Lee Dong-gun made his debut in the entertainment industry in 1998 as a singer, but he would later gain fame as an actor, starring in
television dramas such as
Sweet 18,
Lovers in Paris, and
Stained Glass. Lee took a break from acting in 2005, claiming he felt overwhelmed with his workload in both television and film. He resumed his work in 2006, with
Smile Again. During a fan meeting event in Japan held on 5 December 2005, Lee announced the release of his first photobook which also included a making-of DVD, poster and postcard. The success of
Lovers in Paris along with promotions for his new film
My Boyfriend Is Type B helped to increase his popularity in Japan. Lee participated in the
Hallyu Expo in Asia on
Jeju island which commenced on 28 November 2006 and spanned a total of 100 days. This large-scale event was intended to promote Korean culture across Asia and expected to bring in 150,000 tourists to stimulate the local economy. He also attended the sequel to the Hallyu Expo which was held in Japan titled
FACE in Japan Premium Event. This two-day event from 14 to 15 August 2007, featured Korean celebrities with large fanbases and was intended as a cultural exchange program between Korea and Japan. Lee released a 14-track album titled
My Biography in 2008, his first full-length album in a decade. It included 6 Korean songs, 6 Japanese songs and 2 instrumentals. It was first released in Japan before becoming available in Korea. The same year, he starred in the television series
Night After Night alongside
Kim Sun-ah, and starred alongside an
ensemble cast in the romance film
Love Now. In December 2011, three months prior to the completion of his mandatory military service, Lee signed with talent agency Mask Entertainment. After the termination of his contract with Mask Entertainment, Lee signed with
FNC Entertainment in November 2012. In 2013, Lee was cast in the lead role for the time-travel romance
Marry Him If You Dare. This was followed in 2015 by the titular role in cable series
Super Daddy Yeol, which was based on the
webtoon of the same name. In 2016, Lee starred in the family drama
The Gentlemen of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop. He also starred in his first Chinese drama,
Hello Mr. Right alongside actress
Guan Xiaotong. In the historical drama
Queen for Seven Days, Lee impressed viewers with his a wide range of emotions and acting performance with his role as the tyrannical Joseon ruler
Yeonsangun. He then starred in action drama
Sketch, playing a member of a special operations command who seeks revenge for the death of his wife; and slice-of-life drama
Where Stars Land. In 2019, Lee was cast in the fantasy romance drama ''
Angel's Last Mission: Love''. ==Personal life==