Veteran stage actor Lee Nam-hee dies at 64

▲ This Yonhap file photo shows late actor Lee Nam-hee in Seoul Metropolitan Theatre Company’s "John Gabriel Borkman." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)(Yonhap)

SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- Veteran stage actor Lee Nam-hee, who dedicated more than four decades to theater, has died at the age of 64, his family said.

Lee passed away at around 5 p.m. on Tuesday after battling an illness, according to the family.

Born in 1962, he made his stage debut in 1983 with "Antigone" and went on to appear in numerous productions, including "A Streetcar Named Desire," "Othello," "Urfaust" and "Death of a Salesman."

In 2024, he drew attention for his powerful performance as the titular character in "John Gabriel Borkman," a production by the Seoul Metropolitan Theatre Company.

He was recognized for his acting with several major awards, including the Best Actor prize from the Korea Theater Association in 1998, Best Actor at the Korea Theatre Awards in 2011, and an acting award at the Dong-A Theatre Awards in 2012.

Lee also appeared in film and television, including "The Priests" and the TV series "Six Flying Dragons." He had continued preparing for stage performances until recently, his family said.

The funeral altar will be set up at Severance Hospital in Seoul, with the funeral scheduled for April 24.

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