Assault on the Vineyard
From early morning in the deep woods of the vast farm, pleasant sunlight poured down, accompanied by the occasional cool breeze. A serene, tranquil atmosphere dominated the expansive plantation. But then—
Boom!
A distant explosion shattered the peace, instantly filling the air with an ominous tension.
“……?!”
“What the hell? What's going on?!”
Everyone's eyes snapped toward the source of the sound. Soon, smoke began curling up between the tall trees in the distance. Lee Jung-hyuk yanked the pistol from his waistband and barked into his radio.
Several armed Reclum operatives leaped into Jeeps and sped off across the farm, vanishing from sight. These incidents happened often enough that one might grow numb to them, but Woojin couldn't help thinking, 'Please, let it be nothing serious...' He always hoped it wouldn't end in casualties. Outwardly, he tried to dismiss it as minor, but until confirmed with his own eyes, he couldn't relax.
Lee Jung-hyuk spoke lowly into the radio.
- Not yet. Please wait a moment, Boss!
His anxious gaze remained fixed on the rising smoke. Finally—
"Got it. Stand by and monitor the situation."
"Phew."
Lee Jung-hyuk let out a sigh of relief and approached Lee Jin-tae.
"Looks like it's wrapping up without issue, Father."
Lee Jin-tae, his brow slightly furrowed, nodded. Glancing up at the sky, he murmured softly,
"Wonder if it'll rain today."
"...Shoulder hurting?"
"Shoulder, and my leg's aching a bit too."
Occasionally, his father felt unexplained pains in his shoulder and thigh. Strangely, it always rained on those days—or an emergency like this would erupt. That sigh of relief hadn't come from nowhere.
"Go inside and rest. I'll hold the fort."
"Alright. Report immediately if anything happens."
"Yes, Father."
Lee Jin-tae patted Lee Jung-hyuk's arm and turned away.
It was at that instant—
Bang!
A single gunshot echoed sharply, spinning Lee Jin-tae's body around. At the same time—
Desperate shouts poured from the radio. Things were taking a bad turn.
"What happened?!"
No sooner had the words ended than the single gunshot multiplied into dozens, the echoes turning into deafening chaos.
"Hey! Respond!"
- ......
Silence from the radio. Lee Jung-hyuk's face hardened as he shouted,
"Damn it! Everyone, to the vehicles!"
"Yes, Boss!"
At his command, Reclum's main forces grabbed their weapons and mobilized en masse. The Thai Mafia's unannounced intrusion and preemptive strike had ignited a bloody feud. In an instant, the vast farm transformed into a battlefield.
"You bastards... Let's end this today."
Dozens of vehicles raced across the land. In the center, under heavy cover, Lee Jung-hyuk gripped the wheel tightly, his lips pressed thin.
"Cut!"
OK sign given. Most of the actors, led by Lee Kang-sik, collapsed right there.
Just the first scene, and already,
"No strength left to check the monitor..."
"Man, this weather is insane."
Their clothes were soaked with sweat.
Woojin smiled and extended a hand to help Lee Kang-sik up. Soon, the assistant director with the tablet and the martial arts director approached, followed by Woo PD, another assistant, and Andy.
"Let's monitor, sunbaenim."
"Thanks."
They reviewed the rough cut stitched from the detailed shots.
"Picture looks great."
"Your expressions and emotions are perfect from start to finish. Keep this up, and we're golden."
"Andy, how was my Thai?"
"Woojin, your practice shows. Pronunciation's come a long way. Impressive!"
"Haha, glad it sounded natural."
Andy gave Woojin a thumbs-up. Staff with towels rushed in to wipe the leads' sweat and check costumes and makeup. Even amid this, Woojin's eyes stayed glued to the monitor.
After monitoring,
"Director, here we move like this, then straight to this shot, right? Doesn't the movement feel off?"
"Could be. Lee Jin-tae and Lee Jung-hyuk are deploying without full intel, so maybe this works?"
"Hmm."
The main cast exchanged opinions over the storyboard. Endless discussions followed each take's completion. The director's visual intent blended with the actors' emotional interpretations, finding harmony.
Moments later,
"Alright! One more retake on Jung-hyuk's driving bust shot, then on to the next scene."
The assistant director announced via megaphone. The set buzzed back to life.
Overseas shoots always stick in my memory. They're fun. But man, the intensity is no joke. Hahaha!
Lee Kang-sik sunbaenim's words on the flight to Thailand finally hit home.
I'd braced for tough, grueling schedules, but reality was on another level!
Even among tight daily scripts, it felt like frantic shooting right up to broadcast.
First off,
"Cut, OK! Prep Scene 41 now."
"Move it!"
Time between takes felt—and was—insanely short. In this sweltering heat, barely any breaks.
Plus,
"Rain out of nowhere..."
"No choice. Switch to interiors."
"Got it. Moving!"
Unpredictable weather or external factors derailed plans, bumping later scenes forward. Actors and staff alike were running on fumes, day after day.
"Hurry up."
"Yeah, fighting!"
They just supported each other and endured. No time for complaints when every minute counted. Barely enough to ponder how to shoot harder, better.
"......"
Day 5 of location shooting. Even Woojin, who hid fatigue well, showed clear signs of exhaustion.
But wrap today, and Monsoon Valley Vineyard shoots end. As sunbaenim said, the killer(?) action scenes finish here—hang in a bit longer!
"Oppa, one more makeup check~"
"Sure, go wild."
Ahead of the take, staff from makeup approached Woojin, spaced out in his chair.
"Oppa, no sunscreen again?"
"That obvious?"
"Totally. Your skin's even tanner than the day before."
"Ugh, and it's still better than mine... So jealous."
On set, you inevitably bond with makeup team. Shared hardships forge tight friendships.
Woojin especially close with them.
"Sleep right after wrap today. Promise!"
"Gotta read script."
"Argh! Dark circles drop more, harder to cover."
"Requesting cooperation, Actor Baek Woojin. *Bow*"
Playful banter bloomed into small laughs. Set healing came from these little chats.
"Sunbaenim, set?"
"Yeah, you're last, oppa. Done!"
"Thanks."
"Save the rest for the battlefield!"
These makeup staff had bold, hearty personalities. Anyway, makeup and costume checks done, he headed to main set.
"Woojin-ssi, this way a sec."
"Ah, yes."
Following the martial director, he joined the action team, including Lee Kang-sik sunbaenim. Rehearsal of moves went smoothly.
"Alright, final one. Let's go!"
Woo PD pumped up the cast with a bright voice.
Actors took marks.
"SFX team, blow it right at start."
"Ready."
Teams synced cues. Woo PD called action.
"Ready—action!"
Five days of sweat culminated in the farm's final action showdown.
Kaboom!
A Thai Mafia vehicle rammed Lee Jung-hyuk's from the side. His stayed upright, but the attacker flipped airborne, slamming mercilessly into the ditch—a hair-raising crash.
- Hiss.
Smoke rose slowly from the enemy vehicle. Then—
BOOM!
A massive blast drew every eye on the battlefield.
"Urk!"
In the collision, Lee Jung-hyuk's head smacked the wheel, consciousness flickering. He unbuckled, hand instinctively going to his hot, spinning head. Blood trickling...?
Get out first. But,
The Thai Mafia, rivals to mighty Reclum, were no pushovers. Long years of power struggles meant they knew each other inside out.
Which meant,
Lee Jung-hyuk unwittingly surrounded by Thai Mafia fire from all sides. Attacks converged.
"Damn!"
He crammed under the dash. Amid daze, he ducked just as bullets shredded his seat. One second later, and his head would've been ventilated.
The shootout, once Reclum vs. Thai Mafia, shifted to protect-kill Lee Jung-hyuk. Both sides went all-in, aiming heads, chests, throats. Screams rode nonstop gunfire, growing fiercer; some died silently.
"Can't move... What now?"
Brain wracked, no ideas.
- Click.
Then—not passenger door, rear. Thai Mafia breaking in? Ah, this is it... Lee Jung-hyuk squeezed eyes shut.
"Out, quick!"
This voice...?
He peeked cautiously. Eyes widened.
"Hurry!"
An unexpected savior. Reaching for him—his father, Lee Jin-tae.