Kim Tai-chung (June 5, 1957 – August 27, 2011), also known as Kim Tai-jong or Tong Lung (唐龍; Chinese stage name), was a South Korean martial artist, actor and businessman. A

Taekwondo Taekwondo (; ; ) is a Korean martial art and combat sport involving primarily kicking techniques and punching. "Taekwondo" can be translated as ''tae'' ("strike with foot"), ''kwon'' ("strike with hand"), and ''do'' ("the art or way"). In ad ...

practitioner, he is best known for his

martial arts films Martial arts films are a subgenre of action films that feature martial arts combat between characters. These combats are usually the films' primary appeal and entertainment value, and often are a method of storytelling and character expression a ...

. Born in

Pusan Busan (), officially Busan Metropolitan City, is South Korea's second most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.3 million as of 2024. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economic, cultural and educational center of southe ...

, Kim made his first Hong Kong movie debut in the 1977 film '' Snuff Bottle Connection'', along with

Hwang Jang-lee Hwang Jang-lee (; born 21 December 1944) is a South Korean martial artist and actor best known for his Hong Kong martial arts films. He is a ninth- dan grandmaster in Tang Soo Do and Taekwondo who began training in 1957. Prior to his acting care ...

and

Roy Horan Roy Horan III (January 1, 1950 – October 12, 2021) was an American actor and martial artist best known for his Hong Kong martial arts films. Horan played Lewis in the 1981 martial arts film '' Game of Death II'', and Priest/Russian in the 1978 ...

. He went on to star in

Raymond Chow Raymond Chow Man-wai ( zh, t=鄒文懷; 8 October 1927 – 2 November 2018) was a Hong Kong film producer, and presenter. He was responsible for successfully launching martial arts and the Hong Kong cinema onto the international stage. As ...

's Golden Harvest classics ''

Game of Death ''Game of Death'' () is an incomplete Hong Kong martial arts film, of which portions were filmed between September and October 1972, and was planned and scheduled to be released by 1973, directed, written, produced by and starring Bruce Lee. Th ...

'' (1978) and ''

Game of Death II ''Game of Death II'', also known as ''Tower of Death'' () or ''The New Game of Death'', is a 1981 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Ng See-yuen and starring Bruce Lee, Tong Lung, Huong Cheng Li and Roy Horan. This film was marketed ...

'' (1981). He also starred in the South Korean romantic comedy action ''

Miss, Please Be Patient ''Miss, Please Be Patient'' () is a 1981 South Korean romantic comedy action film starring Kim Tai-chung and Jeong Yun-hui. The movie is also known as ''Super Lady Hopper'' as an alternate title. Outside of South Korea, the film is known for Kim ...

'' (1981), the Taiwanese

Bruceploitation Bruceploitation (a portmanteau of "Bruce Lee" and "exploitation") is an exploitation film subgenre that emerged after the death of martial arts film star Bruce Lee in 1973, during which time filmmakers from Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea cast ...

martial arts film '' Jackie and Bruce to the Rescue'' (1982), and the martial arts film ''

No Retreat, No Surrender ''No Retreat, No Surrender'' is a 1985 martial arts film directed by Corey Yuen in his American film directorial debut. It is the first title in the ''No Retreat, No Surrender'' franchise, whose plot lines and characters are mostly unrelated. ...

'' (1986), along with

Jean-Claude Van Damme Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg (, ; born 18 October 1960), known professionally as Jean-Claude Van Damme (, ), is a Belgian martial artist and actor. Born and raised in Brussels, his father enrolled him in a Shotokan karate schoo ...

and

Kurt McKinney Kurt Robin McKinney is an American actor and martial artist. McKinney played Jason Stillwell in the 1986 martial arts film ''No Retreat, No Surrender''. Early years A native of Louisville, Kentucky, McKinney graduated from Ninth and O Christi ...

. Kim was one of two stand-ins for

Bruce Lee Bruce Lee (born Lee Jun-fan; November 27, 1940 – July 20, 1973) was an American-born Hong Kong martial artist, actor, filmmaker, and philosopher. He was the founder of Jeet Kune Do, a hybrid martial arts philosophy which was formed from ...

(along with

Yuen Biao Yuen Biao (born Ha Lingchun; 26 July 1957) is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist and stuntman. He specialises in acrobatics and Chinese martial arts and has also worked on over 80 films as actor, stuntman and action choreographer. He was one o ...

) used to complete ''Game of Death'' after Lee died during filming. Kim also played the ghost of Bruce Lee in ''No Retreat, No Surrender''.

History and early career

Acting

In the 1970s, Kim made his first Hong Kong movie debut in 1977 film '' Snuff Bottle Connection'', along with

and

. Kim played Bruce Lee's character Billy Lo in 1978 film ''

'', alongside

(who performed the acrobatics and stunts), Kim played Lee's character so well that the producers used him again a few years later. In the 1980s, Kim played Bobby Lo in 1981 film ''

'' alongside Hwang Jang-lee, Roy Horan, To Wai-wo and Lee Hoi-san. After ''Game of Death II'', Kim returned to Korea and made his one and only Korean film, ''

'' (''아가씨 참으세요''), along with former Korean beauty queen and romantic film star

Jeong Yun-hui Jeong Yun-hui (; born June 4, 1954) is a former South Korean actress active since 1975. She was born in Tongyeong, a southwestern coastal city of South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea in 1954. After graduation from Hyehwa Girls' High School, J ...

. This movie was a commercial failure despite receiving praise from film critics. Kim later joined a Korean and Taiwanese production again in the role of Bruce Lee in the 1982 film ''Jackie vs. Bruce to the Rescue'' (also known as ''Fist of Death'') along with

Lee Siu-ming Lee may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Lee'' (2007 film), Tamil-language sports action film * ''Lee'' (2017 film), Kannada-language action film * ''Lee'' (2023 film), biographical drama about Lee Miller, American photojournalist * ''L ...

, a Taiwanese stuntman and

Jackie Chan Fang Shilong (born Chan Kong-sang; 7 April 1954), known professionally as Jackie Chan,; is a Hong Kong actor and filmmaker, known for his slapstick, acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, and innovative stunts, which he typically perf ...

look alike. A commercial and critical failure, this film caused him to take a break from acting. In June 1985, Chinese film producer Ng See-yuen was looking for an actor to play the ghost of Bruce Lee in the 1986 film ''

''. This would be Kim's American debut and final movie plus the film debut of Belgian martial arts actor

as Ivan Kraschinsky. Kim played Bruce Lee's ghost who trains

's character.

Retired from acting

After ''No Retreat, No Surrender'', Kim returned to Korea and retired from acting at the age of 29 and became a businessman. In 2008, Kim made a rare public appearance in Korea as part of a screening of ''

'',The Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival History: Miss, Please be Patient
Retrieved on 22 July 2009. which had originally been released in 1981. Kim had played a leading role in that film.

Death

On August 27, 2011, Kim died of stomach hemorrhage at 54. He had been preparing to make a new movie but suddenly collapsed during a meeting with friends and died at a hospital. He was buried at the Buddhist temple Obongjeong in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province. Fans kept posting memorial messages on online cafes and even opened a memorial cafe for him despite nearly no mention of his passing by the media.

Filmography

Movies

* '' Snuff Bottle Connection'' (1977) * ''

'' (1978) * ''

'' (1981) * ''

'' (1981) * '' Jackie and Bruce to the Rescue'' (1982) * ''

'' (1986)

Documentary

* ''

Bruce Lee, the Man and the Legend The English language name Bruce arrived in Scotland with the Normans, from the place name Brix, Manche in Normandy, France, meaning "the willowlands". Initially promulgated via the descendants of king Robert the Bruce (1274−1329), it has been ...

'' (1984)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Kim, Tai-chung South Korean male film actors South Korean businesspeople South Korean male taekwondo practitioners 1957 births 2011 deaths Bruce Lee imitators Deaths from gastrointestinal hemorrhage 20th-century South Korean sportsmen