An actress in the hit Netflix programme Squid Game has died, just three months after being diagnosed with stomach cancer.
Lee Joo-Sil, 81, played Park Mal Soon, mother of Hwang Jun Ho (Wi Ha Joon) and stepmother of Hwang In Ho (Lee Byung Hun), in the series.
She died today at her family home in Uijeongbu, South Korea, according to national paper The Chosun Ilbo.
She had been diagnosed with breast cancer 30 years ago and was given one month to live. She battled the disease for 13 years before she was given the all-clear.
Lee was diagnosed with stomach cancer in November last year during a check-up.
Her funeral will be held at Shinchon Severance Hospital on February 5.
Lee started acting in 1964, first gaining recognition as a voice actress and performer.
She has appeared in multiple Korean dramas throughout the course of her decades-long career including Country Diaries, The Uncanny Counter and The Present is Beautiful.
Last year, she had a leading role in Korean broadcaster KBS’s weekend drama Beauty and Innocent Boy.
She also appeared in the action-horror film Train to Busan.
Squid Game fans have taken to social media to issue their condolences in wake of Lee’s tragic passing.
‘Omgggggg noooo my favourite grandma may her soul rest in peace,’ one wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
‘May her soul rest in peace,’ echoed another.
One fan added: ‘She was such a phenomenal actress. Rest in peace.’
‘Veteran actress Lee Joo-Sil has sadly passed away after battling stomach cancer. Known for her role in Squid Game 2 and decades of iconic performances, she leaves behind a lasting legacy. May she rest in peace,’ tweeted another.
Squid Game turned into a global sensation in 2021, bolstering Netflix’s subscription numbers and becoming the streaming service’s most-watched original series in its first month.
Netflix reported that 142 million households had watched the dark drama about people who compete in a deadly competition to erase financial debt.
The survival thriller action series will return to Netflix on June 27 for a third and final season, the streaming platform announced on Thursday.
The third season will be the last instalment of the series, which was developed for television by Korean writer and producer Hwang Dong-hyuk.
The story will once again follow Lee Jung-jae as the protagonist Seong Gi-hun, who is determined to stop the dystopian games.