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Lee Sung-min

Lee Sung-min

Actor · Born October 15, 1968 (58) · Bonghwa, North Gyeongsang, South Korea

Lee Sung-min (Korean: 이성민; born October 15, 1968) is a South Korean actor. He first gained recognition for his supporting roles in television and film. He is best known for his performances in the series Golden Time (2012), Misaeng: Incomplete Life (2014), and Reborn Rich (2022), winning Best Actor at the Baeksang Arts Awards for the latter two works. Lee has also received critical acclaim for his role in the espionage film The Spy Gone North (2018), for which he won several Best Actor awards. His other notable films include The Sheriff in Town (2017), The Witness (2018), The Man Standing Next (2020), and Handsome Guys (2024). Description above from the Wikipedia article Lee Sung-min (actor), licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
October 15, 1968 (58)
From
Bonghwa, North Gyeongsang, South Korea
Works as
Actor
Titles
42 on MovieCove · 91 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Up 6% in 30 days

What are Lee Sung-min's films like?

Across their 32 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Action9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 67th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Drama5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 84th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Crime4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 60th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 67th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Horror2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 44th percentile
: browse their Horror movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
24%
Bonds
21%
Self
19%
Power
16%
Survival
15%
Society
4%
Ideas
1%
Justice9 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds8 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival8 titles, browse their movies with this themePower6 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption5 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition6 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose5 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 24 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 5 · Serious 4 · Dark 15

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 13 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 4

Intense: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their intense movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 2 · Charged 5 · Intense 17

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 7 · Shifting 16 · Whiplash 1

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 16 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 3

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 3 · Even-paced 19 · Relentless 2

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 6 · Engaged 9 · Full focus 9

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 6 · Affecting 3 · Heavy 15

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 14 · Open-ended 9 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

18 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 6 of 18 analyzed roles.

Hero
6 of 18
Shadow
5 of 18
Mentor
3 of 18
Ally
2 of 18
Shapeshifter
1 of 18
Threshold guardian
1 of 18
Show the 18 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
25
Dread
10
Melancholic
12
Thrilling
7
Hopeful
6
Other
28

How their films linger

Thought-provoking18 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 8 with a twist

  • Happy6
  • Bittersweet14
  • Ambiguous12

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Lee Sung-min's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 35 of their 42 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (20).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Lee Sung-min's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

91 credits, 42 with a MovieCove page; 14 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Sacred Jewel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Show 14 episodes · as Choi Gou

  • Punghyangjung (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Show 3 episodes · Actor

  • Teach You a Lesson(2026)

    Show 10 episodes · as Choi Kang-seok

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Boss(2025)

    as Lim Dae-su

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • No Other Choice(2025)

    as Gu Bum-mo

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • The Queen Who Crowns (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Show 14 episodes · as Lee Seong-gye / King Taejo

  • Nine Puzzles(2025)

    Show as Considering

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • 풍향GO (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Show 5 episodes · Actor

  • Punghyanggo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Show 7 episodes · Actor

  • The Tyrant(2024)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr. Chae

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all shows

  • Handsome Guys(2024)

    as Jae-pil

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • A Bloody Lucky Day(2023)

    Show 10 episodes · as Oh Taek

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • 12.12: The Day(2023)

    as Jung Sang-ho

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • The Moon(2023)

    as Hwang Gyu-tae

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Nattering with Nah (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Devil's Deal(2021)

    as Kwon Soon-tae

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Reborn Rich (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 16 episodes · as Jin Yang-chul

  • Remember(2022)

    as Pil-ju

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Shadow Detective(2022)

    Show 16 episodes · as Kim Taek-rok

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all shows

  • Hunt(2022)

    as Cho Won-sik

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Juvenile Justice(2022)

    Show 10 episodes · as Kang Won-jung

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Miracle: Letters to the President(2021)

    as Tae-yoon

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • The 8th Night(2021)

    as Park Jin-soo / Seon Hwa

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Miniforce: Raid of Hamburger Monsters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Actor

  • Mr. Zoo: The Missing VIP(2020)

    as Joo Tae-ju

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • The Man Standing Next(2020)

    as President Park

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Money Game(2020)

    Show 16 episodes · as Heo Jae

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all shows

  • Black Money(2019)

    as Prosecutor General

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • The Beast(2019)

    as Jung Han-su

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Hit-and-Run Squad(2019)

    as Seo Jeong-chae

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • The Drug King(2018)

    as Seo Sang-hoon

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • The Witness(2018)

    as Sang-hoon

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • The Spy Gone North(2018)

    as Ri Myeong-woon

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • What a Man Wants (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    as Seok-geun

  • Real(2017)

    as Choi Jin-gi

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • The Sheriff In Town (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Dae-ho

  • Familyhood(2016)

    as Joo Min-ho

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Memory (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Show 16 episodes · as Park Tae-suk

  • A Violent Prosecutor(2016)

    as Woo Jong-gil

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Sori: Voice from the Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Hae-Gwan

  • The Piper(2015)

    as Village chief

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Hwajung (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Show 50 episodes · as Yi Deok-hyeong

  • Big Match(2014)

    as Young-ho

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Incomplete Life(2014)

    Show 20 episodes · as Oh Sang-shik

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • My Brilliant Life(2014)

    as Ah-reum's Doctor

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Kundo: Age of the Rampant(2014)

    as Dae-ho

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Broken (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Jang Eok-gwan

  • Venus Talk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Lee Jae-ho

  • Miss Korea (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 20 episodes · as Teacher Jung

  • The Attorney(2013)

    as Lee Yoon-taek

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • KBS 대기획 의궤, 8일간의 축제 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 3 episodes · as narrator

  • A Wonderful Moment (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Hee-suk

  • A Culprit Among Friends (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Actor

  • Golden Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 23 episodes · as Choi In-hyuk

  • All About My Wife(2012)

    as Director Na

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • The King 2 Hearts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 20 episodes · as Lee Jae-kang (the King)

  • Eighteen, Nineteen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Doctor

  • Ordinary Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 4 episodes · as Kim Joo Pyung

  • Howling (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Young-cheol

  • Identical Criminals (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Kang Dae-woo

  • The Cat(2011)

    as Silk Papa

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Officer of the Year (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Detective Jo

  • Can You Hear My Heart?(2011)

    Show 30 episodes · as Lee Myung-gyun

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • Café Noir (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Mi-yeon 1's Husband

  • The Unjust(2010)

    as Chief Prosecutor

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • I'll Teach You Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Park Yong Dae

  • Troubleshooter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Yoon Dae-hee

  • Last Flashman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Jo Won-sik

  • Gloria (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 50 episodes · as Son Jong-Bum

  • A Little Pond (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Kkuri's Dad

  • Bestseller (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Editor-in-chief

  • Triangle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as CEO Lee Byung-joon

  • The Pot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Dong-shik

  • Go Go 70s (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Byung-wook

  • The Good, the Bad, the Weird(2008)

    as Chef

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • On Air (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 21 episodes · as Song Soo-chul

  • Wide Awake (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Sang-woo's Father

  • Secret Sunshine(2007)

    as Cook

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • The Devil (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 20 episodes · as Hwang Dae-pil

  • Seducing Mr. Perfect(2006)

    as Director Yang

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Silk Shoes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Sung-chul

  • A Boy Who Went to Heaven (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Detective

  • Marathon(2005)

    as Coach Son Jung-wook's Friend

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Lovehollic Project (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as -

  • Flying Boys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Mr. Kim

  • My Mother the Mermaid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Fruit Store Owner

  • Father and Son: The Story of Mencius (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Gang

  • Cartel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Gulf of Aden (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Ode to My Father 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Seong-min

  • Vampir (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 90 titles, 85 of them dated from 2004 to 2026; peak year 2019.

Biggest box office

12.12: The Day (2023)

$97M worldwide

Highest rated

Teach You a Lesson (2026)

Midcredits 99th

Film career

20042026

Peak 2019 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 17 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 2005Screen debut· Marathon
  • 2017First top-billed film· The Sheriff In Town
  • 2022Career best· Remember
  • 2026Best so far· Teach You a Lesson

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting90 of 90: 90 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score67th

By decade

2000s16 · acting2010s44 · acting2020s25 · acting

Billing

usually 4th · top billed in 21% of 39 roles
051520

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Lee Sung-min's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 67th percentile, the median of all 33; across their 24 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 67th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

67thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 24

Approval · how many liked their films

65thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 24

Reach · how many have seen their films

76thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 24

Midcredits score across 42 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up15
  • 50th to 74th18
  • 25th to 49th8
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

22 of their 42 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Divisive1
  • Crowd Pleaser22
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed11

Most divisive · actor

Real (2017)

94th percentile spread · 30% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Teach You a Lesson (2026)

Midcredits 99th · 94% liked

Reviewers score the acting 78/100 in their films, across 23 reviewed titles; fans 83, detractors 51. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Lee Sung-min's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore5 titles61–78 · median 63 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity5 titles6–66 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 60 · moderateMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs4 titlesmedian 62 · intenseMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 50 · moderateMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Lee Sung-min work with?

People who share at least 2 of Lee Sung-min's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Cho Young-wuk shares the most, 7.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers