Pictured above: Korean American actor Will Yun Lee. (Photo courtesy of Bjoern Kommerell)
by JIANNE LASATEN, Audrey Magazine
Gritty action, life-threatening danger, awesome gadgets and weapons, and traveling around the world while beating up the bad guys. Who doesn’t fantasize about being a slick, super spy every once in a while? Well, you can somewhat live out your fantasy by catching up on Cinemax’s popular TV series, Strike Back.
For those that are unfamiliar with the show, Strike Back is a military action drama that takes place all over the world. It stars Phillip Winchester and Sullivan Stapleton as Sgt. Stonebridge and Sgt. Scott, respectively. They are part of the British Secret Service who travel around the world to tackle enemy and terrorist threats.
In the fourth and final season of Strike Back, Korean American actor Will Yun Lee joins the cast as Kwon, an elite and brutal member of the North Korean military regime who goes rogue and, surprisingly, finds love amidst all of the blood and violence that the show is known for.
We caught up with Will and he gave us everything we need to know to prepare for this action-packed final season.
You’re in the final season of Strike Back. In your own words, how would you describe this final season?
Will Yun Lee: Balls to the wall. It was like shooting an independent guerilla film in the middle of Budapest, but when you watch it, it feels like a big studio feature. It’s an incredible storyline that takes something when you first hear about it that seems so fantastical. It’s just really grounded and fun and gritty and messy and that’s what I loved about the show. Everything was messy. And the fights were choreographed on the street five minutes before we shot a fight. It was just running guns and I think that’s what will show up on screen.
How would you describe your character, Kwon?
Kwon is in the North Korean military regime. He is one of the high-ups. His biggest weakness is love. He follows this girl into something they patriotically believe is right even though it’s against the main part of the regime. At the end of the day, Kwon is hard-edged. When it comes to accomplishing a mission, he will do whatever it takes, but it’s all because of this one girl.
What is the relationship between Kwon and Mei?
I think love has made her the boss, just like in real life with so many people. But it’s truly a mission of two people. It wasn’t like a separate entity. I would say love makes her the boss, just like every man and woman in a relationship. She is, in a way, the ultimate soldier in terms of the belief system that was so ingrained in her. And when things changed, it short circuits her.
What attracted you to this series and to take one this role?
One, Michelle Yeoh and two, I’ve done a lot of so-called villains and things like that. This was one of the first where they go into the lives of Michelle’s character and my character. In so many movies you don’t know who the villain really is, so it’s not as big an obstacle for the hero to overcome. To me, when I read the script, it was the pilot script that really got me interested. If there was a way to break into NK, I think these guys [the writers] figured it out. It’s so plausible. It can be far from plausibility, but to me when I read it I was like, wow, it really makes sense.
The fourth season of Strike Back premieres in the U.S. on July 31.
See Also
July 2013 Cover Story: Will Yun Lee
Why Does Every Blockbuster Have to Kill Off the Asian Guy?
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This article was originally published on Audrey Magazine.
