Chapter 7 Part 3: Fear is Stronger Than Any Weapon

Two days later, at the Bangi-dong filming site.

Although the shoot is taking place inside an underground karaoke bar, several vehicles loaded down with broadcast equipment are parked outside.

As the staff pour out and begin carrying gear, passersby—thinking a celebrity must have arrived—raise their phone cameras high above their heads.

A moment later, when the burly action-school stunt performers emerge from the back of a van in black suits and start unloading prop weapons, the crowd collectively steps back.

The weapons look real, and combined with the men’s menacing appearances, they’re intimidating enough to make people hesitate.

When someone in the crowd looks like they’re about to call the police, Assistant Director Jang Young-ho grabs a megaphone and shouts.

“We’re sorry!

This is a drama filming site!

The weapons you see are props and not real!

Gathering like this interferes with filming!

We apologize for the inconvenience and ask for your understanding!

Please step back over there!

FD, set up a line over there!”

Like police tape at a crime scene, restricted-access tape is strung between utility poles and streetlights.

But excited at the thought of seeing a celebrity, the crowd only grows larger.

“Who’s coming?”

“I saw the vehicles earlier—weren’t they marked OAN?”

“Oh!

Are action actors coming?

Isn’t that the channel that does mostly thrillers and action dramas?”

The FD keeps shouting while pushing people back as they repeatedly cross the line.

“I’m sorry!

Please step back!

I’m sorry!”

While pushing people away, the FD notices a man slipping inside the line and quickly blocks him with his body.

Then his eyes widen.

“You can’t come in—
…Huh?

Actor Yejun?”

“Hello.”

Having finished his amusement-park shift and with the filming site located right next door in Bangi-dong’s food alley, Yejun had walked over.

The moment the FD says “actor,” the onlookers’ gazes converge.

“Huh?

What, he’s nobody I recognize.”

“You don’t know him?”

“No, first time seeing him.”

“Aren’t you always watching dramas at home?”

“Must be a rookie, then.

Ugh, won’t anyone famous show up?

I want something to post—my SNS is dry.”

The FD lifts the tape and brings Yejun inside.

As they descend the underground karaoke stairs, the FD asks,

“Call time is five.

You’re really early.”

“I work part-time right up front, and I finish at three.”

“Haha, I see.

Then you’ll probably have to wait a while.”

“The stunt performers are here, right?”

“Yes, they arrived a little while ago.”

“Then we can run the choreography together.

The more we practice, the faster the shoot finishes.”

“Haha, are you thinking of us?

You’ve got a good personality.”

“It’s not that.

Endurance matters, after all.”

“Thanks for thinking of us, but today’s an action scene.

It won’t end quickly.

Action always takes the longest.”

Once underground, Yejun spots Assistant Director Jang Young-ho among the bustling staff.

“Director.”

Jang notices Yejun and checks his wristwatch.

“Yejun?

Why are you here so early?”

“I came straight after work.

Is there anything I can help with?”

“Hey now!

Actors shouldn’t be doing staff work.”

Looking at the stunt performers, Yejun sees they’re in the middle of makeup.

Their faces are blotched like Joseonjok gang members, their skin styled to look like drug addicts.

It looks like it will take quite some time.

“I should get my makeup done too, right?”

“Yes, go over there.”

The makeup team is mostly women.

On short films, one or two people usually handle everything, but this being a drama set, more than ten makeup staff are present.

While the team members move busily under the team leader’s direction, Yejun spots a familiar face and raises his hand.

“Director Choi Soo-mi!”

Soo-mi, who had been the art director on Jang Young-ho’s short film, jumps in surprise and rushes over.

“Shh!

Shh!

Yejun!

I’m not a director here—just a lowly team member!

You can’t call me that!”

“Ah, sorry.

Then what should I call you?”

“Soo-mi.”

“Ah, Soo-mi.

I didn’t know you were on this project.”

“Hehe.

Young-ho asked me to join.

I signed one project with OAN to build experience.

Nice pocket money, too.”

“Could you do my makeup?”

“Of course!

Ah, but I need permission from the team leader first.”

Even though he’s a supporting actor, today’s shoot revolves around Yejun.

Still, with a team leader present, Soo-mi can’t just take him on her own authority.

Luckily, the team leader—busy with a sudden influx of stunt performers—gives permission after a quick look.

“Permission granted!

This way.”

Since there’s no separate makeup room, they head to karaoke rooms labeled VIP 1 and 2.

Inside, stunt performers are already seated.

Having seen each other almost daily for the past month and a half, the atmosphere is familiar.

“Hello!”

The stunt performers greet Yejun warmly when they see him.

“Oh, Yejun.

Done with your part-time job?”

“Yejun, didn’t you train yesterday too?

You’re okay to film today, right?

Or are you going to say you can’t because you’re sore?

Haha.”

“Let’s do well today, Yejun.”

Despite being a supporting actor, Yejun’s popularity rivals that of leads.

After greeting everyone and sitting in front of the mirror, Soo-mi smiles and says,

“You’re popular, Yejun.”

“Oh, no.

I’ve just been training at the action school for a long time, so everyone knows me.”

“Haha.

Other actors go to action school too, you know.

Only before crank-in, though.

Even on set, they don’t really talk with the stunt performers.

Actors like you are rare.”

Why is that, though?

No actor shines alone.

An actor shines because countless people work together for a single scene.

Come to think of it, when I was an extra, none of the seniors talked to me either.

Back then, I thought they were just focusing before filming.

Some probably were.

Others just didn’t want to talk.

“Oh my, but Yejun, why have you lost so much weight?

You look really sharp.

Did you diet on purpose for the role?”

“No.

I just lost weight and got tanned during training.

I run seven kilometers outdoors every day.”

“What?!

What about sunscreen?”

“I put it on.”

“Whew.

Thank goodness.”

The first thing he learned after joining the team was to always apply sunscreen.

They said doing just that could save tens of millions in dermatology costs.

He even applies it on days he stays home.

Come to think of it, he’s run out—he needs to buy more.

The makeup takes quite a while.

A criminal who fled Shanghai, passed through Macau, and illegally entered Korea wouldn’t look clean.

Though dressed in a suit, Yejun’s face is now covered in dark spots, his lips dry and pale.

Seeing that many stunt performers still aren’t finished, he quietly stands up and helps move equipment.

It’s a habit from theater days.

Stage actors, who have to handle props and sets themselves, find it harder to sit idle while others work.

***

At five p.m., Action School Director Kang and Director Kim Minsu arrive at the same time.

Meeting at the underground karaoke entrance, the two shake hands and exchange greetings.

“Thank you in advance today, Director Kang.”

“Haha, I should be the one saying that.

Please make sure my kids don’t get hurt.”

“Ah, action is your domain, Director Kang.”

“Haha, I’ll take care of them.

Yejun isn’t here yet, right?”

“Well, it’s 4:55.

He should be here soon.

He’s not the type to be late.”

“Hoho, I suppose so.”

Once underground, Director Kim asks a staff member moving busily,

“Hey, do you know where the assistant director is?”

The staff member lifts his head, a heavy bag of camera batteries in hand.

Kim Minsu and Kang In-ho’s eyes widen.

“Yejun, what are you doing there?”

“Ah, Director.”

Kim frowns.

“Who told you to do that?

Did Young-ho tell you to?”

“No.

I just didn’t want to stand around.

Haha.”

Only then does Kim relax, grabbing Yejun by the neck.

“Don’t go running around helping out and get hurt for no reason.

If you’re injured, we have to shut down today’s shoot.”

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

“Go.

Go wait quietly in the makeup room.”

“Yes!”

Watching Yejun head off after putting down the equipment, Director Kang nods approvingly.

“He doesn’t seem like a young person these days.”

Kim Minsu chuckles in agreement.

“That’s true.

You do see rookies helping staff sometimes, but someone like Yejun is rare.”

“Yejun trained yesterday too.”

“What?

But today’s the main shoot.

Will he be okay with muscle soreness?”

Kang In-ho grins and gives a thumbs-up.

“I’ve built his stamina properly.

Training was hard, but he’s reached the point where he doesn’t get sore anymore.”

“Haha, sounds like you really trained him right.

I’m looking forward to it.

Then please match choreography until filming starts, and once we roll, I’ll be counting on you.”

“Yes, sir.”

Director Kang gathers the stunt performers who have finished makeup.

Since the interior is cramped, he leads them all outside to an empty spot behind the building.

Lighting a cigarette, he says,

“Cigarettes ready.”

“Ready!!”

The smokers light up.

Seeing non-smokers step aside, Kang continues,

“Anyone who causes an NG today is dead.

If it’s Yejun or the staff, fine.

But there better not be an NG because of action-school performers.

Understood?”

“Yes!”

Over the past month and a half, Yejun has mastered every action scene in the drama.

They’d practiced so much that redoing choreography wasn’t really necessary.

But since the location changed, they still needed to rehearse movements according to camera paths.

After finishing their cigarettes, Kang leads them back down and calls Yejun to rehearse.

Their coordination is excellent.

After a few run-throughs, Kang nods and shouts,

“Director Kim!

We’re ready here!”

Talking with Main Cameraman Junsu while checking angles, Kim raises a thumb.

“We’ll roll in ten minutes.

Actors, please stand by!”

At that moment, Yejun—holding a prop hand axe—speaks to Kang.

“Director, I’d like five minutes alone.”

“Why, to focus?”

“Yes.”

“There’s an empty room over there.

Go use it.”

“Yes, Director.”

Avoiding the busy staff in the narrow space, Yejun enters the empty room and opens his bag.

Inside is a white clown mask.

It’s time to become Jiang Wei again.

Someday, he’ll be able to endure without alcohol.

But not yet.

Taking out the mask and script, Yejun sits in the karaoke room and slowly puts the mask on.

I’m counting on you again today, clown.

At last, it’s time for the brutal criminal Jiang Wei to devour the Joseonjok district.