It's All Thanks to the Seniors' Guidance
Saturday's premiere and Sunday's second episode aired back-to-back, and the weekend flew by like an arrow. Then came Monday morning, and the atmosphere was completely different from before.
At the entrance to the KBC Yeouido headquarters set.
"Eun-seong! Congratulations!"
"Actor Seo Eun-seong! You've arrived!"
"Heh heh. Eun-seong, my boy! Congratulations!"
Clap clap clap! Led by PD Lee Han-bit, every staff member and senior actor on set rose to their feet in unison, showering him with applause.
"Uh... thank you... but what's with the sudden applause...?"
Seo Eun-seong's eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected welcome, leaving him awkward and flustered.
"Sudden applause? Eun-seong! Didn't you check the ratings?"
PD Lee Han-bit rushed over with flushed cheeks and grabbed his hand tightly.
"Episode 2 hit a whopping 15.8% yesterday! In this OTT era, breaking 15% in the first week is nothing short of a miracle! And it shot straight to #1 on Queflix's Asia rankings!"
"15.8%!? #1 on Queflix!?"
Seo Eun-seong's jaw dropped. He hadn't imagined the drama would get such an immediate reaction.
"It's all thanks to our Kim Young-woong here. Kahaha!"
The veteran senior playing his father in the drama laughed heartily and patted his shoulder.
"Young viewers flocked to their TVs all weekend thanks to that chemistry you and Na-yeon built in episodes 1 and 2. You've brought us a lucky charm!"
The set was in full festival mode.
"Haha... what did I do? It's all thanks to the seniors' guidance."
As Seo Eun-seong squirmed under the barrage of praise, a whiff of sweet perfume announced Kim Na-yeon's arrival.
"Our hero made the ratings explode~ Thanks, Eun-seong~ I knew joining this drama was the right call, right?"
Kim Na-yeon naturally hooked her arm through his, sneaking in some skinship. He could feel the soft press of her chest against his arm, but Seo Eun-seong was Seo Eun-seong. He was already used to it, thanks to those parasites.
"No way. It's all because Na-yeon noona hard-carried. I just added a spoon to the pot."
Seo Eun-seong grinned innocently, like a golden retriever.
"Eun-seong, you even speak so sweetly. Let's make today's shoot real intense, okay~?"
Kim Na-yeon whispered in his ear and winked.
"Intense? Should we?"
Once again, he took "intense" to mean giving it his all in the acting.
'But she won't show up on set again today, right?'
Still, thinking of those five female (?) hyenas made his spine tingle for no reason. Even he had to admit their jealousy was intense.
Anyway.
'Feels pretty good, though.'
The massive success of the first week's broadcast was a huge motivator for him. He didn't want to remain just a "lucky shooting star" rookie. For the director and writer who believed in newbie actor Seo Eun-seong, and for Oh Ji-yeon and his sister, at least.
'Let's go harder, Seo Eun-seong.'
He gripped his script tightly, burning with determination.
Afternoon filming took place at a massive outdoor set.
"Eun-seong! This scene is crucial today! It's the key event where Young-woong becomes the nation's model of diligence! Everyone, stay safe!"
PD Lee Han-bit shouted through her megaphone.
A large bus lay overturned on set, belching smoke. Special effects flames flickered everywhere—it was a blockbuster-scale shoot.
And.
[Scene Setting: The bus skids on a rainy road and flips over, with fire about to erupt from the engine. Passing Kim Young-woong (Seo Eun-seong) braves the flames, pries open the jammed bus door, and rescues the endangered citizens and child inside.]
That's right. This incident gets reported on the news in the drama, catapulting Kim Young-woong into the spotlight as a "citizen hero"—a pivotal turning point in the story.
"Eun-seong, it's dangerous, so don't push yourself. If the door won't budge, we'll use a stunt double—don't force it."
"Got it. I'll keep that in mind. But I'll try it myself without a double, PD."
With his face smeared in black soot makeup, Seo Eun-seong took his standby position.
"Standby! Ready! Action!"
The slate clapped, and shooting began.
"Hm? An accident?"
As scripted, Seo Eun-seong spotted the overturned bus, tossed his motorcycle aside, and dashed into the flames.
"Anyone inside?! You okay?!"
He shouted toward the stunt actors screaming inside the bus. Then he gripped the handle of the crumpled rear door and yanked.
'Uh...?'
Clunk!
But a problem arose. The special prop door, dented for realism, wouldn't open. A setup error by the props team had jammed it tight in the frame.
'The door won't open...?'
Panicking, Seo Eun-seong yanked harder a few times, but the steel door didn't budge.
"Uh, what? The door's stuck! What do we do!"
"Shouldn't we cut? Eun-seong might hurt his hand!"
PD Lee Han-bit and the action director jumped up in alarm from the monitors.
The real issue was the extras inside the bus.
"What's going on? Why won't the door open?"
"This is a problem, right?"
As the door stayed shut, the stunt actors started panicking. They could only endure the artificial flames for about five minutes. Even pros couldn't stay trapped in there forever.
"Get the extinguisher! Hurry!"
"What are you doing? Put out the fire!"
PD Lee Han-bit and the action director realized the severity and yelled.
"Eun-seong! Get out!"
Oh Ji-yeon, watching from afar, was getting anxious too. The flames were intensifying.
He could get caught in them. It risked a major accident.
"Seo Eun-seong! Seo Eun-seong!"
Oh Ji-yeon was about to rush to him.
That was when.
'I think I can open it.'
Seo Eun-seong was already fully immersed. He couldn't stop now. Plus, the stunt actors' terrified expressions inside looked all too real.
In that moment.
'Gotta open it.'
Rational judgment switched off in his head. A monstrous power surged from deep within his body. It was the wild strength honed carrying 30kg boulders up and down Nepal's Himalayas, activating unconsciously.
"Hoo."
Seo Eun-seong adjusted his stance and wedged his fingers into the door's gap. His shoulders and back muscles bulged like they might burst.
"Uwoooo!"
With a kiai shout, veins swelled in his forearms like they might explode.
And.
Riiip! Boom!
"...!?"
Everyone on set doubted their eyes. The jammed steel bus door was torn off its hinges by Seo Eun-seong's brute force, crumpling as it flew open.
"Come on! Hurry!"
He swiftly slipped through the opening. Then, like hoisting a sack of rice, he shouldered one struggling female stunt actor—who was genuinely in distress—and scooped up another with his other arm.
"You okay!?"
Carrying two grown women, he burst through the smoke to safety.
"Cough! Cough! Patients here! Call an ambulance! Now!"
He laid the stunt actors down safely and delivered his line desperately.
But.
"....."
The set was dead silent. PD Lee Han-bit, the DP, the action director—all frozen.
"Um... I think I nailed the line... No cut?"
Seo Eun-seong asked awkwardly, and only then did PD Lee Han-bit snap out of it.
"Cut! Okay! Okay! Wow! Eun-seong! You're insane! That was so cool!"
She practically hugged him.
"Eun-seong! Hold on a sec?"
She dashed to the monitor.
"Did we get that?! The door rip—did we capture it?!"
"Yes, yes! PD! Perfect one-take!"
The assistant director couldn't hide his excitement.
"Eun-seong? You human? How do you rip off a steel door barehanded?"
"Insane! For real! We planned CG effects for this... but we don't need any now...?"
"You Captain America or what? That physique is nuts..."
Staff swarmed him, unable to contain their shock.
"Actor Seo Eun-seong. Ever thought of proper training? This body's too good for weekend drama."
Even the action director groped his arm, clicking his tongue in awe.
"Actor Seo Eun-seong..."
Above all, those most grateful were the stunt actors.
"We almost had an accident in those flames. Thank you."
"A bit later and we'd be hurt. Eun-seong."
The two women he'd just saved teared up.
"Whew. No, I should've opened it faster... You okay? No injuries?"
Seo Eun-seong checked them over with a regretful face.
"PD! Just in case, shouldn't these stunt actors go to the hospital for a check-up?"
He asked her to look after them.
Meanwhile.
'What do I do... Did you see those veins when he ripped the door? Like a beast... So cool... And... such a warm guy...'
Kim Na-yeon, watching from afar, clutched her flushed cheeks with both hands.
'What do I do with this man?'
Acting was forgotten. She was drowning deep in the swamp called Seo Eun-seong.
Meanwhile.
"Seo Eun-seong!"
Click-clack.
Oh Ji-yeon approached with the sharp tap of her heels.
"Yes? Manager?"
"Do you... have any idea how dangerous that was?"
"Manager... no, Ji-yeon noona...?"
The puppy-like grin faded from his face. Her face was pale as a sheet.
"Ah... you got really scared?"
Only then did he grasp the gravity.
"But the flames were getting worse inside, and the stunt actors looked so panicked... Sorry, Ji-yeon noona."
He apologized sincerely.
"Haa... really... don't get me started."
"You over it...?"
"Yeah... how could I stay mad seeing you like this?"
That's right. That harmless smile was too much of a cheat. And he was too handsome, too.
"Still... good thing."
"Huh? What, Ji-yeon noona?"
"What happened today. We can use it to promote you and the drama."
"Huh...?"
Seo Eun-seong chuckled despite himself. Even now, Oh Ji-yeon's genius planning shone through.
