South Korea’s beloved ‘grandfather’ Lee Soon-jae dies at 91 after lifetime on stage and screen

SEOUL – Veteran actor Lee Soon-jae died on Nov 25 at the age of 91, his family said.

Lee was one of South Korea’s most prolific and respected actors, appearing in about 140 major television dramas, along with numerous films and stage productions, over more than six decades.

Even as he advanced in age, Lee had continued to work across television, film and theatre, remaining active until late 2024, when health problems forced him to withdraw midway through the run of the play Waiting For Waiting For Godot.

His final screen appearance came in the KBS series Dog Knows Everything, which aired in September and October 2024. He accepted the broadcaster’s top acting prize at its year-end awards show in January before stepping back to rest.

During a 69-year illustrious career, Lee created some of the most indelible characters in Korean popular culture: the stern yet comedic Daebal’s Father, the mischievous Yadong Soon-jae and the globe-trotting Grandpa Over Flowers persona that endeared him to younger generations.

A consummate craftsman, he often said “a lifetime of acting still isn’t enough”, approaching each role as if it might be his last.

From Olivier-inspired student to nation’s ‘father’ on-screen

Born in 1934 in Hoeryong in what is now North Korea, Lee’s family moved to Seoul before the Korean War (1950 to 1953). He lived through liberation as a schoolboy and the war as a teen, experiencing the full sweep of Korea’s modern history.

At Seoul National University, where he majored in philosophy, Lee became enamoured with cinema. Watching English director Laurence Olivier’s Hamlet (1948) set him on the path to acting.

He joined the Theatre Libre troupe in 1956 and debuted in a Korean production of American playwright Eugene O’Neill’s Beyond The Horizon (1920). After graduating in 1960, he helped found Experimental Theater, South Korea’s first collective-artist troupe.

Lee entered broadcasting in 1961 with I, Too, Will Become Human, a drama series that marked the launch of KBS. In 1965, he became a first-generation contracted actor with the since-defunct network TBC, placing him at the heart of South Korea’s rapidly expanding television industry.

At times, Lee appeared in more than 30 productions a month.

One of his defining performances came in the hit family drama What On Earth Is Love? (1991 to 1992), which reached a 65 per cent viewership rating and solidified his reputation for portraying a stern, tradition-bound father.

The drama series’ success briefly ushered Lee into politics. He won a National Assembly seat in 1992 as a candidate of the then ruling Democratic Liberal Party, a precedent of today’s People Power Party.

Even while serving as a lawmaker, he continued acting on TV. He took on prominent roles in major historical dramas, including the principled physician Yoo Ui-tae in Hur Jun (1999), and appeared in Sangdo (2001) and Lee San (2007).

Sitcom star to TV grandpa

In his 70s, he expanded his range through the sitcoms High Kick! (2006) and High Kick Through the Roof (2009), earning a new generation of fans for his comedic turns.

Lee’s leap into unscripted television came after meeting star producer Nah Yung-suk. On the travel reality programme Grandpas Over Flowers (2013 to 2018), Lee displayed a vigour that belied his age, striding ahead with a brisk pace that earned him the moniker of Straight-ahead Soon-jae. The show offered a rare glimpse of Lee as himself: his principles, humour and way of moving through the world.

During its third season, Lee said: “If you sit down and demand deference just because you’re old, that’s when you grow old and stagnant. As long as I can still do it, I will.”

His candour resonated widely, especially with middle-aged viewers and younger people experiencing burnout. He studied relentlessly, worked without complaint and greeted each day with resolve, embodying the kind of elder many said society sorely needed.

Back on stage, Lee’s final curtain

He continued acting into his 80s, remaining active until late 2024 and becoming the oldest recipient to win the top prize at the KBS Drama Awards that year.

He returned frequently to the theatre stage, delivering lauded performances in Salut d’Amour (2016), The Student And Mister Henri (2017) and Shakespeare’s King Lear (2021 and 2023).

In King Lear, he commanded the stage for nearly 200 minutes, mastering its vast and demanding monologues. In 2023, he made his directorial debut with Russian dramatist Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull (1896), bringing younger actors with him onto the stage.

But his health faltered during performances of Waiting For Waiting For Godot, a South Korean production of American playwright Dave Hanson’s theatrical adaptation of Irish playwright Samuel Beckett’s original, in October 2024.

He withdrew upon medical advice calling for several months of rest. That same autumn, his appearance in KBS series Dog Knows Everything earned him the distinction of becoming the oldest recipient of the network’s top acting award.

“Opportunities come if you keep preparing,” he said tearfully as he accepted the honour. “Living this long, such a day eventually arrives. I want to say to the viewers watching that I have depended on you, learnt from you and received so much from you all my life.”

The veteran actor, a mentor to generations and a living archive of modern Korean performance, often spoke of acting as a source of vitality.

At the 60th Baeksang Arts Awards in 2024, he said: “Even if you’re bedridden with aches and chills, when someone says, ‘Ready, go’, you must rise – that is an actor’s life force. Acting can be done well, but it can never be perfected.”

His conviction fuelled decades of teaching. Until recently, he served as a professor of acting at Gachon University in Seongnam.

Lee is survived by his wife and two children. KBS will set up a public memorial altar at its headquarters for mourners to pay their respects. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK