Lee Soon-jae

Lee Soon-jae (; November 16, 1934 – November 25, 2025) was a South Korean actor. He had a prolific career on the small and big screen spanning over six decades, and was given a second-class Eungwan Order of Cultural Merit for his work as an actor. Lee made his debut on television in 1961 with KBS's first drama Should I become a human too.

Early life and education Lee was born in Hoeryong, North Hamgyong Province, now part of North Korea, on November 16, 1934. When he was four years old, his family moved to Seoul where Lee's grandparents were living. Lee's grandfather ran a small real estate business, while his father produced and sold soaps. Lee was raised in the neighbourhood of Ahyeon-dong, and graduated from Seoul High School and Seoul National University.

Lee's interest in acting started around the 1950s, when films from various countries came into Korea. He mainly watched Italian, French, and British works; he was especially impressed by Italian films that pursued neo-realism and wished he could act like actors appearing in American works where commercial and artistic aspects coexisted. He was lated impressed by Shakespeare's Hamlet, Richard III, and Romeo and Juliet when he visited England. Wanting to go on stage in a play, he went to work every day at the East Salon coffee shop on Myeongdong street, a gathering place for artists and writers led by Lee Hae-rang. In the 1950s and 1960s he was known, along with other veteran actors like Yeo Woon-kay, as the original stars of daehakgeuk or amateur student theatrical productions. Talking about theater, Lee said:The stage has simultaneity of action. Filming a movie or drama is no different from the pre-filming process, and the video is cut and edited. However, on stage, the director cannot intervene whether the actors are good or bad, and they have no choice but to rely entirely on the actors. Laurence Olivier said, "Film is the director's art, drama is the writer's art, and theater is the actor's art." Of course, it's not that actors do whatever they want on stage. It follows as suggested by the writer and director, but in the midst of it, there is an independent window for the actor. In a play, the role of an actor is the most important. In that sense, from the actor's point of view, the 'act' of this play is worth doing. Also, there is nothing more rewarding than when we interpret and analyze the works of great masters, deliver their literature and philosophy to the audience, and get a response. So theater is something actors must do. Lee built a prolific career on the small and big screen spanning nearly six decades. He made his debut on the TV screen in 1961 with KBS's first drama Should I become a human too. He appeared in television series to make a living, but revealed that he was never paid until Death of a Salesman in 1978. thumb leftIn 2009, Lee made his big screen comeback after 20 years in television, in Jang Jin's comedy Good Morning President. The movie tells the story of three fictional Korean presidents, and in the first segment, Lee played a well-respected elderly president nearing the end of his term who espouses frugality and charity, but then agonizes whether to take the money when he unexpectedly wins the lottery. Lee said, "I was impressed with how much times have changed; before it would have been impossible to parody the president. The film tries to show that heads of state are only human, just like you and me, which I think makes the movie distinctive, as well as fresh and fun for viewers."

In 2011, Lee, Yoon So-jung, Song Jae-ho and Kim Soo-mi starred in Late Blossom, a tearjerker romance about two elderly couples, based on the popular webtoon I Love You by Kang Full. Lee said the movie was a rare chance for him and other senior actors to play leading roles on the big screen. He added that Korea's senior citizen population had surpassed five million, and "not understanding their feelings would be a failure of television dramas, movies and even elections. Young people might be under the illusion that life is over after turning 60, but the heart doesn't change despite getting old." Initially difficult to finance due to ageism, Late Blossom had a small shooting and marketing budget compared to most Korean mainstream films. But it became a sleeper hit, recouping four times its cost in just a few weeks. Lee also won Best Actor under the international film category at the China Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival, becoming its oldest recipient. Lee said, "I never thought I'd win. What a surprise. It feels great to know that Late Blossom has been received well overseas. I thought it would be hard for an actor from television dramas to be awarded a prize at film awards, not to mention the unexpected pleasure of winning at a foreign film festival. I have received the best entertainer award and achievement award before, but receiving this makes me happier and more thrilled." It was his first best actor award for a film in 34 years since the 1977 Baeksang Arts Awards.

Lee returned to the stage in 2012 in Father, a Korean adaptation of Arthur Miller's play Death of a Salesman. This was his third time to play the character Willy Loman. Lee said, "When I first played this role in 1978, some parts were rather incomprehensible. But now, as our society developed, we can finally fully understand what those lines mean. That is the beauty of working on masterpieces like Arthur Miller's. I feel a satisfaction and regret at the same time, for I have reached a new comprehension, and for the perspective that I have yet to discover." He reprised the role in 2013, under the direction of Kim Myung-gon.

In 2013, cable channel TVN launched the travel-reality show Grandpas Over Flowers. Defying a youth-centered entertainment industry, the hit show stars four veteran actors in their 70s, Shin Goo, Park Geun-hyung and Baek Il-seob, with their porter Lee Seo-jin as they go on a backpacking tour of France, Taiwan and Spain. The show ended in 2018 after five seasons. In the meantime, Lee joined Idol School as principal and narrator.

In 2018, Lee was awarded a second-class Eungwan Order of Cultural Merit by the Korean government, for his work as an actor. As of 2019, he was the oldest active actor and the oldest actor. Song Hae was the only senior artist among all South Korean celebrities. He was the first to be dedicated to the Korean Broadcasting Hall of Fame and earlier to the MBC Hall of Fame.

In his final years, Lee remained active in the industry. His television credits included roles in Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol (2020), Again My Life (2022), and Family: The Unbreakable Bond (2023). In 2022, he made his directorial debut with a stage production of Anton Chekhov's The Seagull, and in 2023, he performed the title role in a production of Shakespeare's King Lear. His final television project was the drama Dog Knows Everything (2024) for which he was awarded the Grand Prize (Daesang) at the 2024 KBS Drama Awards and became the oldest recipient (90) of the award in the history of the ceremony. In 2025, he was awarded the Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit, the highest honor in the South Korean cultural merit system posthumously, in recognition of his contributions to the arts.

Other ventures From 1992 to 1996, Lee served as a member of the 14th National Assembly of South Korea. He quit politics after one term after finding the political climate "too barren" for his taste. Lee remained active in his various advocacies, such as the Korea Broadcasting Actors Union.

He was also a professor of Film Arts at Sejong University, a professor emeritus of Performing Arts at Gachon University, and the director of the SG Academy.

Personal life and death Lee first met his wife Choi Hee-jung as a university student as she was the sister of his fellow student theater troupe member. They married in 1966 and had two children. His funeral ceremony was held at the Asan Medical Center in Seoul on 27 November, followed by his burial at Eden Paradise in Icheon.

Filmography

Television series

Film 미워도 다시한번 80 제2부 Byun Jang-ho Goodbye Daddy '81| 아빠안녕 Byun Jang-ho

Son of Man| 사람의 아들 Yu Hyun-mok Mu Hyoup Gum Pung| 무협검풍 Nam Gi-nam The Man to be Forgotten| 잊어야 할 그사람 Park Ho-tae Love Me Once Again Despite Hatred '80| 미워도 다시한번 '80 Byun Jang-ho Magnificent Experience| 화려한 경험 Lee Sang-gu Unconditional Love| 아낌없이 바쳤는데 Park Ho-tae

Admiration of Nights| 밤의 찬가 Kim Ho-sun Pyro-Sonata| 광염소나타 Go Yeong-nam Eul-hwa| 을화 Byun Jang-ho Eternal Inheritance| 영원한 유산 Choe In-hyeon The Terms of Love| 사랑의 조건 Kim Soo-yong Miss Oh's Apartment (Sequel)| O양의 아파트(속) Byun Jang-ho A Letter from Heaven| 하늘나라에서 온 편지 Kim Jun-sik

Miss Oh's Apartment| O양의 아파트 Byun Jang-ho Red Gate of Tragedy| 비련의 홍살문 Byun Jang-ho Woman in the Fog|안개속의 여인 Choe In-hyeon Grave Wood| 비목 Go Yeong-nam Sadness Under the Sky| 하늘아래 슬픔이 Lee Yeong-woo With My Older Brother and Sister| 오빠하고 누나하고 Lee Sang-eon King Sejong the Great| 세종대왕 Choe In-hyeon

The Old Manor|고가 Cho Moon-jin Towards the High Place|저 높은 곳을 향하여 Im Won-sik Little Namgung Dong-ja| 남궁동자 Kim Su-hyeong Arirang-A| 아리랑아 Jeong In-yeob Two Decades as a Woman Journalist|여기자 20년 Kim Soo-yong

I Really Have a Dream| 정말 꿈이 있다구 Mun Yeo-song Concentration of Attention|집념 Heo Jun Choe In-hyeon Mother|어머니 Im Won-sik Season of Love|사랑의 계절 Lee Seong-min Even I Don't Know My Mind|내마음 나도 몰라 Im Won-sik

You Become a Star, Too| 너 또한 별이 되어 Lee Jang-ho Wasteland| 황토 Kim Soo-yong Yeong-ja's Heydays| 영자의 전성시대 Kim Ho-sun Glory in Ten's| 10대의 영광 Go Yeong-nam Outing in 10 Years| 십년만의 외출 Seol Bong End of an Affair|애종 Jung Jin-woo Story of the Youth| 청춘극장 Byun Jang-ho Escape|탈출 Go Yeong-nam Chang-su's Heydays| 창수의 전성시대 Kim Sa-gyeom A Northwest Youth| 서북청년 Go Yeong-nam

The Instinct|본능 Kim Soo-yong A True Story of Kim Du-han| 실록 김두한 Kim Hyo-cheon Pupils of the Evil| 악마의 제자들 Lee Seong-gu The Land 토지 Kim Soo-yong You and I, and Another|너와 나 그리고 또 하나 Go Yeong-nam Special Investigation Bureau: The Life of Miss Kim Su-im| 특별수사본부 김수임의 일생 Lee Won-se A Blind Swordsman|죽장검 Shin Young-il Reminiscences| 회상 Go Yeong-nam A Horrible Breath| 공포의 숨소리 Park Tae-won Lee Jung-seob, a Painter|이중섭 Kwak Jeong-hwan An Inmate| 동거인 Lee Gyeong-tae Dangerous Relations| 위험한 사이 Lee Seong-gu Yeonhwa 2|연화(속) Im Kwon-taek Yeonhwa|연화 Im Kwon-taek

Testimony|증언 Im Kwon-taek Special Investigation Bureau: Bae Tae-ok Case|특별수사본부 배태옥 사건 Lee Won-se

A Judge's Wife| 판사부인 Kang Dae-sun A Woman in a Mud Flat|갯벌속의 여자 Go Yeong-nam Girls' High School Days| 여고시절 Kang Dae-sun Two Sons Crying for Their Mother's Love| 모정에 우는 두아들 Lee Il-su

My Older Brother (sequel)| 형(속) Lee Doo-yong Bun-rye's Story| 분례기 Yu Hyun-mok I Want to Be in Your Arms Again| 그대 가슴에 다시한번 Kim Sa-gyeom The First Love| 첫정 Jang Yeong-guk A Family of Brother and Sister| 남매는 단둘이다 Moon Sang-hun Darling, I'm Sorry| 아내여 미안하다 Ahn Hyun-chul

Eight Daughters-in-law| 팔도며느리 Shim Wu-seob A Woman's Battleground|여인전장 Shim Wu-seob Underground Women's College| 지하여자대학 Choi Moo-ryong When We Have Hatred| 당신이 미워질때 Kang Dae-jin Father-in-law|시아버지 Ha Han-soo If There Were No Parting Again| 이별없이 살았으면 Nam Sang-jin My Life in Your Heart| 내 목숨 당신 품에 Jeong Seong-mun Turtle| 거북이 Lee Seong-gu Please Turn Off the Light| 방의 불을 꺼주오 Lee Hyung-pyo Twisted Fate of a Man|한많은 남아일생 Kim Hyo-cheon Great King Sejo| 세조대왕 Lee Kyu-woong House of a Stranger| 타인의 집 Lee Sang-eon

Evil Person|마인 Im Won-sik Regret|원 Nam Tae-gwon Forget-me-not| 물망초 Choi Hoon Invisible Man| 투명인간 Lee Kyu-woong Wound|상처 Choi Moo-ryong Wild Girl| 야성녀 Lee Kyu-woong Lost Love| 어느 하늘아래서 Choi Moo-ryong Sahwa Mountain|사화산 Go Yeong-nam Temporary Government in Shanghai|상해 임시정부(와 김구선생) Jo Keung-ha Flower Sandals| 꽃버선 Jo Keung-ha For Once in a Lifetime| 내 생애에 단한번 Choe In-hyeon A Returned Singer| 돌아온 선창 Chun Jo-myoung Cruel Revenge| 피도 눈물도 없다 Kim Gang-yun Wind|바람 Go Yeong-nam 7 People in the Cellar|지하실의 7인 Lee Seong-gu Devoting the Youth| 청춘을 다바쳐 Kim Ki-duk Lady Hong| 미녀홍낭자 Kim Ki-young Brother|형 Lee Sang-eon Chunwon Lee Gwang-su|춘원 이광수 Yi Gwangsu Choe In-hyeon First Night| 첫날밤 갑자기 Kim Hyo-cheon Yun Sim-deok| 윤심덕 Ahn Hyun-chul Jang Nok-su| 요화 장록수 Lee Kyu-woong The Saint and the Witch|성녀와 마녀 Na Han-bong Escaping Shanghai| 상해탈출 Im Kwon-taek Starting Point|시발점 Kim Soo-yong Snowy Night| 눈나리는 밤 Ha Han-soo Sky and Star| 하늘을 보고 별을 따고 Jo Keung-ha

Quick Ladder of Success|출세가도 Park Jong-ho Autumn Love| 추정 Yu Yeol Labyrinth|미로 Jung Jin-woo Daughter| 딸 Kim Su-dong Lady in Dream| 몽녀 Im Kwon-taek Snow Lady|설녀 Kim Ki Secret Order| 밀명 Im Won-sik Trees Stand on a Slope|나무들 비탈에 서다 Choi Ha-won Cloud|구름 Jung Jin-woo Ghost Story| 괴담 Chun Jo-myoung Salt Pond| 수전지대 Kim Soo-yong I Won't Hate You|미워하지 않겠다 Lee Hyung-pyo The Sister's Diary| 언니의 일기 Choe In-hyeon Love|사랑 Kang Dae-jin Remarriage| 재혼 Go Yeong-nam A Police Note| 형사수첩 Park Jong-ho A Solar Eclipse|일식 Lee Seong-gu The Eternal Motherhood| Jo Keung-ha Pure Love|순정산하 Cho Woong-dae Sun-deok|순덕이 Choe In-hyeon Madame Anemone| 아네모네 마담 Kim Ki-duk Trumpet in Night Sky| 밤하늘의 트럼펫 Yang Myeong-sik Romance Mama| 로맨스마마 Choe In-hyeon A Great Hero, Kim Seon-dal| 천하호걸 김선달 Im Won-jik Where is He Now|지금 그 사람은 Choi Hoon

Guests Who Arrived on the Last Train|막차로 온 손님들 Yu Hyun-mok A King's Command|어명 Gang Jo-won The Freezing Point|빙점 Kim Soo-yong Madam of Myeong-wol Kwan|명월관 아씨 Park Jong-ho Nostalgia| 망향천리 Im Kwon-taek Dongsimcho|동심초 Lee Sang-eon I Hate Men| 남자는 싫어 An Myoun-hee A Traveling King| 나그네 임금 Choe In-hyeon Whistle|기적 Lee Man-hee Is Wild Apricot an Apricot?|개살구도 살구냐 Kim Cheol The Hateful King| 상감마마 미워요 Choe In-hyeon Bobbed Hair| 단발머리 Kim Su-dong Yongary, Monster From The Deep| 대괴수 용가리 Kim Ki-duk When Bucketwheat Flowers Blossom| 메밀꽃 필 무렵 Lee Seong-gu A Regret|한 Yu Hyun-mok The White Crow|하얀 까마귀 Jung Jin-woo A Deviation|탈선 Go Yeong-nam Others|타인들 Kim Ki-duk A Virtuous Woman|칠부열녀 Choe In-hyeon Lingering Attachment|미련 Go Yeong-man The Queen Moonjeong|문정왕후 Rha Bong-han A Child Who Was Born in the Year of Liberation| 해방동이 Park Sang-ho Traces|이조잔영 Shin Sang-ok A Misty Grassland|안개낀 초원 Go Yeong-nam

Gunsmoke|초연 Jung Jin-woo The Dead and the Alive|죽은 자와 산 자 Lee Kang-cheon I Will Be a King for the Day|오늘은 왕 Kim Ki-duk The Life of Na Woon-gyu|나운규 일생 Choi Moo-ryong Terminal''종점Kim Ki-duk

Variety shows YearTitleRole English Korean 2010 Chronicles – The Legend of 100 연대기 – 100인의 전설 MC 2013–2015 Grandpas Over Flowers (Season 1 to 5) 꽃보다 할배 Cast Member 2017 Idol School 아이돌학교 Narrator and Principal 2021 Granpar 그랜파 Cast Member Godfather 갓파더 Main Cast

Theater

Accolades

Awards and nominations

State honors

Listicles + Name of publisher, year listed, name of listicle, and placement Publisher Year Listicle Placement Forbes 2010 Korea Power Celebrity 40 KBS 2023 The 50 people who made KBS shine Korean Film Council 2021 Korean Actors 200 Sisa Journal 2019 Most Influential Person in Broadcasting & Entertainment

Election results Year Elections Constituency Political party Votes (%) Results 1988 13th National Assembly General Election Jungnang A (Seoul) DJP 26,483 (31.40%) Defeated 1992 14th National Assembly General Election Jungnang A (Seoul) DLP 46,297 (48.71%) Won