Biography of Ma Dong-seok
Ma Dong-seok, also known as Don Lee, is a South Korean–American actor. He became popular globally with his mesmerising character appearance, impeccable acting skills and myriad range of roles in films and dramas, including ‘The Roundup: No Way Out‘, ‘Unstoppable’, ‘Train to Busan‘, ‘Men of Plastic’, and ‘Love 911‘.
Early Life and Education
Ma Dong-seok was born to a Korean father and a Chinese mother on 1 March 1971 in Seoul, South Korea. His birth name was Lee Dong-Seok and as a tribute to his mother’s family name, he later changed his name to Ma Dong-Seok. Although he faced numerous challenges while growing up due to his mixed roots, he embraced them as a privilege to experience a multicultural upbringing. It also influenced his attitude and versatility as an actor.
From a young age, he showed interest in sports and fitness. It led him to various athletic endeavours, especially in powerlifting and mixed martial arts. He attended the Seoul Institute of the Arts, sharpened his acting skills and gained a solid foundation in theatrical techniques.
Career
Although Ma Dong-seok faced many struggles and challenges during his initial career days in the entertainment industry from 2004 to 2012, his determination paid off when he was cast in the 2012 film, ‘The Neighbor’, directed by Kim Yong-hwa. In this film, he was portrayed as a North Korean spy, Ahn Hyuk-mo, which earned him critical appreciation and opened doors to more worthy roles.
In 2012, Ma Dong-seok appeared as a fire station captain in the South Korean romantic film, ‘Love 911′. The movie stars Go Soo and Han Hyo-joo as the main leads. The 120-minute-long watch was a major success at the box office.
With his excellent performances in various genres, Dong-seok continued to impress audiences and critics in the following years. He played the role of a charismatic gangster in the action-thriller film, ‘Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time’, starring Choi Min-sik and Ha Jung-woo in the lead roles.
In 2013, He appeared in 10 films, including lead roles and cameo roles. He was cast in a first lead role in the South Korean legal drama thriller film, ‘Norigae’, based on the story of Jang Ja-yeon. He starred alongside Lee Seung-yeon and Min Ji-hyun in the film. He co-starred with Jang Young-nam in the film, ‘Azooma’ in the lead role of Detective Ma.
In 2014, Ma Dong-seok appeared in the South Korean film, ‘One on One’ as Leader of Shadow. Kim Ki-duk directed this film. Next year, he played a lead role as Park Sung-chul in a South Korean psychological thriller film, ‘Deep Trap’, costarring Jo Han-sun and Kim Min-kyung.
In 2016, Ma Dong-seok played a lead role in the South Korean action horror film, ‘Train to Busan’, directed by Yeon Sang-ho and co-starring Gong Yoo, Jung Yu-mi, Kim Su-an, Choi Woo-shik, Ahn So-hee, Haney Jia and Kim Eui-sung.
In the same year, she starred in the South Korean action crime film, ‘Derailed’ co-starring Choi Min-ho. Next year, Dong-seok appeared as a lead cast in the South Korean crime action film, ‘The Outlaws’, co-starring Yoon Kye-sang.
In 2018, He appeared in five films. He played the role of Baek Seung-min in the South Korean sports comedy film, ‘Champion’ directed by Kim Yong-wan. The same year, he was cast in the South Korean comedy-drama film, ‘The Soul-Mate’, directed by Jo Won-hee, co-starring Kim Young-kwang and Lee Yoo-young.
Also, he was cast in the South Korean action thriller film, ‘The Villagers’, co-starring Kim Sae-ron and directed by Im Jin-sun. He played the role of Dong-chul in the South Korean action thriller film, ‘Unstoppable’, written and directed by Kim Min-ho. He co-starred in the lead role with Song Ji-hyo, Kim Sung-oh, Kim Min-jae, Park Ji-hwan and Bae Noo-ri. This film is about a former legendary gangster-turned-seafood-distributor, who goes on a crusade to rescue his wife from a human trafficking ring.
In 2019, he appeared as Jang Dong-soo in the South Korean action thriller film, ‘The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil’ in a lead role with the stars Kim Mu-yeol and Kim Sung-kyu. In the same year, he played one of the prominent roles in the film, ‘Start-Up’ with Park Jung-min, Jung Hae-in, Yum Jung-ah and Choi Sung-eun. Additionally, he was cast in the 2019 South Korean action film, ‘The Bad Guys: Reign of Chaos’, co-starring Kim Sang-joong, Kim Ah-joong and Jang Ki-yong.
In 2021, Ma Dong-seok made his Hollywood debut in the action-comedy film ‘The Eternals’ marking his international presence. This American superhero film, based on the Marvel Comics race of the same name further earned global fame.
In 2022, he acted in the South Korean comedy film, ‘Men of Plastic’ directed by Lim Jin-sun and co-starring Jung Kyung-ho.
As of 2023, the South Korean action crime film, ‘The Roundup: No Way Out’, directed by Lee Sang-yong and co-starring Lee Joon-hyuk and Munetaka Aoki in the lead role is the latest film of his career.
Achievements
Ma Dong-seok has garnered significant achievements and honours for his noteworthy performances in the Korean film industry. Some of his notable recognitions and awards are:
- Ma Dong-seok served as the personal trainer of mixed martial artists Kevin Randleman and Mark Coleman before his acting career.
- Dong-seok received the Blue Dragon Film Awards under the Best Supporting Actor category for ‘Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time’ in 2012.
- Ma Dong-seok gained the Fantasia International Film Festival award for Best Actor for the film, ‘The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil’ in 2019.
Military Life
The legendary actor Ma Dong-seok born in South Korea has American citizenship. Before starting his acting career, he lived in Ohio and attended Columbus State. So far, there is no information available about the military life of the actor.
Personal Life
In 2016, Ma Dong-seok reportedly dated Ye Jung-hwa, who was a sports reporter and media personality. His agency confirmed their relationship, stating the couple registered their marriage on 20 October 2022.
Net Worth and Lifestyle
South Korean-American actor Ma Dong-seok, who gained recognition for his fantastic acting skills and hardworking spirit has also managed to earn a good amount of money. As of 2023, the South Korean actor Ma Dong-seok has an estimated of around 7 million US dollars.
Awards
- Visionary Awards 2023
2023 Visionary (2023)
- 2022 Kinolights Awards
Actor of The Year (Domestic) – ‘The Roundup’ (2022)
- 9th Korean Film Producers Association Awards 2023
Best Actor – ‘The Roundup’ (2022)
- Beautiful Artist Awards (Shin Young-kyun Arts and Culture Foundation) 2022
Film Artist Award – ‘The Roundup’ (2022) - 2nd Korea China International Film Festival 2018
Best Actor – ‘The Outlaws’ (2018) - Golden Egg Awards 2018
Best Actor – ‘The Outlaws’ (2018)
- 8th KOFRA Film Awards 2017
Best Supporting Actor – ‘Train to Busan’ (2017)
- 17th Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival 2013
It Award (2013) - 49th Baeksang Arts Awards 2013
Best Supporting Actor – ‘The Neighbor’ (2013)
Interesting Facts about Ma Dong-seok
- Ma Dong-seok took American citizenship at 19 after his family emigrated to the U.S.
- In 2018, Dong-seok became the president of the Korea Armwrestling Federation.
- Ma Dong-seok attended Columbus State Community College and majored in sports management.
- Ma Dong-seok likes cats and dogs.
FAQs
- What is the relationship status of Ma Dong-seok?
Ma Dong-seok married Ye Jung-hwa on 20 October 2022.
- What is the Instagram ID of Ma Dong-seok?
donlee is the Instagram ID of Ma Dong-seok. - What is the net worth of Ma Dong-seok?
The estimated net worth of Ma Dong-seok is around 7 million US Dollars.
