[Edaily Starin YUN GI BACK Reporter] Director Yuan Hua-ping, the director of *Drunken Master* and the action choreographer for *The Matrix*, *Kill Bill*, and *Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon*, emphasized that even in the age of artificial intelligence (AI), the essence of action films lies in the actors’ physical performances.

Director Yuan Hua-ping stated at a press conference for “The Bounty Hunter: The Great Wind and Clouds,” the opening film of the 30th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN), held on the 3rd at the Culture Hall of the Hyundai Department Store Jungdong Branch in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, that “AI-generated action at this stage cannot match the level of perfection achieved by the movements of real actors.”
“Pyo-in: The Great Curtain of Punggi” is a wuxia action film set during the late Sui Dynasty, depicting the story of bounty hunter Do-ma as he escorts a mysterious figure with a massive bounty on his head. Based on the comic of the same name, the film is characterized by intense action set against a desert backdrop and realistic martial arts choreography. Director Yuan Hua-ping created a new world of wuxia by minimizing the use of computer graphics (CG) and maximizing the use of real actors’ movements in the action sequences.
Regarding the film’s selection as the BIFAN opening film, Director Yuan Hua-ping said, “This is my first visit to Bucheon, and I was struck by how warm and down-to-earth the city feels.” He added, “I am deeply honored to be invited as the opening film, and above all, I hope Korean audiences will enjoy the movie.”
He took a cautious stance on AI, a hot topic in the film industry recently. “Although AI technology has advanced significantly, there is still a clear difference between action films created by AI and those created by real people,” he said. “From a director’s perspective, there are still shortcomings in even the smallest movements and timing.” He continued, “If AI advances further in three or four years, we might consider using it, but as of now, it cannot match the level of perfection achieved by action sequences performed by real actors.”

He also explained why he keeps the use of CGI to a minimum. Director Won Hwa-pyeong explained, “Unless a scene requires superpowers, I try to avoid using CG as much as possible,” adding, “Action performed physically by real actors is the style and signature of my films.” He shared his philosophy, saying, “A good action movie should never get old over time,” and noted, “A truly good action movie is one that you can still enjoy watching even 20 years later.”
He also noted that the trend in action movies has changed from the past. “While in the past the focus was on showcasing flashy moves themselves, audiences now want more realism where acting and action blend naturally,” he said, adding, “Action movies continue to evolve with the times.”
He recalled that the filming process itself was the biggest challenge for this project. Director Won Hwa-pyeong said, “Filming in the desert was harder than I could have imagined,” adding, “Temperatures exceeded 40 degrees, and the heat index reached as high as 60 degrees. We had to postpone filming on many days due to strong winds, and we paid close attention to managing the actors’ physical condition.” He continued, “The process of creating action sequences is always difficult. For every project, we have to devise new moves, and since each actor’s movements and style differ, we have to design action sequences tailored to them,” he explained.
He also highlighted the unique personalities of the actors he had worked with in the past. “Jackie Chan’s strength lay in his flashy yet comedic action sequences, while Jet Li was an actor who brought out the beauty of traditional martial arts,” he said. “Jian Zidan was the actor who suited modern action best. Since every actor has a different style, the process of designing action sequences to suit them is crucial,” he explained, drawing attention.
He also expressed his willingness to collaborate with Korean actors. Director Yuan Hua-ping said, “About 30 years ago, I frequently visited Korea and kept a close eye on Korean action actors,” adding, “There were actors I wanted to work with at the time, but it was unfortunate that our schedules didn’t align.”

He continued, “Korea has many action actors and a well-established film education system,” adding, “If the opportunity arises in the future, I would definitely like to collaborate with the Korean film industry.” In particular, he smiled and remarked, “Actor Lee Byung-hun’s action scenes are truly impressive,” adding, “If the chance arises, I’d like to work with him.”
When asked about the secret to his continued active career even now, at over 80 years old, he replied, “Film is both my hobby and my lifelong profession.”
Director Won Hwa-pyeong said, “I haven’t set a time limit on how long I’ll keep making movies,” adding, “As long as there are good scripts and good investors, I’ll keep making movies. I’ll continue making movies until the day I feel I can no longer do it.”
Finally, he remarked, “‘Pyo-in: The Great Desert’ is a film that combines realistic action shot in an actual desert with family love, friendship, and human emotions,” and urged, “Since it’s a film I can confidently recommend, I hope you’ll be sure to see it in theaters.”
The 30th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival runs through the 12th in the Bucheon area. This year’s festival will screen 321 films from 50 countries, and *Pyo-in: The Great Desert* has been selected as the festival’s opening film.