Bio
Sangmin Tang Lee (b. 1993, South Korea) is a queer visual activist based in Seattle, U.S., and Seoul, South Korea. Lee began their artistic career after graduating from Bellevue College, WA, where they worked as an artist assistant under trans activist and artist Molly Vaughan from 2017 to 2018. While working as an assistant, Lee encountered grand portraiture and old master paintings, which deeply influenced their artistic practice.
In 2021, after returning to South Korea, Lee made history as the first openly queer artist to host both a solo exhibition and a drag performance at Seoul N Tower. Their artwork has been displayed in exhibitions across the U.S. and South Korea, including Queer Hearts at the Chicago Fine Art Salon and New Identity at the Ha-nam Cultural Foundation. In 2023, Lee received the Jury’s Choice Award at SEAF and conducted a workshop at the University of Utah Asia Campus. Most recently, their work was exhibited at Seattle’s 50th Pride Anniversary.
Lee has been featured in media outlets such as The People's Archive podcast by Dr. Kara and The Korean Times, where they discuss their experiences as an openly queer artist in South Korea. Their ongoing project, New Identity, explores non-binary, queer, and trans identities, challenging societal norms and promoting dialogue around ongoing LGBTQIA+ issues in Asia. In 2025, Lee received a full scholarship from ILGA Asia.
Despite the societal stigma surrounding LGBTQIA+ identities and the widespread silence on related issues, only a few activists continue to raise their voices in South Korea. Lee’s representative work consistently embraces the challenges posed by their surroundings, capturing current queer culture through symbolic subjects and themes.
Press
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Life as an LGBTQ+ in South Korea
The Korean Times podcast
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In conversation: Sangmin Tang Lee
Interview with Insight of an Eco Artist
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Namsan Tower’s First LGBTQ+ Event Makes History
On January 15, 2022, history was made at the N Seoul Tower. For the first time ever, an exhibition was held by a queer artist (Sangmin Lee) at N Seoul Tower.
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"XPOSED - Naked & Not Afraid"
The Knox Contemporary Gallery of Art in Calgary, Alberta, Canada is pleased to announce “XPOSED - Naked & Not Afraid”, Exploration of the Human Figure, Human Sexuality & Identity Exhibition.
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Forum Magazine Spring 2021