Lee Soon-Jae, Korea's Long-Serving Actor, Dies At 91

Veteran Korean actor Lee Soon-jae passed away at the age of 91 during the wee hours on Tuesday (November 25). The news was confirmed by his family members. He was known as one of the longest-serving Korean actors,

as he continued working even at an advanced age.

Lee Song-jae dies at 91

According to the Korea Times, reports of his ill health surfaced in 2024. Lee Soon-jae was supposed to have stage performances in October and was unable to attend the Korea PD Awards ceremony in April. The reason behind this death is still unknown.ALSO READ: Lovely Runner Actor Song Geon-Hee Announces Military Enlistment From THIS Date

About Lee Soon-jae

Lee Soon-jae was born in 1934 in Hoeryong, North Hamgyong Province. He ventured into acting in 1960 as part of KBS’s first class of talent recruits and remained active until 2024. Besides his acting career, the actor also served three terms as president of the Korea Broadcasting Actors Association in the 1970s and 1980s, and in 1992 was elected to the National Assembly as a candidate for the then-ruling Democratic Liberal Party (DLP). At the age of four, Lee moved to Seoul with his grandparents. He enrolled in the philosophy department at Seoul National University, and he was engrossed in watching films. As per Chosun Daily, he did a total of 140 works, which included minor roles. His project includes titles such as Dongui Bogam, See You Again, Men of the Bathhouse, Age of Warriors, Land, and Mom’s Anger. When Lee Soon-jae won the grand prize at the 2024 KBS Drama Awards, he said in his last speech, “I’m honoured to receive this precious award. Even at 60, if you do well, you get an award. This is not a lifetime achievement award. Acting should be judged as acting; it should not be judged by popularity or other conditions. This award is not for an individual.”