Which actress appeared in all three dramas in the "Reply" series? If you guessed Lee Il Hwa, you are correct. In the most recent drama "Reply 1988" she played Duk Sun's mom.
Lee began acting when she was 21, appearing in the SBS drama "Calendula," and she has appeared in dozens of dramas since then, including "Iljimae," "Midas," "Heartstrings" and "Prosecutor Princess." In the two decades of her career she graduated from supporting and leading lady roles to playing drama moms. But she's still a beauty.
Here are five facts you may not know about her.
She played both Kwon Sang Woo and Jung Eun Ji's mom. The first role was in "Yawang" and the second was in 'Reply 1997." She also played Hwang Jung Eum's mom in "She Was Pretty" and Lee Jong Suk's in "Doctor Stranger."
Many actors appear in more than one film or drama together but it's rare to play a relative in one and then a spouse in another. Even though she played Kwon Sang Woo's mom in "Yawang," she played his wife in the 2015 film "The Accidental Detective."
Despite playing predominantly mom roles now, Lee's slim figure recently caused her to be mistaken for a younger woman. The 45-year-old actress attracted attention when she was photographed with her "Reply 1988 co-star Park Bo Gum on the cast's trip to Phuket. Judging by her measurements, observers assumed that she was decades younger. Some assumed the co-stars were a couple.
In real life Lee Il Hwa has been married twice. She first married singer Kang In Won in 1996 but divorced him a year later. Her second husband was a university professor.
In 2012 she appeared in three successful dramas, "Feast of the Gods," "Reply 1997" and "My Daughter Seo Young." In 2015 she appeared in "Orange Marmalade," "She Was Pretty" and "Reply 1988." Not a bad track record.
