On November 25, a memorial altar was set up in Room 30 on the third floor of the Seoul Asan Medical Center in Pungnap-dong, Songpa District. Lee Soon Jae’s wife Choi Hee Jung and their children are receiving mourners at the site.
Within just an hour of setting up the altar, the entrance to the funeral hall was already lined with floral tributes sent by colleagues and collaborators in the industry, in honor of the late actor’s legacy.
Flower arrangements were sent by veteran actors such as Choi Bool Am, Na Moon Hee and Im Ha Ryong, along with messages from junior stars including Ha Jung Woo, Ahn Jae Wook, Shin Min Ah and Kim Woo Bin. Prominent figures from the world of music and broadcasting, such as singer Jin Sung and producer Shin Won Ho, also expressed their condolences.
Particularly touching were the tributes from Kim Yong Gun, who had traveled with Lee on the popular variety show tvN Grandparents on flowersand Park Hae Mi, who starred alongside him in the MBC sitcom High kick!. These connections added an emotional layer to the public mourning.
According to his family, Lee Soon Jae died in the early hours of November 25 at the age of 91.
Born in 1934 in Hoeryong, Lee majored in philosophy at Seoul National University and debuted in 1956 with the stage play Beyond the horizon. Over the course of his prolific career spanning nearly 70 years, he appeared in over 140 dramas and films, including Like Jun, The Merchant, Lee San, The Wind of the Palace, High kick!, High kick through the roofand more recently The dog knows everythingearning the admiration of generations.
Recognized as the oldest active actor in Korea, Lee left the stage in October 2024 due to health issues. Yet, earlier this year, he made history as the oldest recipient of the Grand Prize at the KBS Drama Awards.
In addition to acting, Lee also served as a lawmaker in the 14th Korean National Assembly under the Liberal Democratic Party, briefly contributing to the political landscape.
His funeral will be held on November 27 at 6:20 am and he will be buried at Eden Paradise in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province.
Sources: naver
