Veteran Actress Lee Joo-sil Passes Away After Battle with Cancer

On February 2, 2025, beloved actress 이주실 (Lee Joo-sil) passed away at the age of 81 after a long battle with cancer. According to reports, she was transported to Catholic University Uijeongbu St. Mary's Hospital in a state of cardiac arrest and, despite receiving CPR, she did not regain consciousness. Her funeral will be held at Sinchon Severance Hospital, with visitations starting on February 3 and the burial scheduled for February 5.

Lee Joo-sil made her acting debut in 1964 and became a prominent figure in the Korean entertainment industry, appearing in numerous dramas including 여심 (Woman's Heart), 맥랑시대 (The Age of Mackerel), 아들과 딸 (Son and Daughter), 먼동 (Dawn), 황금사과 (Golden Apple), 뉴하트 (New Heart), 천만번 사랑해 (Love You a Thousand Times), 대물 (The Great), 49일 (49 Days), 포세이돈 (Poseidon), 보통의 연애 (Ordinary Love), 폭풍의 여자 (Woman of the Storm), 오 나의 귀신님 (Oh My Ghost), 내일도 승리 (Tomorrow Victory), 미세스 캅 (Mrs. Cop), 보이스1 (Voice 1), 구해줘2 (Save Me 2), 도둑놈 도둑님 (Thief, Thief), 너의 노래를 들려줘 (Let Me Hear Your Song), 현재는 아름다워 (The Present is Beautiful), 나쁜엄마 (Bad Mom), 경이로운 소문2 (Amazing Rumor 2), 미녀와 순정남 (Beauty and the Beast), and 오징어게임 시즌2 (Squid Game Season 2).

In a previous appearance on MBN's 특종세상 (Exclusive World), Lee revealed her battle with breast cancer, having been diagnosed with stage 3 cancer at the age of 50, which progressed to terminal stages despite being given a prognosis of one year to live. She managed to overcome the illness at that time. However, during a recent health check-up, she discovered that the cancer had returned, leading to her untimely passing.