Lee Sabi (이사비): First Korean in Playboy

Lee Sabi was the first South Korean model to appear in Playboy magazine although there were previous Korean-American models (Sung Hi Lee being one that comes to mind). Lee was in the January 2004 edition. Lee had been a model in Korea since 1998 and supposedly also did a nude video for Playboy.

After her return to Korean, she was asked by reporters if she was hesistant to pose nude. Lee's answer indicates that she may have hoped her Playboy pictorial would lead to opportunities in film - “Playboy is not a porn magazine, and if you become a Playboy model, people in the U.S. consider it a kind of honor and envy you,” she said. “I have a lot of things to show you besides my naked body. I’d like to take part in many film works as an actress.”

It appears that her hopes were realized as she has appeared in films under her real name, Lee Eon-jeong.