Don Lee’s ‘Men of Plastic’ set for release in 32 countries

Don Lee’s comedy-drama “Men of Plastic” is set to open in theaters in 32 countries outside Korea, according to its distributor Showbox on Tuesday.

The film already opened in Hong Kong on Dec. 1 and in Taiwan on Dec. 2. It is slated to open in the United States and Canada on Friday, and Singapore on Dec. 22. Next year, it will be released in Vietnam, Indonesia and Japan.

“Don Lee has always been at the center of attention, grabbing the interests of fans all around the world and we have great expectations and pride in films that he stars in,” said Capelight, a North American distributor.

Don Lee, whose Korean name is Ma Dong-seok, is an actor and a producer behind notable films “Trip to Busan” (2016), “The Outlaws” (2017) and “The Roundup” (2022). He also starred in Marvel Studios’ “Eternals” (2021). He is one of the producers of “Men of Plastic” and starts in the lead role of the film as well. The film is directed by Lim Jin-soon.

Hong Kong film distributor Edko described “Men of Plastic” as a film that showcases “a great ensemble of actors along with Don Lee’s transformation as an actor.”

The film, set in 2007, is about an ambitious businessman, portrayed by Ma, in an affluent neighborhood in southern Seoul called Apgujeong-dong who has a “killer idea” to open a 15-story plastic surgery clinic by partnering with a skilled plastic surgeon whose medical license has been suspended, portrayed by Jung Kyung-ho.

It opened in local theaters on Nov. 30, and currently ranks No. 2 in the local box office chart.

BY LEE JIAN [lee.jian@joongang.co.kr]