Lee Myung-han (; born June 17, 1970), also known as M.H. Rhee, is a South Korean producer and entertainment executive. He is currently a CEO of Egg is Coming, a content production company which is a subsidiary of CJ Studio under CJ ENM.
He used to be known by his nickname Lee PD, the term "PD" is commonly used in Korean television to denote a "producer-director" or "production director." Lee worked as director for shows such as Star Golden Bell, Happy Sunday: Heroine 5, Happy Sunday: Heroine 6, Happy Sunday: High-Five. However he is best known for directing and producing the popular KBS variety-reality shows 2 Days & 1 Night, and as creative producer for popular tvN variety-reality shows Grandpas Over Flowers and their spin-offs.
Early years and education Lee Myung-han was born June 17, 1970, in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province. He attended Unho High School before enrolling in the Department of Business Administration at Kyung Hee University. During his college years, he actively participated as a member of an amateur rock band, and his passion for music fueled his aspiration to become a show producer.
Career
Career in KBS as director and producer After graduating in 1995 with a Bachelor of Business Administration, Lee joined KBS as a director through the 22nd KBS open recruitment. He began his career as an assistant director in the network's variety department, contributing to shows such as Open Concert and Celebrity Relay.
In 2002, Lee assumed his first official directing role with the show Declaration of Freedom Today is Saturday – The War Of Roses. The program involved male entertainers and female college students meeting and searching for a partner at a mountain lodge. It was during this program that Lee crossed paths with writer Lee Woo-jung, who served as the main writer, as well as two assistant directors, Na Young-seok and Shin Won-ho. In the same year, Lee was in charge of directing Super TV Sunday is Fun. His colleagues took charge of directing each segment of the show, with Na Young-seok directing Let's Go! Dream Team – Season 1 and Shin Won-ho directing Kung Kung Ta. Lee later collaborated with them again on Star Golden Bell in 2004. He temporarily separated from both when he directed the music show Yoon Do-hyun's Love Letter.
Lee and Na Young-seok reunited with writer Lee Woo-jung when they were both in charge of directing Heroine 5. Heroine 5 was one of the segments of Sunday 101%, which was renamed Happy Sunday since November 2004. It was broadcast from April 4, 2004, to May 1, 2005, on KBS 2. It was followed by the sequel, Heroine 6, which aired from May 8, 2005, to April 29, 2007, on KBS 2. When Lee and Na Young-seok developed other segments, Shin Won-hoo took over as the director.
Lee and Na Young-seok collaborated to create two new segments for Happy Sunday: High Five and Are You Ready? High Five aired on KBS 2TV from May 6, 2007, to May 18, 2008. Hosted by Jee Seok-jin, the show focused on five female stars as they embarked on different job experiences. From flight attendants to farmers, stuntwomen to police officers, the stars took on various roles. Given their diverse backgrounds, comedic twists and events were often incorporated into their training. The initial lineup of High Five included comedian Jo Hye-ryun, entertainer Hyun Young, singer Chae Yeon, MC Park Kyung-lim, and actress Kim Min-sun.
Happy Sunday: Are You Ready? aired from May 6, 2007, to July 29, 2007. Hosted by Kang Ho-dong, the cast included Lee Soo-geun, Eun Ji-won, Kim Jong-min, Noh Hong-chul, and Ji Sang-ryeol. The show revolved around the cast and special guests engaging in a variety of games. The initial episodes focused on games related to the Chinese language, while subsequent episodes featured physical and logic-based games. Unfortunately, due to poor ratings, Are You Ready? was discontinued after airing 12 episodes.
Following the discontinuation of Are You Ready? Lee, Na Young-seok, and Lee Woo-jung created a replacement segment titled 2 Days & 1 Night. The initial cast included most of the members from Are You Ready?, such as Kang Ho-dong, Lee Soo-geun, Eun Ji-won, Kim Jong-min, Noh Hong-chul, and Ji Sang-ryeol. Later, Kim C, Lee Seung-gi, MC Mong, and Uhm Tae-woong joined the cast. 2 Days & 1 Night revolutionized Korean reality programming by introducing the road trip format. The show featured a regular cast who embarked on trips to different towns across South Korea, spending one night and two days there. During these trips, they engaged in various activities such as games, camping, and sightseeing.
Lee and Na Young-seok achieved a breakthrough with 2 Days & 1 Night, which became a massive success, gaining immense popularity and becoming the highest-rated variety program on KBS. It captivated audiences nationwide, achieving a peak viewership rating of 40%. The show not only had a positive impact on the featured locations by boosting tourism but also garnered a massive fan base for its cast members and production crew. Na Young-seok, in particular, gained recognition as he frequently appeared onscreen during interactions with the cast, earning the affectionate nickname "Na PD" from Korean audiences.
In December 2008, Lee stepped down from his role in the production of 2 Days & 1 Night. He then assumed the position of Happy Sunday's Team Leader (Producer). In 2009, Lee collaborated with writer Lee Woo-jung on a new segment for Happy Sunday titled Qualifications of Men, with Shin Won-ho serving as the director. This variety show aired on KBS2 from March 29, 2009, to April 7, 2013. Subtitled as "101 Things a Man Must Do Before He Dies," the show featured a group of male celebrities with diverse ages and personalities. They undertook missions aimed at helping them become "real men." These missions encompassed a wide range of challenges, both physical and emotional. Throughout the show, the participants met various mentors from different fields, learning valuable skills along the way.
In February 2011, Lee made headlines for his plan to study musicals for a year at Goldsmiths College, University of London, England. However, he actually withdrew from his programs due to conflicts with KBS's superiors. As a result, he was compelled to study abroad. Subsequently, on April 27, 2011, several media reports emerged stating that Lee would be transferring to CJ E&M.
Career in CJ ENM In July 2011, Lee Myung-han joined CJ E&M as the chief producer in the Entertainment Department. CJ E&M is the owner of various cable channels, including tvN. During the "tvN Foundation 5th Anniversary Conference," Song Chang-eui (Director of tvN) and Lee Deok-jae (Broadcasting Planning Director) unveiled the program lineup and content production investment plan for 2012. One of the highlights of the lineup was a new concept reality program created by Lee Myung-han and writer Lee Woo-jung, known for her work on 2 Days & 1 Night. The program was scheduled to air on tvN the first half of the following year.
In early 2012, Lee debuted on the cable channel tvN with the reality program called The Romantic. To create the show, Lee sought the assistance of director Yoo Hak-chan, writer Lee Woo-jung, and junior writer Kim Dae-joo, which were former crew members from 2 Days & 1 Night. The 12-episode show introduced a unique concept of a dating game show. Ten ordinary young men and women embarked on a journey to unfamiliar locations, gradually getting to know each other and seeking true love. The filming took place in Dubrovnik, Croatia, spanning over a period of 9 nights and 10 days from late December to early January. Dubrovnik, renowned as the pearl of the Adriatic Sea for its breathtaking location in the Balkans, is a popular honeymoon destination for Europeans. It has also gained recognition as a filming location for a coffee commercial featuring actress Go Hyun-jung. The Romantic premiered on tvN at 11:00 pm on a Saturday in February 2012.
There were also high expectations for a collaboration between Lee and his junior, Shin Won-ho, on a new reality program, as reported in a news coverage in November 2011. However, in April 2012, tvN announced that Shin Won-ho was actually directing a drama titled Reply 1997, scheduled to air in June. Lee Myung-han served as executive producers and Lee Woo-jung as the scriptwriter. The drama starred Seo In-guk, Eun Ji-won, Jung Eun-ji, Hoya, Lee Si-eon, Lee Il-hwa, and Sung Dong-il. This project held significance for Shin Won-ho as it marked his first work at CJ E&M after transferring from KBS in July of the previous year.
After a month-long delay, the first self-produced drama by tvN, Reply 1997, finally broadcast on July 24, 2012. The series revolves around the lives of six friends from Busan. The storyline jumps back and forth between their teenage years as high school students in 1997 and their present lives as 32-year-olds attending their high school reunion dinner in 2012, where a couple announces their engagement. It also highlights the emergence of extreme fan culture in the 1990s, with the rise of the first generation of idol groups like H.O.T. and Sechs Kies, as well as the beginnings of the flourishing K-pop industry.
The show garnered high ratings and received critical acclaim, establishing itself as one of the highest-rated Korean dramas in cable television history. Its authenticity, humor, and heartfelt storytelling have been praised by both viewers and critics, who also appreciate its well-researched and refreshing approach to the genre. Following its broadcast, the show was credited with starting the "retro" trend in South Korea, and media and cultural commentators have observed a growing fascination with 1990s pop culture. Specifically, the show reignited interest in the "first generation" of K-pop idol groups who achieved fame in the 1990s before the Korean Wave and were not as widely known to international audiences as the younger generations of idols.
In the same year, Lee once again collaborated with director Yoo Hak-chan, writer Lee Woo-jung, and junior writer Kim Dae-joo for his second reality programming pilot . Jun Hyun-moo took on the role of the host, and the cast included Lee Soo-geun, Kim Jong-min, and Eun Ji-won. All cast members, except Jun Hyun-moo, were original members of Season 1 of 2 Days & 1 Night. The show premiered on tvN on October 7, 2012, marking the first time a weekend entertainment program in Korea was broadcast live. Starting from November 11, 2012, Three Idiots became a segment of 'Sunday N tvN,' a 135-minute program that featured two segments within a framed composition. During the live broadcasts of Three Idiots, a pre-recorded program titled The Romantic and Idol was also aired.
In March 2013, Lee delivered a lecture during the CJ E&M New Production PD Recruitment Information Session, which aimed to recruit new talents. Prior to that, in January 2013, Lee played a role in recruiting his junior, the infamous Na Young-seok, to CJ E&M. The company reportedly enticed Na with not only higher compensation but also the promise of creative control.