Lee Soon-jae, one of South Korea’s most revered actors and a man fondly known as the “national TV dad,” has died at the age of 91. His career spanned over seven decades, making him a familiar and cherished figure to generations of Koreans.
Lee’s agency announced his passing on Tuesday, sparking an outpouring of tributes from the highest levels of society, including President Lee Jae Myung and numerous K-pop stars. The president noted that Lee “brought us laughter, emotion, comfort and courage” through his work on stage, film, and television.
Beloved for his roles as a wise, older man, Lee was a prolific actor until the very end. Just last year, he became the oldest South Korean actor to win the grand prize at the KBS Drama Awards. His philosophy on aging was simple: “You become old when you sit down and expect to be waited on,” he once told fellow seniors on the popular travel show Grandpas over Flowers.
Born in what is now North Korea in 1934, Lee’s family moved south when he was a child. He studied philosophy at Seoul National University but found his true calling in acting after being inspired by Laurence Olivier’s Hamlet.
Lee appeared in some 140 TV shows, with iconic roles in the soap What on Earth is Love and the sitcom High Kick! His influence extended beyond traditional media, with clips from his shows becoming popular memes on platforms like TikTok, ensuring his legacy endures with a new, global audience.
Co-stars and protégés remembered him not just as a master actor, but as a life mentor. “I learned and felt so much from you,” wrote co-star Jeong Bo-seok, “not only about acting, but also about life and the attitude of an actor.”
By James Kisoo
