Movies & TV / Columns

James Oh On Starring In Hard Redemption, Working With Jino Kang

May 18, 2026 | Posted by Bryan Kristopowitz

Image Credit: James Oh and Christine Lam

411 Interview: James Oh

Image Credit: James Oh

James Oh is an actor, producer, and director who, according to his IMDb page, has been working in movies and television since at least 2017. Oh has appeared in such short films as Dead End (2017), Riding in Cars with Strangers (2020), and A Tale of Earth and Fore (2023), and the feature films Freshman Year (2019), Protection Detail (2022), and Life Almost Gone (2025). Oh’s latest movie is the indie action flick Hard Redemption, directed by Jino Kang and Christine Lam and now available to rent and buy via Amazon Prime Video (check it out here). In this interview, Oh talks with this writer about making Hard Redemption, working with star and co-director Jino Kang, and more.

Image Credit: Jino Kang and Christine Lam

Bryan Kristopowitz: How did you get involved with Hard Redemption?

James Oh: I found a Facebook post looking for actors for an action film and I thought, “Why not? I move decently. Let’s give it a go!”

BK: How did you approach your character Raptor?

JO: As always with villains, it is easy to fall into the trap of “I’m a villain! Therefore I am evil and I must do evil things!” That can be fun in a cartoony way, but I’m always interested as to why people act the way they do. On one hand, Raptor loves the violence and the power he gets from asserting dominance over others. It’s just fun to be a bit of a chaos gremlin. On the other hand, I think he is fully invested in this idea of the family the Goblins have created and when Bryan leaves, that abandonment feels real and he needs to enact retribution on our hero.

Image Credit: Jino Kang and Christine Lam

BK: What sort of martial arts background do you have and how did it prepare you for your part in Hard Redemption?

JO: Not much, honestly. The last time I did martial arts was when I was 13, but I have been dancing since then, particularly Lindy Hop and swing dancing. Picking up the fight choreography was pretty easy given the dance training, but the pop needed for fights is very different than the movement I am used to. So, after learning the choreography from Jino, I worked on getting the right kind of pop to them as I see from actors like Jet Li or Jackie Chan: speed with clarity.

BK: Describe your working relationship with Hard Redemption co-directors Jino Kang and Christine Lam.

JO: They were both so wonderful. There was a lot of trust on their part on how I shaped Raptor into this malevolent force of chaos. Jino did not hold back on the choreography just because I was a dancer and he pushed me to move in so many different ways. Christine was a gentle guide as she helped me reach an appropriate tone of balance between what I had envisioned for Raptor and her vision of the entire film.

BK: What was it like working with the cast of Hard Redemption, especially your fellow Goblin gang members?

JO: Mikaila Maei as Jojo was a joy to work with. Our car scene was so much fun. I like how as gang members there were still moments of levity and comedy between these folks, making what Solomon believes to be a family even more true.

BK: What was the hardest part of making Hard Redemption for you as an actor? What was the easiest?

Image Credit: Jino Kang and Christine Lam

JO: The fights for sure! I know it is acting, but when you are not trained in that realm, the nervous system and adrenaline kick in! Trying to keep a level head as punches and kicks are flying around was a shock at times.

The easiest part was the set. Everyone on the crew were super chill. There was a real sense of ease as we moved through scenes. Indie films have to move at a tighter pace just due to budget constraints, but I felt we moved at a pace that allowed us actors to play and meet the needs of the production as a whole.

BK: Do you have a favorite scene in Hard Redemption?

JO: The fight scenes with Bryan, I think, because so much work was put in them. Having those scenes succeed as they did was a real highlight.

BK: According to IMDb you’ve appeared in several short films. How does making a feature film like Hard Redemption compare to making those short films?

JO: Time. With Hard Redemption, we had more time to work on scenes, more time to work on the choreography. There was also more time to get to know folks since we had more time to be on set together.

Image Credit: Jino Kang and Christine Lam

BK: According to IMDb you’ve directed a short film. Is directing something you hope to pursue in the future?

JO: This one is tricky because I’ve enjoyed directing in the past. But I become obsessed with the project, I would say, to an unhealthy degree. Until I learn how to manage that a little bit better, I think it would be smarter for me to say that, for now, I am good.

BK: What was it like working on the 2022 movie Protection Detail?

JO: That was a true indie film where we were running and gunning. 2-3 takes max before running off to the next shot/ scene. In that, I had to rehearse like I do for stage plays where I came in fully memorized knowing we were going to be going at a lightning pace.

BK: Any moviemaking heroes?

JO: Bong Joon Ho, Hayao Miyazaki, and Wong Kar Wai.

BK: Any upcoming projects you can tell us about?

JO: I’ve recently been killing it as an audiobook narrator. Been nominated for multiple awards and will have recorded around 20 books in my first two years of venturing into it.

Image Credit: Jino Kang and Christine Lam

BK: What do you hope audiences get out of Hard Redemption?

JO: I hope they have fun. This project was filled with passion from all involved. We don’t get to do as many narrative works in the San Francisco Bay Area, so when we do, everyone, from cast to crew, really latches on and goes for the ride with tremendous zeal.

BK: Would you want to appear in a potential Hard Redemption 2?

JO: Definitely! Raptor’s brain is fried after the Tasering he received. Imagine his look on life after that!

BK: Do you think you could take on a martial arts gang by yourself in real life?

JO: Hahaha, I have the utmost humility to say I would be absolutely trounced. No amount of Charlestons and swing outs (Lindy Hop moves) would protect me from fists and kicks.