The late actor Lee Soon-jae, who had been the oldest active actor and a great example to younger colleagues and the public, has passed away. The floral tributes and eulogies from juniors who worked with him and respected him left mourners speechless.
At 5:30 a.m. on the 27th, a farewell ceremony for veteran actor Lee Soon-jae was held at the funeral hall of Asan Medical Center in Songpa District, Seoul.
Lee Soon-jae passed away on the 25th. Born in 1934 in Hwaryeong, Hamgyeongbuk Province, the late Lee Soon-jae attended Seoul National University's department of philosophy and debuted in 1956 with the play "Beyond the Horizon." After becoming a first-generation contracted actor at TBC in 1965 and working alongside the history of Korean broadcasting, the late Lee Soon-jae appeared in "I Will Become Human, Too," "Donguibogam," "See and See Again," "The Era of the Three Kims," "Men of the Bathhouse," "The Rustic Period," "Toji," "Mom Is Furious," "What Is Love," "Sorrowful Song," "Queen Inmok," "Sangno," "The Independence Gate," "Heo Jun," "Sangdo," "Yi San," "High Kick Through the Roof," "High Kick Through the Roof (another series)," and "Nonsense," among others, and appeared in the plays "The Grandpas' Shop," "Grandpa Henri and I," "Death of a Salesman," "King Lear," and "Waiting for Godot."
In his seventies he acted in sitcoms and in his nineties he stood on the theater stage, showing an acting passion that belied his age, and Lee Soon-jae, who had been working to train juniors as a distinguished professor at Gachon University until recently, stepped down from the play "Waiting for Godot" in October last year due to health problems, worked on his recovery, but ultimately passed away.
The funeral was attended by Jung Bo-seok, Kim Young-chul, Ha Ji-won, Yu Seung-bong, Jang Yong, Yoo In-chon, Yoo Dong-geun, Park Sang-won, Choi Soo-jong, Lee Won-jong, Chung Joon-ho, Lee Mu-saeng, Yoo Tae-woong, Jung Tae-woo, Yoo Tae-woong, Jung Joon-ha, Jang Sung-kyu, Jung Il-woo and others, as well as students from the acting arts school of Gachon University.
Actor Jung Bo-seok, who played the late actor's son-in-law in the sitcom "High Kick Through the Roof," served as master of ceremonies for the farewell. Jung Bo-seok said, "As an actor, and through his political activities, the teacher made tremendous contributions for juniors. Each step he took was a great history that juniors could follow. He always opened the way so we could act with confidence, standing at the very front as a great idol. In the future of Korean broadcast visual arts, which will no longer have him, he left pioneering achievements and an enormous footprint. He may have been the one and only national actor," praising Lee Soon-jae's achievements.
Actor Ha Ji-won, known as the president of Lee Soon-jae's fan club, said, "I still can't believe it. Even now it feels as if the teacher's voice could be heard again somewhere. I first met the teacher through 'The King 2 Hearts,' and he always watched over me with a quiet but warm gaze," and added, "His honesty in saying that acting is still difficult and his humility were for me a greater comfort and a lifelong lesson than any words. The teacher was not only an actor who represented Korea but also a true artist who never lost humility before acting and kept questioning himself. He was also my greatest teacher who showed me by action and attitude how to live as an actor. I will continue to practice the heart and attitude I learned from him in my work and life."
Actor Kim Young-chul said, "If only this morning were a scene in a drama. I wish the teacher would shake it off at the sound of 'Okay, cut' and say, 'Everyone did well. Today was good.'" He added, "Being next to the teacher kept me from losing my way. A single look was encouragement to juniors that they were doing well. He will be truly missed. Teacher, I will never forget you. I will not be able to forget you," conveying his heavy heart and longing for the deceased.
After the eulogies, a memorial video for the late Lee Soon-jae was shown, and under Jung Bo-seok's direction those present at the scene offered chrysanthemums. Jung Bo-seok said 91 flowers had been prepared to match the late Lee Soon-jae's age, and not only the bereaved family and juniors but also students paid tribute to the deceased in their own ways through floral offerings, bows and prayers. In particular, actor Jung Il-woo, who played the late actor's grandson in "High Kick Without Hesitation," was captured sobbing, which evoked sympathy.
After the farewell ceremony, students took charge of the hearse and the funeral procession departed. The hearse did not visit KBS, where a memorial space had been prepared, and headed to the burial site Eden Paradise in Icheon. As if to mark the tears of those remembering the late Lee Soon-jae, rain poured from the sky, and those who accompanied his final journey in the rain wiped their wet eyes and bowed deeply.
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