“Worried about embarrassing the country” Lee Jung-jae enters “Star Wars”: Overcoming linguistic and action challenges is key

Despite the fact that many Korean actors have attempted to make a name for themselves in Hollywood, their parts have usually been insignificant or lacked significant influence. As a result, fans are eagerly waiting to see if Lee Jung-jae will bring a change to this trend.

“Taking place during the High Republic era and prior to the main Star Wars films, “The Acolyte”will debut on Disney+ on June 5th. The series centers on a Jedi investigation into a string of crimes, with Lee Jung-jae portraying Sol, a highly regarded Jedi Master.”

Lee Jung-jae expressed his thoughts on being a part of “The Acolyte”through an interview on JTBC’s “Newsroom”. He couldn’t believe that he was cast in the “Star Wars”series and initially thought it was a joke when he first received the offer.

The “Star Wars”franchise has always emphasized the importance of the Jedi Master role. Recently, there has been media attention on the casting of Lee Jung-jae, an Asian actor, for this role. According to Collider, the upcoming release of “The Acolyte”will break from the franchise’s tradition by featuring a diverse cast with Asian and black actors in prominent roles.

Lee Jung-jae shared his apprehensions about acting in English, stating, “Being an Asian actor portraying a Jedi Master was a major responsibility. I was concerned that any errors could reflect poorly on my country. The most challenging aspect was the language barrier. To improve, I worked diligently with acting and dialogue coaches who are currently working in the UK.”

During filming in the UK, Lee Jung-jae underwent rigorous action training to meet the demands of his role as the Jedi Master. He dedicated himself to strength training, practicing with the lightsaber, and mastering combat choreography day and night to deliver top-notch action scenes. Amandla Stenberg, who portrays Mae, a character mentored by Master Sol, praised Lee Jung-jae’s exceptional execution of action scenes, likening it to a graceful dance.

Despite Lee Jung-jae’s impressive English delivery and resonant voice in the teaser, it is not uncommon for Korean actors in previous Hollywood appearances to fall short of expectations. For example, Ma Dong-seok in “Eternals”and Park Seo-joon in “The Marvels”were given limited screen time and their performances lacked impact, resulting in disappointment.

Lee Jung-jae’s portrayal of a lead character in Netflix’s “Squid Game”earned him the prestigious “Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series”award at the Primetime Emmy Awards, making him the first Korean to achieve this honor. This has further cemented his international influence and solidified his place in the global entertainment industry. With the highly anticipated release of “The Acolyte”, fans are eagerly anticipating Lee Jung-jae’s performance as the legendary Jedi Master Sol. As he takes on the challenge of portraying a non-Asian character, there is much curiosity surrounding his