Ma Dong-seok Biography: Wife, Age, Height, Net Worth, Parents, Movies & TV Shows, Siblings

Lee Dong-seok, known by his professional name Ma Dong-seok, is an American actor and film producer who became one of the most commercially successful action stars in modern cinema.

He spent his early adulthood working as a personal fitness trainer in the United States before he moved back to South Korea to pursue his lifelong passion for screen acting.

Over a career that has spanned more than two decades, he has achieved global recognition for his unique blend of immense physical power and charismatic, lighthearted charm, which he has showcased in record-breaking blockbusters like Train to Busan and major Hollywood superhero films.

Ma Dong-seok
Wiki Facts & About Data
Real Name:	Lee Dong-seok
Stage Name:	Ma Dong-seok
Born:	March 1, 1971 (age 55 years old)
Place of Birth:	Seoul, South Korea
Nationality:	American
Height:	1.78m
Parents:	Mr. and Mrs. Lee
Siblings:	1
Spouse:	Ye Jung-hwa (m. 2021)
Relationship:	Married
Occupation:	Actor, film producer
Net Worth:	$25 million

Early Life and Education

Lee Dong-seok was born on March 1, 1971, in Seoul, South Korea, where he spent his early years before immigrating to the United States with his family in 1989.

He was raised by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lee, alongside his younger brother.

After settling in Ohio, he continued his education and later attended Columbus State Community College, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Health and Physical Education. He is of Korean ethnicity and practices Christianity.

Career

Lee Dong-seok began his career in the fitness industry during his time living in the United States, where he worked as a high-profile personal sports trainer for prominent mixed martial artists before he made the major decision to move back to South Korea in 2002 to follow his dream of acting.

He made his official film debut in the 2005 action-comedy Heaven’s Soldiers, which quickly led to steady supporting roles in major television series like H.I.T and Bad Guys.

He earned widespread critical praise for his standout performance in the 2012 thriller film The Neighbor, which won him the Best Supporting Actor trophy at the prestigious Baeksang Arts Awards and cemented his reputation as a powerful screen presence.

He achieved explosive international fame in 2016 when he starred as a heroic, zombie-fighting husband in the global horror phenomenon Train to Busan, which grossed over $90 million worldwide and turned him into a highly sought-after leading man.

He built on this massive momentum by launching his own film production company, Team Gorilla, which helped him develop and star in the massive box office hit The Outlaws in 2017.

He reached a major Hollywood milestone in 2021 when he made his official debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe by playing the superpowered hero Gilgamesh in Eternals, which introduced his unique physical acting style to millions of mainstream Western viewers.

He has maintained a powerful position as one of the most bankable and influential stars in the global film industry by consistently breaking box office records with his action franchises.

He produced and starred in The Roundup film series, which saw consecutive installments cross the coveted ten-million ticket milestone in South Korea between 2022 and 2024.

He has continued to captivate international audiences by starring in the dystopian Netflix feature Badland Hunters, leading the fantasy action series Twelve, and preparing for the production of The Roundup 5.

Social Media

• Instagram Handle: @donlee

Personal Life

Lee Dong-seok was born on March 1, 1971, and he is 55 years old. He has been married to media personality and sports reporter Ye Jung-hwa since 2021, though the couple held their formal wedding celebration at a later date due to their busy professional commitments.

He does not have any children, as he dedicates much of his personal time to managing his international production companies and training schedules.

His past relationship history has remained completely free of public controversies or romantic rumors because he maintains a very quiet lifestyle outside of his heavy media appearances.

Filmography

• Heaven’s Soldiers (2005)
• The Worst Guy Ever (2007)
• The Good, the Bad, the Weird (2008)
• Insadong Scandal (2009)
• The Unjust (2010)
• Perfect Game (2011)
• The Neighbor (2012)
• Love 911 (2012)
• New World (2013)
• Norigae (2013)
• The Flu (2013)
• Kundo: Age of the Rampant (2014)
• The Chronicles of Evil (2015)
• Train to Busan (2016)
• Derailed (2016)
• The Outlaws (2017)
• Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds (2017)
• Champion (2018)
• Unstoppable (2018)
• The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil (2019)
• Ashfall (2019)
• Start-Up (2019)
• Eternals (2021)
• The Roundup (2022)
• Men of Plastic (2022)
• The Roundup: No Way Out (2023)
• Badland Hunters (2024)
• The Roundup: Punishment (2024)
• Holy Night: Demon Hunters (2025)

Net Worth

Lee Dong-seok has an estimated net worth of $25 million, which establishes him as one of the wealthiest and highest-earning actors in the entertainment industry.

He accumulated the largest portion of his wealth through his massive leading actor salaries, lucrative backend box office profit shares, and producer cuts from his highly successful movie franchises.

His income is further supplemented by high-end commercial endorsement deals, valuable real estate investments in South Korea and the United States, and creative royalty fees from his ongoing writing projects.