KUP - round 2
Finally got round to doing a 2nd KUP, I'd put it off until I'd finished his bio, but I was so busy at the time, I put off doing my last checks on it so it's been delayed for a bit. So when I couldn't get access to the site for a few days, I used the time to finish it up and now we've got 3 NEW films, a bio and I added a bunch of promo stuff too.
Twelve Gates To Hell [1980]
https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=10241&display_set=eng
Some might have noticed that this one is a correction, I'd earlier ID'd this henchman as Choe Ha-seop. An easy mistake to make as sometimes they look just like each other, sometimes clearly not. We have Soon-seok's rubber-face to thank for this (though the blur issues didn't help), sometimes he looks like a completely different actor, even within the same scene!
Killer Constable [1980] [Kor cut]
https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=6090&display_set=eng
Sheng Tiao Hero [1984] --- 2 roles
https://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=9395&display_set=eng
Choe Soon-seok bio
Born in South Korea in 1962 , he trained in martial arts from a young age, becoming proficient in Kung Fu, acrobatics and a variety of weapons. He began his acting career as a stuntman, playing small fighting roles in the martial arts films of directors Kim Shi-hyeon, Lee Hyeok-soo and Kim Seon-gyung.
He was a founding member of the Ottugi Martial Arts Troupe, alongside fellow martial arts actors: Kim Hoe-moon; Won Jin; Jeong Jin-gwan; and lead by action director Kim Baek-soo. The team travelled around the country giving live performances blending: martial arts; acrobatics; and comedy to entertain the crowds. Choe was one of the team members who performed the demo at the Jhoon Rhee Tae Kwon Do Ballet at the 2nd U.S. Infantry Division in November 1982.
But it was director Richard Park Woo-sang that would give him a real chance to shine, casting him in the staring role in both Dreadnaught Rivals [1982] and Duel Of Ultimate Weapons [1983]. Both films were clearly inspired by the likes of 1978's Snake In The Eagle's Shadow and Drunken Master,i n the second film, he even got to go toe-to-toe with the villain of those two Jackie Chan classics, “King Of The Leg Fighters” Hwang Jeong-ri. Choe was even given the stage name Yoo So-jeon to create even more of a connection to those films in the mind Korean audiences.
Choe was in his element with these Jackie Chan-esque martial arts comedies, especially with several of his fellow Ottugi members playing supporting roles. Their years spent training and touring together gave them natural chemistry and timing, both in the comedy and action, especially with Kim Baek-soo and Kim Hoe-moon serving as the martial art directors.
He got to show a bit more of his acting range in Incredible Shaolin Thunderkick [1983], this time playing one of the lead villains alongside Lee Jae-yeong (2), against hero's Benny Tsui and Eagle Han. The film was also another a great showcase for his martial arts skills.
But his good nature made things difficult for him and by the 90s he had grown tired of the cut-throat nature of the Korean action film industry. He instead decided to focus on his other true passion, comedy.
It was a natural move for him, as much of his time with Ottugi and his two starring roles were focussed on comedy. Also, his expressive face made it easy for him to play to the broad comedy stylings that appealed to Asia audiences.
He became the first Korean action actor to successfully transition into being a comedian. He worked on several projects with iconic comedy star Shim Hyung-rae, particularly on the series of films based around the popular character “Yeong-goo”.
He played prominent side characters in popular film series' aimed towards children, including: Super Hong Kil-dong; Thunder Hawks; and Half Moon Mask. He also made appearances on TV, such as the KBS comedy series Humour #1 and live performances on variety shows like World Explosion Festival.
Sadly, the 90s was a tough time for former martial arts stars, many of them could not make a living off of acting alone and many of them left the industry altogether. By the late 90s Choe had got married and retired from the industry.
J.J. Hayden [03-Mar-2025]
Cheers
