Lee Soon-jae wins Grand Prize at KBS Drama Awards

Veteran actor Lee Soon-jae has won his first-ever acting award, setting a record as the oldest recipient in the history of the terrestrial broadcasting networks' acting awards.

During the broadcast of the 2024 KBS Drama Awards ceremony on Saturday, the 89-year-old actor was honored with the Grand Prize for his portrayal of a veteran actor named Lee Soon-jae in the KBS 2TV drama "Dog Knows Everything," which aired from September to October last year. Although the awards ceremony originally took place on Dec. 31, the live broadcast was canceled due to the Muan airport disaster, and the event was later aired as a recorded program.

Having taken a break from acting last year to rest, Lee appeared on stage with a slightly frail appearance, supported by junior actors Kim Yong-gun and Choi Soo-jong. Upon hearing his name announced, Lee began his acceptance speech with trembling words. “Living long enough, I finally get to experience a day like this,” he said, expressing his gratitude. “I’ve always been ready, thinking an opportunity would come someday.”

The audience of actors gave him a standing ovation, listening intently to his emotional speech. Choi Soo-jong, holding Lee’s hand by his side, as well as fellow actors Ji Hyun-woo and Im Soo-hyang, were visibly moved, with tears welling in their eyes. “American actress Katharine Hepburn won her first Best Actress award in her 30s and then three more after the age of 60," Lee said, earning a wave of applause. "Even as we age, if we perform well, we should be recognized. Acting should be evaluated solely on performance, not popularity or other conditions."

Born in 1935, Lee is also the oldest active actor in Korea. After stepping down from the stage production Waiting for Waiting for Godot due to health issues in October, this marked his first public appearance in two months. Lee humbly said, “This award is not just mine. Everyone worked together and gave their all,” dedicating the honor to his colleagues and production team.


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