Around lunchtime, the storyboard for the martial arts scene in the Beneficial Evil shoot Kang Woojin was filming arrived on set. Wearing a long coat, Woojin sat down with an indifferent expression and began flipping through it.
The movements shown in the storyboard were already etched into his body through the first episode of Beneficial Evil. But there were also a few new motions and added directions.
'Oh, this actually looks pretty fun.'
Still, no black square appeared anywhere in this action storyboard. That meant Woojin had to grasp the movements with his own eyes and senses. Even so, he did not panic.
"..."
If anything, it fascinated him.
He was only looking at chopped-up images from the action storyboard, yet everything came together vividly in his head, and the motions seeped into his entire body. If asked, he felt he could perform them immediately without much trouble.
It was not just his imagination.
This had to be one of the abilities of the void space.
Just as a character's world became clearer and the role easier the more often he repeated it, the martial arts he had acquired also seemed to be settling into him with familiarity. When had it started feeling like this? Ever since he gained martial arts through Beneficial Evil? No, it was probably because of the martial arts that had been implanted into his body through Last Kill 3.
Whatever the reason, how he chose to use the gift of the void space was entirely up to Kang Woojin.
Then he closed his eyes.
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Late morning on December 12.
A large black van carrying Kang Woojin pulled into the outdoor parking lot of an action school located in a quiet part of Seoul. A moment later, the rear door slid open automatically and Woojin stepped out wearing a long padded coat. It looked like he had already finished a schedule that morning, since his hair and makeup were already done.
Without any expression, he looked up at the action school building.
"..."
On the outside he seemed calm, but inwardly he was full of awe.
'Whoa, so this is an action school. I'd only heard the name before, but it's huge. It's like someone crammed an entire school gym in here.'
Under the long padded coat, Woojin was already dressed in workout clothes. He had sneakers on as well. Since the action test for Beneficial Evil was about to begin, several vehicles with Beneficial Evil banners were already visible in the parking lot.
At that point, Choi Sunggeon stepped out of the passenger seat and walked over to him.
"Looks like PD Song and the staff got here early. They'd need time to set up the test cameras."
Woojin nodded without speaking, and Sunggeon turned to the stylists and the rest of the staff.
"You all stay in the car. It won't look good if everyone goes in at once."
"Really? That's too bad. Okay..."
In the end, only Kang Woojin and Choi Sunggeon went in. Even if everyone had entered, it would not have made much difference, but Beneficial Evil was still an unreleased project, so it made sense for just the two of them to go.
In any case, Kang Woojin stepped inside the action school.
The moment he entered, he let out another silent exclamation.
'Wow, this is insane. Are those wires hanging from the ceiling for stunts?'
Several cameras had already been set up inside. Around them stood a large number of people, including dozens of solidly built members of the martial arts team and staff from the Beneficial Evil production crew. PD Song Manwoo and the martial arts director came over to him right away.
"Woojin-ssi, you're early."
"Hello, PD-nim. My previous schedule ended sooner than expected."
As soon as he greeted Woojin, Song Manwoo introduced the martial arts director. This was the first key member of the Beneficial Evil production team Woojin had met in person. The martial arts director smiled and shook his hand.
"Nice to meet you, Woojin-ssi. We're finally meeting like this. I'm the martial arts director for Beneficial Evil."
Woojin was startled by the strength of the man's grip, but he worked hard to keep his face calm.
"Hello, Director."
As they exchanged greetings, Woojin felt countless eyes on him. This was the first time the Beneficial Evil production team had seen Kang Woojin in person.
"Wow, Woojin-ssi looks even crazier in real life."
"Seriously. He's definitely an actor. The atmosphere around him is completely different."
"His build is way better than I expected... think I could ask for an autograph? I've been a fan since Hanryang."
"That's too much. Do you want PD Song to yell at you? Still, there's a reason everyone keeps shouting 'Kang Woojin, Kang Woojin.' His presence is unreal."
"I only saw him at the Blue Dragon Film Awards, and back then he looked kind of intimidating. But in person he's really calm, and ridiculously handsome too."
"You could've just said handsome. Why add all the extra nonsense?"
The dozens of martial arts team members also kept glancing at one another and whispering, as if their curiosity had been stirred by the strange atmosphere.
While Woojin was moving around, Song Manwoo asked him a question.
"Then shall we get started right away? Woojin-ssi, how much time do you have?"
With a polite smile, Choi Sunggeon answered for him.
"Sorry, PD-nim, but I think we only have about an hour."
"Haha, no need to apologize. We're just getting started anyway. You've got plenty of projects in the works too, don't you? An hour is fine. If we move quickly, it'll be enough."
Still smiling lightly, Song Manwoo fixed his gaze on Kang Woojin, who was quietly taking in the entire action school.
'It's his first martial arts script reading for his first action project, and he still looks calm. I expected him to stay composed, but I thought he'd at least ask a few questions.'
Woojin looked colder and more detached than usual. More composed than usual too. That kind of charisma and boldness was exactly what a rookie needed.
'Not getting shaken by an unfamiliar environment and keeping his own pace.'
But that was completely wrong.
At that moment, Woojin was lost in much happier thoughts.
'Wow, even the nunchaku come in different sizes? No way. That's a sword. Is it a real sword? It has to be plastic, right?'
Completely unaware of that, Song Manwoo called out to him.
"Woojin-ssi, take off the coat and get ready. Start with a light warm-up."
Distracted, Woojin nodded solemnly.
"Yes, PD-nim."
After taking off his long padded coat, he was left in his workout clothes. In front of him stood a line of a little over ten martial arts team members selected from the unit. The first to speak was the broad-shouldered martial arts director, who began explaining things to him.
"First, we'll show you the storyboard. Woojin-ssi, take a look and get a feel for it first. Then we'll go from there."
"I'll be in your care."
Even while replying, Woojin's gaze had already settled on one particular member of the martial arts team, a man with a commanding build.
It was Park Cheolgyu.
'Whoa, he's huge. Is he even bigger than Kim Daeyoung?'
The man was taller than Kim Daeyoung and much bulkier too, with a body packed with muscle from constant training. For a moment, Woojin was reminded of the huge Black man he had seen in LA, Joseph Felton. He thought the two of them might actually be about the same size, though he did not show it.
Outwardly, he only looked as though he were gazing at the martial arts team with cool indifference.
Meanwhile, the martial arts team, preparing for the action scene, kept stealing glances at Woojin and whispering among themselves.
"Is he really setting the mood like that?"
"Seriously. What's with that expression? Is he trying to act superior?"
Even the giant Park Cheolgyu joined in.
"Just wait. In a few minutes he'll be gasping for air. Let's see how strong his stamina really is."
"But is this really okay?"
"What? No, it's just a little pressure. Just pressure, that's all."
The setup took about ten minutes. Once the dozen or so martial arts team members had gathered, the heavily built martial arts director stood in front of them. Song Manwoo, standing beside Woojin, checked the camera angle and then gave the signal.
"Hi-action."
Soon, twelve martial arts team members rushed at the director at a controlled speed. At that moment, the martial arts director was demonstrating Woojin's movements by taking on the role of Jang Yeonwoo from Beneficial Evil. The action scene depicted the early part where Jang Yeonwoo subdues a bear-like giant covered in tattoos, followed by the giant's companions charging at him.
"Hup!"
Smack!
The martial arts director easily dodged a flying punch, kicked the second opponent in the knee, then caught a fist coming from the right and drove it into the attacker's face. Rather than making it flashy, he showed each movement carefully, almost as if he were explaining it.
But his skill was obvious.
Fast and precise.
Watching the scene, Woojin could feel it clearly, having once stood shoulder to shoulder with Hollywood stunt coordinator Gary Peck.
'Is it a little slow?'
He realized the tempo had to be slower than he had expected. It did not mean the quality was lower than a Hollywood film. Overall, it simply felt different from Last Kill 3. Having experienced both, Kang Woojin naturally found himself comparing them.
'Well, this is for demonstration, so of course they're doing it slower. I'll probably have to do the same for now.'
Several minutes later—
"Cut."
Song Manwoo stopped the martial arts demonstration and looked at Woojin.
"How is it? Can you do it right away? If you're not sure, you can watch it one more time."
In front of everyone, Woojin answered with the same blunt confidence as always.
"No, I can do it."
Used to that kind of response by now, Song Manwoo smiled.
"Haha, of course you can."
But there were plenty of people present who did not know Kang Woojin well yet. The martial arts director and some of the production staff looked slightly surprised, while a few members of the martial arts team frowned. The giant Park Cheolgyu was no exception.
Even so, Song Manwoo glanced through the martial arts storyboard and continued.
"Alright. Then let's warm up before the group shot. We'll start with a one-on-one cut first."
"Yes, PD-nim."
As he answered, Woojin was already summoning up Jang Yeonwoo from Beneficial Evil and that man's martial arts. In an instant, countless sensations surged through his veins.
Then Kang Woojin casually stepped onto the gray mat spread out across the floor.
'Isn't this a little soft?'
Like a football player checking the condition of the grass, he tested the feel of the mat under his feet. Then he stopped in front of the dozen or so martial arts team members.
His first opponent was Park Cheolgyu, the most obviously massive one.
With a faint smile, the man approached Woojin.
"I'm a fan."
Up close, his build was even more imposing. His thick arms were clearly visible, showing just how well-trained he was.
'Wow, his physique is ridiculous.'
Woojin sincerely admired him inwardly, and because he did not want to seem weak, he lowered his voice more than usual.
"Thank you."
Once the brief greeting was over, the martial arts director stepped in and checked their movements one more time. It was practically a rehearsal. The choreography was not long. When Park Cheolgyu charged him, Woojin would slip into his space and bring him down. Once Park dropped to his knees and pitched forward, Woojin would strike his neck and then throw a punch at his face.
There was more choreography after that, but for now they were taking the shortcut version.
Soon the two of them stood facing each other. Woojin was not small, but the difference in size was still considerable. Watching the camera screen, Song Manwoo grinned.
"Good. The balance is nice."
As Woojin stared at the giant in front of him, he instinctively scanned for weak points beyond the obvious targets like the throat or groin. It was the sort of habit that surfaced whenever the switch of martial arts turned on inside him.
Then Kang Woojin quietly steadied himself.
'It's like acting while playing a strategy game. Relax and make it look real.'
At that exact moment—
"Let's start light. Hi-cue!"
At Song Manwoo's signal, Park Cheolgyu, standing in front of Woojin according to the storyboard, raised both arms and charged. Whether he resembled a bull or a bear, his power was enough to kill someone if he landed on top of them.
Woojin remained calm.
"Hoo."
Letting out a low breath, he slipped past Park's lasso-like arms and stepped into his space.
Whoosh!
Then he moved to Park's side and grabbed his top. Next came the neck. Riding that momentum, he tried to pull Park down.
But maybe because he yanked too hard, a dull thump rang out. For a split second, Kang Woojin felt as though he had collided with a giant tree. At that point, Park was supposed to drop to his knees.
But—
"Ah."
Park let out a short exhale and remained standing exactly where he was.
Not following the choreography was a mistake. Even so, a few members of the martial arts team seemed to smile faintly, and Park Cheolgyu bowed politely to the martial arts director.
"Sorry, Director. I got nervous because Woojin-ssi was right in front of me."
The martial arts director answered in a low, chilling voice.
"Focus."
"Yes, Director."
Then Park bowed roughly toward Woojin.
"Sorry, Woojin-ssi. I think I got too nervous and messed it up."
At least he apologized.
Woojin simply shook his head.
"It's fine."
Mistakes happened to everyone.
Calmly, he returned to position, and so did the giant Park Cheolgyu. A moment later, Song Manwoo called out again.
"Hi-action."
Park charged again, this time throwing even more force into it than before, but to Woojin it meant nothing. He lightly avoided those massive arms and slipped into his space.
Whoosh!
Once again, the timing was perfect.
'Now the side.'
Following the planned choreography, Woojin shifted to the side and reached to grab Park's top again.
And then—
Swish!
Park bent lower at the waist than intended. There may have been some purpose behind it, but because of that sudden change, the direction of Woojin's reaching hand shifted as well. It was too late to pull his hand back, and the force had already gone into it.
As a result—
Smack!
"Ah."
Kang Woojin neatly yanked Park Cheolgyu's training pants down to just above his calves.
Fortunately, Park had another layer on underneath, the tight pants commonly worn beneath training gear. Still, the pants coming down was an accident, and it was undeniably ridiculous.
Woojin was clearly flustered inside.
'Ah, damn it!! I'm seriously sorry!!'
Keeping the same expressionless face as always, he quickly reached down and pulled the pants back up. But Park Cheolgyu may have mistaken that movement for an attack.
'What the hell is this?! Did he notice?!'
Frowning, he suddenly—
Whoosh!
—made a move to grab Woojin's arm. It was an aggressive action.
But by then, martial arts had already completely seeped into Woojin's body. Instinctively, he reacted. He caught Park's right wrist, used that momentum against him, hooked his leg, and brought him down.
Thud.
The giant Park Cheolgyu, pants half-down, collapsed to his knees in the classic OTL pose. It was so absurd it was almost comical. And that position happened to be the perfect ending posture for the martial arts choreography.
Aside from the pants incident, everything had lined up perfectly.
(TL note: OTL refers to a kneeling, collapsed posture that looks like the letters O-T-L when viewed from the side, symbolizing defeat or despair.)
For a brief moment, a strange silence fell over the entire action school.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Several martial arts team members in the back visibly darkened. Pulling someone's training pants down was not unheard of in an action school, but for some reason, no one seemed to know how to react.
Looking at Park Cheolgyu frozen in the OTL position, Kang Woojin's face stiffened. It was as if his mind had gone blank.
'I'm screwed.'
The martial arts director, who had been watching Woojin, looked equally rigid. It would not have been wrong to say he was somewhat shocked.
'That wasn't luck or a mistake. The movement was exact and natural. Cheolgyu's motion went off, and in that split second Woojin changed his own movement.'
The martial arts director muttered to himself with a solemn expression.
'But the result stayed the same. Did he just... adjust the choreography in a way that was more realistic and rational? To fit Jang Yeonwoo, the male lead and true monster of Beneficial Evil?'
Song Manwoo's eyes sparkled.
'Wouldn't that sly edge naturally blend into the scene and make it even better?'