Lee Seo-won (
Korean: 이서원; born February 17, 1997) is a South Korean former actor.
Career
Lee debuted in
JTBC television series The Awl [
ko] in 2015.[1] He initially garnered attention for his portrayal of a college student and
Suzy's younger brother in the melodrama Uncontrollably Fond.[2]
Lee graduated from high school in 2015. He took a two-year break before entering
Sejong University as a film major in 2017.[8]
On November 22, 2018, Lee's
agency announced that Lee enlisted in the military on November 20, to fulfill
mandatory military service.
Sexual harassment and intimidation charges
On May 16, 2018, news broke that Lee was charged with sexual harassment and threatening a female celebrity with a weapon.[9][10][11] Lee was charged and investigated on April 8, before the police sent his case to the prosecution with a recommendation of indictment.[12] According to authorities, Lee was drinking with said female celebrity when he attempted to kiss her and make physical contact, but was rejected.[13] After continuous attempts for physical contact, the victim called her boyfriend to ask for help, which caused Lee to threaten her with a knife.[14] Lee remained silent and continued filming the 2018 television series About Time and program Music Bank for 40 days without informing the production staff that he was under investigation.[15] However, when news broke out, Lee, who was supposed to appear in About Time,[16] was pulled out and his scenes were re-filmed using another actor.[17][18] He was also removed from his role as the host of Music Bank.[19][20]
On May 24, 2018, Lee apologized for his actions while visiting the Seoul District Public Prosecutors’ Office for interrogation.[21][22] On July 12, the first day of trial at the Seoul Eastern District Court, Lee pleaded guilty to charges of sexual harassment and criminal threats.[23] Lee's attorney stated that they acknowledge guilt since Lee's DNA was detected on the victim's ear and he was apprehended by police while holding a knife.[24] However, he also stated that Lee was "unable to remember anything from the incident" and was "not in control of his body due to intoxication",[25] and requested a lenient sentence due to Lee's "diminished mental and physical faculties" cause by intoxication.[26][27] The second trial, which was on October 6, 2018, was held privately at the request of the victim.[28][29] During the hearing, one witness, the victim's boyfriend who saw Lee swinging the knife,[30] was called to the stand for testimony and to undergo questioning.[31] The victim testified in court on third trial that was held on October 25.[32][33] The fourth trial was scheduled for November 22,[34] however, Lee enlisted for his military service and planned to attend his trial through the military court with the status of a soldier. The courts postponed his fourth hearing to be held in January 2019,[35][36] but the Seoul Eastern District Court transferred the case to the military court on February 27.[37] In the first trial, Lee was sentenced to one year in prison suspended for two years of probation.[38] He has since appealed the sentence and the case is being reviewed in the High Military Court.[38]
^Kim, Joo-ae (December 28, 2016).
"[단독] '뮤뱅MC' 이서원, 세종대 영화예술학과 수시 합격…17학번 새내기" [Music Bank host Lee Seo-Won accepted as 2017 year Film Art major student in Sejong University] (in Korean). Xports News. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
^Han, Na-young (November 4, 2016).
"이서원, '뮤직뱅크' 새 MC 확정…박보검 뒤 잇는 스타될까" [Lee Seo-Won appointed as Music Bank new host]. The Star (in Korean). Retrieved May 19, 2018.
^Jang, Woo-young (December 30, 2017).
"[MBC연기대상]김선호·김정현·서주현·이선빈, 신인상 수상 영광" [[MBC Acting Awards] Kim Seon-ho, Kim Jung-hyun, Seo Joo-hyun, Lee Seon-bin, Glory of Rookie of the Year Award] (in Korean). Herald POP. Retrieved September 26, 2022 – via Naver.