The extraordinary dedication of late veteran actor Lee Soon Jae is set to be revisited in an upcoming episode of KBS2’s “The Secret of Celebrity Soldiers.”

According to the broadcast preview released on May 11, the program will explore the legendary actor’s 70-year acting career and the untold struggles he endured while continuing to perform until the very end of his life.

The episode reportedly reveals heartbreaking details from the filming process of KBS drama “Dog Knows Everything,” the project that earned Lee Soon Jae his first-ever KBS Grand Prize (Daesang) after seven decades in the industry.

At the 2025 KBS Drama Awards, Lee Soon Jae appeared noticeably thinner after temporarily halting activities due to declining health. During his emotional acceptance speech, he quietly stated: “After living this long, a day like this finally comes.”

He later added, “I’ve received so much kindness,” while holding back tears, leaving viewers deeply moved.

The program also details the difficult conditions Lee Soon Jae faced while filming his final projects. During production, he was diagnosed with cataracts and required immediate surgery. Despite recommendations from the production team to rest, the actor reportedly refused, worrying that delays would negatively affect the 70 to 80 staff members working on the drama.

Only two weeks after surgery, Lee Soon Jae returned to filming despite suffering from severe vision and hearing deterioration.

According to the broadcast, the actor could barely see in front of him and struggled to hear dialogue clearly. Since nearly 70% of filming took place in Geoje, he also endured repeated long-distance travel throughout production.

In one of the episode’s most emotional revelations, staff members shared that Lee Soon Jae memorized his lines by listening to his manager read the script aloud to him.

Actors Park So Dam and Park Hae Mi, who previously worked with Lee Soon Jae, are also expected to appear on the program to share personal memories about the late actor.

Park So Dam reportedly recalled being shocked by Lee Soon Jae’s memorization skills during script readings for the play “Le Père Henri et Moi.” Colleagues described him as an actor who always arrived early on set and rarely made mistakes during filming.

The show further explains that Lee Soon Jae maintained his mental sharpness through strict self-discipline. He reportedly trained his memory by continuously memorizing the names of world leaders, including U.S. presidents and British prime ministers, while also avoiding alcohol and smoking throughout his life.

Medical expert Lee Nak Jun added during the broadcast that repetitive memorization habits can genuinely help maintain brain storage capacity and cognitive function, especially when combined with healthy lifestyle choices.

Lee Soon Jae’s final stage performance was reportedly the play “Waiting for Godot While Waiting.” Not long after the production began, he was hospitalized with pneumonia following a performance.

Even during his hospital stay, staff members were said to have heard faint sounds coming from his room — a detail that reportedly left everyone emotional ahead of the full broadcast.

The special episode honoring Lee Soon Jae’s remarkable life and career will air on May 12 at 8:30 PM KST on KBS2.

Sources: Daum | 엑스포츠뉴스