Hwang Min Hyun trained for 7 months for 'Study Group's action sequences, says action director Jo

When it was announced that the webtoon "Study Group" would be adapted into a drama, the biggest concern was how to portray the cartoon-like action scenes realistically.

The fight scenes in the original work were the kind that could only exist in cartoons, like breaking walls with a single punch or knocking out opponents with a kick that shoots flames.

However, when the production team undertook the project, the concern turned into excitement. Study Group captivated viewers with even more cartoon-like action than the original webtoon.

Study Group is a high-school-themed action comedy that follows Yoon Ga Min (Hwang Min Hyun), who dreams of excelling academically but is only gifted in fighting. Enrolling in a notorious school, where bullies reign, he forms a study group and, along with his friends, engages in bloody fights, making a desperate effort to study and go to college.  

Action director Jo Dong Hyuk shared in an interview, "If this drama incorporated 'real action' (realistic fight scenes), I felt it wouldn't be as fun." He added, "We also incorporated a lot of fantasy to make the action scenes look just like the original [with all their fantasy elements]."

"In particular, Yoon Ga Min's 'fire kick' scene in episode 1 was recreated exactly like the original." He further explained, "We made sure to include every action cut from the webtoon, such as 'Uncle's Forbidden Technique' and 'Ho Kwon,' without leaving anything out."

They also incorporated action scenes that weren't in the original work. A prime example is the scene where Yoon Ga Min unintentionally knocks down a student who comes to fight him. The script simply stated, "He dodges without looking and knocks them out with the 'Essentials of Mathematics' book," but this was brought to life as a comedic yet character-defining action sequence for Yoon Ga Min.

Director Jo added, "Having Ga Min dodge without looking felt a bit unnatural, so we changed it to an action sequence using the locker. It was a scene our stunt team brainstormed together to make it more entertaining."

He asserted, "There wasn't a single scene we didn't put effort into," but added that some scenes were particularly difficult to shoot. Referring to the construction site fight between the Yeonbaek gang's scout and the kids, he recalled, "At first, we planned to capture the fight in a long take, showing each [character's] action sequence in order. But whenever one person's performance went well, another actor would slip up, and we ended up reshooting it twenty times. In the end, we had to give up on the long take."

He also mentioned that the scene where Lee Ji Woo (Shin Su Hyun) throws Kim Gyu Jin (Jin Woo Jin) down on the rooftop was particularly challenging to film.

He said, "We filmed the scene on the rooftop of a five-story building using wires, but when we tried to shoot the body drop scene, the crane wobbled, which made it dangerous for both the actor and the stuntman." Still, he emphasized, "We put in the effort to film the scene because we wanted it to have a strong impact."

He also highlighted the efforts of the actors in perfecting the action scenes. He mentioned that lead actor Hwang Min Hyun trained for about seven months, saying, "Before filming, he would come to the office to work out and practice, then head to the set, and after wrapping up, he would return for more practice."

Yet, he added with a laugh that he couldn't completely fix his distinct movements, unique to idols, which naturally carried over into his action sequences. Action director Jo commented, "Be it Cha Eun Woo in Island or Hwang Min Hyun in Study Group, those with a dance background tend to have action moves that look too graceful." He continued, "We put them through intense training to change that, but it's no use." 

Action director Jo worked in China for six years, contributing to local films like Chongqing Hot Pot and dramas such as The City of Chaos. In Korea, he choreographed action scenes for dramas like Knock Off, Song of the Bandits, and Island.

Reflecting on his extensive experience, he added, "I've worked on many projects, but no action drama was as fun to shoot as Study Group." "At first, Ga Min doesn't hit anyone, but over time, he gradually becomes a hero, eventually pulling off action scenes that make you wonder if he can really pull off [such dangerous fights]. I think I can say that I tried everything I ever wanted to do while filming Study Group." 

Study Group is available to stream on Viki.

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