Lee Byung-hun’s wife, actress Lee Min-jung, has long been a topic of public interest, not just for her career but for her enduring relationship with the A-list actor. Despite ups and downs, their marriage has remained strong, offering a rare glimpse into the private lives of two of Korea’s biggest stars.
Lee Byung-hun married his wife, actress Lee Min-jung, in an ultra-private ceremony on August 10, 2013. While many Korean couples choose to keep their relationships quiet, Lee Byung-hun’s wife has been in the public eye from the beginning. The couple has remained open with fans about their marriage.
Lee Byung-hun’s wife was recently mentioned when the actor appeared on the tvN talk show, “You Quiz on the Block.” He spoke candidly about their relationship.
When asked how Lee Min-jung was doing, he said, “Yes, she’s well. She told me she was going to watch me on this show in a very detailed manner. She was like, ‘I’m going to see how many seconds you used to tell them all good things about me.'”
The show’s host then gave Lee Byung-hun a chance to do just that. He praised his wife and had nothing but kind words. “Not only is Min-jung an amazing cook, but she is also a great mother. She plays golf well. Her attitude is really easygoing. I believe she’s overall an incredible person,” the “Squid Game” actor shared.
Lee Byung-hun also described his wife as funny and said she always makes him laugh. “When I told people around me that I was going to marry Min-jung, a lot of them asked, ‘What part of her do you find so attractive that you want to marry her?’ I told them, ‘She’s hilarious. I often smile and laugh thanks to her,'” he added.
Even after more than a decade of marriage, Lee Byung-hun’s wife remains an important part of his daily life. The couple enjoys coffee together every morning, made by the actor himself. On days when he isn’t working, they stay in and watch movies. In fact, Lee Byung-hun shared that he can go up to seven days without leaving the house, which his wife finds fascinating.
Still, their relationship hasn’t always been smooth. The couple first met in 2006, when Lee Min-jung was just starting her acting career and Lee Byung-hun was already a well-known star. They dated for about a year before he proposed, but she wasn’t ready for marriage. They decided to part ways.
They didn’t contact each other for three years. Then, while filming “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra” overseas, Lee Byung-hun called her out of the blue.
“He said he wanted to see me once he was back in Korea,” she recalled on JTBC’s “Gamsung Camping.” He kept his promise. They met again, talked, and picked up where they left off — this time for good.
In 2012, they went public with their relationship, and by August 2013, Lee Byung-hun and his wife were married. Fellow actors Jang Dong-gun, So Ji-sub, and Ko So-young attended the wedding. Actor Lee Bum-soo and entertainer Shin Dong-yup also performed during the ceremony.
Marriage wasn’t an easy choice for Lee Byung-hun’s wife, who wanted to continue acting. She tried to delay the wedding as much as possible, but Lee Byung-hun was supportive. He told her to decide, and he would wait.
In 2014, just a year after their wedding, Lee Byung-hun was involved in a scandal with Lee Ji-yeon and Kim Da-hee. The two women tried to extort him for nearly 5 billion won using secretly recorded footage. The case drew national media attention.
At the time, Lee Byung-hun’s wife was pregnant with their first child. She left their home and stayed with her parents. Lee Byung-hun publicly apologized, acknowledging his mistakes. He even asked for leniency for the women involved, not for himself.
Eventually, Lee Min-jung forgave him. He visited her family home, apologized in person, and asked for another chance.
On March 31, 2015, the couple welcomed a son. In December 2023, they had their second child, a daughter.
Today, Lee Byung-hun’s wife occasionally shares glimpses of their family life on social media. After a long acting hiatus, she recently returned to television in the drama “Fine, Let’s Divorce.” The series follows a couple running a wedding dress shop as they navigate the emotional toll of divorce.
Lee Min-jung is a South Korean actress known for her charm, comedic timing, and standout roles in romantic comedies and dramas. She began her acting career with supporting roles in film and television, but rose to fame after her breakout performance in the hit drama “Boys Over Flowers.”
She quickly became a household name through leading roles in popular series like “Smile, You,” “Big,” and “Cunning Single Lady.”
Lee Byung-hun’s career began in the early 1990s, and he has since become one of the most successful Korean actors to break into Hollywood. He first gained widespread fame through hit Korean dramas like “Beautiful Days” and “All In,” which cemented his status as a leading man.
His Hollywood debut came with “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra,” followed by high-profile roles in “Red 2” and “Terminator Genisys.” In recent years, the veteran actor reached a new global audience with his appearance in the international sensation, “Squid Game.”
With decades of work across Korean cinema and American blockbusters, Lee Byung-hun remains a major force in the global entertainment industry.
Lee Byung-hun and Lee Min-jung have each built remarkable careers in the Korean entertainment industry, earning admiration and respect in their own right. Together, their combined achievements and enduring bond have solidified their place as one of Korea’s most influential and admired celebrity couples, continuing to inspire with both their professional success and lasting partnership.
