Lee Yoo-mi

Lee Yoo-mi, born July 18, 1994, in Jeonju, South Korea, is an actress who has become a familiar face on both television and film. She first caught attention with small roles in movies like The Silenced and horror titles such as The Wailing and 2020's The Cursed: Dead Man's Prey. But it was her breakout turn in the global phenomenon Squid Game (2021) that put her on the map. As Ji-yeong, also known as Player 240, she delivered a gut-wrenching performance in the marbles episode that earned her the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series, making her the first Korean actress to win that category. The role also brought her a Screen Actors Guild Award as part of the ensemble cast.

Following that success, Lee kept choosing roles that showcased her range. In the zombie thriller All of Us Are Dead (2022), she played Lee Na-yeon, a spoiled and selfish student whose arc becomes surprisingly tragic. She then headlined the action-comedy Strong Girl Nam-soon (2023) as the title character, a superhero with immense strength, and took on the romantic comedy Mr. Plankton (2024) as Jo Jae-mi. Across a career that spans over a decade, she has appeared in more than ten films and numerous television series, building a reputation for picking projects that challenge her emotionally and physically.

Lee's journey from a supporting player to an Emmy-winning actress has been marked by a willingness to take risks. She has said that she prefers roles that make her uncomfortable, and that drive shows in her performances. Whether she's playing a vulnerable outcast in a survival drama or a cheerful hero, she brings a raw honesty that resonates with audiences. With her growing international profile, Lee Yoo-mi is poised to become one of South Korea's most versatile exports, and her upcoming projects are already generating buzz. [edit]

Lee Yoo-mi grew up in Jeonju, a city known for its rich culinary heritage and traditional hanok villages. From a young age, she was drawn to performance, though she kept that passion mostly to herself. She pursued acting studies and made her debut in 2009, but her early years in the industry were far from glamorous. She took on small roles in independent films and bit parts in television, slowly building a resume while waiting for a breakthrough.

In 2014, she landed a role in the period mystery The Silenced, a film set in a girls' boarding school during the Japanese occupation. The experience taught her the discipline required for historical pieces. Two years later, she appeared in Na Hong-jin's critically acclaimed horror The Wailing, playing a minor character in a film that would become a cult favorite. That same year, she was cast in the short film Hee-soo, which won the Grand Prize at the 2016 Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival. The recognition helped her gain traction in the industry.

Around this time, Lee also took on roles in the web series Dr. Frost and the drama Children of Nobody. She kept busy with small parts, but the parts themselves were often thankless. She has said in interviews that she used to worry about being typecast as the quiet, fragile girl, so she actively sought out characters with more edge. That hunger for variety eventually led her to the role that would change everything. [edit]

Everything shifted in 2021 when Lee Yoo-mi was cast as Ji-yeong, Player 240, in Squid Game. The Netflix series became a global phenomenon, and Lee's scene with Jung Ho-yeon in the marbles episode was widely praised as one of the most heartbreaking moments in the show. Her performance earned her the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series, making her the first Korean actress to win in that category. She also picked up a Screen Actors Guild Award as part of the ensemble cast.

She followed that with a completely different role in the 2022 zombie thriller All of Us Are Dead, playing Lee Na-yeon, a wealthy and arrogant student whose actions have deadly consequences. The show was another international hit for Netflix, and Lee's portrayal of Na-yeon's descent into guilt and desperation showed a darker side of her range.

In 2023, she took on the lead role in Strong Girl Nam-soon, a spin-off of the popular Strong Woman Do Bong-soon. She played the title character, a young woman with superhuman strength who uses her powers to fight crime. The action-comedy allowed her to show off her physicality and comedic timing, and it became one of the highest-rated dramas on Korean cable television that year.

She continued to diversify with the 2024 romantic comedy Mr. Plankton, where she played Jo Jae-mi, a woman who gets caught up in a road trip with a terminally ill man. Then in November 2025, she appeared in the Netflix series As You Stood By, a drama about domestic violence. For that role, she lost weight down to 36kg to convey her character's physical and emotional pain, a commitment that drew attention and respect from critics. Her next project is the SBS drama Nightmare, slated for 2026, where she stars alongside Kim Nam-gil. [edit]

Lee Yoo-mi is often described as one of the most fearless actresses of her generation. She has a reputation for raw honesty, both in her performances and in her interviews, where she doesn't shy away from discussing the physical and emotional toll of her roles. Her willingness to take on uncomfortable characters has earned her respect from critics and audiences alike. On social media, she comes across as down-to-earth and relatable, sharing behind-the-scenes moments and her love for her cats. Her fans, who call themselves Yumi's Angels, are known for their passionate support, often trending hashtags during her projects. She is seen as a role model for young actors who want to pursue challenging work over commercial success. [edit]

Lee Yoo-mi commands a devoted following that remains an organic community of viewers rather than a formally named entity, with no official moniker documented for her fanbase. Her audience engages primarily through standard social media interactions on verified platforms rather than organized campaigns or ritualistic drives. This global attention is quantified by the iFANN Global Fame Rankings, which place her as the 71st most famous person in K-Drama, a position reflecting her sustained prominence across media coverage and consumption signals worldwide. This ranking marks a slight shift from the 70th position held in the previous cycle. While her fans do not operate under a specific title, their engagement surged following her portrayal of Ji-yeong in Squid Game, a role that transformed her into a household name overnight. The narrative of her career is further cemented by recent reports of her extreme physical dedication during the filming of As You Stood By, where she reduced her weight to 36kg to authentically depict a domestic violence victim, a feat widely publicized in international press. These performances have solidified her status within the industry, placing her firmly among the top tier of actors tracked by the iFANN system.[edit]

Lee Yoo-mi is known to be an animal lover and has two adopted cats, whose photos occasionally appear on her Instagram. She is also a fan of horror films and has said that The Wailing was one of her favorite projects to work on. In her free time, she enjoys cooking and has mentioned that her specialty is doenjang jjigae. She has a habit of reading the entire script of a project multiple times before filming, a process she says helps her find hidden layers in her characters. Despite her intense roles, she is known on set for her warm and playful personality, often cracking jokes between takes. A significant chapter in her professional lore involves her preparation for the Netflix series As You Stood By, where she revealed she lost weight down to 36kg to portray the suffering of a domestic violence victim. This extreme physical transformation was widely publicized in interviews, where she stated her goal was to ensure her pain was clearly conveyed to the audience. Additionally, her collaboration with veteran actress Jeon So-nee in that same production generated significant buzz, with media outlets focusing on their chemistry and the dramatic tension of their characters.[edit]

Lee Yoo-mi keeps her family life largely private, but she has mentioned in interviews that she grew up as an only child in Jeonju. Her parents were supportive of her acting ambitions, though they initially hoped she would pursue a more stable career. She has spoken fondly of her mother's cooking, which she says she misses when she is filming in Seoul. As of now, she is not married and has no children. She lives with her two cats in a modest apartment in Seoul, which she has described as her sanctuary away from the demands of the industry. [edit]

Lee Yoo-mi has worked alongside several notable actors. In Squid Game, she shared memorable scenes with Jung Ho-yeon, whose character Sae-byeok formed a deep bond with Ji-yeong. In As You Stood By, she co-starred with Jeon Sony, and in the upcoming drama Nightmare, she will star opposite Kim Nam-gil. Her agency is Varo Entertainment, which has managed her career since her breakout. [edit]

Lee Yoo-mi has kept her romantic life extremely private. As of 2026, she is reportedly single and has not publicly confirmed any relationships. There have been no confirmed dating rumors, and she has stated in interviews that she is focused on her career. She has joked that her cats are her only companions at home. While fans have speculated about her chemistry with co-stars, she has never been linked to anyone seriously in the media. [edit]

Lee Yoo-mi's net worth is estimated at $5 million as of 2026, a figure derived from research by the iFANN Editorial Team. Her income primarily comes from her acting roles in television dramas and films. After the success of Squid Game, her per-episode fee for Korean dramas increased significantly, reportedly reaching around $50,000 to $70,000 per episode for leading roles in shows like Strong Girl Nam-soon and Mr. Plankton. She also earns from endorsement deals and brand partnerships, though she has been selective about which brands she works with. In addition to her acting fees, Lee receives residuals from international streaming platforms like Netflix, which have expanded her reach and revenue. She has invested some of her earnings in real estate, including a modest apartment in Seoul. Her net worth has grown steadily since 2021, when she was earning around $30,000 per episode. With her upcoming projects and continued popularity, her financial trajectory looks promising.[edit]

Lee Yoo-mi has won two major awards for her role in Squid Game. She won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series, becoming the first Korean actress to do so. She also won a Screen Actors Guild Award as part of the ensemble cast. These wins have solidified her status as a talented and respected actress in the global entertainment industry. [edit]