Lee Jung-Jae 이정재 [Movie “Hunt” | Upcoming: Star Wars series “The Acolyte” (Disney+)]

[Helena]

https://metro.co.uk/2022/11/09/squid-games-lee-jung-jae-ready-to-strike-fear-into-the-hearts-of-people-17725365/
Squid Game’s Lee Jung-jae wants ‘to strike fear into the hearts of people’ with new project and if it’s anything like his previous role…

By Narjas Theodora | Wednesday 9 Nov 2022 11:37 am

Squid Game star Lee Jung-jae’s upcoming projects have a purpose – to freak us out (Picture: Borja B. Hojas/Getty Images)

Lee Jung-jae is a name that’s become synonymous with a global phenomenon after starring in Squid Game.

A show unlike any we’ve seen in recent Netflix history, Squid Game cuts across genre and language to bring something universal to viewers about power, and those who must suffer in order for others to keep it.

The interrogation of power is a theme that Lee Jung-jae is increasingly wedded to.

The 49-year-old South Korean actor, who was in London at the London East Asian Film Festival, is all about contradictions.

In Hunt, he plays the lead character, a Korean secret service agent, KCIA officer Park Pyong-ho. The character is both good, and bad, and neither.

In Squid Game, too, he plays an everyman, downtrodden and beaten by the hands of capitalism, and whose innocent demeanour is slowly scraped away as he becomes entangled in a game of life and death.

 

Spoiler

Lee led the thriller Netflix series (Picture: AP)

We know why we flocked to the series, but to the lead star of the show, what is it about Squid Game that viewers found so captivating?

‘I was really surprised,’ he tells Metro.co.uk, referring to the global success of the show. ‘Squid Game is hands-down the most watched programme in Korea as well! No matter where I go, people recognise me because of Squid Game, and they talk about enjoying it.

‘They really understood the message we were trying to give through Squid Game. I’m really grateful.’

 

With his star continuing to rise, Lee recently made history after he was awarded an Emmy for his outstanding performance on Squid Game, and LucasFilm earlier this week unveiled that the star has landed the lead role in the Disney Plus Star Wars series, The Acolyte.

Information about the upcoming thriller is kept tightly under wraps, but given Lee’s propensity for choosing conflicted characters, his performance on the show is sure to be a riveting watch.

 

Spoiler

The actor took home an Emmy earlier this year (Picture: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Lee stars and directs Hunt (Picture: Altitude.Film)

When asked about the future, Lee revealed that he was still acting – and writing, with the wealth gap, along with the world our children will inherit, both deeply informing his creative works.

‘I’m still working on the script so I’m not sure where it’s going to end up,’ he explains of an upcoming project. ‘I think that it will have something to do with how the reality we are living in and experiencing is changing at a very fast and very alarming rate.

‘For example, the environmental issues that we are experiencing? I think they are going to advance at a much faster pace than we anticipated, and also in a much worse direction than we are expecting.

‘I’m thinking about people who have so much wealth, and their pursuit of health using that immense wealth, and also how huge the gap is becoming between them and the Average Joe.

‘This kind of [unequal] future is not far off. It’s totally realistic. I want viewers think, “Oh my god, we can’t keep living like this”. And I want it to strike fear into the hearts of people.’

Hunt is in cinemas and available on Altitude.Film in the UK now. Squid Game is available to stream on Netflix.

[Helena]

On 11/7/2022 at 8:27 AM, Helena said:

https://www.joynews24.com/view/1533164
‘2022 POWER PEOPLE’

[Joy News 24 Reporter Lee Mi-young] In celebration of the 18th anniversary of Joy News 24, a survey was conducted from September 19 to October 4 on dramas, movies, actors, singers, entertainment programs.  Two hundred industry insiders (including entertainment and broadcasting companies employees, film and broadcast content producers, and entertainment reporters) participated in the survey. 

From singers, entertainers, actors, and producers, we looked at '2022 Power People' who did their part in their fields.
1. Actor/director Lee Jung-jae (56 votes)

 

https://www.joynews24.com/view/1537508
[Founded 18 years] ParkHaeil, the best actor in Chungmuro... LeeJungjae · MaDongseok also shone

 

[2022 Entertainment Survey] ParkHaeil · LeeJungjae · MaDongseok, the absolute strongest in Chungmuro

 

[Joy News 24 Reporter Lee Mi-young] In celebration of the 18th anniversary of Joy News 24, a survey was conducted from September 19 to October 4 on dramas, movies, actors, singers, entertainment programs. Two hundred industry insiders (including entertainment and broadcasting companies employees, film and broadcast content producers, and entertainment reporters) participated in the survey.

 

This was the year in which the largest number of audiences visited the theaters in three years after the pandemic.  'The Roundup' attracted more than 12 million viewers and became the first 10-million film since the pandemic; 'Decision to Leave' and 'Broker' won awards at Cannes Film Festival.  Following 'The Roundup', 'Hansan: Rising Dragon' and 'Confidential Assignment 2' showed strong box office success; Lee Jung-jae's directorial debut, 'Hunt,' also received good reviews and results, and is expected to take more steps in the future. Star directors and 'trustworthy actors' were also very active.  And at the center of it is Park Hae-il.

 

Chungmuro Best Actor
1. Park Hae-il (72 votes)
2. Lee Jung-jae (50 votes)
3. Ma Dong-seok (29 votes)
4. Son Suk-ku (20 votes)
5. Song Kang-ho (7 votes)
6. Youn Yuh-jung, Jung Woo-sung, Hyun Bin, Lee Byung-hun (5 votes)
Others mentioned: Yoo Hae-jin, Tang Wei, Jo Woo-jin, Lee Kwang-soo, Joo-won, Park Ji-hwan, Kim Woo-bin, Ha Jung-woo, Kang Dong-won, Byun Yo-han, Seol Kyung-gu, Ahn Sung-ki, and Im Yoon-ah

 

 

Spoiler

 

https://www.joynews24.com/view/1530306
[Founded 18 years] 'Decision to Leave' the best movie...'The Roundup' 2nd place
1. Decision to Leave (48 votes)
2. The Roundup (42 votes)
3. Top Gun: Maverick (40 votes)
4. HUNT (17 votes)
Others mentioned: 'Hansan: Rising Dragon', 'Confidential Assignment 2', 'Broker', 'House of Gucci', 'Kingmaker', '6/45', 'Sing 2', 'Semantic Error', ' Doctor Strange', 'After Yang', 'Emergency Declaration', 'The Witch: Part 2. The Other One’

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

[Helena]

Launch of Bang & Olufsen: Beosound Theatre Soundbar in Korea

 

[ bangolufsenkorea ] [THE SOUND BAR IN SEOUL X LEE JUNGJAE]

 

—

https://sports.donga.com/news/article/all/20221110/116408750/2

[The 7th DongA.com’s PICK] LeeJungjae · Jung Woosung, ‘two suns under the sky’ award

 

 

[Helena]

 

https://www.joynews24.com/view/1539298
[Founded 18 Years] LeeJungjae x JungWoosung, Best Chemistry…'Cheongdam Couple'

[2022 Entertainment Survey] ParkHaeil · TangWei → MaDongseok · SonSukku, fantastic chemistry

 

[Joy News 24 Reporter Lee Mi-young] In celebration of the 18th anniversary of Joy News 24, a survey was conducted from September 19 to October 4 on dramas, movies, actors, singers, entertainment programs. Two hundred industry insiders (including entertainment and broadcasting companies employees, film and broadcast content producers, and entertainment reporters) participated in the survey.

 

Best Chemistry in Film
1. Lee Jung-jae x Jung Woo-sung (68 votes)
2. Park Hae-il x Tang Wei (37 votes)
3. Ma Dong-seok x Son Suk-ku (18 votes)
4. Ma Dong-seok x Park Ji-hwan (14 votes) 
5. Ma Dong-seok x Choi Gwi-hwa (9 votes)
Others: 'Confidential Assignment 2' Hyun Bin x Yoo Hae-jin, Daniel Henney, Im Yoon-ah, Jin Seon-kyu
‘6/45’ Go Kyung-pyo x Lee Yi-kyung (5 votes)
'Semantic Error' Park Seo-ham x Park Jae-chan (4 votes) 
'Hansan: Rising Dragon' Park Hae-il x turtle ship (4 votes) 
‘Alienoid' Jo Woo-jin x Yum Jung-ah (4 votes)
'Kingmaker' Seol Kyung-gu x Lee Sun-kyun (4 votes)
'Honest Candidate 2' Ra Mi-ran x Kim Moo-yeol, 'Alienoid' Ryu Jun-yeol x Kim Tae-ri, 'Alienoid' Kim Woo-bin x Choi Yu-ri, ‘6/45’ Go Kyung-pyo x Park Se-wan, 'Broker' Song Kang-ho x Kang Dong-won, 'Hansan: Rising Dragon' Park Hae-il x Son Hyun-joo

 

#1/ 'Cheongdam couple' shone with 'Hunt'

Spoiler

#2/ ‘Decision to Leave’

 

#3/ ‘The Roundup’

 

[Helena]

On 11/4/2022 at 3:54 AM, Helena said:

[[The Honourees by British GQ magazine will be presented with their awards at the prestigious GQ Men of the Year ceremony in London on November 16.]]]

 

GBR: GQ Men Of The Year Awards In Association With BOSS - VIP Arrivals

Photos->gettyimages (1) | gettyimages (2)

 

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 16: Lee Jung-jae attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards in association with BOSS at The Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park on November 16, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images)

Spoiler

 

GBR: GQ Men Of The Year Awards In Association With BOSS - Drinks Reception

Photos->gettyimages (1)

 

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 16: Lee Jung-jae attends the GQ Men Of The Year Awards in association with BOSS drinks reception at The Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park on November 16, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images)

Spoiler

 

 

[Helena]

On 10/23/2022 at 11:16 PM, Helena said:

42nd Korean Association of Film Critics Awards | 제42회 영평상 [Winners]

Korean Film Critics Association (http://www.fca.kr) announced the winners on the 24th.

Award ceremony will be held on November 23rd at 5 pm.

…

△ Leading Actor Award 남우주연상: Jung Woo-sung 정우성 ('HUNT | 헌트')
△ Supporting Actress Award 여우조연상: Jeon Hye-jin 전혜진 ('HUNT | 헌트')
△ New Director Award 신인감독상: Lee Jung-jae 이정재 (‘HUNT | 헌트’)

 

Full Ceremony: https://youtu.be/UiwXw5OiKgU

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

——

https://anthemmagazine.com/without-borders-lee-jung-jae/
WITHOUT BORDERS: LEE JUNG-JAE

The global superstar on Squid Game season two, his directorial debut, and his next leading role in Star Wars: The Acolyte.

Text: Kee Chang | Images: Hong Jang-hyun || 21 November, 2022

 

 

We’ve all seen it. There was a simple—if unspoken—rule at the center of Squid Game: You are on your own. The bastardized children’s games that pitted one despairing debtor against another, so that they might turn their untenable life circumstances around, compelled each contestant to think only of themselves. Where metaphors for late-stage capitalism and individualism are concerned, it was as bloody and unsparing as it gets. On the subject of life lessons, however, Squid Game also embodies what its lead star cherishes most about his craft, and that has to do with collaboration.

With three decades’ worth of acting credits to his name in South Korea—first as a 90s heartthrob—Lee remains one of the country’s most recognizable and bankable faces. And it is with his historic Best Actor Emmy win for the aforementioned survival drama this year that the newly minted global superstar makes his directorial debut with Hunt. It is a lavishly produced, labyrinthine, spy-game potboiler, which world premiered in the Midnight section at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. At 50, Lee is scraping new career heights, and he’s moving beyond his borders to find them.

Set against a turbulent 80s South Korea under the rule of an authoritarian government, Hunt embraces both factual historical events and its own work of fiction, giving the actor-turned-director ample license to hatch all kinds of wild conspiracies. The film’s high-octane prologue sets up its key adversaries in two intelligence chiefs, Park Pyong-ho (Lee) and Kim Jung-do (Jung Woo-sung), who are tasked with sniffing out a North Korean mole in their ranks inside the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA) following an assassination attempt on the South Korean president. The two agents have their own scores to settle as well, naturally, given that the former was violently interrogated by the latter years prior, which left Park with permanent nerve damage. Before long, they are suspecting each other as double-crosses become triple-crosses. But at least they share a common goal: finding the mole. They will burn down the entire KCIA if they have to.

So what’s next for Lee? Leading roles on Star Wars: The Acolyte and Squid Game season two.

Hunt hits select theaters and VOD on December 2nd.

[Editor’s Note: This interview was conducted in both Korean and English with an interpreter.]

Firstly, I wanted to tell you that, as a Korean national, I’m extremely proud of what you’ve accomplished—not only with Squid Game but in your three decades of creativity. It’s just, now, you’ve moved the needle for representation on a global stage like we’ve never seen.

Thank you, thank you.

How do you possibly come to grips with a cultural phenomenon of this magnitude?

I certainly didn’t expect the great success of Squid Game. Similarly, I never would’ve imagined myself directing. On top of that, having Hunt get invited to many festivals around the world, and even getting theatrical releases in those places—I could never have imagined it happening to me.

Hunt is wildly ambitious in scope, especially for a directorial debut. Looking back, what were your biggest challenges? And was directing at all like what you had anticipated?

Initially, when I had my first discussions about whether I should direct this film with other directors and executives, many people actually told me that this project comes with many difficult elements. They said it would be very difficult to make it successful, and that I shouldn’t go for it. As for the script, I actually explored different themes in my revisions than what I had initially in the first draft because I realized there are themes that need to be told to the audience. That’s why I decided to work on the script myself. And based on these newly discovered themes, that’s when producers and investors and cast members came onboard for the ride. So what was initially an impossible project developed into something that, with everybody’s help, we could somehow manage—difficult scenes and other concepts in the film. Regarding what was difficult about directing, I would have to say every scene and every part of the film, really. [laughs]

Do you think directing gave you new insights into acting that you weren’t privy to before?

Well, I think I’m always learning new things as an actor with every new project that I come on board with. But for this one, I really realized the importance of the script. Because if the cast and the crew can know that the situation within the script could actually happen, the dialogue that arises from it is much more meaningful. It’s naturally coming out of the given situation. Then it’s so much easier for every cast and crew member to work with that script. So I think it really reminded me of the importance of the script. In Korea, when you’re working on a new film, all the crew and cast members have many conversations before jumping into production. So I’m just hoping that we can continue to have that time to work together before we work together on set.

On the subject of collaboration, Hunt reunites you with your longtime friend, Jung Woo-sung, 23 years after appearing in City of the Rising Sun together. That’s something special.

Yes. As many people know, we have been friends for a long time. We also run a production company together. As for Hunt, it’s a film that portrays a darker time in Korea from the 80s, and because we’re of the same age, all our memories and expressions of that time—all of those aligned. On top of that, we share in the hope that what we witnessed in the 80s won’t happen again today. So it was very easy to work together with him. 

Squid Game clearly opened a lot of doors. But it’s like, where do you throw the anchor?

[laughs] After Squid Game, which a lot of people all over the world have seen, I think many people got to know me, the actor, Lee Jung-jae, for the first time. So many projects were offered to me from abroad. But I think what’s important is that I select the projects that I know I can do well in. So right now, I’m working on Star Wars. That’s where all my focus is headed towards. And right after Star Wars, we’ll have to jump right into season two of Squid Game and that’s where all my focus will go to next. So I have a lot to focus on in the future.

How do you manage sky-high expectations, and delivering on such high-profile projects?

Yes, there’s a lot of pressure. I think the only way to go through it is with a lot of practice. I don’t know how my days are going these days because I’m so busy preparing for my next projects. The thing with work is, when you’re busy, you tend to be really busy. But there’s also time when you can really rest. So all I’m doing right now is trying my best to do my work when I’m busy. When there’s time to rest, I can take that personal time to think about what projects I want to pursue next. I’m hoping that my time of rest can come soon.

 

——

https://www.awardsdaily.com/2022/11/21/lee-jung-jae-interview/
Lee Jung-jae On the History Behind the Astonishing Action of His Directorial Debut, ‘Hunt’

by Joey Moser | November 21, 2022

 

(Photo: Magnolia)

Lee Jung-jae’s pulse-pounding thriller, Hunt, twists and turns so much that it will give you whiplash, and it’s an astonishing directorial debut. This film is quite literally packed from end to end with terrifying action sequences, but we shouldn’t forget that Lee’s debut is also a spy thriller with a deeply emotional historical center.

Set in the early 1980’s, Hunt centers on the cat-and-mouse game between two KCIA agents–Lee’s Park Pyong-ho and Jung Woo-sung’s Kim Jung-do. Intel informs them that a North Korean shadow is intent on assassinating the South Korean president, and both men immediately suspect each other. It’s a simple plot complicated with themes of deceit and ambition but also glued together by awe-inspiring action.

For many audiences, this point of Korea’s history might be new, and I certainly found myself diving into as much research as I could after I finished the film. A well-drawn actioner is strengthened by characters with a lot at stake, and Lee packs as much of an emotional wallop as he does with gunfights or car chases. Could Hunt succeed just with its tapestry of action? Yes, but Lee wanted to give a voice to the people of Korea.

“Korean history is really the people’s history. The development that Korea was able to go through was wholly the efforts of the citizens–the everyday people. Over a short time, Korea was able to progress very rapidly. The bigger theme of the film is the belief that we hold onto so dearly and are those beliefs based on real information. It’s not just Korea. There are issues in the United States and other countries surrounding fake news and misinformation–we are all experiencing that simultaneously. It’s a theme that I wanted to explore with the audience.”

Pyong-ho has an almost fatherly relationship with Jo Yoo-jeung despite him telling her that he is not a parent. He looks out for her, but he is surprised when he realizes that this young woman is the future of his country, and he could learn something from her optimism and resilience. Every time they interact with one another, it anchors the film, and it shows that Lee has a knack for a gentler dynamic as well as those sprawling fight sequences.

“These two characters’ relationship comes down to their beliefs, and they were both trained in North Korean society and instigated by this propaganda of North Korea. When they leave there, they realize there has been problems with that education. In that scene in the street stall where they are talking, she asks how long he has been working with the intelligence agency, and he says, “Thirteen years.” And when she asks how long he has been in South Korea, he says the same thing. It’s when she questions him and tells him that the world is changing. He is still living under those North Korean rules, but everything changed for Jo Yoo-jeung when she arrived in that country. Pyong-ho takes that very deeply, and, by the end of the film, there is that hope that you can live your lift differently. That’s why he gives her a new passport. Their relationship is truly the main theme of the entire film–you can have these different approaches to get yourself to the same result.”

Before the final showdown, Kim Jung-do turns to Lee’s Pyong-ho and says, “How long can you fight violence with violence? You think the world will change by removing one dictator.” That line could be placed in any other country at another time period and feel relevant. It’s a universal piece of dialogue that Lee almost didn’t put into his final script.

“I feel like this piece of dialogue is really two sides of the same coin. I put it in the script, but then I took it out. Put it back in and took it out. By no means, I don’t want it to be an absolute statement, but it’s more implying that even if our generation isn’t able to get rid of a dictator, there is a better future in which the generations after us will fight dictatorship. I want to believe there is always a way out of that and to give hope to the audience. There isn’t one absolute solution.”

Hunt debuts in theaters on December 2.

[Helena]

 

The 43rd Blue Dragon Film Awards 제43회 청룡영화상 [Winners]
 
November 25, 2022

 

Red Carpet: https://youtu.be/iW7-7ol-LDQ
Full ceremony: https://youtu.be/HPC2SpAX7Js

 

Best Picture Award 최우수작품상:


'Broker | 브로커'


'Kingmaker | 킹메이커'


'Hansan: Rising Dragon | 한산: 용의 출현'


'HUNT | 헌트'


'Decision to Leave | 헤어질 결심'



Director Award 감독상:


Kore-eda Hirokazu 고레에다 히로카즈 (‘Broker | 브로커')
Kim Han-min 김한민 ('Hansan: Rising Dragon | 한산: 용의 출현')
Park Chan-wook 박찬욱 ('Decision to Leave | 헤어질 결심')


Byun Sung-hyun 변성현 ('Kingmaker | 킹메이커')
Han Jae-rim 한재림 ('Emergency Declaration | 비상선언’)

 


New Director Award 신인감독상:


Park Ri-woong 박이웅 ('The Girl on a Bulldozer | 불도저에 탄 소녀')


Lee Sang-yong 이상용 ('The Roundup | 범죄도시2')


Lee Jung-jae 이정재 (‘HUNT | 헌트’)

Jung Ji-yeon 정지연 (‘Anchor | 앵커’)
Jo Eun-ji 조은지 ('Perhaps Love | 장르만 로맨스')

 


Leading Actor Award 남우주연상:


Park Hae-il 박해일 ('Decision to Leave | 헤어질 결심')

Seol Kyung-gu 설경구 ('Kingmaker | 킹메이커')


Song Kang-ho 송강호 ('Broker | 브로커')
Lee Byung-hun 이병헌 ('Emergency Declaration | 비상선언')


Jung Woo-sung 정우성 ('HUNT | 헌트')



 

Leading Actress Award 여우주연상:


Park So-dam 박소담 ('Special Cargo | 특송')


Yum Jung-ah 염정아 ('Life is Beautiful | 인생은 아름다워')


Im Yoon-ah 임윤아 ('Confidential Assignment 2 | 공조2')


Chun Woo-hee 천우희 ('Anchor | 앵커')


Tang Wei 탕웨이 ('Decision to Leave | 헤어질 결심')

 
Supporting Actor Award 남우조연상:


Go Kyung-pyo 고경표 ('Decision to Leave | 헤어질 결심')


Daniel Henney 다니엘 헤니 ('Confidential Assignment 2 | 공조2')


Park Ji-hwan 박지환 ('The Roundup | 범죄도시2')


Byun Yo-han 변요한 ('Hansan: Rising Dragon | 한산: 용의 출현')


Im Si-wan 임시완 ('Emergency Declaration | 비상선언')

 

Supporting Actress Award 여우조연상:


Kim So-jin 김소진 ('Emergency Declaration | 비상선언')


Seo Eun-soo 서은수 (‘The Witch: Part 2. The Other One | 마녀 파트2’)


Oh Na-ra 오나라 ('Perhaps Love | 장르만 로맨스')


Lee Jung-hyun 이정현 ('Decision to Leave | 헤어질 결심')
Jeon Hye-jin 전혜진 ('HUNT | 헌트')

New Actor Award 신인남우상:


Kim Dong-hwi 김동휘 ('In Our Prime | 이상한 나라의 수학자')

Mu Jin-sung 무진성 ('Perhaps Love | 장르만 로맨스')


Seo In-guk 서인국 (‘Project Wolf Hunting | 늑대사냥’)


Ong Seong-wu 옹성우 (‘Life is Beautiful | 인생은 아름다워’)


Lee Seo-jun 이서준 ('Hansan: Rising Dragon | 한산: 용의 출현')

 

New Actress Award 신인여우상:


Go Youn-jung 고윤정 (‘HUNT | 헌트’)


Kim Shin-young 김신영 ('Decision to Leave | 헤어질 결심')


Kim Hye-yoon 김혜윤 ('The Girl on a Bulldozer | 불도저에 탄 소녀')

Shin Si-ah 신시아 (‘The Witch: Part 2. The Other One | 마녀 파트2’)


Lee Ji-eun 아이유 ('Broker | 브로커')

 


Cinematography and Lighting Award 촬영조명상:


‘Broker | 브로커’


'Kingmaker | 킹메이커'

'Hansan: Rising Dragon | 한산: 용의 출현'


'HUNT | 헌트'


'Decision to Leave | 헤어질 결심'
 


Screenplay Award 각본상:


‘Broker | 브로커’


'Kingmaker | 킹메이커'


'Hansan: Rising Dragon | 한산: 용의 출현'
'HUNT | 헌트'


'Decision to Leave | 헤어질 결심'

 
Music Award 음악상:


‘Broker | 브로커’


'Life is Beautiful | 인생은 아름다워'


'Hansan: Rising Dragon | 한산: 용의 출현'


'HUNT | 헌트'


'Decision to Leave | 헤어질 결심'

 

Art Direction Award 미술상:


'Life is Beautiful | 인생은 아름다워'


'Kingmaker | 킹메이커'


'Hansan: Rising Dragon | 한산: 용의 출현'


'HUNT | 헌트'


'Decision to Leave | 헤어질 결심'
 

Editing Award 편집상:


'The Roundup | 범죄도시2'

'Kingmaker | 킹메이커'


'Hansan: Rising Dragon | 한산: 용의 출현'


'HUNT | 헌트'


'Decision to Leave | 헤어질 결심'

 


Technical Award 기술상:


'The Roundup | 범죄도시2' - Martial Arts


'Emergency Declaration | 비상선언' - VFX


'Alienoid | 외계+인 1부' - VFX


'Hansan: Rising Dragon | 한산: 용의 출현' - VFX


'Decision to Leave | 헤어질 결심' - Costume Design

 

Most Audience Award 최다관객상:
1. 'The Roundup | 범죄도시2'
2. 'Hansan: Rising Dragon | 한산: 용의 출현'
3. 'Confidential Assignment 2 | 공조2'
4. 'HUNT | 헌트'
5. ‘The Witch: Part 2. The Other One | 마녀 파트2’)

Popular Star Award 인기스타상:
Go Kyung-pyo 고경표, Lee Ji-eun 아이유, Daniel Henney 다니엘 헤니, Im Yoon-ah 임윤아

 

 

New Director Award

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

—

http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20221127000071
‘Decision to Leave’ wins 6 awards at Blue Dragon Film Awards, including best film

Actor Lee Jung-jae wins best new director for his directorial debut 'Hunt'

By Hwang Dong-hee (hwangdh@heraldcorp.com) | Nov 27, 2022

Filmmaker Park Chan-wook’s Cannes-winning romance-thriller “Decision to Leave” swept major categories at this year’s Blue Dragon Film Awards, one of the most prestigious film events here.

The film, nominated in 12 categories, took six trophies including best film, best director, best actor and best actress awards during the 43rd edition of the ceremony held at KBS Hall in Seoul, on Friday night.

The film revolves around a detective, played by Park Hae-il, who investigates a murder case where he suspects a mysterious widow, played by Tang Wei.

 

Director Park clinched best director for the film at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The film has been selected as the country's entry for best international feature film for the 95th Academy Awards to be held next March.

“One good thing about being a director is that you have many opportunities to meet talented people in different fields,” Park said in his acceptance speech delivered by actor-comedian Kim Shin-young, who received the award on Park's behalf.

Park was unable to attend the ceremony as he is filming abroad. Kim starred in the film as a detective.

This marks Park’s third time winning the best director award at the Blue Dragon Film Awards, following “Joint Security Area” (2000) and “Oldboy” (2003).

 

Spoiler

Director Park Chan-wook (center), actor Park Hae-il (left) and Tang Wei are seen on the set for “Decision to Leave.” (CJ ENM)

Actor Park Hae-il was named best actor while Tang Wei nabbed best actress for their roles in the Cannes-winning film. 

“I would like to share this joy with Tang Wei, who perfectly portrayed the role of Seo-rae. She made Hae-jun unable to get out of the beach forever,” said Park after expressing gratitude to director Park and screenwriter Jeong Seo-kyung.

Tang, speaking briefly in Korean before switching to English and Chinese, said, “Actors wait for that one good script and one character for months, years and even decades. I am very lucky to have met this character, Seo-rae."

Meanwhile, the best supporting actor and actress awards went to Byun Yo-han for “Hansan: Rising Dragon” and Oh Na-ra for “Perhaps Love.”

Kim Dong-hwi of the film “In Our Prime” and Kim Hye-yoon of “The Girl on a Bulldozer” were named best new actor and actress, respectively.

 

Actors Lee Jung-jae (left) and Jung Woo-sung star in Lee's directorial debut “Hunt.” (Megabox Plus M)

The best new director award went to actor Lee Jung-jae for his directorial debut “Hunt,” which also grabbed two other awards -- best editing and best cinematography and lighting.

The Emmy-winning star of "Squid Game" was absent from the ceremony due to a scheduling conflict. Actor Jung Woo-sung who starred in the film accepted the award on Lee's behalf.

“'Hunt' was a meaningful film for me. And it was more meaningful to meet the audience during stage greetings. Thank you everyone who loved the film,” Lee said over the phone from the UK.

[Helena]

https://nofilmschool.com/lee-jung-jae-tells-nfs-what-he-learned-directing-his-first-film
Lee Jung-jae Tells NFS What He Learned Directing His First Film

By Jo Light | November 28, 2022

Lee Jung Jae, director of 'HUNT,' a Magnet release.CREDIT: Photo courtesy of Magnet Releasing

How do you take on a period spy story and huge action set pieces as a first-time director?

After sweeping the world into Netflix's hit series Squid Game, actor Lee Jung-jae decided to undertake a new challenge—directing his first feature film. A 30-year veteran of acting and one of South Korea's biggest stars, Lee used everything he's learned in front of the camera to take audiences on a two-hour espionage thriller in Hunt, which premiered at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival.

The film follows KCIA Foreign Unit chief Park Pyong-ho (Lee) and Domestic Unit chief Kim Jung-do (Jung Woo-sung), rival agents tasked with finding a mole in their midst before the South Korean president is assassinated. It's a complex tale of double-crosses and pulse-pounding shootouts, truly stunning for a debut feature from a first-time director.

And Lee was hands-on at every level of the production, from the screenplay to cinematography to the edit to the color correction to the accuracy of the subtitles, soaking up knowledge every step of the way. He rewrote the script, prepped the film for four years, and is credited as a co-producer.

Director Lee spoke with No Film School via Zoom (and interpreter) to tell us about the biggest lessons from the film. Go undercover with us below.

 

Spoiler

 

Editor's note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

No Film School: How did your experience as an actor help you in this directorial debut?

Lee Jung-Jae: What I really enjoyed about having to direct this time is that I got to experience every process of filmmaking firsthand. As an actor, you don't get to experience the pre-production or the post-production process. But directing and producing this film, I actually got to have a firsthand experience of all of those. The processes of pre-production, what to prepare, and how much to prepare of them, looking at the sources we found, we received from principal photography and how much to keep in post-production. Watching all of that and overseeing it has been a very educational experience for me.

"That spirit of collaboration is really what's important in filmmaking."

NFS: I know that you also rewrote the script yourself with a focus on the characters. What's important to you when you're writing strong characters?

Director Lee: I've worked a very long time as an actor, so naturally I've had experience with many different scripts before. I found that my performance becomes more natural and livelier if the situation is explained well and if the dialogue between the characters within that situation, it makes more sense. For me, while I was writing the script, first of all, I made sure that the crew could have a good understanding of how to portray this particular scene and this situation. Second of all, to help actors concentrate into the character and put their best into the character as well, I made sure that the dialogue is more realistic and that the emotion naturally seeps out of the dialogue.

Especially for Hunt, since this is more of a suspense/spy film, if there is anything in the script that only the director can understand, then it's risky for the entire production. I made sure that every crew member and every cast member could understand everything perfectly just as I did.

Lee Jung Jae and Jung Woo Sung in 'HUNT,' a Magnet release. CREDIT: Photo courtesy of Magnet Releasing

NFS: The action sequences are very impressive. That finale is mind-blowing. How did you take on these complicated action sequences as far as planning and making sure your vision was realized?

Director Lee: I believed that the traditional espionage genre might feel a little boring for a wider range of audiences, so I purposefully placed different action sequences throughout the film to keep the film entertaining.

As for the first action sequence, it had to be both impactful but also introduce the relationship between the two characters. For the final action sequence, it of course had to have that large action element, but I really need to drive that emotional arc between the character's home.

We worked on the first action sequence and the final sequence first, and then we worked on the other action sequences in between to make sure that the action does not feel repetitive and it's enjoyable for the audience.

NFS: Well, I think that you were successful because the action is incredible throughout.

Director Lee: Thank you so much.

Lee Jung Jae and Jung Woo Sung in 'HUNT,' a Magnet release. CREDIT: Photo courtesy of Magnet Releasing

NFS: The film also looks beautiful visually. How did you develop the film's visual language?

Director Lee: From the beginning of production, I've been very particular about color. We've had extensive conversations with my DP, trying to decide that particular shade of white that I wanted or to focus on the skin tone that I was rooting for. We also wanted to make sure that the color palette represents the particular time periods that this film is portraying.

But despite all these extensive conversations, I still took part in every process of the color correction process as well, deciding on the details of the color and the depth and the exposure level of lighting as well.

For background and for lighting, the main purpose was for it to bring out the character more. Anything visual in terms of the color, visual elements, PD [production design], all of that were to first bring out the actor's emotions even more and second to immerse the audience into the situation better.

 

Spoiler

Lee Jung Jae in 'HUNT,' a Magnet release. CREDIT: Photo courtesy of Magnet Releasing

NFS: Is there one big lesson that you're going to take away from the film?

Director Lee: I think the biggest takeaway is the importance of conversations, to hear everybody's ideas and to reflect their ideas onto the project.

In short, that spirit of collaboration is really what's important in filmmaking. You need to make sure that all the crew members are working on the same page and that it's more important to listen to their ideas first and to hear them properly before you digress onto your ideas.

NFS: Is there anything that you wanted to mention I didn't ask?

Director Lee: I hope a lot of audiences get to enjoy the film.

Magnet Releasing will release 'HUNT' in theaters and VOD Dec. 2, 2022.

[Helena]

https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20221130005000315
Korean actor Lee Jung-jae says 'happy' to be Disney family with Star Wars series

By Kim Eun-jung (ejkim@yna.co.kr) | November 30, 2022

 

This image provided by The Walt Disney Co. shows the logo of the new Star Wars series "The Acolyte." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SINGAPORE, Nov. 30 (Yonhap) -- Korean actor Lee Jung-jae said Wednesday he is happy to become part of the Disney family with his new role in the upcoming Star Wars series "The Acolyte," which will be streamed on Disney+.

The star of Netflix series "Squid Game" has been cast for new Star Wars series directed by Leslye Headland, along with Amandla Stenberg and Dafne Keen.

Lee shared the news of his joining the highly anticipated series by Lucasfilm during a press and partner event, called Disney Content Showcase, held at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

"I star in Lucasfilm's original series 'The Acolyte,' I am happy to become a member of Disney family," Lee said in a video message. "I want you to look forward to 'The Acolyte.'"

The major studio under Disney said the new series will focus on the emergence of dark side powers in the final days of the High Republic Era.

It has begun production in Britain, with its release schedule not yet confirmed. 
 

▲ Luke Kang, president of The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific, introduces new movies and series during the Disney Content Showcase held at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore on Nov. 30, 2022, in this photo provided by Disney. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

▲ The Walt Disney Company introduces new movies and series during Disney Content Showcase held at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore on Nov. 30, 2022, in this photo provided by Disney. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 


(END)

[Sleepy Owl]

EVENT: Soompi Christmas Cheer Festival 

 

 

 

 

 

Chingus, let's have some fun while waiting for the Christmas! Solve the clues and claim the goodies! 

 

 

Your Event Organizers,

@Sleepy Owl @partyon @agenth @confusedheart

[Helena]

On 11/4/2022 at 3:54 AM, Helena said:

https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/men-of-the-year/article/gq-men-of-the-year-2022-honourees
The GQ Men of the Year Honourees: introducing GQ’s Class of 2022
Breakout stars, career-defining performances and sporting greatness are all to be found in our list of this year's MOTY honourees

 

https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/men-of-the-year/article/lee-jung-jae-interview-2022
MEN OF THE YEAR
Lee Jung-jae on Squid Game season 2 and being able to enjoy himself

A Cannes directorial debut, triumph at the Emmys, and a return to the darker side – all in a year’s work for South Korea’s standout star

By Iana Murray | 28 November 2022

 

Hong Janghyun

At the end of Squid Game – the behemoth dystopian fantasy that captivated seemingly the entire planet – Seong Gi-hun barely survived a string of infantile challenges gone deadly. Emerging with the game’s colossal cash prize, he reentered the world with crimson hair, as if a phoenix burst into flames. A radically changed man. But the series’ closing scenes suggested Gi-hun’s fiery transformation was only illusory; grasping tightly onto the business card that started it all, he set himself on the warpath for revenge. Let the games begin again.

The show’s second season is heading into production next year, but its star, Lee Jung-jae, has been just as in the dark as the rest of us about Gi-hun’s next move. That is, except for the spoilers creator Hwang Dong-hyuk has been drip-feeding to the press. Reticent to share anything else on the subject or character, Lee, with a knowing smile, only expresses his excitement to “perform the darker side of him.”

Whether Squid Game does take a turn for the serious, its candy-coloured, brutal first season will still stand the test of time not only as a cultural artefact of the pandemic, but as a frightening representation of South Korea’s debt crisis – an issue that could, as Squid Game theorises, drive the most desperate to risk their lives for survival. But as the show’s audience has proliferated through TikTok trends (#SquidGame has over 78 billion views) and attempts to recreate the games (including a future gameshow from Netflix), have we lost sight of its meaning? Lee is more optimistic.

“I feel like Squid Game isn’t solely meant to provide a social message to society,” he argues. “Ultimately, it’s meant to deliver dreams and hopes to the audience. Of course, it was a fun television show that helped us ask deep questions, but at the end of the day, it's also entertainment.”

Four days before the first anniversary of Squid Game, Lee walked onto the Emmy stage to accept the award for Best Actor. In beating the likes of Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong and Bob Odenkirk, Lee was writing history in real time, becoming the first Asian actor to win the prize. At that moment, though, he wasn’t so concerned with the significance of the trophy that rested in his hands. “I didn't want to focus on discussing that element of it any further,” he says of his era-defining win. “Rather than the past, I think it is more important that we focus on the now and today.”

 

IN BEATING THE LIKES OF BRIAN COX, JEREMY STRONG AND BOB ODENKIRK TO THE EMMY FOR BEST ACTOR, LEE WAS WRITING HISTORY IN REAL TIME

Nevertheless, it’s impossible to ignore Squid Game’s gratifying victory lap. Like the swaths of other underrated international programmes that Netflix releases, the series could’ve easily been relegated to the recesses of the homepage. But this was different. In its first four weeks, the show was watched by 142 million households, surpassing titans like Stranger Things and Bridgerton to become the streamer’s most-watched series. That’s a lot of eyeballs, but the actor prefers to express his gratitude for the “crazy amount of love” he’s received than to quantify the personal impact the biggest television show in the world has made. It’s true that not much has changed: already a beloved star in South Korea for over two decades, the only difference now is he’s approached by just as many fans outside of the country.

In the midst of Lee’s most dizzying year yet, he stopped by Cannes Film Festival to unveil Hunt, a spy thriller that marks his directorial debut. “I had no idea at that time that I would end up directing it, which is why I think it had to be some form of destiny working on my part,” he explains, noting that he was originally set to produce and star, but after reading a first draft of the script, he had loftier ambitions. Set during South Korea’s military dictatorship, the story’s detailed political background was intimidating for prospective filmmakers, and Lee envisioned shooting abroad with extravagant action sequences, ballooning the budget. After he completed his own rewrite of the screenplay, he came to one conclusion: “I realised it was supposed to be a Lee Jung-jae project.”

Korea’s cultural exports have long fascinated the globe, but Squid Game turned the K-wave into a tsunami. Lee has noticed a shift – now, filmmakers from all over the world are telling him that they want to shoot their next projects in Korea. This Squid Game effect has gifted the actor with a greater appreciation of his national cinema and all its multitudes. “The projects that I tend to be involved with are either very distinctly Korean in content, or have a theme that the global audience can relate to,” he says.

It’s as if Squid Game has ushered in a new era for the actor, one that includes venturing to another galaxy in The Acolyte, a Star Wars series that has just begun filming. When Lee was just a model-turned-burgeoning actor garnering adoration for hits like Sandglass and City of the Rising Sun, he was completely unprepared. “I think my performances didn’t feel sufficient enough because my understanding of the world wasn’t very deep,” Lee says. “I was very eager to do well, but I didn’t understand exactly how to do the work.” The accumulated years and experiences have provided clarity. “I know now that working hard is not the only important thing. You need to understand what you want to express and how you want to express it,” he adds, noting that revelling in the ever-changing energy of a film set drives him to improve.

“Now that I have at least a little more understanding of how I want to work, I've been able to enjoy myself,” a smiling Lee says, ready to embrace the oncoming, exhilarating chaos. This time, he feels more comfortable shifting gears into hyperdrive – and he wants to have fun doing it.

[Helena]

https://www.looper.com/1121199/lee-jung-jae-on-taking-the-directorial-turn-and-balancing-action-and-spycraft-in-hunt-exclusive-interview/
Lee Jung-Jae On Taking The Directorial Turn And Balancing Action And Spycraft In Hunt - Exclusive Interview

BY JEFF EWING | NOV. 30, 2022 10:43 AM EST

After his turn as Seong Gi-hun in the international phenom series "Squid Game," seasoned performer Lee Jung-Jae is anything but resting on his laurels. Now, he's taken a turn in the director's chair for the new spy thriller "Hunt," a tale of political machinations and investigations set in the tense environment of 1980s South Korea. Lee Jung-Jae also wears a number of hats in the production, both as a co-writer and as the film's star. 

"Hunt" takes place four years after a real-life political crisis. In 1979, South Korean dictator Park Chung-hee was assassinated by his intelligence agency's own chief, and a military coup installed a new and equally dangerous president. Four years later in the film's timeline, a failed assassination attempt triggers another political crisis in an increasingly tense situation of inter-agency turmoil and distrust. 

Lee Jung-Jae plays Korean Central Intelligence Agency Foreign Unit chief Park Pyong-ho, an experienced and respected agent who comes to suspect a North Korean mole is behind the attack. He and KCIA Domestic Unit chief Kim Jung-do (Jung Woo-Sung) have to get to the bottom of the treachery despite mutual distrust.

In an exclusive interview, we discussed the new feature film with multi-hyphenate filmmaker Lee Jung-Jae. We talked about the leap into his directorial debut, how he shaped its extensive twists and turns, and the process of planning and choreographing top-tier action sequences with choreographer Heo Myeong-Haeng ("Train to Busan"). We also gained a little insight into Season 2 of the continuously popular "Squid Game."

Taking a hands-on directorial approach in Hunt

I was so excited to see your directorial debut for "Hunt," which I know you've been working on for four or so years. Why take this leap into the director's chair?

When we first bought the rights to the first draft of the script, I had initially searched for the right directors and writers to further develop the project, but that didn't work out because I had specific directions regarding how I wanted the revisions to be executed. I couldn't find the right people who share[d] that same vision that I had, so I ultimately decided that I could try doing this myself. 

I changed the theme from the first draft, and based off this change in theme, I changed the situations and change[d] the characters to match the theme as well, which is why it took a while to develop this material. Having worked on the script for so long, the next thought that naturally occurred was, "There probably isn't anyone else who knows the script better than I do," so I decided to take that leap of faith and try directing it as well.

Pitting Pyong-ho and Jung-do against each other, balancing the third-act twist — "Hunt" has a complex narrative. From a writing perspective, I imagine that adds challenges to your process of writing the script. What was that process like, and how did you work through that complex story?

First of all, I wanted to be faithful to the espionage genre, which of course requires this intricately set up structure of the story, so I kind of saw it as playing a game with the audience using twists. The movie and the director and the audience are all in on this big game that we play through these twists of the story. I did extensive research beforehand and, based off of that, decided when the action sequence should come in, when the twists should come in, and when the twists in the character's personality should come in. All these placements of when that should happen were so important in order to make sure that the audience does not lose their focus on the film for even a minute.

Keeping a balance between action and spycraft

The action choreography is so great in the blue cab chase sequence. I know your stunt coordinator, Heo Myeong-Haeng, worked in "Train to Busan" and others as well. What was it like to work with him on this?

Once I began my conversations with the stunt coordinator, the first thing I mentioned [was] that I want[ed] the action sequences to be short, because if the action sequences are too long, then it's no longer an espionage movie; it'll be an action film. I wanted to be faithful to that espionage genre but still include those action sequences. 

So initially, when we were writing the script, the action lines actually explained all of these action sequences in a lot of detail. For instance, regarding the Tokyo hotel scene, the action lines described where the agents were standing, where the car was starting from, where it's going to stop. All of this was described in a lot of detail in the script, and this came from the fact that I've already worked on set as an actor for 30-plus years, so I had an idea of whether all of this would be possible or not in a single location. 

After that, I had conversations with my action coordinator regarding the scale, because the scale of the action would directly influence the budget, and that's a big deal. We discussed a lot of that, and another thing that we discussed [was the need] for the action sequences to look dangerous but to actually not pose any threat to the crew and cast on set. Those are the conversations that we had.

In a recent interview, you were quoted as finding the international resonance of "Squid Game" a little bittersweet. I wanted to chat a little about your thoughts on that and ask, what effect would you like to see Season 2 have on audiences that would make it a little less bittersweet?

I actually don't quite remember the "bitter" of the "bittersweet" comment. The theme that we wanted to convey was perfectly well conveyed, and a lot of the international audiences seem to have sympathized with the theme as well, so I would say it was a big success, so I didn't really have any bitter sentiments. For this [next] season, as well, we will put a lot of effort into making sure that the theme we want to convey is a theme that the audience can sympathize with.

What's next for Seong Gi-hun in Season 2? Do you think he'll ever have to play a game against the mysterious Frontman?

I think Director Hwang already mentioned in a few interviews that the character Seong Gi-hun will go on this journey of revenge on the makers of this game, and that might perhaps involve the Frontman.

"Hunt" will be released in theaters and on VOD on December 2, 2022.

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.

[Helena]

https://cinemadailyus.com/interviews/hunt-exclusive-interview-with-squid-game-actor-lee-jung-jae-on-his-directorial-debut-film/
Hunt : Exclusive Interview with “Squid Game” Actor Lee Jung-jae on his Directorial Debut Film

By Nobuhiro Hosoki | December 2, 2022

Synopsis : After a high-ranking North Korean official requests asylum, KCIA Foreign Unit chief Park Pyong-ho (LEE Jung Jae) and Domestic Unit chief Kim Jung-do (JUNG Woo Sung) are tasked with uncovering a North Korean spy, known as Donglim, who is deeply embedded within their agency. When the spy begins leaking top secret intel that could jeopardize national security, the two units are each assigned to investigate each other. In this tense situation where if they cannot find the mole, they may be accused themselves, Pyong-ho and Jung-do slowly start to uncover the truth. In the end, they must deal with an unthinkable plot to assassinate the South Korean president…

Genre: Drama, Action, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: Korean
Director: Lee Jung-jae
Producer: HanJae-duk, Lee Jung-Jae
Writer: Lee Jung-jae
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 2, 2022 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 2, 2022
Runtime: 2h 11m
Distributor: Magnet Releasing

Exclusive Interview Actor/Writer/Producer/Director Lee Jung-jae

Q: After the assassination of the real Korean president Park Chung-hee in 1979, people were hoping for political transition to democracy, that movement it’s called Seoul Spring, but quickly government shut those people down. I believe you were in elementary school when those things happened, but how did that memory lead you to make this film?

LJJ: Because I grew up near a university, I would often witness these protests that were happening during the military dictatorship.

Q: You and your co-star Jung Woo-sung worked together for the first time but you and Jung developed the entertainment company, Artist Company, in 2016. How has your collaboration blossomed over the years after you two started the company?

LJJ: My friendship with Jung began with filming “City of the Rising Sun” [dir. Sung-su Kim, 1998] and we have had a strong relationship since then. In thinking about how we could expand our relationship with other filmmakers we [thought of] this small production company. Since then, we have been working on diverse projects with many actors and filmmakers since then.

Q: There is much tension in this film. I heard that you tried not to talk to each other much on the set. But since you were directing the film, how did you manage to collaborate with each other on set?

LJJ: The most important part for me was for the actors and the entire crew to understand the script very well. So I would explain the story a lot to them, and differentiate between what actually happened in Korean history versus the hopeful fictionalization of certain elements in a cinematic way. We had a lot of discussions about how to raise tension in the film, as you mentioned, and I think when we were shooting, we were actually having a lot of fun.

Q: When you shot the action scenes, you really shot the action in Tokyo, Japan. Getting permission to shoot in Tokyo is very difficult, particularly gun battles. How do you manage to achieve such intense scenes?

LJJ: It’s impossible to shoot an action scene in Tokyo. Even in writing the script, we knew that we were going to be shooting on location in Busan, so that’s why we set the setting as a hotel. They come in through the front door, maneuvering through that alleyway and leave through the back door of this hotel. In trying to make it look as realistic to Tokyo as possible, we got about twenty cars that had to be all on the other side, and all these street signs that we had to paste over the signs in Busan to make it as realistic to Tokyo as possible. But it was definitely a difficult feat for the crew.
 

Spoiler

Q: Are there any classic espionage films that inspired you? What kind of films influenced you, but also what elements are different in your film?

LJJ: Because “Hunt” is a film that deals with Korean history and the relationship between North and South Korea, rather than looking to other films for inspiration I really tried to make the story and the visual storytelling as unique as possible.

Q: In the film, when the Korean president Kim arrived in Thailand, Park said to Kim, “How long can you fight the violence with violence?” Park responded with “You think the world will change by removing one dictator?”

That appears to be the theme of the film. How important was it for you to add that dialogue at that point?

LJJ: This piece of dialogue may sound very direct, but I actually think it has some hopeful connotations, like two sides of a coin. Of course, you know, the situation can be extremely oppressive living under a dictatorship, but I did not want it to seem like they were letting go of hope. I was trying to convey the message that our next generation will be able to make things better, even if we don’t put all our focus into getting rid of the dictator. So I wanted to have this layered messaging to this scene.

Q: How has the Korean film industry changed over the course of time from when you started [in 1994] to now, when “Parasite” has won an Academy Award and a lot of Korean dramas are dominating Netflix?

LJJ: Yeah, the evolution of Korean cinema has lots of trends and tribulations, and in Korean cinema from the Sixties, there’s a lot of very artistic films starting from that time. Then in the Eighties and Nineties, there were a lot of films that had great commercial success and were box office hits. I would say the era of the Nineties to two thousands were these new generations of directors that had stories to tell that were rooted in realism. And starting in the 2010s, we saw a lot more genre films, with diverse stories and concepts.

So I think the evolution of Korean cinema is really rooted in telling these unique stories, and the production value has been going up so that foreign audiences have been paying more attention to it. I really feel we’re at a time when so many unique projects are in development and there’s a lot to look forward to.

Q: Thank you very much.
 

Spoiler

Here’s the trailer of the film.

 

[Helena]

https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/Movies/2022/12/02/Lee-Jung-Jae-Hunt-Squid-Game/8971669912344/
Lee Jung-jae: Directorial debut 'Hunt' came before 'Squid Game'

By Fred Topel | December 2, 2022

Emmy winner Lee Jung-jae is now a writer/director too. File Photo by Mike Goulding/UPI | License Photo

Spoiler

 

Writer/director Lee Jung-Jae took "Hunt" to Cannes. File Photo by Rune Hellestad/ UPI | License Photo

 

Lee Jung-jae directs himself in "Hunt." Photo courtesy of Magnet Releasing

 

Lee Jung-jae (L) and Jung Woo-sung face off in "Hunt." Photo courtesy of Magnet Releasing

 

Park Pyong-ho (Lee Jung-jae) tries to prevent an assassination. Photo courtesy of Magnet Releasing

 

Lee Jung-jae (L) and Jung Woo-sung star in "Hunt." Photo courtesy of Magnet Releasing

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- Squid Game star Lee Jung-jae said he was working on his directorial debut, Hunt, in theaters Friday, before he starred on the Netflix hit.

"I started writing the script long before Squid Game was in production," Lee told UPI in a recent Zoom interview via a translator. "While Squid Game was in post-production, we were shooting."

In 1983, Korean National Intelligence Service agent Park Pyong-ho (Lee) fails to bring in a North Korean defector when a mole in the organization sabotages his mission. While Park hunts for the mole, Kim Jung-do (Jung Woo-sung) investigates the entire agency and suspects Park is that mole.

Lee, 49, rewrote an earlier screenplay by Jo Seung-Hee based on actual events. The characters of Park and Kim are fictional.

"They're people who could exist and people who I wish existed during this time," Lee said.

The script incorporates Lee Ung-pyeong's 1983 defection, the Gwangju Uprising of 1980 and the 1983 assassination attempt on South Korean President Chun Doo-hwan in Rangoon.

As Park and Kim navigate similar perils in a historical thriller, Lee said he wished he had more than two hours to spend with the characters he invented.

"Because I wrote these characters and I loved them so much, I just wanted to tell the audience more and more about them," Lee said. "It felt like there's never enough time to convey the characters to the depth I wanted to."

Lee said he remembers following reports of the defection in 1983. He said he hopes the depiction of such events in Hunt makes the history entertaining for audiences.

"It was a very large event when it occurred in Korea," Lee said. "It was something that many Korean citizens mourned and looked out for as it was happening."

An actor since 1994, Lee said he never aspired to direct previously, but decided to direct himself while writing the script.

"I really felt like writing a script was a big endeavor," Lee said. "In Korea, being a director kind of goes hand in hand with writing your own script."

Lee said he enjoyed the collaboration with people in departments such as music, editing and color correction.

"Directing is a lot like conducting," Lee said. "You're building this story shot by shot, scene by scene."

The intrigue and espionage of the defector and mole put Park and Kim in dangerous situations trying to prevent terrorist bombings and assassination attempts. Lee said he aimed to create action scenes that were "both short and impactful."

He said he scripted Hunt's action scenes in detail to ensure they would stand out.

"The one thing I really didn't want to hear was, 'Oh, I've seen this scene before in another movie,'" Lee said.

Lee will have more acting work. He landed a role in the Star Wars Disney+ series, The Acolyte, and Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk is writing a second season of the show about contestants in a death match.

Although he directed himself in Hunt, Lee will only act in those shows. He said Hwang will remain in charge of Squid Game, though he has not shared Season 2 scripts yet.

"He says it's coming soon, so I'm also patiently waiting," Lee said.

In the meantime, he is making notes about current events that might inspire his next movie. Lee said he is more interested in depicting true stories than pure fiction as a writer-director.

"I'll collect little clippings," Lee said. "I have a lot of files like that. Soon, I'll have to organize those and try to write a script with it."

https://youtu.be/xJUOIKg4Bic

[Helena]

——
https://moveablefest.com/lee-jung-jae-hunt/
[INTERVIEW] Lee Jung-jae on Taking Action in “Hunt”

By Stephen Saito | December 3, 2022

It is perhaps coincidence that Lee Jung-jae’s “Hunt,” reflecting a particularly contentious period in South and North Korean relations during the early 1980s, opens elsewhere in the world, but while it makes total sense to stage mayhem in Washington DC where Park Pyong-ho, a special agent on presidential detail played by Lee, attempts to prevent an assassination during a diplomatic visit, it’s hard not to think of it as a nod to its director and star’s growing international stardom as the lead of “Squid Game.” As far as bids for complete global domination go, “Hunt” makes a convincing case when Lee relies less on his own on-screen charms than fashioning an irresistibly knotty spy thriller that it’s difficult not to get caught up in when Park faces off with Chief Kim (Jung Woo-sung), the head of a rival agency with different ideas about rooting out corruption than he does, setting up a face-off when their boss believes that the assassination attempt could be an inside job.

When all hell has broken loose back in South Korea where student protestors are rebelling against the government and met with riot police pelting them with tear gas and billy clubs, the chaos inside the department somehow seems even more ferocious as Park and Kim are tasked with finding a spy in their midst known as Donglim, thought to be passing along information that could be forging a connection between North Korea and Japan. Lee, whose clean-cut, mild-mannered appearance makes him an ideal fit as a company man, suggests there’s more than meets the eye both onscreen and off when as a director, he oversees massive, action-packed set-pieces with considerable verve and bombast, setting off explosions that only accentuate a character increasingly fed up with a lack of trust. The film is mostly a work of fiction, complete with a disclaimer upfront that it isn’t intended to resemble real-life events, but “Hunt” has a gravitas unusual for something this breezily entertaining, with Lee and his crew putting in the work to make its wilder machinations believable, a process that involved four years of work that culminated in a production that began shooting just after Lee wrapped his role on “Squid Game” yet before it aired and made him a household name.

He may not have such time to direct again any time soon, recently winning an Emmy for the Netflix series and set to take his talents to another galaxy with the “Star Wars” series “The Acolyte,” but Lee appeared to have enjoyed his time in the director’s chair when he wasn’t sweating bullets, both literally and figuratively on the set, and while presenting the film’s North American premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, he graciously spoke, via a translator, about what he learned from the process that he may apply to all facets of his career as a filmmaker, the changes he made following “Hunt”’s premiere at Cannes to make it more accessible internationally and why he was drawn to this moment in Korean history to set a thriller.

What got you interested in this in the first place?

In 1980s Korea, there were a lot of citizens who were being hurt due to the government regime. This is also happening all around the world, even [now], so the theme of stopping this violence and this power, that’s why I think I had to go back to the 1980s to talk about this.

From what I understand, you worked on this with various collaborators before coming to the decision to direct it yourself. What made you want to take on that responsibility?

It was a long process, but as an actor, I wanted to be in an espionage genre film, but there weren’t many scripts in the specific genre. I got a chance to purchase the copyright and I originally just wanted to be involved in as an actor, but as I wasn’t able to find a screenwriter or a director, I started revising the script myself and started thinking what kind of espionage film would I make. These were questions that became heavy and more serious [over time, asking myself] “Why do I have to make this film?” And I wanted to find a theme that [could] communicate with a younger audience as well, so everything started in a light way and it became more serious.

What I actually can communicate with an audience was the main thing I had to think about and that’s why it took a very long time to develop it. As an actor/director making the film, I wanted it to be more successful because of that aspect as well.

Was it a natural transition to move behind the camera?

I’ve been an actor for a very long time, so as an actor, I try to fulfill a director’s intentions as an actor, and I think nothing [more about the last project] once I start another project, but [now] I will at least understand the how much hardship a director is going through. [laughs] Physically, [the role I was playing in “Hunt”] was very demanding and I was in a position that I had to focus very hard for a long time, so it was difficult and I was lacking in some stamina. The preparation took a really long time, [particularly for the elaborate set-pieces] that had to be really filmed well or the part that has to be harmoniously filmed with other [action unit] directors, and I think those aspects were successful because of the long preparation.

[But generally] I’m actually pretty obsessed with the details, even down to the character’s movement path or how many bullets have to be loaded into the gun — I’m very meticulous with that, and the reason why I focus on these details is that I wanted the audience to believe that it has to be plausible situations, so they will believe this actually happened.

I’ve also never actually had any experience with the pre-production or post-production of a film, so this was very interesting for me. I enjoyed the process and I think when I work as an actor [in the future], it’ll definitely be beneficial because I know more in terms of sound or editing, and it’ll be more helpful to me as an actor.

The film has changed slightly since Cannes to make it more accessible to a global audience. Has that been interesting to navigate in general, staying true to what’s culturally important and specific to you while opening up to international tastes?

After premiering at the Cannes Festival, about 30 percent of the audience was mentioning the very distinct Korean political situations such as the North-South Korean relationship or the military regime as being hard for them to understand, so instead of trying to make them understand those details, I wanted to go with the simpler theme of stopping the violence. So there was some editing after Cannes – also in terms of the subtitles, I had to revise what was difficult for non-Koreans to understand such as the Korean names or locations or organizations that were harder for Non-Koreans to pronounce or follow. But I think the main theme I wanted to come across can actually be hindered by these other themes that I didn’t need to clarify. You can see in “Squid Game” as well, the theme is we don’t overcompete with everybody and we try to live in harmony. That’s something that can resonate with the global audience, [and in “Hunt”] to stop the violence — it’s terrifying and terrible — that’s a theme that everybody can understand globally as well.

 

“Hunt” opens on December 2nd in select theaters across the country and on VOD and digital.

 

—

 

[Helena]

https://aframe.oscars.org/what-to-watch/post/lee-jung-jae-5-films-that-made-the-greatest-impact-on-me
Lee Jung-jae: 5 Films That Made the Greatest Impact On Me

December 1, 2022

 

Lee Jung-jae

Actor/Director

 

Lee Jung-jae is not one to walk away from a challenge.

The South Korean multi-hyphenate became a global star last year, thanks to his performance as Seong Gi-hun in the smash hit Netflix series, Squid Game. That role won him the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, and also led to him landing a lead role in the forthcoming Star Wars series, The Acolyte. Currently in a galaxy far, far away amidst production on The Acolyte, Lee is still finding time to promote his feature directorial debut, Hunt.

The spy thriller is so ambitiously sprawling and packed with action that it's hard to imagine any filmmaker wanting to take it on as their first directorial effort, but that is exactly what drew Lee to it. For Lee, directing Hunt gave him the opportunity to put all of the lessons he's learned over the course of his career to good use.

"I was in my first film in 1993. Since then, I've worked with many, many different directors. There have been a lot of really positive things that I've picked up along the way, including things that I thought I could improve upon as a director," Lee explains. "Hunt is a film that I thought gave me a chance to really showcase all of the things that I've collected and remembered over the years."

While his experiences as an actor did inevitably inform his approach on the other side of the camera, Lee is quick to stress the effort he put into developing his own filmic style. "There are so many directors and movies I admire," he notes, "but because this film was my first time directing, I didn't look at many other movies or directors. I didn't want Hunt to feel like something audiences have seen before."

In addition to directing Hunt, Lee also stars as Park Pyong-ho, a high-level South Korean official whose life is turned upside down when he's suspected of being a North Korean spy. Casting himself meant that Lee had to oversee the production of the movie's many explosive action sequences while also appearing in a number of them. "Having to act in it myself meant that it was very physically grueling," recalls the filmmaker with a small laugh.

Rather than be put off by the challenges of making Hunt, Lee says the process has ignited a passion for directing within him that he plans to pursue further. "It's such a difficult thing to get a script greenlit and then produced and made. However, it is a challenge that I want to take on again."

Below, Director Lee shares with A.frame the five films that have made the biggest impact on him throughout his life.

Spoiler

1.  Papillon (1973)

Directed by: Franklin J. Schaffner | Written by: Dalton Trumbo and Lorenzo Semple Jr.
I think every aspect of Papillon is amazing — whether it's the acting, the story, or the mise en scène. It's a film that I find extremely powerful. I've seen it a countless number of times, but whenever it finds its way to me, I watch it again. There's a very famous line in the film that's actually helped inform the way I've approached my own life. It's during Steve McQueen's dream, he asks the judge, "What is my crime? What did I do wrong?" And the judge responds, "You've wasted your life. That's your crime." That was a very shocking moment for me as a young adult, and it's something that has stayed with me ever since.

 

2. The Godfather (1972)

Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola | Written by: Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola
The most memorable scene for me in The Godfather is the moment when Vito Corleone truly realizes that his choices can affect the lives of his children, after hearing about the death of his son. That fear being the impetus for his character's change remains a really memorable aspect of the film for me.

3. The Last of the Mohicans (1992)

Directed by: Michael Mann | Written by: Michael Mann and Christopher Crowe
Michael Mann is obviously such a great director. I love many films he's directed, and his collaboration in The Last of the Mohicans with Daniel Day-Lewis and Madeleine Stowe is incredible. The film has a kiss scene, in particular, that is really memorable. It's when Day-Lewis and Stowe's characters search for each other until, finally, they enter the frame together. They run off to the castle wall, and of all the many, many kiss scenes in film history, I find the one that they share really unforgettable because it's so beautiful. And it shows that even in the depths of war, love can still exist.
It's just a very memorable scene. I don't think it's common for people to say they like Michael Mann movies for their kiss scenes, but I'm that person.

4. The House of the Spirits (1993)

Directed and written by: Bille August
I'm a huge fan of Jeremy Irons and the work that he does. In House of the Spirits, he's very, very old in the film's first scene, and he has this line where he says, "I miss Clara." We're then transported into the past and into a flashback, but it's that first line that really made an impact on me. It's the first line of dialogue in the film, so you don't even know who Clara is. You have no idea what his character is talking about. But the emotions of a million movies are contained in that one piece of dialogue. You don't know who Clara is, but the emotions that Jeremy Irons is able to evoke in that one line made it seem like such an incredible moment to me.

5. Star Wars (1977)

Directed and written by: George Lucas
I watched Star Wars for the first time in the mid-1980s. I know it came out in 1977, but I was too young to watch it at that time. When I first watched it, I was just filled with shock and awe. It's surprising, even now, the imagination that film's creative team had. It's incredible how they were able to design a film with that amount of imagination and high production value. It's really just such an impressive film within cinema history.

 

——

[q on cbc] Lee Jung-jae on his historic Emmy win, Squid Game and his directorial debut

 

Lee Jung-jae made history at the Emmys this year when he won best actor for his role in Squid Game as Seong Gi-hun, also known as Player 456. He’s the first Asian actor to win an Emmy in this category and Squid Game was the first non-English TV show to win a major Primetime Emmy Award. Joined by his interpreter Kaila Wang, the South Korean actor and filmmaker sat down with Tom Power to talk about the moment his name was called at the Emmys, plus his directorial debut, Hunt. 
Live interpreter: Kaila Wang. Translator for subtitles: Christy Kim.

 

Subscribe to our channel! https://youtube.com/Qtv

[Helena]

The 9th Korean Film Producers Association Awards | 제9회 한국영화제작가협회상 [Winners]

 

Award ceremony will be held on December 14th at 6pm.

 

△ Film Award 작품상: ‘Decision to Leave | 헤어질 결심’
△ Director Award 감독상: Lee Jung-jae 이정재 (‘HUNT | 헌트’)
△ Screenplay Award 각본상: Chung Seo-kyung 정서경, Park Chan-wook 박찬욱 ('Decision to Leave | 헤어질 결심')
△ Leading Actor Award 남우주연상: Ma Dong-seok 마동석 (‘The Roundup | 범죄도시2’)
△ Leading Actress Award 여우주연상: Tang Wei 탕웨이 ('Decision to Leave | 헤어질 결심')


△ Supporting Actor Award 남우조연상: Im Si-wan 임시완 ('Emergency Declaration | 비상선언')
△ Supporting Actress Award 여우조연상: Kim Shin-young 김신영 ('Decision to Leave | 헤어질 결심')
△ Cinematography Award 촬영상: Lee Mo-gae 이모개 (‘HUNT | 헌트’)
△ Lighting Award 조명상: Shin Sang-yeol 신상열 ('Decision to Leave | 헤어질 결심')
△ Art Direction Award 미술상: Park Il-hyun 박일현 (‘HUNT | 헌트’)
△ Music Award 음악상: Cho Young-wook 조영욱 ('Decision to Leave | 헤어질 결심')
△ Editing Award 편집상: Kim Sang-bum 김상범 (‘HUNT | 헌트’)
△ Sound Award 음향상: Kim Seok-won 김석원, Kim Eun-jung 김은정 (‘Hansan: Rising Dragon | 한산: 용의 출현’)
△ Technical Award 기술상: Jung Do-ahn 정도안, Lim Jong-hyuk 임종혁 (‘Hansan: Rising Dragon | 한산: 용의 출현’ / Special Effects 특수효과)
△ New Director Award 신인감독상: Jo Eun-ji 조은지 ('Perhaps Love | 장르만 로맨스')
△ New Actor Award 신인배우상: Kim Hye-yoon 김혜윤 ('The Girl on a Bulldozer | 불도저에 탄 소녀')
△ Special Achievement Award 특별공로상: Kang Soo-youn 강수연
△ Jury Special Award 심사위원특별상: ‘6/45 | 육사오’

 

—

https://k-odyssey.com/news/newsview.php?ncode=1065579678658047
Movie 'Decision to Leave' wins six awards at KFPA awards

YonhapNews / 2022-12-06 11:21:52
(This article is translated from Korean to English by Jiwon Woo.)

 

▲This photo, provided by KFPA, shows KFPA awards. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Dec. 6 (Yonhap) -- The Korea Film Producers Association (KFPA) announced on Monday that it has selected director Park Chan-wook's "Decision to Leave" as the winner of the 9th KFPA Award.



In addition to the award for Best Screenplay (Jeong Seo-kyung and Park Chan-wook), Best Actress (Tang Wei), Best Supporting Actress (Kim Shin-young), Best Lighting (Shin Sang-yeol), and Best Music (Cho Young-ok) awards were also awarded.



Lee Jung-jae's directorial debut film "Hunt" won four awards, including Best Director, Best Cinematography (Lee Mo-gae), Best Art (Park Il-hyun), and Best Editor (Sangbum Kim).



Ma Dong-seok of "The Roundup" and Lim Si-wan of "Emergency Declaration" each won the best actor and supporting actor awards.



The New Director Award was given to director Cho Eun-ji of "Perhaps Love," and the New Actor Award was received by Kim Hye-yoon of "The Girl on a Bulldozer."



"Hansan: Rising Dragon" won two awards, the Sound Award (Kim Seok-won and Kim Eun-jung) and the Technology Award (Jeong Jeong-an and Lim Jong-hyuk).



The Special Achievement Award will be given to actress Kang Soo-yeon and the special judge award will be given to Kim Hyun-chul, CEO of TPS Company, a production company of "6/45."



The award ceremony will take place at SJ Kunsthale in Seoul at 6 p.m. on Dec. 14th privately. (END)
 

(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved

[Helena]

https://www.cbc.ca/arts/lee-jung-jae-q-interview-squid-game-hunt-1.6674961
Squid Game actor Lee Jung-jae steps behind the camera with an espionage-action film set in the 80s

Hunt will be the Korean actor's directorial debut

By Lian McMillan | Dec 05, 2022 4:45 PM ET

(Vivian Rashotte)

Global audiences know Lee Jung-jae as the star of Netflix's Squid Game, but the actor has been famous in South Korea for decades. He entered the industry as a fashion model before making his acting debut in 1993. 

In the series, Lee plays Seong Gi-hun, a divorced father desperate for money. He enters a potentially fatal competition for the chance to win 45.6 billion won, which he needs to support his daughter and mother. Squid Game became Netflix's most-watched series at its launch, dominating the internet and prompting restaurants to sell dalgona candy popularized by the show. For his performance, Lee won a Blue Dragon Film Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and an Emmy.

 

Lee Jung-jae won the Emmy for best actor for his role in Squid Game, making history as the first Asian actor to win an Emmy in this category. Lee Jung-jae sits down with Tom Power to talk about the win and his directorial debut Hunt.

Lee's longtime fans are trying to brush up his international image, away from Seong Gi-hun and his gambling addiction. The campaign, described as "The Real Lee Jung-jae," promotes old photos of Lee to prove he's not the scruffy guy from Squid Game — he's a debonair bad boy. 

In a new interview on Q with Tom Power, Lee says that he's encouraged by the tremendous support he's received, especially as he ventures into new territory. The actor is making his directorial debut with Hunt, an espionage action film set in South Korea during military dictatorship in the 1980s. Though the story is fictional, it takes place during a very real time of pro-democracy protests, mass arrests, and assassination attempts. Lee also wrote the script and stars in the film as a Korean Central Intelligence Agency chief, using all his talents to bring Hunt to life.

With his projects reaching a wider audience than ever before, Lee recognizes how important it is to create thoughtful content, but also how internationally relatable films can be. He tells Q that we are now in a time where stories resonate globally, thanks to the help of subtitles, and he is grateful for the discussions that come from it. 

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Lee Jung-jae's answers were translated from Korean.

Tom Power: You're the first Asian actor to win an Emmy for Best Actor in a Drama Series. Squid Game becomes the first TV series not in English to win a major Primetime Emmy Award. It's a major historical event.

Initially we were very surprised that non-English speaking content and Asian content was accepted very well and resonated with the audience all around the world. The director is very happy with the fact that Squid Game did very well globally, but as an actor I'm also happy to be part of it and I'm dumbfounded how successful this was. 

Tell me about winning the Emmy. What does that moment mean to you?

I received that question a lot as an Asian male actor — "How did it feel to win the Emmy?" One of the reasons why I'm very glad is that now Asian-created content can resonate with a global audience. I'm also very happy that we live in a time where we can communicate with people all around the world. Now that we're in a time where stories resonate globally, we can enjoy content together and discussions together, and as a content creator, I will continue to thoughtfully create so more of us can enjoy it together.

When your name gets called, what goes through your head?

It's indescribable. There are lots of mixed emotions running through my mind. When they first announced my name, for a second I thought, "Is that actually my name?" Then I actually realized that because the people who are sitting at the same table with me, they started cheering and they were pointing at me, so that's when I understood that I got it and I stood up.

There are several versions of acceptance speeches that I was thinking about while I was sitting there, but it was just so sudden that when I actually got there that I think I forgot maybe a few people. So I was a little disappointed about that.

Well, let's talk a little bit about Hunt. It's your directorial debut, and you also wrote the script and act in it. Why was this a movie you wanted to make?

It was difficult to find a screenwriter, as well as a director. I initially wanted to just be involved with the production side, but the story deals with modern Korean history, politics, the story about the North and the South. It's somewhat a sensitive subject, so I started writing my own script.

 

Spoiler

 

How does it being a sensitive subject make it harder to find someone to work on it with? Or is it that you want to make sure it's told right?

I think both. It's hard to sort of express within the film, I thought, so it has to be viewed from an objective perspective. It has to be worked with a cool-headed mind, and I thought I'm probably in the objective situation that will be able to tell the story.

The film is fictional, but it's set during a real time in history when South Korea was under a military dictatorship in the 1980s. Talk to me a little bit about that time period and why you wanted to focus on that time period for Hunt.

At first I actually thought about changing the 1980s background to the modern time, but as I was thinking about the theme of the film I thought, the reason why people are in conflict with each other is because people don't understand each other and they believe that only their own beliefs are important. 

The 1980s in Korea was the worst time where the government was spreading fabricated information to the public, but when I watch social or political news these days, or news on social media like YouTube, I also see a lot of fake news spreading quickly. So it's also a big problem of our time. Then I thought, perhaps the fake news stories being created these days and the ones that were fabricated by the government in the 80s were closely related, so I decided to stay with the 1980s background.

Nowadays you watch this fake news and believe it to be true, and your values and your view of the world can be contaminated. When people talk to each other about politics and other things, they use the information that they believe to be true, and end up in conflict with each other or take the opposite stance. I felt like we should be more cautious about fake news, and check one more time whether what you believe is true or not.

Did you speak to anybody who was politically active during that era? And if so, would you have learned anything about that era politically in Korea that would have surprised you?

Of course, to make this movie I interviewed a lot of people who were politically involved back in the day, but also someone who actually worked at the Korean Central Intelligence Agency. Things have changed now, and Korea is a much healthier society. Many terrible events that happened at the time have been mostly revealed, so there's probably no shocking truth that the current Korean citizens are unaware of. We probably know about everything now.

Host Tom Power, award winning actor and first-time director Lee Jung-jae, and Lee's interpreter, Kaila Wang, in the Q studio. (Vivian Rashotte)

I heard that when you showed Hunt at Cannes earlier this year, you received some feedback that global audiences needed help following the story because they aren't as familiar with Korean history and politics.

I realized at the Cannes festival that I tried to make the global audience understand the story, but it was difficult to kind of convey the message in detail with this sensitive subject matter.

I started revising on a plane way back from the Cannes festival, and I had to think about what are some of the elements that the global audience does not need to know. So, little details from the 1980s, or some of the circumstances have been eliminated from the script.

Also within the subtitles are some Korean names or organization names that are sort of hard for the global audience to read or follow through. We had to revise that, and there are also some words that only Koreans understand, so I had to fix those as well.

I think we can't really divide the Korean audience or the global audience anymore. It's the same story, and the theme that will resonate to all the audience as a whole, so we can't just say this is only for the Korean audience. When we aim for the Korean audience, that is actually for the global audience as well.

In addition to all this physicality, you're also running the show? How do you do it?

I think physically, it was exhausting. Being a director and an actor, as well, that was also hard. Just being in an action movie, that's even harder. So I limited drinking and also tried to rest as much as possible when I had time, and tried to eat whatever is supposed to be healthy and make me stronger.

What's a movie or a work from your past that you recommend to fans who would only know you from Hunt or Squid Game?

It's embarrassing, but it would be my very first feature film called The Young Man. That was the beginning of my acting career, so I was inexperienced. Personally, I think my performance was rather embarrassing, but I can give you the gift of laughter because I was really terrible!

You're also the CEO of Artist Company, which is an entertainment and talent agency that you started. What advice do you give the younger actors that you work with?

I share many different stories, but what I share the most, and think is most important, is that you really need to show your sense of responsibility to the people you work with.

Yes, you need to care about your work. Do your best preparing for your role, consider other people, and have pride in the work you are collaborating with everyone. You should also display your professionalism. These are some of the things I talk about quite often.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lian McMillan is a writer for CBC News Entertainment and Education. She holds a bachelor of music from the University of Toronto and is completing Humber College's radio and media production graduate certificate program. She can be reached at @lian.mcmillan on Twitter.

[Helena]

https://www.goldderby.com/feature/lee-jung-jae-hunt-director-video-interview-1205151792/
Lee Jung-jae (‘Hunt’) on making his feature directorial debut with action-packed espionage thriller [Exclusive Video Interview]

By Rob Licuria  (http://twitter.com/@robertlicuria) | December 6, 2022 7:30AM

“As I was developing the characters and becoming more and more involved in the script development, it just was a natural decision for me to want to direct it myself and getting the courage to do that,” admits Lee Jung-jae about taking the plunge with his feature directorial debut, the Korean action drama “Hunt.” For our recent webchat he adds, “I was thinking a lot about will Korean audiences like this film and will foreign audiences be able to empathize with it,” he explains. “The answer to these questions was not easy and I went through four years of the script rewriting phase.”  Watch our exclusive video interview above.

Lee directed, co-produced (with Han Jae-duk) and co-wrote (with Jo Seung-Hee) the espionage thriller, in which he also stars alongside countryman Jung Woo-sung. Set in South Korea during the tumultuous 1980s when tensions with North Korea were at their highest, The “Squid Game” Emmy winner portrays KCIA Foreign Unit chief Park Pyong-ho alongside KCIA Domestic Unit chief Kim Jung-do (Jung). The two men are pitted against each other, tasked with uncovering a North Korean spy deeply embedded within their agency who is leaking top secret intel that could jeopardize national security. The action-packed blockbuster weaves a complex narrative full of twists and turns, spectacular car chases, gun fights and explosions, all against the backdrop of a nefarious plot to assassinate the South Korean president.

The fledgling filmmaker says that his 20 years of experience as an actor gave him an edge when dealing with his cast from the director’s chair. “With some actors, their performance gets better with each subsequent take and for some it gets worse. I think recognizing the specific characteristics of each actor is really important in directing,” he explains. “I can tell if an actor is feeling uncomfortable and I’ll go up to them and say, ‘hey, let’s try to adjust to make this feel more natural,’ and we talk, actor to actor. I think it has definitely been a big asset to able to communicate more effectively and in a more efficient way.”

Lee is riding high this year, coming off a spectacular award-winning run with the Netflix hit thriller “Squid Game,” and currently promoting his debut feature while also in production on the highly anticipated “Star Wars” series “The Acolyte” in London. “The script is very strong and the pacing is very snappy, so I think we’ll be able to share something that’s very enjoyable for the audience,” he reveals. “When I step on set, I’m like, ‘am I really in ‘Star Wars?’ I can’t believe it and there are moments where it’s not real to me how incredible it is!”

 

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By CASSIE CARPENTER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM | 12:30 EST, 8 December 2022 

 

[Helena]

https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2022/12/12/entertainment/television/CICI-Lee-Jungjae-Kim-Yuna/20221212162016689.html
Lee Jung-jae of 'Squid Game' fame to receive Korea Image Stepping Stone Award

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr] | December 12, 2022

 

Lee Jung-jae, Kim Yuna and Hwang Sun-woo are recipients of prizes at the 19th Korea Image Awards, which will be held at the InterContinental Seoul COEX in southern Seoul on Jan. 11. [CICI]

“Squid Game” star Lee Jung-jae will receive the Korea Image Stepping Stone Award, according to the Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI) on Monday. 

“Lee has contributed to promoting K-content with his genre-bending performances and played a role as a central stepping stone to put Korean dramas and films in the center of global spotlight by winning outstanding lead actor in a drama series for this year’s Emmys, and also having his directorial debut with espionage action thriller ‘Hunt’ this year,” CICI said on Monday.   

CICI announced that the 19th Korea Image Awards ceremony will take place on Jan. 11 at the InterContinental Seoul COEX in southern Seoul. The annual Korea Image Stepping Stone Award is presented to individuals who have contributed to promoting Korea to the world. 

Director Hwang Dong-hyuk, the creator behind the Netflix dystopian hit, received the award last year. 

CICI is an organization affiliated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that promotes Korean culture abroad and provides research on changes in the international image of Korea. It was established in 2003. 

Other recipients awards are Olympic gold medalist figure skater Kim Yuna, teen swimmer Hwang Sun-woo and fashion company “Euro Fashion House,” who will receive the Korea Image Cornerstone Award, the Korea Image Budding Youth Award and the Korea Image Stepping Stone Bridge Award, respectively. 

Previous winners at CICI include YouTubers Josh Carrott and Ollie Kendal, World Golf Hall of Famer Pak Se-ri, Incheon International Airport, the Samsung Galaxy smartphone, AlphaGo, hangul, panelists on the JTBC show “Non-Summit” (2014), pianist Cho Seong-jin and Olympic short track champion Shim Suk-hee. 

The annual awards ceremony, held since 2005, is expected to gather around 600 individuals including corporate executives, media representatives, industry experts and ambassadors. The ceremony is supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Spoiler

https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20221212006100315
Lee Jung-jae, Kim Yu-na, Hwang Sun-woo to win 2023 Korea Image Awards

By sshim@yna.co.kr | December 12, 2022

 

This composite image provided by the Corea Image Communications Institute (CICI) shows (from L to R) actor Lee Jung-jae, former skater Kim Yu-na and swimmer Hwang Sun-woo. They were chosen as winners of the 2023 Korea Image Awards presented by the CICI. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Yonhap) -- Actor Lee Jung-jae, figure skating legend Kim Yu-na and teen swimming phenomenon Hwang Sun-woo were chosen as winners of the annual Korea Image Awards for next year in recognition of their efforts to promote Korea abroad, an organization that presents the awards said Monday.

According to a list of winners announced by the Seoul-based nonprofit Corea Image Communications Institute (CICI), Lee will win the Korea Image Stepping Stone Award for contributing to improving the global image of Korea by winning best drama series actor at this year's Primetime Emmy Awards in the United States for his role in the global drama sensation "Squid Game" and making a directorial debut with the film "Hunt."

Kim, South Korea's most successful figure skater in history, was named the winner of the Korea Image Cornerstone Award for her continued contribution to enhancing the global image of Korea.  She won the gold medal at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and the silver at the 2014 Sochi Games. After her retirement in 2014, she has played an active role in various fields, including serving as an honorary ambassador for South Korea's bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.

The Korea Image Budding Youth Award for young talents under 20 will go to Hwang. He won a silver medal in the men's 200m freestyle at the FINA World Championships in Budapest in June with a national record time.

The awards ceremony is set to take place on Jan. 11 at InterContinental Seoul Coex in southern Seoul. (END)