Chapter 26: Shooting (1)

Translator: Dreamscribe

Kang Woojin moved cynically. The actors looked confused and flustered. They intensely felt something from Kang Woojin’s indifferent face.

Ah, he’s angry. Anyone could tell by that look.

It was something that could upset even them. However, Kang Woojin wasn’t particularly angry. Still, he had to correct what was wrong. While walking, Kang Woojin looked at the wide-eyed actors and spoke briefly.

The tone was the same as usual.

“I don’t belong to an agency.”

Immediately, the actors’ faces darkened.

It sounded like a warning that it wasn’t because of the company. His indifferent expression momentarily seemed to growl. The actors all bowed their heads to Kang Woojin.

“I’m, I’m sorry!”

“I’m really sorry!”

“We didn’t know you were here… We apologize.”

Suddenly, as the actors apologized, Director Shin Dong-chun blinked his eyes.

“Why? What happened?”

Kang Woojin, who had been intently looking at the actors, answered nonchalantly.

“It seems they just misunderstood.”

“Misunderstanding?”

“You don’t have to worry about it.”

The reason Kang Woojin responded so calmly was based on his own analysis. He was a monstrous actor who didn’t care what others thought, colloquially a ‘do-it-my-way’ guy. He had no need to get angry at such trivial matters.

It was just idle gossip. Ah, of course, it’s part of his persona.

Moreover, Kang Woojin is the protagonist on this set. It’s a bonus to have both status and charm. As an actor, there will inevitably be ‘no-holds-barred’ situations. For example, if someone higher up picks a fight or causes harm.

In such a case, Kang Woojin himself would definitely be pissed off. After all, he was the one who had boldly thrown his resignation at the face of the design company’s CEO.

‘I can handle it, but right now, do I need to?’

Whatever the case, the actors kept apologizing to Woojin. At this point.

‘Hmm-‘

Director Shin Dong-chun seemed to have caught on a little.

‘It looks like the actors were rude to Woojin, I’ll have to call them separately and ask later. But Woojin has great tolerance. There are top stars who get furious at minor actors for no reason.’

He then turned his gaze from the actors to the villa in the distance. They were setting up the filming. The focus was more on the interior rather than the exterior of the villa.

“Please check the props in the basement!”

“Yes, yes! I’m going now-”

“Is there filming on the second floor today?”

“According to the schedule, it’s tomorrow!”

There were about ten staff members of the ‘Exorcism’ team spread throughout the villa. The amount of equipment on set wasn’t substantial. It was rather inadequate compared to an average commercial film team. However, for a short film, the staff and equipment were pretty decent.

Usually, it would be half this much.

Fortunately, ‘Exorcism’ had barely secured its investment funds, allowing for this satisfactory situation to unfold.

Anyway.

“Filming starts at 2 p.m.! Let’s hurry up!!”

The official shooting of the short film ‘Exorcism’ was to start at 2 pm. They had about 3 hours left. During this time, director Shin Dong-chun was to deliver a briefing on the shooting setup and accommodation arrangements. For reference, the ‘Exorcism’ team would be staying in accommodation near the villa for about 5 days during the shooting period.

Most of the filming according to the storyboard would take place near the villa.

At that moment,

-Swoosh.

A long-haired woman suddenly appeared behind director Shin Dong-chun, who was looking at the villa. A well-built male actor was the first to notice her.

“···Huh??”

A very familiar yet unfamiliar woman. The well-built man muttered her name.

“Isn’t that, that woman······Hong Hye-yeon??”

This line quickly spread among the actors.

“What??! Where? Ah! Wow!!”

“Wow… It’s really her, amazing.”

“Is it really her??! Is it really Hong Hye-yeon? Not someone who looks like her?”

It was indeed the top actress Hong Hye-yeon. Unbelievable. The actors were once again frozen, and director Shin Dong-chun, who had turned his head, spotted Hong Hye-yeon. He immediately burst into a smile.

“Hahaha, you all were surprised, right? Sorry. This is Hong Hye-yeon, who will play the role of the ‘wife’.”

At the same time, Hong Hye-yeon, dressed in a white long padding jacket, smiled and greeted the actors.

“Hello, let’s work hard together.”

The actors, who were flabbergasted by Hong Hye-yeon’s presence, exchanged greetings with her in a daze. Really, Hong Hye-yeon? Why is she here? Those were the expressions on their faces. It was understandable. After all, a top actress had appeared on a short film set.

Finally, Hong Hye-yeon’s gaze met Kang Woojin. His face was stoic. Soon, she murmured to herself,

‘He’s calm. Is it expected? He was calm even in front of a hundred people during the reading. I thought he’d be a bit nervous since it’s his first shoot. Expect? What am I expecting right now?’

Kang Woojin greeted her succinctly.

“Hello.”

The surrounding actors slightly widened their eyes. It was not Kang Woojin’s deep voice that surprised them, but the fact that he was so cold, even though the famous Hong Hye-yeon had appeared.

‘Isn’t it strange? I mean, it’s Hong Hye-yeon?? How can he be so calm?’

On the other hand, Hong Hye-yeon, who was now used to Woojin’s reaction, smiled at him.

“We meet again, we see each other quite often. Right?”

For me, it’s a blessing. Kang Woojin, unlike his inner thoughts, answered in a calm voice.

“Yes, we do.”

This scene was somewhat shocking to the other actors.

‘They see each other often? Hong Hye-yeon? Are they close?’

‘What exactly is his identity? Is he a famous actor in the theater world?’

Suddenly, the gaze towards Kang Woojin changed to envy.

Meanwhile, at GGO Enter.

In a spacious CEO’s office filled with potted plants, CEO Seo Gu-seob was seated and smoking a cigarette. His face still reminiscent of a bulldog. Two male employees stood in front of him. Soon, he looked up from scanning through the report.

“So there’s no problem with Jung-hyuk’s matter?”

The skinny employee nodded decisively.

“Yes, sir. The filming is scheduled to start in two days, and Mr. Park Jung-hyuk is in good condition.”

“Take care of it. Keep pressuring the production company to take care of the set.”

“Understood.”

“Is there anything lacking in the equipment?”

“Nothing that we have heard of.”

“You never know, so go and check the set yourself.”

CEO Seo Gu-seob, exhaling smoke, continued.

“This isn’t just about saving our Jung-hyuk; it’s a matter of GGO Entertainment’s reputation. Don’t take it lightly.”

“Yes, sir. We’ll pay special attention.”

“If there’s anything lacking, like venue sponsorships or actors, help them out on our side.”

CEO Seo, determined to help clear Park Jung-hyuk’s reputation, changed his question as he closed the report he was looking at.

“And what about ‘Exorcism’? Are those jerks still silent?”

Yes. Except that they received investment and are about to start shooting, there’s no news. It seems the supporting roles they’ve recruited are not even B-grade.”

“Right. Even B-grade would have made some noise. Ah- thinking about it pisses me off again. Damn it, in the end, to cast a crappy actor, they slandered Jung Hyuk?”

“······”

CEO Seo Goo-seob, his face slightly red, took another puff of his cigarette.

“Forget it. They brought it on themselves. Let those trash make trash. But who on earth invested in it?”

“That… we haven’t confirmed. It’s definitely not from the short film production company. Perhaps, Director Shin Dong-chun attracted it from outside through his personal connections.”

“Damn. It’s not an attack from another entertainment company, right?”

“That’s unlikely. They have no reason to care about the short film or the indie market.”

“Tsk. It would be a better picture if ‘Exorcism’ simply fell apart in without even starting the filming.”

CEO Seo Gu-seob, who frustratedly put out his cigarette in a glass ashtray, abruptly stood up.

“Anyway, get in touch with those journalist bastards we’ve befriended. Tell them to shoot the article. We need to start attracting attention now.”

About an hour later, articles related to actor Park Jung-hyuk were posted on the internet.

『[Exclusive] Actor Park Jung-hyuk starting again from the bottom, not the top, “I will repay with my acting”』

Around 2 PM, back on the ‘Exorcism’ set in Paju’s villa.

Dozens of people gathered in the front yard of the villa where the shooting set was finished. It was the entire team of ‘Exorcism’, including staff and actors. What was interesting was that, unlike before, everyone’s faces were tense. The reason was simple.

It was because of the sudden appearance of top actress Hong Hye-yeon.

Nobody on this set had ever dreamed of seeing Hong Hye-yeon today, let alone the fact that she, who usually only takes on blockbuster projects, was even participating in ‘Exorcism’. As a result, all the staff repeatedly glanced at Hong Hye-yeon standing next to Director Shin Dong-chun.

At this point, Director Shin Dong-chun said,

“You’ve all probably noticed.”

He started briefing the enlarged staff due to Hong Hye-yeon’s management team,

“The appearance of Hong Hye-yeon is a secret until submission. There’s a confidentiality clause in the contract. There’s a reason it shouldn’t be known to the public, so please keep it well.”

Next to him, Hong Hye-yeon, who had brushed back her long hair, gave an appropriate greeting.

“Please take care of me-”

Indeed, the mood of the set was relaxed. Then, Director Shin Dong-chun took back the baton.

“Except for Hye-yeon, we’ll be staying nearby for about 5 days for filming. If anyone has any issues, please let the directing team know in advance.”

Normally, short and independent films have a short shooting period, so they often stay near the set. Moving alone costs double, and the scale is small, so if they move frequently, even a simple schedule can get messed up.

“Alright! Starting today, please follow the schedule carefully!”

Director Shin Dong-chun, who is experienced as a PD but a rookie as a director, bowed to everyone. At the same time, a staff member from the directing team shouted out to everyone.

“We start shooting in 10 minutes!!”

Immediately, the staff began to move to their positions. They are only about a dozen people, but they are swift. In the meantime, Director Shin Dong-chun stuck went straight to Kang Woojin.

“Woojin, you can go get your makeup done right away. The first scene is, as I mentioned, a solo cut. For now, let’s start with the cut of you casually entering the villa.”

“Understood.”

Woojin reply was calm, but

‘I’m going crazy; I’m a bit nervous thinking about my first shoot?’

At this point, Kang Woojin’s heart was pounding fiercely. No, it had been since he arrived at the set. Of course, compared to ‘Profiler Hanryang’, the numbers here are much smaller.

‘Filming? Am I really shooting a movie??’

The tension between the reading and the shooting set was vastly different. That was understandable. Reading was preparation, but the set was the real thing. Even though it was a short film set, for Kang Woojin, who knew nothing, it felt like standing alone on a vast stage.

Moreover, Kang Woojin was the protagonist of ‘Exorcism’.

The camera, Director Shin Dong-chun, and all the staff were moving for Kang Woojin. Woojin felt a little burdened but also scared. It was a different feeling than with Park Dae-ri.

‘It feels a bit overwhelming.’

The responsibility of the lead role. The burden Woojin felt was a sense of responsibility. He didn’t really know it himself.

‘But considering this is how it is here, shooting ‘Profiler Hanryang’ would be a freaking nightmare.’

Anyways, Kang Woojin emphasized to himself to act tough while going to get his makeup done. It was time to fake it, not just outwardly but inwardly as well. In this way, Woojin fooled himself while getting makeup, keeping a blank expression.

Thanks to that, he exuded a bit of coldness on the outside.

Around then,

“Woojin.”

Out of nowhere, Hong Hye-yeon, holding a script in one hand, spoke to Kang Woojin.

“Did you think about it? The agency.”

Kang Woojin, who had just finished his makeup, spat out his answer in a low voice.

“I think I’ll select after ‘Exorcism’ filming is over.”

“···You haven’t had a meeting with anyone yet?”

“Yes.”

“Do you have any conditions you’ve thought of?”

There was no way he could. It was strange for Kang Woojin to know about agency matters since filming itself was a first for him. Soon, Kang Woojin vaguely dodged the question.

“Maybe.”

At that, Hong Hye-yeon looked at Woojin as if she was deeply considering something, and then she opened her mouth.

“We are products too. It’s good for an actor to set their own worth, especially when meeting with the company.”

With that advice, Hong Hye-Yeon moved away after saying he should do well in the filming. Watching her, Kang Woojin muttered to himself.

‘You should have told me how to set the price too.’

Director Shin Dong-chun, sitting in front of the monitor, called Kang Woojin.

“Woojin! Get ready!!”

Woojin walked towards the entrance of the villa, taking a deep breath. He briefly rehearsed with Director Shin Dong-Chun, who was holding the script. Once finished, Director Shin Dong-Chun took his place again in front of the monitor. Behind him, Hong Hye-Yeon bowed, her long hair making a rustling sound.

“Director, can I watch the monitor with you?”

“Haha. Of course. Why ask? Would you like to sit here?”

“No, I’ll just stand and watch.”

As she finished speaking, the other actors started to gather around, watching. By this time, Kang Woojin, now wearing a black blazer, took his starting position. Already, two cameras were set up in the yard of the villa.

“…”

Standing in his place, Kang Woojin quietly looked at the villa. Before shooting, he had to bring out ‘Kim Ryu-jin’, the protagonist of ‘Exorcist’. He had to concentrate more than when he was reading the script. It had to be much clearer.

This time, he had to move his body as Kim Ryu-jin.

Kang Woojin tried hard to hide his heartbeat and delved into the already engraved character of Kim Ryu-jin. He spread all the senses he had experienced and felt through reading to his whole body. Soon, the world of Kim Ryu-jin unfolded in front of Kang Woojin like a panorama.

Kim Ryu-jin’s life, emotions, thoughts, five senses, knowledge, etc. In a moment, Woojin became Kim Ryu-jin.

At that moment.

‘Quickly. Woojin unique coldness is gone. His eyes have lightened. I’ve seen it before, but his ability to bring out the character is unbelievably fast.’

Director Shin Dong-chun, who had been watching Kang Woojin’s face on the monitor, shouted loudly.

“Ready- Action!”

It was a signal to show Kim Ryu-jin’s world in reality. Kim Ryu-jin took a step. After witnessing the moving of corpse by client’s wife and a strange man. A subtle fear lingered in Kim Ryu-jin’s footsteps.

One step, two steps.

Kim Ryu-jin looked at the villa and took a third step. A dry noise came from the grass.

-Crack.

Whether it was because of the tension, the grass seemed to scream. Soon, Kim Ryu-jin’s fourth step. At that moment, he tripped and fell heavily on the dense grass. Fortunately, he caught his balance. However, his one knee was bent, and he let out a short groan.

“Uh.”

Everything was so vivid and natural. Like flowing water. It was a scene that showed Kim Ryu-jin’s character exactly. Watching all this on the monitor, Director Shin Dong-chun, was filled with admiration, muttered quietly.

“It’s smooth. Did he even plan such fine movements? It reminds me of the character of Kim Ryu-jin.”

Hearing this, Hong Hye-yeon, looking over the monitor at the fallen Kim Ryu-jin, chuckled to herself.

‘Surely. Kim Ryu-jin is a bit sloppy by setting… That small movement alone has made the outline of Kim Ryu-jin clearer by several times.’

Behind her, the other actors also whispered.

“After seeing the corpse in the story, reacting like that really immerses you in Kim Ryu-jin, doesn’t it? You can see the character’s personality, right?”

“That’s right. He’s acting so well. The character really comes alive.”

Hearing such whispers, Hong Hye-yeon bit her lip for some reason.

‘With the conscientiousness to bring ad-lib movement to enhance character, and the sense to think of such a movement. Kang Woojin. Aren’t you too much of a cheat character? If your acting is that good, it’s okay if you miss something, right?”

Director Shin Dong-chun, whose smile was mixed with admiration, buried his face deeper in the monitor.

“I have to use this cut. It’s too precious to throw away.”

Everyone was deeply entranced by the vibrant Kim Ryu-jin. Around this time, Kim Ryu-jin, no, Kang Woojin, who slowly stood up, wearing a poker face, lamenting to himself.

‘Damn, how embarrassing.’

Because it wasn’t acting, but he really fell.