The accolade of a Jedi knighthood falls upon the unexpected Lee Jung-jae of Squid Game fame in The Acolyte, a live-action TV series of the Star Wars franchise set to stream on Disney+ in June. For fans of both Star Wars and Lee Jung-jae in Korea, this news is more than just great—it’s the merging of two things very close to their hearts: the space saga across multiple planetary systems and an actor whose screen persona happens to encapsulate the essence of the most popular slogan among younger generations of Korea (Millennials and Gen Z): “What counts in the end is not yielding from your heart.” The question remains, however, whether this merger will truly unite two cultural products with different backgrounds; in other words, whether Lee can make his mark on the series with his own unique contributions.
Being part of major Hollywood projects is undoubtedly a significant achievement for actors and filmmakers alike. It’s no surprise that making such a leap from Korea to the expansive field of filmmaking aiming for a much larger market and audience has garnered praise and positive media attention, even though the final results sometimes didn’t quite live up to the hype. Lee was not the first to be summoned by Hollywood majors. Jung Ji-hoon, also known as Rain, starred in Ninja Assassin (2009). His casting as a killing machine trained by a secretive clan run by a ruthless martial arts master, Ozunu, sparked considerable interest, drawing attention to his near-perfect physique and English skills. However, his portrayal was somewhat disappointing. Instead of his cheeky and adorable character we knew, Jung’s ninja assassin was lacking in human qualities such as compassion, conforming to the stereotype of Asian characters known for their lethal kicks, being laconic, cold, driven by revenge, and finding solace only in tactile connections with opposite sex. Similarly, Lee Byung-hun appeared in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009) and Terminator: Genisys (2015), playing roles with significant cultural clout but often constrained by familiar patterns.
Lee Jung-jae faces towering predecessors as he prepares to embody a Jedi knight. Alec Guinness, Mark Hamill, Liam Neeson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ewan McGregor, and Daisy Ridley, among others, have contributed to the iconic qualities of Jedi knighthood—such as boundless wisdom, unwavering discipline, sacrificial spirit, fraternal love, resolute commitment to the Republic, and mastery of the lightsaber. The question begs: Can Lee tread the marvelous paths of Jedi history and forge his own guardian of peace and justice, rather than succumbing to the stereotype of Asian characters who know a thing or two about martial arts and swordplay?
Lee has built his acting career around characters that can amicably be called ‘underdogs,’ who ultimately triumph over whatever obstacles stand in their way, although it doesn’t always mean they get exactly what they want. Seong Gi-hun in Squid Game is a perfect example. Broke and burdened with gambling debt, Seung has no choice but to enter the deadly game, driven solely by the desire to win the race and claim the hefty prize money. His survival skills, honed through adversity, allow him to maintain a cool head even in the most difficult moments to do so. While he occasionally succumbs to intense emotions, he consistently regains his practical senses to ensure his survival. He refuses to yield. That what he does even if only for himself. Along the way, he learns important life lessons, such as the value of listening to and sharing with others, albeit as a secondary consideration. Will we witness this humane side of Lee’s character shine through in his portrayal of a Jedi warrior this June? All will be revealed soon.