Early October.
A dark room.
Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap.
A man, his eyes sunken with exhaustion, forced them open as his fingers moved across the keyboard and mouse.
He was editing.
Compressing months of footage into a two-hour film.
Was this how a bomb disposal expert felt?
Each cut felt like severing a wire, never knowing when it might blow up in his face.
Was this the right choice?
Would this lead to disaster?
The pressure was nothing like editing an independent film.
One wrong move, and countless people’s livelihoods would be affected.
That weight was slowly tightening around his throat.
Tap-tap-tap-tap.
Still, the man—no, Lee Seong-deok, the director—did not stop.
He had come too far to hesitate now.
If you draw your sword, you cut—even if it’s just a rotten radish.
I’m going to create something extraordinary.
He would prove it.
He would show the world.
I wonder... Is Donghu done with his training and taking a break?
October. The national team trials should be around now.
Had he entered?
The temptation to check the news, social media, anything, was almost unbearable.
No. Absolutely not.
Lee Seong-deok clenched his jaw and resisted.
There could be no distractions now.
His goal?
Finish editing in two days.
Hold a screening immediately.
Release the film in a week.
There was no time to rest.
We’re sweeping every damn award at the end of the year.
If he calculated correctly, the major film festivals would take place about a month after the release.
That was enough time.
More than enough for the world to see.
To see what a true hero looks like. To see what we’ve created.
To make that happen, Lee Seong-deok decided he wasn’t sleeping tonight.
***
Meanwhile, as Lee Seong-deok continued his tireless editing...
“No surprises—Kim Donghu secures a spot as the national team’s heavyweight boxer.”
“A sudden surge in boxing recruits? The Kim Donghu Effect begins.”
“Korean Boxing Association: ‘We will do our best to support Kim Donghu’s gold medal at the Asian Games and the future of Korean boxing!’”
“Adihess and Redhorn join forces? A collaboration sparked by Kim Donghu!”
“Louis Vuitton: ‘Exclusive boxing gloves designed only for Kim Donghu’—the relentless love calls continue!”
"I get everything else, but it’s hilarious how Louis Vuitton is practically begging."
"Bro, their company’s worth billions. This feels surreal."
"What the hell happened during that Japanese lookbook shoot??"
"Supreme wanted to collab the moment they saw Kim Donghu wearing their stuff, lmao."
"Finally, Asian Games boxing is worth watching again."
"What do you mean ‘worth watching’? The gold medal’s already his. It’s just a fight for second place now."
"Agreed. Russia’s the only country with a chance, and even they won’t last past round one. The real question is how long everyone else can survive."
The internet was on fire over Kim Donghu’s qualification for the national boxing team.
Graduating from basic military training straight into the national team trials?
"Does this guy ever rest?"
"Wait, is he already revving up his schedule again??"
People were stunned that Kim Donghu’s relentless march forward was resuming.
And then—suddenly—an unexpected video popped up on YouTube.
[BREAKING: ‘True Hero’ main trailer drops!]
- (YouTube link)
- GO GO GO
- Holy shit, that baseball throw scene is insane LMFAO
"Wait, is he actually throwing a baseball??"
"The speed looks kinda slow?"
"Lmao, you dumbass. You think throwing fast is the point? It’s about accuracy."
"Didn’t they use a stunt double anyway? This debate is pointless."
"Oh, you sweet summer child. Kim Donghu does his own stunts. Educate yourself."
"Dude, you’re embarrassing yourself in a Donghu thread. Lurk before you post."
[What shocked me in this trailer]
- Kim Donghu needs to stop smiling.
- Seriously. How does someone this terrifying look like that?
"Why the hell are people scared of The Punisher? Kim Donghu is literally worse."
"Our twisted hero..."
"Donghu, thank you for choosing the path of righteousness."
"So this is just an alternate timeline where Kim Donghu turned evil?"
"A gold medalist boxer, but # Nоvеlight # make him unhinged? He’s beating people to death with brass knuckles."
"Even knowing it's a stunt, this is still horrifying."
The reactions were explosive.
The trailer for True Hero had just dropped, and people were shook.
A tall, impossibly handsome man was systematically brutalizing criminals—
First with brass knuckles.
Then, with a baseball.
The action was anything but restrained.
It was violent.
And that made it impossible to look away.
Then—
[Did anyone notice how the last scene cuts off awkwardly? Was that a one-take shot?]
- (Timestamp: 1:16)
- The scene builds up so well and then suddenly cuts at the peak of the action.
- 100% intentional, right?
"Oh, no doubt. That was just a taste of a one-take sequence."
"A one-take action scene? You’re kidding."
"Oh, just wait. I’ll be there opening day."
"Rom-com Kim Donghu? Cool. Kiss scenes? Sure. But the real magic is that this face does flawless action."
"No lies detected. His acting range is insane, but his action skills? Unreal."
"Shut up. The ratings from ‘Shall We Get Married?’ and ‘Our Fake Wedding’ already proved it. Kim Donghu = rom-com king."
"Oh god, are we really doing another ‘rom-com vs action’ Kim Donghu debate?"
The final shot had left an impression.
Not only had they attempted a one-take action sequence—
They had nailed it.
Even through the screen, the speed was exhilarating.
If that was how it looked in a trailer, then in theaters...
Excitement was inevitable.
As anticipation grew, three days flew by.
"Looking forward to this one."
"Absolutely."
"Four awards at Mise-en-scène, a director like Lee Seong-deok, and Kim Donghu? This is going to be something special."
The day of the True Hero VIP screening had arrived.
***
True Hero – VIP Premiere
The theater was packed with journalists and fans.
From the entrance, the waiting line stretched endlessly.
People who hadn’t even been invited had gathered just to catch a glimpse of the actors.
"It’s Seo Jinwoo!"
"Kim Sujin is here too! And she came with Kim Yuryeon!"
"Ryu Jaerin! Holy shit... did Kim Donghu invite all of them?"
With the arrival of A-list celebrities, the theater buzzed with excitement.
One after another, more stars walked in, including veteran actor Jang Geon-ho.
"...Is it normal for so many big names to show up at a VIP premiere?"
"I think it’s just everyone who’s ever worked with Kim Donghu."
"So they’re really just here for him?"
"No way, that’s gotta be a stretch."
For a moment, the audience toyed with the idea before brushing it off.
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"Where’s our youngest? Why is it so damn hard to see his face these days?"
"Seriously. An actor coming to a theater just to see another actor—how ironic."
Yet, that theory turned out to be exactly right.
Ever since his enlistment for basic military training, followed by his graduation and immediate participation in the national boxing trials—
Kim Donghu had been relentlessly busy.
Actors who wanted to see him or hear about the film had no choice but to show up themselves.
"Minhyuk, aren’t you friends with Kim Donghu? Can’t you just call him?"
"I mean, I could, but... I know how busy he is. I’d feel bad."
"True, you really look up to him."
"What? No! It’s just... ugh. Friends respect each other’s space, okay?"
Among the attendees was Park Minhyuk, who had played young Baek Dong-su in The Swordsman Baek Dong-su.
And—most notably—the companies that had invested in True Hero the moment Kim Donghu’s casting was confirmed.
"Oh shit, that’s the Haetbap logo! Is that FJ?"
"Illyang Foods is here too? Look at their rep wearing that fire chicken logo shirt."
Both Illyang Foods and FJ had made their presence known.
"If Kim Donghu’s in it, it’s a guaranteed success. Some idiots still don’t get that?"
"We’re all in. Illyang Foods is riding this wave to the end."
OTT platform representatives, prominent YouTubers, and event winners also filled the theater.
All of them sat in their designated seats, their anticipation palpable.
"But if the hype is this high, won’t people riot if it’s even slightly underwhelming?"
"The trailer itself seemed like it might be divisive..."
"With a topic like vigilante justice, they better tread carefully."
With different thoughts in mind, the audience waited for the film to begin.
DUN-DUN!
The studio and distributor logos flashed on the screen.
And finally—
The movie began.
That evening.
★★★★★
"A personal question thrown at society."
— Park Dongjin
★★★★☆
"You are who you surround yourself with—an unsettling portrait of a corrupted citizen."
— Lee Pyeongsik
★★★★☆
"How far will you go for justice before you become a monster yourself?"
— Ji Hyeri
★★★★★
"Society will condemn him, but individuals will cheer for him."
— Kim Seongcheol
★★★★
"A brutal and unflinching look at the dark side."
— Jin Cheol-heun
"Wait... these aren’t movie ratings, right? This looks like restaurant reviews. What is this scoring?"
"Park Dongjin gave it a 10? Lee Pyeongsik a 9? What the hell did they even make??"
"Every single critic is giving it glowing reviews. Even the headlines are crazy."
“True Hero – A New Era in Korean Cinema”
“A Film That Challenges the Definition of Justice in Korea”
"What the hell did they just watch?"
"I NEED TO SEE THIS MOVIE RIGHT NOW."
The overwhelming praise was turning True Hero into an instant phenomenon.