Lee Jung-jae, a South Korean actor-turned-filmmaker who rose to prominence thanks to Netflix’s popular South Korean Original series Squid Game, recently made his directorial debut with the espionage drama Hunt. The film has been invited to the 75th Cannes Film Festival for a screening.
Hunt has been invited to be screened at the festival’s midnight screening, which is a non-competitive section. Hunt will be in this section alongside other South Korean films such as Kim Jee-A woon’s Bittersweet Life, Na Hong-The jin’s Chaser, Yeon Sang-2016 ho’s zombie film Train to Busan, and Byun Seong-The hyun’s Merciless.
Lee and his co-star Jung Woo-sung are expected to walk the red carpet together. In addition to starring in the film, Lee directed, produced, and wrote the screenplay.
Hunt is a spy action drama set in the 1980s that features the full force of the South Korean military regime. Lee Jung-jae is a high-ranking spy who works for the Agency for National Security Planning and is tasked with catching a North Korean spy. He joins forces with Jung’s Kim Jeong-do, a colleague and rival.
Park comes to terms with bitter truths about his own country as they attempt to carry out this daring mission together. As members of the department, Jeon Hye-jin and Heo Sung-tae round out the cast.
Lee Jung-jae expressed his gratitude to the cast and crew who worked with him during the film’s six-month production period, as this is his first directorial venture. “Director Lee Jung Jae, who pays attention to every cut until the end, even though he is in a very tired condition, was amazing,” Jeon Hye-jin said of Lee as a director. The figure came closer, especially since Joo Gyeong, who assists Park Pyung Ho, played a part. It was a joy to be able to collaborate with such wonderful people.”
In May 2022, Lee will travel to Cannes for the world premiere of his film. The 75th edition will take place between May 17th and May 28th, 2022.
Lee Jung-jae has been a well-known figure in South Korean cinema since the 1990s, with roles in films such as An Affair, Over the Rainbow, The Thieves, City of the Rising Sun, The Housemaid, Assassination, and others.
With his role as Seong Gi-hun, the protagonist in Hwang Dong-2021 hyuk’s Netflix Original dystopian survival thriller series, the actor was catapulted to global superstardom. The show, set in modern-day Korea, was a biting critique of the power structure, capitalism, and socioeconomic disparities.
Lee Jung-brilliant jae’s performance helped the show make history at various award shows, earning it a sweeping win and making Lee the first-ever South Korean actor to win an award for his performance at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards.