Chapter 6 Part 7: Like A Donkey Crossing Cold Water

A week later, even dramas that had started filming took about one day off every ten days.

This was to preserve the stamina of the staff.

Of course, if the schedule was tight, they wouldn’t think twice about skipping breaks or staying up all night for shoots.

But since the drama’s air date was still far off, taking a day off was possible.

All the actors and staff rested, but the director and assistant directors did not.

Starting from episode two, the action scenes became serious.

Directors Kim Minsu and Jang Young-ho came to check on the progress at the action school, and they chatted casually over a cup of coffee in the office of stunt director Kang In-ho.

“Director Kang, are our kids doing well?”

Kang In-ho smiled faintly.

“They were diligent before filming started.

But as you know, once the drama begins, the actors get busy and can’t always make it.”

“Was Lee Jihoon showing up properly too?

He has the most action scenes.”

“Hehe, he seemed reluctant at first, but Manager Kim Sun-woo grabbed him by the collar, so he showed up every day.

He can’t come now, of course.

But he understood the basic action choreography, so with one or two run-throughs on set, the scenes should turn out fine.

He’s not a professional stunt performer, so our team will fill in the gaps where needed.”

“I really appreciate your hard work, Director Kang.”

“Haha, this is our job.”

At that moment, the office outside grew noisy.

The office was on the second floor of the gym building, overlooking the indoor gym through the window.

Director Kim Minsu looked outside at the commotion and asked,

“Has the number of people increased?

I thought there were about fifty actors in the action school.”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“But it looks like over seventy.

They seem exhausted from training.”

Through the window, Kim Minsu saw countless stunt trainees panting as if they had run themselves to the point of collapse.

Kang In-ho sipped his coffee and said,

“These are the 23rd batch of action school trainees who joined a month ago.”

“Ah~”

The action school accepted new trainees every year.

Each batch had about fifty students, but only around five would endure the six-month training to become full members.

The training was that tough.

Kang In-ho clicked his tongue and shook his head.

“We accepted fifty-one trainees for the 23rd batch, and thirty-two dropped out in just one month.

The remaining people are the original students and those who survived this latest intake.”

Jang Young-ho, astonished, asked,

“Thirty-two quit in one month?”

Kang In-ho chuckled and nodded.

“Yes.

They came dreaming after watching Jackie Chan movies, but once they tried it, it was just too hard.

Even some former special forces quit.”

“W-Wait, it’s so tough that even special forces give up?”

“Well, not exactly.

They’re just doing exercises different from what they’re used to.

Even someone who’s used to intense workouts will feel pain when using muscles they don’t usually use.

Special forces training is manageable, but trying exercises they’ve never done before is tough.

It’s not a high-paying job either, so some start thinking, ‘Why am I doing this?’ and leave.”

“Wow, so the remaining nineteen must be really determined.”

Kang In-ho looked out the window at the trainees stretching on the first floor.

“No, half of them will probably leave within three months.

Then, some of the remaining ones will fail evaluations and be cut.

Even if they survive the full six months, it doesn’t mean they automatically get selected.”

“Wow, that’s impressive.”

Kang In-ho flipped over the whiteboard standing upside down.

“This shows the trainees’ evaluations.”

The board had many names listed, each with grades from S to D, and a brief text evaluation on the far right.

Jang Young-ho, seeing this for the first time, pointed at a random name and read aloud.

“Name: Yoo Ye-na, Gender: Female.

Grade: A.

Taekwondo 3rd Dan, Judo 2nd Dan, Kendo 2nd Dan.

Whoa?

This person’s basically a human weapon.”

Kim Minsu chuckled.

“Don’t underestimate her because she’s a woman.

Even if there’s a difference in physical strength, someone trained like that could easily overwhelm an average person.”

Jang Young-ho flicked through the other names and suddenly raised an eyebrow.

“What’s this?”

Kim Minsu followed his gaze and widened his eyes.

“Ma Yejun?

Why is that name here?”

Jang Young-ho jumped up, went closer to the whiteboard, and checked again.

“Name: Ma Yejun, Gender: Male.

Grade: B?

Is this a duplicate?

It’s not a common name.”

Kang In-ho grinned.

“No, it’s the Yejun you all know.”

Kim Minsu looked back outside the window with disbelief.

‘He’s really here.’

Yejun was among the stretching trainees, sweating heavily while doing splits, looking exhausted.

Kim Minsu observed him and asked,

“How did this happen, Director?”

Kang In-ho smiled, staring at Yejun’s name on the whiteboard.

“You could call him an amazing kid.”

“…..?”

Kang In-ho tapped the board with his finger.

“Do you know what grade he had on this board a month ago?”

“?”

“D.”

Both Kim Minsu and Jang Young-ho turned their eyes back to the whiteboard.

His current grade was B.

Not exceptional, but above average, considering many trainees were still at C.

Rising from D to B in a month proved he had worked extremely hard.

Kang In-ho crossed his arms.

“The first two weeks were basic conditioning, then in week three, we started training according to the action scene storyboards.

But the crazy thing was, he picked it up immediately after only a few demonstrations.

I thought, ‘Is this person a monster?’

But the funny part is, he could do it perfectly only a couple of times before his stamina dropped drastically.”

Jang Young-ho countered,

“Yejun just got discharged from the military, so his stamina should be good.”

“Haha, did you hear what I said earlier?

Even special forces trainees drop out of this training.”

“Oh.”

“Without sheer determination, you can’t survive it.

Anyway, he realized his stamina was dropping and asked me for additional conditioning.

Since we were already training the new recruits, we included him.

The first day, I honestly thought he wouldn’t show up the next day because he was so exhausted.”

Kang In-ho stood by the window, watching Yejun and smiling.

“But he came the next day, and the day after that.

He’s not a professional stunt performer, yet he trains with more dedication than most actors.

The actors who are currently active?

They wouldn’t last more than two days if asked to follow the action school regimen.

Even actors famous for action struggle.

But this kid has been keeping up for a whole month.”

No director disliked seeing their actor sweat and train hard.

Kim Minsu smiled.

“So he’s really dedicated?”

“Dedication is probably his greatest weapon.

No matter how exhausted, he never gives up.

Even the instructors respect his determination.”

Half-jokingly, Kim Minsu asked,

“If Yejun survives the six months, how do you think he’ll be evaluated?”

Kang In-ho thought for a moment and nodded.

“Usually, those who start with S or A tend to drop out.

The ones who climb from the bottom like him are the truly determined ones.

I can’t say the exact grade yet, but he’ll probably make it into the 23rd batch.”

“Haha.”

Of course, that wouldn’t happen—Yejun wasn’t aiming to become a stunt actor.

But it was the first time Kim Minsu had seen Director Kang give such an assessment to an actor.

Many actors train hard before filming, but evaluating one with such sheer determination was new to him.

Kang In-ho added,

“I heard he even works part-time at an amusement park in the morning.

By the time he finishes that and comes to training, his muscles are screaming.

Yet he continues.

He’s really an impressive kid.”

Kim Minsu nodded, watching Yejun train outside.

‘The incident that almost crushed his dream seems to have worked in his favor.’

Many people face hardships.

Some break, while others endure and grow.

Yejun was clearly in the latter category.

Kim Minsu tapped Jang Young-ho.

“When is Yejun’s first shoot?”

“It’s the last scene of episode one, at Namyangju General Studio, on September 4th.”

Today was August 19th.

He still had about two weeks before joining the shoot.

No doubt, Yejun would show up even more developed by then.

“Haha, I can’t help but look forward to it.”

Kim Minsu stood up.

“Please take care of him until then.

Ah, I heard another director will be at the set.

Director Kang, won’t you go?”

“I’ll go when it’s time to rehearse full action sequences.

Episode one has few action scenes, so I’m staying back for now.

When it’s time for the real coordination, I’ll go personally.”

“Understood, Director.

Thank you.”

***

After the 23rd batch’s training ended, Yejun boarded the last bus from Paju to Seoul.

He tossed his bag onto an empty seat and collapsed.

“Ugh, I’m exhausted!”

Not an exaggeration—he felt like he might actually die.

He woke at 8 a.m., reported to the amusement park by 10, finished work at 3, and rushed to Paju for the trainees’ five-hour session.

Training ended at 8 p.m.

A quick meal, then drama action practice until 11 p.m.

At home, he bought a bottle of soju, rehearsed with the clown once, drank, exorcised the lingering energy of Zhang Wei from his soul, and fell asleep.

The routine repeated.

It felt harder than military service.

Even though he adapted quickly in the army, this training used different conditioning schedules each day, making muscles scream.

His body was exhausted, but his heart was joyful.

Life felt exhilarating when moving toward a goal.

Though his muscles screamed, his face wore a smile as he watched Paju’s nighttime scenery blur past the bus window.

‘My grandfather said it: effort is not just a means, it is the goal itself.’

Weak people can’t survive on diligence alone, but even if crude, honest effort is better than cunning shortcuts.

Clown training demanded blood and sweat.

Perhaps it was a way to show that in reality, only effort can ensure survival.

Having been given another chance, Yejun swore not to waste time idly again.

Now he knew that if he always did something, he could achieve astonishingly much.