[2024.08.14] JACKIE CHAN REVEALS COREY YUEN'S PASSING FROM COVID TWO YEARS AGO

Famous Hong Kong director, action director and producer Corey Yuen passed way from the novel corornavirus two years ago

Corey Yuen was Jet Li's official action director, designing the action on LETHAL WEAPON 4

Michelle Yeoh is one of the action actors Corey Yuen gave a start to

Jackie Chan posts on Weibo a photo from the 65th anniversary of the Yuen Clan founding, remembers Corey Yuen and other late members and hence reveals the news of Yuen's passing two years ago

Yuen Qiu, Sammo Hung and Corey Yuen appeared on the Chin Kar Lok and Sandra Ng's program

Corey Yuen and Stephen Chow worked together on many commercial and critical hit films

Director Roy Chow worked with Corey Yuen on RISE OF THE LEGEND and spent valuable moments together

Corey Yuen spent decades in film and made great contributions
courtesy of mingpao.com

The news of Hong Kong director and producer, famous action director and one of the "Seven Little Fortunes" Corey Yuen Kwai's death suddenly surfaced yesterday. The source was Jackie Chan, who mentioned the 65th anniversary of the founding of the Yuen Clan in a post on Weibo. However in the text he mentioned, "We would always remember those who have passed away, Master, his wife, elder sister Yu So Chau, Yuen Lun, Yuen Yam, Yuen Yu, Yuen Kwai, Yuen Yung and other brothers and sisters."

Jackie Chan posted a group photo of the "Yuen Troupe" on Weibo and said, "Our group of people entered Master Yu Jim Yuen's Hong Kong Chinese Opera Academy since we were six or seven years old, singing, chanting, doing and fighting together. We practiced hard and received beatings from our master together, and together we also learned a lot of real skills that would allow us to make a living in the future. Later, we entered the film industry one after another. Brothers and sisters helped each other and slowly carved out a world of our own. Coming from the Yuen Clan, the 'Seven Little Fortunes' was becoming more and more popular among the audience. Many people have become great action directors, stars, and directors in the film industry with their own representative works. Decades have passed just like this, our faces has more wrinkles and our hair is gray. We can no longer completed many stunts easily. However, as Big Brother Hung Kam Bo said, our group of people have been tumbling and fighting all our lives and going to Heaven and Earth. It has been a miracle that we are together in good health. At this gathering, we remembered our brothers and sisters who have passed away, such as Master, his wife, elder sister Yu So Chau, Yuen Lun, Yuen Yam, Yuen Yu, Yuen Kwai, Yuen Yung and other brothers and sisters. We also asked each other to make sure to cherish your health and welcome the next reunion. Best wishes to the Yuen clan and the members of the Yuen clan forever!"

The Federation of Hong Kong Filmmakers spokesman Tin Kai Man also confirmed the news of Yuen Kwai's death in response to the media, saying that Yuen Kwai immigrated to Canada in his early years and died of the novel coronavirus two years ago; it has not been made public due to the wishes of his family.

Many people in the industry who knew Yuen Kwai posted messages of remembrance on social platforms. Director Roy Chow Hin Yeung posted a photo with Yuen Kwai and wrote, "Dear Director Dan (Yuen Kwai), I will miss you forever. Director Yuen Kui was one of the main promoters of bringing Hong Kong action film technology to Hollywood, and wrote an important page in the history of world cinema." He mentioned that when he directed the movie RISE OF THE LEGEND (WONG FEI HUNG JI YING HUNG YAU MUNG), Yuen Kwai served as the action director. "Before the production began, the action design took half a year to prepare. We all worked together everyday to come up with moves, test shoots, BS, and competed with you on having scrambled eggs with chili pepper everyday! I really miss those days, a good time that I will never forget."

Producer Amy Chin Siu Wai wrote, "Last year when Siu Hoi (Mang Hoi) left, he turned out to have left with Director Dan. It was just like back then when they would always return to the company together for meetings, scout locations together, work together, had tea together, then go home on their own and rest for a few hours; get up and start working again. Until one day, everyone unknowingly scattered all over until now. We miss you, Director Yuen Kwai, and we miss our fearless but dumb impulse back then. Safe Travels."

Chin Kar Lok was saddened to hear the news of Yuen Kwai's death. "I believe that the big brothers who grew up training with and worked in the film industry with Director Yuen Kwai would be even more reluctant to part with him. I met him when I joined the Sammo Hung Stunt Team. What I remember the most is that when he came back from making foreign movies in the United States, he introduced many safety measures for action movies like pressure-sensitive mat that took the blunt off shooting action scenes such as jumping from a car or jumping off a building. He also rehearsed the stunts in advance, which saved a lot of time from doing them on the spot. He also recorded the video for us to see so we knew the feeling of shooting. He made great contributions to Hong Kong action movies."

Yuen Kwai was originally named Yan Yuen Kwai. He was born in 1950 and was known as Brother Dan. Along with Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung Kam Bo, Yuen Biao and others, he was a student at the Chinese Opera Academy, a disciple of Peking Opera master Yu Jim Yuen, and a member of the Seven Little Fortunes. Early in his career, he served as a stuntman and participated in many action movies. Later he became an action director. In 1982 Ng See Yuen invited him to direct NINJA IN THE DRAGON'S DEN (LUNG JI YUN JEH), for which he was nominated for Best Action Choreography at the 2nd Hong Kong Film Awards. Yuen Kwai later directed many action films, including YES, MADAM! (WONG GA SI JEH) and SHE SHOOTS STRAIGHT (WONG GA NUI JEUNG). He was famous for his ability to direct actresses in fierce martial arts action. In 1990 he co-directed with Jeff Lau Chun Wai the Stephen Chow Sing Chi starred comedy ALL FOR THE WINNER (DOH SING), which became the top-grossing box office hit that year. Yuen Kwai became a popular action comedy director. Later he collaborated with Lau Chun Wai again on THE TOP BET (DOH BA), SAVIOR OF THE SOUL (91 SUN DIU HUP LUI), SAVIOR OF THE SOUL II (92 SUN DIU JI CHI SUM CHEUNG CHING GIM), THE LEGEND OF FONG SAI YUK, FONG SAI YUK II and others. Yuen Kwai also often made cameo appearances in comedy roles in the films he directed and choreographed the action, such as Fishmonger Sing in ALL FOR THE WINNER, and Shek Sir in MORTUARY BLUES (SI GA JUNG DEI).

Yuen Kwai single-handedly gave a hand up to a number of action actors, including Michelle Yeoh (Yeung Chi King) and Jet Li (Lee Nin Kit). Yeung Chi King once said that Yuen Kwai had strict requirements on martial arts action that at the same time must have good form and aesthetics. He also knew whether the actor had the ability to perform certain movements and would not force anything. Yuen Kwai was Lee Nin Kit's official action director. He formed a production company, Eastern Production Co., Ltd. with Lee Nin Kit in 1992 and two collaborated on blockbuster films such as THE LEGEND OF FONG SAI YUK, THE BODYGUARD FROM BEIJING (JUNG NAM HOI BO BIU), and MY FATHER IS A HERO (CUP BA BA DIK SHUN). Yuen Kwai even won the Best Action Choreography Award at the 13th Hong Kong Film Awards and the 30th Golden Horse Awards for THE LEGEND OF FONG SAI YUK. In 1995, he won the Best Action Director at the 32nd Golden Horse Awards for THUNDERBOLT. In 1998, Yuen Kwai went to Hollywood at Lee Nin Kit's invitation to design action scenes for LETHAL WEAPON 4 and received praises. He later served as action director for many foreign films, including KISS OF THE DRAGON and THE ONE. In 2002 he directed THE TRANSPORTER. In recent years, Yuen Kwai shifted his focus back to the Chinese film industry and was responsible for the action design of many films such as RED CLIFF and SHAOLIN (SUN SIU LUM JI).