ली का जन्म एक मलेशियाई चीनी परिवार में हुआ। अपने प्रारंभिक वर्षों में वह बास्किटबॉल को पसंद करते थे। परन्तु उनकी माता ने तुरन्त ही उन्हें इस खेल से दूर किया क्योंकि खुले मैदान के बास्किटबॉल में कड़ी धूप का सामना करना पड़ता था। ली ने ११ साल की आयु में बैडमिंटन सीखना शुरू किया जब उनके पिता इस खेल से प्रभावित थे और उन्हें बैडमिंटन हॉल ले गए। स्थानीय कोच का ध्यान आकर्षित हुआ तो कोच ने ली को शिक्षा देना चाही। पिता की सहमति के पश्चात स्कूल के समय के बाद कोच ली को सिखाने लगे। मिस्बुक सादिक से खोजे जाने के बाद ली १७ साल की आयु में राष्ट्रीय स्क्वॉड का हिस्सा बने।
Lee received RM300,000 on 21 August 2008, as a reward for his silver medal effort in the 2008 Olympic Games. Also, he received RM3,000 a month as a lifetime pension beginning in August 2008. For the same achievement, he was conferred with a Darjah Setia Pangkuan Negeri (DSPN), which carried the title Dato' by Governor of Penang, Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas on 30 August 2008.

He was appointed as the UNICEF Malaysia's National Ambassador in February 2009.

On 6 June 2009, Lee received the Darjah Bakti (DB) award, from Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, in conjunction with the Birthday of Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong, for his achievements in the 2008 Olympics. He was in a relationship with Wong Mew Choo, his teammate. In 2009, Lee and Wong announced they are no longer together during the 2009 World Championships in Hyderabad, India. However, Lee announced his reconciliation with Mew Choo after winning a silver medal in 2012 Summer Olympics. They were married on 9 November 2012, and had two children, Kingston and Terrance, which were born in April 2013 and July 2015 respectively.

On 16 March 2011, Lee received Permodalan Nasional Berhad shares worth RM100,000 from Najib Tun Razak soon after his triumph in the All England Open. He was appointed as KDU University College ambassador on 31 July 2011.

Lee's autobiography "Dare to be a Champion" was officially published on 18 January 2012.

On 15 October 2016, Lee was made a recipient of Darjah Cemerlang Seri Melaka (DCSM) carrying the title of "Datuk Wira" from Malacca Governor Mohd Khalil Yaakob.

व्यक्तिग जीवन
2015[edit]
2013[edit]
2016[edit]