The minor character’s pupils shake violently, as if there were an earthquake. How could he not be surprised when blood is flowing from Youngguk’s hand?
At that moment, the hair he was gripping moves violently, making the minor character’s head twist.
‘Wolf.’
The gleaming eyes and the sarcastic smile at the corner of his mouth seemed to say that he is a carnivore in a world of survival of the fittest.
He lifts his bloody palm and grabs the other’s shoulder strongly. The blood droplets flowing from his palm trickle down the supporting actor’s shoulder.
“Choose.”
What should he choose? It wasn’t a line in the original script. The wolf growls and moans as Haesuk Jeong speaks.
“Do you want to die here, or crawl between my legs?”
Though his voice is low, an inexplicable sense of intimidation overflows. The one whose hair Haesuk Jeong is gripping cannot respond.
It’s not because he’s flustered by the ad-lib. It’s because Haesuk Jeong’s eyes gleam so cruelly, as if they could devour him at any moment.
Then it happened.
“Fine, die here.”
Haesuk Jeong raises his blood-soaked palm and clenches his fist. Then his fist flies straight at him. Instinctively, the minor character tightly shuts his eyes.
His eyelids tremble, anticipating what’s to come. However, the expected blow does not land. When he cautiously half-opens his eyes, he sees Haesuk Jeong, who had been gleaming moments ago, now bursting into laughter for some reason.
“Buddy, I was just joking. Why are you so surprised?”
Haesuk Jeong gently pats the frozen face of the other character and then returns to his place.
A strong tension, like walking on thin ice, fills the filming site. The one creating this tension is none other than Haesuk Jeong, who sits in the upper seat.
Watching from one side of the filming site, Son Hwawon swallows nervously, unable to take his eyes off him for a moment.
Considering Youngguk’s demeanor before the shoot, the current scene was unimaginable. As if he had become a completely different person. Not just the atmosphere, but his intonation, facial expressions, and actions were all different.
‘Definitely an ad-lib.’
Son Hwawon, who had mastered not only his own script but others’ scripts as well, could tell that Youngguk’s lines were ad-libbed.
Though it was an incident that should have halted the shoot, it was incredible how he managed to continue so naturally.
Could he do the same? He mulled it over, but an answer wasn’t forthcoming.
Director Baek Janghoon keeps facing the live screen without stopping the shoot. That indicates how much he trusts Youngguk.
As the situation in the script changes, the ending of the scene also changes.
Haesuk Jeong looks down at his blood-dripping palm. Then he gives an indescribable smile.
“Bring it.”
Haesuk Jeong gestures with his chin at a bucket of ice. The one whose hair he had gripped earlier brings the bucket cautiously with trembling eyes.
Haesuk Jeong plunges his hand into the ice-filled bucket.
The once-clear ice bucket quickly turns red with blood. Haesuk Jeong shakes his hand as if to dismiss the blood and arrogantly hands the ice bucket back to the other.
“Aren’t you thirsty?”
“Does it hurt?”
Though the whisky glass was made of sugar, the wound on his palm was deeper than expected.
The bleeding stopped after hastily controlling it, but the long cut visible between his fingers was clearly torn.
An on-site emergency medical staff shakes his head.
“We should have stopped the shoot with a wound like this.”
Youngguk gives a faint smile. This wasn’t the first time he’d gotten hurt while filming. In his past roles, he often played gangsters and bodyguards, rough characters. He had gotten hurt numerous times doing action scenes.
“You need to go to the hospital right away and get stitches.”
They disinfected the wound and wrapped it in a bandage. Manager Lee Bongchun, watching anxiously from behind, fusses about whether they should call 119.
Youngguk finishes his treatment and walks over to the actor who had acted alongside him today.
“I’m sorry, you must have been really surprised.”
It wasn’t a planned scene in the script. Suddenly, the sugar-made whisky glass broke, and blood started dripping. Moreover, the following scenes were purely Youngguk’s ad-lib. He was just grateful that the actor responded to his ad-lib without panicking.
“No, no, I should be thanking you. If you hadn’t ad-libbed so promptly, I would have freaked out and ruined the scene.”
“And this isn’t much, but please accept it. The head of the wardrobe team said you brought your own costume.”
“Oh, no. Really, it’s fine.”
Youngguk forcibly slides a white envelope into the minor actor’s coat. It’s true that the wardrobe team is usually responsible for providing costumes, but sometimes actors like this one bring their own.
After all, the wardrobe team can’t know the exact measurements of all minor actors.
The supporting actor’s shoulder is still stained with the blood from Youngguk’s palm.
“Director, how was the scene?”
Youngguk approaches the cinematographer Do Jangwook to ask. Since he went straight for treatment after the scene, he didn’t get to monitor it, and since it wasn’t the planned scene, he was worried.
Ad-libbing isn’t always accepted, and some cinematographers or directors dislike actors going off-script.
But cinematographer Do Jangwook gives a thumbs-up with a hearty voice.
“It was killer. In all my years, I’ve never seen someone act through an injury like that. How’s your hand, is it okay?”
“It’s fine, not too bad.”
“Go see the director. He said to come right over when your treatment is done.”
Youngguk nods to the cinematographer and heads straight to where Director Baek Janghoon is. Director Baek Janghoon is busy preparing for the next shoot.
But Youngguk’s face shows puzzlement as he looks around the set. The shooting angles, props, and lighting positions are all different from the planned next scene.
“Director.”
Since it’s a formal setting, Youngguk refrains from calling him ‘Grandpa’ as he usually does.
Director Baek Janghoon slowly turns his body at Youngguk’s call. His wrinkled gaze first falls on the bandaged palm.
“Go to the hospital.”
His voice is dry, and his eyes are cold. When Youngguk tries to ask about the set, Director Baek Janghoon, as if reading his mind, adds,
“The next shoot has been moved up to a different scene, so don’t worry and go to the hospital. You don’t need to come back to the set today.”
His voice is not the kind grandpa’s voice Youngguk is used to. Instead, it’s stern, almost scolding.
Without a word, Youngguk bows his head and steps back.
Company dinners are always noisy. The smell of grilling meat fills the air, and soju bottles tilt over, clinking into glasses.
The main topic of conversation among the film crew at the dinner is none other than today’s shoot. Everyone saw it, the intense performance Youngguk gave with a torn palm.
“Hyung, I knew Youngguk was something, but I didn’t know he was that good. I almost threw my camera down and ran over. But he kept his focus and ad-libbed without caring about his bleeding hand, completely immersed in the scene.”
“I saw it too.”
“But why did you scold him so much? I felt embarrassed for him.”
It was cinematographer Do Jangwook, the one who had worked the longest with Director Baek Janghoon. That’s why he could ask so casually.
Director Baek Janghoon gulps down a shot of soju and sets the glass down loudly.
“Because he doesn’t know how to take care of himself.”
Director Baek Janghoon licks his dry lips. He was also surprised during the shoot. He wanted to stop filming and send Youngguk to the hospital immediately, but he couldn’t.
Youngguk’s performance on the live screen was too beautiful. His actions perfectly embodied Haesuk Jeong from the script, sending chills down his spine. But.
“A hundred, a thousand times, he’ll keep acting even if he gets hurt. That’s why I’m worried. Directors value the shot above all. Even I, who have known Youngguk for a long time, couldn’t resist the urge to keep filming at that moment. Imagine what other directors might do.”
Son Hwawon listens quietly from one side. He can see the concern and worry etched in Director Baek Janghoon’s wrinkled eyes.
The director, known as a strict figure on set, showing such concern for someone was quite a sight.
Then it happened.
“Oh, Youngguk!”
Cinematographer Do Jangwook spots Youngguk walking into the BBQ restaurant and raises his hand high. Instantly, all eyes are on Youngguk.
The bandages on his hand speak of his injury. The assistant director starts clapping first, and the others follow with whistles and applause.
Youngguk shyly bows to each member of the crew and heads towards Director Baek Janghoon and the cinematographer. He bows deeply to Director Baek Janghoon first.
“I’m sorry about today, Director.”
Director Baek Janghoon’s gaze remains fixed on the bandaged hand.
“Is your hand okay?”
“I got a few stitches, but the doctor said it wasn’t a deep cut, so I can go about daily activities without issues.”
Director Baek Janghoon swallows hard at the mention of stitches.
“It’s really fine. The doctor said I can even remove the bandage for filming. The stitches will come out in about a week, and there shouldn’t be any scarring.”
“I should have stopped the shoot, but I was greedy.”
“No, really.”
“With Son actor here, I’ll say it too. I’ve always been a director who valued the shot over the actors. But as time passed, I realized that my values were stubborn. I never imagined you’d continue acting despite getting hurt. From now on, neither you, Youngguk, nor Son actor needs to get hurt to act. Actors aren’t props. And.”
Youngguk feels his mouth dry up from Director Baek Janghoon’s unexpected apology. He had known the director for a long time but had never seen this side of him.
Then Director Baek Janghoon smiles and speaks to Youngguk formally.
Not as a grandfather to his grandson, but as a director to an actor.
“I’m sorry and grateful for your intense performance, Actor Jang Youngguk.”
