Building a Universe with His Fists: Action Architect Ma Dongseok Says "Boxing Is My Language" [Interview]

From Action Master to Content Creator and Brand:
Starring in the Occult Dark Hero Film "Holy Night"

Actor Ma Dongseok is being photographed during an interview for "Sacred Night: Demon Hunters." Lotte Entertainment

"Since I was a child, I dreamed of becoming an action star like Jackie Chan. I was always envious of Jackie Chan's presence, shining across various genres. I wondered what it would be like if there were an actor like that in Korea. That's why my dream is 'to have Ma Dongseok appear in every movie.'"

Actor Ma Dongseok describes action not as a simple genre, but as an extension of his identity and philosophy. For him, boxing action is another language. During an interview with reporters at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul on April 24, he said, "I take care of my body so I don't get rusty easily," and added, "If possible, I want to keep doing action until I'm 60." In fact, he personally operates a boxing center and experiments with action sparring that appears in his scripts.

Half of Ma Dongseok's day is devoted to 'movies,' and the other half to 'boxing.' His work has become both his hobby and his daily routine. "Creating stories is my play. Training at the boxing gym, revising movie scripts, and directing have all become part of my everyday life. I can't do it if it's not fun."

Ma Dongseok stars in and produced the film "Holy Night: Demon Hunters" (directed by Lim Daehee), which tells the story of Ba-woo (Ma Dongseok), Sharon (Seohyun), and Kim Gun (Lee Dawit), dark heroes with special abilities who eradicate evil forces in a city thrown into chaos by a cult that worships evil. The film is set to be released on April 30.

The movie is not just a simple action film. It is an occult action genre, centering on the confrontation between Eunseo (played by Jung Jisoo) and Sharon (played by Seohyun). He explained, "The center of the story is these two women," adding, "I played a supporting character who stands a step back." He emphasized, "I wanted to tell a story where women take the lead."

Ma Dongseok envisioned a broad universe. He first built an IP (intellectual property) that could be expanded into webtoons, novels, and animation, and has been serializing "Holy Night: The Zero" on Naver since October last year. He explained, "I was inspired by the Japanese dark fantasy manga 'Berserk,'" and added, "I created the story first, and then made a movie out of a part of it."

Still photo from the movie "Holy Night: Demon Hunters." Lotte Entertainment

He is active as both a lead actor and producer. He personally revises all the dialogue in the scripts he produces. He analyzes and edits not only the direction of the action but also the timing of the humor based on data. "The timing of laughs in comedy varies by generation. I gather opinions with staff in their 20s and 30s and reflect audience data through blind test screenings."

Currently, Ma Dongseok is working on a global project with 11 foreign actors. The filming is taking place on location in Korea, and he is personally handling all aspects of production, including agents, management, visas, and interpretation, in this highly unusual environment.

This project is "Pig Village," a Hollywood project for which Ma Dongseok is the original creator, producer, and lead actor. It is a 100% English-language film with a global cast, including Michael Rooker and Colin Woodell. He said, "It has long been my dream to make a real Hollywood action film using the Korean production system." In fact, it is known that foreign actors decided to join the project simply because Ma Dongseok was involved.

Next year, he will be filming the fifth installment of "The Outlaws." Ma Dongseok is currently writing the scripts for four installments, from the fifth to the eighth. He is also planning works in various genres, including musicals and thrillers. "I'm also preparing a musical film about a heavy metal band. I planned it because I like heavy metal, but I won't be headbanging myself. (laughs) Sometimes, I want to try something outside of action, to experiment with different genres."

After starring in the Marvel film "Eternals" (2021) and drawing 30 million viewers with "The Outlaws" series, he is no longer just an actor. From original story development and production to leading global projects, the name Ma Dongseok is evolving into a piece of content and a brand in itself. Looking back on his journey, he spoke calmly.

"I've been lucky. Being able to live doing what I love is a huge blessing. I want to keep adapting and enduring for as long as I can within that."