‘Squid Game’ season two star Lee Joo-sil dies at 81

Lee Joo-sil in a scene from “Squid Game” season two. Image: Screengrab from Netflix/YouTube

Lee Joo-sil, a South Korean actress best known for her appearances in “Squid Game” season two and “Uncanny Counter,” died three months after she was diagnosed with stomach cancer, according to her agency. She was 80 years old.

The actress’ death was confirmed by her label 1230 Culture to South Korean media outlets on Sunday, February 2. She was diagnosed with stomach cancer in November 2024 and has been battling with the disease until her death.

Lee suffered from cardiac arrest on Sunday, where she was transferred to St. Mary’s Hospital in Gyeonggi, South Korea, but was pronounced dead.

In the 1990s, the actress battled stage three breast cancer where she was given only a year to live, according to a Forbes report. She was eventually pronounced cancer-free 13 years after her diagnosis.

Lee’s remains are kept at the Severance Hospital in Sinchon Region in Seoul. Her funeral procession will be held on Wednesday, February 5, per Korea JoongAng Daily.

Lee was born in March 1944 and started her entertainment career as a stage actress in 1965. She eventually moved into TV and films where she took on a diverse range of characters.

The actress was best known as the onscreen mother of Lee Byung-hun and Wi Ha-jun in the hit series “Squid Game” season two, and she also starred in “Uncanny Counter,” “The Uncanny Counter 2,” “Poseidon,” “Juvenile Justice,” and “The Witch’s Diner,” to name a few.

Lee also appeared in the films “Train To Busan” and “The Sword With No Name.”