Lee Yoo Mi: A Rising Star in the Global Spotlight

Unless you've followed Lee Yoo Mi's rise to stardom, you probably only know her from being 'that one girl from Squid Game' (cue dramatic music). But why stop at Squid Game when a whole universe of Lee Yoo Mi is out there waiting to be explored?

At just 29, Lee Yoo Mi has already won at least 7 awards out of 10 nominations for her impressive roles in different K-dramas. How did she do it? Find out here at The Daebak Company as we explore her career, celebrate her achievements, and reveal the talented actress that she is.

Lee Yoo Mi (이유미) was born in South Korea on July 18, 1994. She has had a passion for acting since a young age and made her career debut in 2009 in advertising. 

She began her acting career in 2010, at 17, with her debut role in the TV show Future Boy. The show starred Park Gun Woo as Mil, a child genius who could see 12 hours ahead into the future. Lee Yoo Mi played the role of Seo Yeon-doo, one of Mil's friends who helped him solve cases to help people facing a dangerous future.

Later that year, she also made her movie debut in The Yellow Sea, featuring Ha Jung-woo. This time, Lee Yoo Mi took the character of being the daughter of Lovers of the Red Sky actor Jong Sung-ha.

In September 2020, she expanded her career by signing an exclusive contract with Varo Entertainment. She’s now in the same agency as actors Jin Goo (Descendants of the Sun), Byeon WooSeok (Record Of Youth), and Gong SeungYeon (The First Responders).

From the onset of her acting journey, Lee Yoo Mi has consistently made remarkable progress in K-drama, captivating audiences with her stunning performances and impressive looks. Her commanding on-screen presence and her beautiful face have shaped her characters and propelled her success in her acting career.

What other characters did Lee Yoo Mi portray after her roles in Future Boy and The Yellow Sea?

Released in 2018, the Indie film follows the story of an 18-year-old girl living alone. She frequently invites her friends over for homemade ramen and smoking sessions, earning the affectionate nickname "mom" from them despite their similar ages.

Yoo Mi portrays Sejin, a teenage runaway residing with the title character, who often finds themselves in conflict. Though not the lead role, her performance caught the attention of film critics. Many praised her impactful presence despite her limited screen time.

Lee Hwan directed this drama film. It was a success, winning 4 awards, including the 15th Jecheon International Music & Film Festival: New Music Director in 2019.

In 2021, Lee Yoo Mi starred in the film Young Adults Matter (also known as The Adults Don't Know), having the same name as she played in Park Hwa-Young and under the same director, Lee Hwan.

This story captivated many viewers because of the sometimes quite brutal plot. It is about a runaway girl who becomes friends with other girls in the same position. It is a story discussing friendship and support for each other through situations and difficulties, such as pregnancy.

Lee Yoo Mi won the hearts and sympathy of many people after her brilliant role that led her to win the Best New Actress award at the 58th BaekSang Arts Awards.

Undoubtedly, the name Squid Game sounds familiar to you, and it is the very famous Netflix series that became very popular worldwide in 2021. Thanks to a wonderful cast and the tension generated, this series received many positive reviews from all the countries.

Lee Yoo Mi's role was Ji-yeong (player number 240), an enigmatic character who won the entire audience's affection in just three episodes. Before the series premiere, Lee Yoo Mi had 40,000 followers on Instagram, and currently, she has 6.4 million.

Lee Na-yeon was a supporting antagonist in All of Us Are Dead, another hit Netflix series in which Lee Yoo Mi shined again. She only appeared in 8 episodes even though she planned to appear more times in the series. This is due to her busy schedule on Squid Game, so they had to scrape many of the actress's scenes. 

Although Squid Game was released several months before All of Us Are Dead, the two dramas were filmed simultaneously. Lee Yoo Mi commented in an interview with Hankook Ilbo about the problems she had having to film the two series simultaneously: 

"Both filming locations were filmed in rural areas, so we had to move around a lot. Also, the two characters' personalities were very different. When filming [​​All of Us are Dead], I intentionally filled in the acting, but when filming Squid Game, I removed it and acted less." 

Strong Girl Nam Soon (also known as Strong Woman Kang Nam Soon) is the Netflix sequel to the series Strong Girl Bong Soon. Both are South Korean dramatic comedies that focus on the superpower of the women in the family.

As Bong Soon's second cousin, Nam Soon is also set to get the power of super strength that their family has. She returns to Korea hoping to find her real family. But, instead of finding her family, she gets mixed up in a difficult crime case, which could really test her powers.

Lee Yoo Mi, who steps into the shoes of Nam Soon, faces the daunting task of following up a series that captivated audiences because of its exciting story and the strong bond between the main characters. But her role in Strong Girl Nam Soon is getting the hype it deserves. So, can we already consider it a success?

For this series, Yoo Mi is going to work with Byeon Woo-seok and Ong Seong-wu. Park Hyung-sik and Park Bo-young, who played the lead actress in the successful Strong Girl Bong Soon, will also be a part of the K-drama.

Lee Yoo Mi’s impressive performances in various roles don’t go unnoticed. Why don’t we explore some of the awards and nominations she received for acting as of 2023?

1. Blue Dragon Awards: Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series (Squid Game) - 2022 Winner

2. Online Film & Television Association: Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series (Squid Game) - 2022 Nominee

3. International Online Cinema Awards (INOCA): Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series (Squid Game) - 2022 Winner

4. Gold Derby Awards: Drama Guest Actress (Squid Game) - 2022 Winner

5. APAN Star Awards: Excellence Award, Actress in an OTT Drama (Squid Game) (All of Us Are Dead) - 2022 Nominee

6. Baeksang Arts Awards: Best New Actress – Film (Young Adult Matters) - 2022 Winner

7. Baeksang Arts Awards: Best New Actress – Television (All of Us Are Dead) - 2022 Nominee

8. Buil Film Awards: Best New Actress (Young Adult Matters) - 2021 Winner

9. Cine21: Best New Actress of the Year (Young Adult Matters) (Hostage: Missing Celebrity) - 2021 Winner

10. Korean Film Producers Association Awards: Best Newcomer (Young Adult Matters) - 2021 Winner

Lee Yoo Mi is a rising star destined for a bright future filled with rewarding roles and accolades that will amplify her fame and cement her success in the acting world. What new roles will she fulfill in the following years? Follow The Daebak Company for more updates!