Jun Young

Lee Jun-young first drew wide attention as a member of the South Korean boy group U-KISS before establishing a separate identity as a television actor — a transition that gained significant momentum in 2026 with the JTBC drama "Rookie Chairman Kang", a soul-swap series whose ratings climbed from 3.8 percent at premiere to 8.2 percent by its fourth episode, making it the highest-rated JTBC weekend drama of the year to that point.

From Idol to Leading Man

Born Lee Jun-young on January 22, 1997, he is a member of U-KISS and has pursued an acting career alongside that group affiliation. His crossover into drama work follows a path he has spoken about publicly, citing predecessors such as Im Si-wan, Do Kyung-soo, and Park Ji-hoon as examples of idol-origin performers who built credible acting careers — a trajectory he has expressed hope will become more common.

His profile as an actor rose notably through his role in the Netflix series "You Have Done Well," in which he played the boyfriend of IU's character, a part that brought him considerable visibility with streaming audiences ahead of his 2026 broadcast work.

"Rookie Chairman Kang" and a Breakout Year

The JTBC drama "Rookie Chairman Kang," which premiered in May 2026, placed Lee Jun-young at the center of an ensemble cast that included Son Hyun-joo and Lee Sung-wook. The premise — a soul swap between an aging chaebol chairman, played by Son Hyun-joo, and a young soccer player, Hwang Jun-hyun, played by Lee Jun-young — required him to carry a dual register across a single body: the bearing and interior life of a 72-year-old executive inhabiting a 20-something athlete's frame. Coverage of the series pointed to that layered performance as a key driver of the drama's audience growth.

The supporting dynamic also attracted notice. Lee Sung-wook's character, Park Bong-gi, functions as an unlikely ally to Lee Jun-young's Hwang Jun-hyun, and the chemistry between the two generated favorable commentary, with critics highlighting the seasoned actor's contribution to the drama's tone. By the time the storyline moved overseas — with Lee Jun-young's character, his half-sister played by Lee Joo-myung, and Park Bong-gi working together to protect the Choi Sung Group amid a succession dispute — the series had established itself as one of the more-watched dramas in its timeslot.

Activities Beyond Drama

Outside the "Rookie Chairman Kang" production cycle, Lee Jun-young appeared on the variety program "Please Take Care of My Refrigerator," where he discussed his eating habits during a particularly demanding period — subsisting on instant noodles daily for two weeks — a detail that circulated widely and contributed to a lighter public profile alongside his dramatic work. He also appeared on the YouTube interview format "Guerrilla Ha Ji-young," where he spoke candidly about idol-turned-actors and the space he hopes they occupy in the industry.

A travel program pairing him with actor Kim Ha-neul, titled "Narrow Mountain Path," placed the two on a healing trip and drew attention partly for the 18-year age gap between them, with Kim Ha-neul — marking her 11th year of marriage at the time — and Lee Jun-young offering a contrast in life stage that framed the program's tone.

Standing

Lee Jun-young occupies a position familiar in contemporary Korean entertainment: the idol-group member who has developed a parallel acting career substantive enough to stand on its own. The ratings trajectory of "Rookie Chairman Kang" — more than doubling its opening figure within four episodes — provided a measurable indicator of where his screen presence currently registers with domestic audiences.