On June 5th, a media distribution preview for Disney+’s “The Acolyte” was held at CGV Yongsan I’Park Mall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, with actor Lee Jung-jae in attendance.
“The Acolyte” is set at the end of the Star Wars franchise’s High Republic era, approximately 100 years before Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999). It sees a respected Jedi Master investigating a series of crimes that bring him into contact with a former Padawan learner and reveal sinister forces.
Lee Jung-jae is the first Korean actor to play the role of a Jedi Master, Sol, in the Star Wars universe. Sol is a character respected by many for his strong force and wisdom.
Despite the long-lasting popularity of the Star Wars series among international fans, it has a relatively small fandom in Korea, with some saying it’s hard to get into due to the high entry barrier.
Regarding this, Lee Jung-jae said, “The ‘Star Wars’ series usually requires watching previous installments to understand the context, but ‘The Acolyte’ tells a story of an earlier generation, so you can watch this series without prior knowledge. This disconnection can be a significant advantage. Therefore, I could act and express myself freely. I think newcomers to Star Wars can approach and follow this series easily.”
He added, “My character Sol is likely to remain significant over time and could be linked to future stories. Although Star Wars doesn’t have a large fanbase in Korea compared to other countries, there are other TV shows and movies being made after ‘The Acolyte’, so I hope you will look forward to them.”
When asked about the changes after the global success of Netflix’s series “Squid Game”, Lee Jung-jae replied, “Besides getting more offers for projects like ‘Star Wars’, not much has changed. The only significant difference is that my working environment has expanded. It’s a substantial change.”
Regarding the Hollywood production system, Lee Jung-jae, who is also a producer and director, noted, “There are differences in specific areas between Hollywood and the Korean system, but overall they are quite similar.”
He continued, “I thought I would learn a lot by going to Hollywood, but I was surprised to find that the Korean film system is highly advanced. The major difference lies in the technology used depending on the genre. For instance, ‘Star Wars’ uses a lot of technology related to space settings that we don’t typically use in Korean films.”
However, he pointed out the uniqueness of Star Wars, “Since ‘Star Wars’ has been around since the 1970s, the costumes and props have been improved upon over the years. You can see that the props are not just placed there; they’ve been refined to perfection. Listening to the staff, there’s a history behind each item. This is a unique system that only Star Wars has.”
“The Acolyte” will be exclusively available on Disney+, with the first two episodes globally released on June 5th, followed by a new episode every Wednesday, totaling eight episodes.
