▲ The file photo, taken in 2007, shows Lee Soon-jae receiving the grand prize from the 2007 MBC Entertainment Awards for his role in "High Kick!" (Yonhap)

 

SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- 

MBC will air a special documentary on Friday in tribute to veteran actor Lee Soon-jae, who died on Nov. 25 at the age of 90, the broadcaster said Thursday.

 

According to an MBC official, the special program, which looks back on Lee’s more than 70-year acting career, has been urgently added to the broadcast schedule for Nov. 28. The exact airtime has yet to be determined.

 

The documentary is being produced by Kim Ho-sung of MBC’s investigative program “PD Notebook,” with the tentative title “Memorial Special Documentary: Actor Lee Soon-jae, We Owe You So Much.”

 

▲ This image, provided by IMTV, shows Korean veteran actor Lee Soon-jae. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

MBC has also launched a themed viewing section on its website under the title “The Works of Actor Lee Soon-jae, an Eternal Performer,” featuring more than 20 dramas in which the late actor delivered memorable performances, including “Heo Jun” and “High Kick!”

 

MBC’s historical drama “Heo Jun” (1999) is considered one of his signature works, in which Lee left a deep impression on viewers with his warm portrayal of Heo Jun’s mentor, Yoo Ui-tae.

 

In the 2000s, Lee also built a friendly public image through MBC’s sitcom series “High Kick!,” earning nicknames such as “Yadong Soon-jae.”

 

Other works available in the themed section include the four-part MBC anniversary special drama “Do You Know the Nation?” (2002), in which Lee played the lead role of independence activist Choe Ik-hyeon, and “Money Flower” (2017), where he portrayed Jang Guk-hwan, the founder of the Cheong-ah Group, engaging in intense psychological battles with the main character played by Jang Hyuk.

 

Earlier on Thursday at 5:30 a.m., Lee’s funeral was held at Asan Medical Center in Seoul’s Songpa Ward, attended by numerous fellow actors and juniors, including Jung Bo-suk, Kim Young-chul and Ha Ji-won.

 

Following the funeral, the hearse proceeded directly to Eden Paradise in Icheon, where Lee will be laid to rest, without stopping by KBS, where a separate memorial space had been prepared.

 

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