A-listers Lee Jung-jae, Jung Woo-sung meet Chinese entertainment officials in Beijing

Actors Lee Jung-jae and Jung Woo-sung have recently met with Chinese entertainment figures, including acclaimed Chinese actress Zhou Dongyu, their agency said Friday.

According to the Seoul-based Artist Company, the two A-listers visited Beijing, where they held meetings with representatives from six to seven entertainment companies, including one affiliated with the Alibaba Group.

Their discussions focused on the general state of the entertainment industries in South Korea and China, and were not intended to explore any specific business projects, the agency said.

The “Squid Game” star Lee and Jung of the political film “12:12: The Day” also were seen meeting with Zhou Dongyu, star of “Better Days,” for about two hours. Artist Company described the meeting as casual, with no particular agenda.

However, the gathering of influential figures has sparked speculation about a potential collaboration amid Chinese leaders’ recent emphasis on enhancing cultural exchanges between the two countries.

Lee made his directorial debut with “Hunt” in 2022, while Zhou has reportedly sought to expand her career internationally.

Zhou is already a familiar face to Korean audiences, having served as a juror at the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) last year. She became the youngest actor to win Best Actress at all three major Chinese film festivals with her performances in “Soul Mate” (2016) and “Better Days” (2019), according to BIFF.