"Is there anything I want besides work?" actor the late Lee Soon-jae's life, in which he talked about acting until his final moments, struck a deeply moving chord.
On the 12th, KBS2TV's 'Celeb Soldier's Secret' shone a light on the acting life of the late Lee Soon-jae, who was a living witness to the history of Korean drama and was called the 'eternal active.'
First revealed was the moment he won at the 'KBS Drama Awards' held in January 2025. At the time, Lee Soon-jae received the grand prize for the first time in his 70-year career. With a gaunt face on stage, he choked up saying, "Having lived so long, there are days like this," leaving everyone moved. He added, "I always prepared thinking that one day an opportunity would come," and "I received this beautiful and precious award today. Even at an old age, if you do well you give the grand prize; it's not a lifetime achievement award," leaving a deep impression.
He had received the 'best star award' and the Order of Cultural Merit in 2018, but the drama grand prize was his first. Watching this, Park Haemee said, "It was much later than expected. I was really angry," and "Even without luck with awards, he did so many works; it's outrageous that he never received a Grand Bell Award," expressing regret.
The broadcast also looked back on Lee Soon-jae's long acting career. In December 1961 at Seoul Station square. Having debuted with KBS's launch, Lee Soon-jae was an actor who walked alongside the history of Korean drama. Park Haemee described him as "a living witness to history." In his rookie days, he not only played actor roles but also took on organizing the set.
In particular, in his early days he specialized in villain roles. In life, Lee Soon-jae revealed that his first role was a middle school girl rapist, and he recalled that in 'Detective's Notebook' he filmed the crime scene 33 times. Born during the Japanese colonial period and having experienced the 6.25 war during his school years, he was an elite from Seoul National University, class of '54 in the philosophy department.
His family expected a stable path, but Lee Soon-jae chose acting. About the reason, he recalled in life, "Watching films was my only hobby," and that he was deeply shocked after watching the film 'Hamlet.' He added, "I felt acting was art," conveying his firm conviction about the profession of actor.
But reality was not easy. Even after more than 20 years of acting experience, he did not receive a proper appearance fee, and for a full 10 years he could not give living expenses to his wife. His wife, once a promising dancer, ran a dumpling shop and a snack bar of about 2 pyeong to support the family. His wife said, "My husband's income was nonexistent," and "still, I respected his lack of attachment to money. If it was lacking, I thought I could earn and support us."
Lee Soon-jae also put works before money. He appeared without a fee in the 2018 film 'Deok-gu,' and it was reported that he said at the time, "At this age I'm the lead, I don't need to be paid." He never let go of acting even into his nineties. Having appeared in more than 300 works, he was an actor who said, "I'm still working hard."
Along with the late Song Hae, who led 'National Singing Contest' for 34 years, a common point for Lee Soon-jae was perfect script memorization. It was thanks to relentless self-discipline. In an interview in life he said, "It's okay to live as if you've taken a small loss. Later you'll see it's not a big loss," and "living with mutual understanding is ultimately the comfortable thing to do."
Above all, what left the production team moved was his sense of responsibility as an actor. In a past interview, Lee Soon-jae said, "I recorded even when my parents passed away," and "public duties and personal matters are separate." He added, "The actor profession is a promise with the audience. You have to keep it."
That sense of responsibility continued even in his hospital bed. The broadcast revealed footage of Lee Soon-jae lying in a hospital room. When asked, "Don't you want anything?" he answered without hesitation, "Is there anything I want besides work?" He was an actor who spoke of acting until the end of his life.
In particular, his acceptance remarks at the 2025 Drama Awards were again revealed. Lee Soon-jae said, "I was an adjunct professor at Gachon University for 13 years," and "because of filming I really had no time and I apologized to the students, and the students told me, 'Don't worry and film your drama well,'" showing tears. He added, "Believing in the students and doing my best produced today's results," and expressed gratitude, "I owe a lot and received a lot of help from viewers throughout my life."
But the body that held out until the end ultimately could not overcome pneumonia. On Nov. 25, 2025, the actor Lee Soon-jae, who loved the stage his whole life, passed away due to deteriorating health. His life, in which he did not let go of acting until the last moment, was itself a work, and his life in motion was re-examined, leaving viewers deeply moved.
[photo] 'Celeb Soldier's Secret'
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