Lee Dong-wook made his acting debut in 1999, and went on to appear in a number of TV series before hitting stardom with 2005 romantic comedy My Girl. The drama series became a hit during its run both domestically and across Asia, and made Lee a Korean Wave star. He has since starred as the male lead in La Dolce Vita (2008), Partner (2009), Scent of a Woman (2011), Wild Romance (2012), The Fugitive of Joseon (2013), and Hotel King (2014).