Long before she became one of Korean television’s most cherished leading ladies, Lee Sung-kyung was the tall runway model who never once planned on acting. 

She was born on August 10, 1990 (36 years old) in Goyang, South Korea; she turned a modelling career into a screen career that fans across Asia now follow closely.

She works mainly in South Korean television dramas and films, and is fondly called “Biblee” by her fans.

Lee first drew attention with the drama It’s Okay, That’s Love (2014), then charmed viewers in Cheese in the Trap (2016) and The Doctors (2016). Her true breakout came with Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo (2016), where she played the title role of a college weightlifter.

She later won wide praise as Dr. Cha Eun-jae in Dr. Romantic 2 (2020) and Dr. Romantic 3 (2023). For Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo, she received the Excellence Award for an Actress in a Miniseries at the MBC Drama Awards.

Quick Facts of Lee Sung-kyung

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Full NameLee Sung-kyung
ProfessionActress, Model, Singer
Age36 years old
Date of BirthAugust 10, 1990
NationalitySouth Korean
Zodiac/Sun SignLeo
BirthplaceGoyang, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea
Current AddressSeoul, South Korea
GenderFemale

Lee Sung-kyung Early Life and Education

Lee-Sung-kyung-Early-Life

Lee Sung-kyung was born in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. She grew up as the elder daughter of a Christian family, and her faith later inspired her well-known nickname “Biblee.”

Her childhood was not always easy. When she was young, her father’s factory was destroyed in a fire, which pushed the family into serious financial trouble.

For years, the family lived in a small rented home, yet her parents kept the mood hopeful. They pinned pictures of big houses and cars on the wall to remind everyone to keep dreaming.

From the age of seven, Lee trained seriously in piano and once hoped to become a professional pianist. Her path changed when she spotted a modelling notice while studying music, and her parents encouraged her to give it a try.

Education

Lee-Sung-kyung-Early-Life

Details about her school years are limited, though she was known for being active and once served as the physical education leader at her school for three years.

She went on to attend Dongduk Women’s University in Seoul, and graduated on February 22, 2016.

SchoolYet to be updated
Alma MaterDongduk Women’s University
Highest QualificationGraduate

Lee Sung-kyung Personal Life

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Lee Sung-kyung is known for keeping her private life quiet, letting her work stay in the spotlight instead. She is currently single and has not confirmed any relationship in recent years.

Relationships

Lee-Sung-kyung past relationship

Her one publicly confirmed romance was with actor Nam Joo-hyuk. The two first knew each other from their modelling days and later grew close while filming the hit drama Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo.

Their agency, YG Entertainment, confirmed the relationship in April 2017. However, the romance was brief, and the couple announced their split in August 2017, choosing to remain good friends.

Over the years, her name has been linked with a few co-stars and musicians through online rumours, but none of these were ever confirmed. She has often said she values her many close friendships in the industry.

Family

Lee comes from a warm and faith-driven Christian household that stood by her through early financial struggles. The names and professions of her parents are not public, so those details are yet to be updated.

Siblings

Lee-Sung-kyung-sister

She has a younger sister named Lee Sung-eun, born in 1994. Like Lee Sung-kyung, her sister loved singing and dancing from a young age and now works as a musical actress. The two loved to sing and dance together as children.

Relationship StatusSingle
BoyfriendNot dating currently (Ex: Nam Joo-hyuk)
ParentsYet to be updated
SiblingsSister: Lee Sung-eun

Lee Sung-kyung Career

Lee-Sung-kyung-Career

Lee Sung-kyung built her name first on the runway and then on television, slowly growing from a fresh model into one of South Korea’s most loved leading actresses. Her career spans dramas, films, music, and even the musical stage.

Modelling Beginnings (2008 to 2013)

Lee stepped into the spotlight through modelling, competing in the Super Model Contest in 2008 and the Asia Pacific Super Model Contest in 2009, where she placed fifth.

She soon became a familiar face at Seoul Fashion Week and in magazine editorials. During these years, she also appeared in music videos and lent her voice to the 2013 single “I Love You” with the band The Papers.

Acting Debut and Early Roles (2014 to 2015)

She made her acting debut in the SBS drama It’s Okay, That’s Love (2014), playing Oh So-nyeo alongside Zo In-sung and Gong Hyo-jin. The cast also included Do Kyung-soo, Sung Dong-il, and Lee Kwang-soo.

She was the first model turned actress promoted under YG Entertainment and its modelling arm. In 2015, she took a bigger part in the MBC weekend drama Flower of Queen as Kang Yi-sol, a role that won her the Best New Actress prize at the MBC Drama Awards.

Breakthrough Years (2016 to 2017)

The year 2016 changed everything. She played the sharp and dramatic Baek In-ha in the tvN drama Cheese in the Trap, sharing the screen with Park Hae-jin, Kim Go-eun, Seo Kang-joon, and Nam Joo-hyuk.

She followed it with the SBS medical drama The Doctors as Jin Seo-woo, acting opposite Kim Rae-won, Park Shin-hye, and Yoon Kyun-sang.

Her real breakout came with her first leading role in Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo (2016 to 2017). As the cheerful college weightlifter, she starred with Nam Joo-hyuk, Lee Jae-yoon, and Kyung Soo-jin, and won the Excellence Award for an Actress at the MBC Drama Awards.

In 2017, she voiced Poppy in the Korean dub of the animated film Trolls, alongside Park Hyung-sik. She also made a brief cameo in the SBS drama While You Were Sleeping, led by Lee Jong-suk and Bae Suzy.

Leading Roles and Film Work (2018 to 2019)

In 2018, she headlined the tvN fantasy romance About Time as Choi Michaela, a musical actress, opposite Lee Sang-yoon.

She then moved into films. In the comedy Love+Sling (2018), she played Ga-young alongside Yoo Hae-jin and Kim Min-jae.

In 2019, she starred as rookie officer Jo Ji-hye in the hit action comedy Miss & Mrs. Cops, teaming up with veteran actress Ra Mi-ran. The film earned her a Special Popularity Award at the Chunsa Film Art Awards.

Return to the Screen (2020 to 2023)

In 2020, she joined the beloved medical drama Dr. Romantic 2 as the skilled surgeon Cha Eun-jae, working with Han Suk-kyu and Ahn Hyo-seop. The role brought her fresh acclaim and won her an Excellence Award at the SBS Drama Awards.

That same year, she made special appearances in Once Again and Record of Youth, the latter led by Park Bo-gum. In 2022, she returned as a lead in the tvN rom-com Shooting Stars, playing PR chief Oh Han-byeol opposite Kim Young-dae, with Yoon Jong-hoon, Kim Yoon-hye, and Park So-jin in support.

In 2023, she led the Disney+ melodrama Call It Love as Sim Woo-joo, sharing the screen with Kim Young-kwang, Sung Joon, Ahn Hee-yeon, and Kim Ye-won. She also reprised Cha Eun-jae in Dr. Romantic 3 with Han Suk-kyu and Ahn Hyo-seop.

She rounded off the year with her solo music debut, releasing the single “Eat Sleep Live Repeat” in December 2023 with Lee Chan-hyuk of the duo AKMU.

Music, Musical and a New Chapter (2024 to 2026)

In 2024, she made cameo appearances in the drama Doctor Slump, led by Park Hyung-sik and Park Shin-hye, and in The Player 2. She also hosted the iQIYI survival show Starlight Boys and made her musical theatre debut as Princess Jasmine in the Korean staging of Aladdin.

In 2025, after eleven years with YG Entertainment, she signed with Fantagio. She soon returned to the small screen in the JTBC romance The Nice Guy, playing an aspiring singer opposite Lee Dong-wook.

In 2026, she starred in the MBC healing romance In Your Radiant Season as Song Ha-ran, paired with Chae Jong-hyeop.

Upcoming Projects

Lee has been reported to be reviewing a mystery drama with the working title Swan Laundry, though nothing has been confirmed. Details of her other future projects are yet to be updated.

Lee Sung-kyung Filmography

Lee Sung kyung movies and drama

Lee Sung-kyung Movies

YearTitleRoleIMDb
2017TrollsPoppy (Korean dub voice)6.4
2018Love+SlingGa-young5.9
2019Miss & Mrs. CopsJo Ji-hye6.2

Lee Sung-kyung TV Shows

YearTitleRolePlatformIMDb
2014It’s Okay, That’s LoveOh So-nyeoPrime Video, Rakuten Viki8.2
2015Flower of QueenKang Yi-solApple TV8.2
2016Cheese in the TrapBaek In-haPrime Video, Rakuten Viki7.2
2016The DoctorsJin Seo-wooPrime Video, Rakuten Viki, Netflix7.6
2016 – 2017Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-jooKim Bok-jooPrime Video, Netflix, Zee58.3
2017While You Were SleepingCameoNetflix, Rakuten Viki8.3
2018About TimeChoi MichaelaRakuten Viki6.9
2020Dr. Romantic 2Cha Eun-jaePrime Video, Rakuten Viki, Netflix8.4
2020Once AgainJi Sun-kyung (Cameo)Prime Video, Rakuten Viki8.2
2020Record of YouthJin Seo-woo (Cameo)tvN, Netflix7.2
2022Shooting StarsOh Han-byeolPrime Video, Rakuten Viki7.6
2023Call It LoveShim Woo-jooDisney+7.7
2023Dr. Romantic 3Cha Eun-jaePrime Video, Rakuten Viki, Netflix8.4
2024Doctor SlumpCameoNetflix7.5
2024The Player 2: Master of SwindlersCameoRakuten Viki7.6
2024Starlight BoysHostiQIYI4.9
2025The Nice GuyKang Mi-youngDisney+6.5
2026In Your Radiant SeasonSong Ha-ranDisney+8.0

Lee Sung-kyung Awards and Achievements

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Lee Sung-kyung has earned recognition across television dramas, films, and the musical stage. Her strongest acting honours have come from the MBC and SBS Drama Awards, especially for Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo and the Dr. Romantic series, while her recent musical work also brought her a fresh award.

Her Major Wins

  • MBC Drama Awards (2015): Won Best New Actress in a Special Project Drama for Flower of Queen.
  • MBC Drama Awards (2016): Won the Excellence Award for an Actress in a Miniseries for Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo.
  • Chunsa Film Art Awards (2019): Won the Special Popularity Award for Miss & Mrs. Cops.
  • SBS Drama Awards (2020): Won the Excellence Award for an Actress in a Miniseries for Dr. Romantic 2.
  • SBS Drama Awards (2023): Won the Top Excellence Award for an Actress for Dr. Romantic 3.
  • SBS Drama Awards (2023): Won the Best Couple Award along with Ahn Hyo-seop for Dr. Romantic 3.
  • Korean Musical Awards (2026): Won Best New Actress for her role as Princess Jasmine in the musical Aladdin.

Her Key Nominations

  • MBC Drama Awards (2015): Nominated for the Best Couple Award along with Park Seo-joon for Flower of Queen.

Other Recognitions

  • Super Model Contest (2008): Finished among the top finalists and received the Lex Prize.
  • Asia Pacific Super Model Contest (2009): Placed fifth and won the Unix Hair New Style Prize.
  • Asia Artist Awards (2020): Honoured for her popular performance in Dr. Romantic 2.

Lee Sung-kyung Controversies

Lee Sung-kyung has mostly kept a clean public image through her long career. The few issues linked to her name were minor and were settled quickly, with one of them not even being her fault.

  • Instagram Live incident with Jo Hye-jung (2017): During a Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo event, Lee began an Instagram Live soon after her co-star Jo Hye-jung had started hers, and some viewers felt she was trying to outshine her junior. Lee later apologised, explaining it was friendly banter, and both sides confirmed there was no bad blood.
  • Lotte Entertainment caption row (2018): While promoting her film Love+Sling, the distributor Lotte Entertainment posted a still of Lee at a gym with a caption that many netizens called inappropriate and disrespectful towards her. After the backlash, Lotte Entertainment changed the caption and issued a public apology, clarifying that no harm was intended.
  • Plastic surgery talk: Like many actresses, Lee has faced occasional online chatter comparing her older and newer photos, with some netizens speculating about double eyelid surgery. These remain casual rumours and speculation, and no major verified issue has come from them.

Lee Sung-kyung Net Worth

Lee Sung-kyung’s net worth has not been officially declared by her or her agency. Because of this, the numbers seen online are only estimates from various sites.

Most of these estimates place her net worth at around $4 million to $6 million (approx. ₹33 crore to ₹50 crore), with several sources settling near $5 million (approx. ₹42 crore). Her main income comes from acting, modelling, brand endorsements, and music.

A verified per-project or per-episode fee for her has not been publicly reported, so her exact salary is yet to be updated.

Net Worth in Dollars (Approx.)$4 million to $6 million (approx. ₹33 crore to ₹50 crore)
Salary (Approx.)Yet to be updated

Lee Sung-kyung Height, Weight and Physical Stats

Lee-Sung-kyung-Awards-and-Achievements
HeightIn centimetres: 175 cm
In meters: 1.75 m
In feet & inches: 5 feet 9 inches
WeightIn kg: 49 kg
In lbs: 108 lbs
Body Measurements34-24-34 inches
Hair ColorLight Brown (often dyed)
Eye ColorHazel Brown

Lee Sung-kyung Social media

InstagramInstagram Profile@heybiblee
YouTubeYouTube Icon@Heybiblee

Interesting Facts about Lee Sung-kyung

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  • Her nickname and social media handle “Biblee” come from mixing her surname “Lee” with the word “Bible.” Her devout Christian parents chose the name Sung-kyung, which carries the meaning of scripture, before she was even born.
  • As a child, she once dreamed of becoming a police officer after thieves broke into her family home. Years later she got to live that dream on screen, playing a rookie cop in the film Miss & Mrs. Cops.
  • W Magazine once called her the “Gigi Hadid of Korea,” pointing to her massive online following, with a large share of the country reportedly following her on Instagram.
  • In 2015, she appeared on the reality singing show King of Mask Singer under a hidden identity and stunned viewers with her singing before revealing her face.
  • Alongside the piano, which she trained in from childhood, she can also play the drums.
  • She is known for her quiet charity work. She donated funds for the 2022 flood relief, gave to a support centre for seniors living alone, and contributed to Dankook University Hospital in 2024.
  • She shares a long and close friendship with actress Park Shin-hye, whom she also worked with on the drama The Doctors.

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