Don Lee: Last News

Korean historical action drama 12.12: The Day has grossed $90.5M and sailed past the 12 million admissions mark at the Korean box office over the Christmas holiday period to become the highest grossing film of 2023. 

Hong Kong-based sales outfit Autumn Sun has picked up international sales on Moonlight Madness starring Korean actor Don Lee (The Roundup) in his first ever comedy role and first performance in a Chinese production.

Netflix show Cobra Kai, Daniel LaRusso’s (Ralph Macchio) mentor from the Karate Kid films, Mr Miyagi, was brought back to life using AI.Speaking to Variety after the hit drama’s conclusion, creators Jon Hurwitz and Josh Heald discussed how it was possible to bring back the character, despite the actor who played him, Pat Morita, dying in 2005. In the show, Miyagi appears to his student in dream sequences, giving advice and training.For the movements, a body double was used. “That was actually Don Lee, our fight choreographer” Hurwitz revealed.

Twelve. The series’ production team confirmed the casting to South Korean news outlet Sports Chosun on October 22, marking the first confirmed cast members of the highly anticipated series.According to the outlet, with translations by Soompi, Twelve will feature 12 protagonists, who are inspired by the 12 zodiac animals of Chinese culture.

EXCLUSIVE: Matt Brolly‘s thriller novel The Alliance is getting the small screen treatment. A mixed Korean/English language television adaptation is in development at Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group, with Kim Bo-tong (D.P., Badland Hunters), attached to write.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Local blockbuster, “The Roundup: Punishment” extended its dominance of the South Korea theatrical box office for a fourth weekend. That lifted its cumulative total to a powerful $75 million. “Punishment,” the fourth part of a brutal action comedy film franchise produced by and starring Don Lee (aka Ma Dong-seok), earned $3.05 million between Friday and Sunday, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC).

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” opened in second place at the South Korean weekend box office, a distance behind local holdover title “The Roundup: Punishment.” “Punishment,” the fourth part of Don Lee’s “Roundup” action franchise, dominated proceedings for the third weekend in succession. It earned $5.53 million and advanced its cumulative total to $67.7 million, according to Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic).

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief “The Roundup: Punishment,” the fourth film in the Don Lee-starring crime action franchise, earned $20.8 million between Friday and Sunday and punched out all competition at the South Korean box office. “Challengers,” which headed the box office this weekend in North America, with $15 million, opened fourth in Korea a 0.5% market share. “Punishment” accounted for a crushing 94% market share and collected its weekend haul from 2.92 million ticket sales, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic). The film opened officially on Wednesday, when it scored $4.92 million, and followed that with a $3.25 million Thursday. Including the weekday takings and a smattering of previews from the previous weekend, the film finished Sunday with a cumulative of $29.3 million, earned from 4.25 million spectators. The stellar performance was the biggest opening this year, ahead of February’s “Exhuma,” a spooky drama that earned $14.5 million on its February first weekend and picked up pace in its second week. Giant screen systems provider, Imax reports that “Punishment” earned $770,000 of its Korean score from just 24 screens.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Korean comedy action film “The Roundup: Punishment” destroyed all competition in local theaters on its Wednesday opening day. The film earned $4.92 million from 821,000 ticket sales, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic). That represented a crushing 97% share of the day’s theatrical market. Including a smattering of previews over the latest weekend, the film finished Wednesday with a cumulative of $5.26 million earned from 862,000 spectators. Earlier, it was reported that the film had broken the Korean record for advanced ticket sales.

The Roundup: Punishment, the fourth film in the blockbuster Korean franchise, has set a new all-time opening day presales record in its home market. Releasing there today, the crime actioner that stars and is executive produced by Ma Dong-seok (aka Don Lee), had amassed over 834,000 ticket reservations as of Wednesday morning local time, accounting for 95.5% of all sales, according to local reports. 

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief ‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ retained its lead at the top of the South Korean box office on what was the quietest cinema-going weekend in more than a year. The animated franchise movie held up reasonably. It maintained a nearly 44% market share, dropped only 32% week-on-week and was untroubled by competition from new releases. The film earned $1.91 million between Friday and Sunday, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic).

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Veteran Chinese director Zhang Yimou will be presented with a lifetime achievement award at the upcoming edition of the Festival of Far East Film in Italy’s Udine (April 24 – May 2). The lineup will include three films by Zhang: his 2023 political thriller “Under the Light” in its competition section; as well as “To Live” and “Raise the Red Lantern” in its restored classics section. The festival’s total lineup includes 74 films in total – 47 in competition and 28 out of competition) from 11 countries.

Jessica Kiang The shortest distance between two points is popularly believed to be a straight line. But if one of those points is the chin, cheekbone or torso of some sneering and/or psychotic Korean gangster, the shortest route is actually the arc described by either one of Korean megastar Don Lee‘s fists, here playing the fists of Detective Ma, protagonist of the ludicrously watchable “Roundup” series.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief In Berlin with “The Roundup: Punishment,” part four of the action movie series that he created and stars in, the larger-than-life Korean American Don Lee finds himself simultaneously in multiple timely and lucrative businesses. These include the Marvel superhero business, the Korea-to-Hollywood remake business, “The Roundup” franchise and its multiple spinoff possibilities. Lee may even be in the business of saving Korean cinema, which is currently having one of its periodic wobbles.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief A three-year run of poor box office performances is sure to hurt the South Korean sales companies touting their new titles at the European Film Market — but not by that much. Certainly, the box office malaise undermines the ability to market some titles on the strength of their theatrical earnings back home. But the Korean film industry still has numerous other calling cards.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Lotte Cultureworks will launch “Holy Night: Demon Hunters,” likely to be one of the biggest Korean movies of the year, at next month’s European Film Market in Berlin. The occult-themed action movie stars Don Lee, the Korean-American superstar who also fronts “The Roundup” comedy-action franchise. The fourth instalment in that series “The Roundup: Punishment” will have its world premiere in the Berlin festival’s Berlinale Special section, with Lee expected to be in attendance, giving Lotte some additional momentum with the new title launch.

Badland Hunters director Heo Myeong-haeng and lead actor Don Lee have opened up about working together on the upcoming movie.Next week, Netflix will premiere its new original Korean film, the post-apocalyptic Badland Hunters led by Don Lee (also known as Ma Dong-seok). In a press conference for the upcoming film, the actor shared that he was the one who had proposed working with director Heo Myeong-haeng.Heo had been the stunt coordinator behind the hit The Roundup movie franchise, which Lee also starred in.

Badland Hunters, led by Don Lee. Here’s everything we know about the cast and plot of the upcoming film.The upcoming action movie is set in a post-apocalyptic world devastated by a massive earthquake.

Gyeongseong Creature starring Han So-hee and Park Seo-joon, will air this year.Today (January 8), Netflix announced that season two of Gyeongseong Creature will premiere sometime in 2024. It comes just days after the streaming service release part two of the first season on January 5.According to a press release, the second season of Gyeongseong Creature will be set in modern-day Seoul, 78 years after the events first season.

Stray Kids have teased plans to release new music and embark on a world tour in 2024.On New Year’s Day (January 1), Stray Kids released the 2024 edition of their annual ‘Step Out’ video series, where the K-pop boyband looked back on their achievements in 2023 and their plans for the new year.In the clip, the eight-member boyband teased plans for a world tour in 2024, alongside two music releases – one album and one special album – as well as a fanmeeting event.In additional the group will also be putting out more video content, including eight ‘SKZ-PLAYER’ releases, as well as new episodes of ‘2 Kids Show’ and ‘1 Kid’s Room’. Check out the boyband’s ‘Step Out 2024’ video here:In 2023, Stray Kids scored their first Billboard Hot 100 entry with ‘LALALALA’, a single from their November mini-album, ‘ROCK-STAR’.

Badland Hunters, starring Don Lee.Badland Hunters will follow Don Lee as Nam San, a hunter in a post-apocalyptic Seoul who has to navigate the treacherous wilderness of a world where chaos reigns supreme.Lee will be joined by actors Lee Hee-jun, Lee Jun-young, Roh Jeong-eui and An Ji-hye. Meanwhile, Badland Hunters will be directed by Heo Myeong-haeng, who previously worked as the stunts director on films such as The Roundup: No Way Out, Jung_E and more.The teaser for the upcoming Netflix film previews the desolate yet captivating landscape of post-apocalyptic Seoul.