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Actor

1970-01-23 · Seoul, South Korea · Female

1 series in the catalog

Lee Jung-eun (Korean: 이정은; born January 23, 1970) is a South Korean actress. She debuted onstage in 1991 and also played minor roles in films. She went on to appear in acclaimed films like The Attorney (2013), A Violent Prosecutor (2015), and festival favorites such as A Girl at My Door (2014) and The Wailing (2016). Lee landed more significant roles in A Taxi Driver (2017), Miss Baek (2017), and Another Child (2018). Known for her work with Bong Joon-ho, starting with the 2009 film Mother, as the voice of the pig Okja in the film Okja, she is best known internationally for her role as the housekeeper Moon-gwang in the film Parasite, which won four Academy Awards and became the first non-English language film to win the award for Best Picture.

Early life

Lee Jung-eun was born on January 23, 1970, in Seoul and grew up in a neighborhood near Hanyang University. She attended Hanyang Girls' High School, where societal expectations for female students emphasized studying literature and preparing for marriage. However, Lee defied these norms and pursued a career in acting. Her decision was influenced by the student protests she witnessed during high school and the tragic death of activist Lee Han-yeol in 1987. After mourning Lee Han-yeol's death by wearing black ribbons, her friend was expelled, which led to Lee reflecting on her circumstances. This event prompted a rebellion against the older generation and encouraged Lee to reconsider her path. Recalling her love for performing and entertainment, she switched her academic focus to a theater and film major just two months before her college entrance exams, aiming to study directing. She was accepted into the Department of Theater and Film at Hanyang University, class of 1988.

Early career

After graduating in 1992, Lee began her career as a theater play assistant director, making her debut with the production of A Midsummer Night's Dream in 1991. She remained active on stage throughout the 1990s and 2000s. In 2000, she made her film debut with a minor role in the film A Masterpiece In My Life, followed by another small part in the 2001 film Wanee & Junah. However, these early cinematic experiences left her feeling traumatized by camera fright, and she decided to return to the stage.

At the end of 1997, Lee appeared in Subway Line 1 with Sul Kyung-gu. Subway Line 1 was her first musical. Lee Jung-eun appeared as the generous Gombo Halmae.

In the 2000s, in addition to her theater work, Lee also made a living as an acting teacher. Among her pupils were the actresses Ye Ji-won and Lee Eun-joo. On the recommendation of Professor Lee Hye-kyung, the head of the Department of Theater and Film at Kookmin University, Lee was introduced to Lee Hyo-ri and became an acting teacher for her SBS drama role.

Breakthrough as a musical actor, resume film career, debut in television

Lee's breakthrough as an actress came in the 2008 musical Laundry, which is considered one of the representative creative musicals in South Korea. In the production, Lee portrayed multiple roles, including a master, a grandmother, and an employee, performing until 2009. Her performance in the musical earned her the 1st Young Drama Award, with a prize of 3 million won. This award was established by the cultural arts support forum "Alpha", which is composed of around 60 domestic CEOs, including Samsung Electronics CEO Kwun Oh-hyun. The award ceremony was held on September 19, 2008, at Shinhan Art Hall in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam District, Seoul.

She reprised her role in Laundry from 2012 to 2017. Apart from her work in Laundry, Lee collaborated with director Choo Min-joo on reading performances of House with Fig Trees and Scars, as well as the musical Good Morning School.

Lee, who had gained a reputation in the musical field, decided to venture into film projects once again. She made her return to the screen in 2009 with the film If You Were Me 4. Costume designer Choi Se-yeon, who was also the producer of the musical Laundry, recommended her for an audition, which led to her landing a minor role in Bong Joon-ho's 2009 film Mother. This marked her first collaboration with director Bong Joon-ho.

She faced numerous challenges during her years of living in obscurity. Before the age of 40, she had to support herself through various part-time jobs, such as being an academy instructor, working at a supermarket, and selling green juice. It wasn't until she reached the age of 45 that she finally made her debut on television.

In 2013, Lee appeared on television for the first time in The Queen's Classroom and had minor roles in Blue Tower, Royal Villa, and Shining Romance (2013–2014). Lee also appears in the film The Attorney, which attracted 10 million viewers. She appeared as the old house owner of the main character Song Woo-seok (played by Song Kang-ho) and showed off her witty acting. When Song Kang-ho asked her to sell the house because he would pay more than the market price, she said, "Oh my, would you like some 'jussi'?" in a dialect and acted cutely. The following year, she was featured in television dramas Cunning Single Lady, Beauty Parlor Boss, High School King of Savvy, My Lovely Girl, and Only Love.

Her big break came in 2015. After a minor role in the KBS2 school series Who Are You: School 2015, she landed a supporting role in the tvN drama series Oh My Ghost (2015) where she portrayed the Shaman of Seobinggo-dong. Lee gained widespread recognition for her performance in the drama. In 2016, Lee starred in Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo as Jung Jun-hyung's (Nam Joo-hyuk) mother. In that same year, she won Best Acting at the Seoul Theatre Festival for her role in the play Feast with Hanyang Repertory Theater.

2017–2018: Okja and Mr. Sunshine

In 2017, director Bong Joon-ho, who had previously collaborated with Lee on Mother (2009), offered her the role of the voice actor for a genetically modified pig named Okja in the action-adventure film Okja. Lee accepted the role and dedicated herself to researching it by visiting a pig farm. This marked her second collaboration with Bong Joon-ho. Okja featured an international cast, including Tilda Swinton and Paul Dano. The film had its world premiere at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival on May 18, 2017, where it received a four-minute standing ovation. It was later released on Netflix on June 28, 2017, and in July 2022, it was released on Blu-ray and DVD as part of The Criterion Collection.

In the same year, Lee played the role of Geum-bok, the loving and doting mother of Baek Seol-hee (played by Song Ha-yoon), in the KBS2 drama Fight for My Way, written by Lim Sang-choon. Her performance as the mother who prepared delicious side dishes for her daughter's prospective in-laws resonated with many viewers, particularly with the line, "Please just be pretty to our Seolhee."

In 2018, Lee appeared in the historical drama Mr. Sunshine, written by screenwriter Kim Eun-sook. Kim had been impressed by Lee's performance in the film The Battleship Island and recognized her from her role in Oh My Ghost. The two later met at a restaurant, where Kim expressed her admiration for Lee's work. Lee was subsequently cast in the supporting role of Ham-an-daek, the careful and attentive assistant to the character Ae-shin Ae-gi (played by Kim Tae-ri). Originally envisioned as a minor supporting role, Lee's nuanced performance helped evolve the character into a more prominent maternal figure, filling the absence of the female lead's parents. Her portrayal was praised for adding both laughter and warmth to the show.

In that same year, Lee also acted in the tvN drama Familiar Wife, delivering a passionate performance as the mother of the main character, Seo Woo-jin (played by Han Ji-min). Her portrayal of Seo Woo-jin's mother, who was suffering from dementia, was widely acclaimed for its authenticity. For her portrayal in Mr. Sunshine and Familiar Wife, Lee Jung-eun won the Excellence Award in the drama category at…