Lee Hak-joo (이학주) is a South Korean actor born on January 9, 1989. A graduate of Hanyang University, he began his career in the early 2010s, first appearing in several short films and independent productions, before gradually making a name for himself on television and in film.
He made his screen debut in 2012 with the short film Sweet Sorrow. Over the next few years, he took on numerous roles in independent films before appearing in larger-scale productions such as The Shameless in 2015, Insane in 2016, Golden Slumber, Puppet and The Negotiation in 2018, and then Hit-and-Run Squad in 2019.
At the same time, Lee Hak-joo was building his career in television. After appearing in Oh My Ghost and Squad 38, in which he plays Kim Sang-bum, among other roles, in Memories of the Alhambra between 2018 and 2019.
His career took a major turn in 2020 with The World of the Married. In it, he plays Park In-kyu, a particularly dark and violent character. The series' tremendous success earned him widespread public recognition. That same year, he also appeared in Sweet Munchies and Private Lives.
In 2021, he further boosted his international popularity thanks to the Netflix series My Name, in which he plays Jung Tae-joo. He then goes on to Artificial City, Shadow Detective and, in 2023, the historical drama My Dearest, in which he plays Nam Yeon-joon.
In 2024, he appears in LTNS in the role of Jeong-su and then in Examiner Lee's Statement, in which he plays Ji Myeong-seob. The following year, his television filmography expanded to include Newtopia, The Potato Lab and Beyond the Bar.
In 2026, Lee Hak-joo is a frequent presence on television. He plays Ma Gong-bok, a part-time employee at a convenience store, in Fifties Professionals. He also plays Min Jun-yeong, team leader, in Boyfriend on Demand. He also makes appearances in Flex X Cop Season 2 and Delusion (Portraits of Delusion), after a cameo appearance as a panelist on a reality TV show in The 4th Love Revolution in 2025.
On a personal note, Lee Hak-joo married his partner, who is not in the entertainment industry, on November 6, 2022.
Capable of portraying both unsettling characters and more ordinary or comedic roles, Lee Hak-joo has gradually established himself as a particularly prolific character actor in South Korean TV series.
