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| ▲ This image, provided by IMTV, shows Korean veteran actor Lee Soon-jae. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, Nov. 25 (Yonhap) -- Lee Soon-jae, one of South Korea's most beloved and prolific actors whose career spanned nearly seven decades in plays, TV dramas and movies, died Tuesday, his family said. He was 91.
Lee, who was active in his acting career until late last year, was recognized across generations for his roles spanning from dramas, sitcoms and period pieces.
Born in 1934 in Hoeryong in what is now North Korea, Lee moved to Seoul at the age of 4 before the 1950-53 Korean War. Lee began acting when he attended Seoul National University, making his debut with the play "Beyond the Horizon" in 1956.
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| ▲ This undated file photo shows Korean actor Lee Soon-jae. (Yonhap) |
He went on to have a prolific career, starring in 140 TV dramas, including the hit series "What on Earth is Love," which aired from 1991 to 1992 and reached a viewership rating of 65 percent.
Lee continued to capture TV audiences in his 70s with his roles in the sitcoms "High Kick!" (2006) and "High Kick Through the Roof" (2009), becoming popular with younger generations.
He then starred in the reality show "Grandpas Over Flowers" (2013) and continued acting into his 80s, taking on the title role in the Shakespearean play "King Lear" (2021).
Approaching 90, Lee never stopped challenging himself. Returning to the stage, he delivered powerful performances in "The Last Blossom" (2016), "My Grandfather Henri" (2017) and "King Lear" (2021).
In "King Lear", he received acclaim for flawlessly handling more than 200 minutes of dialogue. In 2023, he made his directorial debut, staging Anton Chekhov’s "The Seagull" with younger actors in a large theater.
His passion remained undiminished last year. Until temporarily halting activities in October due to health issues, he performed in "Waiting for Godot" and the KBS 2TV drama "Dog Knows Everything," pouring his remaining strength into acting. He became the oldest-ever recipient of the grand prize at the KBS Drama Awards.
Though he devoted nearly his entire life to acting, Lee briefly ventured into politics, serving as a lawmaker in the 14th National Assembly with the then-ruling Democratic Liberal Party.
He was elected in the Seoul Jungnang-gap constituency in the 1992 general election and later served as the party’s deputy spokesperson and as an executive member of the Korea–Japan Parliamentarians’ Union.
Lee also remained dedicated to aspiring actors. Until recently, he served as a distinguished professor in the Department of Acting Arts at Gachon University, mentoring students.
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