Lee Ho-jae (actor)

Lee was born in Seoul and grew up in the Jongno-dong neighborhood. He's the eldest of 6 siblings, 3 boys and 3 girls.[8] His father had a big business in dyes and pigments. Lee didn't plan to be an actor. He was an ice hockey player at Whimoon High School in Seoul. In the spring of 1960, He was a freshmen in Yonsei University's Department of Political Science and Diplomacy. Because of his good voice, a senior appointed Lee him to read the April 19 Revolution Manifesto in student protest, but that incident made Lee expelled from university. He was wandering for two years, then in autumn 1962, he decided to enter newly established Korean Theater Academy, founded by Dongnang Yoo Chi-jin (1905-1974)[note 1] which was predecessor of today Department of Theater and Film of Seoul Institute of the Arts. Class of 1962 was the first batch from the academy. Lee's fellow classmate included Shin Gu, Jeon Moo-song, Ban Hyo-jeong (who did not graduate), and playwright Yoon Dae-seong.[10]

In 1963, Lee made his stage debut as Lenny Small in John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men at the Myeongdong National Theater. The production was produced by a theater company owned by his friend, Kim Bul-rae (currently a former professor at Hongik University). In exchange for free drinks at his mother's bar, Kim convinced Lee to join the play.[11][12]

After graduating in 1964, Lee and his fellow classmate Jeon Moo-song became members of the Dongnang Repertoire Theater Company. However, in 1966, he was called to serve in the military for 36 months. Lee fulfilled his mandatory military enlistment by participating in the Vietnam War and was discharged in 1969.[12] After a brief stint working in another company, he returned to the theater company. While with the Dongnang Repertoire Theater Company, Lee worked on major plays by playwright Oh Taeseok, including his original works "Chobun" and "Tae" (lifecord), as well as the adaptation of Molière's Scapin the Schemer called "Sootduki Play" (1974).[13]

In 1975, Lee with his fellow actor Jeon Moo-song and playwright Oh Taeseok joined National Theater Company of Korea (NTCK). His most memorable and notable work there was Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt.[14]

In 1977, Lee with Jeon Moo-song and Oh Taeseok, joined Dongnang Repertory Theater Company's World Tour Return Commemorative Performance. Dongrang Repertory theater company led by CEO Yoo Deok-hyung (president of Seoul Institute of the Arts at that time) toured the world for about three months from March 9 to May 30 19777, sponsored by Joongang Ilbo, Dongyang Broadcasting, and the American Headquarter of International Theatre Institute (ITI), co-hosted by the Rockefeller Foundation in the United States). This was first full-fledged overseas tour of a Korean theater. The repertoire of this world tour theater performance is "Tae (Life Cord)" and Crown Prince Hamyeol (directed by Ahn Min-su, an adaptation of Shakespeare's original Hamlet).[15]

Dongnang Repertory Theater Company's World Tour Return Commemorative Performance was held as an opportunity to attend the "World Theater Month" commemorative event hosted by the American Headquarter of International Theatre Institute (ITI), which held in New York, US, from March 15. Following the performance at the commemorative event, the troupe toured around the U.S. in Dallas, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, and Hawaii, as well as in Paris, France and the Netherlands.[15] Before leaving the country, the troupe performed a commemorative performance of Tae (Life Cord), written by Oh Tae-seok, directed by Ahn Min-soo), one of the tour works, at the annex of the Seoul Citizens Hall from 22 to 24 February (hosted by JoongAng Ilbo and Dongyang Broadcasting).[12][16] They started the tour at La MaMa in New York City.[3][4]

Lee also joined Dongnang Repertory Theater Company in invitation performance of Crown Prince Hamyeol in American Headquarter of International Theatre Institute (ITI) World Theater Day, from 15 to 20 June 1977 in Los Angeles, United States.[2]

Lee recognized as one of notable actor in history of South Korea modern theatre in the 70s.[17] Lee was nicknamed "The Eternal Watchman of the Theater World" because he stayed in the theatre even when his seniors and colleagues left for television dramas and movies.[8] Lee wanted to be financially independent by only do plays, but due to circumstances after marriage with children, since 1980s he was forced to also do radio, television dramas and films.[12]

After five years with NTCK, he decided to be a freelancer. In the 80s, he worked with different theater company such as company Sanwoolim, Seongjwa, and Hyundai Theater.

In 1994, Lee debuted on the musical stage in The stars love each other with meaning in the world. The musical written by an active psychiatrist, Kim Jong-il, depicts the devastated mental world of Jung Hoon, who suffers from mental illness, through various events that happen in a dream overnight which is a reminder of the importance of life. Directed by Song Mi-sook, this work was performed at the Hakjeon Small Theater from December 1, 1994, to Januari, 1995.[18]

In 2005, Lee performed in the play "The Story of Two Knights Moving Around the World" by Betsuyaku Minoru, one of the leading playwrights in modern Japan.[19] Additionally, in the same year, Lee and Jeon Moo-song reunited for the play "Dragon and Tiger Sangbak", directed by Oh Tae-seok. This project marked their first collaboration in eight years since "A Thousand Years of Beast" in 1997. It was also a special occasion as it marked exactly 30 years since the three of them had worked together to put on a performance at the Namsan Drama Center, where they had started their career.[20]

Lee worked several times with playwright Lee Man-hee, his junior in at Whimoon High School in Seoul.[21] One of their work together was play Let's Go Over the Hill (2007), a story of a love triangle between three friends at their sunset age. Lee also worked with National Theater Company's Oh Young-soo and Jeon Yang-ja. Directed by Lee Seong-sin, it was performed at the Hakjeon Blue Small Theater in Daehak-ro.[22]

In 2010, Lee performed in the play Even if I deceive you (written by Lee Man-hee, directed by Ahn Kyung-mo to commemorates his 70th birthday.[23][24]

In 2015, Lee joined project to celebrate the 110th anniversary of Dongnang Yoo Chi-jin, reenactment of The Han River Flows. The play performed at the Drama Center of Namsan Arts Center in Yejang-dong, Seoul. Oh Tae-seok, chair professor at Seoul Institute of the Arts, was the director and Dong-rang's son, Yoo Deok-hyeong, president of Seoul Institute of the Arts, will be the artistic director.[25]

In 2017, four masters of the theater, met at the 2nd Neulpureun Theater Festival.[note 2] Lee Ho-jae and fellow actor Oh Hyun-kyung represent actors, Director Kim Do-hoon and playwright Noh Kyung-shik represent creator. The masters have average age of 79 years old.[26] In this festival Lee Ho-jae performed his play Let's Go Over the Hill. This was written by Lee Man-hee as tribute to him and the time of its premiere in 2007, it received a great response from the middle-aged audience with his warm and pleasant gaze toward the silver age and delicious lines. Directed by Choi Yong-hoon, the play performed at Daehangno Arts Theater from August 17 to 27, 2018.[27]

In 2011, Lee was awarded the 2011 Order of Cultural Merit (Level 3) by the government.[28]

Since 2018, Lee Ho-jae became one of member of Theater, Film and Dance Division of The National Academy of Arts.[note 3][30]

In 2022, Lee performed on stage to commemorate the 60th acting anniversary. Lee Man-hee wrote a new play titled Jealousy dedicated to Lee Ho-jae. The play is centered on 'Wan-gyu' (Lee Ho-jae), who lives and runs a business alone in a plastic house office after divorce, and 'Chun-san' (Nam Myeong-ryeol), a friend. The drama depicts the romance of twilight with Sujeong (Nam Ki-ae), a local drugstore pharmacist. Directed by Choi Yong-hoon, the play performed from 27 May to 5 June 2022 at Hakjeon Blue, Daehangno, Seoul.[31]