Actor Lee Soon-jae's final appearance in life delivered a poignant resonance. Lee Soon-jae, the "national actor," who showed passion for acting even from his hospital bed, was why he inevitably stood as a great elder of his era.
On the 25th, a living legend of Korean broadcasting and "national actor" Lee Soon-jae passed away at the age of 91. To see off the final path of the great actor who, in countless works, was our father, our teacher, and sometimes a familiar grandfather who made us cry and laugh, MBC's memorial special documentary "Actor Lee Soon-jae, I owe you so much" aired.
His final appearance, revealed for the first time through the broadcast, showed what the descriptor "actor" meant to the man Lee Soon-jae. Even amid the pain of fighting illness, his gaze remained fixed on the camera and the stage until the end.
▲ "If I can't see, read it to me; I'll memorize it"…fighting spirit amid risk of blindness
The scene that moved viewers most in the documentary was the late actor lying in his hospital bed in May. Though gaunt and wearing a patient gown, his mind was clear. When his agency representative Lee Seung-hee cautiously asked, "Teacher, is there anything you want to do?", he answered in a strained but resolute voice, "What else would I want to do but work?"
This brief remark encapsulated the conviction Lee Soon-jae had upheld his entire life. The representative then revealed a shocking fact. During the filming of the drama, which was the deceased's last leading work in life, he had already almost lost his sight. The representative said, "His left eye was already blind, and his right eye was not in good condition either," adding, "Even so, the teacher said, 'If you can't see, you read aloud loudly. I'll memorize it all,' and he wouldn't let go of the script." It was the fighting spirit of a natural-born actor for whom the fear of not being able to see was smaller than the fear of stopping acting.
▲ "This is my life force"…the thread he never let go of until the end
The broadcast also showed the deceased listening to his students' song gift ("Teacher's grace") at his bedside. Though his body was tied to the bed, he said, "Acting is the life force that keeps me alive," and added, "I still want to develop and I still feel desire," burning with determination.
In particular, his first acting award in life brought tears to many. That "weight" was not simply the weight of a trophy but, he came to realize belatedly, the weight and responsibility of a 70-year acting career. Actor Lee Seo-jin, who did the narration, recalled the deceased in a calm yet trembling voice, "The teacher always said, 'There is no completion in art.' He fought fiercely until the last moment to fill that incompleteness."
▲ "An eternal great tree, rest in peace"…waves of mourning online and offline
Immediately after the broadcast, portals and social media were flooded with viewers' heartfelt tributes. Internet users wrote, "Even in his gaunt hospital appearance, his eyes were still alive, which made it more painful," "I can't find words enough to express my respect that he memorized the script and acted even though he couldn't see," "As the title says, we owe the teacher so much. Because of him, we were happy," mourning the deceased's final path. A user on an online community wrote, "From Haikeuk's Ya-dong Soon-jae to Daebal-i's father, the teacher was in every period of my life," adding, "I hope he can now rest comfortably without the pressure of memorizing lines," a post that drew much sympathy.
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