In a new interview, Ma Dong-seok aka Don Lee explains his action movie career, fighting choreography, and how he was almost in John Wick 3.
There’s nobody like Don Lee.
Also known as Ma Dong-seok, the hulking Korean action star has made a name for himself with his massive frame, punishing blows, and easy charm. After a lengthy and successful career at home, he found international attention with his scene-stealing role in Train to Busan before Marvel cast him as Gilgamesh in Eternals.
Lee’s latest, The Roundup: No Way Out, is the third (and best) entry in the very popular Roundup crime thriller franchise, which has made waves not only at the Korean box office, but around the world.
Polygon exchanged questions with the star via email, discussing his action philosophy and influences, the time he was almost in a John Wick movie, and his thoughts on the upcoming Train to Busan remake.
Polygon: Your boxing background really comes through in these movies. I’ve read you wanted to be a boxer when you were younger. Can you tell me what that boxing experience brings to a role?
Don Lee: I have been boxing my entire life, and through boxing, I have learned about endurance and humility in life. Furthermore, the action in this [Roundup] series is also mostly designed based on boxing. Watching the movie Rocky inspired me to dream of becoming a boxer. And I also started to dream of becoming an actor while learning boxing.
What’s most crucial to you in making compelling action in the modern era?
There are various types of action in films. Action involving weapons, car chases, fantasy elements, and more. Among them, I am most focused on action that involves bare-handed combat without any weapons. I have been boxing for a long time and even trained to become a professional boxer once. So the core of the action sequences for The Roundup: No Way Out is boxing. Applying real boxing techniques to action movies is not an easy task.
As it is challenging, the coordination and synergy with the stunt team are crucial.
