Chapter 77 <em>Burnt and Hidden Marks</em>
The heat of the first day of shooting on the set of Burnt and Hidden Marks was truly scorching—the very essence of intensity. The directing team, lighting crew, art department, costume team, makeup team, and actors all threw themselves into their roles with unwavering focus. The shoot kicked off with the confrontation scene between Lee Geon-woo and Won Jong-su, proceeding smoothly according to the daily schedule.
Woojin's acting went without saying, but even the two rookies, whom he'd been slightly worried about, delivered stable performances. With no "acting black holes" to drag things down, the footage captured on camera turned out far better than anyone had envisioned.
"Okay, that's great!"
Director Ra Ho-chan called "cut" repeatedly, his face beaming with satisfaction and his voice light and upbeat. Bust shots, full shots, and more—repeating from every angle. The heavy costumes and gear had the actors drenched in sweat in no time. Yet, even as they panted ragged breaths up to the brink of exhaustion, not one showed a hint of fatigue or irritation. Seeing them maintain smiling faces throughout, Director Ra gripped his megaphone a little tighter.
"Cut, okay!"
"Okay!"
In the midst of surging passion and overflowing camaraderie, they wrapped the past scenes of Lee Geon-woo and Won Jong-su, as well as the present-day ones bringing Moon Hee-yeon into the frame. The results were satisfying for everyone.
"Good work, everyone. Lunch is set up at the entrance to the large field where we gathered this morning. Eat up, and we'll resume shooting in the afternoon."
The morning shoot was over before they knew it. Lunchtime already? Time had flown by. Is this the power of concentration...?
Thud.
"Ugh, finally..."
"I feel like I just came back from the dead."
The moment they shed their heavy gear and costumes, Yoon Mal-geum-sae and Kwon Hyeok-jin collapsed onto the ground. Woojin handed them water bottles he'd gotten from his manager.
"Good work. Here, drink up."
"Ah, thank you, sunbae!"
"Cheers!"
Woojin sat down too, catching his breath. Amid the staff tidying up the set, the three actors faced forward, silently gulping down their water. They were transitioning from their characters back to themselves. A breeze swept by, cooling the beads of sweat on their skin with a refreshing chill.
"How was your first shoot?"
Woojin's gentle voice broke the brief silence.
"I had no idea there'd be this much difference between shorts and features. I'm still shaking, sunbae."
"It's my first time on a set this big, so it's hard to relax. I'm not even sure if I'm doing well."
In that moment, he could see it. Yoon Mal-geum-sae and Kwon Hyeok-jin's shoulders and hands were still trembling faintly. It was probably the thrill and excitement of taking their first step from "aspiring actor" to "actor." Or maybe an indescribable happiness surging endlessly. But on the flip side, it was the tension and pressure that only rookies could feel.
Would they overcome it, or shrink under it? A razor's edge between two emotions—which way would they go? A rookie's trembling heart stood at a crossroads, and no one knew which path it would take.
"You'll get used to it, and it'll be fine."
Woojin added, "I'm not in a position to judge my colleagues' acting, but I really think you two did great."
"Really?"
"Of course. Did you hear the director after your individual close-ups?"
"Oh, no."
"What'd he say?!"
The two juniors' eyes widened.
"It was the loudest I'd heard him all day. That's how much he liked your acting."
Woojin smiled. "From acting with you, I felt the same. I was wondering if you two were really rookies. It made it so easy for me to get into character naturally."
Receiving warm praise from the sunbae they admired lit up their faces. Watching their expressions, a thought crossed Woojin's mind.
When does an actor feel the loneliest on set?
Undoubtedly, when standing in front of the camera. A spot where dozens—or sometimes over a hundred—pairs of eyes fix on one person. Once "action" is called, the hushed crowd focuses solely on you. That's why sets are often called inherently unfriendly to actors. That's the job.
Forcing immersion in an absolutely uncomfortable environment, delivering top-tier acting in fleeting moments. This applies without exception to rookies on their first set. Once you're branded a "pro," you have to handle this discomfort—far beyond auditions—on your own.
But still, "I'll help however I can. Don't worry too much—do your best."
Those already adapted to the set can indirectly support colleagues who aren't. Seniors like Oh Seong-cheol, Park Soo-hyun noona, Kim Ye-chan hyung, PD Park Min-jae, Director Ryu Chang-min, and more—over ten names sprang to mind immediately.
I grew this much thanks to their help and encouragement. I want to pass it on—at least as much as I received—to the juniors.
That was why Woojin kept approaching the two rookies first, striking up conversations and offering kindness.
"How about we run lines together during break?"
"We're grateful, but we don't want to take your time, sunbae..."
"Haha, no worries. It's way better than practicing alone. Okay?"
"Sounds good to me!"
"Me too!"
Woojin's constant outstretched hand eased Yoon Mal-geum-sae and Kwon Hyeok-jin's hearts bit by bit. With their sunbae, they felt they could tackle anything confidently—a strong conviction taking root.
"Alright! Let's eat first, then rehearse."
"Yes!"
With lighter hearts, the three rose to their feet.
After lunch, Woojin prepared for the afternoon shoot by running lines with his juniors. They freely exchanged opinions on each other's tones, gradually syncing their ensemble. His analytical eye missed no tiny detail, leaving Yoon Mal-geum-sae and Kwon Hyeok-jin in awe.
Stimulated, the two clung to their scripts throughout break, diving into practice. Watching them, Woojin felt a complex mix of emotions. It reminded him of his own efforts not to be overshadowed by Senior Oh Seong-cheol on Wanted and Red Petals.
Did Senior Oh feel like this back then?
Now I'm the sunbae to someone.
Various thoughts flitted through his mind. Then—
"Shooting starts soon!"
The assistant director's call signaled the restart. Woojin and the actors donned their costumes again and took their marks.
"Director, set is ready."
After checking the setup, Assistant Director Yeo Min-seok returned and reported to Ra Ho-chan, but got no response.
"Uh, Director?"
"Huh?"
Ra, who'd been gazing somewhere with a pleased smile, finally turned.
"Oh, sorry. What'd you say?"
"Shooting prep is done."
"Ah, okay."
"Shall we start?"
"No, hold a sec. I'll give the signal."
"Got it. But why...?"
Ra pointed. "Look."
There was Woojin, meticulously making eye contact with his juniors, caring for every detail. A heartwarming sight. Still fixed on it, Ra said to Yeo Min-seok,
"You know I really respect Director Ryu Chang-min, right?"
"Of course. You're a total Ryu fanboy."
"I ran into him by chance at the Red Petals event screening after Woojin invited me. He said this:"
"What?!"
Ra recalled the words from the master who'd ignited his dream of directing, delivered with a hearty laugh.
"Congratulations on becoming a swan, hahaha!"
The powerful line lingered vividly.
"Swan."
Ra continued, "Swans look elegant and serene on the surface, but they're paddling furiously underwater to stay afloat."
"I've seen that on YouTube."
"Yeah?"
"It's kinda addictive—I watch it sometimes, and it's hilarious every time."
"Give it a week. You won't find it funny anymore."
"Huh?"
Yeo looked puzzled. A faint smile played on Ra's lips.
"You'll have astonishing experiences every day. Constant awe will become as natural as blinking."
"Why...?"
Ra answered with his eyes—toward Woojin.
"I have a buddy from my year, Yeon Jae-pil, who was Ryu’s AD for years. He said on Red Petals, he never slept more than three or four hours a day."
Yeo sensed a vague unease(?).
"He burned so many nights rewriting the script, he got sick of staring at paper."
"Director, your words have some bite..."
Assistant director, three or four hours, all-nighters. Ah, evocative phrases hinting at trials and tribulations ahead.
"That friend said working with the director turns your daily routine into a swan's frantic underwater struggle. And we're doing that now with this actor."
"If even Director Ryu said that... I can't even imagine."
"When an actor pours their soul in, the director can't slack. For directing and acting to balance, we'll have to paddle like swans. Exciting, right?"
"As exciting as it is, it's scary too."
Ra laughed and stood. "Start in five. Gotta mentally prepare."
"Yes, sir."
He headed to the back of the set, his face alight with uncontainable anticipation.
The first day's shoot wrapped to everyone's satisfaction. Thanks to Woojin's advice, the tension melted from Yoon Mal-geum-sae and Kwon Hyeok-jin, letting them perform freely in the frame. Woojin anchored the center steadily, delivering unshakable acting. Director Ra and his AD watched every tiny movement with eagle eyes, perfecting each cut.
Morning to afternoon—just hours apart, but the full cast's ensemble harmony sharpened at an alarming pace. The next day, and the day after, were the same.
The props and costumes posed injury risks, so the set brimmed with intense focus and care. Firefighter accident scenes, staples of the genre, were mostly in the latter half, so actors squeezed in firefighting training between takes. Early cue sheets featured light daily-life scenes, posing no major hurdles.
In this grind of endless shooting and script tweaks, December arrived before they knew it. As year-end approached, a new item joined Woojin's schedule, otherwise filled solely with Burnt and Hidden Marks.
The annual awards season arrived. The "war of the stars" signaling the end of the year had begun.