2008–2009: Debut with 2PM In 2008, he participated in
Mnet's ''
, a program that chronicles the rigorous training of thirteen aspiring trainees, all vying for a coveted spot in the boy band One Day.'' This initiative ultimately led to the formation of two distinct boy bands, namely
2AM and
2PM. Half a year following the televised airing of
Hot Blooded Men, the group
2PM made their debut with the release of their inaugural single
"10 Out of 10" from their first single album titled
Hottest Time of the Day. However, it was their second single album,
2:00PM Time For Change, that propelled them to mainstream success in Korean music, solidifying their meteoric rise. As of 2021, the group has released seven studio albums in Korea and five studio albums in Japan. Despite the group's achievements, Lee has spoken about his struggles with lack of opportunities and recognition early in his career. He shared that he was often alone in the dormitory while the other members were busy with their scheduled activities. Lee also believed that, despite his interest in acting,
JYP Entertainment had no intention of letting him pursue it.
Solo activities In 2013, Lee made his initial foray as a
solo artist in Japan with the release of his debut solo EP,
Kimi no Koe, for which he undertook the roles of producer, composer, and
lyricist across all the tracks. This album topped
Tower Records' daily charts, while also peaking at number three on
Oricon's daily and weekly charts. Commencing on July 9, Lee embarked upon his first solo tour titled Kimi no Koe
, encompassing 12 shows across 5 cities and culminating on August 29 in
Tokyo. On July 9, 2014, Lee released his second self-composed Japanese EP,
Feel.
Feel topped
Oricon's daily album chart on the very day of its launch and reached number two on the weekly charts. On July 3, Lee embarked upon his second solo Japanese tour titled Feel
, which encompassed 12 shows across five cities attracting 50,000 fans. The final show at the
Nippon Budokan on August 13 was broadcast live in 38 theaters across 23 prefectures in Japan. On July 15, 2015, Lee released his third Japanese EP, titled
So Good. This album peaked at number three on Oricon's weekly albums chart, with first week sales exceeding 40,000 copies. It received praise, signifying Lee's growth into a mature artist, with emotional tracks like "Good Life" and "Pressure", giving a glimpse into his inner life. Concurrently, he embarked upon his 2015 Japan tour titled Last Night
, which spanned across seven distinct cities, commencing on July 7 in Tokyo. A total of 15 shows, including two performances at the
Yokohama Arena and the
World Memorial Hall each, attracted over 55,000 fans. The final show at the World Memorial Hall on August 6 was also broadcast live in 41 theaters across 32 cities nationwide. In September, he released his debut studio album in South Korea,
One, made up of Korean renditions of eleven previously released self-composed Japanese tracks. For the album's promotions, Lee made his first solo appearances on South Korean
music shows including
M Countdown,
Music Bank,
Show! Music Core and
Inkigayo, performing the title track "Fire". His solo concert Last Night
, held at the
Olympic Hall in Seoul, spanned from September 19–20. In July 2016, Lee released his fourth Japanese EP,
DSMN. The album became Lee's first release to top both Oricon and Tower Records' daily albums charts. It also peaked at number two on Oricon's weekly albums chart. Furthermore, the pre-released single "DSMN" gained popularity on Japan's ringtone platform. Lee also held a special fan event titled Whispering Summer with Junho ~Acoustic Talk Night~ on August 22. His fourth Japanese tour, titled Hyper, culminated with two performances at the
Yoyogi National Gymnasium on August 24–25. Lee was commended for producing the concert including the setlist, opening video, costume concept and stage sound and lighting. On December 3 and 4, Lee orchestrated a special encore concert titled Last Hyper Night at the
Nippon Budokan, with 20,000 fans in attendance. This event was accompanied by a live viewing experience throughout Japan. In July 2017, Lee released his fifth Japanese EP,
2017 S/S. It peaked at number two on Oricon's weekly albums chart, being recognized by Tower Records as the second best-selling Japanese release of 2017 by a Korean artist. From July through August, he embarked on his fifth Japanese tour, 2017 S/S. In September 2017, Lee released his first Korean EP titled
Canvas. The release was accompanied by music videos for tracks "Fine", which Lee dedicated to his cat Rambo's passing away, "Bye Bye" featuring
Cheeze and the title track "Canvas". Following the release of the EP, Lee held a fan event on September 16 titled The Special Day "Canvas". In January 2018, Lee released his sixth Japanese EP,
Winter Sleep, diverging from his pattern of summer releases for his first five EPs, which had earned him the moniker "
Lee Natsu" ("Lee Summer"). The title track "Winter Sleep" was released in both Korean and Japanese. The release topped Oricon's daily albums chart and Tower Records' weekly albums chart while peaking at number three on Oricon's weekly albums chart. Concurrently, Lee initiated his inaugural solo winter tour in Japan titled Winter Boy (冬の少年), encompassing nine stops across five cities, concluding with two shows at the
Nippon Budokan on February 23–24. On July 11, 2018, Lee unveiled his seventh Japanese EP,
Souzou. This release topped Oricon's daily albums chart with a first-day sales estimate of 27,200 and became Lee's first release to top Oricon's weekly albums chart. His summer solo tour Flashlight commenced in late June in Nagoya and concluded with shows at the
Nippon Budokan on August 20 and 21 and the
Osaka Castle Hall on September 5. It featured twelve performances across five cities in Japan, with a show on September 4 at the Osaka Castle Hall being cancelled due to the effects of
Typhoon Jebi. Lee then held his first solo fan meetings titled The Special Day "Unforgettable Day" (잊을 수 없는 날) on October 6 in Seoul. On December 5, Lee introduced a Japanese compilation album titled
Junho the Best, a collection of sixteen tracks. Following this, from December 6–8, Lee held a concert series of the same name at the Nippon Budokan. In Tower Records' year-end list of best-selling Japanese albums by Korean artists,
Souzou and
Winter Sleep ranked 6th and 10th, respectively. Lee was the only the only artist with multiple entries and the only solo artist in the top 10. In January 2019, Lee released his second Korean studio album titled
Two. On March 23–24, he brought the Junho the Best concert series to South Korea with two shows at the
Olympic Hall in
Seoul. In 2022, Lee held fan meetings titled in Seoul titled
Junho the Moment on January 22–23, the latter date also being broadcast online via
Beyond Live. Lee then held a series of fan concerts titled
Before Midnight from August 12–14 at the
SK Olympic Handball Gymnasium in Seoul and from August 20–21 at the
Nippon Budokan in Tokyo. The final show on August 21 was broadcast live on platforms such as Stagecrowd and Streaming+ and in theaters throughout Japan. It marked the 100th solo concert of Lee's career. After filming
King the Land in 2023, Lee immediately began his first concert arena tour in Japan since returning from military service, titled The Day We Meet Again (
Mata Aeru Hi). Two performances were held in
Yokohama,
Kobe, and
Nagoya each; 6 shows in all, starting on July 22–23 in Yokohama at the
Pia Arena. The last show in Nagoya at the
Nippon Gaishi Hall on August 27 was streamed live online and was also broadcast live in nine
CGV theaters for Korean fans. These concerts marked his 10-year anniversary since debut as a solo artist. He also released a special Japanese single titled "
Can I" to commemorate the occasion. Following his Japan tour, Lee held his first solo fan meeting tour titled Junho the Moment 2023 from October 14 to December 10, with eight stops across Asia: Taipei, Macau, Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Hong Kong, and Singapore, and Bangkok. On January 13–14, 2024, Lee held concerts at the
Jamsil Indoor Stadium in Seoul as an extension of The Day We Meet Again tour. It was screened in 50
CGV theaters nationwide in July 2024 to mark the 11th anniversary of his debut as a solo artist. On January 17, Lee released the digital single "When We Meet Again", the Korean version of the track "Mata Aeru Hi" (また会える日) from his Japanese EP
2017 S/S.
Billboard named it the 17th best K-pop song of the year in its first-half review of 2024. In early 2025, Lee kicked off a fan concert tour titled Midnight Sun, with two shows on January 25–26 at the
Inspire Arena in South Korea. The Japan leg scheduled on February 9–10 at the
Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium attracted over 18,000 fans. Further performances were organised in
Taipei on February 23–24 at the
NTU Sports Center. The tour's finale with two shows at the
Vibra São Paulo in Brazil, on March 1–2, marked Lee's first solo concerts outside
Asia. In March, it was announced that Lee would leave
JYP Entertainment after his contract expires on April 15, following seventeen years with the company. However, the label plans to continue overseeing Lee's solo activities in Japan. In April, it was revealed that Lee planned on establishing a one-person agency with preparations expected to be completed by mid-May. On August 18, Lee introduced his new agency named O3 Collective emphasizing "three key elements — the artist's identity [One], originality in content [Original] and a systematic management structure [Orbit]." In 2026, Lee held a fan concert titled "Stunning Us" on January 24–25 at
Korea University's Hwajeong Gymnasium. In addition, the second day was streamed live globally on
Weverse. To mark the occasion, Lee released a digital single titled "Four Seasons (Always)" (사계(Always)) on January 26.
Acting career In 2013, Lee made his debut as an actor in the
surveillance action thriller
Cold Eyes. He later revealed that he went to the audition for the film wearing a cast right after receiving shoulder surgery. Despite his condition, the directors and producers were impressed by his enthusiasm, and he was eventually cast after 3-4 meetings. The character, a detective nicknamed 'Giraffe,' was reworked into 'Squirrel' to fit Lee better. Director Kim Byung-seo stated that Lee was approached solely as an actor and credited him with developing the "Squirrel" character. On July 10, a music video of the track "I'm in Love," performed and composed by Lee as part of the film's soundtrack was also released. In 2015, Lee featured in martial arts period drama
Memories of the Sword. That same year, he starred alongside
Kim Woo-bin and
Kang Ha-neul in the coming-of-age film
Twenty as an aspiring cartoonist who is forced to take on several part-time jobs after his family goes bankrupt. Lee discussed drawing on his past experiences as a trainee to portray his character. He recalled suffering from gastritis due to financial hardship and surviving on convenience store meals, and stated that he worked closely with the director to accurately express the character’s struggles and emotions. Lee was also featured on the film's soundtrack, releasing a song titled "Cupid's Arrow," in collaboration with his co-star and romantic interest in the film,
Lee Yu-bi. In 2016, Lee made his small screen debut in
tvN's legal thriller
Memory. He portrayed an associate lawyer named Jung Jin, a perfectionist whose strong sense of justice often strains his social life. In 2017, Lee starred in the hit office comedy drama
Good Manager. He was praised for his villainous acting in the drama as the arrogant director of finances and won the Excellence Award for an actor in a mid-length drama at the
KBS Drama Awards, marking his first acting accolade. He portrayed a psychologically scarred and physically traumatized survivor of a fatal incident, losing over 7 kilograms to fit the role. Lee also participated in the soundtrack for the show, performing the track "
What Words Are Needed". In 2018, Lee was cast in his first Japanese movie,
Rose and Tulip, written by popular manga artist
Akiko Higashimura, in which he played a double role. He was then cast in SBS's romantic comedy drama
Wok of Love, playing a star chef. The same year, he was cast in the historical comedy film
Homme Fatale. In 2019, Lee starred in tvN's legal drama
Confession as a lawyer trying to save his
wrongly convicted father on death row. He was praised for his portrayal of a complex character "who doesn't stand out." In November 2021, after completing his mandatory military service, he starred in the historical romance drama
The Red Sleeve, playing the role of
Crown Prince Yi San, alongside
Lee Se-young as
Royal Consort Uibin Seong. Lee was the first idol-actor to win Best Actor at 2022's Korea PD Awards, and also won the awards for
Most Popular Actor and
Best Actor – Television at the
58th Baeksang Arts Awards, becoming the first
idol to win the latter. Lee was also the first idol-actor to win Top Excellence Award, Actor in a miniseries at the 2022
APAN Star Awards and first-idol actor to win Grand Prize (
Daesang) for Actor of the year at the 2022
Asia Artist Awards. Lee ranked first among all male idols in the January 2022 brand-reputation rankings published by KBRI. In an interview on
You Quiz on the Block, Lee revealed that he received numerous script offers following the reception of
The Red Sleeve. In 2023, Lee starred in the romantic-comedy drama
King the Land alongside
Lim Yoona.
King the Land garnered international attention, becoming the most-watched non-English show on
Netflix during its broadcasting run and accumulating the most viewed hours among all shows in the second half of 2023. Lee ranked first among actors in the July brand-reputation rankings published by KBRI. Lee became the first idol-actor to win the Grand Prize at the
APAN Star Awards and retained the Grand Prize for Actor of the Year at the
Asia Artist Awards. In October 2025, Lee starred in the tvN drama
Typhoon Family set during the
1997 financial crisis alongside
Kim Min-ha. Following the premiere, Lee Jun-ho’s performance as Kang Tae-poong received positive attention for its emotional depth and subtle expressiveness. Critics and viewers commended his balance of humor, vulnerability, and growth, with writer Jang Hyun noting his ability to embody the "nation’s son, boyfriend, and CEO." His portrayal was seen as an asset to the series, reinforcing his reputation as a reliable lead. Lee won the Grand Prize for Actor of the Year (TV) at the
Asia Artist Awards and the Top Excellence Award, Actor in a miniseriess at the
APAN Star Awards. Lee ranked first among actors in the November brand-reputation rankings published by KBRI. In November 2025, it was reported that Lee was positively considering the offer of a lead role in the third installment of the
Veteran franchise and the sequel to
I, the Executioner. Lee described the character as "a villain who is evil to the bone." On December 4, Lee's agency confirmed his participation in the film with production set to begin in the first half of 2026. However, it was later revealed that the filming had been indefinitely postponed due to the director Ryu Seung-wan's health conditon. In December 2025, Lee starred in
Netflix's superhero drama
Cashero playing the character Kang Sang-woong, an ordinary civil servant who gains superhuman strength tied to the cash he holds, forcing him to choose between survival and heroism. The series topped Netflix’s global non-English television chart in its second week of release and remained in the Top 10 for an additional two weeks, for a total of four weeks. It received praise for its reinterpretation of the superhero genre through realism and humor. In March 2026, it was reported that Lee had been cast in the series
Buy King. He is set to portray Han Ji-yeol, a cold strategist and third-generation heir engaged in a succession war with his uncle, played by
Ju Ji-hoon. Filming is set to begin in April. ==Other activities==