Veteran actress Lee Joo Shil has sadly died at the age of 80. On February 2, her agency 1230culture representative confirmed that she passed away earlier this morning. K-media outlet JoongAng Ilbo reported that the Squid Game Season 2 actress had been battling stomach cancer.
The deceased South Korean actress had been actively acting until recently. Her long-running career in the performing arts spanned decades, as she appeared in not only movies and K-dramas but also contributed to theatre.
Also read | Byeon Woo Seok beats buddy Kim Soo Hyun, co-star Kim Hye Yoon, Cha Eunwoo and even BTS for top model rank
Lee Joo Shil’s health history
“Approximately three months ago, actress Lee Joo Shil’s health declined, and she was diagnosed with stomach cancer after an examination from the hospital,” Her agency stated. The 80-year-old star had previously also been diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in 1993. Fortunately, she won that battle in over a decade. Before passing away in February, she received treatment for three months.
Back in the day, Lee Joo Shil graduated from college while battling cancer. She ultimately earned a doctorate in public health from Wonkwang University in 2010.
Who was Lee Joo Shil?
The veteran debuted as a stage actress in 1965. Earning a name for herself in the 1970s and 80s, she appeared in plays like ‘Death of a Salesman’ and ‘Macbeth.’ Born in 1944, she starred in movies like Country Diaries and Train to Busan.
Also read | Lovely Runner 2.0? Byeon Woo Seok says yes to Kim Hye Yoon reunion after ‘Best Couple’ tag
Her drama credits include popular titles such as Beauty and Mr Romantic (Im Soo Hyang, Ji Hyun Woo), Tell Me That You Love Me (Shin Hyun Been, Jung Woo Sung), A Time Called You (Ahn Hyo Seop, Jeon Yeo Been), Divorce Attorney Shin (Cho Seung Woo), Happiness (Park Hyung Sik, Han Hyo Joo), Juvenile Justice (Kim Hye Soo), The Good Bad Mother (Ra Mi Ran, Lee Do Hyun) and The Uncanny Counter (Jo Byeong Kyu). For her final project, Lee Joo Shil played Wi Ha Joon’s character’s mother in Squid Game Season 2.
Lee’s funeral will be held at the Severance Hospital funeral hall in Sinchon, Seoul, on February 5.
Rest in peace, Lee Joo Shil.