On November 28, MBC aired the tribute documentary “Actor Lee Soon-jae, I Owe You Much“, which revealed footage of the actor in May, lying in his hospital bed during his final moments.
Although visibly weak, Lee Soon-jae’s passion for acting remained undiminished. When his agency representative, Lee Seung-hee, visited and asked, “Is there anything you want to do while lying here?” , he replied without hesitation, “What I want to do is only work on projects.” His nod to the representative’s reassurance to “recover slowly and prepare” showed his determination to return to acting, making the revelation all the more poignant.
The documentary also disclosed a shocking fact previously unknown to the public: during his last project, Lee Soon-jae was facing near-total blindness. The representative explained, “Many people don’t know this, but he could barely see with either eye.” Despite this, “He practiced even more rigorously. He asked me and the manager to read the script aloud, then memorized it entirely by listening,” she recalled, describing the heartbreaking effort.
The actor’s final drama, “Dog Knows Everything“, filmed through grueling commutes between Seoul and Geoje, was completed thanks to this relentless dedication amid darkness.
Yet, the veteran actor’s desperate wish to return to the screen remained unfulfilled. On November 25, the towering figure of Korean entertainment, Lee Soon-jae, passed away at the age of 91.
Sources: MK Sports,MBC
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