Lee Joo-Sil, an actress known to the general public for her role in the popular Netflix series The Squid Game, has passed away at the age of 81.
According to the Korean media The Chosun Ilbo, the performer died at her home in Uijeongbu due to stomach cancer, diagnosed last November. Previously, the actress had already overcome a stage 4 breast cancer, diagnosed 30 years ago and due to which doctors predicted only one year of life. The funeral is scheduled for Wednesday, February 5 at the South Korean Sinchon Severance Hospital, according to Deadline. Born on March 8, 1944 in South Korea, Joo-Sil began her career in 1964, gaining fame as a dubbing and stage actress. The performer has appeared in drama series such as On the Hunt for Evil Spirits and in films such as Train to Busan, the audacious zombie film written and directed by Yeon Sang-ho. In The Squid Game, Joo-Sil brought to life Park Mal-soon, the mother of detective Hwang Jun-Ho (Wi Ha-Joon) and Hwang In-ho, the character also known as The Leader (Lee Byung-hun) who appeared in two episodes of the second season of the Netflix series.
The actress’s filmography also includes series such as Hyunjaeneun Areumdawo (It’s Beatutiful Now), Happiness or Jeonwonilgi (Country Diaries) and films such as Commitment, The Tower or The Great Chef (Le Grand Chef). In 2023, Lee won the award for best supporting actress at the Wildflower Film Festival.
