Broadcasters air tribute programs to commemorate late actor Lee Soon-jae's storied career
Published: 26 Nov. 2025, 21:47
Updated: 27 Nov. 2025, 13:58
![A scene from ″Dog Knows Everything″ (2024), a drama in which late actor Lee Soon-jae had his final television role [KBS]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/27/39bb361c-f995-418a-a9d2-cb62eb8d9a00.jpg)
A scene from ″Dog Knows Everything″ (2024), a drama in which late actor Lee Soon-jae had his final television role [KBS]
Major broadcasters including KBS and MBC are airing special tribute programs to commemorate veteran actor Lee Soon-jae, who died on Tuesday at the age of 91.
MBC has scheduled a special documentary on Lee for broadcast on Friday. The program will be directed by Kim Ho-sung, a producer known for the investigative journalism show “PD Note” (1990-), and will chronicle the late actor’s career and legacy. The exact airtime has not yet been confirmed.
MBC also created a dedicated online section on its website titled “We will remember the performances of a true actor,” featuring 20 of Lee’s past dramas.
KBS 2TV aired “Special Tribute: National Actor Lee Soon-jae — ‘Dog Knows Everything,’ Episodes 1 to 4” from 10:45 p.m. to 12:05 a.m. on Tuesday, and will broadcast “Special Tribute: National Actor Lee Soon-jae — Ten Minutes, Your Trivial Moments” from 11:10 p.m. to 12:25 a.m. on Wednesday.
“Dog Knows Everything” (2024), a comedy drama about a man who gains the ability to talk to dogs and teams up with a retired police dog named Sophie, was Lee’s final television role. It originally aired last year.
“Ten Minutes, Your Trivial Moments” (2006) is a stand-alone drama that won the 2006 KBS Drama City script contest and starred veteran actors Lee Soon-jae and Jung Hye-sun.
![The Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit is seen placed next to late actor Lee Soon-jae's funeral altar at Asan Medical Center in Songpa District, southern Seoul on Nov. 26. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/27/b0c879af-5ad1-4295-824e-1879f0ce0eaa.jpg)
The Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit is seen placed next to late actor Lee Soon-jae's funeral altar at Asan Medical Center in Songpa District, southern Seoul on Nov. 26. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
Cable channel KBSN will also honor Lee by airing Episodes 1 to 6 of “Dog Knows Everything” at 10 a.m. on Thursday and Episodes 7 to 12 at the same time on Friday.
Lee won the Grand Prize at the 2024 KBS Drama Awards for his performance in “Dog Knows Everything,” becoming the oldest recipient in the award’s history.
He also won Best Actor at the Korea Producers Awards in April this year, although he was unable to attend the ceremony due to health reasons.
A memorial altar for the public has been set up at the KBS headquarters in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul.
“KBS will operate the altar through Sunday in honor of an actor who moved viewers with sincere performances that transcended generations, from the 1980s through 2024,” the broadcaster said.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY HWANG JEE-YOUNG [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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