Life is Easier If You’re Handsome

The sound of my body cracking as I felt a surge of energy was undeniable.

To be specific, it felt like my grip strength had increased.

I was now more agile, able to hold on and fly even more powerfully. Ideas related to parkour started pouring in, and at the same time, I felt like I could execute all of them.

So, before the official shooting started, I made my proposal.

"Yes, I want to do everything myself without a stunt double."

No need for stunts. Whether it was flipping a vehicle or falling off a horse, there were no scenes in Tarzan that required real physical sacrifice.

Honestly, as long as I could handle the ropes, I wouldn’t need to worry about injury. It was just like doing a circus with proper safety measures.

Sure, doing it for real would be incredibly difficult, but at this moment, I had no doubt I could do it.

Of course...

"...No, still, starting with rope action... there are so many risks involved."

It was a different issue whether the safety officers and staff would accept it.

"There’s a lot to do while handling the ropes. I have to use my arms, and I’ll be singing while doing that, you see."

"I understand."

"So... this means I’ll be doing action and vocalizing simultaneously, which raises the difficulty for us as well."

The staff explained how physically demanding Tarzan’s movie was.

"First of all, as I mentioned earlier, most of the upper body has to be exposed..."

Almost all of the body, except for key parts, would need to be revealed, while performing action scenes and fighting. Singing, of course, was essential, and there were many parts where I had to hang from something or carry another character.

In other words, it would require immense physical stamina.

‘But this is more resistance than I expected.’

Hollywood tends to have lots of disputes over lawsuits and legal issues, so I figured they were being extra cautious to prevent any worst-case scenarios.

"I’m fully aware. How about I try doing it and if it’s too much, I’ll request help right away?"

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

I immediately backed off from my stubborn stance. I didn’t want to drag out a prologue before the actual shooting.

"Then shall we start with the rope section?"

I just had to show them once and make it clear.

***

Hollywood actors can be difficult to deal with.

Some actors are routinely hours late. Others cancel shoots on a whim. There are even those who set extremely picky demands for their waiting rooms, almost as if they’re intentionally making things harder.

In that sense, Kim Donghu was peculiar in a different way.

He would arrive at the set earlier than the staff, checking the script and the surroundings. His waiting room requirements were also remarkably simple.

He only needed equipment for physical training. No fancy machines, just a power rack and a treadmill. On top of that, he required a balanced diet, and that was it.

There was no demand for a specific atmosphere or a certain scent to fill the air. No requests for any special ambiance.

Of course, it wasn’t because he had already proven himself as an actor, but rather because he was just the type of person who carried that sense of simplicity—he was never the type to wait until he’d "made it" before being this straightforward.

‘Even tanning, he talks about it like it’s nothing.’

When it came to playing Tarzan, the most important thing was to naturally convey that tanned feeling. Knowing how impractical it would be to do this with CGI, he cautiously requested tanning as part of his contract.

Tanning, once done, would take time to revert and could risk changing his image. Understandably, many would be hesitant to go along with it.

‘I never imagined he’d just casually show up after tanning.’

As Kim Donghu finished his safety check, Verilad watched him make his way to the top of the studio. The studio had been set up in a place that was previously used for circus acts, so there were no ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) restrictions for extensive rope action.

"When you're ready, you can go anytime!"

The scene they were preparing to shoot was the opening part, where Tarzan transitions from a boy to a man. It was the moment where he swings around on ropes, letting out his signature roar.

"And if you feel any discomfort, just let us know immediately!"

"Got it!"

After more than ten exchanges like this, it was time.

Thwack!

With a swift motion, Kim Donghu grabbed the rope and leaped into the air.

It was like a playground rope swing, but on a much grander scale.

The most crucial thing here was the actor’s courage. More specifically, how well they could recreate Tarzan.

‘Even with safety measures, over 15 meters is still...’

Swinging from that height? It wasn’t just a matter of whether you had a fear of heights.

But...

Whhhaaaa!

Without hesitation, Kim Donghu grabbed the rope and swung with ease.

"...Wait, what?!"

Thwack!

He was literally flying through the air.

Believing in the safety harness strapped to his back, he did something most would never consider: he let go of the rope with both hands and tried to leap across the gap between ropes.

The staff and safety officers were left with their jaws dropped.

Wait, he’s actually doing that?

That’s not just circus-level—it’s crazy!

In the midst of the shock, Kim Donghu’s soothing voice began to sing.

Singing... in that situation?

It was one surprise after another. The most astonishing part? His vocal delivery was flawless, and he seemed completely at ease in such a chaotic moment.

It was as if he had lived in the jungle his entire life.

Watching him swing from the ropes, Kim Donghu looked strangely at home, like a modern-day primitive. The staff, despite it being the first shoot, were already feeling a strong Tarzan vibe from him.

Just as everyone was smiling in amazement, the wire holding Kim Donghu from above suddenly snapped.

Ping!

Thud!

A strange, ominous sound echoed from above, and in the blink of an eye, Kim Donghu was airborne, plummeting.

“Ah?!”

The sudden situation. An unexpected variable.

Though there were safety mats and nets below, a fall was still a different thing entirely.

If something went wrong, it could lead to trauma. The entire shoot could be derailed.

While Verilad’s mind raced with dozens of worst-case scenarios, Kim Donghu, in contrast, had no sign of panic.

‘I feel lighter.’

Without a trace of panic, he stretched out his hand mid-fall and grabbed the rope.

Craack!

He worried about the friction possibly injuring his hands, but he had preemptively worn gloves, so there was no issue.

Suddenly, it felt like he had gained freedom.

‘This feels great.’

Since the rope snapped somewhere in the middle, he would have to climb a few more ropes to get to a safe place anyway.

Sure, he could have chosen to just grab a rope and descend slowly for safety, but that wouldn’t have made for an interesting scene.

‘I’ll mess around a little longer.’

“Oh shit! Oh shit!”

“Oh my god! Oh my god!”

“No way! No way!”

“Pfft! Pfft! No! Donghu! Come down!”

From below, there were occasional shouts, but they barely registered in his ears.

***

After the rope action shoot wrapped up, Verilad trembled as he tightly gripped my hand.

I had come down from the rope, but it seemed like the tension in his body was just beginning to give way.

“We really messed up. I'm sorry, but... that was way too brave.”

"We’ll have to revise the studio setup for safety..."

Even though I assured them I was fine, the people around me were either kneeling or nearly fainting.

The safety officers were practically lying flat on the floor.

By the process of it, it was certainly a mistake, but since no one was hurt, and there was no real danger even with the rope snapping...

‘I thought it was fine, though.’

Seeing their reactions, I realized the atmosphere definitely needed to change.

“I’m really okay. Want me to show you again?”

“No, no no no! It’s fine! It’s fine!”

“No, no... come down... please... please.”

People who had been lying down suddenly sprang up, looking as though they had found their strength again. As expected, a little American humor was the perfect way to break the tension.