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Top 5 Lee Young Ae movies and TV shows; Lady Vengeance, Maestra: Strings of Truth, and more
Lee Young Ae is one of the top Korean actresses of all time who has delivered many hits. Here, let’s check out 5 best movies and TV shows by the veteran actress.
Lee Young Ae is one of the highest-paid Korean actresses of all time, who paved her way into the Korean film and television industry with her stellar performances in many hit films and K-dramas.
The veteran actress made her television debut with the 1993 drama How’s Your Husband, which earned her Best New Actress in the prestigious SBS Drama Awards. Later, in early 2000, she rose to prominence by delivering many box office hits. Let’s celebrate the actress’s vivid journey in the industry by checking out the best Lee Young Ae movies and TV shows.
List of best Lee Young Ae movies and TV shows
1. Lady Vengeance
- Cast: Lee Young Ae, Choi Min Sik, Kang Ho Sang
- Director: Park Chan Wook
- IMDB Rating: 7.5
- Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller, Mystery
- Release year: 2005
- Where to watch: Options not available in India
This Korean thriller film from acclaimed director Park Chan Wook captured Lee Young Ae’s extraordinary performance as Lee Geum Ja, a woman who was framed for allegedly murdering a 5-year-old school boy. While imprisoned, she became a role model for prisoners with her angelic appearance. However, she earned an early release for her apparent spiritual transformation, which led her to a national sensation. Upon getting out, she sets out for vengeance against the man who framed her as a convict.
Lee Young Ae’s performance as a revenge-seeking single mother was characterized as gutsy, earning her notable Best Actress at the 26th Blue Dragon Film Awards, 38th Sitges Film Festival, and 42nd Baeksang Arts Awards.
This third installment of Park Chan Wook’s The Vengeance trilogy was a wild success worldwide and is still considered one of the best performances by Lee Young Ae.
2. Maestra: The Strings of Truth
- Cast: Lee Young Ae, Lee Moo Seung, Hwang Bo Reum Byeol
- Director: Kim Jung Kwon
- IMDB Rating: 7.4
- Genre: Music, Drama, Thriller, Mystery
- Release year: 2023
- No of seasons: 1
- Where to watch: Disney+
This Lee Young Ae drama is a Korean remake of the French television series Philharmonia (2019). In this music-themed drama, the veteran actress portrays Cha Se Eum, a violinist who turned into an orchestra conductor. Having been pursuing a bold and passionate career with unlimited success, Chan Se Eum rose to a new high in the music industry, where other people are severely envious of her.
But, she carries a secret, that is unknown to everyone and eventually will trouble her life. Meanwhile, mysterious events begin to take place in her orchestra, and Cha Eun Sum embarks on a journey to discover the truth surrounding her.
With Maestra: The Strings of Truth, Lee Young Ae made a much-awaited comeback to the K-drama land. Her stellar performance in this mystery drama proved her exceptional dominance in the realm of the Korean TV industry.
3. Dae Jang Geum
- Cast: Lee Young Ae, Jee Jin Hee, Lee Se Young
- Director: Lee Byung Hoon
- IMDB Rating: 8.5
- Genre: Historical, Drama, Medical, Romance
- Release year: 2003
- No of seasons: 1
- Where to watch: Viki
This MBC drama features Lee Young Ae’s stellar performance in a historical role that is still unmatched in the K-drama industry. Based on a true story, this period drama revolves around Jang Geum, a young apprentice cook who seeks to gain knowledge about Korean medicine’s use in cooking to cure the King’s many ailments.
While on a journey of seeking, the orphaned cook goes on to become the Joseon’s first female royal physician. Lee Young Ae captured the soul of Jang Geum with utmost perfection, earning her the Daesang (Grand Prize) at the 2003 MBC Drama Awards.
4. Saimdang, Memoir of Colors
- Cast: Lee Young Ae, Oh Yoon Ah, Song Seung Heon
- Director: Yoon Sang Ho
- IMDB Rating: 7.7
- Genre: Historical, Melodrama, Romance, Mystery
- Release year: 2017
- No of seasons: 1
- Where to watch: Viki
Lee Young Ae continued her streak as a historical character with this SBS drama Saimdang, Memoir of Colors. In this period drama, Lee Young Ae oscillates between different timelines. In the present day, she plays a history lecturer, Seo Ji Yoon, who unexpectedly comes across a long-lost journal of a historical personality. While she looks for the authenticity of an ancient painting, the diary lends her a hand in unraveling the mysterious truth behind it. With better research on this journal, she finds about the extraordinary life led by a Joseon-era female poet-artist named Shin Saimdang.
As the drama takes the viewers back to almost 500 years ago, the audience once again gets a glimpse of Lee Young Ae as the renowned Shin Saimdang. From there, the historical drama unfolds a turbulent love story between her and Lee Gyeom, a royal family member. In the picturesque backdrop of the Joseon era, Lee Young Ae captivates the audience with her alluring presence as the charming Shin Saimdang, securing her a nomination in the 2017 SBS Drama Awards.
5. Joint Security Area
- Cast: Lee Young Ae, Kang Ho Sang, Lee Byung Hun, Shin Ha Kyun
- Director: Park Chan Wook
- IMDB Rating:7.7
- Genre: Thriller, Mystery
- Release year: 2000
- Where to watch: Options unavailable in India
Prior to Lady Vengeance, Lee Young Ae collaborated with renowned director Park Chan Wook on this thriller film. Adapted from a Korean novel DMZ by Park Sang Yeon, Joint Security Area centers around an investigation regarding a fatal shooting case in the heavily reinforced border area, that separates South and North Korea.
In this acclaimed film, Lee Young Ae transforms into a Swiss Army captain of Korean descent Major. Sophie E. Jean, who is sent to the border to investigate the death of a North Korean guard. For her remarkable performance in this film, she went on to earn nominations at the 21st Blue Dragon Film Awards, and the 37th Baeksang Arts Awards.
Notably, amongst the other Lee Young Ae movies and TV shows, Inspector Koo (2021), One Fine Spring Day (2001), Bring Me Home (2019), Fireworks (2000), and more earned the actress an unmatched amount of recognition. Over the span of her long career, with her elegance, charm, and unlimited talent, Lee Young Ae claimed one of the top positions in the Korean film and television industry. It is to be expected that she will continue to amaze her fans with her extraordinary performance.
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