Lee Ha-nui

Lee Hanee (; born March 2, 1983), also known as Honey Lee, is a South Korean actress, model, and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Korea 2006 and represented her country at Miss Universe 2007. She is known for starring in the films '' Deranged'' (2012), '' The Bros'' (2017), ''Extreme Job'' (2019), and ''Black Money'' (2019). In television, she gained recognition for her roles in '' The Rebel'' (2017), ''The Fiery Priest'' (2019–2024), ''One the Woman'' (2021), and ''Knight Flower'' (2024). For her performance in the latter, Lee won the Baeksang Arts Award for Best Actress.

Early life

Lee Hanee is the middle child of three, and has an elder sister and a younger brother. Her father, , was a high-ranking official with the National Intelligence Service. Her mother, Moon Jae-suk, has a PhD in Korean music history and is a professor at Ewha Womans University as well as music director of the Gimhae Gayageum Orchestra. Her sister is , a member of the KBS Orchestra of Traditional Korean Music. Lee's maternal uncle is politician Moon Hee-sang (former Speaker of the National Assembly).

Lee graduated from Seoul National University with high honors in traditional Korean music. She received her master's degree from the same university.

Career

Beauty pageant

Lee won the 2006 Miss Korea pageant and represented South Korea in the Miss Universe 2007. She managed to break into the Top 5 and was placed 3rd runner-up; Riyo Mori from Japan was crowned Miss Universe that year. Lee was also named Miss Grand Slam 2007.

Music

Lee is a professional gayageum player, a Korean music instrument. She was named a gayageum prodigy by the Kumho Art Center, the most prestigious musical foundation in Korea. She has released four CDs and played in more than 25 countries, including concerts at Carnegie Hall in New York City. In 2017, she participated in the largest-ever mass performance of the gayageum as part of the two-day Uijeongbu International Gayageum Festival. Lee performed at the closing ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics, where she reinterpreted '춘앵무 (Chunaengmu)', one of the royal dances of the Joseon period. Lee appeared in the music video For Dynamic Duo (South Korean duo)'s song "Jam". Presumably Lee plays a Honeybee in the video which is a pun on the honeybee themed video.

Film and television

Lee Hanee co-hosted Real Time TV Entertainment, on the national TV network SBS, a 12-year-old show focusing on show business, beginning July 18. In 2008, she made her acting debut in the musical ''Polaroid'' which opened at PMC Daehangno Jayu Theater in Hyehwa-dong, Jongno District. She has since starred in musicals ''Legally Blonde'', playing Elle Woods and ''Chicago'', playing Roxie Hart.

In 2009, Lee starred in her first television series ''The Partner'', playing a femme fatale attorney. She next starred in the romantic comedy series ''Pasta'' (2010), playing a celebrity chef. Lee won her first acting accolade at the MBC Drama Awards, the Best Newcomer award for her performance in the family drama ''Iron Daughters-in-law'' (2011). In 2011, Lee was cast in her first big screen role in action film, ''Hit''. She also featured in the disaster film '' Deranged'' and period comedy '' I Am a King'' (2012).

After appearing in E J-yong's ensemble mockumentary ''Behind the Camera'' (2013), Lee starred in the gambling film '' Tazza: The Hidden Card'' (2014), playing a rich widow. She also appeared in a comedy drama in 2014 called Modern Farmer which is about a rock band called "Excellent Souls." The band consists of Lee Min-Ki (Lee Hong-Ki), Kang Hyeok (Park Min-Woo), Yoo Han-Cheol (Lee Si-Un) and Han Ki-Joon (Kwak Dong-Yeon). The band decides to move to the countryside. The drama series follows their dreams, loves, and friendships.

Lee then played Queen Daemok in the 2015 historical drama ''Shine or Go Crazy'', which depicts a fictional romance between a cursed Goryeo prince and the last princess of Balhae. The same year, she starred in the science fiction film ''Sori: Voice From The Heart''. In 2016, Lee starred in the comedy drama ''Come Back Mister''. Lee was praised for her chemistry with co-star Oh Yeon-seo, whom she has acted with in her previous project ''Shine or Go Crazy''. In 2017, Lee played famous gisaeng Jang Nok-su in the historical drama '' The Rebel''. She won critical praise for her portrayal, and won several acting awards. The same year, she featured in crime thriller ''Heart Blackened'' and action comedy film '' The Bros''.

In 2019, Lee starred in the comedy film ''Extreme Job'' as a narcotics detective. The film became the second-most successful Korean film ever with 16 million tickets sold. The same year, she starred in comedy crime drama ''The Fiery Priest'' as a prosecutor. The drama was a commercial success with over 20% in ratings. Both projects proved Lee's versatility and contributed to her rise in popularity.

In 2021, Lee starred another SBS drama ''One the Woman'' with Lee Sang-yoon, Jin Seo-yeon and Lee Won-keun, making a small screen comeback in two years. She played dual roles as Jo Yeon-joo, a smart but corrupted prosecutor (which is similar to her previous drama ''The Fiery Priest'') and Kang Mi-na, an illegitimate daughter of a chaebol who is abused by her family and her husband's family. The drama was a hit with the last episode achieving 3.2 million viewers and a rating of 17.8%. For her successful portrayal of dual character with polar opposite personality, she earned a top excellence award and daesang nomination at 2021 SBS Drama Awards.

Personal life

Lee has been actively involved in voluntary work for several organizations such as UNICEF, Compassion and World Vision. She serves as the Goodwill Ambassador for Beauty Mind Charity and Korea Green Foundation. Lee holds a third degree black belt in Taekwondo, and is a scuba diver and a competitive skier. She is of Christian faith and once followed a vegetarian diet. But she began eating meat and fish for her own freedom according to her.

Relationship and marriage

On November 8, 2021, it was confirmed that Lee was dating a non-celebrity boyfriend. They have been dating since early 2021. On December 21, 2021, Saram Entertainment confirmed that Lee has married that day, and the wedding ceremony was held in Seoul where only family members attended. According to Lee's agency, her husband is a Korean-American office worker. In January 2022, Lee's agency announced that Lee was 4 months pregnant with her first child. On June 20, 2022, she gave birth to a daughter at a hospital in Seoul. On March 7, 2025, it was announced that Lee was expecting her second child.

Filmography

Film

Television series

Web series

Television shows

Theater

Accolades

Awards and nominations

State honors

Listicles

Notes

References

External links

Lee Hanee
at Saram Entertainment

Lee Hanee
at Miss Korea website
*

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Hanee
1983 births
Living people
Actresses from Seoul
King Kong by Starship artists
Miss Korea winners
Miss Universe 2007 contestants
Models from Seoul
People from Jung District, Seoul
South Korean female models
South Korean female taekwondo practitioners
South Korean television actresses
South Korean film actresses
South Korean musical theatre actresses
21st-century South Korean actresses
Seoul National University alumni
Ewha Womans University alumni
South Korean Christians
21st-century South Korean sportswomen