The late Lee Soon-jae lost his sight and hearing before his death... "Memorized lines read aloud by his manager" [Celebrity Illness Death]

*This content was translated by AI.

The late actor Lee Soon-jae's meticulous self-care secrets from his lifetime are revealed.

In the KBS 2TV variety program "Secrets of Celebrity Illness Death," airing on the 12th, the life of Lee Soon-jae, the "eternal active" actor who held onto the stage until the very end of his life, will be spotlighted.

In January 2025, Lee Soon-jae won his first KBS Drama Awards for acting in his 70th year since debut. It was his first Grand Prize in a pure acting category, not a merit award. Just three months after halting his activities due to declining health, he appeared on stage looking gaunt. He began his acceptance speech calmly, saying, "Living a long life means such days come too." He concluded by saying, "I owe you so much," and finally, his eyes welled up with tears.

The desperate struggle during the filming of the KBS drama "Gaesori," which brought him the glory of the Grand Prize, will be revealed. Although he was eager to take on the lead role after a long break, his advanced age could not be ignored. Lee Soon-jae was diagnosed with cataracts during filming and had to undergo surgery immediately. Despite the production team's recommendation to rest, he flatly refused. His reason was, "I cannot cause trouble for the 70th to 80 staff members."

Returning to the camera just two weeks later, he could not see well. His hearing had also deteriorated, making it difficult to hear sounds. Since 70% of the filming took place in Geoje, he had to endure long-distance travel repeatedly. In this extreme situation where both his vision and hearing were impaired, his determination to complete the shoot by memorizing lines read aloud by his manager will be fully conveyed.

Guests on the broadcast included Park So-dam, who performed alongside Lee Soon-jae in the play "Grandpa Henri and Me," and Park Hae-mi, his "eternal daughter-in-law," who shared special memories with Lee Soon-jae. In particular, Park So-dam recounted an anecdote about Lee Soon-jae's remarkable memory, which she witnessed firsthand from the script reading sessions during their time working together on the play. Colleagues testified that Lee Soon-jae was an actor who arrived at the filming set earlier than anyone else and rarely made mistakes requiring retakes.

The secret lay not in innate talent, but in the rigorous self-discipline he maintained throughout his life. In fact, he trained his memory by reciting names ranging from U.S. presidents to the British Prime Minister. Coupled with his habit of avoiding alcohol and tobacco, he maintained the physical stamina of an "eternal active" actor. Meanwhile, MC Lee Chan-won, known as a heavy drinker, joked in front of Lee Soon-jae's strict self-control, saying, "At least I don't smoke."

Specialist Lee Nak-jun explained, "The habit of repeatedly memorizing specific information actually helps maintain or even increase the brain's storage capacity." He added that maintaining such memory would not have been easy without concurrent abstinence from alcohol and smoking. Lee Soon-jae's ability to remain on stage for so long ultimately stemmed from his rigorous self-discipline and relentless effort. All of this was a miracle created by Lee Soon-jae's burning desire to keep acting until his very last moment.

His final stage at the age of 89 was the play "Waiting for Godot." About two months after the performance began, he rushed straight to the hospital immediately after the curtain fell one day. It was "pneumonia." As his hospitalization continued, a faint sound was heard one day from his hospital room. The identity of that surprising sound will also be revealed through the broadcast.

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*This content was translated by AI.