He began auditioning in 2002. Lee then landed minor roles in various television shows such as Recipe of Love, Nonstop, and Romance. Furthermore, his official premiere (main) role was in an EBS series, Secret Campus (2006). Following a serious car wreck, his acting career was put on hold for a year. The accident happened while riding in the back of a car with Jung Il-woo, a fellow actor.
Their two friends riding in the front seat died immediately. He was severely injured. Lee spent several months bedridden. He received his first leading role in the high-school drama Mackerel Run in 2007 upon recovery. Lee was cast in Pachinko, the Apple TV series ,in 2020. In March 2022, the series debuted and received universal critical acclaim for his performance as well as other lead casts.
