Go Kyung Pyo’s “comedic partner” in viral film “6/45”: Impressive family background, a real-life hero
Here’s what you need to know about Lee Yi Kyung, who plays one of the main characters alongside Go Kyung Pyo in “6/45”.
In the viral comedy film “6/45” that hit theaters earlier this year, Go Kyung Pyo and Lee Yi Kyung transformed into a “comedic duo” that gave the audiences a good laugh and contributed greatly to the movie’s success.
A 10-year career with various roles but could not rise to the top
Before attracting attention with his hilarious role in “6/45”, Lee Yi Kyung underwent many difficulties throughout his 10-year career in the entertainment industry.
Since his acting debut in 2011 when he was 22, Lee Yi Kyung has appeared in more than 40 different works including movies and TV series. Among these, there are high-rated dramas starring top actors.
Lee Yi Kyung was in the cast of successful dramas such as “My Love FromThe Star” (24% – Jun Ji Hyun, Kim Soo Hyun), “You’re All Surrounded” (14.6% – Lee Seung Gi, Go Ara) and “Descendants of the Sun” (28.6% – Song Hye Kyo, Song Joong Ki). However, since he only took minor roles, he could not succeed getting his big break.
In fact, most of the roles Lee Yi Kyung has taken on so far have been supporting roles or special appearances with little screen time. In two seasons of “Welcome to Waikiki” where he could fully showcase his acting and had more presence, the drama itself did not hit big for him to become more well-known.
Had his first breakout role in a comedy historical drama, followed by another comedy work on the big screen
Since Lee Yi Kyung doesn’t have the common image and visuals of a K-drama male lead, he has more difficulties landing roles that easily grab viewers’ attention. However, his charm, especially in the comedy genre, is what makes him shine.
Lee Yi Kyung’s career started flourishing in early 2021, when he starred in the comedy fictional historical drama “Royal Secret Agent” led by Kim Myung Soo (INFINITE’s L) and Kwon Nara. The funny scenes in the drama truly help Lee Yi Kyung show off his strength and win viewers’ hearts.
Clean personal life, impressive family background
Having been acting for over a decade, Lee Yi Kyung has experienced many ups and downs. However, things might have been easier for the actor if he had received monetary support from his father, Lee Ung Beom, former CEO of LG Innotek.
But instead of asking for his father’s help, Lee Yi Kyung decided to walk on his own. Although his family is rich, he did not mind working part-time to make a living. The actor reportedly worked for a while at a DVD and book rental store.
A real-life hero
In 2020, Lee Yi Kyung drew much praise when he saved the life of a man who was about to commit suicide on Hannam Bridge in Seoul. According to witnesses, the man in the story was drunk and repeatedly attempted to take his own life by storming into the road.
At that time, Lee Yi Kyung courageously ran over and held onto the man to prevent him from committing suicide. Later, Lee Yi Kyung humbly said that he just did what was right and it was no big deal.
Lee Yi Kyung is assumed to be single at the moment. He dated “Welcome to Waikiki” female co-star Jung In Sun for more than a year. The two went out secretly before making their relationship public in April 2018. However, only 2 months later, they parted ways.
Later, Lee Yi Kyung was rumored to be in a relationship with comedian Lee Guk Joo. In tvN’s gameshow “Player”, Lee Yi Kyung was asked if he and Lee Guk Joo were in love. If he said no, Lee Yi Kyung would be punished according to the rules of the game. Therefore, his answer caused a misunderstanding. However, the PD later confirmed that the two were only close friends.
Talented and hard-working, Lee Yi Kyung deserves greater success. Hopefully, “6/45” will become a stepping stone for him to receive more opportunities to star in big projects in the future. And of course, it would be nice if he could land more lead roles instead of sticking to supporting characters.
Source: K14
