The first-generation fashion model Lee Hee-jae, who dominated the 1970s and 1990s, has passed away after battling bile duct cancer. She was 73 years old.
Lee Hee-jae made her modeling debut in 1971, winning first place in the 'Cotton Miss' contest organized by the Taihan Textile Association. She gained international attention when she finished third at the 1979 Los Angeles International Model Contest. She is regarded as a pioneer who popularized the profession of 'model' alongside Ruby Na and Kim Dong-soo.
A native of Seoul, the deceased graduated from Jungguang High School and the Department of Fashion Design at Konkuk University. In 1983, she founded Model Line Academy and dedicated herself to training the next generation. From 1990 to 2002, she served as the director of Charming School 'WHY NOT' and also hosted radio and TV programs such as MBC's 'Now is Family Time,' 'Live Morning,' and 'Beautiful Women.'
Her book published in 1993, 'Beautiful Women: Lee Hee-jae Charming School,' became a bestseller and sparked the so-called 'Lee Hee-jae Diet' syndrome. Subsequently, she served as a professor at Dongduk Women’s University and Pyeongtaek University of Technology, and from 2002, she shifted to painting, holding her first solo exhibition in 2010, and a showcase in Beijing, China, in 2015, continuing her life as an artist.
The deceased never married and was diagnosed with bile duct cancer in January 2022. After undergoing surgery, she continued to battle the disease due to a recurrence, passing away at 8:06 p.m. on the 9th.
Model Park Young-sun said on the 10th, "I hope you shine brightly in the heavens," while remembering the deceased.
The funeral service will be held in Room 6 at Seoul National University Hospital, with the burial scheduled for 8 a.m. on the 12th.
[Photo] 'Beautiful Woman' book cover, Park Young-sun's SNS
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