Concerns over Lee Soon Jae’s health have resurfaced following his absence at a recent award ceremony—but insiders confirm his decision was not due to deteriorating health, but rather due to limited mobility.

Born in 1935, Lee Soon Jae is the oldest active actor in Korea, now 89 years old. Rumors about his health began circulating last October when he stepped down from the play 'Waiting for Godot While Waiting' after receiving medical advice to take a three-month break. At the time, he was also actively filming the KBS2 drama 'Dog Knows Everything', and it later emerged that he had experienced health complications during that period.

Despite those challenges, Lee made a strong comeback and appeared at the 2024 KBS Drama Awards, where he received both the Grand Prize (Daesang) and Best Couple Award. Although he was visibly frail—requiring assistance to walk to the stage—his speech struck a chord with viewers: “Living this long, I guess you do see days like this. Thank you to all the viewers who have supported me throughout my life.”

Since the awards ceremony, Lee has not taken on new work, sparking renewed speculation after his absence from the 37th Korea PD Awards, which aired on April 15th. The awards, held on April 9th, honored him in the Best Actor (Performer) category, but his agency’s CEO, Lee Seung Hee, accepted the award on his behalf, stating: “Mr. Lee is a bit unwell and couldn’t attend. He sends his deep gratitude to the PD Awards staff and judges. Please keep him in your thoughts.”

However, Lee Soon Jae’s condition is not alarming: “His health has greatly improved. The issue is more about mobility. His leg muscles have weakened due to age, and while he can move with assistance, he prefers not to appear in public that way. That’s why he chose not to attend and had someone accept the award on his behalf.”

Despite limited public appearances, Lee remains mentally active and deeply respected for his lifelong contributions to Korean entertainment.

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