Lee Soon Jae - the oldest actor in Korea still active and considered a pillar of the performing arts industry - passed away on the morning of November 25.
His final words to the public are being repeated and causing strong emotions.
The late actor's sincere speech at the 2024 KBS Drama Awards made veteran actress Kim Young Ok, now 87 years old, cry.
In March, Kim Young Ok appeared on MBC's "Radio Star" and emotionally recounted Lee Soon Jae receiving his first Daesang (Grand Prize) in his career at the age of 90 for his role in the movie "Dog knows everything".
She shared: "That hurt my heart. It is strange that this is the first time he has received an award, despite having starred in so many films over the years. His speech, especially his saying that acting after 60 still needs to be properly assessed, touched my heart.
She continued: "In the end, he was recognized with a major award, not a lifetime achievement award. That made me cry. It felt like he had said everything he needed to say.
In his speech, Lee Soon Jae - the oldest actor to ever receive the Daesang - shared: "Maybe living like this for so long would be the same day as today". He talked about the early days when he was only given small roles in acting and always tried to prepare for opportunities at the right time.
He then frankly mentioned prejudice in the award criteria: People like actor Choi Soo Jong have received this award many times. So why can't you give it to one person more than once?
In the US, there is an actress who won an award at the age of 30 and then continued to receive the award 3 times after the age of 60. Here, we call it a lifetime achievement award.
But acting is still acting, good roles after the age of 60 deserve recognition. The award should not be based on popularity or other conditions. That is Oscar's spirit.
He also modestly shared his glory with all the crew: This is not just my award. In Dog Know Everything, even dogs like Sophie have contributed them.
He added that during filming, the film crew had to travel 20 round trips to Geoje, each trip took 4-5 hours, and he thanked the university students for supporting his filming schedule throughout the semester.
Lee Soon Jae also expressed his gratitude to KBS and the audience: To those present here and watching at home. I have received endless support throughout my life. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
The speech made the whole audience cry and stood up to applaud.
Born in 1934, Lee Soon Jae is a legendary monument in the Korean entertainment industry, with a career spanning more than 70 years. He has inspired many generations of actors and left an invaluable legacy in both television and theater.
Lee Soon Jae is widely known for his works "Family is No. 1", "Lee San, Chosun Dynasty", " Potato Star"...
