The year he turned 22, he debuted as a Panasonic print ad model, according to Hankook Ilbo. In 2004, he began acting in the short film My New Boyfriend, directed by Hur Jin-ho.
The breakthrough yearThe year he turned 25, he became known for appearing opposite Son Ye-jin in the SBS drama Alone in Love. Hankook Ilbo and Star News write that he made his face known with this drama. That year he also appeared in OCN’s Someday, and at the end of the year he received the SBS Drama Awards New Star Award.
In 2007, he appeared in MBC’s Air City. In 2008, he was in KBS2’s Powerful Opponents and SBS’s Glass Castle. In 2009, he enlisted in the Army. In 2011, he was discharged, and the same year he appeared in KBS’s Spy Myung-wol.
In 2012, he played Yoon Seok-hyun in tvN’s I Need Romance 2012, and TV Report writes that he emerged as a new rom-com prince with it. In 2013, he played Park Sun-woo in tvN’s Nine. In 2015, he appeared in SBS’s The Time We Were Not in Love. In 2016, he was in MBC’s Goodbye Mr. Black.
In November 2017, he was confirmed for SBS’s Return. In 2018, he appeared in Return and then in OCN’s Voice season 2.
In December 2019, his casting in Netflix’s Sweet Home was announced. The year he turned 39, the series was released, with him as Pyeon Sang-wook. In 2021, he starred with Kwon Nara in tvN’s Bulgasal: Immortal Souls. In 2023, Sweet Home season 2 was released.
In 2024, he finished Dear Hyeri, and in December he appeared in Squid Game season 2. In 2025, he played Gyeong-seok in Squid Game season 3. In September 2026, a December release was confirmed for a film in which he co-stars with Bae Suzy.
Lee Jin-wook (born 1981) began acting in the short film My New Boyfriend in 2004, the year he turned 23, and became known in 2006, the year he turned 25, when he appeared opposite Son Ye-jin in the SBS drama Alone in Love. Netflix’s Sweet Home was released in 2020, the year he turned 39.
Ages are by calendar year (the year minus the birth year), birthdays aside.
Hankook Ilbo and Korea Economic TV describe this modeling work as his debut.
Source 02 · Hankook Ilbo (Korean) · June 4, 2019 · opens in a new tabSource 03 · Korea Economic TV (Korean) · Oct. 27, 2017 · opens in a new tabBegan acting in a short film by the director Hur Jin-ho.
Source 01 · Star News (Korean) · Military service reported · opens in a new tab Star News describes this film as his debut. Some articles give the 2003 ad modeling as his debut. The shooting and release months were not confirmed.Appeared opposite Son Ye-jin in the Monday–Tuesday miniseries Alone in Love. Hankook Ilbo and Star News write that he made his face known with this drama in 2006.
Played Im Seok-man in the 16-episode drama. Seoul Shinmun writes that after appearing in Alone in Love and other dramas, he emerged as a rising newcomer.
Source 06 · Seoul Shinmun (Korean) · Newcomers on TV · opens in a new tabReceived the New Star Award, the equivalent of best new actor. My Daily writes that he drew attention for taking substantial roles in succession in Alone in Love and Smile Again.
Source 05 · My Daily (Korean) · 2006 SBS Drama Awards · opens in a new tabAppeared alongside Choi Ji-woo and Lee Jung-jae in a weekend special drama set at Incheon International Airport.
Source 07 · My Daily (Korean) · Air City first broadcast · opens in a new tabPlayed Kang Soo-ho in the Monday–Tuesday miniseries.
Source 31 · Edaily (Korean) · Powerful Opponents · opens in a new tab The first broadcast date was not confirmed. An article saying the Apr. 28 broadcast was episode 6 confirmed an April broadcast.Appeared in the 50-episode weekend drama.
Source 01 · Star News (Korean) · Military service reported · opens in a new tabEntered the 306th Replacement Battalion in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province.
Source 08 · Star News (Korean) · Army enlistment · opens in a new tabWas discharged after serving in the Defense Ministry’s public relations support unit.
Source 09 · Newsis (Korean) · Discharge · opens in a new tabPlayed the North Korean army officer Choi Ryu.
Source 10 · Star News (Korean) · Spy Myung-wol casting · opens in a new tabSource 11 · Segye Ilbo (Korean) · Spy Myung-wol OST · opens in a new tab Star News announced the first broadcast for July 4, and Segye Ilbo (July 6) gives the 11th. The 11th was used.Starred alongside Jung Yu-mi. TV Report writes that he emerged as a new rom-com prince with this drama.
Source 12 · TV Report (Korean) · I Need Romance 2012 first-broadcast preview · opens in a new tabSource 13 · TV Report (Korean) · Airport fashion · opens in a new tab This came after he had already become known.Played Park Sun-woo. The final episode’s rating of 1.9% was the highest of the run.
Source 14 · Edaily (Korean) · Nine finale · opens in a new tabAppeared in the SBS weekend drama. OSEN used the term “rom-com king” in describing a confession scene.
Source 15 · Sports Kyunghyang (Korean) · The Time We Were Not in Love · opens in a new tabSource 16 · OSEN (Korean) · The Time We Were Not in Love review · opens in a new tabStarred alongside Moon Chae-won in the Wednesday–Thursday drama.
Source 17 · News1 (Korean) · Goodbye Mr. Black · opens in a new tabWas named to the cast alongside Go Hyun-jung, Shin Sung-rok and Park Ki-woong. The drama was due to air in January of the following year.
Source 18 · Sports Donga (Korean) · Return cast confirmed · opens in a new tabPlayed Dokgo Young, a detective who was formerly a juvenile offender below the age of criminal responsibility.
Source 19 · Maeil Business Newspaper (Korean) · Return · opens in a new tabPlayed Do Kang-woo; the first episode averaged a 3.9% rating.
Source 20 · MBN (Korean) · Voice season 2 first-episode ratings · opens in a new tabSource 30 · Xportsnews (Korean) · Voice season 2 first-episode review · opens in a new tabWas announced in the cast alongside Song Kang, Lee Si-young and others.
Source 21 · Sports Chosun (Korean) · Sweet Home confirmed · opens in a new tabPlayed Pyeon Sang-wook. The Netflix original series was released worldwide at the same time.
Source 22 · Ilgan Sports (Korean) · Sweet Home interview · opens in a new tabSource 23 · Bloter (Korean) · Getting into Sweet Home · opens in a new tabStarred alongside Kwon Nara as Dan Hwal, a man who became a bulgasal.
Source 24 · Newsis (Korean) · Bulgasal first broadcast · opens in a new tabAppeared in season 2 with the cast of season 1.
Source 25 · Korea Economic Daily (Korean) · Sweet Home 2 interview · opens in a new tabAppeared alongside Shin Hye-sun and played Jung Hyun-oh.
Source 26 · Star News (Korean) · Dear Hyeri finale · opens in a new tabAppeared in season 2 alongside Im Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul and others.
Source 27 · OhmyNews (Korean) · Squid Game season 2 review · opens in a new tabPlayed Gyeong-seok. Season 3 ranked first in 93 countries in its first week.
Source 28 · Sports Kyunghyang (Korean) · Squid Game season 3 ranks first in 93 countries · opens in a new tabThe film co-stars Bae Suzy. The distributor By4M Studio announced the December release that day.
Source 29 · News1 (Korean) · Breakfast Club set for December release · opens in a new tabSource 32 · Yonhap via The Korea Times · Bae Suzy, Lee Jin-wook romance film set for December · opens in a new tabEND OF SELECTED RECORDSSelected records, 2003–2026 · 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
1981 —
Ages are counted from the birth year 1981: the year of the event minus 1981, birthdays aside. “Key moment” labels and the connecting story are AgeTrail's editorial reading.
Fact-checked: 2026.10.06 · An independent archive, not affiliated with the person or their agency.