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        Boy Crush: Lee MinHo, The Darling Legendary Icon Of The Industry And Our Hearts

        Welcome to the fifteenth article of our weekly series "Boy Crush"! This week's boy crush is Lee MinHo.

        Kay Sesoko, Kpopmap Editor
        8 min to read  ·  Published : Jun 20, 2022 · Updated : Jan 9, 2023
        Boy Crush: Lee MinHo, The Darling Legendary Icon Of The Industry And Our Hearts

        MYM Entertainment

        If you are a Kpopmap reader, you would've noticed an ongoing weekly series called "Girl Crush" that explores women in the Korean industry that many admire and have a crush on.

        Welcome to the fifteenth article of our weekly series "Boy Crush"! This series will appreciate the men in K-Pop and K-Dramas that we have a crush on based on anything from their style, talent, personality, overall vibe, etc. We will get to know more about the most crushable boys in the Korean industry and their incredible achievements.

        Check out the previous articles featuring the boy crushes that have already been covered here!

        Readers voted for Lee MinHo in our weekly poll to be featured this week.

        Before starting this week's series, you can vote for who you want to see featured in next week's article. If you would like to see a different idol/actor (not mentioned in the poll) featured in the series, please leave their name in the comments and we will add them to the vote over time.

        Who would you like to see in the next "Boy Crush" article?

        ~ Jun 23, 2022

        Ha SungWoon

        2.2%
        (114)

        Park SeoHam

        2.5%
        (127)

        Kang Daniel

        2.5%
        (129)

        GOT7's Jay B

        3.3%
        (168)

        Stray Kids' Bang Chan

        4.4%
        (229)

        Song Kang

        6.7%
        (347)

        Lee DoHyun

        9.1%
        (469)

        MIRAE's Son DongPyo

        69.3%
        (3,580)

        Important notice: the vote only decides who will be featured in the next article. Everyone in the poll will be featured in the series eventually. Suggestions will also be gradually added each week.

        Back to this week's feature!

        Let's get to know our crush, Lee MinHo!

        Boy Crush: Lee MinHo, The Darling Legendary Icon Of The Industry And Our Hearts

        MYM Entertainment

        When we talk about Hallyu, one of the first names that come to mind is none other than Lee MinHo. Hallyu is Lee MinHo, and Lee MinHo is Hallyu. He is one of the representative legendary icons of the Korean industry with a huge following of adoring fans, Minoz. Some fans even call him the Hallyu GOAT (Greatest Of All Time).

        Lee MinHo has one of the most familiar filmographies in the K-Drama and Korean film world. Anyone who is interested in Korean entertainment will have watched at least one or two of his productions.

        He has shown a wide spectrum of acting range over the years, taking on several different genres and characters. Fans have fallen for each character individually and for Lee MinHo collectively, as a result.

        Let's take a look at some of his most iconic roles.

        Firstly, we had his Gu JunPyo character from "Boys Over Flowers". He showed us a subtle but endearing character arc as his cold exterior was melted at the prospect of love. We also have to appreciate his iconic hairdo.

        This drama is one of the standard recommendations that new K-Drama fans watch, allowing Lee MinHo's star power to gain ultimate recognition.

        Boy Crush: Lee MinHo, The Darling Legendary Icon Of The Industry And Our Hearts

        Some of his other well-known characters include Jeon JinHo from "Personal Taste", Lee YeonSeong from "City Hunter", and Kim Tan from "The Heirs".

        Boy Crush: Lee MinHo, The Darling Legendary Icon Of The Industry And Our Hearts

        Boy Crush: Lee MinHo, The Darling Legendary Icon Of The Industry And Our Hearts

        Boy Crush: Lee MinHo, The Darling Legendary Icon Of The Industry And Our Hearts

        Heo JoonJae from "The Legend of the Blue Sea" had us laughing with him while watching the drama and using his lines as part of everyday conversation without even realizing it.

        Boy Crush: Lee MinHo, The Darling Legendary Icon Of The Industry And Our Hearts

        Lee Gon from "The King: Eternal Monarch" gave us the ultimate prince charming Lee MinHo and had us swooning with almost every scene.

        Boy Crush: Lee MinHo, The Darling Legendary Icon Of The Industry And Our Hearts

        Boy Crush: Lee MinHo, The Darling Legendary Icon Of The Industry And Our Hearts

        His latest K-Drama character, Ko HanSu from "Pachinko", made our hearts rend at his radical approach and strong persona caused by times of difficulty.

        This role gained attention for many reasons including the fact that it was the first K-Drama Lee MinHo had auditioned for in 10 years. In an interview, he shared that he had even forgotten how to prepare for an audition. However, he wanted to do well and made sure to not only memorize the script but deeply analyze the character.

        An interesting fact about how he relates to his roles is that he takes about 3 months to get in and out of character. This is why he tends to only shoot one drama a year.

        Boy Crush: Lee MinHo, The Darling Legendary Icon Of The Industry And Our Hearts

        His track record with Korean films is just as impressive. With titles such as "Gangnam 1970", "Bounty Hunters", and "Believer" (just to name a few), Lee MinHo has shown that as an actor he is variety personified.

        Let's get to know even more about this prolific actor.

        If you are new to Lee MinHo, here is some basic information about him. Lee MinHo was born on June 22, 1987, in Seoul.

        Lee MinHo made his acting debut in the early 2000s with guest roles in dramas such as "Romance" and "Sharp#1". He made a number of guest and supporting roles in a few dramas before landing his first main role in the 2006 drama "Secret Campus".

        Boy Crush: Lee MinHo, The Darling Legendary Icon Of The Industry And Our Hearts

        A few roles later he landed his breakthrough role in "Boys Over Flowers" and became one of the hottest rising stars on the scene. His iconic hairstyle, which we mentioned before, became a trend on Korean television. As a result, he became incredibly well-known and it is safe to say that the role changed his life.

        Over the years, his stable and convincing acting added to his charm has earned him the affections of many. He is especially renowned for his gaze on-screen and for shooting action scenes well.

        We truly appreciate the masterpiece that is Lee MinHo and his acting. Through his numerous roles, he has made us laugh, cry, despair, and feel every emotion along with his character. His acting is more than just excellent technique. It is touching and makes your heart warm as the story progresses.

        Boy Crush: Lee MinHo, The Darling Legendary Icon Of The Industry And Our Hearts

        Lee MinHo's Instagram

        Thanks to his hard work and dedication Lee MinHo has won several awards for his acting. In 2013 he swept the "SBS Drama Awards" by winning 5 awards in total, including Best Couple, the Popularity Award, Best Dressed, the Top Excellence Award for a mid-length drama, and the Top 10 Stars Award. What an incredible feat for a single ceremony. He has won several other prestigious awards, too.

        No one can deny that Lee MinHo is one of the most handsome actors out there. He is known in Korea as a jogakminam (조각미남 in Korean) which is a nickname used for men who have a sculpture-esque handsomeness to them. His rugged features and bold impression give him an Adonis-like aura that emphasizes his good looks.

        Boy Crush: Lee MinHo, The Darling Legendary Icon Of The Industry And Our Hearts

        Esquire

        Here are some photos of him being a literal flower boy. We can't tell where he is in the pictures because his visuals are also flower-like.

        Boy Crush: Lee MinHo, The Darling Legendary Icon Of The Industry And Our Hearts

        Lee MinHo's Instagram

        His tall height and model proportions, matched with his exceptional fashion sense, mean that he could have been one of the world's most acclaimed fashion models in his past life. On the odd chance that someone doesn't know who Lee MinHo is, they might mistake him for a full-time model at first glance.

        Boy Crush: Lee MinHo, The Darling Legendary Icon Of The Industry And Our Hearts

        Esquire / Lee MinHo's Instagram

        Boy Crush: Lee MinHo, The Darling Legendary Icon Of The Industry And Our Hearts

        DAZED

        It is yet another of the reasons for his widespread popularity.

        Speaking of popularity, in addition to his other accolades, Lee MinHo boasts the title of the most followed Korean actor on Instagram. He has 29.8 million followers (as of June 20, 2022, 17:18 KST) and boasts a diverse feed where you can get a better feel for his personality, and appreciate his visuals, of course. If you're not following him already, you can at @actorleeminho.

        Here are some interesting random/TMI facts about Lee MinHo:

        Lee MinHo is also well-known for his love of gaming. He is considered extremely skilled by Super Junior's HeeChul who is also known for his gaming prowess. In fact, HeeChul jokingly refers to Lee MinHo as his rival when it comes to gaming because he is so good.

        Lee MinHo is also an excellent left-footed soccer player.

        He is not the biggest fan of cucumbers.

        He once revealed that he searches his name online at least once a day.

        Lastly, he is a dog lover. Here is his adorable pet dog Choco.

        Boy Crush: Lee MinHo, The Darling Legendary Icon Of The Industry And Our Hearts

        Lee MinHo's Instagram

        Due to his cool persona, some may not know that Lee MinHo is actually the cutest goofy person. This adorable side of him is another thing that makes him so endearing to Minoz and the general public. There is something even more lovable about the fact that he has this side to him but can also present his chic aura effortlessly.

        Did someone say 'duality'?

        He once said that due to the roles he tends to take on, people misunderstand him to be a cold person but that is not the case. Take a look at a few adorable moments below.

        https://twitter.com/drama_mara/status/1502316954346225668?s=20&t=_9_2vk7wUmExWOg3RWNRVg

        Many might be subscribed to his YouTube channel "leeminho film", but did you know that he helps with the creative direction and editing process of the videos, too? It is a pleasure to know that he has this creative outlet where he can express himself.

        If you've not watched any of the videos, this is one example of the type of mini-films that he uploads. You can take a look at an autumn day in his life.

        Lee MinHo is also an extremely sentimental person. He longs to explore nature...

        Boy Crush: Lee MinHo, The Darling Legendary Icon Of The Industry And Our Hearts

        Lee MinHo's Instagram

        ...and gets inspired by the emotions evoked by certain music. He also prefers songs that are not mainstream/popular that he can enjoy on his own.

        One of the roles he has mentioned wanting to try in the future is that of a regular guy who wears the standard three-line sandal slippers around the neighborhood. Although he is known for his prince-like persona, he is still willing to do roles that are the opposite and more realistic. Like we said earlier, he is a duality king.

        Lee MinHo has had a path with some difficulties along the way including trauma, but his conviction to excel and move forward is truly admirable. The way he has continued forward shining brighter with every opportunity he takes, not only makes him a shining star but an inspiration, as well.

        Let's take a final moment to appreciate his adorable smile.

        Boy Crush: Lee MinHo, The Darling Legendary Icon Of The Industry And Our Hearts

        MYM Entertainment

        What do you think? Do you have a crush on Lee MinHo?

         

        Check out the other celebrities who have been featured in this series here:

         

        Don't forget to check out our latest articles below:

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