SEOUL, July 13 (UPI) — Liam Neeson’s latest action movie of the Korean War is due to land in South Korean theaters in late July – but the Irish actor is concerned about North Korean retaliation.
Speaking to reporters in Seoul, Neeson said he’s worried about the “real life” threats that may follow the film’s release, according to Hollywood Reporter.
“North Korea and South Korea signed an armistice in 1953 and both countries are still essentially at war. It’s a horrifying situation and in light of very recent events [such as the Sony hack] we are all, not just as filmmakers, but as citizens of this world, very concerned,” Neeson said Wednesday.
In late 2014 Sony Pictures was the target of a cyberattack that took place after North Korea condemned the film for its depiction of Kim Jong Un’s assassination. Hackers also threatened moviegoers’ safety.
The United States has said the hack was of North Korean origin.
In Operation Chromite, Neeson plays Gen. Douglas MacArthur, the mastermind behind the U.S.-led Incheon Landing.
The strategy worked to push back the North Korean advance in September 1950 and marked a turning point in the war.
Neeson, who has previously said that he discovered acting could be a form of prayer, said playing MacArthur in the South Korean film was an offer he “couldn’t refuse,” according to The Korea Herald.
“I was very aware that very few western actors had come over here…so I felt very honored, actually. And very privileged,” Neeson said about his decision to play a rebel who often “wore his hat at [an] angle” which irritated other commanders.
“I hope young people will learn something from it but also be very entertained and be very moved by it,” Neeson said.
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