In 'The secret of the celebrity soldier,' the life and acting philosophy of the late Lee Soon-jae were highlighted, and heartfelt recollections from junior actors delivered a deep resonance.
On the 12th broadcast of KBS2TV's 'The secret of the celebrity soldier,' the life of the late Lee Soon-jae was recalled.
That day the 10-million-view actress Park So-dam grants. She said she formed a bond with Lee Soon-jae through the 2017 play 'Grandpa Henri and I.' Park So-dam confessed, "As an actress and as a person, I received so much energy," and "I learned love and courage through the play." She added, "My goal today was not to cry," and tried to hold back her emotions, but in the end her eyes welled up.
She recalled, "When we did the play his movements were really large and he seemed to fly across the stage," and "hearing the teacher's voice during the recording makes me cry." She also recalled, "He continued talking until just before the performance," and "even though our entrance positions were exactly opposite, he eased our tension until a minute before. Because of that I felt like I wanted to meet him on stage sooner."
What surprised the juniors most was Lee Soon-jae's meticulous preparation. At the first reading he had memorized not only his lines but the lines of other actors as well. Park So-dam said, "On the first rehearsal day of 'Grandpa Henri and I' the teacher said, 'Let's get up and move,'" and "I remember being so flustered because I wasn't ready yet." She added, "The depth of the teacher's preparation was truly different," and showed respect, saying, "He personally demonstrated that only when you put the script down does the real rehearsal begin."
Above all, what juniors remembered most was Lee Soon-jae's attitude. Park So-dam said, "The teacher made a mistake only once," and "even then he immediately came over and said, 'I'm sorry, I made one mistake,' and apologized." She added, "He was someone who approached juniors first to apologize even for that small mistake," and "he was an adult you couldn't help but respect." Park Haemee agreed. She recalled, "I actually made more NGs," and "the teacher never scolded me even once. That made me want to work harder."
In particular the two praised one of Lee Soon-jae's signature stages, the play 'King Lear.' Performing as the world's oldest 'King Lear,' Lee Soon-jae filled nearly two hours of a 3 hour 20 minute performance with monologue. Park Haemee said, "During the 16 performances in total he never made a mistake even once," and "it was truly awe-inspiring."
They also said Lee Soon-jae always arrived at the theater earlier than anyone. Park So-dam and Park Haemee said, "He inspected the theater in advance and checked the script again," and "that was why mistakes were impossible." Yet they added, "He never asked to go first by using his age," and "he always treated much younger juniors with personal respect." Actor Jung Bo-seog also recalled, "He always understood and considered others first as an elder," and "he was someone who led by example."
Park So-dam conveyed words Lee Soon-jae often said in life. "I want to die on the stage." He said, "We told him not to say things like that among ourselves," and "but the teacher said he was happiest on the way home after finishing a performance." She added, "Shin Goo also says similar things," and "at first when I thought of the teacher I felt only sadness, but now I reflect on myself." She added, "As a junior I vowed to follow him without feeling ashamed."
Park Haemee said, "He was a unique actor no one could replace," and Park So-dam also bowed her head, saying, "I really owed him a lot." Especially Park So-dam recalled the line she heard at the final performance and was moved to tears. She recited the line, "Life cannot be divided by success or failure. If you insist on dividing success and failure in a short life, in the end it was how successful we were at loving one another."
And words Lee Soon-jae left during his lifetime were again conveyed. "I want to be remembered as a senior who worked hard and a senior who did not make life difficult for others," and "I wasn't flashy or glamorous but I was steady. That was enough." The actor Lee Soon-jae lived a life of diligence over glamour and consideration over authority. That was why all the juniors said in unison, "He was a real adult."
[Photo] 'The secret of the celebrity soldier'
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