Chapter 218
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 218
Chapter Title: The First Test
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“A gosa?”
Richard Bowen, the vice president of Marine Company, asked again. Dr. Pailan nodded.
“Yes. It was Director Ryan Will's request.”
“What is that?”
Dr. Pailan, a Korean-American, explained what a gosa was.
“It's a Korean superstition, a ritual performed to pray for success before a major event like starting a movie or drama production, or opening a business. In the case of a film, they pray for a safe shoot without any accidents and for the movie to be a box office hit.”
When Dr. Pailan first heard it, he thought he'd misheard. But he hadn't. After looking into it, it seemed to be quite common before filming a movie in Korea. There were articles mentioning that both *Yeok* and *Escape* had held a gosa.
Seeing a photo of the gosa table brought back a faint memory of his grandfather performing a similar ritual before opening his store when he was a child.
The memory of being startled and crying at the sight of a smiling pig's head, which had been procured from somewhere, also resurfaced.
Having roughly understood Dr. Pailan's explanation, Richard Bowen leaned back in his chair.
“If it's necessary for the movie, then do it. If Director Ryan wants to, let him. The meaning is good, too. It'll be good publicity in Korea, won't it?”
“Yes. Though I imagine everyone who wants to see it will see it, even without the publicity.”
Not worried in the least about the success of *Shadowman 3*, Richard Bowen and Dr. Pailan smiled.
After that, they briefly discussed the pre-production of *Shadowman 3*.
Most of it would be handled by Marine Company's *Shadowman 3* production team, but the most critical factor when schedules were extended was the production cost.
For a large-scale blockbuster like *Shadowman 3*, a single day's delay meant an enormous amount of money was lost.
When the filming of *Red Born 2* was delayed for several months due to an accident, the money saved was enough to produce *Shadowman 1* and *Green Wing 1* instead, which said it all.
For that reason, Richard Bowen received regular reports.
‘Well, it was a relief that both did better than expected.’
He never imagined that movie would become a series and grow to be as big as *Red Born*. He had higher expectations for the profits of *Shadowman 3* than for *Red Born*.
“Location scouting is nearly complete, and set construction is proceeding smoothly. The actors are being managed thoroughly, and we have enough security to keep the paparazzi at bay. Everything seems to be on schedule for the start of filming.”
It happened ten years ago, but it was no wonder they were being particularly strict about paparazzi.
Since then, Marine Company had been meticulous about the safety of its actors.
“Good. Tell them not to let their guard down during filming either.”
“Yes, I understand.”
After Dr. Pailan finished his report, Richard Bowen spoke.
“More importantly, what happened with that other matter?”
In response to Richard Bowen's expectant question, Dr. Pailan shook his head.
“He said he's not interested.”
“Well, I expected as much.”
Richard Bowen let out a heavy sigh.
* * *
Entering the A3 training ground, Seojun blinked at the scene before him, then glanced at the clock on the wall.
The red digital clock read [09:12].
‘I thought I was early, too...’
But someone had arrived even earlier.
An Daho, who had followed the excitedly quickening steps of Seojun, also stared in surprise at Kim Jaeyeon, who was stretching.
At Seojun's urging, they had left early this morning, but it seemed this person was just as diligent.
Jin Natra's stuntman, Kim Jaeyeon, seemed so focused on each stretch that he didn't notice Seojun and An Daho's arrival.
Seojun walked over to Kim Jaeyeon and greeted him.
“Hello, Jaeyeon-hyung.”
“Oh, hello, Seojun.”
Startled, Kim Jaeyeon returned the greeting awkwardly.
“You're here really early. I heard Aiden was coming at ten.”
“Ah, I usually get here at nine. S-Seojun, you're early too, aren't you? Doesn't your session start at ten?”
Seojun's first training session was scheduled to start at ten, so his trainer, Aiden, was also due at ten.
Seojun chuckled at the question from a slightly tense Kim Jaeyeon.
“That's right. But I was so excited I woke up early.”
“I see.”
“Do you have training today too, hyung?”
“No, not training, but I wanted to get some practice in.”
“I see. Jaeyeon-hyung, where's the locker room? I want to change, but I didn't get a chance to ask yesterday.”
Seojun held up the bag containing his workout clothes.
“Ah, it's this way.”
Getting up, Kim Jaeyeon led Seojun and An Daho to the locker room. Each training ground had an attached locker room and shower.
“You can register your fingerprint here. Didn't you get a card or something?”
At those words, An Daho remembered the card Jonathan had given him before they left the center yesterday.
He fumbled in his bag and pulled out a black card that read 'Action Training Center'.
“Here it is. I received it yesterday.”
“It's number 10. You just tap the card and then register your fingerprint.”
Standing in front of locker number 10, Kim Jaeyeon skillfully tapped the card on the lock. A beep sounded, and a fingerprint icon lit up.
“You can use your thumb or index finger.”
“Okay.”
Standing next to Kim Jaeyeon, Seojun placed his index finger on it.
With a beep, the door to locker number 10 opened. Like its simple exterior, the inside of the locker was neat.
Oh.
Seojun's eyes sparkled.
He closed the door and placed his finger on the sensor again. It beeped and opened.
Kim Jaeyeon handed the card to An Daho.
“You can give the card back to the assistant director later.”
“The assistant director?”
Seojun, who was touching the lock with his finger again, blinked.
Seeing his blank expression, Kim Jaeyeon looked puzzled.
Flustered, Kim Jaeyeon looked at An Daho, who wore the same questioning expression as Seojun.
“Uh... I mean Assistant Director Jonathan Will.”
At Kim Jaeyeon's words, Seojun and An Daho were stunned.
“Jonathan was the assistant director!?”
“He was?!”
Faced with their repeated questions, Kim Jaeyeon nodded awkwardly.
Wow.
Hearing the same answer again, Seojun beamed.
It felt like just yesterday that Jonathan was in middle school, and now he was an assistant director.
The image of the middle schooler on the verge of tears at the sound of crying children was still so vivid, and now he was an assistant director.
“Why didn't Jonathan tell us? I should have bought a cake yesterday!”
“I know. We didn't even get him a gift.”
Seojun was so happy he stomped his feet in excitement.
* * *
When Seojun came out after changing into his workout clothes, Jonathan was standing in front of him.
Seojun smiled brightly. Seeing Seojun looking even more radiant than usual, Jonathan tilted his head.
“I realized I didn't show you how to use the card yesterday, so I called your mother, and she said you'd already left. Did Kim show you?”
“Jonathan! Why didn't you tell me?”
“Huh? Tell you what?”
“That you're the assistant director!”
“Ah…”
Jonathan rubbed the back of his neck, looking embarrassed.
“Well, the assistant director who used to work with my uncle is shooting another movie this time. The position was open, and since my uncle's the director, it would look like I got the job through connections.”
“Come on. You're his nephew, but you don't know your uncle that well? Do you really think Director Ryan is that kind of person?”
He didn't even need time to think.
“He's not, I guess.”
Seojun nodded at Jonathan's words.
“Right? But if you're the assistant director, doesn't that mean Director Ryan has immense faith in your skills, Jonathan?”
“I-Is that so?”
“Wow! Jonathan, you're amazing!”
At Seojun's praise, Jonathan's face turned beet red, as if it were on fire.
His duties hadn't changed much from *Shadowman 2*, so he hadn't given it much thought, but now that he did, he realized that wasn't quite true.
He had been working comfortably since the staff and Marine Company employees were all people he knew, but the number of tasks he had to do and decisions he had to make had increased.
Huh?
Blinking a few times as he retraced his memories, Jonathan Will finally realized.
‘Is this an important position?’
If Director Ryan Will had heard that, he would have slapped his forehead.
* * *
After a dazed Jonathan took the card and left the A3 training ground, the trainer, Aiden, arrived.
While Seojun trained, An Daho settled down in the rest area.
The FinePad in An Daho's hands was filled with job offers sent from King's Agency.
It was because word had gotten out that Seojun Lee had come to the United States to film *Shadowman 3*.
An Daho's eyes darted around, busy with the flood of offers from all over.
Aiden, who had changed into his workout clothes, called over Seojun and Kim Jaeyeon.
First, Aiden examined Kim Jaeyeon's body from all angles and asked.
“Yeon. Any pain?”
“None.”
“How's your condition?”
“It's fine.”
Aiden checked Kim Jaeyeon over, focusing on his wrists and ankles, which were prone to injury, and then nodded.
Since he exercised all day, his physical condition before and after workouts was crucial.
‘I wish he'd take at least one day off a week.’
But after discovering Kim Jaeyeon working out alone in the park on his day off, Aiden had opted to just keep him within his sights.
“Alright, take it easy with today's routine.”
“Yes.”
Aiden's gaze turned to Seojun.
“Jun, shall we start with a test?”
“A test?”
“Director Ryan broke down Jin Natra's action scenes in detail for us.”
Seojun took the bundle of papers Aiden handed him and began to read.
Kim Jaeyeon, who was stretching before his main workout, knew what those rustling papers were.
It was the storyboard for Jin Natra's action scenes in *Shadowman 3*.
“He said he decided on them after discussing with the martial arts director. From difficulty level 1 to level 5.”
“Aha.”
Reading the storyboard, Seojun nodded at Aiden's explanation.
He had thought the order of the storyboard was strange, but it seemed it was divided by the difficulty of the action.
“1 is the easiest, and 5 is the most difficult. Yeon will definitely be handling levels 4 and 5.”
Scanning through levels 1 to 5 again, Seojun thought of the actor who wanted to perform as much as possible himself.
“How far does Evan go?”
Aiden thought for a moment before speaking.
“Evan does up to level 4. He does some level 5 scenes occasionally, but maybe one or two out of ten?”
“I see.”
Seojun also wanted to perform up to levels 4 and 5 himself, but he was well aware that was just his own greed.
“For now, we'll decide with today's test whether you'll do up to level 2 or level 3. We need to create a training schedule, too. Of course, if you improve quickly, that could change during training.”
“Okay.”
“So, shall we start with stretching?”
All workouts begin and end with stretching. Seojun nodded at Aiden's words.
Watching Seojun follow Aiden's stretches, both Kim Jaeyeon and Aiden's eyes lit up.
He was young and expected to be flexible, but he was even better than they thought.
Aiden recalled Seojun Lee's profile, which he'd received from Director Ryan. It seemed Seojun had learned more than just one or two sports.
Seeing Seojun's body, as flexible as a gymnast's, Kim Jaeyeon remembered the [Lee Seojun is a Sports Genius Theory] that was circulating on the internet.
The 'actor' Lee Seojun, who was supposedly offered a spot on the national taekwondo team when he learned taekwondo, the national soccer team when he learned soccer, and the national archery team during the filming of *Escape*.
“He might be able to handle level 3 action without any problem.”
“Really?”
“In Korea, Seojun is rumored to be a 'sports genius.' They say he gets offered a spot on the national team for any sport he tries.”
“Oh. The national team? He must have pretty good athletic sense.”
Aiden, taking it as a joke, chuckled.
Kim Jaeyeon scratched his cheek. He himself only half-believed it. This test would reveal whether it was true or not.
“Alright, let's start with a grip strength test.”
“Okay!”
Aiden handed Seojun the grip dynamometer he had brought.
After measuring the grip strength of Seojun's right and left hands in turn, Aiden looked at him with a shocked expression.
“...Next, flexibility.”
He had already confirmed it during the stretching phase, but Seojun's flexibility was incredible.
Seojun, looking like a gymnast who had trained for years, captured the attention of not only Kim Jaeyeon but also the other stuntmen who were training.
“Kids are flexible, but not usually *that* flexible, right?”
“Yeah.”
The test didn't end there.
Balance. Agility. Reaction speed. Endurance.
“W-Wait, hold on a second.”
Aiden, who had only planned to do a simple test in the A3 training ground, was astonished by Seojun's gradually revealed athletic abilities.
He couldn't believe the numbers he had written down.
Aiden managed to speak.
“There's a proper testing room in the main building.”
“Huh?”
“Let's have you get tested there. Properly.”
Curious about what the testing room looked like, Seojun readily nodded.
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