Actor Lee Bong-jun is going viral for his ironclad acting chops, commanding both the small screen and the stage with unforgettable impact.
Buzz keeps surging around Lee Bong-jun, who dominated as the final villain in the Netflix original series Teach You a Lesson, released on the 5th.
Already known for playing rage-inducing antagonists, Lee took things up a notch in Teach You a Lesson with a spine-chilling performance that cemented his formidable presence once again.
But on stage, he flips the script with a 180-degree charm that stuns audiences. In the newly opened musical Mad Hatter, Lee plays Noah, a righteous character who can’t look the other way when he sees something wrong and jumps into action.
From on-screen villains who made viewers’ blood boil to stage roles that completely win over live audiences, here’s a closer look at Lee Bong-jun’s standout run.
In the 2024 MBC Fri–Sat drama Chief Detective 1958, Lee Bong-jun delivered a gripping turn as Jung Hee-seong, a silver-spoon aristocrat who abuses power and commits one atrocity after another. First appearing in episode 6 and driving the story through the finale in episode 10, he portrayed the character’s dramatic arc with razor-sharp focus, locking in viewers’ attention.
He initially showed up as a "gentleman" with a warm expression and soft smile, only to explode later into a terrifying figure who doesn’t hesitate to use violence—even kill. Critics praised this shocking transformation for widening the character’s range and supercharging the villain’s impact in the drama.
In last year’s tvN Resident Playbook (hereafter 'RP'), he embodied a different breed of realistic villain as Nam Dong-eun, a vexing intern rotating through obstetrics and gynecology. Debuting in episode 9, he shamelessly exploited the kindness of resident Eom Jae-il (played by Kang You-seok), who had been generously covering his mistakes.
He lied brazenly about tasks he never completed and even gossiped to a fellow intern that Eom Jae-il was "a pushover," only to get caught by the very people he mocked—infuriating viewers along the way. Right after broadcast, netizens reacted with comments like, "He’s the real devil who exploits a good person’s kindness," "He has no gratitude when treated well," and "I want to smack him," fully immersed in Lee’s scarily convincing performance.
In Netflix’s newly released Teach You a Lesson, Lee reaches the peak of villainy as Jo Gyu-cheol, a paroled inmate who re-enrolls at Jinwon High School. Jo is the story’s linchpin—both its opening spark and endgame—holding the show’s tension in a vice grip as the ultimate boss.
At first, Jo appears with the meek façade of a remorseful inmate, but as the plot unfolds, his chilling true nature surfaces without filter. Lee renders the character’s cruelty with density and precision as Jo orchestrates sophisticated school violence and drug distribution. His unflinching calm in crisis—and the maniacal glint in his eyes as he sneers at his past crimes—overwhelmed viewers. In the climactic stretch, his blood-red rampage in a tense showdown with inspector Na Hwa-jin (played by Kim Moo-yeol) delivers explosive catharsis, culminating in Jo receiving a brutal "lesson" of his own.
While he’s a villain on TV, Lee Bong-jun on stage is the total opposite—radiating fresh, puppy-like charm that instantly wins hearts.
In last year’s musical The Sorrows of Young Werther, he played Kainz, a pure-hearted gardener harboring a quiet, unrequited love. His sensuous, flutter-inducing acting and clear-eyed sincerity hit audiences right in the feels. Theatergoers raved, saying, "So lovable and pure," and "An irresistible, charming character."
And in the original musical Mad Hatter, which opened to a packed house on the 9th, he unveils yet another side as Noah, a boy who sells hats to survive.
After a successful first performance, audiences marveled, saying, "I heard he was great on stage—seeing it live, he’s phenomenal," "He is Noah, period," and "He’s cute and adorable," praising a completely different face from his drama roles.
Bounding seamlessly between screen and stage with a limitless acting spectrum, Lee Bong-jun is earning massive love from the public. Expectations are sky-high for the bold new projects where he’ll once again blur the lines between good and evil.