Why 'Boys Over Flowers' star Lee Min-ho still beats Hyun Bin, IU overseas

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By Hankookilbo

• Published Jul 25, 2026 12:05 AM KST

Lee edges out BTS as most influential Korean wave figure in Asia-Pacific region

Let's start with a quiz: Which Korean actor is the most popular among international fans of the Korean Wave? While recent hitmakers like Lee Jung-jae of the "Squid Game" series (2021–2025), Kim Ji-won of "Queen of Tears" (2024) and Park Bo-gum of "When Life Gives You Tangerines" (2025) might seem like obvious candidates, the survey data points elsewhere.

According to the 2026 Overseas Hallyu Survey released by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, global fans selected Lee Min-ho for a 13th consecutive year as their favorite actor. Actress Song Hye-kyo and singer-actress IU followed in second and third place, respectively, in the poll of 27,400 international viewers of Korean content across 30 countries.

Respondents answered open-ended questions. The proportion of respondents who named Lee was 7.1 percent, more than double that of Song at 2.6 percent and IU at 2.3 percent. This indicates how strongly global consumers of the Korean wave regard Lee as Korea's leading actor.

Lee's presence extended beyond acting. In the ranking of influential Korean wave figures, he placed second overall, trailing only K-pop supergroup BTS. In the Asia-Pacific region, however, he claimed the top spot at 6.1 percent, edging out BTS at 5.8 percent.

Global popularity despite domestic struggles

Lee's enduring global popularity stands in sharp contrast to the weak domestic performance of his recent projects. The survey ran from November to December 2025, a year when he starred in the drama "When the Stars Gossip" in January and February and the film "Omniscient Reader" in July. Both works fell short of domestic expectations.

"When the Stars Gossip," in particular, was Korea's first space drama and reportedly cost 50 billion won ($33.8 million) to produce. However, its premise about childbirth in space failed to resonate with viewers, leaving ratings stuck in the 1 to 2 percent range. The failure raised questions about his domestic appeal, prompting observers to ask how he continues to expand his influence abroad as the face of the Korean wave.

Researchers and industry insiders say Lee serves as a gateway to Korean popular culture. The secret to this longevity is a first-exposure effect. His classic hits "Boys Over Flowers" (2009) and "The Heirs" (2013) were released more than a decade ago, but they remain common entry points for international viewers encountering Korean dramas for the first time.

Lee Hyun-ji, head of the Cultural Exchange Research Center at the Korea Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE), said many international fans were first exposed to the Korean wave through those two dramas.

"That initial experience appears to significantly influence their subsequent perception of Korean culture," she said.

While actor Bae Yong-joon introduced older Japanese audiences to Korean contect through "Winter Sonata" (2002), Lee expanded the fan base to viewers in their teens through their 30s.

Inspiration to Asia

In fact, Indian director Ra. Karthik created the Netflix film "Made in Korea" (2026) after discovering Korean dramas through his family. In a written interview with the Hankook Ilbo, he said his wife liked Lee so much they routinely watched his dramas over breakfast.

"Watching her explore Korean food, lifestyle and people inspired my project" the director said.

Han Song-i, a North Korean defector and broadcaster who fled to the South in 2013, said hearing Lee's romantic lines in "The Heirs" fueled her desire for freedom. She jokingly added that she came to South Korea just to see him, illustrating the powerful first impression he left on those who encountered K-dramas in the North at that time.

First love of Korean wave

This "first love of the Korean wave" effect translates into long-term loyalty. Lee has held the top spot as the favorite Korean actor for 13 consecutive years. While younger stars in Korea are rapidly replaced based on current hit shows, the face of the Korean wave remembered by international fans rarely changes.

Although Lee has had few recent projects, he continues to attract international online attention. KOFICE's Hallyu Big Data Dashboard recorded 269 online mentions of Lee over a recent one-month period, placing him 19th among tracked keywords. Hong Min-jung, a researcher at data analytics consultancy Ars Praxia, said Lee continues to be a topic of online discussion among international fans.

"They (international fans) have been comparing Lee to Gen Z stars like Cha Eun-woo or anticipating a reunion project with Park Shin-hye, his romantic co-star in 'The Heirs,'" she said.

This loyal global fan base helps explain why a global streaming service like Apple TV+ cast him to lead its original series "Pachinko," which reportedly had a production budget of 100 billion won.

An official from a domestic drama production company said streaming platforms remain eager to cast Lee to secure subscribers, prioritizing his global audience regardless of his domestic standing. Lee's career demonstrates that domestic commercial success and international influence do not always move in tandem.

From K-dramas to modern history

While Lee's case demonstrates how long a first exposure to the Korean wave remains with international fans, streaming giants are simultaneously changing the landscape of Korean content consumed abroad.

Netflix drama "When Life Gives You Tangerines" (2025) ranked second among the most popular Korean dramas, following "Squid Game." This marks the first time in five years that a family drama entered the top three.

Set in 1960s Jeju, "When Life Gives You Tangerines" weaves one family's life into Korea's modern history. Global viewers focused on the differing social worlds of Korean in-laws and the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis rather than high-octane action or provocative thrillers.

An analysis of 761 English-language Reddit posts containing at least 100 characters related to the drama showed deep engagement with these themes. Posts focusing on the Korean family (197 posts) and modern history (85 posts) accounted for approximately 37 percent of the total discussion.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.