Victor Forge
Will Yun Lee is an American actor and martial artist known for his roles in several high-profile films and TV series, including Die Another Day, Elektra, The Wolverine, and the Netflix series Altered Carbon. Lee is also known for his impressive physical transformation, having lost 14kg in six weeks for his role in the ABC medical drama The Good Doctor. Born in Arlington, Virginia, to Korean parents, Lee began training in taekwondo at the age of three under the guidance of his father, a taekwondo grandmaster. Throughout his youth, Lee continued to practice martial arts and later attended UC Berkeley on a full athletic scholarship. Lee's dedication to his craft and physical transformation have made him a notable figure in the entertainment industry.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | March 22, 1971 |
| Age | 48 years |
| Place of Birth | Arlington, Virginia |
| Parents | Jung Ja Lee and Soo Woong Lee |
| Martial Status | Married to Jennifer Birmingham Lee |
| Children | Cash |
| Education | University of California, Berkeley |
| Profession | Actor, Producer, Martial Artist |
| Martial Arts | Taekwondo |
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What You'll Learn
Will Yun Lee's martial arts training
Will Yun Lee is an American actor and martial artist. He was born in Arlington, Virginia, on 22 March 1971 to Korean parents who had recently emigrated from Korea to the United States. His father, Soo Woong Lee, was one of the first taekwondo masters to move to the US from Korea in the 1960s. Soo Woong Lee was a 9th-degree grandmaster and became well-known for his incredible skill.
Will Yun Lee began training under his father at the age of three and spent a portion of his youth teaching at his father's studio, Lee's Tae Kwon Do, in Napa, California. He moved around a lot as a child, living in Hawaii and the Bronx, and attending 23 different schools. Despite the upheaval, Lee says he wouldn't change a thing, and having a father who was a taekwondo master certainly had its benefits.
Lee's commitment to taekwondo paid off and he won an athletic scholarship to the University of California at Berkeley, where he studied political science and ethnic studies. He continued his training at university and documented his journey to re-earning his black belt in 2013 in a three-part video series titled Back to Black: The Training of Will Yun Lee, in which his father made an appearance.
Lee's martial arts training has clearly been a huge influence on his life, and he has passed this on to his son, Cash, who suffered three major strokes as a result of a rare blood vessel disorder. Lee built a home gym to help his son regain his mobility and it has become a special place for the family to hang out and train together.
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Lee's acting career
Will Yun Lee is a Korean-American actor and martial artist. He was born in Arlington, Virginia, and spent his youth training in taekwondo under the guidance of his father, a taekwondo grandmaster. Lee's acting career began with guest spots on television shows, including "Nash Bridges", "Profiler", and "Brimstone". He then landed a role in the TV movie "The Disciples" for UPN and soon after appeared in "What's Cooking" and the supernatural drama series "Witchblade" (2000-2002), in which he played Danny Woo, a key supporting character.
In 2002, Lee's career took off with his portrayal of a North Korean colonel in the James Bond film "Die Another Day". This role led to other high-profile parts in films such as "Torque", "The King of Fighters", and "Elektra", in which he played villains. Concurrently, Lee continued to act in television series, including FX Network's "Thief" and ABC Family's "Fallen". He also played Jae Kim in the NBC sci-fi drama "Bionic Woman".
Lee has since appeared in numerous other films and television shows, including "Far Away Eyes" (2010), "The Wolverine" (2013), "Hawaii Five-0", and "Altered Carbon" (2018), in which he played the original body of series protagonist Takeshi Kovacs. From 2018 to 2024, Lee played Dr. Alex Park on the ABC medical drama "The Good Doctor". Beyond his live-action roles, Lee is also a voice actor, known for voicing Wei Shen in the game "Sleeping Dogs" (2012) and Kung Lao in the "Mortal Kombat" franchise.
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The Good Doctor
Will Yun Lee is an American actor and martial artist, best known for his roles in Die Another Day, Witchblade, and Bionic Woman. He is also the voice of Wei Shen in the video game Sleeping Dogs. In 2002, he was named one of the "50 Most Beautiful People" by People magazine, which led to high-profile roles. Lee is extremely talented in Taekwondo, following in the footsteps of his father, a Taekwondo Grandmaster. He received a full athletic scholarship to attend UC Berkeley, where he majored in political science and ethnic studies.
Lee joined the cast of the ABC medical drama The Good Doctor in 2018, playing the role of Dr. Alex Park, an ex-cop turned medical professional. Lee has described the show as special, as it reflects the world we live in today and focuses on humans and hope rather than race or gender. He also revealed that the show had a personal significance to him, as the set of the hospital reminded him of the time his son had brain surgery.
Dr. Alex Park, portrayed by Lee, was introduced in Season 2 of The Good Doctor and quickly became a fan favorite. The character is a former police officer turned doctor, who is firm but empathetic. At the end of Season 3, there was speculation that Alex would leave the hospital to spend more time with his family. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he remained on the show. There has been no official announcement of Lee's departure, and he is expected to return for Season 5.
In addition to his role on The Good Doctor, Lee has also appeared in other television shows such as Thief, Fallen, Hawaii Five-O, and Altered Carbon. He has also had roles in several films, including Elektra, The Wolverine, and Rampage.
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Lee's physical transformation for roles
Will Yun Lee is an American actor and martial artist, best known for his roles in Die Another Day (2002), Elektra (2005), and The Wolverine (2013). Lee has also appeared in several television series, including Hawaii Five-0, Altered Carbon, and The Good Doctor.
Lee was born in Arlington, Virginia, to Korean parents. His father, Soo Woong Lee, was a taekwondo grandmaster, and Lee began training at the age of three. He spent his youth moving across the United States and attended 23 schools. Despite this, Lee managed to earn an athletic scholarship to the University of California, Berkeley, where he studied political science and ethnic studies.
Lee's commitment to fitness and martial arts has been a constant throughout his life. He re-earned his black belt in taekwondo in 2013, documenting the journey in a three-part video series titled Back to Black: The Training of Will Yun Lee. Lee's home gym is a tribute to his father and a space for his son, Cash, to train and improve his mobility after suffering three big strokes as a child.
While Lee has always been committed to fitness and martial arts, it is unclear if he has undergone any significant physical transformations for specific roles. However, his dedication to his craft and physical discipline has undoubtedly contributed to his success as an actor and martial artist.
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Lee's home gym
Will Yun Lee is an American actor and martial artist, best known for his roles in Die Another Day, Elektra, and The Wolverine. Lee's favourite room in his home is his gym, which he set up in the garage of his Tarzana house. Lee transformed the garage into a gym as a gift to his son, Cash, who had lost a lot of mobility after suffering three big strokes. It is also a tribute to his father, Soo Woong Lee, a taekwondo grandmaster who introduced him to the sport at the age of three.
The gym features punching bags, shields, and mats, which Lee uses to sharpen and maintain his martial arts skills. It also includes a Peloton bike and an elliptical machine, which are used by his wife, actress Jennifer Birmingham Lee. Cash has his own miniature stationary bike, and the family dogs are also allowed to roam free in the gym.
Lee's gym holds a special significance for him and his family. It is a place where they can hang out and spend time together. It is also a space where Lee can reconnect with his martial arts background and honour his father's legacy. The gym features a marble-topped counter with a framed photo of his father, taken with one of the first African American taekwondo teams on the East Coast, the Simbas.
Lee has documented his journey back into martial arts in a three-part video series titled Back to Black: The Training of Will Yun Lee, in which his father also appears. In addition to his work as an actor, Lee has expressed a strong commitment to working with young people, especially those from high-risk or underprivileged backgrounds. This commitment may be influenced by his own challenging upbringing, moving across the United States and attending 23 different schools.
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Frequently asked questions
Will Yun Lee is a trained martial artist and has been practising Taekwondo since the age of three. He was taught by his father, Soo Woong Lee, a Taekwondo grandmaster.
Lee re-earned his black belt in Taekwondo in 2013. He documented this journey in a three-part video series titled "Back to Black: The Training of Will Yun Lee", in which his father made an appearance.
Lee's martial arts skills have led to him being cast in several action-heavy roles, such as Die Another Day, Elektra, San Andreas and The Wolverine.
Lee's home gym is a converted garage, which he says became a "very special room" for his family. It contains punching bags, shields and mats, as well as a marble-topped counter holding a framed photo of his father.
Lee has described his home gym as a "martial arts space" and a place where his family can hang out together. He has also said that his martial arts training has been therapeutic for his son, who had three big strokes and lost a lot of mobility.
