When did Lee Soon-jae make his small-screen debut? Celebrated Korean actor's first series remembered as he passes at 91

Korean entertainment has lost one of its greatest pillars — Lee Soon-jae. The Hoeryong-born actor, who journeyed from philosophy student to political figure to drama icon, helped shape nearly every era of Korean broadcast history. Even as health concerns mounted in the years, which prompted his quiet withdrawal from the limelight, he remained a symbol of endurance right after his final bow.

On the morning of Nov. 25, Lee passed away at the age of 91. The veteran actor just celebrated his birthday last Nov. 16.

Lee made his debut on the TV screen in KBS' opening, Should I become a human too? (I Want to be a Human, Too), which aired on December 31, 1961, where he played a small role in one of the programs in the Friday Stage series, which was a weekly drama anthology.

Lee Soon-jae: A glimpse into the Korean acting legend's decades-long career

Lee Soon-jae was born in 1934 in Hoeryong, North Hamgyong Province (now part of North Korea), although his registered birth date was Oct. 10, 1935. When he turned four, his family moved to Seoul, where his grandfather, who ran a real estate business, lived.

He then studied at the prestigious Seoul National University, majoring in philosophy.

Lee began taking an interest in acting around the 1950s, watching Italian, French, and British works as he longed for the "art."

After his military discharge, Lee worked as the head of the broadcasting office, although he still wanted to act despite his father being against his wishes. In the end, his father gave up. Lee shared the story in a 2015 interview:

"I didn't have the talent to do anything else. In the end, my father surrendered, saying, 'Wouldn't it be a world where you can earn money if you become first-class no matter what you do?'"

While he made his acting debut in 1956 in the play Beyond the Horizon — at the time when he was a senior at the Department of Philosophy at Seoul National University — he made his small-screen debut through Should I become a human too? (I Want to be a Human, Too) in late 1961.

Lee Soon-jae was mostly active in his movie career from the 1960s to the 1970s. Beginning in the '90s, he gradually shifted to dramas and received acclaim for his performances, such as in Live As I Please (1966), Pungwoon (Crisis) (1968), and Hur Jun (1999).

Meanwhile, Lee Soon-jae also dabbled in politics from 1992 to 1994, serving the 14th National Assembly of South Korea, but he quit after only one term, citing it was "too barren" for his taste.

The veteran star taught Film Arts at Sejong University. He was also a professor emeritus of Performing Arts at Gachon University and sat as SG Academy's director.

He received his honorary doctorate in Oriental Medicine from Kyung Hee University after headlining Hur Jun. In 2018, the South Korean government awarded Lee Soon-jae a second-class Eungwan Order of Cultural Merit.

Throughout his nearly seven decades in the industry, Lee Soon-jae has top-billed many notable K-dramas and sitcoms like Unstoppable High Kick (2006), Lee San, Wind in the Palace (2007), Dear My Friends (2016), The Light in Your Eyes (2019), and Again My Life (2022).

His last works include Family: The Unbreakable Bond (2023), About Family (2024), and Dog Knows Everything (2024).

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