In an MBC documentary memorial special, the late Lee Soon-jae's appearance — exhausting an extremely grueling schedule in life while never letting go of his passion and commitment to acting — was revealed as it was, once again giving a heavy, resonant feeling.
On the 28th, the MBC documentary memorial special Actor Lee Soon-jae, I owe you a lot was broadcast.
The footage begins with a scene on May 25 of this year, when agency chief Lee Seung-hee visited the late Lee Soon-jae lying in bed. When the chief asked, "Since you are lying down, is there nothing you want to do?" Lee Soon-jae, without hesitation for a moment, said, "What I want to do… is only work." The chief tried to reassure him, saying, "When you get healthier, let's do acting again slowly," but the late Lee Soon-jae did not give up his will to return to the set until the end.
However, that wish ultimately did not come true. On Nov. 25, he quietly passed away at the age of 91. Colleagues and juniors who attended the funeral service were unable to speak throughout the moment of seeing him off.
#. even though his eyes could not see… he did not let go of his work
His last drama was KBS2 drama Gaesori. Even amid a grueling schedule traveling between Seoul and Geoje with his elderly body, he reportedly never once showed signs of hardship. But a fact revealed for the first time in the documentary was shocking. Agency chief Lee Seung-hee said, "Teacher… both eyes were not 100% in a visible state." Even as his vision dropped sharply, he said, "Because I can't see, I have to practice more," asking for the script to be read larger and trying to memorize all the lines he heard. Chief Lee Seung-hee choked up, saying, "That was the most heartbreaking part."
Lee Soon-jae also spoke calmly from his hospital bed. He calmly said, "After finishing filming in October last year… I couldn't see. When I went to the hospital they said the left eye was almost not visible." Not wanting to burden others, he did not tell anyone and bore it alone for more perfect acting. His health then reportedly began to deteriorate rapidly starting in the fall.
#. "he did not take a single line lightly"… memorized a 560-line script
The documentary also revealed rehearsal scenes of the play Death of a Salesman. His lines numbered a staggering 560. The script was opened and worn black with handling, and he researched and analyzed every moment, steadily completing his acting world. Juniors spoke in unison, "Even though his eyes didn't work, he didn't give up acting… someone like that is hard to come by again."
Actual anecdotes were revisited, such as lying for 18 hours playing a corpse during the filming of Heo Jun, the experience of staying up all night on the cave floor in midwinter, and during the filming of Deokgu, even past eighty he practiced himself by staying overnight in motels. Lee Seo-jin choked up, saying, "The teacher was someone who blended history, philosophy and cultural knowledge into his acting," and about Deokgu, in which Lee Soon-jae participated without a guarantee fee, he said, "He showed in person what a true actor is."
The deceased also said in life, "There is no completion in art. There is no retirement age either. Because there is no end, you keep going."
He also valued filming sites with juniors above all. He would say, "Don't let juniors stay up all night because of me. You have to work under the same conditions, the same atmosphere. Teamwork is important." He was an actor who for 70 years prepared like an understudy, trained himself and always waited for the next work. Thanks to that, the public could cry, laugh and find comfort in life.
The deceased's life was acting itself until the last moment. Even as his vision blurred and his body grew weary, he was someone who loved the set more passionately than anyone. At the 2025 KBS Drama Awards, his acceptance speech "I owe you a lot" became, in effect, a "final farewell." "I have been indebted and received a lot of help throughout my life. I owe you a lot. Thank you." These words still bring viewers to tears and he remains as a "true actor" who loved acting until the end.
[photo] 'broadcast screen'
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