Why Movies Take Forever
The reason filming a movie like Geomgeom takes so long isn't just the shooting itself—it's a tangle of factors. From pre-production prep to the chaos on set and coordinating actor schedules, it's all mixed together. Movies are a complex beast.
Endless Frontline was the exception. We'd wrapped it up right at the end with some reshoots. But Yeokjeok: Bud of Corruption was different.
I'd been fully involved from the start. That's why I could really feel just how much time one film devours.
"You could probably chill and do whatever for a couple months?"
"Yeah?"
Late December. I scratched my cheek as Choi Seokho mentioned it while juggling schedules.
Nothing to do in the meantime.
The Golden Bell overseas trip was already earmarked.
I'll tag it onto the Japan dubbing trip for Yeokjeok and stay a month. Under the guise of cultural immersion, I'd take a full month's vacation.
That left about two months dangling. Before I knew it, 2014 had snuck up on me in the blink of an eye.
"...What? What did I even do?"
I hadn't done anything, yet it was already the new year. Not even January—straight to February.
Time had flown by like an arrow.
"Donghu, they say the script's been revised a bit?"
"Huh? This suddenly?"
"Yeah, even I'm a little thrown."
With that bombshell about the script revision, Seokho hyung handed me the updated version.
"It's not adding new shoots or anything. It's for that final scene, right? Probably tweaking that."
Did that mean the ending changed? I muttered as much and snatched up the script right away.
No need to overthink it.
Immerse.
It was something I could just check myself.
I'd never once been truly understood by anyone.
Not even as a child when I killed speechless beasts.
Not as I grew and my hunting skills sharpened, crushing things worse than beasts.
No one ever gave me proper praise.
Empty words and eyes soaked in fear.
"Y-You're truly amazing. You'll become a phoenix one day!"
My father's words had never rung so hollow.
The eldest son of a family that owned the entire princess's land. A position anyone should envy—yet the void inside me remained unfilled.
Fine then. Let's go all the way to the end for real.
That's the path I chose.
Wasn't there a guy named Jo Seonghak in Naju, renowned for his martial prowess?
And by pure coincidence, the slaves I'd killed knew his name.
Sensing something off, I interrogated them. What do you know—they wriggled like earthworms banding together.
Yi Taeseong packed his bags on the spot.
Bags? Just money would do, and he had more than enough rotting away.
The only snag was his parents' permission.
But even that was easily resolved.
"Wah, wah, wah!"
He wasn't the eldest.
In a noble house with two sons, the later-born should have been at a massive disadvantage.
But Yi Taeseong's track record had flipped that disadvantage on its head.
With the family face set, nothing could block him.
Off to Naju he went.
"Hahahahaha!"
Yi Taeseong was certain this path was right.
Look at that feast of maggots in the distance.
Swing your sword freely—no issue with that beautiful sight.
No matter how much you swing, killing traitors would only bring praise.
After slaughtering the band of traitors, Yi Taeseong headed straight to Naju and confronted Jo Seonghak.
Just as rumored, Jo had striking looks and astonishing martial power. Yi Taeseong thought it wouldn't be bad to wield his sword for a while.
The traitors would all try to kill Jo Seonghak anyway.
Born the son of a slave, yet he'd overcome limits to seize his family.
A throne ascended in defiance of heaven's mandate.
Impressive was all he could say.
If I become like him, nothing would scare me.
Once this game ended, he'd return home and push for eldest son succession.
As Yi Taeseong thought that—
The first moment life didn't go his way arrived.
"...How could I kill a lotus blooming from the mud with my own hands?"
It was when Jo Seonghak hesitated at the sight of his own blood kin.
Impossible.
To let his gaze be stolen by some newborn brat amid the worms before him.
And even—
"I'll open my storehouses. Please spare me and the child."
—begging his inferiors for his life.
A mere hundred or so at best.
After raiding the enemy's lair and slashing their numbers exponentially, why beg now?
"My lord, this is troubling."
How could you do this?
Then what was I, who came all this way watching you?
I thought we were alike.
Felt he was the most similar of all.
Different origins, but situations so akin.
"Isn't this betrayal?"
Yi Taeseong smiled deeply.
Finally realizing.
Yes, in the end, no one would remain by my side.
The moment he fully grasped that—
His heart lightened.
"Yes, there's only one phoenix after all. I was mistaken for a moment."
Yi Taeseong's dance began, and immersion broke.
Whoosh!
Vision returned.
...The ending changed.
Originally, it ended with a three-way battle between the traitors, Jo Seonghak, and Yi Taeseong. Jo died, Yi fled pathetically. The traitors claimed victory in Naju, spreading their will further—curtains.
But the revised script had Jo Seonghak fully aligned with the traitors.
Did the grade factor this in too?
I checked just in case.
Yeokjeok: Bud of Corruption, B, B
The grade hadn't budged despite the ending shift.
Maybe it was graded expecting possible changes.
Not impossible.
Considering the future texts from Shim, it was a plausible theory.
Why do this, though?
I pondered and reached a conclusion.
To amp up the action scenes.
Ditch the messy three-way for a clear showdown.
Flashy action between Jo and Yi.
If that's it, I wasn't worried. Prep stayed the same regardless of story tweaks.
Fancy swordplay action—harder than Geomgeom Baek Dongsu?
Now that got me excited.
When Kim Donghu danced his sword art in the falling snow, it wasn't just Kiryu Sota who was stunned.
It was just drowned out by Kiryu's booming exclamation.
...Is this the same guy who was smiling and greeting us earlier?
Director Yoon Seongbin was equally floored.
In script terms, it was a throwaway line.
On a snowy day, he demonstrates his martial prowess.
Who knew it'd birth that scene?
Speechless.
So he revised the scenario on the spot.
The original script? Handing something that bland to this actor? Unthinkable.
Months of tweaks later, the ending changed.
And one actor welcomed it with open arms.
"Me and Donghu are gonna put on a full acting power show, huh?"
Jin Yuseong, playing Jo Seonghak.
The moment he got the script, his instincts proved right, and he was thrilled.
That day Kim Donghu showed his skills—he vowed not to lag behind and started 1:1 kendo PT.
No way he'd get eaten alive acting-wise.
To prevent the impossible, Jin had honed his swordsmanship with all he had.
And now the payoff arrived unbidden. How could he not rejoice?
Perfect timing with the blizzard the night before too.
The image of clashing blades in falling snow? Electric just thinking about it.
Early February finally arrived.
The previous night's snowstorm had left the ground crunching underfoot.
Jin arrived at set in peak condition.
...What the?
Like static on his skin.
A prickling sensation.
Come to think of it, the set's vibe felt subtly off from before.
Usually lively, folks whining about the cold, that human warmth lingering.
Now? Just a chill permeating everything.
Sure, big action shoot today—but did they need to turn the atmosphere into a battlefield?
Overkill much...?
With that thought, Jin headed to set—and ... realized why the mood gripped the place so tight.
The ever-punctual, hardworking epitome: Kim Donghu.
Early meant pre-makeup time.
The sword demon.
There he was: white robe, long wig cascading, gripping what looked like a real sword in one hand.
Sitting quietly in his chair, script in lap—the sword demon manifest.
Everyone overwhelmed, holding their breath.
...Can I really face him?
The sudden doubt rooted in his mind like fear.