Lee Soon-jae, the oldest active actor, has passed away. It has been a year and a half since the death of veteran actor Oh Hyun-kyung last year. The farewell of the veteran actors who have been responsible for the laughter and tears of the people for a long time leaves a feeling of sorrow.
The funeral service for the late Oh Hyun-kyung was held on the morning of March 5th at the funeral home of Severance Hospital in Seoul’s Sinchon, and a memorial service and farewell ceremony were held at the outdoor theater of Marronnier Park in Seoul National University.
At the time, about 100 family members and fellow actors attended the memorial service. In particular, actor Lee Soon-jae, who worked with the deceased as a founding member of the Experimental Theater, took time to reminisce about his memories with the deceased, attracting attention.
Lee Soon-jae said, “There are six male actors who started with TBC, including me and the deceased,” and added, “Lee Nak-hoon, Kim Dong-hoon, Kim Sung-ok, and Kim Soon-chul are all waiting for you. I’ll go soon, so let’s all meet together,” he said.
Lee Soon-jae later appeared on tvN’s entertainment show ‘You Quiz on the Block’ and said, “I’ve been with that friend for a long time. Oh Hyun-kyung and I are high school seniors and juniors, and we were TBC opening members. There are six of us, and only one of us is left. Eventually, I have to follow. Lee Nak-hoon, Kim Dong-hoon, Kim Sung-ok, Kim Soon-chul, Oh Hyun-kyung, and Lee Soon-jae, these six people. The people who opened the lid of TBC. Kim Dong-hoon and Kim Soon-chul passed away 60 years ago, Lee Nak-hoon died a little over 60, and Kim Sung-ok, after holding on well last year, died in Mokpo, his hometown. When I go, the six of us can meet in the afterlife,” he said.
The late Oh Hyun-kyung passed away on March 1, 2024, at a nursing home in Gimpo. He was 88 years old. Oh Hyun-kyung had been battling illness for over six months after collapsing from a cerebral hemorrhage last August. Born in Seoul in 1936, Oh Hyun-kyung made his stage debut in 1955 with Yoo Chi-jin’s play ‘Sajukshin’ while in high school. After graduating from Yonsei University with a degree in Korean Literature, he worked as a founding member of the Experimental Theater, and appeared in numerous plays such as ‘Spring Day’, ‘The Marriage of Figaro’, and ‘The Wedding of Mr. Maeng’.
Oh Hyun-kyung, who worked as a KBS 1st generation public recruit talent in 1961, was loved by the public for his role as Jang-soo Lee, the manager of the KBS drama ‘TV Sonjabyeongbeop’ which aired from 1983 to 1993. He won the Dong-A Theater Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1966, the KBS Drama Awards Grand Prize in 1992, the Minister of Culture Award at the 2006 Korean Theater Actors Awards, and the Order of Cultural Merit in 2013.
Oh Hyun-kyung, who also battled esophageal cancer and stomach cancer, focused on theatrical activities after 2010. He showed his acting passion in ‘Flying Stones’, ‘Understudy’, ‘March Snow’, and ‘Les Miserables’.
Meanwhile, on the 25th, the bereaved family announced that actor Lee Soon-jae passed away early in the morning. It was reported that a mortuary has not yet been prepared.
Born in Hoiryeong, Hamgyeongbuk-do, and graduating from Seoul High School and Seoul National University’s Department of Philosophy, the deceased was a KBS 1st generation talent in 1960 and worked as the oldest active actor in Korea until last year. Lee Soon-jae, who appeared in various works, rose to the ranks of a national father through weekend dramas such as MBC TV’s ‘What Is Love’ and KBS 2TV’s ‘Men of the Bath House’. Afterwards, in the 14th general election in 1992, he ran as a candidate for the Democratic Liberal Party, the ruling party at the time, in the Jungnang-gap district of Seoul and was elected, and also served as the deputy spokesperson of the Minja Party and a secretary of the Korea-Japan Parliamentarians’ Union as a member of the National Assembly.
Concerns about his health began to surface late last year, including the cancellation of his performance activities in October of last year. However, he conveyed his recent status by winning the Grand Prize with ‘Barking’ at the 2024 KBS Entertainment Awards held in January this year. Lee Soon-jae said as he received the Grand Prize, “Actors should only be judged by their acting,” and added, “To the viewers who have encouraged me to come this far, to the viewers who are watching, I have received a lot of help and benefited a lot throughout my life. Thank you.”.
However, Lee Soon-jae was unable to attend the Korean PD Awards ceremony held in April this year.
