Corey Yuen Kwai revealed to have passed away in 2022

By   |  Aug 14, 2024

It has been revealed that Hong Kong film director, producer, action choreographer, and actor Corey Yuen Kwai (元奎) passed away in 2022 from COVID-19. The news was initially kept private at the request of his family, but it became public knowledge after Jackie Chan paid tribute to recently deceased friends on social media. It was later confirmed by Tenky Tin Kai-Man in an interview with HK01.

Born in Hong Kong on February 15, 1951, Yuen Kwai joined the Peking Opera School at an early age and studied under the harsh teachings of Master Yu Jim-Yuen. He became part of a performing group known as the Seven Little Fortunes, which was made up of Yuen Kwai, Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, Yuen Wah, Yuen Qiu, Yuen Tak, Yuen Tai, and Yuen Mo.

After he stopped performing on stage with the Seven Little Fortunes, Yuen Kwai took up a career as a martial artist for a film studio and made his debut with a small role in 1968’s ‘The Jade Raksha’. He would continue to act throughout the 1970s, appearing mainly as a fighter in films such as ‘Fist of Fury’ (1972), ‘Duel of the Dragons’ (1973), ‘The Valiant Ones’ (1975), and ‘The 7 Grandmasters’ (1977). He also provided martial arts direction for a number of films, including ‘The Cub Tiger from Kwangtung’ (1973), ‘The Instant Kung Fu Man’ (1978), and ‘Dance of the Drunk Mantis’ (1979).

Following a brief spell in Taiwan, Yuen Kwai returned to Hong Kong to make his directorial debut with ‘Ninja in the Dragon’s Den’ (1982), a film which also saw him nominated for Best Action Director at the 2nd Hong Kong Film Awards. While he continued to appear in front of the camera, with notable roles in ‘Eastern Condors’ (1987) and ‘Righting Wrongs’ (1986), it was clear that directing and action choreography were his true talents. He would go on to helm the likes of ‘Yes, Madam!’ (1985), ‘No Retreat, No Surrender’ (1986), ‘She Shoots Straight’ (1990), ‘Saviour of the Soul’ (1991), and ‘Fong Sai Yuk’ (1993).

In 1998, he provided fight choreography for ‘Lethal Weapon 4’ and this would lead to work on several American productions – ‘X-Men’ (2000), ‘Romeo Must Die’ (2000), ‘Kiss of the Dragon’ (2001), ‘The One’ (2001), ‘Cradle 2 the Grave’ (2003), ‘War’ (2007), and ‘The Expendables’ (2010).

Corey Yuen Kwai was an immense talent who had an irrefutable influence on the Hong Kong film industry and beyond. He will be sadly missed and our thoughts go out to his family and friends.


The 7 Grandmasters (1977)

Eastern Condors (1987)

All for the Winner (1990)
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