Lee Chang-sun (Korean: 이창선; born February 7, 1988), known professionally as Lee Joon (Korean: 이준), is a South Korean actor, singer, model and DJ. He is best known as a former member of the South Korean boy band MBLAQ. He had notable roles in Gapdong (2014), My Father Is Strange (2017), The Silent Sea (2021), and Bulgasal (2021). He is currently a cast member of 2 Days & 1 Night and the host of the YouTube web series Workman.
Career
Beginnings
Before becoming a part of MBLAQ, Lee acted in CFs, had a small non-recurring role in the first episode of the sitcom That Person Is Coming (그분이 오신다), which aired in 2008, and began and completed filming for the 2009 film, Ninja Assassin in which he portrayed the Teenage Raizo.
Music career
After training under Rain and J. Tune Entertainment, Lee became a member of South Korean quintet boyband MBLAQ, serving as a vocalist and main dancer. The group debuted on October 9, 2009 at Rain's Legend of Rainism concert where they performed various songs from their then-unreleased single album Just BLAQ. MBLAQ's first single, "Oh Yeah", was released to the public through a music video on October 14, 2009 with their debut single album, Just BLAQ releasing on the same day. MBLAQ made their broadcast debut with the song "Oh Yeah" on Mnet's M! Countdown.
MBLAQ made their Japanese debut on May 3, 2011, with an event held at the Kanagawa Lazona Kawasaki Plaza which gathered a reported 10,000 fans. A day later, on May 4, they released their first Japanese single "Your Luv" which immediately reached first position of the Oricon Daily Charts, selling more than 11,000 copies.
With MBLAQ, he released three single albums, seven EPs and one studio album. He left the group in October 2014.
On October 18, 2017 ahead of his mandatory military enlistment Lee released his first solo digital single, "What I Want to Give to You", a pop ballad song written by his former MBLAQ band-mate Thunder.
Acting career
In 2010, he was cast in Jungle Fish 2, a youth drama which tackles real life issues about students. He participated in the OST for Jungle Fish 2, singing the song "슬픈예감 (Feeling Sad)" with Hong Jong-hyun.
In 2011, Lee lent his voice for the Korean dub of the film Gnomeo & Juliet.
In 2012 he was cast in Iris II, the sequel to the espionage series Iris. The same year, he joined the variety show, We Got Married where he was paired up with Oh Yeon-seo in an on-screen marriage.
In 2013, Lee starred in the film Rough Play, produced by Kim Kiduk. The film was unusually risque for a pop idol due to the numerous nude sex scenes he had to perform in it. He won the Best Male Newcomer award at the 1st Wildflower Film Awards for his performance, and was also nominated for the Best New Actor award at the 50th Baeksang Arts Awards and the 23rd Buil Film Awards.
In 2014, Lee had roles in the crime thriller Gap-dong and romance comedy fantasy drama Mr. Back.
In 2015, Lee starred in SBS' black comedy drama Heard It Through the Grapevine, winning accolades at the 8th Korea Drama Awards and 4th APAN Star Awards for his performance. In the same year, he was signed to Prain TPC.
The same year, he featured in the period mystery film The Piper; and lent his voice to the animated zombie film, Seoul Station.
In 2016, Lee starred in OCN's fantasy thriller The Vampire Detective as the title role. The same year, he had a supporting role in MBC's legal drama Woman with a Suitcase. He also co-starred in the action comedy film, Luck Key.
In 2017, Lee Joon starred in KBS2's weekend family drama, My Father Is Strange.
In 2021, Lee starred in Netflix Original series The Silent Sea. In the same year, Lee starred in tvN/Netflix fantasy series Bulgasal: Immortal Souls.
In 2022, Lee starred in KBS2' s historical drama Bloody Heart. In Bloody Heart, Lee played the role of Lee Tae who becomes King of Joseon. In same year, Lee Joon held the '2022 Lee Joon Busan Fan Camp' at Busan Metropolitan City's Arpina, Haeundae-gu, Busan.
In 2023, Lee stars in SBS’s picaresque revenge drama The Escape of the Seven. In The Escape of the Seven Lee plays the role of Min Do Hyuk who used to be a gangster whose life is filled with a series of betrayals. It was announced that Lee reprises his role in the second season.
Radio career
In 2019, Lee Joon started hosting the radio show Lee Joon's Youngstreet as Joon Haeng Ja on SBS Power FM.
Personal life
Lee Joon was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea, and has an older sister. He won second place in a dance competition and thus won a scholarship to Seoul Arts High School. He majored in modern dance at the Korea National University of Arts and attended Kyung Hee Cyber University. Lee has stated that he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
Military service
Lee began his mandatory military service as an active duty soldier on October 24, 2017, attending a five-week basic training in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province. Lee completed his training first among 183 comrades. He was assigned to 8th Battalion to complete his duty.
Due to suffering with panic disorder while carrying out his military duties, Lee was deemed inadequate to serve as an active duty soldier, and was transferred to reservist duty. Lee completed his remaining mandatory duty as a public service officer. He was discharged on December 19, 2019.
Discography
Singles
As lead artist
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "What I Wanna Give" (내가주고싶은건) | 2017 | Non-album single |
As featured artist
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Run away" (Featuring Vision Wei and Thunder) |
2011 | Daybreak (破晓) |
| "Do You Remember" (Featuring Mir of MBLAQ and Kim Jo Han) |
2012 | Non-album single |
| "Will You Marry Me? (너, 나, 우리)" (Jung Yonghwa Featuring Yoon Doo-joon of Highlight, Lee Joon, and Hwang Kwanghee) |
2020 | Reply Project |
Soundtrack appearances
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Feeling Sad" (슬픈예감)(with Hong Jong-hyun) | 2010 | Jungle Fish 2 OST |
| "Feeling Sad (Farewell Ver.)" (with Hong Jong-hyun, Kim Bo-ra, Shin So-yul and Han Ji-woo | ||
| "You & I" (유앤아이) (with G.O and Seung-ho) | 2011 | Scent of a Woman OST |
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Ninja Assassin | Teenage Raizo | ||
| 2011 | Gnomeo & Juliet | Gnomeo | Voice-over for the Korean-dubbed version | |
| 2013 | Rough Play | Oh Young | ||
| 2015 | The Piper | Nam-soo | ||
| Seoul Station | Ki-woong | Voice | ||
| 2016 | Luck Key | Jae-sung |
Television series
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | That Person Is Coming | Student | Cameo (Ep 1) | |
| 2010 | Jungle Fish 2 | Ahn Ba-woo | ||
| KBS Drama Special "Housewife Kim Kwang Ja's 3rd Activities" |
Jin | |||
| 2012 | History of a Salaryman | Yeo-chi's boyfriend | Cameo (Ep 1) | |
| Sent from Heaven | Lee Joon | |||
| Phantom | Passerby | Cameo (Ep 1) | ||
| 2013 | Iris II: New Generation | Yoon Shi-hyuk | ||
| 2014 | Gap-dong | Ryu Tae-oh | ||
| Mr. Back | Choi Dae-han | |||
| 2015 | KBS Drama Special "What is the Ghost Up To?" |
Goo Cheon-dong | ||
| Pinocchio | Fama | Cameo (Ep 19) | ||
| Heard It Through the Grapevine | Han In-sang | |||
| 2016 | The Vampire Detective | Yoon San | ||
| Woman with a Suitcase | Ma Suk-woo | |||
| 2017 | Mia Luang | Himself | Cameo (Ep 6) | |
| My Father Is Strange | Ahn Joong-hee | |||
| 2021–2022 | Bulgasal: Immortal Souls | Ok Eul-tae | ||
| 2022 | Bloody Heart | Lee Tae | ||
| 2023–2024 | The Escape of the Seven | Min Do-hyuk | Season 1–2 | |
| 2024 | My Sweet Mobster | Goo Jun-gyung | Cameo (Ep 9) |
Web series
| Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | The Silent Sea | Ryu Tae-seok |
Audio dramas
| Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | I Want to Hurt | Cha Do-yoon |
Television shows
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | M Countdown | Rotating host | with Nichkhun, Lee Jun-ho, Hwang Chan-sung, Jo Kwon, Jeong Jin-woon, Kang Min-hyuk, and G.O | |
| 2012 | Exploring Men and Women | Main cast | ||
| 2012–2013 | We Got Married (season 4) | with Oh Yeon-seo | ||
| 2024–present | 2 Days & 1 Night | Episode 237–present | ||
| 2025–present | Workman | Host |
Theater
| Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Oseisa (lit.) | Toru |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 7th Korea Drama Awards | Best New Actor | Gap-dong | Nominated | |
| 1st Wildflower Film Awards | Best Actor | Rough Play | Nominated | ||
| Best New Actor | Won | ||||
| 50th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best New Actor (Film) | Nominated | |||
| 23rd Buil Film Awards | Best New Actor | Nominated | |||
| MBC Drama Awards | Best New Actor | Mr. Back | Nominated | ||
| 2015 | 51st Baeksang Arts Awards | Best New Actor (TV) | Heard It Through the Grapevine | Nominated | |
| 8th Korea Drama Awards | Excellence Award, Actor | Won | |||
| 4th APAN Star Awards | Excellence Award, Actor in a Serial Drama | Won | |||
| Scene Stealer Festival | Youngest Scene Stealer | —N/a | Won | ||
| SBS Drama Awards | Best Couple Award (with Go Ah-sung) | Heard It Through the Grapevine | Nominated | ||
| 2016 | MBC Drama Awards | Excellence Award, Actor in a Special Project Drama | Woman with a Suitcase | Nominated | |
| 2017 | KBS Drama Awards | Excellence Award, Actor in a Serial Drama | My Father Is Strange | Nominated | |
| 2022 | KBS Drama Awards | Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries | Bloody Heart | Won | |
| Popularity Award, Actor | Nominated | ||||
| Best Couple | Lee Joon (with Kang Han-na) Bloody Heart |
Won | |||
| 2023 | SBS Drama Awards | Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries Genre/Action Drama | The Escape of the Seven | Won | |
| 2025 | KBS Entertainment Awards | Top Excellence Award (Show/Variety) | 2 Days & 1 Night | Won |
