1. Life and Background
Lee Kye-in's early life and educational journey laid the groundwork for his eventual career in acting, marked by a progression from his hometown to a significant educational institution.
1.1. Birth and Early Life
Lee Kye-in was born on May 16, 1952. He spent his early childhood in Yanggu County, Gangwon Province, South Korea, and briefly resided in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, during his infancy. He later moved to Incheon, where he spent his formative school years.
1.2. Education
Lee Kye-in completed his early education in Incheon. He graduated from Incheon Hakik Elementary School in 1965, followed by Dongincheon Middle School in 1968. He then attended Seorabeol High School, graduating in 1971. In 1974, he earned a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Incheon University.
1.3. Early Career and Debut
Lee Kye-in began his acting career as a theater actor in 1971, immediately after graduating from high school. His official debut in the television industry came in 1972 when he was accepted as a member of MBC's 5th open recruitment for actors. Following his formal debut, he quickly gained popularity, especially for his roles in historical television dramas, where his unique husky voice became a distinctive trademark. He notably played villainous roles in the early run of Chief Inspector and became widely known for his role as Gwi-dong, Noma's father, in the long-running rural drama Country Diaries.
2. Acting Career
Lee Kye-in has built an extensive and diverse acting career across both television and film, establishing himself as a veteran performer in the South Korean entertainment industry.
2.1. Television Series
Lee Kye-in has appeared in numerous television dramas across various broadcasting networks, showcasing his versatility in a wide range of genres and roles.
2.1.1. MBC Dramas
Lee Kye-in has had a particularly prolific career with MBC, appearing in many of their dramas over several decades. His notable roles include:
- Chief Inspector (1972)
- Adada (1972)
- 113 Investigation Headquarters (1973)
- The 3rd Classroom (1975)
- Obsession (1975)
- Samiingok (1976)
- The Maiden of Seoraksan (1976)
- Jeonghwa (1977)
- You (1977) as Young-soo
- X-Search Party (1978)
- Smile (1978) as Hyun Seok-man
- Hot Hand (1978)
- Yeonji (1978) as Prince Yangnyeong
- Space Exploration Team (1978)
- Season of Love (1979)
- Mom Likes Dad (1979)
- The Last Witness (1979)
- Ottoki Squad (1979) as Kim Chang-soo
- Field (1980)
- Daughter (1980)
- Country Diaries (1980) as Gwi-dong (Noma's father)
- Secret Royal Inspector (1981)
- Nari House (1981)
- Teacher Tiger (1981)
- The First Republic (1981) as Shigeru Yoshida and young Lee Ki-bung
- National Customs (1981)
- Birth (1982)
- Hwang Jin-yi (1982)
- Deep-rooted Tree (1983)
- 3840 Guerrilla Unit (1983)
- Seoljungmae (1984)
- Joseon Governor-General's Office (1984)
- Of Course, That's Right (1985)
- Imjin War (1985) as Yoshira
- Hoesunmun (1986)
- A Borderline Change (1986)
- Namhansanseong (1986) as Im Si-baek
- Love and Ambition (1987) as Oh Sung-kyun
- Teacher, Our Teacher (1988)
- Hanjoongrok (1988) as Moon Sung-gook
- The Second Republic (1989) as Seok Chang-hee
- Detective Kim, Detective Kang (1990)
- Daewongun (1990) as Jang Soon-gyu
- Anti-National Special Committee (1990)
- Beyond the Mountain (1991)
- Dictionary of Happiness (1991)
- Son and Daughter (1992)
- MBC Best Theater - Love on a Cloudy Day (1993)
- Seoul's Moon (1994)
- Rival (1994)
- Remember Love (1995)
- War and Love (1995)
- Scent of Apple Blossoms (1996)
- Ambition (1997)
- Medical Brothers (1997) as Yang Jae-man, Chief of Anesthesiology at Gangneung Hospital
- Myth of a Hero (1997)
- Revenge and Passion (1997) as Weasel
- Since That Day (1998)
- Advocate (1998)
- You Don't Know My Mind (1999) as Bae Jin-seop
- Hur Jun (1999) as Dol-swe
- Bad Friends (2000)
- Mr. Duke (2000) as Department head Jo
- Cummi, the Fairy (2000) as Battalion commander Beo-geu
- Street Corner (2001)
- Hotelier (2001) as Team Leader Yoo
- The Merchant (2001) as Bae Soon-tak
- Remember (2002) as Section chief
- Inspector Park Mun-su (2002) as Kkae-chil-yi
- The Woman Next Door (2003)
- The Age of Heroes (2004) as Chun Tae-sool
- Sweet Spy (2005)
- Jumong (2006) as Mo Pal-mo, the master blacksmith
- Bad Woman, Good Woman (2007)
- Ssukbujjaengi (2008)
- The Return of Iljimae (2009) as Jeol-chi
- Strike Love (2009) as Oh Hye-sung's father
- Dong Yi (2010) as Oh Tae-poong
- Hur Jun, The Original Story (2013) as Dol-swe
- Shining Romance (2013) as Oh Min-chul (cameo in episodes 1-2)
- Make a Woman Cry (2015) as Jung-soo's father (special appearance)
- Chief Inspector 1958 (2024) (special appearance)
2.1.2. Dramas on Other Broadcasters
Lee Kye-in has also contributed to dramas on other major South Korean broadcasting networks, further expanding his repertoire.
- KBS2 A Midsummer Night's Dream (1989)
- KBS2 Husband's Woman (1992) as Hye-joo's brother-in-law
- KBS2 Friday's Woman (1993)
- KBS1 Wandering Soul (1993)
- SBS Korea Gate (1995) as Colonel Heo Sam-su, Head of Personnel at the Defense Security Command
- KBS2 Hometown of Legends (1996)
- SBS Three Kim Generation (1998) as Choi Hyung-woo
- KBS2 Legendary Ambition (1998) as Yong-jae
- SBS Hong Gil-dong (1998)
- KBS2 Cummi, the Fairy (2000) as Battalion Commander Beo-geu
- KBS1 Taejo Wang Geon (2000) as Ae-sul, a general of Later Baekje
- SBS Father and Son (2001)
- SBS All In (2003) as Garibong-dong Bawi (Ya-bawi)
- KBS1 Age of Warriors (2003)
- KBS2 Drama City - Crazy Man, Kang Sung-man (2003)
- KBS2 Emperor of the Sea (2004) as Haeng-su (special appearance in episode 4)
- SBS Yeon Gaesomun (2006) as Qibi Heli
- OCN Medical Gibang Cinema (2007)
- SBS I Am Happy (2008) as Lee Chul-gon
- SBS Warrior Baek Dong-soo (2011) as Yeo Cho-sang
- SBS Return (2018) as the father of the friend Dokgo Young killed in his youth
2.2. Filmography
Lee Kye-in has also appeared in a variety of films throughout his career:
- Butterfly Maiden (1978)
- The Woman I Betrayed (1978)
- The Arch of Triumph (1978)
- The Rose That Swallowed Thorns (1979)
- The Third Han-gang Bridge (1979)
- An Embrace in the Dark Night (1981)
- Is There a Girl Like Her? (1981)
- Wild Horse (1982)
- A Forbidden Love (1983)
- The Tiger That Doesn't Cry (1984)
- Half-eaten Cherry Apple (1985)
- The Miss and the Cadet (1985)
- Osaka Godfather (1986)
- Woman's Wail (1986)
- Tango in Seoul (1987)
- Hunting Night (1987)
- Sunshine at Present (1988) as Young man 1
- Love's Scribble (1988) as Joon-tae
- The Man Who Cannot Kiss (1994) as Jong-gil
- Scout (2007) (cameo)
- Black Heart (also known as Beyond All Magic) (2008) as Mr. Jung
- White Tuft, the Little Beaver (2009) (voice, Korean dubbing)
- I'm Sorry, I Love You, Thank You (2015)
- My Little Baby, Jaya (2017)
3. Other Activities
Beyond his acting roles in dramas and films, Lee Kye-in has engaged in various other public and entertainment activities, including appearances in television shows, commercials, and music videos.
3.1. Television Shows and Variety Appearances
Lee Kye-in has been a frequent guest and cast member on numerous television shows, showcasing his personality and comedic timing.
- Comedy File (2004)
- Show! Lucky Train (2004)
- Laughter Station (2006)
- Sunday Sunday Night (2006)
- 7 Octave (2007)
- Jiwhaza (2007)
- Cool Times, Game Song (2007) as a cast member
- Bokbulbok - Season 1 (2008)
- Shuttle Escape: I'm a Hero (2009) as a cast member
- Global Family Lee's In Laws (2010) as a cast member
- Poker Face - Season 2 (2011) as a cast member
- Reckless Family - Season 2 (2012-2013) as a cast member
- MasterChef Korea Celebrity (2013) as a contestant
- Taste of Hand (2014)
- Golden Fishery Radio Star (2014, 2018 - Episode 567)
- Again (2015)
- Nationwide Conquest (2015)
- My Little Television (2016)
- Sunday Night - Secretly Greatly (2017)
- Please Take Care of My Refrigerator (2018)
- Food Diary: Chicken Stir-fry Edition (2018)
- Give & Take: Buy It (2019)
- Honey Jam Quiz Room (2019)
- Video Star (2020)
- The President's People (2022) as a cast member
- Worker's Birth (2023)
3.2. Commercials (CFs)
Lee Kye-in has also appeared in various commercial endorsements:
- Lotte Excellent Student (1978)
- Lotte Confectionery Chaltteok Waffle (2006)
- Dongkook Pharmaceutical Insadol Plus (2015)
3.3. Music video
- "Hiya" by Coolapica (2007)
3.4. Cultural and Educational Programs
- TV Carries Love (1999)
- Happy Morning (2020)
4. Awards and Nominations
Lee Kye-in has received recognition for his acting contributions throughout his career:
Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1977 | MBC Drama Awards | Excellence Award, Actor | Won | |
1986 | MBC Drama Awards | Male Acting Award | Won | |
2006 | MBC Drama Awards | Special Acting Award, Veteran Actor | Jumong | Won |