Legendary Actor Lee Soon-jae Passes Away at 91, Honored with Top Cultural Medal
The funeral service for the late actor Lee Soon-jae will be held on the morning of the 26th at Seoul Asan Medical Center in Songpa-gu, Seoul. Known as the oldest active actor, he passed away at the age of 91 in the early hours of the 25th.

During the service, Lee will be dressed in a hanbok designed by Park Sul-nyeo. Park, who personally delivered the attire to the bereaved family, shared, "About 5-6 years ago, when he was in good health, he wore one of my hanboks. The family remembered this and decided to dress him in it for the service." She also noted that Lee's health had significantly declined since last year, recalling him as a compassionate and considerate person.

Legendary Actor Lee Soon-jae Passes Away at 91, Honored with Top Cultural Medal
Meanwhile, the government posthumously awarded Lee the Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit (1st class) on the day of his passing. Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Chae Hwi-young, visited the funeral hall at Seoul Asan Medical Center to present the medal to the family. Lee had previously received the Eungwan Order of Cultural Merit in 2018, and now he joins the ranks of actors like Youn Yuh-jung in 2021 and Lee Jung-jae in 2022 who have received this top honor.

The Ministry of Culture explained the award, stating, "Since his debut in the play 'Beyond the Horizon'(지평선 너머) in 1956, Lee has been a beloved actor across generations, appearing in over 140 works including dramas, plays, variety shows, and sitcoms." They also praised him as a cultural artist who practiced social responsibility beyond the arts through mentoring and legislative activities.

Lee Soon-jae's funeral will be solemnly held at 6:20 AM on the 27th, with his burial at Eden Paradise in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province.

Reported by Choi Ji-ye, TenAsia journalist wisdomart@tenasia.co.kr
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