Lee Hyeon-seop, the late grandfather of singer Lee Jang-won. [Screen capture from SBS "Dong Sang I Mong 2 — You Are My Destiny"]
Lee Hyeon-seop, the late grandfather of singer Lee Jang-won. [Screen capture from SBS "Dong Sang I Mong 2 — You Are My Destiny"]

Lee Hyeon-seop, the 100-year-old grandfather of singer Lee Jang-won, who appeared on television while living with Lee and his wife Bae Da-hae, has died — just days after filming wrapped, it has been revealed.

The Tuesday episode of SBS's "Dong Sang I Mong 2 — You Are My Destiny" featured the second installment of the couple's life with Lee Hyeon-seop, showcasing the remarkably vigorous daily routine of a man whose age seemed hard to believe. At the very end of the broadcast, however, unexpected news was delivered.

The production team conveyed the news through an on-screen caption reading: "A few days after the second episode was filmed, Grandfather Lee Hyeon-seop passed away peacefully." The loss struck viewers all the harder because the episode had just shown him laughing and talking happily with his family.

The episode also depicted a special encounter between Lee and Bae's five-year-old nephew Rowoon. Born in 1926, Lee Hyeon-seop was a full 95 years older than the boy, who was born in 2021.

Rowoon handed his great-great-uncle a letter he had written himself, and the elderly man read it with a warm smile. The two then sat side by side sharing snacks — a tender scene that bridged nearly a century of generations.

Lee Jang-won said his grandfather had met Rowoon several times before and "absolutely adores him." The grandfather also slipped the boy 50,000 won ($36) in pocket money, a small gesture that spoke to his deep affection.

Lee Jang-won and Bae Da-hae had first revealed their decision to move in with the centenarian grandfather in July through the same program. The couple made the move after family members grew increasingly worried about the elderly man, who had been living alone for more than 30 years since losing his wife.

Lee Jang-won admitted he had not been enthusiastic about the arrangement from the outset. "I staged a one-man protest saying I could live nearby but didn't want to move in," he said, expressing guilt toward his wife. Bae, by contrast, embraced the idea without hesitation, and Lee said he was deeply grateful to her for it.

After moving in together, the grandfather's daily life changed noticeably. His diary entries from his solitary years had recorded the loneliness of quiet Sundays when no one called and his anxieties about his health. Once he began living with his grandson and daughter-in-law, those entries gave way to accounts of family outings — movies, meals at restaurants and shared moments at home.

One diary line in particular resonated deeply with viewers: "With the kids around, it feels like people actually live here — not like when I was alone in this big house."

Lee Hyeon-seop was born in 1926 in Anju, South Pyongan Province, crossed the 38th parallel to come south, and served in the Korean War — a life that traced the full arc of modern Korean history. His final chapter, spent alongside his grandson Lee Jang-won and granddaughter-in-law Bae Da-hae, sharing everyday moments with family and reminiscing with fellow Korea Military Academy classmates, left a lasting impression on viewers.


betterj@heraldcorp.com