Lee Ha-nui

Lee Ha-nui (Hangul: 이하늬; born March 2, 1983), better known as Honey Lee, is a South Korean actress, model, classical musician, gayageum player and a beauty pageant titleholder. She is also one of the most well-known vegetarians in South Korea with her TV show, Lee Ha-Nui's Vegan Recipe. She represented her country at the Miss Universe 2007 pageant at Mexico City and placed as 3rd Runner-Up behind the grand winner Riyo Mori of Japan.

Family background

Lee Ha-nui is the middle child of two daughters and one son. Her father Lee Sang-eob was a high-ranking official with the National Intelligence Service.

Her mother Moon Jae-suk has a Ph.D in Korean Music History and is a professor at Ewha Womans University, has exclusive performances, leads a Gayagum Concert group, and was designated the title of Human Cultural Asset No. 23 in Korea due to her superb musical skills. She is also a music director of Gimhae City Gayageum Orchestra, trustee of the Yegahoe Corporation, and visiting scholar at New York University in 2008 to 2009. Politician Moon Hee-sang is Lee's maternal uncle (Moon Jae-suk's brother).

Lee's older sister Lee Seul-gi also graduated with a degree in Korean traditional music from Seoul National University. She has released three albums since 2005 ― "The Song of String," "In the Green Cafe?" and "Blossom." She is a member of the KBS Orchestra of Traditional Korean Music and has received the President's Award from Korea's National Classical Music Institute. Currently a doctoral student in Korean classical music at Seoul National University, she has performed at such venues as Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, KBS Hall, the University of California, Los Angeles and Carnegie Hall.

Lee, like her mother and older sister, is also a professional gayageum player, and was named a gayageum prodigy by the Kumho Art Center, the most prestigious musical foundation in Korea. She has released 4 CDs and played in more than 25 countries worldwide, including concerts at Carnegie Hall in New York City. She has been involved in volunteer work for UNICEF, Compassion, World Vision and is the Goodwill Ambassador for Beautiful Mind Charity and Korea Green Foundation. She also holds a 3rd degree black belt in Taekwondo, is a scuba diver, and a competitive skier.

Career

Miss Korea 2006

Lee competed in the 50th Miss Korea pageant as Miss Seoul, which she won. She got her bachelor's degree from the prestigious Seoul National University, with high honors, after taking up Korean traditional music. She received her master's degree from the same university. She has also appeared on many Korean talk shows.

Post-Miss Universe

Lee Ha-nui co-hosted Real Time TV Entertainment, on the national TV network SBS, a 12-year-old show focusing on show business, beginning July 18. She is now an endorsed model for Tommy Hilfiger Korea and DAKS and Vogue.

She has been advertising for a series of SK Telecom's campaign for CF and prints. CT&T entrusted her as public affairs person.

From 3 to 24 August 2008, she made her musical debut in the musical Polaroid alongside Shinhwa member Andy Lee at PMC Daehangno Jayu Theater in Hyehwa-dong, Jongno-gu Honey Lee garnered a lot of attention as she starred in the law drama series "The Partner", which aired on KBS 2TV, as a femme fatale attorney, which is a bit of a departure from her pretty, smiley image. She also made her second stage lead role as Elle Woods in the Korean production of Legally Blonde: the Musical, alternating with Jessica Jung from the popular Korean girl group Girls' Generation and veteran musical actress Kim Ji-woo. The production opened on November 14, 2009 at Seoul Samsung-dong CoEX Atrium, marking the country's first production of the show. In January 2010, she played in MBC TV drama Pasta as celebrity chef Oh Sae-young.

She is close friends with famous actress Kim Tae-hee and called herself "Kim Tae-hee's Bodyguard" when they were studying in the Seoul National University

Lee played the rival princess, Hwangbo Yeo-won, in the 2015 drama Shine or Go Crazy with Jang Hyuk and Oh Yeon-seo, a fictional romance between a cursed Goryeo prince and the last princess of Balhae.

Filmography

Television series

Film

Variety show

Musical theatre

Awards and nominations