For a lot of male stars, height is an advantage. However, for actress Lee Da Hee, her 176-centimeter (5-foot-9) frame had become a barrier in the entertainment industry in South Korea.

Lee, who began her career as a model, transitioned to acting in the early 2000s. Though her height was an advantage on the runway, she revealed that it has complicated her efforts to land leading roles in Korean dramas.

"One difficulty Lee Da Hee has in getting cast in roles comes from the height difference roles often want the female and male lead to have," her agency said in a statement. "With a desired 10 cm (or 4 inches) height difference, finding actors around 186 cm (or 6'1) can be challenging."

After debuting in supporting roles in dramas such as The Legend and Secret Love, Lee gained broader recognition in 2013 with a breakout role in I Can Hear Your Voice.

In recent years, she has starred in popular dramas including Love Is for Suckers and Island, where she shared the screen with ASTRO member Cha Eunwoo.

Though building an impressive list of credits, Lee has been honest about how her frame has impacted her confidence and self-identity.

"Since I'm so tall and have wide shoulders, I start looking really big if I gain weight," Lee said in a past interview. "There's a pretty clear difference [in my body image] when I gain or lose weight. I'm always on a diet so I can lose weight and appear smaller."

In addition to her acting roles, Lee has found success as a television host, fronting several programs, including Queendom, Road to Kingdom, Single's Inferno, and the Golden Disc Awards, which she has co-hosted since 2020.

Her upcoming lead role in The Divorce Insurance could mark a turning point. In the series, she stars opposite actor Lee Kwang Soo, who is 193 centimeters (6-foot-3), finally giving producers the visual height balance they often seek.