works. His films have received many distinctions in the festival circuit, rendering him one of ...

directed Lee in the 2004 film '' 3-Iron''. A love story between a battered woman and a younger man who lives in empty houses, Lee and costar

Jae Hee Jae Hee (in korean: 재희; born Lee Hyun-kyun on May 25, 1980) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his leading roles in the 2004 arthouse film '' 3-Iron'' and the 2005 television series ''Sassy Girl Chun-hyang''. Career Jae Hee bega ...

's acting were praised, and Kim won Best Director at the

61st Venice International Film Festival The 61st annual Venice International Film Festival was held between 1 and 11 September 2004. The festival opened with Steven Spielberg's ''The Terminal'', and closed with Katsuhiro Otomo's '' Steamboy''. The Golden Lion was awarded to the fi ...

. Despite the acclaim for ''3-Iron'', the comfort women controversy had a lasting negative effect on Lee's career, and it would take two more years before she made her acting comeback in

Kim Soo-hyun Kim Soo-hyun (; born February 16, 1988) is a South Korean actor. One of the highest-paid actors in South Korea, his accolades include four Baeksang Arts Awards, two Grand Bell Awards and one Blue Dragon Film Award. From 2012 to 2016 and in ...

's ''Love and Ambition'' in 2006.

Drug use

In 2013, she became involved in another controversy when she was indicted for illegal use of the drug

propofol Propofol, marketed as Diprivan, among other names, is a short-acting medication that results in a decreased level of consciousness and a lack of memory for events. Its uses include the starting and maintenance of general anesthesia, sedation f ...

. Cable channel Story On cancelled her talk show ''Lee Seung-yeon and 100 Women'' as a result. Lee admitted taking propofol, but said it was legally prescribed by her doctor to treat a

spinal fracture A spinal fracture, also called a vertebral fracture or a broken back, is a fracture affecting the vertebrae of the spinal column. Most types of spinal fracture confer a significant risk of spinal cord injury. After the immediate trauma, there i ...

diagnosed in 2003, and that it was also administered to her as an

anesthetic An anesthetic (American English) or anaesthetic (British English; see spelling differences) is a drug used to induce anesthesia ⁠— ⁠in other words, to result in a temporary loss of sensation or awareness. They may be divided into two ...

at skin care clinics. The Seoul Central District Court found Lee guilty of taking propofol at least 320 times over six years (or 4.5 times a month), and she was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years.

Tongyang Group The Tongyang Group, also spelled Tong Yang Group, is a South Korean conglomerate founded in 1957 by Lee Yang-gu, a confectionery businessman who had decided to expand into the cement industry. Over the following decades it expanded to include hold ...

later sued Lee for

breach of contract Breach of contract is a legal cause of action and a type of civil wrong, in which a binding agreement or bargained-for exchange is not honored by one or more of the parties to the contract by non-performance or interference with the other party ...

; she had signed a one-year advertising contract with the company's apparel division in 2012, which stipulated that she must not break the law or commit acts that harm the brand's image. The court ordered Lee to pay in 2015.

Personal life

Lee married Kim Moon-chul, a Korean-American fashion entrepreneur, on December 28, 2007 at Sol Beach Resort in

Yangyang County Yangyang County (''Yangyang-gun'') is in Gangwon Province, South Korea. The county is located in the northeast of the country in Gangwon-do. Its population is about 31,000 (2004). The Yangyang area is well known for its pine mushrooms (''son ...

, Gangwon Province. She gave birth to a daughter in June 2009.

Filmography

Television series

*'' Secret House'' (MBC, 2022) *''

Left-Handed Wife ''Left-Handed Wife'' () is a 2019 South Korean television series starring Lee Soo-kyung and Kim Jin-woo. It aired from January 2 to May 31, 2019 on KBS2. It is also the first KBS daily drama not to premiere on a Monday. Cast Main * Lee Soo-ky ...

'' (

KBS2 The Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) () is the national broadcaster of South Korea. Founded in February 1927, it is one of the leading South Korean television and radio broadcasters. KBS operates seven radio networks, ten television channels, a ...

, 2018) *''

Rich Family's Son ''The Rich Son'' () is a South Korean television series starring Kim Ji-hoon, Kim Ju-hyeon, Lee Kyu-han, and Hong Soo-hyun. The series aired 4 episodes every Sunday from March 25 to October 7, 2018 from 8:50 p.m. to 11:20 p.m. ( KST) on ...

'' ( MBC, 2018) *''

Schoolgirl Detectives ''Schoolgirl Detectives'' () is a South Korean television series based on the novel of the same title by Park Ha-ik. Starring Jin Ji-hee, Kang Min-ah, Lee Hye-ri, Lee Min-ji, Stephanie Lee, and Kim Min-jun, it aired on jTBC from December 16, ...

'' (

jTBC JTBC (shortened from ''Joongang Tongyang Broadcasting Company'' (; stylized as jtbc) is a South Korean nationwide pay television network. Its primary shareholder is JoongAng Holdings, with a 25% stake. It was launched on 1 December 2011. JTBC ...

, 2014-2015) *''

The Great Seer ''The Great Seer'' (, also known as ''The Great Geomancer'') is a 2012 South Korean historical television series, starring Ji Sung, Ji Jin-hee, Song Chang-eui, Kim So-yeon and Lee Yoon-ji. Set during the turbulent decline of Goryeo, it is about ...

'' ( SBS, 2012-2013) *''

Happy Ending A happy ending is an ending of the plot of a work of fiction in which almost everything turns out for the best for the main protagonists and their sidekicks, while the main villains/antagonists are dead/defeated. In storylines where the protagon ...

'' (jTBC, 2012) *''The Scarlet Letter'' ( MBC, 2010-2011) *''Moon Hee'' (2007) *''Love and Ambition'' (2006) *''Perfect Love'' (SBS, 2003) *''Who's My Love'' (

, 2002) *''Man of Autumn'' (MBC, 2001) *''Oriental Theater'' (KBS2, 2001) *''Three Friends'' (MBC, 2000) (

guest appearance In show business, a guest appearance is the participation of an outsider performer (such as a musician or actor) in an event such as a music record or concert, show, etc., when the performer does not belong to the regular band, cast, or other p ...

) *''Medical Center'' (MBC, 2000-2001) *''Legends of Love'' (SBS, 2000) *''Love Story'' (SBS, 1999, episode 1 "Sunflower") *''Did You Ever Love?'' (KBS2, 1999-2000) *''Heart of Lies'' (MBC, 1998) *''Wedding Dress'' (KBS2, 1997-1998) *''Ready Go!'' (MBC, 1997) (

) *''Cinderella'' (MBC, 1997) *''

'' (KBS2, 1996-1997) *''Icing'' (MBC, 1996) *''Spider'' (MBC, 1995) *''Hotel'' (MBC, 1995) *'' Sandglass'' (SBS, 1995) *''Friday's Woman'' - 천사없는 천국 (KBS2, 1994) *''Last Lovers'' (MBC, 1994) *''Love Is in Your Embrace'' (MBC, 1994) *''Police'' (KBS2, 1994) *''Morning Glory'' (MBC, 1993) *''Our Paradise'' (MBC, 1993)

Film

*'' 3-Iron'' (2004) *''Again'' (2002) *''Saturday, 2:00 p.m.'' (1998) *''Change'' (1997) *''Piano Man'' (1996)

Variety show

*''Super Diva 2012'' (

tvN TVN may refer to: * TVN (Australian TV channel), a former horse racing channel * Televisión Nacional de Chile, a public broadcaster * TVN (Indonesia), a former television station; predecessor of Rajawali Televisi * TVN (Norway), or TVNorge, a comm ...

, 2012) *''Lee Seung-yeon and 100 Women'' (Story On, 2011-2013) *''MBC Prime'' - 한식의 세계화, 양념에 그 길을 묻다 (MBC, 2010) (narration) *''Lee Seung-yeon and

Lee Soo-geun Lee Soo-geun (; born February 10, 1975) is a South Korean comedian who has worked on a number of comedy shows on South Korean television. He began his career as a comedian on KBS ''Gag Concert'', and is under the management of SM Culture & Con ...

's Kitchen Road'' (TrendE, 2010) *''Talk & City 4'' (Story On, 2010) *''Super Mom Diary'' (Story On, 2009) *''Design's Era of Success'' (SBS, 2008) *''Goddess of the Wind II Survival Report'' (tvN, 2008) *''Style Magazine'' (

OnStyle tvN STORY is a South Korean cable and satellite television channel owned by CJ ENM E&M Division. The channel is targeted to women, originate from OnStyle. Programs * '' Project Runway Korea'' (February 7, 2009 – May 18, 2015) * '' Korea' ...

, 2006) *''TV Entertainment Tonight'' (SBS, 2000) *''Lee Seung-yeon's Say Say Say'' (SBS, 1998) *''Summer Go Go'' ( KBS, 1993) *밤으로 가는 ''Show'' (KBS, 1993) *''Youth Sketch'' (KBS, 1993) *''Saturday Saturday Is Fun'' (MBC, 1993-1995) *''Scoop TV Entertainment'' (MBC, 1992) *신 전국일주 (KBS, 1992)

Animated series

*''Hotel Africa'' (MBC)

Radio program

*''Lee Seung-yeon's Cine Town'' (

SBS Power FM HLSQ-FM, also known as SBS Power FM (), is a K-pop music radio station of the Seoul Broadcasting System. The station is heard nationwide via syndication with local FM stations in Korea via HLDG-FM in Busan, HLDE-FM in Daegu, HLDH-FM in ...

, 2007-2009) *''FM Popular Song'' (KBS, 1994) *''FM Dating'' (MBC FM Radio, 1993)

Awards

*2022

MBC Drama Awards The MBC Drama Awards () is an awards ceremony presented by Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) for outstanding achievements in Korean dramas aired on its network. It is held annually in December. Unlike its counterparts in KBS and SBS, MB ...

: Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Daily/One Act Drama ('' The Secret House'') *2001

KBS Drama Awards The KBS Drama Awards () is an awards ceremony presented by the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) for outstanding achievements in Korean dramas aired on its network. It is held annually on 31 December. The highest honor of the ceremony is the "Gra ...

: Popularity Award (''Oriental Theater'') *2000

SBS Drama Awards The SBS Drama Awards (), also known as SBS Awards Festival, is an awards ceremony presented annually by Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS) for outstanding achievements in Korean dramas aired on its network. It is held annually on December 31. The hi ...

: Big Star Award (''Legends of Love'', ''Medical Center'') *1996 32nd

Baeksang Arts Awards The Baeksang Arts Awards (), also known as the Paeksang Arts Awards, are awards for excellence in film, television and theatre in South Korea. The awards were first introduced in 1965 by Chang Key-young, the founder of the Hankook Ilbo newspap ...

: Most Popular Actress (TV) *1995

: Excellence Award, Actress *1992

: Third Place *1990 Smile Queen Contest: Smile Queen

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Seung-yeon 1968 births Living people Miss World 1993 delegates Actresses from Seoul Miss Korea delegates South Korean film actresses South Korean television actresses South Korean criminals South Korean Buddhists 21st-century South Korean actresses South Korean people convicted of drug offenses