He has had a prolific career on the small and big screen spanning over six decades,[2][3] and was given a second-class Eungwan Order of Cultural Merit for his work as an actor.

Lee's grandfather ran a small real estate business, while his father produced and sold soaps.

[9] After being discharged from the military, Lee worked as a salaried worker as the head of the broadcasting office, but only the thought that this was not his path was getting stronger.

Lee Soon-jae made his debut in 1956 with play 'Beyond the Horizon' when he was a senior at the Department of Philosophy at Seoul National University.

[10] In the 1950s and 1960s he was known, along with other veteran actors like Yeo Woon-kay, as the original stars of daehakgeuk or amateur student theatrical productions.

Also, there is nothing more rewarding than when we interpret and analyze the works of great masters, deliver their literature and philosophy to the audience, and get a response.

In 2018, Lee was awarded a second-class Eungwan Order of Cultural Merit by the Korean government, for his work as an actor.

[22] In 2007, Lee, by then a distinguished veteran actor, reached new heights of mainstream popularity when he starred in the sitcom Unstoppable High Kick!.

One particular scene became a huge hit among young audiences: when his stern grandfather character discovers porn while browsing through a family member's computer files, then embarrassingly gets caught watching.

Despite having no superstars in the cast, the sitcom received high ratings, which Lee attributed to successfully building comic tension.

"[5] But Lee also lamented the recent trend of casting inexperienced actors in leading roles on TV, saying, "It's important to know the basics, like the language.

He later returned as the family patriarch in High Kick Through the Roof, which shares the same concept as the previous sitcom, but with a different cast and characters.

[23][24] In 2009, Lee made his big screen comeback after 20 years in television, in Jang Jin's comedy Good Morning President.

The film tries to show that heads of state are only human, just like you and me, which I think makes the movie distinctive, as well as fresh and fun for viewers.

"[25][26] In 2011, Lee, Yoon So-jung, Song Jae-ho and Kim Soo-mi starred in Late Blossom, a tearjerker romance about two elderly couples, based on the popular webtoon I Love You by Kang Full.

[27] Lee said the movie was a rare chance for him and other senior actors to play leading roles on the big screen.

He added that Korea's senior citizen population had surpassed five million, and "not understanding their feelings would be a failure of television dramas, movies and even elections.

"[28] Initially difficult to finance due to ageism, Late Blossom had a small shooting and marketing budget compared to most Korean mainstream films.

[29][30] Lee returned to the stage in 2012 in Father, a Korean adaptation of Arthur Miller's play Death of a Salesman.

[34] Defying a youth-centered entertainment industry, the hit show stars four veteran actors in their 70s, Shin Goo, Park Geun-hyung and Baek Il-seob, with their porter Lee Seo-jin as they go on a backpacking tour of France, Taiwan and Spain.

[44][45][46] After a few years' break, a fifth season titled Grandpa Over Flowers Returns aired from June 29 to August 24, 2018, with nine episodes.

Actor Kim Yong-gun joined the cast for the trip filmed in Germany, Czech Republic and Austria.