Lee Sung-kyung

1. Early life and education

Lee was born on August 10, 1990, in Goyang, South Korea.^[5] Lee has one younger sister, Lee Sung-eun, who is a musical actress.^[6] On February 22, 2016, Lee graduated from Dongduk Women's University.^[7]

2. Career

2.1. 2008–2013: Beginnings as a model

Lee began her entertainment career as a model where she competed at the local Super Model Contest in 2008.^[5][8] In 2013, The Papers collaborated with Lee with the single "I Love You".^[9]

2.2. 2014–2017: Acting and singing debut

In 2014, Lee made her acting debut with a supporting role in television drama It's Okay, That's Love, being the first model-actress promoted under YG KPlus, the joint venture of YG Entertainment and K-Plus.^[10][11] This was followed by weekend drama, Flower of Queen in 2015.^[12] She won "Best New Actress" in a Special Project Drama at the MBC Drama Awards for her role.^[13]

In January 2016, Lee featured in tvN's college romance series, Cheese in the Trap.^[14] On April 28, 2016, Lee released a collaboration single with Eddy Kim, which is a cover of Sharp's "My Lips like Warm Coffee".^[15] Lee then starred in the SBS' prime-time medical drama, The Doctors as a neurosurgeon.^[16]

The same year, she took on her first leading role in Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo, a youth sports drama inspired by the real-life story of Olympic weightlifting champion Jang Mi-ran.^{[17][18][19][20]} In 2017, Lee dubbed the film Trolls alongside Park Hyung-sik.^[21] She was also cast in the romance film Love+Sling, directed by first-time director Kim Dae-woong.^[22] She was also featured in Psy's 4×2=8 with the single "Last Scene".^[23]

2.3. 2018–present: Rising popularity

In 2018, Lee starred in the fantasy melodrama About Time.^[24] In 2019, She starred in the action comedy film Miss & Mrs. Cops released on May 9, 2019, alongside Ra Mi-ran.^[25][26][27] In 2020, Lee starred in the second season of the hit medical drama Dr. Romantic, playing Cha Eun-jae, a skilled cardiothoracic surgeon with Ahn Hyo-seop as her leading man.^[28][29][30]

In 2022, Lee starred in the tvN drama Shooting Stars alongside Kim Young-dae.^[31] In 2023, Lee starred in Disney+ Original drama Call It Love.^[32] and returning in season three of the medical drama Dr. Romantic replaying the role of Cha Eun-jae.^[33] On December 13, she released her first song "Eat Sleep Live Repeat" with Lee Chan-hyuk from AKMU.^[34]

In 2024, Lee was chosen to play the role of Princess Jasmine in the Korean-adaption of the 2011 musical Aladdin and it is her first musical debut career.^[35] On August 20, iQIYI announced Lee will be participate in the International Boy Group Talent Show, Starlight Boys as an MC.^[36]

In June 2025, after YG Entertainment announced it would end its actor management division, Lee signed an exclusive contract with Fantagio.^[37] Lee starred in JTBC's romance drama The Nice Guy opposite Lee Dong-wook where she played an ambitious aspiring singer.^[38][39][40]

In 2026, Lee starred in the MBC TV romance drama In Your Radiant Season opposite Chae Jong-hyeop.^[41][42]

3. Philanthropy

On August 12, 2022, Lee donated ₩100 million to help those affected by the 2022 South Korea floods through the Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association.^[43] At the end of 2023, Lee donated ₩50 million to the Comprehensive Support Center for Seniors Living Alone.^[44] On January 15, 2024, Lee donated ₩100 million to Dankook University Hospital. This donation was made in response to Lee's appearance in the SBS drama Dr. Romantic 3.^[45]

4. Filmography

5. Musical theatre

Musical play performances

Year	Title	Role	Date	Ref.
2024–2025	Aladdin (알라딘)	Jasmine	November 22, 2024 – July 2025	[46]

6. Discography

6.1. Singles

Title	Year	Peak chart position	Album
		Gaon [47]
As featured artist
"My Lips like Warm Coffee" (내 입술 따뜻한 커피처럼) (Eddy Kim feat. Lee Sung-kyung)[15]	2016	3	Non-album single
Collaborations
"I Love You" (사랑의 단상) (with The Papers)	2013	—	랑의 단상 Chapter 4: You and Me Song
"Love" (러브) (with Loco)[48]	2021	25	Duet Mate
"Eat Sleep Live Repeat" (잘 먹고 잘 살아) (with Lee Chan-hyuk)[49]	2023	—	Non-album single
Soundtrack appearances
"True Colors" (세로라이브) (with Park Hyung-sik)[50][51]	2017	—	Trolls OST (Korean version)
"Get Back Up Again"[52]		—
"My Only One Person"	2018	—	About Time OST Musical Special[53]
"I Am What I Am"		—
"Tomorrow will be a better day! "		—
"Show Time" (with Ra Mi-ran)[54][55]	2019	—	Miss & Mrs. Cops OST
"Thank You for the Memories" (고마워 추억이 되어줘서) (with Dr. Romantic 3 Cast)[56]	2023	—	Dr. Romantic 3 OST Part 10
"Let the Star Shine Us Again" (이별이 다시 우릴 비춰주길) (with Lim Seul-ong)[57][58]	2024	—	Transit Love 3 OST Part 7
"Unspoken" (아무 말 하지 마요)	2025	—	The Nice Guy OST[59]
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.

6.2. Other charted songs

Title	Year	Peak chart position	Album
		Gaon [60]
"Last Scene" (마지막 장면) (Psy feat. Lee Sung-kyung)[61]	2017	13	4X2=8

7. Bibliography

Year	Title	Publisher	ISBN	Notes
2016	Be Joyful	Paperbook	ISBN 9788997148615	Photobook

8. Ambassadorship

Year	Organization	Title	Ref.
2024	Korea Brand & Entertainment Expo (KBEE)	Tokyo Hallyu Honorary Ambassador	[62]

9. Accolades

9.1. Awards and nominations

Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the nomination

Award ceremony	Year	Category	Nominee / work	Result	Ref.
APAN Star Awards	2015	Best New Actress	Flower of Queen	Nominated	[63]
	2020	Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries	Dr. Romantic 2	Nominated	[64]
	2023	Top Excellence Award	Dr. Romantic 3	Won	[65]
		Seoul League Actors Award		Won
Asia Artist Awards	2018	Artist of the Year	Lee Sung-kyung	Won	[66]
		Best Emotive		Won
	2020	Best Actress Award	Dr. Romantic 2	Won	[67]
Asia Model Awards[1]	2020	Model Star Award	Lee Sung-kyung	Won	[69][70]
Asia Pacific Super Model Contest	2009	Unix Hair New Style Prize		Won	[71]
Asia Star Entertainer Awards	2026	Best Character (Actress)		Won	[72]
Baeksang Arts Awards	2016	Best New Actress (TV)	Queen's Flower	Nominated	[73]
CFDK Fashion Awards	2014	Best Female Fashion Model of the Year	Lee Sung-kyung	Won	[74][75]
Chunsa Film Art Awards	2019	Special Popularity Award	Miss & Mrs. Cops	Won	[76]
Korea Drama Awards	2015	Best New Actress	Flower of Queen	Nominated	[77]
Korea Musical Awards	2026	Best New Actress	Aladdin (알라딘)	Won	[78]
Max Movie Awards	2016	Rising Star Award	Lee Sung-kyung	Won	[79]
MBC Drama Awards	2015	Best New Actress in a Special Project Drama	Flower of Queen	Won	[13]
		Popularity Award, Actress		Nominated	[80]
		Best Couple Award	Flower of Queen (with Yoon Park)	Nominated	[81]
	2016	Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries	Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo	Won	[82]
		Best Couple Award	Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo (with Nam Joo-hyuk)	Nominated
SBS Drama Awards	2016	Special Award, Actress in a Genre Drama	The Doctors	Nominated	[83]
	2020	Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries Action Drama	Dr. Romantic 2	Won	[84]
		Best Couple Award	Dr. Romantic 2 (with Ahn Hyo-seop)	Nominated	[85]
	2023	Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Seasonal Drama	Dr. Romantic 3	Won	[86]
		Best Supporting Team		Won
		Best Couple Award	Dr. Romantic 3 (with Ahn Hyo-seop)	Nominated	[87]
Super Model Contest	2008	Lex Prize	Lee Sung-kyung	Won	[88]

9.2. Listicles

Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement

Publisher	Year	Listicle	Placement	Ref.
Korean Film Council	2021	Korean Actors 200[2]	Included	[89][90]