Lee Jung Jae‘s appearance in the highly anticipated Disney Plus original series Acolyte has generated excitement among fans both domestically and internationally. The series confirmed its June release date and unveiled a teaser trailer on March 20th.
Set 100 years before Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Acolyte delves into the late High Republic era, uncovering the dark secrets of the galaxy and the rise of the Dark Side. Lee Jung Jae, Amandla Stenberg, Manny Jacinto, Daphne Keen, Jodie Turner-Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Charlie Barnett, Dean-Charles Chapman and Carrie Anne Moss star in the series.
Lee Jung Jae has garnered much attention as the first Korean actor to join the Star Wars universe. He takes on the role of the legendary Jedi Master Sol.
In the recently released trailer, Lee Jung Jae delivers a powerful line in English: “Close your eyes. The eyes can deceive you. We must not trust them.” We also see glimpses of Master Sol confronting a mysterious figure and engaging in a thrilling lightsaber duel. Jung Jae previously spoke about the experience, saying, “I was so overwhelmed when I first held the lightsaber.”
The excitement is palpable among fans. Korean viewers are expressing their anticipation with comments like, “His English acting is impressive” and “A Korean actor is playing a Jedi!” There are also many witty comments using Lee Jung Jae’s famous lines from his previous works such as Squid Game, The Face Reader, and New World.
It’s not all unanimous praise, however. Some fans have expressed concerns about the visibility of Lee Jung Jae in certain trailer scenes. The darkness makes it difficult to see the details of his performance. This has led to some online comments questioning the lighting choices and whether the production team has sufficient experience capturing actors of diverse ethnicities on screen.
Take a look at some of the comments:
“It seems like they’re either not interested, don’t have the skills, or both when it comes to making East Asians look good on film.”
기본적으로 동아시아 사람을 더 멋있게 보이게 하는데 관심이 없거나 기술이 없거나 둘 다 없는 것 같다 https://t.co/Fw8qip158L
— 고양이씨 (@d_uali) March 20, 2024
“Lee Jung Jae actually looks pretty good in Acolyte. I grew up watching Rain in Speed Racer, Daniel Henney in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and Lee Byung-hun in G.I. Joe. So even seeing a Korean actor in a major role is a treat.”
스타워즈 에콜라이트 이정재 정도면 엄청난 선녀입니다
스피드레이서 비, 박준형
엑스맨 울버린 다니엘 헤니
지 아이조 이병현 같은거 보고 자란 입장에서는한국배우가 분량 많이 등장하는것만으로도 감지덕지함 pic.twitter.com/msMED9tg7g
— 워든/warden (@warden_america) March 20, 2024
“Steven Yeun once said that when he first played the lead role in America, they didn’t know how to shoot an Asian face, so he looked the strangest even as the lead.”
스티븐 연이 처음 미국에서 주인공 역할했을때 동양인 얼굴을 어떻게 찍어야하는지 몰라서 주인공인 자기가 가장 이상하게 나왔다고 말한 적 있음 https://t.co/ff2BnHR246
— encephalos (@menssana1225) March 20, 2024
“They say they still don’t know which lighting and reflector angle is good when shooting black actors… I doubt they care about those when shooting Asian actors.”
흑인배우들찍을때
어느조명이
반사판각도가.. 이쁜지 아직도 모른다고하던데..동양배우들한테는
당연히 신경안쓸듯하네여.. https://t.co/J4KEmN8EEJ— 미미 쩡♡winner♡ (@YJ615) March 20, 2024
“Liam Neeson even said he was surprised to be cast as a Jedi, not an alien, being Irish himself.”
“Lee Jung Jae might not be conventionally handsome, but it’s clear that the team didn’t understand Lee Jung Jae’s face. Even full-body shots don’t showcase his great proportions.”
그래도 내가 이정재가 딱히 잘생겼다고 생각해본 적은 없어도 저 팀이 이정재 얼굴을 파악을 못 했구나하는건 확실히 알겠음. 전신샷을 보면 이정재정도로 비율이 좋은 사람의 장점도 못 살렸더라..
— PLUTO (@hadess1138) March 20, 2024
Despite these concerns, the overall mood is one of excitement. Overseas fans are equally enthusiastic, with reactions like: “Seong Gi Hun survived Squid Game to become a Jedi,” “He’s playing the Sith Game after Squid Game,” and “I’m looking forward to Lee Jung Jae’s Hollywood debut and his new acting.”
Acolyte will premiere episodes 1 and 2 on June 5th.
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