While some k-drama actors, occasionally attempt stunts, a few insist on doing their own potentially dangerous stunt scenes all the time.
Lee Min Ho falls into the category of actors that does stunts when he can. His sword fighting and martial arts action scenes in "Faith: The Great Doctor" were so strenuous that he lost 15 lbs. While filming action scenes in "City Hunter," he experienced several injuries including getting glass shards in his legs.
According to the "City Hunter" production crew, being as tall as Lee Min Ho can make it hard for an actor to do stunts but his reflexes are good and he's very agile.
Lee Jun Ki insists on doing his own stunts, some so dangerous the production crews on his dramas worry about his daredevil attitude. Filming the action-packed drama "Two Weeks" left him exhausted.
"If I use a stunt double, the audience may not find it interesting," said Lee Jun Ki. "My pride also tells me that I should do it myself. I want to become a versatile actor who can do everything."
However, there were a few times that he realized just how dangerous the stunt could have been after it was over.
"There was a scene of me being swept away by the rapids and even minimal safety equipment could not be used," he said. "I could have died. The current was very strong. Even though the scene could be done with a stunt double, I ended up doing it because I wanted to. I couldn't breathe once I went into the current. Before I began filming the scene, I thought how someone could die being swept away by the water, then I realized that one could really die doing so."
And it's not just actors who like to do their own stunts. Actresses Han Chae Ah and Ha Ji Won are also known for tackling dangersous action scenes themselves.
Having taken lessons at a special school for two months prior to the filming of the 2012 drama "Hero," she thought she was prepared for the stunts she had to perform but she wasn't.
"I had to run fast for one scene but I wasn't warmed up when I started running," she said. "Suddenly, I felt an acute pain and I couldn't run any more."
But having promised herself that she would do her own action scenes, she rested for three days and resumed shooting the same scene.
"If I didn't do my own action scenes, it would mean that I wasn't fully immersed in my role," she said. "It's challenging but you get a sense of achievement and fulfillment when you master a stunt."
Ha Ji Won is another actress known for doing all her own stunts. You can see some of them in her popular drama "Empress Ki," including her horseback riding, sword fighting and martial arts skills. The actress has been described as fearless, facing a new action challenge with almost every role she takes on.
