Work Text:
JYP Building, Seoul.
A Meeting Room.
“Right,” their manager began, shuffling a stack of papers he clearly didn’t want to be holding. “The publicity team’s been brainstorming ways to improve engagement before the next comeback.”
Minho snorted quietly. “As if we have a publicity team. It’s, like, half a sheep in a broom cupboard, at best.”
The manager shot him a look and carried on.
“Anyway. We’ve narrowed it down to a few proposals we wanted to discuss with you first. First option: a continuation of the kiss relay from the fan meeting, but… more extensive. Two full episodes of SKZ Code. Every member kisses every other member.”
Jisung immediately leaned forward. “We’re listening.”
Across the table, Jeongin looked genuinely horrified. “Absolutely not. You’d actually have to kill me first.”
“Right, yes,” the manager said quickly. “We did think you might say that, Jeongin, but let’s keep an open mind…”
“No.”
“- and the second proposal was acting opportunities. Preferably BL dramas.”
At that, the manager gave Minho and Seungmin an extremely pointed look.
Seungmin narrowed his eyes. “These are the fake ideas before the real one, aren’t they?”
The manager coughed into his fist. “Well. The final proposal is the main one, yes.”
“Knew it,” Seungmin muttered.
“We’ve been approached by a major American TV network. They’re developing a survival programme featuring K-pop idols.”
Chan blinked. “Haven’t we already done a survival show?”
“Not trainee survival. Wilderness survival.”
That got everyone’s attention.
“You know the show Alone?”
Changbin sat up immediately. Minho did too, suddenly alert in a way he hadn’t been for the entire meeting.
The manager pointed at them triumphantly. “I can see you two get it! The concept is basically Alone: K-pop Edition. They drop you into the wilderness in teams, film everything remotely, and the last team remaining wins.”
Hyunjin stared at him. “You cannot be serious. We’re idols. Half of us can’t even kill a spider.”
He pointed directly at Jisung. “That one would die if a moth looked at him the wrong way.”
“Hey! I’m better with bugs since I adopted Richard!”
The others had gone noticeably quieter.
Seungmin cocked his head like a dog hearing someone say ‘walkies’. “Teams?”
“Pairs. The team that lasts longest without tapping out wins prize money and a major global television performance slot.”
Chan immediately pointed across the room. “I bags Minho.”
“Hyung!”
“Absolutely not!”
“Cheating already!”
The room erupted.
The manager raised his voice. “We were actually thinking dorm pairings would be fairest.”
Felix, who’d been quiet until now, finally spoke. “So, this is already happening, then.”
The manager hesitated for half a second too long.
Felix nodded slowly. “Thought so.”
Changbin slung an arm around Seungmin’s shoulders. “Poor Yongbok. Being trapped in the woods with Kim Seungmin sounds less like a survival show and more like a punishment.”
Felix and Seungmin turned to glare at him in perfect sync.
Jeongin cut in before Changbin could escalate things further.
“Okay, but where are you even sending us? Korea barely has any wilderness.”
“Canada.”
Silence.
“Specifically, Vancouver Island. You’ll build your own shelters, source your own food, boil your own water…”
“Wait,” Chan interrupted. “Why us? We’re not exactly designed to live wild in the outback.”
“The network approached multiple companies,” the manager explained. “You’re not the only group considering it.”
“Who else?” Hyunjin asked immediately.
“I believe Ateez are interested.”
“Competitive already,” Changbin muttered.
“And TripleS, assuming production can locate a forest large enough for all of them.”
“There will obviously be training in survival skills first. Which we can film too. And there will be more safeguards in place than there are for regular contestants. Extra checks, a live video feed to base so production could keep a close eye on you. You’d be completely safe.”
Initial Interviews. Vancouver Island. Base Camp. Day 0.
Lee Minho & Han Jisung — “Minsung Dorm”
Presenter: “So, what makes you think you’ll survive out there? And who do you think is winning?”
Minho: “We’ve lived together for years. At this point we can basically communicate through eye contact alone. Which some people say is really impressive, and others say is really concerning.”
Jisung: “Mostly concerning.”
Minho: “But it would be useful for survival.”
Jisung: “And Minho’s incredibly good at outdoor stuff. He has the survival instincts of a street cat.”
Minho: “That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
Jisung: “I’m also tougher than people think.”
Minho looks at him for a long moment.
Minho: “No, you really aren’t.”
Jisung: “Okay, I’m emotionally tougher than people think.”
Presenter: “And who do you think will win?”
Minho: “Changbin and Hyunjin won’t survive twenty-four hours. And Jeongin’s also not coping without toner.”
Jisung: “He’s gonna start exfoliating with bark by day four.”
Minho: “So realistically? It’s between us and Happy House.”
Jisung nods firmly.
Jisung: “And we can absolutely beat them.”
Bang Chan & Yang Jeongin — “Dimple Dorm”
Presenter: “What makes you two different from the others?”
Chan smiles immediately, already in leader-interview mode.
Chan: “I think we balance each other well. I’m good at planning ahead,”
Jeongin interrupts. “He means overthinking.”
Chan: “It’s called being prepared.”
Jeongin: “Overthinking.”
Chan sighs dramatically at the camera.
Chan: “Anyway. Jeongin’s actually far tougher than you might think.”
Jeongin: “I have endured years of living with these people.”
Chan: “That alone should qualify him.”
Presenter: “So do you have a strategy?”
Chan nods seriously.
Chan: “Shelter first. Then find a water source. Then food.”
Presenter: “And who do you think your biggest competition is?”
Jeongin: “Minho.”
Chan: “Yeah.”
Jeongin: “Not even Minho and Jisung. Just Minho.”
Chan: “Honestly, Jisung’s either going to be amazing and outlast us all, or collapse within six hours. There’s no middle ground.”
Jeongin: “Actually, Seungmin scares me a little.”
Chan: “Yeah, same here.”
Jeongin: “But Hyunjin and Changbin definitely aren’t winning.”
Chan: “Oh, absolutely not.”
Seo Changbin & Hwang Hyunjin — “Hyunibini Dorm”
Presenter: “Okay, same question that we’ve asked everyone else. Why do you think you’ll win?”
Hyunjin answers immediately. “Look at us.”
A long pause.
Presenter: “…I am.”
Hyunjin: “We’re clearly the strongest team.”
Changbin nods aggressively beside him.
Changbin: “Physically? We’re unmatched.”
Hyunjin: “Our mental resilience?”
Changbin: “Incredible.”
Hyunjin: “Adaptability?”
Changbin: “The best.”
The presenter blinks.
Presenter: “Do either of you actually know anything about wilderness survival?”
Silence. Then Changbin points at Hyunjin.
Changbin: “He watched a documentary once.”
Hyunjin: “It was several documentaries.”
Changbin: “And I did read up on military training.”
Presenter: “That is… not remotely the same thing.”
Hyunjin: “No negativity please.”
Changbin leans forwards confidently.
Changbin: “Listen, Jisung’s tapping out the second a bug lands on him.”
Hyunjin: “Felix and Seungmin are too princess-coded to survive.”
Changbin: “And Jeongin’s one missed skincare routine away from collapse.”
Hyunjin: “So really, this is ours to lose.”
The presenter stares at them for a moment.
Presenter: “Your confidence is honestly impressive.”
Changbin: “Thank you.”
Presenter: “I didn’t mean that as a compliment.”
Lee Felix & Kim Seungmin — “Happy House”
Presenter: “You two seem a lot calmer than the others.”
Felix smiles sweetly. “That’s because everyone else is being weirdly competitive already.”
Seungmin: “They’re treating this like some sort of Hunger Games.”
Presenter: “And you aren’t?”
Seungmin considers that. “No, we’re more Battle Royale.”
Presenter: “So what makes you think you can win?”
Felix: “I think people underestimate us.”
Seungmin: “Which is good. Less pressure.”
Felix: “We’re also both pretty patient.”
Seungmin: “And stubborn.”
Felix nods immediately.
Felix: “Oh, extremely stubborn.”
Presenter: “What about survival skills?”
Seungmin: “I know how to fish.”
The presenter brightens slightly.
Presenter: “Oh, really?”
Seungmin: “No.”
Felix laughs beside him.
Seungmin: “But I’ve done it once.”
Felix: “And we’re both used to functioning on very little food and sleep.”
Seungmin: “Idol training was basically extreme survival anyway.”
Presenter: “So who do you think your biggest competition is?”
Seungmin: “Lee Minho.”
No hesitation whatsoever.
Felix: “Definitely.”
Seungmin: “I refuse to lose to him.”
Felix glances sideways. “You say that like this is personal.”
Seungmin: “It is.”
Presenter: “And the weakest team?”
Both of them answer immediately.
Felix & Seungmin: “Hyunibini.”
A beat.
Felix: “They’re not making it through the first storm.”
Seungmin: “They’re not even making it through the first night.”
Day 1. Morning. Vancouver Island, Canada
Helicopters scatter contestants across the wilderness. There are clouds overhead. Dense forest stretches endlessly around the river valleys.
Selfie cameras begin recording.
Happy House
Felix adjusts the camera carefully while Seungmin is already scanning the treeline with concerning focus.
Felix: “Alright, we’ve officially been abandoned in the Canadian wilderness.”
He pans slowly towards Seungmin.
Felix: “And Seungmin’s already gone into survival mode.”
Seungmin: “We need shelter before dark.”
Felix: “We’ve been here for maybe four minutes.”
Seungmin: “And?”
They move uphill from the riverbank, stepping over moss-covered fallen branches.
Seungmin: “We want flat ground, enough tree cover to block the wind, but not so dense that something collapses on us.”
Felix: “Comforting.”
Seungmin: “Also close enough to the river that water runs aren’t miserable, but not close enough that we wake up underwater.”
Felix nods seriously.
Felix: “This is why I keep you around.”
After several minutes, they find a small clearing between the trees. Seungmin drops his pack immediately.
Seungmin: “Good enough.”
Felix: “Not perfect?”
Seungmin: “We’re homeless in a forest, Yongbok.”
The camera cuts to their extra gear neatly laid out on a tarpaulin.
- Saw
- Bow and arrows
- Gill net
- Trapping wire
- Fishing line and hooks
- Cooking pot
- Multitool
- Ferro rod
- Hatchet painted bright orange
Felix: “The orange paint was Seungmin’s idea.”
Seungmin: “If one of us drops it,”
He looks directly at Felix.
Seungmin: “…we won’t lose it.”
Felix: “You say that like it’ll definitely be me.”
Seungmin just stares at him.
Felix: “Fair enough.”
A beat. Then Felix picks up the ferro rod.
Felix: “Why didn’t we paint this too?”
Seungmin: “…excellent question.”
The camera cuts to them working; Seungmin attacks fallen timber as if it has wronged him, while Felix drags rocks towards the shelter site.
DAY 1 - 3 HOURS IN
The rough shape of an A-frame shelter is already visible in the background as Felix walks towards the riverbank with the handheld camera.
Felix: “Okay, so this section here looks promising for fishing…”
He crouches near the water.
Felix: “And we’re thinking of putting the gill net upstream where the current narrows a bit.”
He casts carefully, and waits.
A long silence.
Then suddenly.
Felix: “Oh my god.”
The camera jerks violently.
Felix: “Oh my GOD!”
A smallish trout flails on the line. Felix completely loses his composure.
Felix: “SEUNGMIN!”
Cut to distant yelling through the trees.
Felix: “SEUNGMIN! I GOT A FISH”
The camera shakes violently as he sprints uphill.
Hyunibini Dorm
The camera turns on to reveal Changbin already breathing hard despite having only walked downhill from the helicopter.
Changbin: “Here we are.”
He pans the camera dramatically.
Changbin: “Our home.”
Hyunjin stares at the endless wilderness in visible horror.
Hyunjin: “Home?”
Changbin: “What?”
Hyunjin: “You said ‘home’ like we’re staying for weeks.”
Changbin: “We ARE staying for weeks, we have to if we want to beat Minho”
Hyunjin deflates.
Hyunjin: “Minho? We’re actually doomed.”
Changbin: “Unless nature kills Jisung first, yeah.”
Hyunjin groans loudly.
Hyunjin: “Why did we agree to this?”
Changbin: “For exposure.”
Hyunjin: “I already miss indoor plumbing.”
They wander along the riverbank aimlessly.
Changbin: “We should probably pick a campsite.”
Hyunjin: “If I’m suffering in the wilderness, I at least want to have a pretty view.”
Changbin: “You’re acting like this is glamping.”
Eventually they stop beside a rocky stretch of river.
Hyunjin slowly turns in a circle.
Hyunjin: “…actually this is kind of beautiful.”
Changbin: “Yeah.”
A peaceful silence settles.
They sit motionless on a log staring at the scenery.
DAY 1 - 6 HOURS IN
Changbin: “WAIT, IT’S GETTING DARK!”
Branches are thrown wildly in all directions, Hyunjin wraps himself in tarpaulin accidentally. Changbin nearly drops the hatchet into the river, and the final shelter resembles a disappointed scarecrow.
Inside, the tarpaulin sags approximately three centimetres above their faces. Both lie silently in their sleeping bags. A drop of water lands directly on Hyunjin’s forehead.
Hyunjin: “I hate this.”
Changbin: “I’m so hungry.”
The shelter creaks ominously and both stare upwards in fear.
Minsung Dorm
The camera turns on to reveal Minho already halfway into the river setting a gill net.
Jisung stands safely onshore.
Jisung: “So my role here is mostly moral support.”
Minho: “Your role is staying out of my way.”
Jisung: “Skrr. I can do that.”
Minho finishes anchoring the net with swift, efficient movements that suggest he has done this before.
Jisung (quietly flipping the camera round to speak to it): “I’m starting to think we should ask more questions about why he knows how to do all this.”
A montage is shown:
- Minho chopping saplings
- Minho constructing a tripod shelter frame
- Minho starting a fire on the first attempt
- Minho boiling water calmly
- Jisung following him around holding equipment like an assistant, talking endlessly.
Jisung: “I don’t really have much to do here.”
Minho ignores him. By late afternoon, they already have a functioning shelter, a fire, boiling water, and fishing lines set.
Later, Jisung sits proudly beside the river with a fishing rod.
Jisung: “I am now going to be providing for us.”
An hour later, a tiny trout bites.
Jisung screams.
Jisung: “HYUNG”
Cut to him holding the world’s smallest fish at arm’s length like it’s radioactive.
Jisung: “I DON’T WANT TO TOUCH IT”
Off camera, Minho is audibly laughing.
Minho: “You caught it, you gut it.”
The fish flops violently, and Jisung shrieks loudly enough to scare birds out of nearby trees.
Dimple Dorm
The camera turns on mid-hike. Chan is already carrying three logs for no obvious reason.
Chan: “Right. Game plan.”
He points dramatically into the forest.
Chan: “Camp first. Then water. Then food.”
Jeongin walks behind him looking deeply unimpressed.
Jeongin: “We also need somewhere to wash.”
Chan: “…wash.”
Jeongin: “Yes. I’m not becoming one of those survivalists that smells like wet bark.”
Chan speaks to the camera with exhausted leader energy.
Chan: “We’ve discussed this.”
Jeongin: “Our skin barrier still matters in the wilderness.”
Chan: “Our survival matters in the wilderness.”
Jeongin: “Both can coexist.”
Chan sighs heavily.
Chan: “Okay, yes, obviously basic hygiene is important, but remember what I said: if Hyunjin and Changbin outlast us, I’ll never recover emotionally.”
Jeongin: “That’s true.”
Chan suddenly gestures proudly towards a large flat clearing beside the river.
Chan: “What about here?”
Jeongin stops dead. There is a long silence.
Jeongin: “Hyung.”
Chan: “What?”
Jeongin: “That is the most obvious floodplain I’ve ever seen.”
Chan freezes.
Jeongin: “Did you absorb literally nothing during the training course?”
Chan: “…I was trying to stay positive.”
Jeongin: “You were writing songs about campfires.”
Chan: “They were important for morale.”
Another long silence.
Chan: “…okay, uphill. We go uphill.”
DAY 1 - 4 HOURS IN
The camera pans across a surprisingly solid shelter frame.
A large tree supports one side of a lean-to structure reinforced with saplings and tarpaulin.
Chan appears in frame looking sweaty but proud.
Chan: “Okay, so! Progress update.”
He gestures enthusiastically.
Chan: “I used this tree here as the main support beam, then tied the saplings in at an angle for stability.”
A rustling sound interrupts him and Chan turns slowly. Jeongin is sweeping the forest floor with a handmade broom. Chan stares.
Chan: “…is that a broom?”
Jeongin: “Yes.”
Chan: “You made a broom.”
Jeongin: “The ground was dirty.”
Chan looks around at the entire forest.
Chan: “…we are outdoors.”
Jeongin: “And?”
He continues sweeping with complete seriousness. Nearby, a pot of water boils over the fire.
Chan: “Oh, nice, you boiled water already?”
Jeongin: “Yes, I needed to wash my face.”
Chan blinks.
Chan: “…not for drinking?”
Jeongin: “That’s priority number two.”
Chan looks directly into the camera like a man reconsidering every life decision that brought him here.
Chan: “Okay. Fine. Sure. Did you at least set the gill net up?”
Jeongin stops sweeping. There is silence. The broom lowers slowly.
Jeongin: “…oops.”
Chan closes his eyes immediately.
Chan: “Yang Jeongin.”
Jeongin: “In my defence, I got distracted improving our quality of life.”
Chan: “We need fish to HAVE a quality of life.”
Jeongin: “That sounds a bit dramatic.”
Chan: “We are quite literally alone in the Canadian wilderness.”
Jeongin thinks about this.
Jeongin: “…still sounds dramatic.”
NIGHT 1
Darkness settles over Vancouver Island. Temperatures drop sharply. The camps glow dimly with firelight.
Minsung Dorm
The camera turns on beside a surprisingly sturdy shelter. The structure is neat, and visibly well-built. Jisung is wrapped tightly in a blanket, staring into the fire with the thousand-yard stare of a man who has recently eaten squirrel. Minho sits nearby sharpening a stick with terrifying calm.
Minho: “So, overall? Pretty successful first day.”
He gestures casually towards the fire.
Minho: “We ate well. I got two squirrels with the bow, Jisung caught a fish…”
Jisung: “It was tiny.”
Minho: “…which we used as bait.”
Jisung: “It was just a baby.”
Minho: “And I made two fish traps that are sitting overnight now.”
Jisung slowly turns towards the camera.
Jisung: “I still can’t believe we ate squirrel.”
A beat.
Jisung: “They’re so cute.”
Minho doesn’t even look up.
Minho: “We need calories.”
Jisung: “You always say I look like a squirrel.”
Minho: “You do.”
Jisung looks genuinely devastated.
Jisung: “So what does that say about us then, that you’d eat one?”
Minho: “That you’d survive poorly in the wild.”
Jisung pulls the blanket higher over his face.
Jisung: “You made me complicit in squirrel murder.”
Minho: “You didn’t even WATCH me skin them.”
Jisung: “Because I would have cried.”
Minho: “You DID cry.”
Jisung: “Quietly.”
Minho finally looks at the camera.
Minho: “Anyway. Shelter tour.”
He pans the camera around the interior, showing a raised sleeping platform, organised equipment, and sleeping bags zipped together to make one double sleeping bag.
The camera immediately jerks away from the sleeping bags.
Jisung: “It’s for body heat.”
Minho: “No one asked.”
Dimple Dorm
The shelter is neat and surprisingly spacious. Chan sits near the fire looking exhausted but satisfied, whilst Jeongin is washing his face with boiled water in complete silence.
Chan: “Honestly? Shelter’s not bad.”
He pans the camera proudly.
Chan: “Plenty of room. Good airflow. Separate sleeping areas.”
Jeongin: “We should’ve brought toner.”
Chan sighs immediately.
Chan: “Please let this go.”
Jeongin: “My pores are suffering.”
Chan: “We are in the Canadian wilderness.”
Jeongin: “And my skin knows that.”
Chan rubs his face tiredly.
Chan: “Okay, actually, item tour.”
He holds the camera out to look at their gear.
- Cooking pot
- Hatchet
- Multitool
- Knife
- Bow and arrows
- Fishing gear
- Blanket
- Gill net
- Soap
- Ferro rod
The camera lingers on the soap.
Jeongin: “The producers said nobody’s ever brought soap before.”
Chan: “Which is insane, by the way.”
Jeongin: “Do survivalists enjoy feeling disgusting?”
Chan: “I think they prioritise food.”
Jeongin considers this.
Jeongin: “Couldn’t be me.”
Chan laughs tiredly.
Chan: “But we actually ate okay today. Found plenty of berries, some mushrooms,”
Jeongin: “After triple-checking they weren’t poisonous.”
Chan: “Yes, thank you, survival expert.”
Jeongin: “And the gill net’s out now, so hopefully we get fish overnight.”
A pause.
Jeongin: “I would commit actual crimes for a couple of bowls of rice right now.”
Chan stares into the fire.
Chan: “I haven’t stopped thinking about ramyeon for six straight hours.”
Hyunibini Dorm
The shelter groans violently in the wind. The tarpaulin sags low enough to brush their noses. Rainwater drips steadily somewhere nearby, even though it isn’t raining for anyone else in the contest. Changbin and Hyunjin are wrapped around each other for warmth like traumatised koalas. Hyunjin is visibly crying.
Hyunjin: “I hate this.”
Changbin: “I’m so hungry I can hear colours.”
Hyunjin: “I think my soul left my body three hours ago.”
A loud creak echoes overhead. Both freeze.
Changbin: “…do you think the shelter’s collapsing?”
Hyunjin: “I honestly hope so.”
The tarpaulin flaps violently and a cold gust of wind hits them directly.
Changbin: “Why is nature so aggressive?”
Hyunjin: “It’s only day one.”
Changbin: “Don’t say that.”
DAY 1 CALORIE INTAKE:
ONE HANDFUL OF BERRIES. BETWEEN THEM.
Hyunjin stares blankly into space.
Hyunjin: “How soon are we legally allowed to tap out?”
Changbin: “Not soon enough.”
A pause.
Changbin: “I miss delivery apps.”
Hyunjin: “I miss ceilings.”
The shelter makes another deeply concerning noise and both men sniff miserably in the darkness.
Happy House
The shelter is immaculate. Everything is organised. Equipment hangs neatly from branches. Seungmin sits by the fire looking serious. Felix looks delighted to be included in his own survival documentary.
Seungmin: “Today went well.”
Felix: “We got fish!”
Seungmin: “Two fish.”
Felix: “And berries!”
Seungmin: “I found the berries.”
Felix ignores this.
Felix: “And tomorrow we’re gonna have fun and look for animals to hunt.”
He says this with alarming cheerfulness.
Seungmin: “Not for fun.”
Felix: “…a little bit for fun.”
The camera pans around camp, showing that everything is bizarrely tidy. A small wooden shelf has been built inside the shelter.
Felix: “Seungmin made storage.”
Seungmin: “I don’t want rodents chewing through our medical supplies.”
Felix: “He’s become strangely powerful out here.”
Seungmin: “We also set the gill net.”
Felix: “And I made a fish trap!”
He skips to the river to proudly show a rough rock formation in shallow water.
Felix: “I put the fish guts inside as bait.”
A pause. He skips back to camp.
Felix: “That sentence would’ve killed idol Felix.”
Seungmin: “You’ve adapted quickly.”
Felix sits beside the fire thoughtfully.
Felix: “How long do you think we’ll actually last out here?”
Seungmin answers instantly.
Seungmin: “Longer than Lee Minho.”
Felix slowly turns towards him.
Felix: “…you’ve made this personal.”
Seungmin: “He started it.”
Day 2. Morning.
Hyunibini Dorm
6:03 AM
The camera opens on silence. Changbin and Hyunjin sit motionless on two overturned logs staring at a pile of cold ash and twigs that theoretically used to be a fire. Neither speaks for a full twenty seconds. Changbin suddenly attacks the ferro rod with violent determination. Nothing happens.
Changbin: “I don’t think this thing works.”
Hyunjin stares dead-eyed into the middle distance, hair tangled, dirt smeared across one cheek. He somehow looks like he’s survived several wars despite only being outdoors for thirty-six hours.
Hyunjin: “I genuinely don’t care anymore.”
A single tear rolls slowly down his face.
Hyunjin: “I want to go home.”
Changbin looks at him with panic.
Changbin: “No. No, we are NOT tapping out on day two.”
He aggressively strikes the ferro rod again. Still nothing.
Changbin: “You go collect more berries. I’ll get the fire going.”
Hyunjin: “I can’t eat another berry.”
Changbin: “You ate, like, ten yesterday.”
Hyunjin: “That’s ten too many.”
The wind rattles their collapsing shelter ominously. Hyunjin wraps the blanket tighter around himself.
Hyunjin: “I miss heated floors.”
Changbin: “I miss electricity.”
He attacks the ferro rod harder.
Changbin: “Look, once we get water boiling and food in us, morale will improve.”
Hyunjin: “I have no morale left to improve.”
Changbin points dramatically towards the berry bushes.
Changbin: “Go.”
Hyunjin rises with the energy of a man marching towards his own execution, and he slowly trudges into the forest carrying the cooking pot.
Dimple Dorm
8:11 AM
Chan has been exercising. Because of course he has.
The camera pans to reveal improvised branch dumbbells, neatly stacked firewood, organised equipment, and Jeongin calmly washing his face beside the river.
Chan: “Morning update!”
He sounds disgustingly energetic.
Chan: “We got a fish overnight!”
He proudly holds up a small trout.
Chan: “Enough for breakfast for both of us.”
Jeongin appears behind him holding the soap like a luxury skincare advert.
Jeongin: “I also found a birch tree.”
Chan nods encouragingly.
Chan: “Great for firewood!”
Jeongin: “I tapped it for sap.”
Chan pauses.
Jeongin: “I’m using it on my skin.”
A long silence.
Chan: “We could also drink it.”
Jeongin: “I need toner, hyung.”
Chan looks directly into the camera.
Chan: “Anyway. Shelter held up really well overnight.”
He gestures proudly towards camp.
Chan: “Didn’t sleep at all, but honestly I never do. It was weird without my laptop, though.”
Jeongin is now inspecting his reflection in the cookpot.
Chan: “Today I wanna improve the firepit. Maybe line it with stones, make it safer.”
Jeongin: “If we find rosehips we can make tea.”
Chan: “Oh nice.”
Jeongin: “They’re high in antioxidants.”
Chan stares at him.
Jeongin: “What? We’re surviving with style.”
Happy House
9:02 AM
The camera cuts to Seungmin emerging silently through dense forest like a highly judgemental woodland assassin. Dirt stripes mark his cheeks, and his bow hangs across his back.Behind him, Felix follows with bright-eyed enthusiasm. Neither speaks.
They crouch simultaneously. Ahead, several grouse forage among the undergrowth. Seungmin slowly gestures, and Felix nods once. The editing suddenly becomes dramatically cinematic.
Slow motion:
- Seungmin draws the bow,
- releases,
- direct hit.
The grouse drops instantly with the remaining birds exploding upwards in a panic. Felix launches himself sideways with shocking reflexes and catches another one mid-flight, a horrifyingly efficient neck snap follows.
Felix looks delighted.
Felix: “Oh my god.”
Seungmin nods approvingly.
Seungmin: “Good reaction speed.”
Cut to:
BACK AT CAMP
The campsite now resembles a small functioning settlement, with a fish smoker under construction. Other fish hang drying nearby and a second shelter frame is visible.
Seungmin: “I’m plucking the grouse now.”
He speaks while working with terrifying calm efficiency.
Seungmin: “We’ll eat one fresh, then slice and smoke the other.”
Felix proudly gestures towards the smoker.
Felix: “I’m building a smoker.”
Seungmin: “We also caught more fish overnight.”
Felix: “And there are still berries to dry!”
Seungmin nods seriously.
Seungmin: “We need winter stores.”
Felix freezes.
Felix: “…winter.”
The camera slowly pans towards Seungmin.
Felix: “How long are you planning to stay here?”
Seungmin: “Longer than Lee Minho.”
Immediate answer, with absolutely no hesitation. Felix points towards the second shelter frame.
Felix: “Oh yeah. Explain that.”
Seungmin: “Backup shelter.”
Felix: “In case?”
Seungmin: “Fire.”
Felix blinks.
Seungmin: “I refuse to lose because of an avoidable emergency.”
A beat.
Seungmin: “Lee Minho would enjoy that too much.”
Felix slowly backs away from him.
Felix: “You’re starting to scare me a little.”
Minsung Dorm
10:14 AM
Minho sits beside the fire threading fish fillets onto sharpened sticks. Smoke rises steadily from the fire, fish traps sit in the river, several squirrel skins dry nearby. Jisung watches them with visible emotional distress.
Minho: “I’m smoking the extra fish.”
He hangs another fillet carefully.
Minho: “If we’re doing this properly, we need food stores.”
Jisung: “I don’t think I can eat any more fish.”
Minho looks at him slowly.
Minho: “…it’s day two.”
Jisung: “I want noodles.”
Minho: “We have fish.”
Jisung: “I’m sick of fish.”
Minho gestures vaguely towards the entire forest.
Minho: “Where exactly do you think alternative cuisine is coming from?”
Jisung whines incoherently and Minho ignores him.
Minho: “We can go hunting later.”
Jisung immediately brightens.
Jisung: “For rice?”
Minho stares at him.
Minho: “…for rabbits.”
Jisung: “Oh.”
Minho: “Possibly grouse.”
Jisung: “I miss carbohydrates.”
Minho: “Duly noted. If we discover a rice paddy in western Canada, I’ll let you know.”
Jisung considers this seriously for one full second before realising.
Jisung: “Wait.”
Minho rolls his eyes.
Minho: “Come on. We’ll look for dandelion roots.”
He stands and grabs the pot.
Minho: “I’ll make stew.”
Jisung trails after him miserably.
Jisung: “I can’t believe I’m eating squirrels in Canada.”
Minho: “Better believe it, it’s happening.”
Day 2. Evening
Hyunibini Dorm
The shelter somehow looks worse than yesterday despite technically being rebuilt.
Several long branches lean against each other at angles that suggest optimism rather than engineering. The tarpaulin droops heavily towards the riverbank. One corner is actively touching the water. Nearby, a tiny fire struggles weakly between four randomly abandoned rocks.
Changbin pans the camera across the whole camp before turning it back to show himself standing proudly beside the shelter with the expression of a man unveiling luxury property.
Changbin: “So we rebuilt the shelter!”
He gestures enthusiastically upward.
Changbin: “It’s loads better now.”
The camera cuts to the roof immediately sagging another several centimetres.
Changbin: “I’m really proud of Hyunjin.”
Hyunjin is wrapped in a blanket staring blankly into the river.
Changbin: “He helped me lift the branches so we can both stand underneath now.”
Hyunjin weakly raises one hand in acknowledgement.
Changbin: “One bonus of having a tall roommate.”
Hyunjin continues staring into the void.
Hyunjin: “I don’t think I can sleep in this again.”
Changbin: “Come on, one more night. We can do it.”
He points dramatically towards the forest.
Changbin: “We just have to beat Minho and Jisung, right?”
A very long silence.
Hyunjin: “…right.”
Changbin immediately brightens again.
Changbin: “Anyway! We have shelter, I got the fire going again, and we found mushrooms so I made soup.”
He proudly lifts the lid off the cooking pot. Inside is a thick grey substance with the texture and general appearance of glue. The camera holds on it for several deeply uncomfortable seconds. Off camera, a single muffled sob is heard from Hyunjin.
Changbin: “The net still hasn’t caught anything…”
A pause.
Changbin: “But we reread the instructions and realised you actually have to put it underwater. So maybe tomorrow?”
Silence. The camera slowly zooms towards Hyunjin.
Hyunjin: “I just want to go home.”
Minsung Dorm
The shelter glows warmly in the firelight, and everything is organised with deeply unsettling efficiency. Jisung sits wrapped tightly in a blanket while Minho calmly plates dinner onto what appear to be hand-carved wooden plates. They also have forks fashioned from carved branches.
Jisung speaks to the camera.
Jisung: “I think he’s becoming one with the forest.”
Minho ignores him completely.
Minho: “We caught a rabbit.”
He gestures casually towards dinner.
Minho: “I found dandelions, bulrushes, wild spinach, and more berries.”
He points to each item with the calm confidence of a man hosting a wilderness cooking show.
Minho: “So I made rabbit and dandelion stew served over mashed bulrush root with wilted spinach.”
A beat.
Minho: “And stewed berries for pudding.”
Jisung stares at the bowl.
Jisung: “It would be better with rice.”
Minho slowly turns towards him, and the atmosphere changes instantly.
Jisung straightens immediately.
Jisung: “But it’s delicious, hyung.”
Another pause.
Jisung: “I’m very lucky to be here with you.”
Minho accepts this and continues calmly eating.
Minho: “I’m sewing the rabbit and squirrel skins together once we have enough.”
Jisung freezes mid-bite.
Minho: “I’m going to make thread from the intestines and carve needles from the bone.”
Pause.
Minho: “Should have a decent winter coat eventually.”
Jisung looks genuinely frightened now.
Jisung: “…winter?”
Minho stands, picks up the bow, and wanders casually off screen.
A distant TWANG echoes through the trees.
Then there is silence. Jisung slowly lowers his spoon. Several birds scatter overhead. Minho returns less than a minute later carrying a squirrel impaled neatly through the torso.
Jisung: “Oh my god.”
Minho: “I’ll skin this, smoke the meat, check the gill net, then boil water for tomorrow.”
Jisung stares at him for a very long moment.
Jisung: “I’m so bored.”
Dimple Dorm
The camp is immaculate. Every tool is perfectly aligned; firewood is stacked by size. The earth floor somehow appears swept. Even the rocks around the firepit have been arranged aesthetically. Beside the fire lies the cleaned skeleton of a fish.
Chan proudly pans the camera around camp like a man showing off a newly renovated house.
Chan: “I arranged the rocks around the fire by size.”
He sounds genuinely pleased with himself.
Chan: “And Jeongin caught us a fish for dinner.”
Jeongin nods calmly while crouched beside the fire.
Chan: “Still need more protein though.”
Jeongin: “Fish collagen is really good for your skin and hair health.”
Chan pauses.
Chan: “…that’s not quite what I meant.”
Jeongin continues inspecting pine needles thoughtfully.
Chan: “Anyway, I’ve got the fish guts as bait, so I’m gonna go try catching more fish.”
He starts gathering the fishing line.
Chan: “You coming?”
No answer.
Chan slowly turns.
Jeongin is chewing thoughtfully on a handful of pine needles.
Chan: “…what are you doing?”
Jeongin: “Chewing pine needles.”
Chan: “But why?”
Jeongin: “I thought that’s what people do in forests.”
Chan stares at him in complete silence.
Jeongin: “They taste green.”
Chan looks directly into the camera.
Chan: “We’re never outlasting Minho, are we?”
Happy House
The campsite now resembles a small woodland settlement. Two sturdy shelters stand on either side of the clearing. A line strung between them holds their sleeping bags airing beside smoked fish and drying herbs. The fire burns steadily beneath a bubbling pot of stew. Felix sits happily carving a tiny animal out of wood. Seungmin is attaching grouse feathers to what appears to be some kind of horrifying woodland disguise.
Felix watches him carefully.
Felix: “…what are you making?”
Seungmin doesn’t look up.
Seungmin: “A disguise.”
Felix: “Why?”
Seungmin: “To catch grouse, you must become grouse.”
Felix blinks.
Felix: “I feel like that’s objectively not true.”
Seungmin continues weaving feathers into the structure with terrifying concentration.
Felix: “I’m making a hedgehog.”
He proudly holds up the tiny carving.
Felix: “To keep us company.”
Seungmin glances at it once.
Seungmin: “Waste of calories.”
Felix gasps softly.
Seungmin: “We should only spend energy on tasks that help us beat Lee Minho.”
Felix slowly lowers the hedgehog.
Felix: “I’m seeing a side of you I don’t fully trust.”
Seungmin: “I’m not letting him win.”
The camera pans towards the stew pot.
Felix: “We caught a really good trout earlier.”
Seungmin: “And the bulrush roots thickened the stew nicely.”
Felix stirs the pot thoughtfully.
Felix: “Still wish we had seasoning packets.”
A dangerous pause.
Seungmin: “…we might.”
Felix freezes instantly.
Felix: “No we do not.”
Seungmin: “We might…”
Felix: “That would be cheating.”
Seungmin finally remembers the camera.
A beat.
Seungmin: “Oh. Right.”
He smiles with absolutely no sincerity whatsoever.
Seungmin: “Of course we don’t have seasoning.”
Another pause.
Seungmin: “Ha ha.”
Day 3. Morning
Hyunibini Dorm
The campsite is empty. The shelter has partially collapsed into the river. A helicopter hovers overhead.
Cut to:
Changbin and Hyunjin wrapped in emergency blankets inside the evacuation helicopter. Both are openly crying.
Hyunjin: “There was a bear.”
A producer speaks from off camera. “Our footage shows an otter entered your camp.”
Changbin looks genuinely offended.
Changbin: “A massive otter.”
Producer: “We estimate that it weighed approximately six kilograms.”
Changbin: “We couldn’t stay after our lives ere clearly threatened.”
Hyunjin wipes his eyes dramatically.
Hyunjin: “I haven’t moisturised properly in three days.”
Changbin: “And we only ate mushroom glue.”
The helicopter continues towards base camp.
HYUNIBINI DORM
TAPPED OUT: DAY 3
CAUSE OF ELIMINATION: OTTER INCURSION
Day 3. Afternoon
Dimple Dorm
The camera opens on what appears to be a piano keyboard carved directly into the earth. Wooden sticks of different lengths have been lined up carefully across the ground. Beside them are strange symbols scratched into the mud. Chan crouches over the setup with the intense concentration of a man moments away from a scientific breakthrough or possibly complete psychological collapse.
Jeongin sits nearby washing his face aggressively with boiled river water.
Chan taps different wooden keys thoughtfully.
Chan: “Okay wait, that one’s definitely an F sharp.”
He hits another stick against a tree trunk.
‘TOK.’
Chan gasps softly.
Chan: “Oh, that’s usable.”
Jeongin slowly turns towards the camera.
Jeongin: “I’m becoming concerned.”
Chan ignores him completely and scribbles more notes into the dirt.
Chan: “If I film the notes before we leave, I can transcribe them later.”
Jeongin: “We caught a fish this morning and his first thought was to record the sound it made hitting the rocks.”
Chan looks up immediately.
Chan: “It had really good texture.”
Jeongin: “…it was dying.”
Chan: “And?”
A long silence.
Jeongin turns back to the camera.
Jeongin: “He also recorded squirrels fighting at sunrise because he says it could become percussion.”
Chan gestures passionately towards the forest.
Chan: “The ambience out here is incredible.”
He points towards the river.
Chan: “The water already sounds mixed.”
Another pause.
Chan: “I need my laptop so badly.”
Jeongin: “Everyone thought I’d lose my mind first.”
Chan is now gently hitting different trees with a stick.
‘TOK.’
‘THWAK.’
‘THUNK.’
Chan gasps again.
Chan: “Oh that one’s snare-adjacent.”
Jeongin watches him with growing fear.
Jeongin: “I’m not gonna lie. This is starting to worry me.”
Minsung Dorm
The shelter is now absurdly comfortable, with additional insulation lining the walls.
Several smoked fish hang drying beside neatly stretched animal skins. Minho has somehow constructed an actual table, meanwhile Jisung sits beside the fire looking emotionally exhausted and catastrophically bored.
Jisung: “I need enrichment.”
Minho doesn’t look up from repairing fishing line.
Jisung: “I need something to do, hyung.”
Minho finally glances towards him.
Minho: “Can you do something without destroying anything?”
Jisung looks deeply offended.
Jisung: “That’s insulting. Obviously I can.”
Minho: “You sat on my fish basket yesterday.”
Jisung: “That was one time.”
Minho: “You crushed it completely flat.”
Jisung stands dramatically.
Jisung: “I won’t do it again.”
Immediately, his foot lands directly on one of Minho’s carved wooden plates.
CRACK.
Silence.
Jisung freezes, Minho slowly closes his eyes. Jisung carefully lifts his foot. The plate is split cleanly in half. A very long silence follows.
Jisung quietly sits back down beside the fire.
Jisung: “…okay. I’ll just stay here.”
Minho resumes repairing the fishing line with the exhausted patience of a man raising an incompetent raccoon.
Happy House
The camera opens on total silence. Seungmin lies flat on his back outside the shelter with his arms by his sides. He is completely motionless.
Felix washes the cooking pot in the river while humming cheerfully to himself.
Felix: “He keeps saying ‘power off’ and collapsing between activities.”
The camera zooms slowly towards Seungmin’s unmoving body.
Felix: “It would be more frightening if it wasn’t something he did at home anyway.”
Without warning, Seungmin is suddenly standing directly behind him. Felix screams.
Felix: “OH MY GOD.”
Seungmin doesn’t react.
Seungmin: “It’s energy conservation.”
Felix clutches his chest dramatically.
Felix: “You move like a panther.”
Seungmin calmly holds up two bark containers.
Seungmin: “I made cups.”
Felix immediately brightens.
Felix: “Oh those are cute!”
Seungmin: “I also think I’ve figured out storage jars.”
Felix: “…from bark?”
Seungmin: “And wood.”
Felix stares at him.
Seungmin: “I’m going to gather more materials.”
Without another word, he silently disappears into the forest. The camera follows the empty trees for a moment, then Felix turns slowly back towards the lens.
Felix: “He’s genuinely starting to scare me now.”
Day 4
Dimple Dorm
A helicopter passes overhead.
Cut to:
Chan wrapped in a foil blanket looking defeated, andJeongin sitting beside him looking surprisingly refreshed.
His skin is glowing.
A producer speaks off camera.
Producer: “So what happened?”
Jeongin sighs heavily.
Jeongin: “Chan completely lost the plot overnight.”
Cut to shaky emergency footage of Chan attempting to carve a laptop shape into an enormous slab of sandstone.
Chan: “If I hollow out enough space I could theoretically build the keyboard—”
The knife slips violently.
Cut back to present.
Jeongin: “He cut his hand.”
Chan weakly lifts his head.
Chan: “I just need Cubase.”
Jeongin: “We thought the first aid kit would handle it…”
Chan: “I had melodies.”
Jeongin: “But honestly I reached a point where I realised I don’t care about winning enough to supervise whatever… this was becoming.”
Chan whimpers softly beneath the foil blanket.
Jeongin: “So I made the mature decision and tapped us out.”
A producer nods sympathetically.
Producer: “Understandable.”
Jeongin brightens slightly.
Jeongin: “Anyway, I brought some birch sap back with me.”
He holds up a bottle proudly.
Jeongin: “It’s done wonders for my pores.”
DIMPLE DORM
TAPPED OUT: DAY 4
CAUSE OF ELIMINATION: EXTREME TECHNOLOGY WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS
Happy House
The camp now looks semi-permanent. Additional racks have appeared beside the smoker and bundles of dried herbs hang neatly from tree branches. Felix has arranged several tiny carved woodland animals beside the fire in what appears to be a small society. Seungmin lies flat on the ground again in shutdown mode. Felix carefully adjusts a wooden badger.
Felix: “This one’s the mayor.”
Silence.
Felix: “And this one gathers berries.”
Another pause.
Felix: “I think we’re all coping really well.”
Without warning, Seungmin suddenly powers back on and rises directly behind him like an apparition. Felix screams loud enough to scare birds out of nearby trees.
Felix: “STOP DOING THAT.”
Seungmin: “I’m going fishing.”
Felix clutches the wooden hedgehog protectively.
Felix: “You’re terrifying.”
Cut to the riverbank where their gill net hangs empty in the current.
Felix: “Okay, that’s not ideal.”
Seungmin nods once.
Seungmin: “River conditions shifted.”
Felix: “You say these things like you were born out here.”
A beat later, Seungmin catches a trout almost immediately.
Felix: “…never mind.”
Back at camp, they cook fish over the fire in complete domestic silence.
Minsung Dorm
Jisung sits beside the fire staring blankly into space. A full minute passes in which nothing happens. Minho walks past carrying firewood.
Jisung: “I’m bored.”
Minho: “You said that ten minutes ago.”
Jisung: “And I still am.”
Minho continues stacking wood with terrifying efficiency.
Jisung: “How long do you think we’ve been here?”
Minho: “Four days.”
Jisung looks genuinely devastated.
Jisung: “It feels like I’ve lived seventeen lifetimes.”
The camera pans slowly across camp, showing their smoked fish stores, drying meat, preserved berries, stacked firewood and handmade tools. They could realistically survive another month already.
Jisung sighs dramatically.
Jisung: “I miss the corner shop.”
Day 5
Base Camp
Warm lighting, soft beds. Actual plumbing. The eliminated members sit around a hotel lounge eating enormous quantities of food while production staff hover nearby looking relieved that nobody died.
Hyunjin is wearing a fluffy white dressing gown and reclining on an actual sofa. He looks spiritually reborn.
Hyunjin: “There are walls here.”
A long emotional pause.
Hyunjin: “And ceilings.”
Changbin nods solemnly as he walks behind him while eating noodles at dangerous speed.
Changbin: “I forgot that food could have flavour.”
Nearby, Jeongin is forcing birch sap onto visibly unwilling staff members.
Jeongin: “No, listen, I’m serious. My skin barrier has never been healthier.”
One exhausted producer now has birch sap spread across the back of their hand.
At a nearby table, Chan and Changbin now sit hunched over Chan’s laptop going through audio files. Chan looks deeply alive again.
Chan: “Okay wait, hear this.”
He presses play. The sound of squirrels screaming echoes from the speakers. Chan nods seriously.
Chan: “That’s a good top line.”
Changbin: “Oh wait, layer the river audio underneath.”
Chan does. Both men stare at the waveform with terrifying intensity.
Back In The Wilderness
Minsung Dorm
Jisung has made gloves out of enormous leaves and he is using them as puppets, with full emotional commitment. The camera slowly zooms in as he performs both voices in what appears to be a dramatic reenactment of Two Kids Room.
Jisung: “This is Minho puppet.”
He raises one leaf glove dramatically.
Jisung: “And this is Binnie puppet.”
Another leaf appears. A nearby rock has been designated as the bed.
Jisung: “Look! Ha ha!”
Meanwhile:
Minho has already harvested and reset the gill net, cleaned and hung fish to dry, checked an entire snare line, caught two rabbits and another squirrel, processed bulrush starch, and organised several days worth of preserved food.
At this point the campsite resembles a small professional outdoor kitchen. If they had electricity, Minho could feasibly open a restaurant.
Minho continues gutting fish without looking up.
Minho: “Food’s nearly ready.”
Jisung immediately drops both leaf puppets.
Jisung: “Oh thank god.”
He scrambles towards the fire.
Minho carefully plates slices of raw fish.
Minho: “I made sashimi.”
Jisung’s entire personality resets instantly.
Jisung: “Oh wow.”
He takes a bite.
Jisung: “Oh WOW.”
Another bite.
Jisung: “Okay, this is incredible.”
Minho calmly continues preparing fish.
Jisung: “So what are we doing today?”
Minho gestures towards the riverbank.
Minho: “I’m digging a cold storage system into the embankment.”
Jisung blinks.
Minho: “If I reinforce it deeply enough with support struts, the ground temperature should keep it cold.”
A pause.
Minho: “Basically a fridge.”
Jisung stares at him like he’s witnessing evolution in real time.
Jisung: “What can I do to help?”
Minho considers him carefully. There is a long silence.
Minho: “I would strongly recommend doing something nowhere near the riverbank.”
Happy House
Rows of bark containers line the shelving on the walls with deeply unsettling organisation. Seungmin points the camera at each one with the seriousness of a museum curator.
Seungmin: “Dried fruit.”
Another container.
Seungmin: “Dried fish.”
Another.
Seungmin: “Nuts.”
He shrugs once and silently walks away. A moment later he lies flat on the ground and powers off. Felix watches him for a second.
Felix: “He’s doing that more often now.”
Cut to:
Felix crouched beside a tree holding out a nut. A squirrel watches him cautiously from a branch.
Felix: “Hello little squirrel.”
The squirrel inches closer and Felix gasps softly.
Felix: “I’m naming you Jisung because you remind me of my twin.”
The squirrel grabs the nut and flees immediately, Felix waves happily after it.
Felix: “Bye squirrel Jisung!”
He turns back towards the camera.
Felix: “That’s my new friend.”
A pause.
Felix: “I think he trusts me.”
The camera pans to reveal Seungmin silently standing motionless in deep shadow nearby. Felix screams.
Felix: “AAGH!”
Seungmin: “What.”
Felix clutches his chest.
Felix: “You can’t keep appearing like that!”
Seungmin: “Should we check the fish?”
Felix: “…sure.”
They head towards the river together.
Day 7 - Medical Checks
Happy House
The medical team approaches camp cautiously, then stops completely. A long silence follows.
Medical Team: “…is that a second shelter?”
Seungmin looks up from sharpening a stick.
Seungmin: “Yes.”
A pause.
Medical Team: “Why?”
Seungmin: “Backup shelter.”
Medical Team: “In case of what?”
Seungmin: “Structural failure. Fire. Weather damage.”
The medical team stare at him. Behind them, Felix suddenly appears at full speed like an overexcited golden retriever who’s discovered an unguarded bag of dog biscuits.
Felix: “OH MY GOD, HI!”
The entire medical team jumps.
Felix: “Sorry. Sorry. It’s just REALLY nice to see people.”
He grabs the nearest medic by the sleeve with alarming emotional intensity.
Felix: “You have NO idea how long I’ve been talking almost exclusively to Seungmin.”
The medic glances nervously towards Seungmin. Seungmin continues sharpening the stick in complete silence.
Felix: “And he barely answers me anymore.”
Seungmin: “Energy conservation.”
Felix: “See?!”
The medic nods sympathetically.
Felix: “Anyway welcome to camp!”
He gestures proudly around the clearing.
Felix: “This is the cooking area, and THAT’S the smoker, and over there are the fish racks, and these are our bark storage containers.”
He picks one up excitedly.
Felix: “This one’s full of dried berries!”
Another container.
Felix: “And this one’s got dried mushrooms!”
Another.
Felix: “And this one’s emergency nuts.”
The medical team blink.
Felix: “We also have reserve firewood over there because Seungmin says it’s important to be prepared.”
Seungmin nods once without looking up.
Felix: “And look!”
He rushes towards the shelters.
Felix: “I reorganised the carving shelf.”
The medical team exchange nervous glances but follow him anyway. Felix proudly presents several tiny wooden animals lined neatly beside the wall.
Felix: “This is Mr Badger.”
Another carving.
Felix: “This is Mrs Hedgehog.”
Another.
Felix: “And THIS is Captain Squirrel.”
The medic crouches politely.
Medical Team: “…these are really good actually.”
Felix lights up instantly.
Felix: “THANK YOU.”
He lowers his voice dramatically.
Felix: “I also have real squirrel friends now.”
The medic freezes slightly.
Felix: “One of them’s called Jisung.”
The medic slowly looks towards the trees, and an actual squirrel appears nearby.
Felix gasps.
Felix: “THERE HE IS.”
He waves enthusiastically.
Felix: “Hi squirrel Jisung!”
The squirrel vanishes immediately, and Felix turns back looking genuinely emotional.
Felix: “He’s still shy.”
A long silence.
Medical Team: “…right.”
Seungmin suddenly appears behind them all. Nobody noticed him move.
Medical Team: “AAGH!”
Seungmin: “We should do the medical checks before the light changes.”
Cut to:
Inside the medical tent. Felix is still talking. Rapidly.
Felix: “and THEN Seungmin caught two grouse in like ten minutes, which was honestly terrifying but also kind of impressive? And we’ve been smoking fish, and I think I’m becoming a wilderness person now because I can identify bird calls? Oh and I made a spoon out of bark but it leaked stew everywhere so that was a disaster, but I think I know where I went wrong, so I’m going to try again later and…”
The medic checking his pulse looks overwhelmed.
Medical Team: “…your heart rate’s excellent.”
Felix: “Really? That’s great!”
Meanwhile another medic stares at Seungmin’s chart. Then stares at him. Then back at the chart.
Medical Team: “…you’ve both gained weight.”
Silence.
Medical Team: “That has literally never happened before.”
Felix beams proudly.
Felix: “We’re thriving!”
Seungmin: “We don’t eat much at home.”
Felix: “We’re eating root vegetables here!”
Seungmin: “Bulrushes.”
Felix: “And squirrel!”
The medic blinks.
Medical Team: “…you ate the squirrel?”
Felix looks horrified.
Felix: “NO.”
A pause.
Felix: “He’s my friend.”
The medic visibly relaxes.
Felix: “We ate a different squirrel.”
The medic immediately tenses again.
Felix: “Anyway! How are the others doing?”
The tent goes slightly quieter.
Medical Team: “Well… we can tell you that, including you, there are only two teams remaining.”
Felix gasps so dramatically he nearly falls off the stool.
Felix: “WHAT?!”
He turns immediately towards Seungmin.
Felix: “Oh my god who do you think it is?”
Seungmin answers instantly.
Seungmin: “Minho.”
Medical Team: “…we can’t confirm that.”
Seungmin narrows his eyes.
Felix: “It could still be Chan-hyung!”
Seungmin: “No.”
A pause as Seungmin folds his arms.
Seungmin: “We’re not leaving until he does.”
Felix slowly turns towards him.
Felix: “I think this is the most you’ve said all day.”
The medical team begin packing up very quickly and Felix notices immediately.
Felix: “Oh! You’re leaving already?”
Medical Team: “…yes.”
Felix: “But we were just starting to have a really nice chat.”
Medical Team: “We’ll see you again in a week.”
Felix looks genuinely delighted.
Felix: “REALLY?”
The medical staff nod cautiously.
Felix waves enthusiastically as they retreat into the forest.
Felix: “BYE.”
A beat.
Felix: “Tell the others I said hi!”
The medical team disappear into the trees at concerning speed while Seungmin silently returns to constructing what appears to be another bark container.
Minsung Dorm
The medical team enters camp then immediately stops walking.
Medical Team:
“…is that a puppet theatre?”
A small stage made from branches stands beside the fire, with several stick puppets propped up nearby. One appears to be Changbin. Jisung sees the medical staff and nearly bursts into tears.
Jisung: “PEOPLE!”
He sprints towards them at dangerous speed.
Jisung: “Did we win?!”
Medical Team: “No, we’re just here for medical checks.”
Jisung visibly deflates. Behind him, Minho calmly continues preparing food.
Medical Team: “We just need to check weight, pulse, camp safety…”
Minho gestures around camp.
Minho: “Our camp is in excellent condition.”
The medic slowly surveys organised drying racks, preserved meat, reinforced shelter walls, cold storage excavation, carved tools, and multiple bundles of hanging herbs.
Medical Team: “…yes.”
Medical Team: “Wait…are those noodles?”
Minho: “Yes.”
A stunned silence.
Minho: “I made them from bulrush starch.”
The medical team stare at him.
Minho: “Hand-pulled.”
Jisung proudly points towards their rudimentary table.
Jisung: “We had some fresh with breakfast, with a spinach reduction and sautéed rabbit thigh!”
The medic blinks slowly.
Minho: “I’m drying the rest for winter.”
Medical Team: “…winter?”
Jisung immediately points accusingly.
Jisung: “THAT’S WHAT I KEEP SAYING.”
Minho doesn’t react.
Minho: “If I increase the smoked meat stores we should comfortably make mid-March.”
Silence.
The medical staff stare at him in complete disbelief, and Jisung also stares at him, open-mouthed.
Medical Team: “…we were told none of you would make it past day five.”
Day 8
Rain hammers relentlessly against the forest canopy. The river runs faster now, swollen and grey beneath the storm clouds. Both remaining camps have been forced indoors.
Minsung Dorm
Rain drums steadily against the roof of the shelter. Inside, Minho lies perfectly still in his sleeping bag staring directly upward with the hollow expression of a man who has seen things. One eye twitches occasionally.
Beside him:
Jisung is performing interpretative dance. Loudly. He spins dramatically across the shelter holding two sticks like microphones.
Jisung: “RIGHT.”
He points aggressively at Minho.
Jisung: “Guess which SKZ Code episode this is.”
Minho does not move. Jisung suddenly jumps, spins, kicks the air, then drops onto all fours barking loudly.
Jisung: “HYUNG.”
Another bark.
Jisung: “YOU HAVE TO GUESS.”
Minho slowly turns towards the camera and the thousand-yard stare intensifies.
Minho: “I genuinely thought the wilderness would be the thing I had to survive.”
A pause.
Minho: “Not him.”
Beside him, Jisung has already moved onto another performance. He spins violently in circles while singing “The Tortoise and the Hare” at full volume.
Jisung: “Ppalli, ppalli, ppalli, ppalli…”
Minho closes his eyes immediately.
Minho: “I don’t know how much longer I can take this.”
Jisung gasps dramatically.
Jisung: “You’re not even TRYING to guess.”
Minho: “I’m actually going to cry.”
Rain continues hammering the shelter.
Jisung now begins reenacting entire choreography sections alone as Minho pulls the blanket slowly over his face like a man longing for a swift death.
Happy House
The shelter is dark and peaceful and rain taps softly against the tarpaulin roof. Felix sleeps soundly on the raised platform wrapped tightly in his sleeping bag. The camera lingers on him for an unusually long time. Soft snoring fills the shelter. Then, very slowly, the camera pans sideways.
Two eyes stare back from the darkness.
Seungmin is awake and completely motionless. Several long seconds pass in total silence.
Then, a whisper:
Seungmin: “I’m going out.”
Felix does not wake up.
Seungmin silently disappears into the storm, the shelter flap settling closed behind him. The camera remains fixed on darkness while Felix continues softly snoring in the background. Somewhere outside, thunder rolls through the forest.
Day 9
The storm finally clears overnight. Sunlight filters softly through dripping pine trees. Birdsong returns to the forest.
Happy House
The campsite looks absurdly fresh after the rain, and everything has already been reorganised. Water runoff channels have somehow been dug around both shelters, firewood sits covered neatly beneath bark roofing.
Felix sits cross-legged in the middle of camp scattering seeds around himself happily. Several small birds hop nearby. A mouse investigates one boot cautiously. Somewhere behind him, a squirrel watches from a branch.
Felix beams. A shaft of sunlight hits him perfectly. He looks less like a survival contestant and more like a Disney princess who wandered into the Canadian wilderness by mistake.
Felix: “Hello little birds.”
One bird lands nearby and Felix gasps softly.
Felix: “Oh! Hi mouse.”
The mouse continues eating seeds.
Felix: “And hello hedgehog!”
The camera turns slightly. There is, inexplicably, an actual hedgehog nearby. Felix looks genuinely emotional.
Felix: “We’re all having breakfast together.”
Seungmin emerges silently from the trees with several freshly caught fish hanging from one hand. Mud streaks his clothes. His hair is damp. He pauses. Stares directly into the camera for a long time. Then silently vanishes back into the woods again.
Felix watches him go calmly.
Felix: “He does that a lot now.”
Minsung Dorm
Minho checks arrows carefully beside the fire, and Jisung hovers nearby with deeply threatening enthusiasm.
Jisung: “Hyung.”
Minho immediately looks tired.
Jisung: “Can I come hunting with you today?”
Minho pauses very slowly.
Minho: “…I really don’t need a repeat of yesterday.”
Jisung looks offended.
Jisung: “That squirrel was so cute though!”
Minho: “You cannot sing at the wildlife during a hunt.”
Jisung: “I thought it might calm them.”
Minho stares at him in complete disbelief.
Minho: “You sang ‘Case 143’ at a squirrel for twenty minutes.”
Jisung: “It was listening.”
Minho rubs both hands down his face.
Jisung: “But what else am I supposed to DO here?”
A long silence.
Minho looks towards the forest, then towards Jisung.
Minho: “…fine.”
Jisung gasps excitedly.
Minho: “You can come with me to check the snare lines.”
Jisung nearly vibrates with joy. Minho raises one finger immediately.
Minho: “But QUIETLY.”
Jisung: “WOOOOOHOOOO—”
Birds explode upwards from nearby trees in panic.
The forest falls silent again, and Minho’s eye twitches violently.
The camera turns slowly towards his face.
Minho: “…I’m going to die out here. Or else he is.”
Day 10
Base Camp
The producers, management staff, and the four eliminated members sit around a conference table looking exhausted. The producer rubs both hands over his face.
Producer: “Right. We are approaching a critical point.”
He gestures towards management accusingly.
Producer: “You promised us none of them would make it past a week.”
Management looks defensive immediately.
Management: “We genuinely believed that.”
Producer: “It’s been TEN DAYS.”
Management: “They have schedules in Seoul next Saturday!”
Chan leans back in his chair looking personally offended.
Chan: “Did none of you consider that Lee Minho and Kim Seungmin would treat this like a blood feud?”
Jeongin nods seriously.
Jeongin: “I honestly thought that was why they weren’t paired together.”
Producer: “…what?”
Jeongin: “To make sure everyone failed.”
Hyunjin visibly shudders.
Hyunjin: “Oh god. If those two were a team we’d literally never get them out of the forest again.”
Changbin nods immediately.
Changbin: “They’d build a civilisation out there.”
Chan: “They’d start charging taxes from the wildlife.”
The producer stares blankly into the distance for a moment.
Producer: “…anyway.”
He flips through paperwork.
Producer: “What exactly are we supposed to do now?”
Management hesitates.
Management: “Well…”
Another pause.
Management: “To be honest, we think Jisung might break Minho first.”
Changbin bursts out laughing immediately. “That often happens during normal schedules actually.”
Hyunjin nods. “Yeah, ten days trapped alone in a forest with Han Jisung sounds less like survival and more like torture.”
Producer: “…you may have a point there.”
Management clears their throat awkwardly.
Management: “We could move the medical checks forwards and maybe pull them on health grounds?”
Producer: “We can’t.”
Everyone looks at him.
Producer: “They’re healthier now than when they arrived.”
Silence.
Producer: “Honestly after this show I think you all need to reevaluate idol working conditions.”
Chan points immediately.
Chan: “See? I’ve been SAYING this.”
Jeongin: “Minho built a refrigerator.”
Producer: “He made noodles.”
Hyunjin: “He made WHAT?”
Producer: “Hand-pulled noodles from bulrush starch.”
Another silence then Chan leans forwards thoughtfully.
Chan: “Why don’t you send the medical team in early and do mental health evaluations?”
Producer: “…mental health.”
Chan: “From the footage we’ve seen, Seungmin may have already completely detached from reality.”
Jeongin: “And Minho’s one Jisung puppet show away from committing a crime.”
Producer slowly nods.
Producer: “…okay. That actually sounds reasonable.”
Day 11
Minsung Dorm
The camera opens on Minho constructing a fence around the camp with terrifying efficiency. Nearby, clay pots dry in the sunlight, with no explanation for where the clay came from. Fish smoke over the fire, rabbit skins hang curing, and the cold storage pit now has a proper wooden cover.
At this point the campsite closely resembles a functioning prehistoric settlement. Jisung is dancing up to a squirrel while rapping loudly.
Jisung: “Slide, 반지 kiss, muah!”
The squirrel flees. Jisung gasps.
Jisung: “Wait, come back!”
Minho closes his eyes. The sound of approaching footsteps interrupts the chaos. The medical team enters camp cautiously, then stops dead.
Medical Team: “…is that a fence?”
Minho: “Yes.”
Medical Team: “Why?”
Minho: “Predators.”
The medical team slowly look towards Jisung.
Minho: “…amongst other things.”
Jisung: “HYUNG.”
Medical Team: “Anyway! We’re here for a checkup.”
Minho finally looks surprised.
Minho: “You’re early.”
Medical Team: “Yes. Production insisted.”
Minho: “…why? We’re fine!”
The medic hesitates slightly.
Medical Team: “It’s a mental health assessment.”
A long silence then Minho slowly turns towards Jisung.
At that exact moment:
Jisung is attempting to balance a leaf on his head while narrating in a nature documentary voice.
Jisung: “And now the forest prince accepts his tiny crown.”
Minho turns back to the medical team immediately.
Minho: “Oh.”
Another long pause.
Minho: “In that case, we are not fine.”
The medical team glance at each other cautiously.
Medical Team: “…can you elaborate?”
Minho points silently towards Jisung who is now performing both sides of a conversation with two stick puppets.
Jisung: “No YOU apologise first!”
Minho: “I haven’t experienced silence in eleven days.”
Medical Team: “…right.”
Minho: “He even talks in his sleep.”
Minho takes a very long breath. Then, calmly.
Minho: “I would like to leave.”
Silence. The medical team blink. Jisung freezes completely.
Jisung: “…what?”
Minho gestures around camp.
Minho: “We have adequate food, clean water, preserved supplies, a weatherproof shelter, medical resources, and enough smoked meat to survive until spring.”
The camera pans across the absurdly functional camp. Then back to Minho.
Minho: “But psychologically?”
He points directly at Jisung.
Minho: “I’m reaching my limit.”
Jisung looks genuinely heartbroken.
Jisung: “Hyung, I can be less annoying!”
Minho: “You said that four days ago.”
Jisung: “And THIS time I mean it.”
Jisung immediately starts humming loudly while trying to be quiet. Minho stares blankly into the distance.
Medical Team: “…so are you officially tapping out?”
Minho looks towards Jisung. Jisung clasps both hands dramatically. Minho rubs his face tiredly.
Minho: “If I stay out here any longer, I’m going to kill him myself.”
Somewhere outside Minsung Camp
The medical team stands in the woods beside a helicopter, speaking urgently into a phone.
Medical Team: “Hi. Minho and Jisung have officially tapped out.”
Base Camp
Inside the conference room.
Chan immediately exhales in relief.
Hyunjin: “Oh thank GOD.”
Changbin: “Honestly I’m impressed Minho lasted that long before snapping.”
Jeongin: “I’m more impressed he didn’t bury Jisung somewhere in the woods.”
Management rubs their temples tiredly.
Management: “Okay. Fine. We’ll extract the remaining team then, and announce the winners.”
A pause.
Then:
Changbin slowly raises one hand.
Changbin: “…or.”
Everyone turns towards him.
Changbin: “We don’t.”
Silence.
Jeongin nods thoughtfully.
Jeongin: “We still have ten days before we need to be back in Seoul.”
Chan immediately starts laughing.
Chan: “No.”
Jeongin: “Yes.”
Producer: “…you want us to just leave them out there?”
Changbin: “I need to know how far Seungmin’s commitment to beating Minho really goes.”
Hyunjin: “They might actually survive forever.”
Producer: “…that’s becoming increasingly believable.”
Chan wipes tears from his eyes.
Chan: “Honestly? Keep filming.”
The producer slowly looks towards the live camp footage playing silently on a monitor.
On screen:
Felix is feeding berries to a squirrel while Seungmin sharpens something in total darkness nearby.
Producer: “…okay.”
A beat.
Producer: “Do the mental health check. But don’t tell them anything.”
Happy House
The forest is quiet and the camp somehow looks EVEN MORE developed than before.
Additional shelving has appeared; the smoker has been upgraded; there is now what appears to be a dedicated wood storage system. Felix hums cheerfully beside the fire while cooking fish in a handmade clay dish. Seungmin lurks silently in the shadows beside the shelter. The sound of approaching footsteps interrupts camp life and the medical team emerges from the trees.
Medical Team: “Hi guys! We’re here for another checkup.”
Felix looks genuinely emotional.
Felix: “Oh wow, it’s so nice to see you again.”
Seungmin steps silently out of the shadows. Several medics visibly flinch.
Seungmin: “You’re early.”
Medical Team: “Yes. Production requested a mental health assessment.”
Felix gasps dramatically. Seungmin tilts his head slightly.
Seungmin: “One at a time?”
Medical Team: “Yes please.”
Seungmin’s Assessment
Inside the medical tent.
The medic sits carefully across from Seungmin holding a clipboard like a hostage negotiator.
Medical Team: “So… Seungmin.”
Seungmin: “Yes?”
Medical Team: “We’re all becoming a little concerned that you’ve almost entirely stopped talking.”
Seungmin nods once.
Medical Team: “And the footage from camp suggests you’ve become increasingly withdrawn.”
Another nod.
Medical Team: “…and frankly kind of terrifying.”
Seungmin looks genuinely surprised.
Seungmin: “Ah.”
A pause.
Seungmin: “No, I’m fine.”
Medical Team: “…really.”
Seungmin: “I’m mostly winding Felix up.”
Silence.
Medical Team: “What?”
Seungmin shrugs calmly.
Seungmin: “He’s funny when he’s scared.”
The medic stares at him in disbelief.
Medical Team: “The rest of your team have been genuinely disturbed watching your footage.”
Seungmin considers this thoughtfully.
Seungmin: “Good.”
Medical Team: “You emerged silently from the woods carrying dead fish.”
Seungmin: “Yes.”
Medical Team: “You’ve started appearing behind people without warning.”
Seungmin: “I walk quietly.”
Medical Team: “You stared at a camera for forty uninterrupted seconds.”
Seungmin: “Yes.”
The medic lowers the clipboard slowly.
Medical Team: “…why?”
Seungmin finally smiles slightly. It somehow makes him look MORE threatening.
Seungmin: “What can I say?”
A beat.
Seungmin: “It makes for better content.”
Another pause.
Seungmin: “Don’t tell Yongbok though.”
Outside the tent, Felix can be heard singing softly to wildlife.
Seungmin: “I’m having fun here.”
The medic stares at him.
Medical Team: “Well, could you please tone it down a wee bit? The footage is becoming unusable. It’s going to scare small children.”
Felix’s Assessment
Felix enters the tent carrying a tiny carved squirrel.
Medical Team: “…what is that?”
Felix: “Oh! This is Captain Squirrel.”
Medical Team: “…of course it is.”
Felix sits down happily.
Medical Team: “Right. Felix.”
Felix: “Mmmhmm?”
Medical Team: “We’re a little concerned that you’ve started talking extensively to woodland animals.”
Felix nods cheerfully.
Felix: “Yes!”
Medical Team: “And you haven’t stopped smiling once in almost two weeks.”
Felix: “…should I?”
Medical Team: “It’s just becoming slightly uncanny.”
Felix looks genuinely confused: “But I’m having the best time! I’ve made loads of new friends.”
He begins counting excitedly on his fingers.
Felix: “There’s squirrel Jisung, obviously, and Mrs Hedgehog visits every morning now, and there’s a crow that steals Seungmin’s drying fish, I’m still thinking what to call him.”
Medical Team: “…right.”
Felix: “And honestly? Living out here is really peaceful.”
A pause.
Felix: “Although Seungmin has been creeping me out a bit.”
Felix beams.
Felix: “But otherwise it’s lovely!”
Cut to:
Outside the tent, the exhausted medic exits slowly. Another medic approaches cautiously.
Medical Team: “…well?”
The first medic stares into the distance.
Medical Team: “Oh god.”
A long pause.
Medical Team: “These two are impossible.”
Extraction Helicopter
The helicopter rattles loudly over endless forest; Minho sits strapped into his seat looking exhausted. Beside him, Jisung is talking at dangerous speed to absolutely everyone onboard.
Jisung: “and THEN he made noodles. Actual noodles. From PLANTS.”
The medic nods weakly.
Jisung: “And we had rabbit stew, and smoked fish, and I made puppets, and there was this squirrel.”
Minho closes his eyes immediately.
The medic turns to him. “Did you have to deal with this the whole time?” Minho opens one eye slowly. “I need a week in an isolation chamber.” Jisung gasps dramatically.
Jisung: “You loved my puppet theatre.”
Minho: “I considered walking into the river.”
A producer coughs awkwardly from nearby. “So… I’m guessing from your reaction that you don’t think you were the final pair?”
Minho shrugs tiredly. “Probably not.”
A pause.
Minho: “Who won then?”
Jisung: “Bet it’s Chan-hyung and Jeongin.”
Minho: “Hmm. Or maybe Yongbok and Kim Seungmin.”
Jisung: “It’s definitely not Changbin and Hyunjin.”
Producer: “…right.”
The helicopter continues over the forest. Then the producer suddenly smiles.
Producer: “You know what? I think it’ll be more fun for you to find out back at base camp.”
Minho narrows his eyes slightly.
MINSUNG DORM.
TAPPED OUT: DAY 11
CAUSE OF ELIMINATION: JISUNG RELATED NOISE POLLUTION
Base Camp
The four previously eliminated members wait inside the hotel lounge with the production team. The doors open. Jisung bursts inside first at full speed.
Jisung: “GUYS!”
He immediately launches himself at Bang Chan. Minho enters behind him carrying the three bags of preserved food he apparently insisted on bringing back. Everyone stares.
Chan: “…did you pack survival leftovers?”
Minho: “Obviously.”
Jeongin peers into one bag.
Jeongin: “…are those homemade noodles?”
Minho sits calmly.
Minho: “Yes.”
Everyone exchanges hugs while production staff quietly prepare camera feeds in the background. Then gradually the group settles onto the sofas facing the large monitor screen.
Onscreen:
Happy House.
Felix happily feeds berries to birds while Seungmin sharpens wood beside the river in near-total silence.
Base Camp.
Minho immediately points.
Minho: “Oh. Of course. It’s Kim Seungmin.”
Chan laughs into a cushion.
Onscreen:
Felix waves cheerfully at a squirrel, and Seungmin appears silently behind him from nowhere. Felix screams.
Base Camp.
Jeongin: “He’s getting worse.”
Minho nods approvingly. “Excellent form though.”
Jisung squints at the screen.
Jisung: “…why does their camp look nicer than our dorm?”
Minho watches silently for a moment. “So are we watching them being told they’ve won?”
A dangerous silence fills the room. Changbin suddenly smiles.
Changbin: “Oh no.”
Another pause.
Changbin: “We are watching something far more delicious.”
Jeongin leans forwards thoughtfully.
Jeongin: “Imagine, if you will…”
A beat.
“…that we all decided not to tell them they’ve won. And we’re just going to see how long they last.”
Silence. Minho sits forward, slowly, smiling.
Hyunjin: “Seriously, this feels borderline unethical now.”
Chan wipes tears from his eyes. “Counterpoint: it’s extremely funny.”
Minho: “This might actually be the best day of my life.”
Day 12
Happy House
Morning sunlight filters through the trees. The camera shows that the camp has, if anything, improved. The shelters have newly reinforced walls, a properly covered firepit stands at the centre of camp. Bark and wooden containers line entire shelves with labelled charcoal markings, such as ‘dried fish’, ‘tea’, and ‘chicory root coffee’. Near the riverbank, Felix kneels happily on the ground digging a large rectangular patch of soil with a carved wooden shovel.
Felix: “I’m making a garden.”
He holds the camera out to show several tiny sticks marking neat rows already sectioned off with stones.
Felix: “I found some wild onions that had gone to seed yesterday, and some edible greens, and I thought…”
He shrugs cheerfully.
Felix: “…why not try gardening?”
Nearby, he shows Seungmin dragging an enormous piece of wood towards the river with intense determination.
Felix: “What are YOU doing?”
Seungmin drops the log beside the waterline.
Seungmin: “Building a pier.”
Silence.
Felix: “…a what.”
Seungmin points towards the deeper section of river further out from shore.
Seungmin: “Fish seem to gather there when the current changes.”
A pause.
Seungmin: “If we build outwards, we can access deeper water.”
Felix stares at him.
Seungmin begins driving sharpened sticks into the mud with a large rock.
THUNK.
THUNK.
THUNK.
Felix returns peacefully to gardening.
Felix: “Honestly, though? Life out here is really nice.”
Seungmin nods once without looking up. “No phones.”
THUNK.
Felix smiles softly.
Felix: “No notifications.”
THUNK.
Seungmin: “No group chats.”
Felix places seeds carefully into the soil.
Felix: “No emails.”
Seungmin pauses thoughtfully.
Seungmin: “No schedules.”
Felix leans back dramatically.
Felix: “I haven’t seen a single screen in almost two weeks.”
A long peaceful silence follows.
Felix: “…I never thought I’d enjoy life without tech this much.”
Seungmin finally looks up from the beginnings of the pier.
Seungmin: “Same.”
A pause.
Then calmly: “We absolutely cannot lose to Minho.”
Felix: “You know this stopped being a competition for me like… five days ago, right?”
Seungmin narrows his eyes towards the trees.
Seungmin: “Not for me.”
Felix watches him carefully.
Felix: “…you really want to beat Minho that badly?”
Seungmin: “Yes.”
Felix: “Why?”
A long silence.
Seungmin resumes hammering stakes into the riverbed.
THUNK.
Seungmin: “Because he’d be unbearable about it forever if he beat me.”
THUNK.
Seungmin: “And I respect that.”
Felix stares at him for several seconds.
Felix: “You guys are so weird.”
Later that day.
Felix walks back to the river with the camera showing Seungmin crouching silently by the pier adjusting fishing lines with the focus of a man preparing for world domination.
Felix: “Chicory coffee break.”
Seungmin accepts the cup. Both sit quietly at the unfinished pier staring across the river. There is a very long and comfortable silence.
Base Camp
The eliminated members sit around the monitoring station eating crisps while production staff review footage.
On the main screen:
Felix happily tends his garden while Seungmin continues building his pier.
A long silence fills the room.
Hyunjin: “…they’re thriving.”
Chan looks deeply unsettled.
Chan: “Why do they look MORE mentally stable than they were when this started?”
Jeongin watches Seungmin extending the pier further into the river.
Jeongin: “…is he building some sort of waterfront property?”
Producer: “Apparently it’s for deeper water fishing access.”
Another silence.
Producer: “Yesterday he spent four hours reinforcing the drainage systems around camp.”
Chan rubs both hands over his face.
Chan: “This is no longer just wilderness survival, they’re basically living off grid.”
On screen:
Felix is saying “…I never thought I’d enjoy life without tech this much.”
The entire room recoils slightly.
Hyunjin: “Eww.”
Changbin: “That’s the scariest thing anyone’s said so far.”
Jeongin nods seriously.
Jeongin: “They need WiFi immediately.”
The producer switches camera angles and Seungmin appears on screen sharpening wood beside the unfinished pier.
Seungmin: “We just have to outlast Minho.”
Cut to:
Minho sitting in the base camp lounge eating crisps. He looks up slowly.
Minho: “…what.”
Producer: “He mentions you constantly.”
Minho stares blankly at the monitor.
Seungmin (on screen): “If Minho knew I was building this pier, he’d probably try building a boat.”
Minho: “…why is he talking about me like we’re mortal enemies?”
Chan bursts into laughter immediately, Changbin nearly chokes on his snack, Hyunjin wipes tears from his eyes. Minho still looks genuinely confused.
Minho: “I didn’t think about him once.”
Silence.
On screen:
Seungmin stares intensely across the river.
Minho slowly picks up another crisp.
Minho: “…I was busy making noodles.”
Day 13. Morning.
Happy House
A haze of mist hangs low over the river. There are now actual chairs in the camp. Felix emerges from the trees carrying an armful of branches and immediately gasps.
Felix: “YOU FINISHED THE CHAIRS!”
Seungmin nods once. Felix drops the branches dramatically and sits in the second chair beside him. A long silence. Seungmin gestures toward the river calmly.
Seungmin: “Fish activity’s increased after the rain.”
Felix: “Nice.”
Seungmin: “The pier’s helping.”
Felix nods proudly like he personally engineered it.
Base Camp.
Jisung: “Hyung. Why didn’t we make chairs like that?”
Minho, one eye twitching furiously: “When, exactly, was I meant to make them?!”
Later that morning.
Happy House.
Felix stands beside a large tree looking delighted beyond words. A small wooden spile sticks out from the bark with sap dripping steadily into a container beneath it.
Felix: “WE FOUND A MAPLE TREE.”
Off camera:
Seungmin: “Several.”
Felix beams at the camera.
Felix: “Apparently there are bigleaf maples here.”
Seungmin appears silently beside him carrying more containers. Felix jumps, then points excitedly at the sap.
Felix: “We’re going to make syrup!”
Day 14.
Happy House
A large clay pot bubbles steadily over the fire while steam rises dramatically into the cold air, Felix crouching nearby stirring carefully with a carved spoon.
Felix: “This is the happiest I’ve ever been.”
Seungmin nods once. Felix stares thoughtfully into the bubbling syrup.
Felix: “You know what’s weird?”
Seungmin: “What.”
Felix: “I genuinely don’t miss my phone anymore.”
Seungmin: “Technology tricks you into thinking everything matters.”
Felix: “…that was deep.”
Seungmin shrugs. “Out here things either matter or they don’t.”
Felix gestures around camp.
Felix: “Food matters.”
Seungmin nods.
Felix: “Shelter matters.”
Seungmin nods.
Felix: “Friendship matters.”
Seungmin permits himself a small smile.
Base Camp.
The eliminated members stare at the monitor in disbelief.
Chan: “At what point do we legally classify this as a settlement?”
Hyunjin: “I can’t believe we tapped out because of an otter.”
Changbin points at the screen. “Look at them. They don’t even want civilisation anymore.”
Minho watches silently.
Producer: “…thoughts?”
Minho considers carefully. “I think Seungmin’s gone insane.”
A pause.
Minho: “Also that pier’s structurally impressive.”
Happy House.
Late Afternoon.
Felix stands proudly by a flat stone near the fire. Several slightly uneven blobs cook beside him while Seungmin watches with deep suspicion.
Felix: “Bulrush flour and berry pancakes.”
Felix flips one successfully and gasps.
Felix: “Oh, wow!”
The pancakes are stacked carefully onto a wooden plate, and Felix then drizzles maple syrup over the top with the sort of reverence usually reserved for religious ceremonies. Both men stare silently at the food and Felix takes a bite. His eyes widen immediately.
Felix: “…oh my god.”
Seungmin takes one too.
Seungmin: “…we can’t leave.”
Felix bursts into laughter instantly. “RIGHT?”
Seungmin points vaguely toward civilisation somewhere beyond the forest.
Seungmin: “For what, anyway?”
Felix: “Emails?”
Seungmin: “Traffic?”
Felix: “Schedules?”
Seungmin: “Pointless suffering.”
Seungmin calmly takes another pancake.
Then:
Seungmin: “Minho would hate that we figured out syrup.”
Felix nearly drops the plate.
Felix: “YOU WERE DOING SO WELL.”
Seungmin: “This changes the competition.”
Felix: “Oh for god’s sake.”
Day 15
Happy House
The morning fog hangs over the river. Seungmin crouches several hundred metres from camp sorting carefully through a collection of rocks. He holds one up thoughtfully.
Seungmin: “Potential iron deposits.”
Silence.
Seungmin: “Considering primitive smelting.”
Seungmin continues examining rocks.
Seungmin: “Going to need stronger tools if we’re staying long-term.”
Base Camp
Chan: “…did he say SMELTING?”
Producer: “This has escalated beyond mere television content.”
Jeongin: “You left two introverts unsupervised in the wilderness for over two weeks.”
Changbin points dramatically at the monitor. “HE’S ENTERING THE IRON AGE.”
Hyunjin: “Extract them NOW.”
Producer rubs both hands over his face. “At this point I’m genuinely worried they’ll refuse to leave.”
On screen: Felix happily scatters seeds to the birds.
Management: “…they look happier there than at home.”
Silence. Everyone slowly turns toward management.
Management: “…which is not a sentence I enjoyed saying.”
Day 16
Base Camp
The live feed opens on Happy House at sunrise. Smoke curls peacefully from the firepit, as Felix feeds berries to woodland creatures beside the garden. Seungmin stands on the pier checking fishing lines while morning mist drifts across the river.
The entire lounge watches in silence.
Chan: “…it looks peaceful.”
Hyunjin: “Too peaceful.”
Minho narrows his eyes slightly at the screen.
Minho: “…is that a second smoker?”
Producer: “Nope. It’s a kiln.”
Minho: “Why?”
Producer: “They found clay in the riverbed, and decided to have a go at pottery.”
Silence. Then quietly:
Minho: “Respect.”
Day 17
Extraction Day
A helicopter approaches over the trees. Felix looks up excitedly.
Felix: “Ooh, must be time for another medical check up!”
Seungmin immediately looks suspicious. The helicopter lands nearby. Production staff emerge cautiously, like they are approaching skittish wildlife. Felix runs over happily.
Felix: “Hi!”
Producer: “Congratulations. You’ve officially won!”
Felix: “Oh wow!”
The producer turns carefully toward Seungmin.
Producer: “…and now you have to leave.”
Long silence.
Seungmin looks back toward camp. They both suddenly look emotional.
Seungmin: “We should come back sometime.”
Felix smiles immediately.
Felix: “Definitely.”
Day 17 — Base Camp
Extraction Return
The hotel lounge doors burst open. All the eliminated members immediately stand up at once. Hyunjin is already emotional before they even enter properly.
Hyunjin: “YONGBOK!”
Changbin: “KIM SEUNGMIN!”
Felix walks in first carrying three bark containers, a carved spoon tucked into his pocket, and what appears to be several suspiciously large mushrooms. Seungmin follows behind him carrying bundles of fishing line and an entire rolled animal hide over one shoulder. Both of them are completely calm, and if anything, look mildly inconvenienced. Meanwhile every other member looks like soldiers watching two men return alive from war.
Felix: “Oh! Hi guys!”
Jisung sprints across the room first, launching himself directly at Felix.
Jisung: “YOU’RE ALIVE!”
Felix barely reacts.
Felix: “Mm.”
Jisung: “IT’S BEEN SEVENTEEN DAYS.”
Felix: “Really? Huh.”
The room falls silent, and Hyunjin stares at him.
Hyunjin: “…what do you mean ‘huh.’”
Felix looks genuinely confused.
Felix: “It didn’t feel that long.”
Chan grabs Seungmin by both shoulders.
Chan: “ARE YOU OKAY?”
Seungmin: “Why wouldn’t I be?”
Chan gestures wildly.
Chan: “YOU BUILT A PIER.”
Seungmin: “Yeah.”
Chan: “YOU STARTED LOOKING FOR IRON ORE.”
Seungmin: “Potentially.”
Chan: “YOU STOPPED SPEAKING FOR TWO DAYS.”
Seungmin shrugs.
Seungmin: “Didn’t have much to say.”
Changbin: “YOU SCARED THE MEDICAL STAFF! AND FELIX!”
Seungmin: “That wasn’t intentional.”
A beat.
Seungmin: “…mostly.”
Nearby, Jeongin is inspecting Felix carefully like he’s checking for signs of permanent wilderness transformation.
Jeongin: “…why do you smell like maple syrup and wood smoke?”
Felix: “Oh! We made pancakes.”
Hyunjin slowly lowers himself into a chair. “We ate mushroom glue.”
Minho finally walks over. He and Seungmin stare at each other silently for several long seconds.
Seungmin: “We beat you.”
Minho: “I literally forgot you were there.”
Seungmin narrows his eyes slightly. Minho points toward Felix.
Minho: “Honestly, I was more concerned about him surviving you.”
Changbin watches Felix and Seungmin with growing disbelief.
Changbin: “…why are you two acting like you just came back from the shops?”
Felix blinks.
Felix: “What do you mean?”
Hyunjin gestures dramatically.
Hyunjin: “YOU LIVED IN THE FOREST FOR OVER TWO WEEKS.”
Felix considers this thoughtfully.
Felix: “…yeah.”
Another pause. Felix smiles softly.
Felix: “It was nice though.”
Complete silence. Chan slowly sits down.
Chan: “…they’re never fully reintegrating into society again, are they?”
Seungmin quietly places one of the containers onto the table.
Seungmin: “Maple syrup.”
Instantly all attention shifts.
Jisung: “WAIT, WHAT?!”
Day 19
Vancouver Airport
All eight members move through the terminal together surrounded by luggage, staff, and complete chaos, as they board a plane back to Seoul.
Chan: “Ah, I need to get back to the studio!”
Minho: “I need to go home and see the cats!”
Jisung: “I’m missing Richard so much!”
Jeongin: “I can’t wait to be back in the apartment!”
Changbin: “We can eat proper food again. And go to the gym!”
Hyunjin: “I wanna see my mum and dad.”
Quietly beside the window, Felix looks thoughtful.
Felix: “…I kind of miss the river.”
Seungmin nods once.
Seungmin: “Same.”
Felix: “And we forgot to say goodbye to squirrel Jisung.”
Seungmin: “He’ll survive.”