Veteran South Korean actor Lee Soon-jae, affectionately known as the nation’s ‘TV dad’, has died at the age of 91, his agency has confirmed.
Across a seven-decade career spanning theatre, film and television, Lee became a household name for his portrayals of wise, warm and often comedic elder figures. His celebrated roles included the stern father in the 1991 drama ‘What on Earth Is Love’ and the endearingly foolish grandfather in the hit sitcom ‘High Kick!’ (2006–2012).
Tributes have poured in from across the entertainment industry, from young K-pop stars to President Lee Jae Myung, who praised him for bringing “laughter, comfort and courage” to generations of viewers.
Lee continued acting into his 90s, winning the grand prize at the KBS Drama Awards 2024 for ‘Dog Knows Everything’, becoming the oldest actor to receive the honour. He was widely admired for his energetic outlook, once telling fellow seniors on the travel series ‘Grandpas Over Flowers’ that “you grow old when you sit and wait to be served”. The show itself became a cultural sensation.
Born in 1934 in what is now North Korea, Lee moved to Seoul as a child and later studied philosophy at Seoul National University. Inspired by Laurence Olivier’s Hamlet, he pursued acting and went on to appear in around 140 television productions. He performed on stage until October 2024, when illness forced him to withdraw from a run of ‘Waiting for Godot’.
Lee also briefly entered politics, serving one parliamentary term from 1992 to 1996.
