Episode 25
Episode 25: The Release of ‘The Outcast Legend’
With the signal marking the start of the action scene, the first stuntman moved.
He rushed straight toward Baek Seung-chan, who stood still, and thrust a prop dagger toward his face.
Baek Seung-chan lightly tilted his head and avoided the dagger.
His movement was natural and relaxed.
At the same time, the dagger in Baek Seung-chan’s hand slashed across the stuntman’s wrist.
The following movements were even more precise.
He stabbed the opponent’s side and thigh with the dagger, then hooked his foot to trip him.
Finishing all the motions in an instant, Baek Seung-chan naturally stepped back, creating distance from the other stuntmen.
It had only been a single exchange, but everyone watching was left speechless.
"What just happened?"
"What was that? Why is he so good?"
"He’s not ordinary."
Even the stuntmen were flustered.
They looked at each other, hesitated briefly, then nodded and moved according to their prearranged choreography.
Tap—, thud—, bang—.
Baek Seung-chan quickly took down the charging stuntmen one by one.
Compared to the demonstration, his movements were far more skillful and fluid.
And finally, the 720-degree spinning kick.
Performed without wires, the move was flawless.
Baek Seung-chan’s actions were as clean and precise as a perfectly calculated machine, without a single flaw.
"······."
When the action ended, the entire set fell into silence.
Everyone stared at Baek Seung-chan, unable to speak.
They were all stunned, though each felt something slightly different.
The senior actors were filled with pure admiration and amazement.
"He’s that good at acting, and he’s good at action too?"
"Where did a monster rookie like this come from?"
"He’s incredible. He’ll become famous in no time."
"What is this, like a protagonist straight out of a novel? There’s nothing he can’t do."
Their admiration was filled with awe for the talent of this rookie actor, Baek Seung-chan.
The action director, however, felt a completely different shock.
"What did I just witness?"
Analyzing Baek Seung-chan’s movements, he felt something close to reverence.
Control of strength, efficiency of movement, even rhythm.
Baek Seung-chan’s action carried the agility of Kang Dong-wook and the power of Ma Dong-gi, combining the strengths of both.
This was not amateur-level—it was top-tier professional action.
In fact, even among professionals he had seen, this level was rare.
"So it wasn’t arrogance. It was real confidence."
He finally understood why Baek Seung-chan had said what he did earlier.
Meanwhile, a different emotion surged in Director Go Jin-seok’s heart.
"I want to start filming right away."
What he felt was exhilaration.
He was excited by the potential of Baek Seung-chan as an actor and wanted to put him in front of a camera immediately.
In his mind, he had already begun envisioning scenes.
With this actor, he was certain he could perfectly capture everything he had imagined.
Clap clap clap—.
At that moment, applause rang out, and everyone turned toward the source.
It was Team Leader Kim Seong-ho, who had returned with snacks for the actors.
"Seung-chan, that was amazing."
As expected of his number one fan, Kim Seong-ho didn’t hold back his praise.
"I agree. I’m a fan of Baek Seung-chan starting today."
"For a moment, it felt like I was watching a scene from a movie."
"I got chills, seriously."
The other actors also joined in, praising him enthusiastically.
"Seung-chan, have you trained in any martial arts? Your movements were no joke."
Director Go Jin-seok asked with curiosity.
At that moment, Team Leader Kim Seong-ho, who had been waiting for the opportunity, spoke up.
"Well, Seung-chan, during his time in the military—"
Because of what happened during ‘The Outcast Legend,’ Kim Seong-ho had misunderstood.
In his mind, Baek Seung-chan wasn’t just a former cook in the military—he was probably imagining him as some kind of elite special forces soldier.
"Team Leader."
Before the misunderstanding grew further, Baek Seung-chan called out to him.
Kim Seong-ho immediately realized and pressed a finger to his lips, nodding.
"Ah, right. It’s a secret."
"Ah…"
Those watching seemed to come to some mutual understanding, nodding knowingly.
"······."
Seeing this, Baek Seung-chan decided he would have to properly tell Kim Seong-ho that he had actually been a cook in the military.
Otherwise, the misunderstanding would only grow.
At that moment, the action director approached Baek Seung-chan with a serious expression.
"Do you have something to say?"
"I’m sorry for mistaking you for someone showing off."
"It’s alright."
Baek Seung-chan replied with a smile.
If a rookie actor claimed he could perform stunt-level action just by watching, it was understandable to think he was being disrespectful.
So he could fully understand the action director’s reaction.
"By the way, did you learn Kali Arnis? Your skill is quite impressive."
Kali Arnis.
A Filipino martial art that combines weapons and barehand techniques.
It is often used in films and dramas because of its flashy yet realistic movements.
A well-known example was the film ‘Uncle,’ starring the famous Korean actor Won Woo-bin.
"Oh, is that what this martial art is called?"
Baek Seung-chan had noticed a pattern in the movements and assumed it was some kind of martial art.
Compared to martial arts that used internal energy, it was different, but it was well-balanced between offense and defense—a very refined system.
"You mean you didn’t learn it?"
The action director’s eyes widened in disbelief.
"I don’t know what Kali Arnis is, but I haven’t really learned anything."
"······."
Not only the action director, but even the stuntmen stared at Baek Seung-chan as if he were a monster.
Baek Seung-chan arrived at a clean five-story building not far from Seongsu Station.
It was Dream Entertainment’s building.
He had come today to watch the completed video of ‘The Outcast Legend’ before its release.
Originally, he should have seen it earlier, but CEO Ji Pyeong-san and Director Park Tae-ho had apparently wanted to refine it further, extending it by one episode, which delayed the editing.
"Seung-chan, I’ll park the car and come up, so go in first."
Team Leader Kim Seong-ho said as he parked the car.
"Okay."
Baek Seung-chan got out and entered the building.
As soon as he stepped into the first-floor lobby, he spotted a familiar face.
"Hyung Seung-chan!"
Nam Si-woo, who was walking from one side of the lobby, waved energetically as he approached, like a puppy wagging its tail.
"It’s been a while. Have you been well?"
"I’m the same as always. Just practicing every day."
Nam Si-woo exaggerated his tired expression, making Baek Seung-chan smile.
"You’ve worked hard. Looks like you’ve been practicing your expressions a lot."
"Of course! I’ve been practicing every single day since that lesson. Does it show?"
Nam Si-woo asked with anticipation.
"Of course. You’ve improved a lot."
Baek Seung-chan nodded, and Nam Si-woo smiled brightly.
Just like before, his emotions were clearly visible on his face.
At that moment, a young man wearing a cap approached them.
"Hey, introduce me too. Don’t just leave me standing here awkwardly."
He had a solid build and a masculine impression—it was Yoo Tae-ho, a member of Nam Si-woo’s group.
"Oh, right. I forgot."
"You forgot?"
Nam Si-woo laughed casually as he introduced him.
"Hyung, this is Yoo Tae-ho, a member of my group."
"And this is—"
"I already know. You’re the hyung Si-woo respects so much, right?"
Yoo Tae-ho cut him off and stepped closer to Baek Seung-chan.
"Hello, I’m Yoo Tae-ho."
"Nice to meet you. I’m Baek Seung-chan."
There was a sharp edge in Yoo Tae-ho’s tone.
To others, it might have seemed rude.
But to Baek Seung-chan, it just felt somewhat cute.
Partly because he was Nam Si-woo’s friend, but also because he knew the reason behind his attitude.
Previously, Nam Si-woo had mentioned that one of his group members didn’t like the idea of him receiving lessons from a rookie actor.
At the time, Baek Seung-chan had understood that perspective.
And now, it was clear that person was Yoo Tae-ho.
"He’s usually a bit prickly, so please understand, hyung."
Sensing the tension, Nam Si-woo stepped in.
Yoo Tae-ho didn’t bother changing his attitude or offering excuses.
"By the way, hyung, have you eaten? If not, want to grab a meal together? Our cafeteria is really good."
It was around lunchtime.
"Food? Let me check with the Team Leader first—"
"It’s fine. Go eat. I need to report to the CEO, so I’ll head up first."
At that moment, Team Leader Kim Seong-ho approached after parking the car.
"Hello, Team Leader."
"Good to see you, Si-woo, Tae-ho."
He greeted them warmly, having become familiar with them through frequent visits to the company.
"Are you sure it’s okay, Team Leader?"
"It’s fine. I had a late breakfast anyway."
"Alright, I’ll eat quickly and come up."
Baek Seung-chan headed to the basement cafeteria with Nam Si-woo and the others.
Just as Nam Si-woo had said, Dream Entertainment’s cafeteria was as good as a top-tier restaurant.
CEO Ji Pyeong-san, who was passionate about food, had hired a renowned chef.
Moreover, since meals were free for affiliated artists, Baek Seung-chan thought it would be nice to come often whenever he had time.
"I was just about to call you. Good timing."
After finishing their meal and heading to the meeting room on the third floor, they found CEO Ji Pyeong-san, Team Leader Kim Seong-ho, and several staff members already seated.
"Alright, let’s begin the internal screening of ‘The Outcast Legend.’"
With CEO Ji Pyeong-san’s words, the web drama began playing.
As soon as the screen lit up, everyone became immersed.
The room was so quiet that even breathing was barely audible.
When the video ended and the lights came back on, everyone clapped in admiration.
"Wow, this is going to be a huge hit."
"This is insane. I guarantee it’ll rewrite the history of web dramas."
"Seung-chan, Si-woo, your acting was incredible. Once this is released, you’ll get tons of offers."
They spared no praise.
Everyone genuinely admired both the quality of the production and the actors’ performances.
However, one person felt something different—Yoo Tae-ho.
"Si-woo was this good at acting?"
He was shocked.
Nam Si-woo, who had only been slightly better than him before, now seemed like a completely different person.
"This change… it must be because of him…"
At first, he had thought Baek Seung-chan was a scammer taking advantage of naive Nam Si-woo.
But that wasn’t the case.
He was simply a genius actor.
At that moment, Yoo Tae-ho quickly reached a conclusion and acted on it.
"Hyung, that was amazing."
His attitude completely changed as he approached Baek Seung-chan with a bright smile.
Now, to him, Baek Seung-chan felt like a benefactor who could help him achieve the acting dream he had given up on.
"Yeah, thanks."
Seeing the complete 180-degree change in Yoo Tae-ho’s attitude, Baek Seung-chan smiled inwardly.
It felt like he had gained another Nam Si-woo.
"Hyung, could I ask you for lessons sometime too?"
At his words, Baek Seung-chan thought for a moment, then nodded.
"Sure, I’d be happy to."
From Baek Seung-chan’s perspective, gaining another junior who followed him was good, and having another paying client wasn’t bad either.
"Alright! I’ll book right after the tour ends!"
"Me too!"
Nam Si-woo and Yoo Tae-ho raised their hands at the same time, and Baek Seung-chan smiled warmly at them.
And that evening, the teaser for the web drama ‘The Outcast Legend’ was finally released.