General Studio’s staff welcomed Do Wook, who was visiting the studio for the first time.
The Chief Director, whom he had met previously in a meeting, approached him and greeted him warmly.
“Wook! Welcome!”
Jean Luke, who would be directing ‘Heroes 2’, was a France-born American director who had previously received critical acclaim for his outstanding visual direction in his earlier works.
In a previous meeting, he had already droned on to Do Wook about how much he loved the original ‘Heroes’ as well as the movie ‘Heroes’, and how happy he was that he was chosen as the Chief Director.
He was a very passionate and lively director.
If it was for a good shot, he would even take his socks off, go into the water, and stay next to the Camera Director like glue and give directions.
Thanks to that, the lead actors in ‘Heroes’ had to do a lot more retakes than in ‘Heroes 1’, and there were also people complaining of fatigue.
Of course, they were all actors who had a strong sense of professionalism, so they gave their all to meet Jean Luke’s demand despite openly frowning in front of him and saying he was an exhausting person.
It was even said that Herbert, who was playing Billion Man, ground his teeth and half-jokingly, halfseriously said, ‘Let’s see how well this movie looks when it’s completed’.
However, Do Wook was more comfortable with a director who actively expressed his opinions than one who was sensitive.
If he didn’t say anything, it would be difficult for Do Wook as an actor to grasp the director’s intentions and he would have to put more thought into it to give a performance that the director would give the all-clear about.
Thinking about it was ok, but if it went in the wrong direction there were many times when it would all end up going to waste and feel utterly pointless.
“Ok! I’m sure you all know, but this is Mr. Do Wook Kang, the role of Real Man!”
Director Jean Luke stepped up to introduce Do Wook, and the staff, who had been scattered around the vicinity doing their own tasks, gathered around him and clapped. In Korean style, Do Wook bowed his head and greeted them very formally.
“Then we’ll go right into rehearsal.”
Jean Luke said then returned to his seat.
“Do Wook, I think you just need to stand in the middle.”
Next to Do Wook was Daniel, the manager from the local management agency who would be helping Do Wook while he filmed ‘Heroes’.
Daniel completed up to middle school in Korea and immigrated during high school to get into college. He graduated from Brown University, one of the leading universities, as a media major and even got his masters degree in Media Studies. Currently, he was working in the marketing team of a local management company.
Daniel’s company was in charge of Do Wook’s ‘Heroes’ activities in America, from marketing to managing. Daniel, who was from Korea, temporarily assumed the role of Do Wook’s manager.
Excellent sociability and eloquence, the humor and wit that came from his cheerful personality, and so on. Daniel was a man who lacked nothing anywhere.
Thanks to that, Do Wook had been able to receive a great deal of help, from the meeting with the ‘Heroes’ Director to researching and preparing for the character in Korea.
Daniel was truly close to being ‘Real Man’, from his upbringing to his personality.
Seeing Daniel, Do Wook quietly reaffirmed once again that the idea that ‘Asians are passive and introverted’ is definitely nothing but a prejudice.
Real Man, or David, whose character setting had changed, was such a cheerful character that he would hum a tune even while walking down the street. He was someone with a boyish heart, sometimes getting in trouble because he was too playful.
In one word, a delinquent who is good at studying. Wherever he goes, people always follow.
The new humanitarian concerns given to David were the emotions he feels because he is an outsider.
Despite always looking cheerful and having lots of guy and girl friends, he couldn’t help but feel bitter during moments when he felt neither Korean nor American
It was a feeling realistically felt by numerous people who had actually immigrated to America.
The premise was that by joining ‘Heroes’, he would narrow that distance.
Do Wook stood at the dead center of the studio as Daniel said.
Once Do Wook stood there, large cameras moved slowly and checked Do Wook’s location.
Do Wook felt a bit awkward. The place Do Wook was standing was a completely empty square space.
The camera test ended and the staff approached him to explain the direction of the shoot.
In the square space, there was a slightly raised area like a small mound, and he was told it was an 89-story high-rise building that would collapse after getting hit by missile debris that came flying from Billion Man’s fight with the enemy.
“Ahh…ok…”
Do Wook nodded his head and responded. The staff continued their explanation with a serious expression. It was the scene where the building collapses, huge debris falls, and he practically slides down to save a little girl.
He had already seen the storyboard so Do Wook understood the scene easily.
They planned to film the scene where he sees the building collapse while walking down the street outdoors in the actual streets of New York.
“We’ll yell. You’ll have to move in sync with it.”
“Ok. I understand.”
“Hold the child and slowly run towards that end. It’ll get processed about 10x faster so be mindful of your expression.”
Do Wook nodded his head.
More than half of the footage shot for ‘Heroes 2’ consisted of CGI prep work and action scenes. Do Wook had made a lot of preparations for this in Korea.
Although he was naturally athletic and had maintained his physique through consistent exercise, Do Wook had built even more muscle to better fit the role of Real Man.
Muscle isn’t something you can unconditionally build. Since he’s typically portrayed as a normal college student, he crafted the details carefully, building normal-looking, functional muscles that were not very noticeable when he was wearing clothes but clearly visible when he took them off.
He had already gotten used to the aerial rigging through a short period of high-intensity training at an action school.
Because he had played someone with psychic powers in ‘Sweetheart from the Universe’, he was somewhat mentally prepared to act in invisible situations.
However, the amount of CGI in ‘Heroes’ was definitely huge, incomparable to ‘Sweetheart from the Universe’.
‘There’s practically nothing. Did everyone act in this kind of situation…’
As expected, practice and reality was different. Do Wook steeled his resolve, thinking it would be an easy shoot.
First, the position rehearsal started. Until here, Do Wook progressed without difficulty.
The problem was the actual shoot.
“Ah!….”
With his quick peripheral vision, he checks the location of all the debris from the building that is falling apart with the child faster than anyone else. Then, holding the child, he runs.
It was a simple scene.
It wasn’t a complete mess. Do Wook showed skill in his own way. However, there was a slight immaturity felt in Do Wook’s gaze and his expression.
“Let’s try it again!”
It was already the fifth time that the words ‘one more time’ was yelled, ringing throughout the studio.
If he had been a rookie, he would have been regarded as having done quite well for his first shoot, but it was Do Wook who was acting right now.
Director Jean Luke had seen Do Wook’s acting reference multiple times, and knew his acting skills well. He wasn’t satisfied with just this.
As it was Real Man’s first appearance, he had to be able to captivate the audience’s attention even in a short scene, especially if he wanted to follow the creator and producer Martin’s wish of Real Man becoming a major hero later in the series.
Do Wook, of course, wasn’t satisfied with his own acting.
‘My face and body is stiff…of course it’ll feel awkward.’
He was acting with plenty of imagination, but he still wasn’t able to completely shake off the awkwardness. It could be that his body was subconsciously stiffening from the pressure of the empty space.
He had always felt free when acting, but this time it felt like his body was out of his control.
“It’s bad acting. He’s stiff as a board.”
Hearing the sharp criticism from behind Director Jean Luke, Do Wook jolted his head up. Daniel, who was next to him, had also heard and had a surprised expression.
The staff walked on eggshells around Do Wook in case his feelings had been hurt.
Director Jean Look had a calm expression as if it were a regular occurrence and turned around to face the person who had yelled the sharp criticism.
“Herbert…you’re not late today.”
“When the heck was I late for you to say that? I had heard that the new guy is really incredible so I came to watch, but…I guess I’ll go back on standby.”
It was Herbert, who was taking on the role of Billion Man.
The next segment Do Wook was going to film was none other than a scene with Herbert. Herbert stopped by early, before his first shoot with Do Wook.
‘Oh…’
Billion Man was a movie that Do Wook had enjoyed as well.
‘Billion Man Volume 1 to Volume 4… Herbert had been with the series for all of it and is Billion Man personified. Acting with Herbert was one of the things I was looking forward to the most, but I guess I wasn’t able to make a good first impression.’
Do Wook bit his lips, feeling disappointed in himself.
He had thought that he wasn’t nervous about being in Hollywood, and wasn’t intimidated by the Blockbuster worthy cast, but at this rate his confidence was no different from arrogance.
‘Perhaps I might have subconsciously gotten nervous…’
Wanting to quickly shake off the awkwardness and find his own pace, Do Wook grew impatient.
“Say hello to Herbert over here and let’s continue with the shoot. I think it’ll also be good for Mr. Kang if we take a little break before continuing,”
Whether or not he knew Do Wook’s impatient heart, Director Jean Luke said calmly. Since Do Wook had to say hi to Herbert anyways, he walked toward the Director and Herbert.
“I’m Kang Do Wook.”
Herbert scoffed at Do Wook’s greeting.
“In your case, it looks like it might actually be better if you acted with your eyes closed.”
Do Wook’s expression hardened at Herbert’s sarcasm.
As he had heard, Herbert was blunt. You couldn’t even imagine that kind of first greeting in Korea.
“I’m sorry that it seems like I didn’t make a good first impression. I was looking forward to acting with you.”
Do Wook said exactly how he was feeling.
“I had high expectations too. I saw it at Cannes. Your acting.”
Do Wook had a surprised expression at Herbert’s words. Director Jean Luke joked that Do Wook had been to Cannes, which Herbert had never been to.
“What use is that. I guess what I saw was a fluke.”
“I said stop. Why are you more worked up than me, the director? It’s Do Wook’s first shoot, and we’ve barely done 5 takes so far. Don’t forget that you’ve also done over 10 takes in one of the scenes.”
“Why would you bring that up? You’re embarrassing me.”
Herbert frowned when Director Jean Luke defended Do Wook.
He said it sarcastically, but you could sense Herbert’s high expectations for Do Wook, who was making his first Hollywood debut and was only known as a singer, while in Hollywood he was practically unknown.
‘I wanted to do well…for a short while…’
Herbert’s words were replaying in Do Wook’s head, who was feeling anxious for the first time in a while.
***
At that moment.
Various online portal sites in Korea were buzzing with news of Do Wook.
The news of Do Wook’s appearance in ‘Heroes 2’ had been officially announced.
Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung checked the articles flooding in in real time and smiled slightly.
It wasn’t just Korea. Asia was abuzz.
Even if an unknown Asian actor had become a hero in ‘Heroes’, it would have caused a huge fuss, but it was Do Wook. As an actor and as a singer, Do Wook was like a ruler with no equal in Asia.
Every move Do Wook made was reported, and the latest news was truly the GOAT.
Not only Korean reporters, but also Chinese reporters had gone to America and were going crazy trying to cover Do Wook, and the box office success of ‘Heroes 2’ in Asia was almost guaranteed based on the reactions.
The KK members were at Incheon Airport with Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung.
“Wow…I’m really totally looking forward to it!”
“Were you more excited about going to the Billboard Award Ceremony, or are you more excited now?”
“How am I supposed to pick? Suk Ji Hoon…I knew you’re like that, but you’re a really cruel person, aren’t you?”
Listening to Ahn Hyung Seo and Suk Ji Hoon’s conversation, Jung Yoon Ki burst out laughing.
Park Tae Hyung’s complexion had almost turned pale.
“Bro, are you okay?”
It was to the point that Kim Won asked out of concern. With difficulty, Park Tae Hyung nodded his head that he was ok.
Gu Chul Min distributed the plane tickets he had picked up to the members.
Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung, who had been looking at his cellphone, got up from his seat and led the members.
“Let’s go.”
“Ok!”
“Let’s go!”
Next chapter: Filming ‘Heroes’ did not start off well for Do Wook. How will the rest of the filming go?
8 chapters left!!!