Matrix concept artist Won Pyung, visiting Bucheon with new film 'Pyoin'

Master Yuan Woo-ping, the Architect of 'The Matrix' Bullet Time, Visits Bucheon

Yuan Woo-ping, the Hong Kong action legend who designed the iconic 'bullet time' (the scene where characters lean back to dodge bullets) from the Hollywood film 'The Matrix (1999)', meets Korean audiences. Visiting Bucheon with his new film 'Pyo-in: Fengqi Daimo', which was selected as the opening film for the 30th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN), he attended a press conference for invited foreign filmmakers held on the afternoon of the 3rd at the Hyundai Department Store in Jung-dong, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon, Gyeonggi-do.

Director Yuan Woo-ping (81) stated that as this film festival celebrates its 30th anniversary, it is an honor to present his work, which marked a milestone in martial arts action, as the opening film. On-site, he said, "It is an honor to be chosen as the opening film. I hope Korean audiences will enjoy it."

The new film 'Pyo-in: Fengqi Daimo' is set during the late Sui Dynasty. It tells the story of the bounty hunter Do-ma (played by Wu Jing), who escorts a high-stakes target, Ji Se-rang, to the capital, Chang'an. The film is based on a martial arts manhwa of the same name. It portrays the battles of martial arts masters set against a vast desert through heavy and realistic action. It features a unique setting of a 'swordsman accompanied by a child,' where a lonely warrior travels with a young boy named So-chil.

His career is a record of action cinema history. He pioneered the comic kung fu genre by directing 'Drunken Master (1978)', which made Jackie Chan a global star. As an action director, he designed the action sequences for 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)' and 'The Matrix (1999)'.

Wu Jing's Realistic Action and Jet Li's Return After 14 Years

'Pyo-in' presents a 'survival martial arts' genre that is brutally realistic. Do-ma, wearing a bamboo hat and carrying a long sword, a dagger, and a chain at his waist, engages in unpretentious hand-to-hand combat amidst the desert sandstorms. Wu Jing, a martial artist himself, blends modern action with traditional martial arts, much like a killer equipped with various guns and weapons.

The film stars the top Chinese action star Wu Jing, and Jet Li makes his return to the screen after 14 years. Members of the K-pop group SEVENTEEN, Jun and NCT's Winwin, also appear and perform martial arts action.

Director Yuan Woo-ping cited this new work as the most difficult task of his directing career. While the desert filming environment with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius was challenging, the creative struggle of having to present a new type of action different from his previous works was immense. He stated, "Commercial films are truly difficult. The stage of designing martial arts movements is the hardest," and explained that he completed the action by exchanging opinions with actor Wu Jing on set.

Tailored Action Design for Actors and Caution Regarding AI Technology

Designing action tailored to the characteristics of each actor is a hallmark of Director Yuan Woo-ping's direction. He explained that visually flashy yet comedic movements suit Jackie Chan, traditional Chinese martial arts movements suit Jet Li, and modern movements suit Donnie Yen.

He holds a cautious stance regarding Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology. He believes that for action films, good visuals come from action performances and dialogue hitting perfect timing, and he judges that AI still lacks this capability. He said, "If AI technology reaches the standard in 3 to 4 years, I might consider using it then."

He is also firm in his determination to minimize the use of Computer Graphics (CG). Unless a scene requires supernatural powers, he tries not to use CG as much as possible. This is because action created by the actual bodies of actors is his film style. He emphasized realism, saying, "It should not get old even after 20 years."

Meanwhile, even in his eighties, he does not dream of retirement. Having visited Korea frequently 30 years ago, he recalled being deeply impressed by Lee Byung-hun's action at the time. Although it was regrettable that they couldn't work together then due to scheduling issues, he mentioned Korea's solid system and excellent action actors, expressing his desire to work with Korean films if the opportunity arises.

'Pyo-in' was released in China and North America this past February. It recorded a global revenue of $215,363,913 (approximately 329.7 billion KRW). The domestic release in Korea is expected in the second half of this year.