Squid Game star dies in hospital after cancer battle as tributes paid to actress

A Squid Game star has sadly died.

South Korean actress Lee Joo Sil, who recently appeared in the second series of the Netflix hit, has passed away at the age of 80. She played Park Mal Soon, mother of Hwang Jun Ho (Wi Ha Joon) and stepmother of Hwang In Ho (Lee Byung Hun) in the record-breaking show.

The veteran star died after a long battle with stomach cancer, her agency confirmed on Sunday (February 2). It's reported she died in hospital, where she had been receiving treatment, at 10:20am on Sunday morning.

The actress revealed last year that she had been fighting cancer for over 10 years. She told MBN's Special World she had initially been diagnosed with stage three breast cancer and was later told she was free of the disease.

However, sadly the cancer returned. A funeral is to take place at Shinchon Severance Hospital in South Korea with a service on February 5.

Tributes to the star have been paid on social media after news of her passing. One fan wrote: "RIP Lee Joo Sil". Another, celebrating another of her roles, said: "Actress Lee Joo Sil who played the role of Somun’s grandmother in The Uncanny Counter passes away today. Condolences [flowers emoji]. May she rest in peace [angel emoji]."

Lee's Squid Game character was known for her kindhearted nature. As a mother she often blamed herself for the strained relationship she had with her children.

The actress started her career back in 1964 and gained recognition as a voice actress as well as a performer. She is best known for her roles in the Korean TV series The Uncanny Counter and in the South Korean horror film Train to Busan.

Squid Games's second series has raked in over 126.2 million views since its release on December 26, smashing the record for the most views by a Netflix series in such a timeframe. A third season has now been confirmed by the streaming platform.