Don Lee, The Action Star Who is Beating Korea’s Box Office Back into Shape

 ​The Roundup: No Way Out

The whole Korean film industry and the media are closely monitoring the current movie sensation, The Roundup: No Way Out, wondering if it will become the messiah that the struggling theaters have been waiting for. With more that 8 million tickets sold in 15 days (although plenty of preview screenings gave it a head start), it is already the most watched movie in Korea this year, and this title is also well on track to become the first film to hit the elusive 10 million spectator threshold of the post-pandemic era since... the previous movie in the franchise, The Roundup, released last year. Korean viewers clearly have a thing for lead actor Don Lee (aka Ma Dong-seok), who became a heavy hitter in Korean films (in more ways than one) in a relatively short time. Few actors can boast of having a whole subgenre of action films named after them, and yet this Korean-American actor has much more to offer than just punchy action comedy. Whether you are a long-time fan or are a new convert and want to get a taste of his versatile acting skills, we've compiled for you a list of must-watch films that showcase his extraordinary talent and undeniable charm. 

The quintessential Don Lee movies: The Roundup series 

Let’s get the most obvious pick out of the way, as these have become inseparable from Don Lee. In The Outlaws (2017), Ma Seok-do, a tough and relentless detective, punches and kicks his way to prevent a war between Korean Chinese gangsters. As is hinted at in the character’s name, Ma Seok-do is basically Ma Dong-seok himself if he had taken a different path in life. With his signature humor and badassery, the actor instantly created an iconic character and the realistic and brutal tone resonated with the audience, spawning the two sequels mentioned earlier and a third one currently in preparation. 

 ​Eternals

The Hollywood debut: Eternals (2012) 

Few would have bet a few years ago that a Korean actor would one day make the cut to star in the biggest movie franchise in the world, the Marvel Extended Universe. And yet that’s precisely what happened when Don Lee joined this 2021 superhero movie featuring a group of immortal beings who have shaped the Earth’s history and civilizations over thousands of years. The role of Gilgamesh felt like a natural fit for the actor, as he not only got to save the world the way he knows best, but he also had the occasion to show his softer side in the close bond he shared with Thena (Angelina Jolie).  

 ​Start-up

The comedy in which he flexes his comedy chops: Start-up (2019) 

Don Lee may fit many people’s stereotypical idea of the “alpha male”, but he is never the last to play off his tough guy status in unexpected roles. In Start-up, he played the delicate and kindhearted owner of a Chinese restaurant who cares about his look. When a penniless high school dropout who ran away from home ends up in his shop, he decides to take him under his wing, without knowing their clashing personalities would cause many fights. 

 ​The Bad Guys: Realm of Chaos

The return to the origins of Don Lee’s fierce detective persona: The Bad Guys: Reign of Chaos (2019) 

In this movie follow-up to the hit OCN series Bad Guys (2014), Don Lee returns to one of his earlier roles that brought him to where he stands today, that of a former gang boss who agrees to joins a special task force made of repenting convicts to catch other criminals. Set after the events of the series, the story follows Lee and his partners as they try to track down escaped prisoners who hold useful information to incriminate a mob boss. The actor is right at home here as the film features its fair share of intense and explosive action sequences. 

 ​Train to Busan

The film that put Don Lee on the map: Train to Busan (2016)  

This movie was a breakthrough moment for Don Lee. As one in a group of passengers trapped on a train heading to Busan while a zombie outbreak is spreading at a rapid pace throughout Korea, he portrayed a kind and loyal husband who learns to put his life on the line to save others in literally jaw-dropping action sequences. Widely praised for its thrills and its social allegory, the film was a huge box office hit in Asia and among genre film fans all around the world. Don’s performance was acclaimed by the audiences and critics alike and remains one of his most memorable roles to date.

 ​The Neighbors

The scene-stealing performance: The Neighbors (2012)

Every hero has an origin story, and for Don Lee that would be this suspense thriller about the inhabitants of an apartment complex who start to suspect that one of them is involved in a series of murders. Lee’s role as a loan shark everyone else fears may not be crucial in the narrative, but the way he torments and eventually defeats the murderer over a parking lot issue was instantly celebrated as one of the highlights and turned the actor into a force to reckon with. The public was right on the money, since, as it would turn out, Lee has since always delivered a memorable performance, whether he is playing a cop or a gangster, a chef or a god.