Martial arts actor Hwang Jung-lee dies at 81

Hwang Jung-lee, the martial arts actor and President of the Hwang Jung-lee World Martial Arts Federation, passed away on the 12th at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital. Known as the "King of Kicks," he gained global fame for his intense battles against Jackie Chan in films such as 'Drunken Master'.

Hwang Jung-lee, the martial arts actor and President of the Hwang Jung-lee World Martial Arts Federation who left a powerful impression on global martial arts film fans through intense battles with Jackie Chan in the film 'Drunken Master', has passed away. Having decorated the golden age of Hong Kong martial arts films by translating the unrivaled kicking techniques of Taekwondo into cinematic language, he is remembered as a symbolic figure who went beyond acting to lead the globalization of Korean martial arts.

According to a memorial post shared on social media by Kim Jin-yong, the Chairman of the Hwang Jung-lee World Martial Arts Federation, President Hwang passed away on the 12th at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital. Tributes have poured in following the news of the master's passing, leaving a distinct mark on the global martial arts and film industries.

“A great star of the world martial arts community, President Hwang Jung-lee, has passed away,” Kim mourned, stating that he “left a distinct footprint in the history of world martial arts films beyond the Republic of Korea.” Kim emphasized that “the unrivaled kicking and intense acting shown in numerous works, including the films 'Drunken Master' and 'Snake in the Eagle's Shadow', will remain forever in the memories of filmmakers and martial artists worldwide.”

Furthermore, Kim evaluated Hwang not merely as a film actor, but as a martial artist who promoted the status of Korean martial arts to the world. “He was a martial artist who dedicated his life to announcing the excellence of Korean Taekwondo to the world and to the exchange and development of Eastern and Western martial arts culture,” Kim recalled. He concluded his final farewell by saying, “We will long remember his footsteps as a legend of martial arts films that dominated an era and a pride of Korean martial arts. I was happy, grateful, and sorry to have been with him.”

Born in 1944, the deceased debuted as an actor in the 1974 film 'The Return of the One-Legged Man' after working as a Taekwondo instructor. He later entered the Hong Kong film industry and built a full-scale career in martial arts films with 'The Secret Rivals' in 1976. During the period when Hong Kong action films were growing into a global genre, Hwang established himself as a unique martial arts actor by integrating the sophisticated kicking techniques of Korean Taekwondo into his films.

The works that etched Hwang Jung-lee's name into the world were the 1978 films 'Snake in the Eagle's Shadow' and 'Drunken Master' starring Jackie Chan. In both works, he played villains who displayed powerful martial arts skills against the protagonists; in 'Drunken Master' specifically, he played the role of Yeom Cheol-sim, engaging in battles with Jackie Chan through overwhelming kicks and precise movements. His threatening martial arts performance, which contrasted with the protagonist's comedic action, maximized the tension of the works, earning Hwang the nickname "King of Kicks" among international martial arts film fans.

He continued to participate in the heyday of the action genre by appearing in numerous Hong Kong martial arts films, such as 'Tower of Death'. His performances, characterized by spectacular kicks and technical perfection, showed that martial arts could be more than just a category of villainy, serving as a spectacle and a form of cinematic expression in itself. His activities remain a significant record in Korean martial arts history, particularly for conveying the technical characteristics of Taekwondo through an international cinematic language.

The deceased expanded his scope beyond acting to work as a director and martial arts instructor. In the 1983 film 'The Guangdong Viper', he served as both lead actor and director, and in Korea, he participated as a martial arts director and actor in the dramas 'Sandglass' and 'The Return of Iljimae'. He subsequently served as the President of the Hwang Jung-lee World Martial Arts Federation, striving for the dissemination and international exchange of Korean martial arts, including Taekwondo.

While Hwang Jung-lee, a representative of the golden age of Hong Kong martial arts films, remains in the public memory as an intense villain clashing with Jackie Chan on screen, behind that image was the life of a martial artist who dedicated his entire life to promoting the status of Korean Taekwondo to the world. Although his legendary kicks on screen have stopped, his footsteps left in the history of global martial arts films and Korean martial arts are expected to continue for a long time.

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