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Lee Soon-jae, South Korea’s legendary actor, appears in a publicity photo released by Yonhap News. / Source: Yonhap News

Lee Soon-jae, one of South Korea’s most enduring and influential actors, passed away early on November 25 at the age of 91, his family announced. Until his final years, he remained active across drama, film, theater and entertainment, embodying the spirit of a “lifelong working actor” who walked through the history of Korean performing arts.

Born in 1934 in Hoeryong, North Hamgyong Province, Lee moved to Seoul at age four and witnessed liberation while helping his family at Namdaemun Market. He experienced the Korean War as a high school freshman and later studied philosophy at Seoul National University, where seeing Laurence Olivier’s Hamlet inspired him to pursue acting.

Lee made his stage debut in 1956 with the play Beyond the Horizon and appeared on television the following year with Blue Horizon. His career accelerated in 1965 when he became part of TBC’s first cohort of contracted actors. Over the decades, he appeared in more than 140 dramas—far more if including minor roles—with times in his career when he shot as many as 30 episodes in a single month. His major works included I Will Become Human, Heo Joon, The Rustic Period, Land, The Angry Mom, and Men of the Bathhouse.

A defining moment came with the 1991–92 MBC drama What Is Love?, which hit 65% viewership and cemented his role as the unforgettable “Daebal’s father,” a character that reshaped the Korean family drama genre. The role even propelled him into politics, leading to his election as a National Assembly member in 1992, though he continued acting during his term and returned fully to the field after leaving politics in 1996.

Lee was also a remarkable presence in historical dramas. From Queen Inmok and Independence Gate to Heo Joon, where he played master physician Yoo Eui-tae, he continued to expand his range. He later starred in key period pieces such as Sangdo, Jang Hee-bin, Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-sin, and Lee San.

His second prime began in his 70s with the sitcom High Kick!, where he portrayed an eccentric yet warm-hearted doctor, breaking his stern image and winning over younger audiences. Nicknamed “Yadong Soon-jae” for his comedic timing, he earned the MBC Entertainment Award Grand Prize and gained a renewed nationwide fanbase. In its sequel High Kick Through the Roof, he delivered another memorable performance alongside actress Kim Ja-ok.

On the reality show Grandpas Over Flowers, he was praised as a “true elder” and “straightforward Soon-jae,” showing discipline, stamina, and leadership as the team’s anchor throughout multiple seasons.

Lee returned to the stage in his later years, performing in Love in the Big House and The Father and the Angel. In 2021, at age 87, he completed a 200-minute performance of King Lear, setting a new benchmark for senior actors. In 2023, he debuted as a director with Chekhov’s The Seagull, staging it at a major theater.

Last year, despite health troubles, he appeared in the play Waiting for Godot Waiting and the KBS drama Dog Sound. He became the oldest recipient of the KBS Drama Awards Grand Prize, saying in an emotional speech, “I always believed my moment would come someday, and today I receive this beautiful, precious award.” He was later named a winner at the 2025 Korea PD Awards but was unable to attend due to declining health.

Though he spent a brief period in politics, Lee remained anchored in acting throughout his life. He also served as a distinguished professor of acting at Gachon University, mentoring younger artists. His contributions spanned television, cinema and theater, making him one of the most respected figures in Korean performing arts—an actor who truly remained “forever active” until the end.