History of Lee Sung Jin in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: April 23, 2026

Lee Sung Jin, or Sonny Lee, is a South Korean-American screenwriter and director. He gained prominence as the creator of the Netflix series 'Beef.' His work on 'Beef' earned him Primetime Emmy Awards for both directing and writing in the limited series category, marking a significant achievement in his career.

Sections (1)

Full Timeline

October 2, 1981: Lee Sung Jin Born

On October 2, 1981, Lee Sung Jin, also known as Sonny Lee, was born in South Korea. He is a South Korean-American screenwriter and director.

1981: Lee Sung Jin was born in South Korea

In 1981, Lee Sung Jin was born in South Korea. His family moved frequently during his childhood, and he relocated to the United States at the age of nine months.

2003: Graduation from the University of Pennsylvania

In 2003, Lee Sung Jin graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in economics, where he also sang in an a cappella group.

2008: Staff Writer for It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

In 2008, Lee Sung Jin began working as a staff writer and executive story editor for "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia".

Loading Video...

August 2023: Lee Sung Jin Visits South Korea

In August 2023, Lee Sung Jin visited South Korea to speak at a conference on the creation of films. He mentioned it had been around 25 years since his last visit, dating back to his childhood.

November 2023: Lee Signs Multiyear Deal with Netflix

In November 2023, Variety reported that Lee Sung Jin had signed a multiyear deal to produce content for Netflix.

2023: Joins Thunderbolts* as a writer

In 2023, Lee Sung Jin joined the 2025 Marvel Cinematic Universe film "Thunderbolts*" as a writer and rewrote an existing script from Eric Pearson. He later stepped away from the project, handing it off to Joanna Calo, but received credit for "Additional Literary Material".

Loading Video...

2023: Lee Sung Jin Wins Primetime Emmy Awards for "Beef"

In 2023, Lee Sung Jin received the Primetime Emmy Awards for directing and writing for the Netflix series "Beef".

Loading Video...

2024: Directed RM's Come Back to Me Music Video

In 2024, Lee Sung Jin wrote, directed, and produced the video for BTS leader RM's "Come Back to Me", a prerelease track from his second solo album, Right Place, Wrong Person.

Loading Video...

2025: Marvel Cinematic Universe film Thunderbolts*

In 2025, the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Thunderbolts* will be released, with Lee Sung Jin having contributed as a writer and receiving credit for "Additional Literary Material".

Loading Video...

April 2026: Co-writing X-Men film and renewed Netflix deal

In April 2026, it was confirmed that Lee Sung Jin was co-writing the screenplay for the upcoming X-Men film produced by Marvel Studios alongside Joanna Calo, revising the original script by Michael Lesslie. Also, in the same month, he renewed his overall deal with Netflix.