Veteran actor Lee Soon-jae passed away in the early morning of November 25. He was 91 years old. Lee Soon-jae was born in Hoeryong, North Hamgyong Province in 1934. He entered the Department of Philosophy at Seoul National University but chose to become an actor after watching the film "Hamlet" starring British actor Laurence Olivier.

Lee Soon-jae debuted in 1956 with the play "Beyond the Horizon" and began his TV career in 1961 by appearing in KBS's inaugural drama "I Will Also Become Human." He gained much love for his role as "Daebal's father" in the 1991 MBC TV drama "What Is Love?" This character was patriarchal yet comedic, gaining great popularity among viewers.

In 2006, he played the character "Yadong Soon-jae" in the MBC TV sitcom "High Kick Through the Roof," receiving a strong response from younger audiences. Lee Soon-jae lost in the 1988 National Assembly election but was elected in 1992 as a member of the Democratic Liberal Party representing the Seoul Jungnang-gap district. After resigning from the National Assembly in 1999, he actively acted as the mentor Yoo Ui-tae in the MBC TV drama "Heo Jun."

In 2007, he took on the role of King Yeongjo in the historical drama "Yi San," handling significant roles in period dramas as well. At the end of last year, he was selected as the oldest Grand Prize winner in history at the "2024 KBS Drama Awards" for the KBS 2TV drama "Nonsense." In his acceptance speech, he said, "The American Academy gives awards based on the completeness of the work and the actor's performance, not popularity or conditions. I hope such evaluation standards will be established here as well."

Until recently, Lee Soon-jae taught aspiring actors as a distinguished professor in the Department of Acting Arts at Gachon University. News of his passing brought great sorrow to many fans and fellow actors. Lee Soon-jae will remain an important figure in the history of Korean theater and broadcasting.

Lee Soon-jae's legacy will continue to be remembered through his outstanding acting skills and diverse characters. His works contributed to the development of Korean dramas and films and inspired many actors. Lee Soon-jae is called the "eternal active actor" in the Korean entertainment industry, and his achievements will be remembered for a long time.