The rumor that Kim Donghu successfully filmed “Swordsman Baek Dong-su” spread quickly.
In particular, the production company SKS Broadcasting was buzzing with excitement.
“I heard there were no NGs this time.”
“Is that even possible? Sounds like a lie!”
“I’m serious! He’s really good at kendo, and even the martial arts director was impressed.”
“Martial arts director? Was it Ki Seong-chan? That strict guy?”
“Yeah! He didn’t even give compliments and looked all grumpy!”
“Impressive, truly.”
Recently, Kim Donghu’s popularity has been skyrocketing.
With that absurd good looks and acting skills,
It was so painful to see him shine at another broadcasting station.
But now that he’s on the same side, it feels incredibly reassuring.
“If the trend is this good, we might hit 30%…”
“Shh! Don’t jinx it!”
Even though people were watching a lot of TV,
A 30% rating was a whole different ballpark.
Even the supposed blockbuster “Secret Garden” only had a 35% rating.
Saying 30% sets the standard for blockbusters might not be an exaggeration.
“All the works below that are fine too, but once you cross 30%, the impact is different…”
“Right, that’s when investment and advertising really kick in!”
So, as the rumor of Kim Donghu not having any NGs started to twist,
People began to murmur, ‘Maybe Kim Donghu is the key to hitting 30% in ratings?’
Of course, it was just whispers beneath the surface for now.
You never know when someone might bring it to light, but it slowly began to spread.
+++++
‘Is Kim Donghu really that amazing?’
Park Jin-hyeok, who plays young Baek Dong-su, raised an eyebrow at the rumors while stopping by the shop for his schedule.
‘I don’t know since I haven’t experienced it firsthand.’
Is there any industry as sensitive to rumors and as quick to spread them as entertainment?
No matter how much you want to avoid knowing, you can’t help but find out in the showbiz.
These days, the hot rumor is about Kim Donghu’s good looks and greatness.
He knew he was good-looking from watching “Hydream.”
But he couldn’t judge how great he was without actually watching.
‘Is he just good-looking, or can he really act well?’
He had seen “Hydream,” but not closely enough.
Suddenly, Park Jin-hyeok became curious about meeting Kim Donghu at the filming site.
And then.
“Oh, senior! Hello!”
“Hmm? Jin-hyeok, right? Getting ready for the shoot?”
“Yeah, I’m playing Swordsman Baek Dong-su.”
“Oh, I see, I see.”
Park Jin-hyeok met Han Tae-geon, the lead actor from “Endless Frontlines,” who frequented the same shop and greeted him with a slight bow.
“The historical drama shoot is long and tough, but it feels rewarding once it’s done. It’s like experiencing the past.”
“Absolutely! This is a reshoot, so I want to do even better this time.”
“Reshoot? Why?”
“Oh, the child actor hurt himself during sword practice, so they called in another actor to redo it.”
After that followed some light chitchat.
Looking at Han Tae-geon, Park Jin-hyeok’s eyes sparkled.
It was beyond just respecting him for being in the same agency;
Park Jin-hyeok really admired Han Tae-geon’s profound emotional acting.
“That’s because I did it.”
“How can someone act so well?” It’s the kind of thought that pops up when you see a certain someone.
To Park Jin-hyuk, Han Tae-geon was that kind of actor.
“Any other actors?”
“Oh, you might have heard of him. Kim Donghu…”
“Kim Donghu? The one I know?”
“Yeah, wait, you know actor Kim Donghu?”
It wasn’t just casual knowledge; they had even worked on a film together. Han Tae-geon was about to spill the beans but quickly swallowed his words.
“Weren’t Student Soldiers supposed to be a secret weapon that we keep under wraps?”
Secret strictness.
The presence of Kim Donghu, which was to boost the film, couldn’t be revealed just yet.
“Wait, didn’t he just get into a drama?”
Han Tae-geon now realized just how absurd Kim Donghu’s stamina was. If you strictly counted time, it didn’t seem like he ever got a proper break at all. How was he managing to pull off every project without a hitch?
“Thinking about it, he was flying solo even back in the endless frontlines.”
Is it just youth? But when considering his activity level, simply being young couldn’t explain it all.
“Uh, well, you know, I just picked up some rumors as I passed by.”
Han Tae-geon fumbled with his words and avoided a detailed answer, eager to escape the situation. After all, saying something wrong could lead to big trouble.
But…
“I’m actually rehearsing with actor Kim Donghu tomorrow, so I wanted to ask if he’s really that good at acting.”
Park Jin-hyuk’s following words grabbed Han Tae-geon’s ankles tightly.
“Jin-hyuk, give it your all.”
“What?”
“Or else things are gonna get complicated in many ways; you really need to give it your all.”
Han Tae-geon matched Jin-hyuk’s gaze, placed a hand on his shoulder, and emphasized in the softest tone he could manage.
“You have to bring out everything you’ve got and act like you’re gonna crush Kim Donghu.”
Don’t try to just match up; don’t ever gauge the situation too hastily. Han Tae-geon sincerely advised. He had been acting for a long time, and that experience shaped his self-esteem, so he was fine.
But, ‘Can these young kids really ignite their passion while watching Kim Donghu?’
Han Tae-geon had watched every one of Kim Donghu’s performances in “Hydream.”
Amidst a casting filled with rookies, Kim Donghu suddenly appeared like a supernova, naturally standing tall by crushing everyone like a tyrant.
Han Tae-geon hoped Jin-hyuk wouldn’t have to experience that kind of ordeal.
++++++
The morning after the first shoot wrapped up successfully. The lingering chill required hot packs to stay warm.
I was reviewing the script inside a cozy van.
“The weight and dimension of this role is on a whole different level.”
From “Hydream” to “Endless Frontlines” and “Hero.” The commonality of these three projects was that my screen time wasn’t very substantial.
Done.
Of course, in the case of Lee Jae-yi, the amount of screen time did increase in the end.
But still, when looking at the overall situation, it was on the short side.
However, this time, it would be at least eight episodes.
With the amount of screen time, importance, and role, it wouldn’t be out of line to view it as a leading role.
“I’m looking forward to it.”
With all emotional investment wrapped up,
Now, all that was left was to actually start filming.
“Donghu, we’ve arrived.”
“Yes.”
As Seok-ho hyung opened the door.
“Hello!”
I announced my presence with a booming greeting.
After greeting the director and senior actors,
I immediately dove into filming preparations after inquiring about their usual well-being.
“Today’s the day I’m filming with the great senior.”
Cha Min-soo.
A blue-chip actor with a weighty and profound presence,
I’d heard he even trained in kendo.
“To think I’d be able to act alongside someone like that.”
Back during “Hide Dream,” it was just a simple few lines of dialogue,
But now we would completely sync our emotions and rhythm.
Already, I was filled with anticipation.
“So you’re Donghu.”
Amidst all the greetings, actor Cha Min-soo recognized me first and approached to chat.
“Yes! Nice to meet you, senior!”
“What do you mean nice to meet you? I’ve heard a lot of good things about you lately.”
Ease off, starting off so strong is going to wear me out.
Cha Min-soo said that with a very relaxed smile.
It felt like a look that dared me to give it my best shot.
While urging me to take it easy, his eyes practically screamed “Let’s clash with all we’ve got!”
“Well then, I’ll just have to meet that challenge head-on.”
+++++
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The swords clashed, sending sparks flying.
“Looks like you’ve finally lost your sanity.”
Not Cha Min-soo, but the Grand Master of Kendo, Cheonsaldae, grinned at the boy charging at him.
“Do I look like the criminal who killed your father?”
It wasn’t entirely incomprehensible.
At such a young age, the boy’s father killed his mother, and then he killed his father.
It’s no surprise his mind wouldn’t be sound.
But I never expected he’d lose his grip and swing his sword around like this.
“Quite perplexing.”
This confusion was Cheonsaldae’s struggle to handle the boy’s rampage.
“Why is he so good at using a sword?”
It was also Cha Min-soo’s surprise that he had learned kendo for a long time.
I thought it would result in a good scene after sharing a few moves, only to find out.
“There’s a clear difference in skill.”
Kim Donghu, or rather Jawan, felt that this person was several times more skilled than him.
Experiencing the sensation of a genius firsthand was tougher than I expected.
If I’d known, I would have asked him to ease up.
Why did I give off the vibe that I wanted him to go full throttle and end up facing this trial?
“But I can still endure.”
If this was real, it would have been genuinely dangerous.
But after all, this was just acting.
No matter how great the opponent was.
Clang!
In the end, it’s me who wins.
“But really, he’s receiving everything perfectly.”
Kim Donghu, who had just accurately read Cha Min-soo’s intentions, immediately let go of his sword as soon as Cha Min-soo parried it.
Whoosh!
Jawan’s sword flew high into the sky and landed stylishly on the ground.
This wasn’t just about swordsmanship; it was proof that he could act perfectly based on his incredible sword skills.
“Guhhh…!”
The boy, Jawan, clutched his head the moment he lost the sword and collapsed again. This situation had repeated about three times now. The aftermath of his parents’ deaths was hitting him hard.
“…Alright, I’ve decided how to use you.”
Staring down at the collapsed Jawan, Cheonsaldae muttered calmly. As that scene concluded, the two actors froze in place.
“Cut! That’s a wrap! Great job, everyone!”
Director Oh Jae-deok immediately signaled OK.
‘Is this really insane?’
Oh Jae-deok, who had watched everything, couldn’t help but be amazed inwardly.
‘Wait, this filming shouldn’t have ended so quickly.’
The acting flowed naturally, and since they were in sync, there were no NG situations. In fact, they simply wanted to shoot from various angles and decided to film it again.
The only thing that had changed was one child actor.
The filming set was absurdly smooth.
That was it for today’s shoot. Starting tomorrow, they planned to move to a bigger location for group training scenes.
As this thought crossed in Director Oh Jae-deok’s mind, he suddenly became curious.
‘The role of Jawan originally captured the ideal image of a genius I had in mind.’
But right now, Kim Donghu was not only fulfilling all that perfectly, but even exceeding it.
‘I should have been directing him to act like a genius.’
There was no need for that. Why? Because Kim Donghu was simply a genius himself.
++++++
The very next day arrived almost immediately.
It was the moment Jawan was being recognized as a member of the Sword Forest through training.
“…Am I seeing this correctly?”
“Uh, yeah, it seems so.”
The production team watched in disbelief as they filmed Jawan’s training scene.
Using only his arms to climb a rope without using his legs, they watched as Kim Donghu executed this stunt for real, without any safety measures.
‘Something… something seems to be happening here?’
They had a foreboding feeling that something unusual was about to occur.
‘…He’s my rival?’
Especially Park Jin-hyeok, who held the rival position in the story, thought to himself.
‘I have to fight him? Me…?’
He gaped in shock, staring at Kim Donghu, who was effortlessly climbing the rope.
Does it even make sense that I could beat him when I grow up?
-Do your best, or you’ll get eaten.
Park Jin-hyeok faintly understood the words of actor Han Tae-geon.
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