Life is Easier If You're Handsome novel Chapter 223

Filming Tarzan had been a challenge before production started.

But the moment the cameras rolled, everything moved smoothly and relentlessly forward.

One of the biggest reasons was that there weren’t many complicated acting demands.

Most of the animals surrounding Tarzan were CGI,

which meant there were far fewer variables to manage.

Because of that, the early scenes were wrapped up in less than two weeks.

There was almost no need for retakes.

Kim Donghu’s performance was flawless.

"Is it today?"

"Yeah, today’s the day we get to see that scene again."

And so, after a smooth shoot, today marked the return of something the cast and crew had witnessed before—

The sheer, chilling intensity from the script reading.

"I wonder how it’ll feel in real life? That terrifying presence, but in actual performance."

"I dunno, man... today’s the first time I’ve ever believed killing intent was a real thing."

"Agreed. I always thought that was just an exaggerated trope in animation."

The staff was buzzing with excitement for today’s shoot.

And for good reason.

This was the battle scene between Tarzan and Sabo.

To add more realism, the fight had been choreographed as a light wrestling match.

Since Sabo was meant to be bigger than Tarzan,

his actor, William Smith, was a massive man—nearly 2 meters tall.

A wrestling match at that size and scale?

Even knowing it was choreographed, there was no way not to get hyped.

As the crew chatted—

"Thanks for showing up exactly on time, everyone."

Director McGroy scanned the fully prepped set, nodding in satisfaction.

The current time? 8:00 AM.

To have everything ready by now, the crew had needed to arrive by 6:00 AM at the latest.

The schedule was tight, but there was a reason for this pace.

"It’s because Donghu Kim keeps showing up so damn early."

"Yeah, right? He’s always here at least an hour and a half before call time... Can’t exactly keep the lead actor waiting."

Even small things could affect a film’s image in major ways.

If the lead actor was spotted alone on set, with no crew around?

That could easily be misinterpreted.

"If that leaked, rumors could spread that the movie was falling apart."

And if such a rumor gained traction, it could seriously impact box office performance.

In Hollywood, things like that mattered.

That’s why they had lied to Kim Donghu about his actual call time,

telling him to come two hours later than the real schedule.

Meanwhile, the crew showed up early to prep everything.

That way, when Donghu arrived—

"Wow... does the set always get prepared this quickly?"

"Haha, this is Hollywood, my friend. Of course!"

"That’s impressive."

Everything would already be in place,

and they could immediately start shooting.

Ironically, this forced efficiency had actually made filming far smoother.

Lazy people couldn’t keep up with the pace,

so they quit on their own.

Only the most dedicated remained,

creating a self-filtering system that ensured nothing slowed the production down.

Anyway—

"I’m ready!"

Sabo’s actor, William, stepped out in his motion capture suit.

With that, final preparations were complete.

"Alright! As soon as Donghu is ready, we roll!"

"Got it!"

Now, it was time to capture the epic battle between Tarzan and Sabo.

***

"Not today. I won’t just get steamrolled this time."

Right before the shoot began, William Smith lightly slapped his cheeks, psyching himself up.

Smack. Smack.

"Last time, I got overwhelmed. But today is different."

William Smith had been cast as Sabo for one major reason—

his massive frame and his ability to control it effortlessly.

He had been a wrestler all through college,

making him the perfect choice to play the fierce and powerful predator.

This scene was where Sabo attacks Kochek and then meets Tarzan.

Scanning the impeccably built set, William marveled at how much it resembled the animated jungle.

The towering trees, the thick vines, the dense foliage—

everything looked exactly like the movie.

But his admiration was cut short by something that made his breath catch.

"Whoa..."

This wasn’t just inner admiration.

This was a genuine, involuntary reaction.

Kim Donghu had arrived on set.

The signature Tarzan hairstyle—

a perfectly styled wig.

A physique even more powerful than the animated version.

The primitive stone spear, the loincloth of woven leaves—

Tarzan had stepped out of the screen.

"Looking forward to working with you."

"Same here. Let’s do our best."

Right before the director’s cue, the two exchanged a brief, professional nod.

"Cue!"

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

The instant McGroy gave the signal, both actors charged at each other with fierce intensity.

This wasn’t just wild brawling—

it was a choreographed sparring match, meant to look brutal but follow a pre-planned rhythm.

As rehearsed, they moved into the designated action path

and collided head-on—

BOOM!

According to the script,

Tarzan was supposed to be knocked backward upon impact.

But—

"?!"

Instead, William—playing Sabo—was the one sent flying backward.

"What kind of strength... No, seriously... Is this guy a real gorilla?!"

William was stunned.

The height difference between them was about 14cm.

Their weight difference had to be at least 20kg.

And yet—

he had been the one knocked down?!

This was a first in his 33 years of life.

"Sabo... I’ll kill you and wear your skin."

A deep, guttural snarl erupted from Tarzan’s throat.

Not a human voice—

but the growl of a predator.

William was still reeling from the impact

when Tarzan charged forward again, eyes locked on his prey.

Even though the spear was a prop, it didn’t feel like one.

The way Kim Donghu held it, the way his muscles flexed as he moved—

the threat level was off the charts.

"Is that... an actual spear?!"