The late Lee Soon-jae, the "ever-active actor," was posthumously awarded the Order of Cultural Merit, Geumgwan (1st class), the highest honor among government awards in culture and the arts.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism elevated the late actor's Order of Cultural Merit, Eungwan, to Geumgwan and posthumously awarded it on the 25th. Minister Chae Hwi-young visited the bereaved family at the late actor's memorial altar at the funeral hall of Asan Medical Center in Songpa District, Seoul, at about 7:07 p.m. that day and delivered the order. The order was placed next to the memorial tablet on the altar.
The Order of Cultural Merit, Geumgwan, is awarded to individuals with outstanding contributions to the development of culture and the arts and the enhancement of public culture. "Geumgwan" is the highest grade among them and is given to pioneers or senior figures in the field. It is the first time in three years that an actor has been listed for the Order of Cultural Merit, Geumgwan, after Youn Yuh-jung in 2021 and Lee Jung-jae in 2022.
The late actor had previously received the Order of Cultural Merit, Eungwan, at the "2018 Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards" ceremony in Oct. 2018.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) said, "Debuting in 1956 with the play 'Beyond the Horizon,' the late actor established a position as the most senior active actor, working across various fields for more than half a century," and added, "With more than 140 works, the actor received great love from all age groups for sincerity in acting and a humane presence across diverse fields including drama, theater, variety, and sitcoms."
It added, "The actor also practiced social responsibility beyond the arts through nurturing younger talent and parliamentary activity."
Lee Soon-jae passed away early this morning. The late actor continued acting for 70 years across genres including drama, sitcoms, films, and theater. Even last year, the actor appeared in the play "Waiting for Godot While Waiting" and the drama "Dog Sound."