South Korean acting royalty Lee Soon-jae dead at 91
Lee Soon-jae, the treasured South Korean actor, has died aged 91.
Soon-jae holds iconic status in his homeland due to his career that spanned seven decades, and saw him become part of the furniture on South Korean television with a familiar face that was known by all.
Over the last 70 years, Soon-jae appeared in 140 different television shows, and only stopped acting last year, shortly after he won a prestigious prize at the KBS Drama Awards for his performance in the beloved comedy series, Dog Knows Everything.
Soon-jae was also a star of the stage. His final run of shows in the theatre came to an abrupt end in October 2024 when he was forced to prematurely end a run of Waiting for Godot due to illness, which led to his retirement.
Outside of acting, he moved into politics briefly and served one term as an MP for the Democratic Liberal Party in the 1990s, before returning to his calling.
The tributes have been led by South Korea’s president, Lee Jae Myung, who wrote on Facebook, “I offer my deepest condolences on the passing of the nation’s actor, Lee Soon Jae.”
The president continued, “Devoting his entire life to acting, Lee Soon Jae elevated the dignity of Korean culture and arts. Moving seamlessly across theater, film, and broadcasting, he gifted us laughter, emotion, comfort, and courage.”
President Lee then said of Soon-jae’s devotion to his craft, noting, “To him, acting was likely a channel through which he shared the stories of our lives and conveyed the essence of the human experience.”
He also reflected on the legacy that the late actor leaves behind, writing, “The works and messages he leaves behind will remain a precious cultural heritage of Korea. We will remember him always, as an artist loved across all generations and a true actor of the people.”
No cause of death has bee revealed.
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