11 Latest Movies & Dramas of Ma Dong Seok
Ma Dong Seok, also known as Don Lee, was born Lee Dong Seok on March 1, 1971. He is of mixed Korean-American descent and holds American citizenship.
Ma Dong Seok became hugely popular after his performance in the movie "Train to Busan." His role in that film led to a surge in leading roles for him in many recent Korean movies. His success isn't just limited to South Korea; Ma Dong Seok has also made a name for himself in Hollywood.
For fans eager to catch up on Ma Dong Seok's latest work, we have got a list of his newest movies. Stay tuned!
1. The Roundup: Punishment
Year | 2024 |
Genre | Action, Crime, Thriller |
Director | Heo Myeong Haeng |
Cast | Ma Dong Seok Kim Mu Yeol Lee Dong Hwi |
Ma Seok Do, also known as "Monster Cop" (Ma Dong Seok), is back in action! This time, he's up against Baek Chang Ki (Kim Mu Yeol), a ruthless former mercenary who runs an illegal online gambling organisation.
With the help of the Cyber Investigation Team, Ma Seok Do begins to track down Baek Chang Ki and his network. Their investigation takes them to the Philippines, where they discover a connection between a drug trafficking app and an online gambling network.
Baek Chang Ki proves to be a dangerous enemy, using violence and intimidation to maintain his power. He doesn't hesitate to use kidnapping, assault, and murder to eliminate anyone who stands in his way.
To further complicate matters, Baek Chang Ki has the support of Jang Dong Cheol (Lee Dong Hwi), an IT genius who plans to run a similar scheme on a larger scale in Korea. Now, Ma Seok Do and his team must act quickly to stop this threat and protect innocent victims from harm.
2. Badland Hunters
Year | 2024 |
Genre | Action, Adventure, Drama |
Director | Heo Myung Haeng |
Cast | Ma Dong Seok Lee Hee Joon Lee Jun Young Roh Jeong Eui |
"Badland Hunters," starring Ma Dong Seok, is the sequel to "Concrete Utopia." Both movies are set in a post-apocalyptic world devastated by a nuclear war. In this world, Seoul has turned into a barren, dangerous desert.
Life is extremely hard for the survivors. They struggle to find clean water, often resorting to filtering dirty water and trading goods to get by.
One day, a group of people arrive in one of the surviving districts searching for an 18-year-old girl. The girl, Su Na, and her grandmother are taken to the city center, promised a better life. However, Su Na gets separated from her grandmother. Su Na ends up in a hospital, while her grandmother meets a tragic fate.
Luckily, two residents from their district, Nam San (Ma Dong Seok) and Ji Wan, notice something's not right. They decide to rescue Su Na. Their journey is fraught with challenges, including encounters with bizarre mutants. Together, they unravel the mysterious events unfolding in the hospital where Su Na is being held.
3. The Roundup : No Way Out
Year | 2023 |
Genre | Action, Crime |
Director | Lee Sang Yong |
Cast | Ma Dong Seok Lee Joon Hyuk Aoki Munetaka |
"The Roundup: No Way Out" picks up where "The Outlaws" (2017) and "The Roundup" (2022) left off, following the thrilling adventures of Detective Ma Seok Do, played by Ma Dong Seok.
Seven years after his last big case in Vietnam, Ma Seok Do is back, teaming up with Jang Tae Soo (Lee Beom Soo) and Kim Man Jae (Kim Min Jae) to solve a challenging murder case. This time, they're up against Joo Seong Cheol (Lee Jun-hyuk), a powerful businessman with ties to Japanese criminals.
Things get even more intense when a notorious Japanese yakuza and drug dealer, Ricky (Munetaka Aoki), arrives in Korea, stirring up trouble. With new challenges at every turn, Ma Seok Do must navigate through a web of danger and deception to crack the case.
4. The Roundup
Year | 2021 |
Genre | Action, Crime |
Director | Lee Sang Yong |
Cast | Ma Dong Seok Son Seok Koo Choi Gwi Hwa |
Detective Ma (Ma Deong Seok) becomes a hot topic in town after he takes down a criminal in the city. He is then assigned a task of traveling to Vietnam to capture Korean fugitives who have fled there.
Upon arrival in Vietnam, Detective Ma, along with Captain Jeon Il Man (Choi Gwi Hwa), is welcomed by Jang Soon Cheol, a Korean foreign affairs executive in the country. They learn from Jang that one of the fugitives has turned himself in for a bizarre reason.
Further investigation leads Detective Ma to a horrifying discovery: a brutal series of murders committed by Kang Hae Sang (Seon Seok Koo), targeting Korean tourists for their money. This revelation kicks off an intense mission for Detective Ma, Captain Jeon Il Man, and their team to capture Kang Hae Sang.
Following the success of The Outlaws, Lee Sang Yong took over the director's chair to continue Detective Ma's story in this movie. The combination of a captivating story, well-executed choreography, and outstanding performances from the cast, once again, propelled "The Roundup" to become one of the highest-grossing South Korean films during the Covid-19 Pandemic.
5. Eternals
Year | 2021 |
Genre | Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi |
Director | Chloé Zhao |
Cast | Gemma Chan Richard Madden Kumail Nanjiani Lia McHugh Brian Tyree Henry Lauren Ridloff Barry Keoghan Ma Dong Seok Salma Hayek Angelina Jolie |
The Eternals, while well-known among Marvel enthusiasts as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), may present a novel and intriguing narrative for those less familiar with Marvel's extensive lore. In the movie, Ma Dong Seok plays Gilgamesh, a strong superhero who is part of the Eternals.
Directed by Chloé Zhao, "The Eternals" introduces viewers to a group of alien immortals known as The Eternals. Their primary mission is to defend Earth from the Deviants, their counterparts who have embraced malevolence.
As the plot unfolds, it becomes apparent that The Eternals face a more terrifying challenge: preparing Earth for the emergence of Tiamut, a celestial entity with the potential to annihilate the planet. Despite numerous internal disputes, The Eternals band together in a unified effort to thwart Tiamut's destructive plans.
The ensuing battle is fierce, resulting in the tragic loss of several members of The Eternals. After achieving their mission, the survivors are transported into space, vowing to return one day to resume their role as Earth's guardians.
6. Start-Up (2019)
Year | 2019 |
Genre | Action, Comedy, Drama |
Director | Choi Jeong Yeol |
Cast | Ma Dong Seok Park Jung Min Jung Hae In |
In a change of pace, Ma Dong Seok stars in a film that's different from his usual roles – this time, it's a comedy drama. The movie is based on a Webtoon called "Shidong," known as "Start Up" in English, by Geum San.
It tells the story of Taek Il who leaves home in a quest to discover who he really is. Tae Il doesn't want to go to college, even though his mom dreams of him getting a university education. Choosing his own path, Taek Il decides to run away.
Once away from home, Tae Il quickly realizes how tough life can be without money or a job. With just a little cash left, he and his best friend Sang Pil start looking for work. They end up in very different jobs: Sang Pil becomes a loan shark, while Tae Il finds work at a Chinese restaurant.
At the restaurant, Tae Il delivers food, working alongside Goo Man and Geo Seok, the chefs. These two are not only skilled but also funny and unique. It's through this new job and these new friends that Tae Il starts to learn important lessons about life.
7. Ashfall
Year | 2019 |
Genre | Action, Adventure, Thriller |
Director | Kim Byung Seo, Lee Hae Jun |
Cast | Lee Byung Hun Ha Jung Woo Ma Dong Seok Jeon Hye Jin Bae Suzy |
This movie tells the dramatic story of the volcanic eruption of Mount Baekdu. It starts with a massive earthquake that leads to a devastating eruption, leaving Seoul and nearby cities in ruins.
Faced with this crisis, the government holds an urgent meeting to prepare for an even bigger eruption that could potentially wipe out Korea and its neighboring countries.
To prevent this catastrophe, the government brings together an explosion expert, a top North Korean official, and Korea's leading geologist (Ma Dong Seok). This unlikely team joins forces to find a solution to the disaster.
The film, an action thriller, also features famous Korean actors like Lee Byung Hun, Ha Jung Woo, Jeon Hye Jin, and Bae Suzy. Notably, it was one of Korea's highest-grossing films in 2019.
8. The Bad Guys: Reign of Chaos
Year | 2019 |
Genre | Action, Crime, Thriller |
Director | Son Young Ho |
Cast | Kim Sang Joong Ma Dong Seok Kim Ah Joong Jang Ki Yong |
This movie is a spin-off from the Korean drama "Bad Guys". It's about dangerous criminals who break free on their way to prison. Among them is a tough Korean gang leader, No Sang-Sik, who is connected to the yakuza.
A detective named Oh Gu Tak is put on the case to find out who helped the prisoners escape. He puts together a special team for the job, but it's not a typical team – he chooses skilled prisoners to help.
The team includes Park Woong Cheol (Ma Dong Seok), Ko Yoo Sung, and Jessica. Each uses their unique skills to solve the case. As they dig deeper, they uncover something even bigger than the escape of the prisoners.
9. The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil
Year | 2019 |
Genre | Action, Crime, Drama |
Director | Lee Won Tae |
Cast | Ma Dong Seok Kim Mu Yeol Kim Sung Gyu |
"The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil" is a movie about a gang leader and a police detective teaming up to catch a serial killer. The gang leader, Jang Dong Su, is tough and feared, while Jung Tae Seok is a dedicated detective.
The story starts when Jang Dong Su survives an attack by the serial killer. He's badly stabbed but makes it to a hospital in time. Angry and wanting revenge, Jang Dong Su holds a deep grudge against the killer.
Detective Jung Tae Seok is investigating a murder and thinks Jang Dong Su can help him. He believes the killer Jang Dong Su wants revenge on is linked to his case. Can these two from different worlds work together to catch the serial killer?
Ma Dong Seok plays Jang Dong Su, the gang leader known as "The Devil."
10. Champion
Year | 2018 |
Genre | Drama, Sport |
Director | Kim Yong Wan |
Cast | Ma Dong Seok Kwon Yool Han Ye Ri |
In Champion (2018), Ma Dong Seok perfectly embodies the role of a panco (arm wrestling) athlete, leveraging his large frame and powerful build. In addition to his athletic pursuits, Mark, the character he plays, also works as a nightclub security guard in America.
One day, Mark's best friend, Jin Ki (Kwon Yool), persuades him to participate in an arm wrestling competition in Korea. Initially hesitant, Mark eventually agrees. Once in Korea, he embarks on a journey to find his biological mother, only to discover that she has passed away. However, Mark also reconnects with his long-lost sister, Soo Jin (Han Ye Ri), and her family.
This unexpected reunion brings significant changes to Mark’s life. The question remains: how will his career progress in Korea, and will he be able to bond with the family he only just discovered after so many years?
11. The Outlaws
Year | 2017 |
Genre | Action, Crime, Thriller |
Director | Kang Yoon Sung |
Cast | Ma Dong Seok Yoon Kye Sang |
This action-packed thriller revolves around Ma Seok Do (Ma Dong-Seok), a detective managing Seoul's Chinatown. This neighborhood was established by Chinese settlers in Korea and is now a hub for tough guys who often demand protection money from local shopkeepers.
Ma Seok Do brings a sense of calm to the merchants and residents who have been troubled by the gang's activities. Even the gangsters have a certain respect for him because his smart way of dealing with the area's powerful figures.
The story gets interesting as two groups, one Chinese and the other Korean, compete for control over the territory, each wanting to be the top dog. When tensions rise, it's Ma Seok Do who steps in to smooth things over. How will Ma Seok Do handle these rough characters and keep the peace?