Lee Na-young: biography, career, marriage, and 2024 return

When a beloved actress steps out of the spotlight for years, fans naturally wonder when — or if — she’ll return. For Lee Na-young, that return came in 2024 with the ENA legal thriller Honor, ending a seven-year drama hiatus.

Birthdate: February 22, 1979 ·
Birthplace: Seoul, South Korea ·
Notable works: Someone Special (2004), Ruler of Your Own World (2002), Maundy Thursday (2006) ·
Spouse: Won Bin (married 2015) ·
Children: 1 son (born 2015) ·
Recent TV drama (2024): ENA legal thriller Honor

Seven key facts at a glance:

Does Lee Na-young have any children?

How many children does Lee Na-young have?

• Lee Na-young and her husband, actor Won Bin, have one son, born in 2015 (Maeil Business Newspaper (MK)).
• In March 2026, Allkpop reported that the couple’s son was described as 12 years old (Allkpop).

The child’s name and exact birth date have never been publicly disclosed, consistent with the couple’s preference for extreme privacy.

What is the name of Lee Na-young’s child?

Neither parent has ever revealed their son’s name in any interview or public statement. Korean media outlets respect the family’s request for anonymity.

The pattern: complete public silence on the child’s identity — a rare move even by the standards of private Korean celebrities, reinforcing the couple’s reputation for guarding their home life fiercely.

The implication: Lee Na-young’s privacy extends to every aspect of her family life, confirming her reputation as a selective public figure.

What is Lee Na-young doing now?

What drama is Lee Na-young starring in 2024?

• In 2024, she headlined the ENA legal thriller Honor (also romanized as Honour), a Korean adaptation of a Swedish drama (Wikipedia).
• The series premiered with a 3.1% viewership share, the highest premiere rating in ENA history, and closed on March 10 with a 4.1% rating (The Korea Herald).

Lee Na-young’s return was widely covered as a “dazzling return” by The Chosun Ilbo, which noted her three-year hiatus from drama (though the gap from her previous drama Legal High in 2019 was actually seven years).

Did Lee Na-young retire from acting?

• She never formally announced retirement. The multi-year gap was reportedly a personal choice to focus on family life after marrying Won Bin and having their son.
• She continues to accept occasional projects — Honor being the most prominent.

For fans, the key takeaway is that Lee Na-young is selectively active, not retired.

Why this matters: her return signals that a major actress can step away at the peak of her fame and re-enter the industry on her own terms — a move that resonates in an industry known for punishing long breaks.

The pattern: her selective approach to roles ensures each project is impactful.

When did Lee Na-young and Won Bin get married?

How did Lee Na-young meet Won Bin?

• The two actors, both born in 1979, met through mutual industry connections and dated for two years before marrying (The Chosun Ilbo).

Neither has shared the specific story of their first meeting in any known public interview.

Where did Lee Na-young and Won Bin marry?

• The wedding was a private ceremony in late May 2015, held at a location in Gangwon Province, South Korea (The Chosun Ilbo).
• No photos or guest lists were released to the media.

The trade-off: by keeping their wedding private, the couple forfeited media coverage but gained total control over their personal story — a balance that has served them for nearly a decade.

This paradox highlights the couple’s successful navigation of fame while maintaining personal boundaries.

Is Won Bin still married to Lee Na-young?

Have Won Bin and Lee Na-young divorced?

• There have been no reports of divorce or separation. All available evidence indicates they remain married (Maeil Business Newspaper (MK)).

Both maintain an extremely low public profile; Won Bin has not appeared in a drama or film since 2010.

What is the status of Won Bin and Lee Na-young’s marriage?

• The couple lives together in Seoul and are occasionally spotted at local restaurants by fans (reported by various Korean news outlets).
• A March 2026 article by The Chosun Ilbo quoted Lee Na-young sharing heartwarming details about family life with Won Bin and their son, confirming the marriage is intact.

The implication: despite the husband’s decade-long acting hiatus, the marriage appears stable — a rare success story in the high-pressure Korean entertainment industry.

What are Lee Na-young’s best movies and TV shows?

What drama made Lee Na-young famous?

• Her breakout role came in 2002 with Ruler of Your Own World (MBC), a drama that earned her widespread recognition (Wikipedia).
• In 2004, she starred in two major projects: the film Someone Special and the drama Ireland, both of which cemented her reputation as a leading actress.

List of Lee Na-young dramas and films

Here is a list of Lee Na-young’s notable dramas and films:

These six titles capture the arc of her career, from rising star to established leading lady to selective comeback.

The catch: despite critical acclaim, Lee Na-young has never won a major domestic award for these roles — a gap that may reflect her choice to prioritize family over awards-season campaigning.

Her selective filmography thus reflects a career built on quality over quantity.

Timeline: Lee Na-young’s life and career milestones

• February 22, 1979 – Born in Seoul, South Korea (Wikipedia)
• 2002 – Debut in drama Ruler of Your Own World (Wikipedia)
• 2004 – Starred in Someone Special and Ireland (Wikipedia)
• 2006 – Lead role in film Maundy Thursday (Wikipedia)
• 2015 – Married actor Won Bin; gave birth to son (The Chosun Ilbo)
• 2019 – Last drama before hiatus: Legal High (Wikipedia)
• 2024 – Returned to television with ENA legal thriller Honor (The Korea Herald)

The seven-year gap between Legal High and Honor is the longest break of her career, reflecting a deliberate shift toward family life.

What’s confirmed and what remains unclear

Based on available sources, here’s what we know with high certainty — and what remains in the gray zone.

Quotes from the record

Lee Na-young is best known for her leading roles in the television series Ruler of Your Own World (2002) and Ireland (2004).

Wikipedia (general biography)

“Honor” opened with a 3.1% viewership share, the highest premiere rating in ENA drama history.

The Korea Herald (March 2024 report)

Lee Na-young made a “dazzling return” through Honour after a three-year hiatus.

The Chosun Ilbo (March 2026)

Frequently asked questions

Related reading

• TV Shows with Park Bo-young: Complete List and Upcoming Dramas – A similar guide to another top Korean actress’s filmography.
• Best Korean Drama 2025: Top-Rated & Most-Streamed – Context for the broader Korean drama landscape that Lee Na-young re-entered.

Summary

Lee Na-young’s career tells a story of deliberate choices: early stardom, a private marriage, a long break, and a quiet return that reminded audiences why she became a star. For fans of Korean drama, her comeback to television is a reminder that even the most private stars can still deliver compelling performances. The question now is whether she’ll continue acting or retreat again into her family life. For Lee Na-young, the lesson is clear: talent and mystique can outlast even a seven-year absence if the return is carefully timed and carefully executed.