THE INTERNET
IS
ON FIRE
AND
LEE JOON
GI
LIT
THE MATCH
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 Internet sleuths are buzzing.
Lee Joon Gi reportedly returned home from Taiwan on 1 February 2026. And the
fandom went feral. Whispers of his new international film have sent excitement
into overdrive.
   
The movie title is Kidnapping Game (likely a working title). It is adapted from Keigo Higashino’s novel, The Name of The Game Is Kidnapping, a psychological thriller. And if the source material wasn’t juicy enough, the cast lineup is stupendous. Joining Lee Joon Gi is a border-hopping
ensemble.
 Carrie Wong (Singapore) Alice Ko (Taiwan) Kentaro Sakaguchi (Japan)
Four countries. Four stars.
One dangerous addictive mind game. Expectations? Sky high, to say the least. Now that Lee Joon Gi is firmly back on home soil, there are whispers that filming has wrapped. Secrets are leaking. Expectations are exploding. All signs point to Taiwanese
director, Lin Yu Hsien is at the helm, alongside an anonymous Japanese
co-director. Others say it's a Japanese-led movie. Nobody knows.
The production itself reads
like a cinematic world tour. Singapore. South Korea. Japan. Taiwan. Different
Cultures. Different Climates. One twisted psychological battlefield.
Post-production is likely
underway and fans are counting the seconds to a premiere announcement. The
hunger is real.
The original game: Kidnapping
as a mind sport. Keigo Higashino’s novel isn’t your average thriller. This
story has been adapted across Asia – Japan, China and India.
SO, WHAT MAKES THIS NEW VERSION DIFFERENT?
That’s where things get thrilling What we expect so far.
Lee Joon Gi (South Korea) as
the male lead. Carrie Wong (Singapore) as
the female lead.  Alice Ko (Taiwan) as the
mother of two. 
Kentaro Sakaguchi as a man
who saves the life of a high school student.
Romance? Non-Negotiable.  Danger and Action? Mandatory.  This is a story of smoke,
shadows and strategy. It’s The Master’s Game.
 WHY ARE EXPECTATIONS HITTING THE STRATOSPHERE?
1. Four Actors – Four
Nationalities. Intriguing.
2. Four Asian Settings:
Singapore, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan. Wow.
3. At least 2 production
companies collaborating across borders: Taiwanese and Japanese. Peak creative
energy.
4. The medium of
communication between the 4 characters of different nationalities - Is there a
shared lingua franca? Perhaps, English? It would be fun and exciting to watch
Lee Joon Gi speak not only Korean, but also Chinese, Japanese and English in
the film. He will be amazing.
5. Wildly different climates
shaping mood and emotions: Singapore’s tropical heat. South Korea & Japan’s
brutal winter. Taiwan’s rain-soaked chilly weather. 6. Wardrobe. Clothing changes
with the weather. Are there differences in the clothing styles and fashion in
South Korea, Japan and Taiwan? It was winter in those countries when the movie was
filmed. Did they start filming in Autumn? Nobody knows. 7. Cultural differences.
Maybe some of those, like food perhaps.
8. And of course, Lee Joon
Gi.  High Octane Action. Emotional
Devastation. Betrayal. Danger. And Romance delivered with visceral intensity. With Lee Joon Gi leading the
charge, expect treacherous situations, hidden enemies, shattered hearts, and
performances that leave bruises.
THE FINAL MYSTERY
Nobody knows yet. Who’s the
villain? Who’s the victim? What moral line will the director draw or will he erase
it entirely?
What is certain – this isn’t
just another adaptation. It is a high stakes international mind game and the
audience is about to be pulled right in.
And fans have one clear
demand.
HONOUR THE CAST AND CREW
Honour the cast and crew –
boldly, clearly and right up front. Their names should be in English.
Place the names of the main
cast and crew on the screen before the actual show begins. The rest could be
credited at the end.
Why? Because the game
deserves its players to be seen.         Brace yourself. The Game is
about to begin. |
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