An Ultra Fan Guide to Lee Elijah

Birthday: February 19, 1990

Zodiac Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Changwon, South Gyeongsang, South Korea 

Occupation: Actress

Agency (current): Ungbin ENS

Instagram: @l__lijah

Lee Elijah

Lee Elijah debuted impressively, as she was casted with a main role in her first ever drama, which is quite a rare accomplishment. Since then, she has continued to impress us by showing her capability at showing her acting skills in a diverse set of dramas.

We have selected her most well-known roles in dramas we have watched and set them in order of release date, to take a trip down memory lane, and then show what dramas she will be starring in in the future. 

Please be aware of potential spoilers!

2013: Basketball

Okay, so this is a terrific start, by starting with a drama we haven't actually watched! Now, now, before people start roasting us in the comments, this drama nowadays is incredibly hard to find anywhere. However, we thought it was only right to include it since this was the first role for Lee Elijah, and a main role no less! 

As per MDL, Basketball is a 'Drama series that is set within the turbulent period between the Japanese colonial era and the division of Korea into North and South. Kang San is from a poor family. He struggles to get away from poverty. Through the game of basketball, he becomes successful and meets a girl from the upper class. He dreams of their love overcoming the disparity in their social standing.'

The girl mentioned here is none other than our one and only. Please comment down below your thoughts (if you have managed to watch this rare gem!)

2017: Fight for My Way

While not a member of the main cast in this wonderful drama, Lee Elijah still plays a role that is significant to the story of this drama. However, while this is only a supporting role, she still manages to sparkle our screens, this time, with an infuriating character looking to sabotage her way through other people for her own gain. This was our first drama that we saw of Lee Elijah, and her acting was so great it made all of our blood boil instantaneously, which reminded us of a legitimate pro wrestling heel. She was purely made of evil in this drama, and it was a delight to watch. 

2018: Miss Hammurabi

You know those dramas where everyone prefers the SFL and SML over the perceived ‘main couple’? Yes, this is one of those dramas. Lee Elijah here plays a hard-working character by day, and a rather mysterious one at night. Miss Hammurabi takes on different cases by episode, but the growth of characters mixed with a slower-burn romance and bromance brings together a great watch. All in all, Lee Elijah plays one of her most interesting characters in this drama, and her acting skills only added genuine intrigue for viewers until all was revealed. 

Out of all of her dramas, we believe Lee Elijah in Miss Hammurabi is one of her most underappreciated roles. While it did receive a national rating of 5.6 % on its final episode, nowadays, no one talks about this drama or the exceptional acting of Lee Elijah. If you haven't watched Miss Hammurabi, be prepared for greatness. 

2018: The Last Empress

In The Last Empress, Lee Elijah played the role of a villain. Min Yu Ra is the mistress/concubine of Lee Hyuk. Yu Ra works as a consort in the royal palace wherein she serves the royal family. Before she became a consort, Min Yu Ra had a fiancé and she was pregnant. Her fiancé works for the royal family as a guard. However, she lost track of her fiancé and he was never found. She was raped while pregnant. After giving birth, Yu Ra abandons her child to Na Wang Shik, her boyfriend, and Na Wang Shik's mother. Her focus is to infiltrate the royal family palace. She wants to get revenge on the people who took away her fiancé. The royal family has something to do with her missing fiancé. Yu Ra was preparing for her exams so that she could work as a consort in the palace and her ulterior motive is to use Lee Hyuk so she proceeds with her plan. She works as a consort and begins seducing Lee Hyuk and she made Lee Hyuk fall in love with her.

But then when Oh Sunny came into Lee Hyuk's life. Min Yu Ra's plan began to shatter because Oh Sunny married to Lee Hyuk. But Lee Hyuk still wants Yu Ra despite being married to Oh Sunny. 

2019: Chief of Staff & Chief of Staff 2

In this drama series with ten episodes each, we return to see Lee Elijah on the screen, this time, playing a hardworking, intelligent and resilient member of the ML's (Lee Jung Jae) team, although in the second season, she earns a well-deserved promotion. We love seeing Lee Elijah in this drama because it's another drama that showcases this amazing actress with a ton of screen time. 

When it comes to intelligent female characters, Lee Elijah is one of the greatest. This series is just another piece of proof of this. A character that is honest and tries their absolute hardest to play fair, even if the opposition is as corrupt as can be.

2020: The Good Detective

The most recent drama starring Lee Elijah in a main role. This time, she plays a character that wants to get to the root of an unanswered situation, she wants to pull out the hidden truths of the unanswered case, no matter what. An intelligent, hardworking, brave woman on the inside and out, with a potential slice of romance coming her way. If perhaps you have clicked on this guide without knowing too much about Lee Elijah, this drama would be a great choice to start with. 

Future

While there is a second season of The Good Detective, shockingly, Lee Elijah has not been casted despite being a main part of the story. The reason for this (as of now) is unconfirmed. There is, however, one movie confirmed that will be starring Lee Elijah. 

A Man of Reason, although confirmed over two years ago, is still slated to air some time in the future. The movie will star actors such as Jung Woo Sung (playing the character named Soo Hyuk), Kim Nam Gil and Park Sung Woong. 

As the synopsis reads on MDL: After 10 years in prison on behalf of his boss, Soo Hyuk is released, but the boss doubts his loyalty. When Soo Hyuk visits his long-abandoned girlfriend, he finds out that he, now, is a father of a young girl. He wants to cut ties with the gang, but the boss is not ready to release him, and hires a notorious killer. The killer takes the daughter as hostage, and Soo Hyuk decides to take revenge in a way that he's best at; violence. (Source: HanCinema)

It will be very interesting to see what type of role Lee Elijah plays, but what is for certain is that we will be treated with another great acting performance. 

(Selected) Variety Show Appearances

Running Man

Men on a Mission/Knowing Bros

A Dream Pairing for Lee Elijah