(Seoul=News1) Reporter Go Seung-ah = As actor Lee Soon-jae, who continued his acting career as the oldest active actor, has passed away, there is a wave of mourning for the deceased.
According to Lee Soon-jae’s representatives on the 25th, Lee Soon-jae died on this day. It is reported that a funeral hall is currently being prepared. He was 91 years old.
Upon hearing the sudden news of his passing, the public is expressing their condolences. Various online communities and social networking services (SNS) are being filled with posts praying for his soul, with comments like “I can’t believe it,” “I grew up watching him, this is heartbreaking,” and “Thank you for making us happy.”
Born on November 1934 in Hoeryong, North Hamgyong Province, Lee Soon-jae was involved in theater activities at Seoul National University. He debuted in 1956 with the play “Beyond the Horizon” and was selected as a first-generation KBS open recruitment talent in 1960. He built a prominent career in a variety of genres including dramas, movies, and plays, establishing himself as a ‘national actor.’ He has been considered a historical figure in Korean broadcasting, especially for his activities from Korea’s first broadcasting station, HLKZ-TV.
One of his representative works, the drama “What Is Love?” (1991~1992), recorded a peak viewership rating of 65%, and he was active in the historical drama genre in works like “Hur Jun” and “Sangdo.” Particularly during the 2000s, he gained great love from people of all ages with his friendly image in sitcoms like “Unstoppable High Kick” (2006) and “High Kick Through the Roof” (2007).
Even last year, he showed his passion for acting by appearing in the play “Waiting for Godot” and the drama “Talking Bull.” However, he had to exit the play “Waiting for Godot” in October of last year due to health reasons. Later, in August of this year, Lee Soon-jae’s side stated, “He is recovering while receiving treatment in a rehabilitation hospital,” and added, “He plans to resume acting activities once rehabilitation therapy progresses to a certain extent.”