Actress Lee Young-ae Marries in US

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter

Hallyu star Lee Young-ae tied the knot with a Korean-American businessman in the United States, Monday, Yonhap News reported.

Lee, best known for playing the lead in the hit television drama "Jewel in the Palace" ("Dea Jang Geum"), married a 55-year-old man, identified only as Jeong. He is a graduate of the Illinois Institute of Technology, located in Chicago, and works in the IT industry in the United States.

Although the 38-year-old actress will live in the United States after her marriage, she will continue acting.

Lee is one of the most popular Korean actresses in Asia. She made her debut as a TV model in 1991, and quickly gained fame for her work in TV dramas and movies. Her popularity grew throughout the region after the success of "Jewel in the Palace" ("Dea Jang Geum"), especially in Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, China, Singapore and the Philippines. She was also appointed a UNICEF goodwill ambassador in 2004.

She earned critical acclaim and acting awards for her role in the Park Chan-wook film "Sympathy for Lady Vengeance". She won Best Actress awards from the Blue Dragon Film Awards in 2005 and the Baeksang Art Awards in 2006. In 2007, the government presented her with a Medal of Culture Merit for her contribution to hallyu, or the Korean wave.

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