After 'Battle', Andy Lau Sets Sight on Korean Film

By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter

Hong Kong movie star Andy Lau expressed his hope to star in a Korean film after working with Korean actors in a joint project between three countries: Japan, South Korea and China.

"As the Hong Kong film industry has suffered from the lack of interesting stories, I often think I should make a movie with a new subject in a different environment. I'd love to star in a Korean film if I have a chance", Lau said Friday during a news conference after the preview screening of epic action film "A Battle of Wits" at Yongsan CGV theater in Seoul.

"It doesn't really matter which actor or director I will work with, which I don't think is something I can decide. What matters is what kind of story it will be and the role that I will take", he said.

Lau came to Seoul to promote the new blockbuster film, and the conference was also attended by Korean actors Ahn Seong-gi and Choi Si-won as well as Hong Kong director Jacob Cheung.

Based on a Japanese comic book, the movie is about a battle that takes place during China's historical Warring States period in 370 B.C.

In the film, Lau plays a warrior Ge Li, who takes on a mission to protect his nation from the invasion of the powerful Zhao Kingdom, and Ahn plays chief commander Xiang Yanzhong of the Zho Kingdom.

Lau spoke highly of Ahn as an actor despite the fact that they could not sometimes understand each other fully because of the language difference.

"I think he is brilliant actor with a lot of talent, who always does his best. Eight out of 10 audiences won't have the impression that he is a foreign actor because of his excellent Chinese", Lau said.

Regarding a co-production project, Lau said actors from different countries should be able to show to the audience what they share in common.

"A good co-production work is not something that allows all the actors from different countries to have the same exposure in the film but something that allows them to show what they have in common", Lau said.

But he seems very careful about starring in a Hollywood film.

Although many Hong Kong stars have started appearing in Hollywood movies since the late 1980s, they have not been so successful, he said.

"Many Hong Kong actors have gone to Hollywood, but when I watch their films, it's not as good as their films made in Hong Kong including the ones by Jackie Chan, Jet Lee and Chow Yun-fat. It's not their fault, but it's because Hollywood focuses on the Hong Kong market rather than Hong Kong actors", Lau said.

"I'm staying in Hong Kong because I hope the Hong Kong film industry will prosper and I want to contribute to it. But if I star in a Hollywood film, it should be for something better than those I make in Hong Kong", he said.