The TV show has been met with critical acclaim and international attention, receiving numerous accolades, including six Primetime Emmy Awards and one Golden Globe.
Now, fans of Squid Game are devastated after hearing of the loss of one of its stars.
Taking to social media to pay tribute, one fan writes: “May she rest in peace.”
Another adds: “Very sad.”
Somebody else says: “Known for her role in Squid Game and decades of iconic performances, she leaves behind a lasting legacy. May she rest in peace.”
“She was such a phenomenal actress. Rest in peace,” a fourth pens.
Lee Joo-Sil played the role of Park Mal Soon, the mother of Hwang Jun Ho (Wi Ha Joon) and stepmother of Hwang In Ho (Lee Byung Hun) in the series.
Hwang Jun Ho is the former police detective infiltrating the Squid Games in the first season, while Hwang In Ho – also known as the Front Man – is the current head staff member and the person overseeing the games.
Lee began her acting career in the sixties, appearing in stage productions and as a voice actor. She then landed numerous roles in K-dramas.
Most memorably, alongside Squid Game, she starred in the 2016 zombie thriller Train to Busan, playing Mrs. Woo, the protagonist’s grandmother.
She also had a long-standing part in the K-drama The Uncanny Counter, which follows paranormal hunters searching for evil spirits from the afterlife.
According to the Korean newspaper The Chosun Ilbo, Lee passed away at her family home in the city of Uijeongbu on February 2. Her talent agency, 1230Culture, says she went into cardiac arrest.
The 81-year-old died months after being diagnosed with stomach cancer, which is one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide.
The Chosun Ilbo reports that Lee was previously diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in her fifties and was given less than a year to live. Yet 13 years later, she was given the all-clear from doctors.
It is currently unclear whether Lee will appear in the third and final season of Squid Game, which is set for a June 27, 2025, release date.
