2011–2015: Beginnings in modeling In the summer of 2011, she enrolled into a modeling academy affiliated with ESteem Models during the summer of 2011 and began her training. The opportunity arose when a fashion magazine editor recommended her to a veteran female model for its pictorial. Hong Jang-hyun, a well established photographer was skeptical on casting a young anonymous model until she started shooting photos of her. Since then, she has walked on designers' catwalks including Ko Tae-yong's Beyond Closet and Hong Hye-jin's The Studio K at
Seoul Fashion Week.
2016–present: Venture into acting and rising popularity Since her debut, Lee received many offers to appear as an actress. Loving her profession as a model, she denied to take acting lessons suggested by her company as she resented to rehearse and often skipped class. However, three to four years into her career, Lee began to slightly feel tired of the repetitive tasks that often came with the job. After watching the film
Magic in the Moonlight by
Woody Allen, Lee's mindset took a drastic turn and wanted to live as a character in the film. In result, she gained an interest in acting. In May of the same year, she signed a new management contract with Management LEDO, the actor management label of modelling agency Gost Corporation. == Artistry ==