ss SAD NEWS: As the stage lights swept across, the elderly man with silver hair paused for a split second—and that moment made millions of hearts drop. The 91-year-old, a living symbol of Korean arts, gently reached for the wooden podium, but instantly, the entire auditorium sprang to its feet as if the whole nation was trying to hold him steady against time

At 91. He was one of the most beloved actors in South Korea.
Lee Soon Jae…

Before his death, Lee Soon Jae was the oldest active actor in South Korea – Photo: YONHAP

According to Korea JoongAng Daily, his management company, SG Way Entertainment, announced that actor Lee Soon Jae passed away on the morning of November 25th, and the funeral arrangements have not yet been decided.

Born in 1934 in Hoeryong, North Hamgyong Province (now in North Korea), Lee Soon Jae moved to Seoul with his grandparents at the age of four. He graduated from Seoul High School and studied philosophy at Seoul National University.

He made his public debut in 1960 as part of the first class of actors at KBS. Before his death, he was the oldest active actor in South Korea.

Actor Lee Soon Jae’s nearly 70-year career in the arts
In the 1970s and 1980s, he served as the president of the Korean Broadcasting Actors Association for three terms.

In 1992, he was elected to the 14th National Assembly, representing the Jungnang district (Seoul) as a candidate for the then-Liberal Democratic Party, and also served as the party’s deputy spokesperson and secretary of the Korea-Japan Parliamentary Union.

‘National Grandfather’ Lee Soon Jae of ‘High Kick!’ passes away at 91 – Image 2.

Actor Lee Soon Jae was known as the “national grandfather” of Korean television – Photo: YONHAP

Although most famous for his roles in television dramas, Lee Soon Jae was also very active in theater.

In October 2024, he was forced to withdraw from the play Waiting for Godot due to health reasons. In January 2025, he appeared to receive the Daesang Award at the 2024 KBS Drama Awards, becoming the oldest person to ever receive this award.

However, in April of this year, he was absent from the awards ceremony of the Korean Directors and Producers Association due to health reasons. A company representative accepted the award on his behalf and stated that his health was not good.

Suspicions about his declining health increased after a statement by fellow actor Park Geun Hyung.

On August 19th, at the press conference for the play “Waiting for Godot,” Park Geun Hyung shared: “I wanted to visit him many times, but I heard that he didn’t want to see anyone, so I haven’t been able to meet him in person. Through others, I heard that he’s not very well.”

According to Yonhap, Lee Soon Jae is one of the most beloved actors in South Korea and has had a career spanning nearly 70 years in Korean theater, television, and film. He is loved by generations of audiences through countless roles in dramas, sitcoms, and historical films.

Throughout his career, he has appeared in 140 television dramas, most notably “What on Earth is Love” (1991-1992), which achieved a record-breaking rating of 65%. At the age of 70, he continued to captivate young audiences with two hit sitcoms, “High Kick!” (2006) and “High Kick Through the Roof” (2009).

He also caused a sensation with the reality show “Grandpas Over Flowers” (2013) and numerous plays, including playing the lead role in Shakespeare’s “King Lear” (2021).