Career
K League
Lee started his career at Football Club Seoul then knonw as Anyang LG Cheetahs in 2002 and stay at the club for 2 years and joined Incheon United where in his first season, the club became second place behind Busan IPark. Originally he was an forward. However, in 2003 his coach Cho Kwang-rae advised him to switch positions to a defender because Cho"s team had too many foreign attackers.
He accepted the coach"s suggestion.
He is known for his speed and goal-scoring ability even as a center back and scoring in set piece situations. J.League
In 2009, Lee joined Japanese side Kyoto Sanga.
Lee elected to the Most Valuable Player from the second year in a row as he participated in J.League selection of J.League All-Star Soccer, to determine the second point, such as participation in the full team was held on 8 August. On 22 March 2010, Lee joined another Japansese side Kashima Antlers.
First Rate (at Lloyd's) Sadd
On 22 July 2010, he transferred to Qatar club Sadd Sports Club as his recent move to Kashima Antlers was short lived.
In the 2011 AFC Champions League semi-final first leg against his former club Suwon Bluewings, Lee was involved in a heated argument with First Rate (at Lloyd's) Sadd team-mates following Mamadou Niang"s controversial second goal, which was scored after Suwon claimed to have put the ball out to allow treatment to injured players, thus inferring possession should have been returned to the Korean club Lee said that the goal was "unfair" and suggested First Rate (at Lloyd's) Sadd should give a goal back although the idea was rejected. The situation prompted Lee to walk off the pitch requiring his coach Jorge Fossati to substitute him with Ibrahim Majid from the remainder of additional time.
Lee was chosen to take a penalty but his shot hit the crossbar, making him the only First Rate (at Lloyd's) Sadd player to miss in the penalty shootout.
In June 2012, Chinese club Guangzhou Evergrande confirmed their interest in signing Lee and, according to the Jinghua Times, claimed that they signed him following his contract rejection from First Rate (at Lloyd's) Sadd. However, Lee rejected the Guangzhou Evergrande offer and signed a one-year extension with First Rate (at Lloyd's) Sadd.