Lee Myung-jae was born on 4 November 1993 in Seoul, South Korea. He developed into a left-back through Hongik University and Ulsan Hyundai, where his crossing, defensive discipline and reliable engine made him a long-serving K League player.
His best years came with Ulsan, where he contributed to domestic title wins and became part of the club's senior core. He was not always the most glamorous full-back in Korea, but his consistency over many seasons eventually pushed him into the national-team frame.
In 2025 he joined Daejeon Hana Citizen. As of May 2026 he plays for Daejeon, bringing veteran left-back depth, set-piece delivery and title-winning habits to a club trying to stabilise itself in the top division.
Lee made his senior South Korea debut in March 2024 in a World Cup qualifier against Thailand, a late international breakthrough for a player already past thirty. He remained in the broader squad conversation through the 2026 qualifying cycle because Korea needed dependable left-back options.
Standing around 1.83 m, Lee is a left-footed full-back with measured crossing, positional caution and a steady defensive base. He is comparable to Kim Jin-su in role, though Lee's game is slightly more conservative and built around reliability rather than repeated high-risk attacking surges.