Watch: Jun Ji Hyun, Joo Ji Hoon, And More Carefully Rehearse Dangerous Wildfire Scenes In "Jirisan"

Nov 16, 2021

tvN shared the behind-the-scenes video from episodes 7 and 8 of “Jirisan”!

Written by Kim Eun Hee, “Jirisan” stars Jun Ji Hyun and Joo Ji Hoon as rangers at Mount Jiri National Park who uncover the truth behind mysterious accidents on the mountain.

Spoilers

The video shows how the cast and crew filmed the scenes of the wildfire that breaks out on Mount Jiri, paying careful attention to the safety of the environment and of the people involved. Fake smoke was used to create the smoky atmosphere of a wildfire on the mountain, while flames in controlled areas were carefully lit and stamped out for each scene. As mountain rangers heading directly to the heart of the fire, actors like Jun Ji Hyun and Oh Jung Se wore gear like fireproof jackets and breathing masks.

The smoke created unexpected difficulties, however, as the wind blew it around and changed how it looked in each take. Jun Ji Hyun and Oh Jung Se repeated their lines for one scene several times as the director tried to get the amount of smoke just right. When the director asked for one more take, Jun Ji Hyun exclaimed jokingly, “Why! I thought it was good that time!”

In the scene where Joo Ji Hoon is trapped with children in a burning warehouse, the window is lit with real flames, adding a sense of urgency to the room. Between takes, Joo Ji Hoon plays and talks with the child actors in a sweet way. After the firefighters rescue him, the cast moves to film a scene where the rangers head up the mountain to rescue the kids. Since the fire and smoke can only be used once, and effects might be added later in post-production, the cast rehearse with the director calling out stage directions such as, “Turn here,” “Step back,” “A pine cone comes down,” “The wind is growing stronger,” etcetera.

To film Jun Ji Hyun’s epic jumping scene, the staff prepare dozens of cardboard boxes to cushion her landing. After the dramatic rescue, Jo Han Chul carries Jun Ji Hyun on his back, which she apologizes for as soon as the take is finished. Oh Jung Se plays rock-paper-scissors with one of the child actors and makes her laugh, while Joo Ji Hoon absentmindedly catches bugs with an electric swatter.

The rest of the video deals with Jun Ji Hyun, Sung Dong Il, Oh Jung Se, and Joo Ji Hoon filming the Mount Jiri National Park rangers’ friendly competition and talent show. Jun Ji Hyun accidentally grabs the prop in the relay race before she can draw the lot telling her what prop to take, and Sung Dong Il jokes, “It’s like you already knew what it was beforehand.” Oh Jung Se pretends to box in thin air, and Joo Ji Hoon asks him, “Why did you learn it left-handed?” The video ends with the chaotic performance of Kim Yeon Ja’s “Amor Fati” with the rangers in flamboyant costumes.

Check out the video below!