Lee Sung Jin

For the Olympic archer, see Lee Sung-jin.
In this Korean name, the family name is Lee.
Lee Sung Jin
이성진
A man wearing glasses and looking at the camera with a slight smile. The background is split pink and black.
Lee in 2025
Born (1981-10-02) October 2, 1981 (age 44)
Seoul, South Korea
Other namesSonny Lee
EducationUniversity of Pennsylvania (BA)
Occupations
Years active2007–present
Known forBeef
SpouseCaty Solone
Korean name
Hangul
이성진
Hanja
李成震
RRI Seongjin
MRI Sŏngjin

Lee Sung Jin (Korean: 이성진; born October 2, 1981), also known as Sonny Lee,[1] is an American screenwriter and director. He is best known for creating the Netflix series Beef, for which he received the 2023 Primetime Emmy Awards for directing and writing for a limited series.[2]

Early life and education

Lee Sung Jin was born in South Korea in 1981.[3] His family moved frequently in his youth; he moved to the United States when he was nine months old and returned to South Korea for third through fifth grade.[4] In sixth grade he moved from Seoul to Minnesota, United States.[5] He also lived in Illinois, Louisiana, Iowa, and Texas.[6] He recalls it as “a horrible time to have a name no one can pronounce" and chose to go by "Sonny" instead.[7]

Lee attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he sang in an a cappella group.[8] He graduated in 2003 with a degree in economics.[9][4]

Career

After graduating from college, Lee moved to Los Angeles and worked a variety of part-time jobs while writing scripts.[4] He interned at the record label Barsuk Records.[8] He wrote for the series Undone, Tuca & Bertie, Dave, and Silicon Valley.[7] In 2008, he worked as a staff writer and executive story editor for It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.[4]

He was inspired to create Beef by a road-rage confrontation with a middle-aged white man in Los Angeles.[10] "I thought there was something interesting there—how we're all locked in our subjective world views, and we go around projecting a lot on the other person and not really seeing things for what they are", he said of the incident.[11] He also served as director, executive producer, and showrunner on the series, forced to remotely direct scenes for the season finale "with my face on an iPad" because of a COVID-19 infection.[1][12]

In August 2023, he visited South Korea to speak at a conference on the creation of films. He said he had not been to South Korea for around 25 years, since his childhood.[3]

In November 2023, Variety reported that Lee had signed a multiyear deal to produce content for Netflix.[1]

In 2023, Lee was reported to have joined the 2025 Marvel Cinematic Universe film Thunderbolts* as a writer, saying in an interview, "I'm rewriting it."[13] In a later interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he said he was "working off an existing script from Eric Pearson and I did my pass on it" before stepping away from the project and handing it off to Joanna Calo, who worked with him on Beef.[14] The film credits the screenplay to Pearson and Calo, with the story by Pearson.[15] According to the Writers Guild of America West, Lee received credit for "Additional Literary Material".[16]

Lee wrote, directed, and produced the video for BTS leader RM's "Come Back to Me", a prerelease track from his second solo album, Right Place, Wrong Person, released in 2024.[17]

Personal life

Lee lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Caty Solone, and three dogs.[6][18][19] He plays the violin, guitar, and piano.[9]

Selected filmography

Film

Year Title Director Writer Notes
2025 Thunderbolts* No Uncredited Additional Literary Material[16]

Television

Year Title Creator Director Writer Executive producer Notes
2007–2008 Rob & Big No No Consultant Writer No 24 episodes
2008–2009 It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia No No Executive Story Editor No 26 episodes
2010 Mothman Yes No Yes No TV movie; co-screenwriter
2010–2014 2 Broke Girls No No Yes No 7 episodes
2015 Silicon Valley No No Yes No Episode: "Server Space"
2016 The Real O'Neals No No Yes No Episode: "The Real Book Club"
2018 Tuca & Bertie No No Yes No 2 episodes
2021 Dave No No Yes No 2 episodes
2023–present Beef Yes Yes Yes Yes Also showrunner; director: "Figures of Light"

Music videos

Year Artist Title Director Writer Producer Notes
2024 RM "Come Back to Me" Yes Yes Yes

Awards and nominations

Award Date of ceremony Category Work Result Ref.
Primetime Emmy Awards September 20, 2015 Outstanding Comedy Series Silicon Valley Nominated [20]
January 15, 2024 Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Beef (episode "The Birds Don't Sing, They Screech in Pain") Won [21]
Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Beef (episode "Figures of Light") Won
Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series Beef Won
Golden Globe Awards January 7, 2024 Best Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television Beef Won [22]
Critics Choice Awards January 14, 2024 Best Limited Series Beef Won [23]
AFI Awards January 5, 2024 Television Programs of the Year Beef Won [24]
Television Academy Honors May 30, 2024 Limited Series Beef Won [25]
Astra TV Awards January 8, 2024 Best Streaming Limited Series Beef Won [26]
Best Writing in a Limited Series or Streaming Movie Beef (episode "The Birds Don't Sing, They Screech in Pain") Nominated
Best Directing in a Limited Series or Streaming Movie Beef (episode "Figures of Light") Won
Television Critics Association Awards August 7, 2023 Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries or Specials Beef Won [27]
People's Choice Awards February 18, 2024 The Bingeworthy Show of the Year Beef Nominated [28]
The Unforgettable Gala December 16, 2023 Writer of the Year Beef Won [29]
Gold House May 29, 2024 Gold Icon Award Beef Won [30]
IndieWire Honors December 7, 2023 Visionary Award in Television Beef Won [31]
BAFTA Television Awards May 12, 2024 International Beef Nominated [32]
Gotham Awards November 27, 2023 Breakthrough Series (Under 40 minutes) Beef Won [33]
NAACP Image Awards March 16, 2024 Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series Beef Nominated [34]
Film Independent Spirit Awards February 25, 2024 Best New Scripted Series Beef Won [35]
PGA Awards February 25, 2024 Outstanding Producer of Limited or Anthology Series Television Beef Won [36]
WGA Awards April 14, 2024 Limited Series Beef Won [37]
March 5, 2023 Television: Episodic Comedy Dave (episode "Enlightened Dave") Nominated [38]
February 13, 2016 Television: Comedy Series Silicon Valley Nominated [39]

References

  1. ^ a b c Otterson, Joe (2023-11-21). "'Beef' Creator Lee Sung Jin Signs Netflix Overall Deal". Variety. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  2. ^ Bergeson, Samantha (2024-01-16). "'Beef' Wins Outstanding Limited Series Emmy". IndieWire. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  3. ^ a b 최, 민지 (2023-08-16). "넷플릭스 '성난 사람들' 이성진 감독 "한국적인 것, 있는 그대로 보여주면 통한다"". 경향신문 (in Korean). Retrieved 2024-02-09.
  4. ^ a b c d "미드 '성난 사람들' 이성진… "한국계 정체성 드러내자 오히려 인기"". 조선일보 (in Korean). 2023-08-16. Retrieved 2024-02-09.
  5. ^ Rose, Lacey (2023-08-16). "'Beef' Creator Lee Sung Jin on his Original Ending, "Life-Affirming" Feedback and Season 2 Plan". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  6. ^ a b Cardenas, Cat (2023-04-13). "'Beef' Creator Lee Sung Jin On the Show's Final Scene and Whether There Should Be a Season Two". GQ. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  7. ^ a b MacDonald, Joan. "How Rage Drives Revenge In Lee Sung Jin's Netflix Dramedy 'Beef'". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  8. ^ a b "S1:E2 Lee Sung Jin and the Octopus". The Smith Society Podcast. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  9. ^ a b Paik, Sarah (2023-05-18). "Lee Sung Jin's "Beef" Destroys the Model Minority Myth". Best of Korea. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  10. ^ Blake, Meredith (2023-04-05). "In 'Beef,' Ali Wong and Steven Yeun explore the underpinnings of road rage". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  11. ^ Ito, Robert (2023-04-01). "In 'Beef,' Road Rage Is Only the Beginning". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  12. ^ Wang, Jessica (2023-04-10). "'Beef' creator on the 'deaths everywhere' in original script". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2024-01-17.
  13. ^ Seo, Rachel (2023-03-29). "Marvel's 'Thunderbolts' Adds 'Beef' Creator Lee Sung Jin as Writer (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  14. ^ Fekadu, Mesfin (2024-05-10). "'Beef' Creator on Forming "Korean Avengers" for RM Music Video and Watching BTS Member Bounce Back After Accident on Set". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2025-07-10.
  15. ^ Schreier, Jake (director) (April 22, 2025). Thunderbolts* (motion picture). United States: Marvel Studios.
  16. ^ a b "Thunderbolts". Writers Guild of America West. Archived from the original on April 12, 2025. Retrieved April 23, 2025.
  17. ^ Shim, Sun-ah (2024-05-07). "BTS' RM to prerelease 'Come Back to Me,' music video directed by Lee Jung-jin of 'Beef'". Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
  18. ^ Phillips, Zoe G. (2024-01-16). "'Beef' Creator Humbled By "Life Affirming" Response in Limited Series Emmy Win". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2024-01-17. In conclusion, he quipped: 'everything I do is for my three dogs, so the Federal Drug Administration, if you could please fast track that canine anti-aging pill, that would be so lovely.'
  19. ^ Grindell, Samantha. "The best-dressed couples at the 2024 Emmy Awards". Business Insider. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  20. ^ "Outstanding Comedy Series 2015 - Nominees & Winners". Television Academy. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
  21. ^ "Emmy Awards: Full list of winners". Yahoo Entertainment. 2024-05-02. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
  22. ^ "Lee Sung Jin accepts the award for Best Television Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television for "Beef"". Golden Globes. January 7, 2024.
  23. ^ "'Oppenheimer' Leads Critics Choice Awards With 8 Wins, 'Barbie' Scores 6 — Full Winners List". Variety. January 14, 2024.
  24. ^ "AFI AWARDS 2023". AFI. January 14, 2024.
  25. ^ "17th Television Academy Honors". Television Academy. May 30, 2024.
  26. ^ "The 2023 Hollywood Creative Alliance (HCA) TV Astra Award Winners". Next Best Picture. 2024-05-02.
  27. ^ "'Succession' and 'The Bear' Dominate TCA Awards; Mel Brooks and 'The Carol Burnett Show' Honored". Variety. August 7, 2023.
  28. ^ "Taylor Swift, Barbie and Grey's Anatomy Score at 2024 People's Choice Awards". People. February 18, 2024.
  29. ^ "2023 Unforgettable Awards". Unforgettable Awards. December 16, 2023.
  30. ^ "2024 Gold House". Gold House. May 29, 2024.
  31. ^ "'Beef' Creator Lee Sung Jin Thanks Real-Life Road Rage Nemesis as He Accepts Award at IndieWire Honors". IndieWire. December 7, 2023.
  32. ^ "2024 BAFTA Television Awards". BAFTA. May 12, 2024.
  33. ^ "33rd Annual Gotham Awards Winners Announced". The Gotham. November 27, 2023.
  34. ^ "2024 NAACP Image Awards". Deadline. March 16, 2024.
  35. ^ "Film Independent Honors 2024 Spirit Awards Winners at 39th Annual Ceremony". Film Independent. February 25, 2024.
  36. ^ "2024 PGA Awards – Winners". Producers Guild. February 25, 2024.
  37. ^ "2024 Writers Guild Awards: Winners Announced". Writers Guild of America. April 14, 2024.
  38. ^ "2023 Writers Guild Awards TV Nominees Announced". Writers Guild of America. January 11, 2023.
  39. ^ "2016 Writers Guild Awards TV Nominees Announced". Writers Guild of America. December 9, 2015.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Sung_Jin_(writer)