The late Lee Joo-il, referred to as the 'King of Comedy', passed away 23 years ago, having been an icon of the Korean broadcasting industry in the 1980s. He is revered as a legendary figure who brought laughter to the people during the difficult 1980s.
The late Lee Joo-il died of lung cancer due to smoking at the age of 63 on Aug. 27, 2002.
Born in 1940, Lee Joo-il transitioned to being a comedian while working as a host for the Saetbyeol Theatre Troupe in 1965. He left behind popular catchphrases like 'Did you make the bean sprouts crisp?' and 'I'm sorry for being ugly', winning great love from the public with his foolish expressions and gestures that seemed to have a blank stare, providing laughter through slapstick comedy.
Lee Joo-il starred in several comedy programs, including 'Laughter Brings Good Fortune', 'Long Live Youth', and 'Lee Joo-il Tonight Show', as well as movies such as 'Not the Face, but the Heart', 'The Man with a Nickname', 'I Will Show You Something', and 'Pyongyang Barefoot', becoming one of the top entertainers of his time.
Given that Lee Joo-il passed away due to lung cancer from smoking, his anti-smoking public service advertisement remains one of the most strongly remembered ads of all time. In January 2002, Lee Joo-il appeared in an anti-smoking public service announcement, earnestly urging, 'Is smoking tasty? That's poison. I truly regret it now. If I had just quit a year ago', and 'Smoking destroys families. Citizens, you must quit smoking.'
Did his plea resonate? According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's National Health and Nutrition Survey, the smoking rate among men was 60.9% until 2001, but dropped sharply to 51.7% four years later in 2005 after this ad aired. This figure is lower than the rate when tobacco prices nearly doubled from 2,500 won to 4,500 won in 2015.
Lee Joo-il, who brought smiles to many and motivated others to quit smoking before his death, witnessed the South Korean national team's run to the semifinals in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, a wish he fervently longed for, and two months later, he became a star in the sky.
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