Rehearsal resumed.
Do Wook went back and stood at his spot. Contrary to what he said about going back and resting, Herbert crossed his arms and looked in from outside the studio.
From the perspective of filming, it was a very overwhelming presence. Director Jean Luke scolded him a little, but Herbert paid it no mind.
“I’ll leave if the Real Man actor tells me to leave. Does me staying here bother you?”
Rather, Herbert asked Do Wook if his presence bothered him.
It was true that it was burdensome to Do Wook too, but he shook his head. The scene right after was a scene with Herbert. He thought that it might be better to get used to the presence of the great actor Herbert in advance.
Shaking his head, Do Wook replied with a smile that it was fine.
“Geez, such an oddball!”
Herbert shrugged as if to say, “See?”. Director Jean Luke shook his head.
Herbert thought as he looked at Do Wook. He didn’t get the intimidated vibe from Do Wook that he usually gets from rookies who come to Hollywood for the first time.
He looked calm, and brave. After talking to him, he definitely gave that impression. Herbert became curious why then was his acting so stiff like he’s tense.
Meanwhile, the person in charge of the special effects makeup came over and touched up Do Wook’s makeup, which had come off a little.
The scar near the forehead was a key feature to David’s character. The makeup artist touched it up a few times, instantly making the scar, which had become blurred, darker.
The scar was visible every time his bangs swayed, giving him a mysterious aura as if there were lots of stories behind him.
While getting his makeup done, Do Wook calmly gathered his thoughts.
Do Wook’s gaze deepened, giving him a profound vibe unlike that of ordinary people.
Director Jean Luke was secretly impressed as he checked the camera.
‘A truly attractive face. It makes me want to work on other projects with him. Rather than an action movie like Heroes, it would really highlight his vibe if he were to do a role that conveys deep emotions…’
It wasn’t only Director Jean Luke who was looking at the briefly-lost-in-thought Do Wook.
Do Wook had the full attention of the staff around him, including Herbert. They hadn’t started filming yet, but they were just about to film and he, the protagonist of the scene, was standing in front of the camera, so it was only natural.
Whether it was on the stage or when he was acting, he had received that kind of attention for a very long time, so it was nothing new for Do Wook.
‘Yeah. Even if it’s Hollywood…’
Do Wook had always done his best for the best possible outcome. The description ‘working hard’ was also the phrase that suited Do Wook best.
The result of his hard work always came straight back to Do Wook as success. Therefore, even more, he tried ‘even harder’ every day.
To Do Wook, mentally repeating ‘let’s do well’ in order to work hard was kind of like a mantra that motivated him.
This project was no exception. It was not an opportunity that was given to just anyone and he didn’t know when he’d get this kind of opportunity again, so it made him think repeatedly, ‘I want to do even better, I’ll make sure to do it well.’
However, at least for filming ‘Heroes 2’, that kind of mindset was a burden.
He realized it when he was thinking, ‘I want to do well,’ as usual even as he was exchanging greetings with Herbert.
Even if the situation had changed, being awkward while doing a movement that he had rehearsed multiple times was not the spacious studio’s fault nor due to his body not being used to acting with CGI or in the action genre.
More than other people’s gazes, the most pressure was the one Do Wook was placing on himself from his determination to do well no matter what.
Do Wook recalled Herbert saying, ‘It might be better for you to act with your eyes closed.’
It wasn’t actually possible to act with his eyes closed, but Do Wook closed his eyes and did image training.
‘That’s right…relax the body…I saw the child. Do I save them? I hesitate a bit, but…I have to save them. As if flying…run fast, and…no. Slow…it’s slow!’
Even in his mind, his movements were stiff. If he didn’t like it, he started from the beginning no matter how many times it took.
Of course, even if he ran through it in his head dozens of times, it was less than a minute in real time.
‘This is a part that will be enhanced with CGI. There’s no need for my movements to be perfectly fast…just make sure to emphasize the expression…react quickly, and…run…that’s right…!’
‘Here I go…’
‘Is this it?!’
Do Wook suddenly opened his eyes wide.
“Ah!”
When Do Wook suddenly opened his eyes, the makeup artist, whom he made eye contact with, got flustered and loudly said ‘Ah’. Her hands, which were contouring the bridge of his nose with a brush, also stopped moving.
He simply opened his eyes because he was done thinking, but the makeup artist had gotten very flustered so Do Wook himself felt a bit embarrassed.
“I apologize. We suddenly made eye contact so I got startled.”
“Ah…it’s ok.”
Do Wooked wondered if making eye contact was such a startling thing, but for now he said it was ok so that the makeup artist wouldn’t feel embarrassed.
“I’m done with the touch-up.”
“Thank you.”
Accepting Do Wook’s greeting as she was heading out of the studio, the earlobes of the makeup artist turned bright red.
It was in English, so it was a simple two-syllable word ‘Thank you,’ but to the makeup artist it sounded unbelievably honeyed.
What surprised the makeup artist was not merely that their eyes met. Her heart had reacted swiftly to Do Wook’s eyes and face when their eyes met.
Of course, there were a truckload of men and women alike around Do Wook who had fallen for his charm in this manner.
Therefore, not having noticed the makeup artist’s pounding heart at all, Do Wook was only thinking about how the image training he had just finished was successful.
‘There’s no need for my movement to be perfect…’
That kind of thinking was able to calm down the pressure of, ‘I want to do well’.
‘I simply need to do it exactly as I imagined it just now,’
Do Wook thought as he got in place.
At Director Jean Luke’s signal, Do Wook moved his body without hesitation.
There was nothing different from the previous take. It was just that Do Wook’s mentality had changed. However, it bled directly into his movements.
With the burden lifted, Do Wook’s movements really were like those of ‘Real Man’. It was incredibly fast and agile.
The moment that he frowned, rolled his body, and went to where the child was.
“Huff!”
Up to the moment that Do Wook, who had been breathing heavily, held his breath to hold on to the child.
“Cut! Good!”
It was perfect.
Of the 10 cameras that had been installed to film from multiple angles, it was flawless no matter which one you looked at it from.
Do Wook acted with perfect expression and movement, as if he had jumped straight out of the storyboard or comic.
Director Jean Luke yelling “cut” rang out cheerfully to outside the studio.
It was surprising that it was possible for his acting to improve this much in just one try, but for Do Wook, the fact that he briefly acted like a newbie was more surprising since he had talent and had put in a lot of extra effort.
Honestly, even if one is good at acting, it would be even harder to tell if it came out cool before adding CGI on top of it.
From the outside, it looks like a simple blue background, with him running by himself in an open space, rolling around and causing a ruckus.
However, people who saw Do Wook’s acting just now completely forgot about the background and were mesmerized by Do Wook’s acting. Once Do Wook’s movements became natural, the inherent magnetism Do Wook has was finally able to come out.
“Wow…”
“What the, it looks real. To the point that I could swear I can see the collapsed building.”
“So cool. I could see why teen girls are crazy about him.”
The word “cool” naturally slipped out of the staffs’ mouths.
People’s responses were that if looking at it as-is was already at this level, they were really looking forward to how the scene would look once the CGI was added and there was an actual collapsing building.
Observing Director Jean Luke and the staff’s reactions, Do Wook walked out of the studio. Director Jean Luke gave a thumbs up and said to Do Wook,
“This is it! To think that you captured the vibe immediately…you’re amazing.”
Director Jean Luke had honestly expected a little more difficulty since it was Do Wook’s first time filming.
Even right before filming, he had thought that a more emotionally charged movie would fit Do Wook better than an action movie.
However, Director Jean Luke adjusted his opinion immediately.
Do Wook was an actor who proved that he could easily deliver quality acting even in an action film.
Herbert, who had had his arms crossed, had uncrossed his arms at some point and was looking at Do Wook with a gentle gaze.
Do Wook and Herbert briefly made eye contact. Instead of saying anything else, Herbert averted his gaze and started warming up his body to prepare to film.
Nothing was said in particular, but from Herbert’s expression that he briefly saw, Do Wook could tell what Herbert’s judgment was.
‘It was to his liking.’
Do Wook was finally able to relax completely and laugh.
The filming for the scene where Herbert and Do Wook meet on top of the rubble of the destroyed building started immediately after.
Herbert and Do Wook’s chemistry was truly perfect.
No words were needed about Herbert’s performance, who had already fully embodied Billion Man through filming ‘Billion Man’ and ‘Heroes 1’.
Herbert, who was standing in front of him, was simply acting and moving while wearing the special costume for the film, but to Do Wook, who was acting alongside him, it felt like Billion Man was speaking.
Do Wook also stood his own and responded to Herbert’s performance with outstanding acting.
“Follow me, kid. Explaining how stupid it is to jump into this work willy-nilly is tedious too. I’ll show you at my research lab what technical capability is.”
“What do you mean kid…You’re not asking me to escort you to your home, are you, old man?”
“What?”
Herbert made a genuinely upset expression at Do Wook, who spoke with an ill-mannered and defiant gaze.
“Though, it’s true that Koreans look young.”
“Korean? North? South?”
“That question, of course. My name is David Kim, but…which side do you think it is?”
“No way…”
David continued to dumbfound Billion Man. Director Jean Luke gave a satisfied smile at Do Wook acting shameless, completely different from the deep expression he had when saving the child.
“If you want to take me, show me. What it is that Billion Man can do…besides destroying a building that civilians use like this.”
It was the first meeting between David and Billion Man.
David was also a character who added depth to the Billion Man’s struggles as a hero. Herbert’s expression twisted at David’s provocation.
Director Jean Luke gave the ‘OKAY’ again.
The staff quietly applauded among themselves. It was truly unbelievable chemistry.
Everyone was able to understand why Herbert had said before they started the take that they probably wouldn’t need a rehearsal.
***
It was none other than Herbert who stopped Do Wook when he was about to leave after finishing all the studio filming for the day and saying his goodbyes.
“David.”
Do Wook naturally responded to the name David and turned around.
For Herbert, who was American, rather than the name Do Wook, it was honestly easier to call him by his character name, David.
“Is something…”
“There’s a party tomorrow night, will you come?”
“A party?”
“That’s right. It’s just a light party where the Heroes actors gather and have a drink. Since after tomorrow there’s no filming for two days.”
It seemed like a gathering that the actors who had already filmed ‘Heroes 1’ often held to drink together. For Do Wook, it was a good opportunity to build camaraderie with the people he would be filming with in the future. The invitation carried even more meaning because he was getting it from Herbert, who had a prickly personality.
“Ah, of course it’d be my honor.”
“good. I’ll see you tomorrow night. I’ll reach out to your manager.”
Herbert immediately took sunglasses out of his shirt pocket, put them on, and left the filming set.
Director Jean Luke had asked Do Wook to stay behind for a bit so Do Wook was waiting for Director Jean Luke, who was talking with the other staff.
At that moment, the filming set door opened and 5 excited guys entered.
It was the KK members.
Do Wook, who had noticed the members, was so surprised that he looked at the members approaching him with his jaw dropped.
“Do Wook!”
“Do Wook!”
“We came!”
Do Wook asked, bewildered,
“What…what are you doing here…?”
His expression was a mix of delight in seeing them and surprise. The members looked at each other and grinned. Do Wook became even more curious.
Department Manager Oh Baek Ho came in behind them and answered Do Wook after greeting him,
“What do you think? They’re here to film.”
“What? Film?”
Next chapter: What part will the other Kk members have in the movie??
7 chapters left!!!