NEW YORK. South Korean actor Lee Min-ho has been named the most recognized Korean actor worldwide for 13 consecutive years. Known as the “Hallyu King,” his global popularity is backed by data from the survey of 27.400 respondents, aged 15-59 across 30 regions worldwide who have experienced Korean cultural content. The survey report is according to the 2026 Overseas Hallyu Survey released by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and KOFICE.
The 30 survey regions included China, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Australia, the Philippines, Singapore, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Russia, Türkiye, Poland, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and South Africa. Lee Min-ho is in the top spot in the integrated rankings for the most preferred Korean actor among global Hallyu (Korean Wave) fans.
He rose to fame through hits like Boys Over Flowers (earning Best New Actor in 2009), Gangnam Blues, and City Hunter, and became a global romantic icon as Kim Tan in The Heirs. His role as Emperor Lee Gon in The King: Eternal Monarch brought him renewed global attention.
He further expanded his range in Pachinko as Koh Hansu, a complex antagonist, and being a next star as Yoo Joong-hyuk in Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy, a story hero navigating apocalyptic timelines.
Lee Min-ho is truly a talented actor, capable of building strong characters with remarkable emotional expression. He is in production to release the new Korean historical thriller film ‘Assassins’ this year, directed by Heo Jin-ho.
Photo by : leeminho.kr
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