Legendary martial arts actor Hwang Jang-lee, famous for facing off against Jackie Chan in the classic films ‘Drunken Master’ and ‘Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow’, has passed away at the age of 81. RZA of the American hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan also left a direct comment on a tribute post to honor the late actor.
Jin-yong Kim, former chairman of the Hwang Jang-lee World Martial Arts Federation (WFMA), announced via social media on the 12th that Hwang passed away that day at Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital.
Kim reflected on and mourned the kicks and acting performances the deceased showcased in martial arts films. He also mentioned Hwang’s efforts in promoting Taekwondo overseas and fostering cultural exchanges between Eastern and Western martial arts.
A lengthy memorial comment was posted on the same post from RZA’s verified account. Although he rarely leaves online comments, he wrote, “His work inspired me.”
RZA recalled that Hwang’s movies occupied much of his childhood. He stated that he watched most of the late actor’s filmography and would eagerly anticipate the martial arts sequences whenever Hwang’s name appeared in the credits.
He singled out ‘Dance of the Drunken Mantis’ and ‘Martial Monks’ as films he watched repeatedly at home. He expressed gratitude, adding that the late actor’s kicks opened up a new creative world for him, and concluded the comment with the name RZA of Wu-Tang Clan.
Tributes from those who remembered meeting the deceased also continued. Mike Leeder recalled meeting Hwang when he first arrived in Hong Kong and spending time together in Jeju years ago. Eric Jacobovitz also expressed his sorrow through a brief comment.
Born in 1944, Hwang started out as a Taekwondo instructor and began his acting career in 1974 with the film ‘The Return of the One-Armed Boxer’.
He subsequently advanced into the Hong Kong film industry, starring in works such as ‘Secret Rivals’, ‘Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow’, and ‘Drunken Master’.
In particular, in the 1978 hit film ‘Drunken Master’, he played the villain Thunderleg, clashing with Wong Fei-hung, portrayed by Jackie Chan. He gained widespread recognition among domestic and international martial arts film fans through his villainous roles backed by fast and disciplined kicks.
In South Korea, he directed and starred in ‘The Killer of Guangdong’ and also worked as the martial arts director for the drama ‘Hourglass’. – The Korea Daily
