Kim Bum transformed into a crime-fighting action star for his recent K-Drama, "Hidden Identity" and he is now ready to take on the role of martial arts legend, Bruce Lee.
On October 1, Newsen confirmed the casting of the Hallyu star in the upcoming Chinese television series.
"Kim Bum was cast as the protagonist in the Chinese blockbuster drama," said a representative for King Kong Entertainment, in an official statement released on October 1. "He appears in the role of Bruce Lee. [Shooting] will is planned to begin in the middle of this month and [he] will stay in China, for the next three months for filming."
King Kong also released a statement from Kim, where he positively spoke about the daunting task of portraying one of the most universally recognizable figures to emerge from Chinese entertainment and the martial arts sector.
"In particular, please look forward to my thorough preparation, as I take on the character of Bruce Lee," said Kim.
Bruce Lee was a Hong Kong film star, who successfully introduced western audiences to the cinematically intriguing style of martial arts known as Wing Chun. His popularity as an on-screen star sparked international interest in Chinese martial arts, which eventually leading Lee to appear in Hollywood productions like "The Green Hornet."
Prior to this iconic role, Kim Bum extensively worked within the Chinese market.
In 2015, he starred in two Chinese-language films, "Lovers and Movies," along with "The Beloved." He was also a central cast member in the 2014 mainland drama, "The Micro Era of Love."
The 26-year-old actor experienced his breakout role as So Yi Jing in the pan-Asian hit, "Boys Over Flowers." He was catapulted into meteoric fame following the success of the series, along with his co-stars Lee Min Ho, Gu Hye Sun, Kim Hyun Joong and Kim So Eun.
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Adrienne Stanley is a contributing editor at KDramaStars. She is also a contributing music writer at KpopStarz, MTV Iggy and other publications. When she is not listening to "We Like 2 Party," she can be found on Twitter. (@retrogirladdy).
