Legendary Korean Actor Lee Soon-jae Passes Away at 91

Renowned as the 'oldest active actor,' Lee Soon-jae has passed away at the age of 91.

According to family sources, Lee Soon-jae departed this world in the early hours of the 25th. Despite his age, he remained active in the entertainment industry, recently appearing in the play 'Waiting for Godot' and the KBS 2TV drama 'Dog Sound.'

However, rumors about his health began circulating late last year. He canceled a scheduled performance in October and was notably absent from the Korean PD Awards ceremony in April, raising concerns among fans and colleagues.

Fellow actor Park Geun-hyung mentioned during a press conference for 'Waiting for Godot' on August 19th, "I tried to visit him several times, but he was reluctant to meet. From what I've heard from others, his condition didn't seem very good."

Actor Jung Dong-hwan also expressed his concerns at the '2025 Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards' last month, saying, "I heard that Lee Soon-jae's health is not well. I hope he recovers soon."

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