“Purgatory: Kill Zone” – Interview with Bruce Khan (& Exclusive fight Pre-Vix Clip)!

Breaking out as a martial arts movie titan often seems to be an achievement most often secured by the relatively young, but Bruce Khan put the lie to that misconception with his 2019 Netflix hit “Revenger”. With numerous movie and TV roles to his name in the preceding years, Bruce’s break-out came when he was 51, and in a role where Bruce still moved liked a fighter in his ‘20s in the electrifying fight sequences of “Revenger”. Now Bruce is ready to rock ‘n roll again in his long-awaited follow-up, “Purgatory: Kill Zone”.

Set in a post-apocalyptic prison, “Purgatory: Kill Zone” sees Bruce as a guard tasked with fighting off the prison’s violent, rioting populace. As with “Revenger”, Bruce dives right into the action as leading man and screenwriter on “Purgatory”, but this time, Bruce adds another feather to his cap in co-directing the movie with Jonathan Hyun Myoung Lee. With Bruce having already brought his vision for “Revenger” to life with such energy, the anticipation for his return in “Purgatory” is vibrant among martial arts fans!

Today, we speak to Bruce on the making of “Purgatory: Kill Zone”, the challenges of bringing the movie to life, and crafting a new style of action while also co-directing the action-packed project – along with some exclusive pre-viz footage of “Purgatory” generously provided to KFK by Bruce himself!

“Hi Bruce, welcome back to Kung Fu Kingdom! Hope you’re doing well, and excited to hear all about your upcoming project “Purgatory: Kill Zone”! Let’s go ahead and dive right into how” “Pugatory: Kill Zone” came about for you.“

“Before we begin the interview, I’d like to thank Kung Fu Kingdom for taking an interest in my new film. In a time when analogue-style martial arts films are gradually disappearing, Kung Fu Kingdom’s unwavering support for the genre feels more valuable than ever.”

“After “Revenger”, I was actually developing a large-scale action film with Greenfish Pictures. We wanted to create a project where we could fully express everything we envisioned without worrying about budget limitations. I wrote the script myself, and the feedback was quite positive. Many people around me even said it was the most complete script I had ever written, so at the time, I was full of confidence.”

“However, with the investment market shrinking after COVID-19, the project unfortunately fell apart. I had invested so much time and focus into that single film that the disappointment hit me hard.”

“While I was feeling lost, Greenfish CEO Jonathan Hyun Myoung came to my home and suggested that we make a smaller-budget action film before the year ended. That film became “Purgatory”.

“I completed the script in just three weeks. The reason I was able to complete the screenplay in such a short period of time was because I applied many of the concepts from my original “Revenger” script that had not been expressed in the adaptation.”

Bruce is ready to kick butt again in Purgatory Kill Zone.

Bruce prepares for bladed action in Purgatory Kill Zone!

“Speaking of Jonathan Hyun Myoung Lee, you also co-directed “Purgatory” with him. What can you share about how your role as co-director came about?”

“Originally, I only planned to handle the script, leading role, and action design for “Purgatory”. But Jonathan Hyun Myoung Lee suggested that I take on the director’s role as well. In return, I proposed that he join me as a co-director.”

“Before becoming a producer, Jonathan had directed several short films during his university days in his film club. And more importantly, he is the partner who understands my creative style better than anyone else.”

“With your previous work as screenwriter on “Revenger” and other projects, had you always wanted to step into directing?”

“I think most writers naturally have the desire to direct the stories they create, and I was no exception. However, I didn’t want to step into directing too early. I believed the right order was to first grow and mature more as an actor, then challenge myself as a director afterward. But life often brings unexpected opportunities sooner than we expect.”

“During “Purgatory”’s pre-production, I focused mostly on directing. Once production began, I shifted my focus to acting, while Jonathan primarily took charge behind the camera.”

“So, what would you say were some of the biggest challenges that you experienced in the making of “Purgatory”?

“The biggest challenge in making “Purgatory” was the weather. We filmed in an abandoned industrial complex standing in the middle of a barren field during a brutally cold winter. To achieve high quality action, I actually wanted to avoid shooting in such extreme cold. But due to actor schedules and budget constraints, we had no choice but to push forward.”

“During the shoot, every cast and crew member except for two people took turns falling ill with the flu. If you watch the film, you can actually see frost coming out of the actor’s mouths as they speak. Compared to dramatic scenes, the fight scenes were even tougher. The cold froze our bodies, making it extremely difficult to execute precise martial arts movements or stunts. The ground itself was frozen like ice, so we also had to be careful to prevent injuries among the stunt performers.”

“On that note, what lessons would you say were carried over from the making of “Revenger” into the making of “Purgatory”?

“Like many countries around the world, the Korean film industry is currently struggling, to the point where even securing investment for low-budget films has become extremely difficult. With film production having dropped sharply, we feel genuinely grateful that we were able to make another film at all, even with a limited budget.”

“Action films thrive when backed by ample budgets that allow for long preparation periods and carefully controlled shoots. But even when those ideal conditions aren’t available, quality is something we should never abandon. No matter how small the budget, we must pour everything we have into achieving the highest level of quality within those constraints.”

“Purgatory” was made possible because many well-known Korean actors believed in our passion and agreed to join the project. Considering our budget, the cast lineup is remarkably close to that of a blockbuster. Our main location – a historic industrial complex – was generously provided by the city of Mungyeong in North Chungcheong Province. The site holds over 60 years of history, and with “Purgatory” being the last film shot there before its redevelopment into a tourist destination, it will remain the only Korean movie to capture the entire area on film.”

Bruce and the Purgatory stunt team rehearse the movie’s electrifying fight scenes.

Bruce prepares for a rollicking fight scene in Purgatory Kill Zone!

“During the shoot, many people visited on our days off to host barbecue gatherings for the hardworking cast and crew. To every one of them, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude once again. “Purgatory” is a strange film that had many difficult times, but also had some good luck.”

“Relating to overcoming such grueling production difficulties, what can you share about the process of designing the fight sequences of “Purgatory”?

““Purgatory” was a film I approached with the mindset of resetting myself as I grow older. I’ve already lived more than half of my life, and at my age, I feel that a reset is necessary.”

“My love for martial arts and martial arts cinema began from Bruce Lee. So, in “Purgatory”, I deliberately returned to that starting point, expressing a fresh new beginning through various homages to Bruce Lee. Fans of Bruce Lee will easily recognize which parts I paid tribute to.”

“When I was in my late 30s, one of Korea’s top producers attempted a project that aimed to bring Bruce Lee back in a live-action film using CG. Eventually, the project was halted due to the technological limitations of the time. During that process, I was recommended as the motion-capture double for CG Bruce Lee, which led me to spend a great deal of time studying and training in his action style and Jeet Kune Do. That experience helped me immensely when crafting the action for “Purgatory”.”

Bruce brings his decades of martial arts knowledge to the action of Purgatory Kill Zone.

Bruce keeps limber for the kicking action to come in Purgatory Kill Zone!

“Even now, I occasionally imagine what Bruce Lee’s character, action, and Jeet Kune Do would have become if he were still alive today.  One thing is clear: Bruce Lee would have evolved even further, moving closer to the essence with the profound restraint embodied in his philosophy.”

“One of the things I consider most remarkable about Bruce Lee is that he expressed emotions and character through martial arts. His action was never about only showing off technique. Reaching the level where martial arts itself becomes character – that is the ultimate state for a martial arts actor. These days, I’m focusing more on acting training and internal cultivation, because, like Bruce Lee, I want to act through martial arts and become an actor whose physical expression carries emotional and narrative weight.”

“With a process like that of taking such a deep dive into the action, was that process significantly different from designing the action of “Revenger”?

“As mentioned earlier, the action in “Purgatory” is my own variation and reinterpretation of Bruce Lee’s martial arts and action style. I made a conscious effort to avoid copying him outright. We all know that trying to perfectly imitate a legend is one of the most reckless things a person can attempt.”

“For “Revenger”, I designed the action by blending my own style with more universal, contemporary action trends – essentially a transitional step before fully showcasing my own action identity. As part of this personal “reset,” I held a workshop in New York last fall to share my martial arts system. The greatest martial art in the world is the one that fits our own body.”

“Throughout the years, I have trained in and studied many different styles to develop a system tailored to myself. The New York workshop was a valuable time to share a portion of that system. Maybe one day, I hope to collaborate with Kung Fu Kingdom and hold a workshop in the U.K. as well.”

“That would certainly be awesome! On that note, were the any significant injuries or mishaps in the making of “Purgatory”?

“Right before shooting “Revenger”, I experienced a serious back injury. Because of that, I took special care during “Purgatory” to avoid getting hurt. Thankfully, throughout most of the shoot, I managed to avoid any injuries. But on the very last day of filming the final fight scene, I ended up getting injured after all.”

“Unfortunately, the strongest cold wave hit us on the very day we were shooting the final fight. In the lowest wind-chill temperatures of the season, we spent the entire night shooting the climax while wearing thin costumes, shivering nonstop. As dawn approached, every muscle in my body became even more frozen. In that condition, while throwing a kick, my thigh muscle suddenly tore. Blood rushed out, and within moments, my entire leg turned red with bruising. It was an injury unlike anything I had ever experienced in my life.”

“Still, it was a small relief that I was hurt on the very last day of shooting. I finished the day limping, but I managed to complete the scene.”

“Glad to hear you managed to recover from that and finish the movie in one piece Bruce! Well, as we prepare to sign off, what is your favourite memory from the making of “Purgatory”” asleading man, screenwriter, and co-director?“

“Purgatory” was made like a war fought against the bitter cold under an extremely tight schedule. Fortunately, at the technical screening, we received comments that the film’s overall quality was even better than “Revenger”. Many people also said that my acting had improved significantly compared to “Revenger”. Hearing those positive reactions at the screening allowed me to finally breathe a sigh of relief for the first time in a long while.”

“In truth, I had been very tense up until then. Taking on both directing and the lead role means carrying the full weight of responsibility for the film’s success or failure.”

“Purgatory” now awaits the public’s judgment. It will likely be released in theaters sometime next spring. I believe that art and creation without attempts at evolution and change are not worth continuing. Therefore, rather than repeating “Revenger”, I tried to express my new characters and actions.  In “Purgatory,” you’ll see a different Bruce Khan than in “Revenger”.

Stay tune for more info on “Purgatory: Kill Zone” as it arrives! Are you excited to see Bruce Khan leap back into action in “Purgatory”? What are your thoughts on Bruce’s 2019 break-out hit “Revenger”? Let us know in the comments below; Like, share and join in the conversation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter & Instagram. (And be sure to jump over KFK’s FU-niversity of movie reviews and exclusive, in-depth interviews, including our previous interview with Bruce on the making of “Revenger”, grab your official KFK gear and subscribe for more action on YouTube, as well!)