This is a review article written after watching the broadcast.
'Radio Star' Park Geun-hyung expressed longing and conveyed the late Lee Soon-jae's final request.
On the 14th broadcast, MBC entertainment 'Radio Star' (hereinafter 'Radio Star') was presented as the 'national OOO' special, and Park Geun-hyung showed signs of missing the late Lee Soon-jae.
On that day Park Geun-hyung said, "Did you say you tried to organize a 'Grandpas over Flowers' gathering with the late Lee Soon-jae?" and added, "He was someone who was always very considerate of others and really liked sitcoms. After 'High Kick' he preferred sitcoms over regular dramas. He tried so hard to get programming that he would even write scripts himself, and the actors who appeared tried to practice scripts together, but in the end it didn't happen."
Park Geun-hyung recalled, "When I was performing 'Death of a Salesman' I wasn't feeling well so I watched it and left. The late Lee Soon-jae was doing 'Waiting for Godot' but while doing it he became unwell, stepped down and was hospitalized. Weren't you worried?"
He continued, "I tried to contact Shin Goo hyung to visit the hospital, but I was told, 'Let's meet after your health improves.' I never got to see him. So I'm a bit upset," and added, "I used to joke like that as a habit. In magazine interviews, when asked who my rival was, I always said teacher Lee Soon-jae. But after he passed away I feel very remorseful."
About the late Lee Soon-jae, Park Geun-hyung said, "He would get up at 5 a.m. and start working, and film until late, and when he taught students he would stay up all night. We always didn't understand. We would say, 'Brother, you'll get into trouble, can't you cut back?' but he would just say he loved acting. He loved working so much and always cared a lot for the team."
Song Ok-sook also recalled, "He was my role model," saying that during the drama 'Beethoven Virus' the late Lee Soon-jae stayed awake and remained until the end even during shoots that required all-night filming.
She added, "I've never seen him disheveled. He wouldn't eat after 6 and ate sparingly. When filming ended at dawn we wanted to go home quickly, but he would say, 'I'd rather go to the golf range and hit balls than go in and sleep, and it's better to teach the students,'" prompting admiration.
Song Ok-sook, who also joined in the final drama 'Nonsense,' said, "Originally it takes three to four months, but because the teacher's health was poor it filmed for about six months. I was very worried, but after filming he said his health improved. Going to see a play was the last time. After that he canceled 'Waiting for Godot.'"
The play 'Waiting for Godot' created a gap when the late Lee Soon-jae stepped down midway due to a deterioration in his health. At that time Park Geun-hyung volunteered to appear in his place.
Park Geun-hyung revealed a behind-the-scenes story about the appearance, saying, "I wanted to help him recover. I'll take his place. Pick a date for me," and added, "After finishing that play I felt like a big burden had been lifted."
In particular, Park Geun-hyung said, "Before he passed away we had dinner and the late Lee Soon-jae told me, 'From now on take good care of the theater world.' It felt like a request to work hard in theater," and relayed the late elder's final request, saying, "I remember that elder. It seems like he was saying, 'Work hard at theater.'"
Meanwhile, the senior actor and 'national actor' Lee Soon-jae stepped down in October last year from the play 'Waiting for Godot' that he was appearing in, and afterward he rested from activities while receiving treatment and rehabilitation. And the late Lee Soon-jae passed away on Nov. 25, 2025, at the age of 91.
[Photo] 'Radio Star' broadcast screen capture
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