Lee Min Ho was honored with the Best Actor of the Year Award at The HallyuTalk Awards in August 2023 for his compelling performance in Apple TV+’s Pachinko.
He triumphed over strong competitors, including Lee Jae Wook (Alchemy of Souls), Nam Joo Hyuk (Twenty-Five Twenty-One), Song Joong Ki (Reborn Rich), Park Jihoon (Weak Hero Class 1), and Ahn Hyo Seop (Business Proposal).
Pachinko, adapted from Min Jin Lee’s bestselling novel, is a multi-generational story about Korean immigrants in Japan throughout the 20th century. Lee Minho played Koh Hansu, a Zainichi Korean merchant whose path from an optimistic young man to a morally complicated adult is influenced by both ambition and historical events.
His performance, particularly in Episode 7, which focuses on Hansu’s past during the Great Kanto Earthquake and subsequent Korean massacre, was widely praised for emotional depth and nuance.
Critics highlighted Lee Min Ho’s ability to balance Hansu’s vulnerability, resilience, and moral ambiguity. This role represented a major shift from his typical romantic-lead persona. His work in Pachinko had already earned him the Gold Derby Award for Drama Actor in 2022, reflecting his growing acclaim for dramatic roles.
The series itself has received international recognition, including a Peabody Award and the Independent Spirit Award for Best Ensemble Cast, shared with co-stars Youn Yuh Jung and Jin Ha. With Pachinko renewed for a second season and filming underway, audiences eagerly await the continuation of the family saga.
On the work front, Lee Min Ho and Gong Hyo Jin will make history as the leading cast of Korea’s first cosmic romance drama, Ask the Stars. This will be his return to TV after his last appearance in the fantasy romance drama, King: The Eternal Monarch.
