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Lee El

Lee El

Actor · Born August 26, 1982 (44) · Seoul, South Korea

Kim Ji-hyun, better known by her stage name EL (or Lee El), is a South Korean actress, best known as Lee Byung-hun's ill fated love interest in Inside Men.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 26, 1982 (44)
From
Seoul, South Korea
Works as
Actor
Titles
26 on MovieCove · 46 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Down 9% in 30 days

What are Lee El's films like?

Across their 20 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
28%
Self
24%
Survival
16%
Morality
13%
Power
7%
Ideas
6%
Society
6%
Romantic love9 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeMortality3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this themeMemory3 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFate3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 6 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 0 · Serious 1 · Dark 5

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

Grounded 4 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 0 · Charged 1 · Intense 5

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

Steady 0 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 2

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

Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 0

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

A split, not a type: Slow burn 1 · Even-paced 2 · Relentless 3

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

Casual 1 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 1

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

Easy watch 0 · Affecting 1 · Heavy 5

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 3 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

7 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 4 of 7 analyzed roles.

Ally
4 of 7
Threshold guardian
1 of 7
Shapeshifter
1 of 7
Hero
1 of 7
Show the 7 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
10
Melancholic
13
Dread
6
Romantic
6
Bittersweet
5
Other
15

How their films linger

Bittersweet9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 6 with a twist

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet10
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous5

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 El's films?

As of October 24, 2026, all 26 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Netflix (10).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Lee El'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

46 credits, 26 with a MovieCove page; 5 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Mousetrap(2026)

    Show as Han Ji Hye

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all shows

  • Surely Tomorrow(2025)

    Show 12 episodes · as Seo Ji-yeon

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows

  • Queen Mantis(2025)

    Show 8 episodes · as Na-hee

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • My Troublesome Star (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Show 12 episodes · as Ko Hee-young

  • When the Stars Gossip(2025)

    Show 16 episodes · as Kang Tae-hee

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all shows

  • Mr. Plankton(2024)

    Show 6 episodes · as Bong-suk

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Following(2024)

    as Oh Young-ju

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

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

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Battle for Happiness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Show 16 episodes · as Jang Mi-ho

  • My Liberation Diary(2022)

    Show 16 episodes · as Yeom Gi-jeong

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Yaksha: Ruthless Operations(2022)

    as Hee-won

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Love and Leashes(2022)

    as Hye-mi

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Heaven: To the Land of Happiness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    as Kim Byeon

  • Beauty and the Beast (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • Dr. Brain(2021)

    Show as Dr. Hyun

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all shows

  • The Call(2020)

    as Ja-ok

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Night View of the Ocean in Yeosu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Actor

  • When the Devil Calls Your Name(2019)

    Show 16 episodes · as Ji Seo-Young

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Scent of a Ghost(2019)

    as Ji-yeon

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Drug King(2018)

    as Young Partner

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • The Greatest Divorce(2018)

    Show 32 episodes · as Jin Yoo-Young

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all shows

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

    as Jenny

  • A Korean Odyssey(2017)

    Show 20 episodes · as Ms. Ma Ji-young

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Black(2017)

    Show 18 episodes · as Yoon Soo-Wan

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Guardian: The Lonely and Great God(2016)

    Show 16 episodes · as Sam-shin

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

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

    Show 50 episodes · as Ok Chae-Ryung

  • Imaginary Cat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Show 8 episodes · as Dok Ko-soon

  • Inside Men(2015)

    as Joo Eun-hye

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Hello Monster (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Show 2 episodes · as Jae-shik's girlfriend

  • My Beautiful Bride(2015)

    Show 16 episodes · as Son Hye-Jung

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all shows

  • Divorce Lawyer in Love(2015)

    Show 18 episodes · as Han Mi-ri

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all shows

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

    Show 20 episodes · as Lady Kang

  • Liar Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Show 12 episodes · as Oh Jung-ah / Jamie

  • Man on High Heels(2014)

    as Dodo

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • One Thing She Doesn't Have (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Sarah

  • Swine Escape (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Wol-hyang

  • 7th Grade Civil Servant (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 20 episodes · as Park Soo-young

  • Masquerade(2012)

    as Lady Ahn

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

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

    as Dr. Choi

  • Wild Romance(2012)

    Show 16 episodes · as Mi-jin

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Crime Squad(2011)

    Show 16 episodes · as Yoo Hye-mi

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all shows

  • Athena: Goddess of War (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as DIS Agent

  • White Christmas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 8 episodes · as Oh Jung-hye

  • The Yellow Sea(2010)

    as Joo Yeong

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

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

    as Young-sook

  • 협반 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show 1 episode · as Sim Cheong-ha

Career shape

Star power in the 97th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 44 titles, 43 of them dated from 2009 to 2025; peak year 2021.

Biggest box office

Inside Men (2015)

$62M worldwide

Highest rated

Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (2016)

Midcredits 98th

Film career

20092025

Peak 2021 · at the high point of their film career. Top draw in 3 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.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting44 of 44: 44 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score69th

By decade

2000s1 · acting2010s28 · acting2020s14 · acting

Billing

usually 6th · top billed in 0% of 11 roles

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.

How do Lee El's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 71st percentile, the median of all 10; across their 6 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 77th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

77thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Approval · how many liked their films

75thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Reach · how many have seen their films

88thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Midcredits score across 26 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up9
  • 50th to 74th12
  • 25th to 49th5

Shape of the crowd

16 of their 26 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser16
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed3

Most divisive · actor

When the Stars Gossip (2025)

80th percentile spread · 21% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (2016)

Midcredits 98th · 91% liked

Reviewers score the acting 78/100 in their films, across 5 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 El'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 titles46–95 · median 87 · severeheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity5 titles8–87 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 68 · intenseMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 42 · moderateMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 88 · severeMedian 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 El work with?

People who share at least 2 of Lee El's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Oh Jung-se shares the most, 3.

Directors

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors