Lee El

Lee El
Lee in May 2022
Born
Kim Ji-hyun

(1982-06-26) June 26, 1982
Seoul, South Korea
Alma materSungkyunkwan University
OccupationActress
Years active2009–present
AgentKiul Company[1]
Korean name
Hangul
김지현
RRGim Jihyeon
MRKim Chihyŏn
Stage name
Hangul
이엘
RRI El
MRI El

Kim Ji-hyun (Korean김지현; born June 26, 1982), known professionally as Lee El (이엘) is a South Korean actress. She is best known for her supporting roles in the film Inside Men (2015), the television series It's Okay, That's Love (2014), Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (2016–2017), A Korean Odyssey (2017–2018), and Black (2017) as well as her leading roles in the film What a Man Wants (2018)[2] and television series My Liberation Notes (2022).

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2009 Secret Young-sook
2010 The Yellow Sea Joo-young
2012 Pacemaker Choi Min-kyung
Masquerade Ahn Gae-shi
2014 One Thing She Doesn't Have Se-ra
Man on High Heels Do Do
2015 Inside Men Joo Eun-hye [3]
2018 What a Man Wants Jenny [4]
2019 Scent of a Ghost Ji-yun
2020 The Call Sunwoo Ja-ok Netflix film [5]
2022 Love and Leashes Hye-Mi
Yaksha: Ruthless Operations Hee-won [6][7][8]
2024 Following Oh Young-joo [9]
TBA Heaven: To the Land of Happiness

Television series

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2009 Good Job, Good Job Min-joo
2011 Drama Special Series:
"White Christmas"
Oh Jung-hye
Detectives in Trouble Yoo Hye-min
The Princess' Man Mae-hyang
2012 Wild Romance Mi-jin [10]
2013 7th Grade Civil Servant Park Soo-young [11]
Drama Festival:
"Swine Escape"
Wol-hyang
2014 Mother's Garden Kim Ja-kyung
It's Okay, That's Love Se-ra Cameo (Ep 1–2) [12]
Liar Game Oh Jung-ah (Jaime) [13]
2015 More Than a Maid Lady Kang
Divorce Lawyer in Love Han Mi-ri
My Beautiful Bride Son Hye-jung
Hello Monster Kang Sung-eun Cameo (Ep 9–10)
Imaginary Cat Dokgo Soon
2016 Monster Ok Chae-ryung [14]
Entourage Herself Cameo (Ep 13–16)
Guardian: The Lonely and Great God Samsin Halmeoni [15]
2017 Black Yoon Soo-wan [16]
A Korean Odyssey Ma Ji-young [17]
2018 Matrimonial Chaos Jin Yoo-young [18]
2019 When the Devil Calls Your Name Ji Seo-young [19]
2022 My Liberation Notes Yeom Ki-jeong [20][21]
2023 Battle for Happiness Jang Mi-ho [22]
2024 Mr. Plankton Bong Ju-ri
2025 When the Stars Gossip Kang Tae-hee
Queen Mantis Kim Na-hee [23]
My Troublesome Star Ko Hui-yeong [24]
Surely Tomorrow Seo Ji-yeon [25]

Web series

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2018 Ambergris AI Voice

Theater

Year Title Role Ref.
2011–2012 Return to Hamlet So-hee

Awards and nominations

Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the nomination
Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / Work Result Ref.
APAN Star Awards 2022 Best Supporting Actress My Liberation Notes Nominated [26]
Baeksang Arts Awards 2023 Best Supporting Actress – Television Nominated [27]
Blue Dragon Film Awards 2021 Best Supporting Actress The Call Nominated [28]
Grand Bell Awards 2016 Best Supporting Actress Inside Men Nominated
KBS Drama Awards 2018 Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries Matrimonial Chaos Nominated [29]
MBC Drama Awards 2016 Golden Acting Award, Actress in a Special Project Drama Monster Nominated

References

  1. ^ Jung, Hee-yeon (March 8, 2024). 이엘-김태정-성령 키울컴퍼니 전속계약 [공식] [Lee El, Kim Tae-jung, and Sungryung Sign Exclusive Contracts with Kiul Company [Official]]. Sports Donga (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  2. ^ "EL takes the lead after years of minor roles". Korea JoongAng Daily. March 28, 2018. Archived from the original on March 28, 2018. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  3. ^ [단독]이엘, 이병헌 여자로 '내부자들' 합류..기대↑. Star News (in Korean). Naver. July 7, 2014. Archived from the original on April 9, 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  4. ^ "LEE Sung-min and SHIN Ha-kyun Blow into WIND WIND WIND". Korean Film Biz Zone. March 14, 2017. Archived from the original on November 20, 2019. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  5. ^ [단독] 이엘, 박신혜X전종서 스릴러 '콜' 캐스팅. The Korea Times (in Korean). October 2, 2018. Archived from the original on April 10, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  6. ^ Jeon Hyo-jin (December 31, 2019). '야차' 설경구·박해수→양동근·이엘·송재림·박진영 합류, 오늘(31일) 촬영시작 (in Korean). Sports Donga. Archived from the original on March 6, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
  7. ^ Jung Yu-jin (August 13, 2021). 설경구·박해수 '야차', 넷플릭스 공개 확정 [Seol Kyung-gu and Park Hae-soo's 'Yacha' to be released on Netflix]. News1 (in Korean). Naver. Archived from the original on August 13, 2021. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  8. ^ Jung Yu-jin (March 4, 2022). 설경구·박해수 '야차', 4월8일 넷플릭스 공개 확정 [Seol Kyung-gu and Park Hae-soo's 'Yacha' to be released on Netflix on April 8] (in Korean). News1. Archived from the original on March 4, 2022. Retrieved March 4, 2022 – via Naver.
  9. ^ Pierce Conran (October 8, 2020). "LEE El Joins Cast of New Thriller SHE DIED". KoBiz. Archived from the original on June 22, 2021. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
  10. ^ "Lee El cast in "Wild Romance" as a femme fatale". HanCinema. January 9, 2012. Archived from the original on April 9, 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  11. ^ "Lee El is am agent in "7th Grade Civil Servant"". HanCinema. November 22, 2012. Archived from the original on April 10, 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  12. ^ "Lee El to star in "It's Okay, That's Love" as a transgender". HanCinema. July 22, 2014. Archived from the original on April 10, 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  13. ^ 이엘-조재윤, tvN '라이어 게임' 합류. Ilgan Sports (in Korean). September 14, 2014. Archived from the original on December 6, 2019. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  14. ^ Kim Mi-hye (February 19, 2016). '몬스터' 대본리딩 현장 공개... 강지환x성유리 호흡 기대 (in Korean). Sports Donga. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
  15. ^ [단독] 이엘, '몬스터' 이은 차기작 '도깨비'...김고은 조력자 役. Ilgan Sports (in Korean). August 30, 2016. Archived from the original on January 7, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  16. ^ <블랙> 송승헌-고아라-이엘-김동준, 대본 리딩 현장 공개!. iMBC (in Korean). August 10, 2017. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  17. ^ [단독] 이엘, 차승원 비서된다...tvN '화유기' 합류. News1 (in Korean). October 19, 2017. Archived from the original on October 20, 2017. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  18. ^ "Cha Tae-hyun and Bae Doo-na confirmed to star in K-drama series, 'The Greatest Divorce'". South China Morning Post. July 20, 2018. Archived from the original on July 21, 2018. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  19. ^ [단독] 이엘, tvN '악마가 너의 이름을 부를 때'로 차기작 결정. JTBC. December 13, 2018. Archived from the original on January 1, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
  20. ^ Jung Yoo-jin (April 22, 2021). [단독]이엘, 박해영 작가 신작 '나의 해방일지' 출연 [[Exclusive] EL and Park Hae-young's new work 'My Liberation Journal' Appearance] (in Korean). SpoTV. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
  21. ^ Kim Yoo-jin (July 9, 2021). 나의 해방일지' 이민기·김지원·손석구·이엘 캐스팅 확정 [공식입장] [My Liberation Journal' casts Lee Min-ki, Kim Ji-won, Son Seok-gu, and EL confirmed [Official position]]. Xportsnews (in Korean). Naver. Archived from the original on July 10, 2021. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
  22. ^ Hwang, So-young (September 5, 2022). [단독] '해방일지' 이엘, 차기작 ENA채널 '행복배틀' 주인공 [[Exclusive] 'Liberation Journal' EL, the protagonist of the next ENA channel 'Happy Battle'] (in Korean). JTBC. Archived from the original on May 5, 2023. Retrieved September 6, 2022 – via Naver.
  23. ^ Ha Soo-jung (OSEN) (December 23, 2024). "너무 늦었으니 들어가서 자요"..연쇄살인마 고현정, 섬뜩한 웃음(사마귀) ["It's too late, go inside and sleep"..Serial killer Go Hyun-jung, creepy smile (Mantis)]. The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  24. ^ Hwang, Hye-jin (August 15, 2025). 엄정화, 25년 세월 통편집 당했다…경력 단절 톱스타 전락(금쪽같은) [Uhm Jung-hwa's career was cut short after 25 years of editing, leaving her a top star (like a precious gem).]. Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved August 19, 2025 – via Naver.
  25. ^ Choi Hee-jae (March 25, 2025). 박서준X원지안, 로맨스 호흡…'경도를 기다리며' 라인업 완성 [Park Seo-joon x Won Ji-an, a romantic chemistry... 'Waiting for Kyungdo' lineup complete] (in Korean). Edaily. Retrieved March 25, 2025 – via Naver.
  26. ^ Lee Seul-bi (August 31, 2022). 김혜수→이준호 '2022 APAN STAR AWARDS' 수상 후보 공개 [Kim Hye-soo → Lee Jun-ho's '2022 APAN STAR AWARDS' nominees revealed] (in Korean). Sports Donga. Archived from the original on August 31, 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2022 – via Naver.
  27. ^ Cho Yeon-kyung (April 7, 2023). 제59회 백상예술대상, TV·영화·연극 최종 후보 공개 [59th Baeksang Arts Awards, TV/Film/Play Finalists Revealed] (in Korean). JTBC. Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved April 7, 2023 – via Naver.
  28. ^ Kim Na-ra (November 1, 2021). 제42회 청룡영화상, 후보 발표...류승완 '모가디슈' 최다 부문 노미네이트 [공식] [42nd Blue Dragon Film Awards, nominations announced... Ryoo Seung-wan 'Mogadishu' Nominated for Most Category [Official]] (in Korean). MyDaily. Archived from the original on November 1, 2021. Retrieved November 1, 2021 – via Naver.
  29. ^ Jo, Yoon-kyung (January 1, 2019). "[2018 KBS 연기대상] 최다니엘·장동건·백진희 미니시리즈 우수상 수상" [[2018 KBS Drama Awards] Daniel Choi, Donggun Jang, Jinhee Baek, Miniseries Excellence Award] (in Korean). Sports Donga. Archived from the original on October 8, 2022. Retrieved October 8, 2022 – via Naver.