Squid Game actress Lee Joo-shil dies aged 81

Squid Game actress Lee Joo-shil has died aged 81.

The South Korean star previously battled stage 3 breast cancer, with which she was diagnosed in 1993, and her agency 1230culture has now confirmed the news she had died last Monday (Jan 27) after a battle with stomach cancer.

They said: "Approximately three months ago, actress Lee Joo-shil's health declined, and she was diagnosed with stomach cancer after an examination from the hospital."

Joo-shil died at her family home in Uijeongbu, South Korea.

Born in 1944, she enjoyed a career spanning more than five decades, working across stage, film, television and Korean dramas.

She made her debut as a stage actress in 1965 and became a celebrated figure in South Korean theatre throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

Joo-shil also starred in classic productions such as Death of a Salesman and Macbeth, gaining critical acclaim for her performances.

Her transition to the screen saw her appear in numerous films and television dramas, including Country Diary in 1980 and the 2016 zombie thriller Train to Busan.

Most recently, she played Park Mal-soon, the mother of Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon), in the second season of Squid Game which was released just over a month ago on Dec 26.

She fought breast cancer for more than a decade and, during her treatment, completed a college degree.

She later earned a doctorate in public health from Wonkwang University in 2010.

Following the news of her death, fans of Squid Game took to social media to pay tribute.

One user said on X: "Omg no, my favourite grandma. May her soul rest in peace."

Another fan called her "such a phenomenal actress".

Squid Game 2 was the highly anticipated follow-up to the globally successful first season created by Hwang Dong-hyuk. The original season was released on Netflix on Sept 17, 2021.

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