The year he turned 21, he debuted in tvN’s High Class, as Ahn Seung-jo, aide to Nam Ji-seon (Kim Ji-soo).
In 2022, he played Lee Ji-ho, a badminton prospect, in KBS2’s Love All Play. In September, he was picked as a new host of Music Bank and began co-hosting with Jang Won-young.
In 2023, he played Lee Seon-jae, a student preparing for exams, in tvN’s Crash Course in Romance. He then played Kang Min-ki and Cheon-un in a dual role in See You in My 19th Life. In December, he won the best couple award at the KBS Entertainment Awards with Hong Eun-chae for Music Bank.
In March 2024, his agency confirmed that he was dating the actress Ryu Da-in. In May, he finished his 1 year 7 months as host of Music Bank. In June, he took his first lead role, as Kang Ha in Netflix’s Hierarchy.
The breakthrough yearThe year he turned 25, he was cast in January in tvN’s Bon Appétit, Your Majesty, as Lee Heon, in the place of an actor who had been cast earlier and dropped out. In April, he played Hwang Jae-yeol in MBC’s Crushology 101, and with the premiere of Bon Appétit, Your Majesty on Aug. 23, his name became known. Bon Appétit, Your Majesty ended on Sept. 28 with a peak rating of 17.1%. In August, he had moved to Baro Entertainment. In December, he played the villain Jo Nathan in Netflix’s Cashero, and won best new actor in succession at the APAN Star Awards and the MBC Drama Awards.
The year he turned 26, he won two awards in the male actor categories at the Korea First Brand Awards in January. In March, the film Everyday We Are was released, with him as Oh Ho-soo. In May, he won best new actor in television at the 62nd Baeksang Arts Awards. In July, he was cast in tvN’s My Reason to Die as Cha Gyeol, and in August he appeared in the Netflix variety show Take a Hike!, his first regular variety show.
Lee Chae-min (born Sep 15, 2000) debuted on Sep 6, 2021, the year he turned 21, in tvN’s High Class, and became known as Lee Heon in tvN’s Bon Appétit, Your Majesty on Aug 23, 2025, the year he turned 25. In 2026, the year he turned 26, he won best new actor in television at the Baeksang Arts Awards.
Ages are by calendar year (the year minus the birth year), birthdays aside.
Began acting as Ahn Seung-jo, aide to Nam Ji-seon (Kim Ji-soo), in the drama made by Wysiwyg Studios and H.World.
Source 01 · The Bell (Korean) · High Class premiere · opens in a new tabSource 02 · Elle Korea (Korean) · Lee Chae-min’s works · opens in a new tabPlayed Lee Ji-ho, a badminton prospect, in the drama about badminton that premiered as the follow-up to School 2021.
Source 03 · MBC Entertainment (Korean) · Bon Appétit, Your Majesty, a rising star in four episodes · opens in a new tabSource 04 · Top Star News (Korean) · Love All Play airs · opens in a new tabPicked as host in an announcement by his agency Gold Medalist on Sept. 27, and on the first broadcast on the 30th he began as the 38th “bank manager” with IVE’s Jang Won-young.
Source 05 · Newsis (Korean) · Picked as a Music Bank MC · opens in a new tabSource 06 · Star News (Korean) · First appearance on Music Bank · opens in a new tabPlayed Lee Seon-jae, a student preparing for exams, in the drama starring Jeon Do-yeon and Jung Kyung-ho. His casting was announced the previous December.
Source 08 · MyDaily (Korean) · Crash Course in Romance first broadcast confirmed · opens in a new tabSource 07 · Sports Donga (Korean) · Joins Crash Course in Romance · opens in a new tabPlayed both Kang Min-ki, a part-timer at the Aekyeong restaurant, and Cheon-un, a priest in a past life. The series ended on July 23.
Source 09 · Herald Muse (Korean) · Kang Min-ki appears in See You in My 19th Life · opens in a new tabSource 10 · Xports News (Korean) · See You in My 19th Life ends · opens in a new tab The exact date the character first appeared could not be confirmed.Won with Hong Eun-chae, with whom he co-hosted Music Bank.
Source 11 · Maeil Business Newspaper (Korean) · 2023 KBS Entertainment Awards best couple award · opens in a new tabHis agency confirmed that he was dating the actress Ryu Da-in, who was born in the same year (2000) and whom he met on Crash Course in Romance.
Source 12 · SBS Entertainment News (Korean) · Confirms dating Ryu Da-in · opens in a new tabEnded his time as host, picked in September 2022 and held for 1 year 7 months, with this broadcast.
Source 13 · News1 (Korean) · Leaves Music Bank · opens in a new tabTook his first lead role, as the transfer student Kang Ha, in a teen drama set at Jusin High School, where the top 0.01% rule.
Source 14 · Tenasia (Korean) · Kang Ha in Hierarchy · opens in a new tabSource 02 · Elle Korea (Korean) · Lee Chae-min’s works · opens in a new tabCast alongside Im Yoon-ah, Kang Han-na and Choi Gwi-hwa, in the place of an actor who had been cast earlier and dropped out. He plays Lee Heon, the tyrant king.
Source 15 · Dispatch (Korean) · Casting complete for Bon Appétit, Your Majesty · opens in a new tabPlayed Hwang Jae-yeol in the Friday-Saturday drama with Noh Jeong-eui, Cho Jun-young and others.
Source 16 · Sports Kyunghyang (Korean) · Crushology 101 first broadcast · opens in a new tabLeft Gold Medalist and signed an exclusive contract with Baro Entertainment, the agency of Byeon Woo-seok.
Source 17 · News1 (Korean) · Exclusive contract with Baro Entertainment · opens in a new tabPlayed Lee Heon, a tyrant king with an absolute sense of taste, opposite Im Yoon-ah. MBC Entertainment wrote that he became a rising star after four episodes.
The drama, which ended after 12 episodes, hit its series high of 17.1% nationwide on pay platforms, per Nielsen Korea.
Source 19 · Joy News 24 (Korean) · Bon Appétit, Your Majesty ends · opens in a new tabPlayed the villain Jo Nathan, who goes after a hero’s powers, in the drama starring Lee Jun-ho.
Source 22 · VOGUE Korea (Korean) · Introducing Cashero · opens in a new tabSource 21 · Nocut News (Korean) · Cashero release date confirmed · opens in a new tabWon best new actor together with Kang You-seok.
Source 24 · Harper’s Bazaar Korea (Korean) · 2025 APAN Star Awards results · opens in a new tabShared the award with Cho Jun-young of the same drama, Crushology 101.
Source 23 · Edaily (Korean) · 2025 MBC Drama Awards best new actor · opens in a new tabWon in both the male actor (Hot Trend) and male actor (Rising Star, Indonesia) categories.
Source 25 · Top Star News (Korean) · 2026 First Brand Awards · opens in a new tabPlayed Oh Ho-soo, who has an unrequited love for his childhood friend Yeo-ul, in the film based on the webtoon of the same name.
Source 26 · Newsen (Korean) · Everyday We Are to open in March · opens in a new tabSource 27 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Everyday We Are interview · opens in a new tab Newsen describes it as the last work of the late Kim Sae-ron.Shared the award with Bang Hyo-rin.
Source 28 · Tenasia (Korean) · Baeksang Arts Awards new actor · opens in a new tabConfirmed alongside Roh Yoon-seo. He plays Cha Gyeol, a man trapped in an endless time loop to save the woman he loves.
Source 29 · Maeil Business Newspaper (Korean) · Cast for My Reason to Die confirmed · opens in a new tabAppears in producer Na Young-seok’s hiking variety show with Car, the Garden, DAY6’s Dowoon and Allday Project’s Tarzan. It is his first regular variety show.
Source 30 · Sports Seoul (Korean) · Take a Hike! · opens in a new tabSource 25 · Top Star News (Korean) · 2026 First Brand Awards · opens in a new tabEND OF SELECTED RECORDSSelected records, 2021–2026 · not a complete list of work. “Key moment” is an editorial label, not a measure of success.
What did they do, and at what age?
AgeTrail lines up the key moments of a life by age.
Debut and breakthrough are marked separately, and every record has a source.
Film & TV · South Korea
Sep 15, 2000 —
Ages are counted from the birth year 2000: the year of the event minus 2000, birthdays aside. “Key moment” labels and the connecting story are AgeTrail's editorial reading.
Fact-checked: 2026.09.29 · An independent archive, not affiliated with the person or their agency.