Ki Hong Lee (born September 30, 1986) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Minho in the Maze Runner film series[2] and Dong Nguyen in the Netflix sitcom Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
Ki Hong Lee | |
---|---|
![]() Lee at the 2015 San Diego Comic-Con | |
Born | Lee Ki-hong September 30, 1986[1] Seoul, South Korea |
Nationality | American |
Alma mater | UC Berkeley |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 2010–present |
Spouse |
Hayoung Choi (m. 2015) |
Children | 2 |
Korean name | |
Hangul | 이기홍 |
Hanja | |
Revised Romanization | I Gi-hong |
McCune–Reischauer | Yi Kihong |
Early life and education
editLee was born in Seoul, South Korea, on September 30, 1986. When he was six years old, his parents moved the family to Auckland, New Zealand.[3][4] When he was eight, his family moved to Los Angeles, California.[5]
Lee studied psychology at the University of California, Berkeley from 2004 to 2008.[3][5][6] In college, Lee was part of a college chapter of Liberty in North Korea (LiNK) and interned at their headquarters.[5][7] He was also an elected Associated Students of the University of California Senator from 2005 to 2006, under the Student Action party.[8][9][10] He ran for re-election for the 2006 to 2007 year under "The Mario Party" as 'Ki Hong "Donkey Kong " Lee' but failed to garner the necessary votes for the position.[11][12]
Lee began acting in middle school, doing skits at church retreats.[13][14] He initially wanted to become a teacher,[15][unreliable source?] but was inspired to pursue acting after watching Aaron Yoo in the film Disturbia (2007) while in college.[6] After college, he worked at his parents' sundubu-jjigae restaurant, Tofu Village, in Little Tokyo while pursuing acting.[5][13]
Career
editSince 2010, Lee has guest starred in many different TV shows such as Victorious, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, New Girl, and Modern Family before landing a main role in ABC Family's The Nine Lives of Chloe King.
Lee made his stage debut in Wrinkles, presented by East West Players and directed by Jeff Liu. It opened on February 16, 2011 and closed on March 13, 2011 at the David Henry Hwang Theater at the Union Center for the Arts in Downtown Los Angeles.[16]
Since 2012, Lee has collaborated with Wong Fu Productions (WFP) featuring in more than five short videos including the Away We Happened mini-series. On June 26, 2014, it was announced that Lee was cast in WFP's first feature film Everything Before Us, which focuses on "two couples at different stages of their relationships, set in a world where "all relationship activity is documented and monitored by the Department of Emotional Integrity (DEI)" and is assigned a number like a credit score." The film also featured The Tomorrow People's Aaron Yoo and Veep's Randall Park.[17][18]
In 2013, Lee made his feature-length film debut in the YouTube two-part film adaptation of Yellowface, from playwright David Henry Hwang.[19] It was published by the Asian American-centric YOMYOMF network .[19]
On April 18, 2013, director Wes Ball announced via Twitter that Lee had been cast in the film adaptation of the young-adult dystopian science fiction novel, The Maze Runner, as Minho, the keeper of the Runners in charge of navigating and mapping the Maze.[20] He reprised the role in the sequel, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, which was released on September 18, 2015, and the final film in the franchise, Maze Runner: The Death Cure, which was released on January 26, 2018.
In fall 2017, Lee played the lead in Julia Cho's play, Office Hour, alongside actress Sue Jean Kim in the New York premiere of the production at the Public Theater.[21]
Personal life
editLee married his childhood friend Hayoung Choi on March 7, 2015. Their daughter was born in late 2016.[22][23] Choi played Lee's character's new girlfriend in the 2013 short film She Has a Boyfriend, by Wong Fu Productions.[24]
Filmography
editFilm
editYear | Film | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2010 | The Social Network | Cambridge Student | Uncredited |
2013 | Yellow Face | BD Wong | |
2014 | The Maze Runner | Minho | [25] |
2015 | The Stanford Prison Experiment | Gavin Chan | |
Everything Before Us | Jay | Wong Fu Productions[26] | |
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials | Minho | [27] | |
2017 | Two Bellmen Three | Jun Lee | |
The Mayor | Steve | [28] | |
Wish Upon | Ryan Hui | [29] | |
2018 | Maze Runner: The Death Cure | Minho | [30] |
The Public | Chip | [31] | |
2020 | Looks That Kill | Dan | [32] |
Short film
editYear | Film | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2011 | All in All | Jeremy | |
2012 | Take It Slow | Brian | Wong Fu Productions |
Fratervention: The End of Bro'ing Out | Keith | ||
Away We Happened | Ben | Wong Fu Productions Mini-Series 6 episodes | |
Always You | James | YOMYOMF Network | |
MotherLover | Chaz Seong | YOMYOMF Network Miniseries 6 episodes | |
2013 | The Master Chef | John Suh | Jubilee Project |
This Is How We Never Met | Boy | Wong Fu Productions | |
Somewhere Like This | Boyfriend | ||
To Those Nights | Elijah bar friends | ||
She Has a Boyfriend | Frank | ||
2014 | This Time | Manny Park | Jubilee Project |
2017 | Asian Bachelorette | Tom | Wong Fu Productions |
2018 | Asian Bachelorette 2 | Tom / Tobby | Wong Fu Productions |
2020 | Si | Si | Directed by Thomas Percy Kim |
Television
editYear | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2010 | Victorious | Clayton | 2 episodes: "Robarazzi" "The Diddly Bops" |
The Secret Life of the American Teenager | Student #2 | Episode: "Which Way Did She Go?" | |
Modern Family | Busboy | Episode: "Mother Tucker" | |
2011 | The Nine Lives of Chloe King | Paul | Main role 10 episodes |
New Girl | Hector | Episode: "Bells" | |
2012 | The Client List | Delivery Guy | Episode: "Turn the Page" |
2013 | Blue Bloods | David Lin | Episode: "The Truth About Lying" |
2014 | NCIS | Chris Hoffman | Episode: "Bulletproof" |
2015–2016 | Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt | Dong Nguyen | Recurring role 8 episodes |
2015 | The Whispers | Peter Kim | Episode: "X Marks The Spot" |
2019 | Whiskey Cavalier | Jung | Episode: "College Confidential" |
Prometheus: War of Fire | Frank Lee | [33] | |
2020 | Spider-Man | Amadeus Cho / Totally Awesome Hulk | Voice role; 2 episodes |
2021 | Dave | Dan Kim | 2 episodes |
Robot Chicken | Cody Martin, Naruto | Voice, episode: "May Cause Lucid Murder Dreams" | |
2022 | Grid | Man from the Future | Special appearance[34] |
2022 | Little America | Older Luke Song | Episode: "Mr. Song" |
2023 | Party Down | Howard | Episode: "First Annual PI2A Symposium" |
Stage
editYear | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2011 | Wrinkles | Jason | |
2017 | Office Hour | Dennis |
Video games
editYear | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2013 | Grand Theft Auto V | The Local Population |
References
edit- ^ "haha sept. 30". Twitter. 31 August 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
- ^ Taylor, Ella (9 September 2014). "Film Review: 'The Maze Runner'". Variety. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
- ^ a b Nalea J. Ko (June 25, 2011). "Actor Ki Hong Lee has been careful not to play into Asian American stereotypes on his journey to Hollywood". pacificcitizen.org. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved August 30, 2014.
- ^ "Angry reader of the week: Ki hong lee".
- ^ a b c d Ki Hong Lee (February 25, 2011). "Angry Reader of the Week: Ki Hong Lee". blog.angryasianman.com. Retrieved August 30, 2014.
- ^ a b Lee, Ki Hong (May 7, 2015). #IAm Ki Hong Lee Story (Video). Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
- ^ "Our friend, actor Ki Hong Lee stopped by". Liberty in North Korea Tumblr. May 19, 2015. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
- ^ "Career Center May Move Nearer Campus - The Daily Californian". archive.dailycal.org. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
- ^ Deenihan, Kevin (May 14, 2005). "CalStuff: Extended". Cal Stuff Extended. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
- ^ "ASUC Elections 2005". February 10, 2006. Archived from the original on February 10, 2006. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
- ^ "ASUC ELECTIONS". June 13, 2006. Archived from the original on June 13, 2006. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
- ^ "ASUC ELECTIONS". June 15, 2006. Archived from the original on June 15, 2006. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
- ^ a b "Boys Puzzle Through Twists And Turns In 'Maze Runner'". NPR.org. September 21, 2014. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
- ^ "Ki Hong Lee in "The Maze Runner"". clickthecity.com. August 29, 2014. Retrieved August 31, 2014.
- ^ "Ki Hong Lee Gives Veteran Actresses Advice On Making It In Hollywood". Soompi. March 3, 2019. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
- ^ AsianWeek Staff (February 1, 2011). "East West Players Presents Wrinkles". asianweek.com. Archived from the original on October 25, 2014. Retrieved August 31, 2014.
- ^ Reera Yoo (June 26, 2014). "Wong Fu Productions Announces Principal Cast for Their First Movie". Kollaboration. Archived from the original on July 28, 2014. Retrieved August 31, 2014.
- ^ Diane Tsai (August 4, 2014). "Go Behind the Scenes of Wong Fu's First Feature Film". time.com. Retrieved August 31, 2014.
- ^ a b Philip (January 6, 2013). "The YOMYOMF Network: 'Yellow Face' or How We Spent Our Holiday Vacation". YOMYOMF Network. You Offend Me You Offend My Family. Archived from the original on July 10, 2017. Retrieved August 31, 2014.
- ^ Wes Ball (April 18, 2013). "And while we're at it.... Everyone say hi to Ki Hong Lee. He's our Minho! Greatest cast EVAR!". twitter.com. Retrieved August 31, 2014.
- ^ Lefkowitz, Andy (September 8, 2017). "Julia Cho's New Drama Office Hour to Star Sue Jean Kim, Ki Hong Lee & More". Broadway.com. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
- ^ Yee, Wai Yip (September 3, 2015). "Maze Runner star Lee Ki Hong a heart-throb to many except his wife, he says". The Straits Times.
- ^ Nguyen, Michael D. (March 9, 2015). "'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt' Star Ki Hong Lee Is Winning at Life". NBC News.
- ^ "She Has a Boyfriend — New Video!". Wong Fu Productions. September 2, 2013. Archived from the original on March 5, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
- ^ Weintraub, Steven (May 3, 2014). "Director Wes Ball Talks THE MAZE RUNNER, Landing the Job and the Cast". Collider. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
- ^ Lincoln, Ross A. (April 24, 2015). "First Feature From YouTube's Wong Fu Productions Set For Vimeo Release". Deadline. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
- ^ Barker, Andrew (September 8, 2015). "Film Review: Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials". Variety. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
- ^ Conran, Pierce (May 9, 2016). "LEE Ki-hong Readies Korean Debut as SPECIAL CITIZEN". Korean Film Biz Zone. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
- '^ Busch, Anita (November 9, 2016). "The Maze Runners Ki Hong Lee Joins Horror Film Wish Upon". Deadline. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
- ^ Gallagher, Brian (April 24, 2017). "Maze Runner 3: Death Cure Gets Delayed Yet Again". MovieWeb. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
- ^ Bell, Jasmyne (March 1, 2019). "The Public Trailer: Emilio Estevez Gets Caught in Library Standoff". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
- ^ N'Duka, Amanda (March 22, 2018). "Brandon Flynn, Julia Goldani Telles & Ki Hong Lee To Topline Dark Comedy Looks That Kill For American High". Deadline. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
- ^ "[공식] 이기홍 '프로메테우스' 출연 확정..韓드라마 활동 신호탄". Sports Chosun (in Korean). August 24, 2018.
- ^ Yeon Hwi-seon (April 21, 2022). "이기홍, '그리드' 마지막 회 꽉 채운 특별출연...히든카드 존재감 폭발" [Ki-hong Lee, a special appearance in the last episode of 'Grid'... Explosions of hidden card presence] (in Korean). OSEN. Retrieved April 21, 2022 – via Naver.
External links
edit- Ki Hong Lee at IMDb
- Ki Hong Lee on Instagram