Chapter 26

Shooting (1)

Kang Ujin walked with a cynical gait. The actors looked visibly flustered. They could feel the intensity from Kang Ujin's indifferent face.

Ah, he's angry. Anyone could tell from that expression.

It was understandable that even they would feel annoyed. On the other hand, Kang Ujin wasn't really angry. Still, mistakes needed to be corrected. As he walked, Kang Ujin glanced at the actors with widened eyes and said briefly.

Of course, in the usual tone of his character.

"I don't have an agency, I don't."

Immediately, the actors' faces darkened.

It sounded like a warning that he wasn't relying on the company's reputation. His indifferent expression seemed to growl lowly. All the actors bowed deeply to Kang Ujin.

"I'm sorry!"

"Really, I'm sorry!"

"We didn't know you were here... I apologize."

The sudden apologies from the actors made Director Shin Dongchun blink.

"Why? What happened?"

Kang Ujin, who had been looking at the actors, replied nonchalantly.

"Just some misunderstandings, I think."

"Misunderstandings?"

"You don't need to worry about it."

Kang Ujin's calm reaction was based on his own analysis. The current Kang Ujin, as others misunderstood him, was a proud and arrogant actor who didn't care about others' opinions, in vulgar terms, a 'fucking my way' monster. There was no need for him to get angry over such trivial matters.

It was just idle chatter. Of course, that was part of his character.

Moreover, due to the way things had unfolded, Kang Ujin was now the main character of this scene. Adding a bit of class and coolness would be the cherry on top. Naturally, as an actor, he would encounter situations where he needed to 'show his mettle' as he walked. For example, if someone of high status provoked him or caused him harm.

In such a case, Kang Ujin would definitely be frustrated. After all, he was the one who had thrown his resignation at the CEO of a design company with a flourish.

'Not that I can't handle it, but not right now?'

Regardless, the actors kept apologizing to Ujin. At this point.

'Hmm-'

Director Shin Dongchun, with his square jaw, had a slight idea.

'It seems the actors have offended Ujin. I'll have to call them separately later to find out. Still, Ujin has a great presence. Some top actors tend to lash out at extras, but not him.'

He then shifted his gaze from the actors to the front of the villa. The set was being prepared, with more focus on the interior than the exterior.

"Check the props in the basement!"

"Sure! I'll go now-"

"Are we shooting on the second floor today?"

"According to the schedule, it's tomorrow!"

There were about a dozen staff members from 'Detective Agency' scattered around the villa. The equipment on display wasn't much. Compared to a typical commercial film team, it was quite lacking. However, for a short film, the staff and equipment were decent.

Usually, even half of this would be difficult to achieve.

Fortunately, 'Detective Agency' had managed to secure investment after a rough start, allowing for the current decent situation.

In any case.

"Shooting starts at 2 PM! Let's hurry!"

The official shooting of the short film 'Detective Agency' was set to begin at 2 PM. There were about 3 hours left. Before that, Director Shin Dongchun planned to brief everyone on the set and accommodations.

For reference, the 'Detective Agency' team would stay in nearby accommodations for about 5 days during the shooting period.

Most of the shooting would take place around the villa.

At this moment.

-Swoosh.

A woman with long hair suddenly appeared behind Director Shin Dongchun, who was looking at the villa. The first to notice her was a large male actor.

"···Huh?"

She was very familiar yet unfamiliar. The large man murmured her name softly.

"Is that... Hong Hye-yeon?"

This line spread quickly among the actors.

"Really?! Where? Oh! Holy cow!!"

"Wow... it's really her, amazing."

"Really?! Is it Hong Hye-yeon? Not a lookalike?"

Indeed, it was the top actress Hong Hye-yeon. The actors were frozen in shock again, and Director Shin Dongchun, turning his head, spotted Hong Hye-yeon. His mouth dropped open.

"Ha-ha-ha, everyone's surprised, right? Sorry. Ms. Hong Hye-yeon will be playing the role of 'Wife'."

At the same time, Hong Hye-yeon, wearing a white long padded jacket, smiled and greeted the actors.

"Hello, let's do our best."

The actors who greeted Hong Hye-yeon were flustered. What? It's really Hong Hye-yeon? Why is she here? Their reactions were understandable. After all, a top actress had appeared on a short film set. As a result, the actors greeted her in a daze, as if they were in a dream.

Finally, Hong Hye-yeon's gaze fell on Kang Ujin. His face was expressionless. Soon, she muttered to herself.

'Well, he's calm. Is it natural? He was composed even during the reading in front of a hundred people. I thought he might be a bit nervous for his first shoot, but... Expectation? What am I expecting right now?'

Kang Ujin gave her a brief nod.

"Hello."

The surrounding actors widened their eyes slightly. They were more surprised by how calm Ujin was, despite the appearance of the top actress Hong Hye-yeon.

'Isn't he amazed? By Hong Hye-yeon?? What makes him so composed?'

On the other hand, Hong Hye-yeon, who was now used to Ujin's reactions, smiled at him.

"We keep meeting, don't we?"

It's a blessing for me. Kang Ujin, contrary to his inner thoughts, kept his voice low.

"Indeed."

This scene was somewhat shocking to the other actors.

'Keep meeting? Hong Hye-yeon?! Are they close?'

'What, who is he? A famous actor in the theater?'

At that moment, the way they looked at Kang Ujin changed to one of admiration.

At the same time, at GGO Entertainment.

In a spacious office filled with several flower pots, CEO Seo Guseop was seated. His face still resembled a bulldog. With a cigarette in his mouth, two male employees stood in front of him. Soon, CEO Seo Guseop, who had been scanning a report, raised his head.

"Is everything okay with Jung Hyuk?"

The thin employee nodded definitively.

"Yes, CEO. The shooting is scheduled to start in two days, and Mr. Park Jung Hyuk is in good condition."

"Pay attention. Keep putting pressure on the production company to smooth things out on set."

"Understood."

"Is there any equipment missing?"

"Not that I've heard."

"Check it out on site just in case."

CEO Seo Guseop, who had given the instructions, continued while exhaling smoke.

"This is not just about saving our Jung Hyuk, but also about the reputation of GGO Entertainment. Don't just do it half-heartedly."

"Yes, CEO. I'll pay extra attention."

"If there are any shortages in location sponsorship or actors, let us know."

CEO Seo Guseop, who resembled a bulldog, was determined to fully support Park Jung Hyuk's comeback. He closed the report he had been reading and changed the subject.

"And those 'Detective Agency' guys, are they still not showing any signs?"

"Yes. Apart from securing funding and preparing for shooting, there's no other news. At this level, it seems unlikely that they have even a B-list actor in a supporting role."

"Right. If they had a B-list actor, there would have been some buzz. - Thinking about it, it makes me angry. In the end, they're just going to bring in a useless actor and try to overshadow Jung Hyuk?"

"..."

CEO Seo Guseop, whose face had turned slightly red, put another cigarette in his mouth.

"Whatever. He's just digging his own grave. If a bunch of trash work together, they'll just produce more trash. But who the hell funded them?"

"That... is unknown. It's definitely not from a short film production company. It seems to have been brought in from outside through Director Shin Dongchun's personal connections."

"Damn. Is it an attack from another entertainment company?"

"That's unlikely. There's no reason for them to focus on the short or independent film market."

"Tsk. It would be better if 'Detective Agency' fell apart before production even starts."

CEO Seo Guseop, frustrated, crushed his cigarette in the glass ashtray and stood up.

"In any case, contact the reporters we've lined up. Tell them to start writing articles. We need to start drawing attention."

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, "I Will Repay with Acting"

Around 2 PM, back at the 'Detective Agency' set in Paju villa.

In the front yard of the villa, where the set had been prepared, dozens of people were gathered. They were all members of the 'Detective Agency' team, including staff and actors. Interestingly, unlike the beginning, everyone's face was tense. The reason was simple.

The sudden appearance of top actress Hong Hye-yeon.

No one on set had expected to see Hong Hye-yeon today, let alone that she was appearing in 'Detective Agency', a project known for only featuring large-scale productions. As a result, all the staff kept glancing at Hong Hye-yeon, who was standing next to Director Shin Dongchun.

At this point, Director Shin Dongchun began.

"I'm sure you've all noticed."

He started briefing the staff, whose numbers had increased due to Hong Hye-yeon's management team.

"Hong Hye-yeon's participation will remain a secret until the submission. This is a confidentiality clause in the contract. Please keep it confidential."

Next to him, Hong Hye-yeon, who had swept her long hair back, greeted everyone.

"Please take care of me-"

Indeed, the top actress exuded a sense of ease. Director Shin Dongchun then took over.

"Except for Hye-yeon, we will be staying in nearby accommodations for about 5 days to shoot. If anyone has any issues, please let the production team know in advance."

Typically, short and independent films have short shooting periods, so staying near the set is common. Moving around costs a lot, and with a small scale, frequent moves can disrupt even a tight schedule.

"Alright! Let's all do our best according to the schedule from today!"

Director Shin Dongchun, who had a solid career as a PD but was a newcomer as a director, bowed to everyone. At the same time, a production staff member called out to everyone.

"Shooting starts in 10 minutes!!"

The staff quickly moved to their positions. Despite being only a dozen, they were efficient. Meanwhile, Director Shin Dongchun, with his square jaw, approached Kang Ujin.

"Mr. Ujin, you can go for makeup now. Your first scene is a solo shot, so we'll start with a light shot of you entering the villa."

"Understood."

Ujin, who had answered quietly, was actually feeling nervous.

'What, I'm actually nervous about my first shoot?'

From this point on, Kang Ujin's heart was pounding. In fact, it had been since he arrived on set. Of course, compared to 'Profiler Hanryang', the number of people was much smaller.

'Am I really shooting a movie?'

The tension between a reading and a shooting set was worlds apart. It made sense. A reading is preparation, but the set is the real deal. Even on a short film set, for the inexperienced Kang Ujin, it felt like standing alone on a vast stage.

Especially since Kang Ujin was the main character of 'Detective Agency'.

The camera, Director Shin Dongchun, and the staff were all moving for Kang Ujin. Ujin felt a mix of excitement and fear, different from his experience with Park Dalri.

'Slightly burdensome, I guess.'

The responsibility of being the lead. Ujin felt a sense of responsibility, though he didn't fully realize it.

'But if this is the case, 'Profiler Hanryang' will be amazing.'

In any case, as Kang Ujin went for makeup, he emphasized his toughness to himself, both outwardly and inwardly. He had to fool himself. Throughout the makeup process, Ujin maintained a blank expression, fooling himself.

As a result, he appeared very composed on the outside.

At that moment.

"Mr. Ujin."

Hong Hye-yeon, who had appeared with a script in hand, approached Kang Ujin.

"Have you thought about it? The agency."

Ujin, who had just finished his makeup, paused and replied in a low voice.

"I might move after 'Detective Agency' is done."

"···You haven't had any meetings yet?"

"No."

"Do you have any conditions in mind?"

There shouldn't be any. It was strange for Kang Ujin to know about agency-related matters, given that this was his first shoot. Soon, Kang Ujin gave a vague answer.

"I'm not sure."

Hong Hye-yeon, who had been looking at Ujin thoughtfully, finally spoke.

"We are also products. It's good to have a set value for yourself when meeting with agencies."

Hong Hye-yeon, who had given this advice, wished him well for the shoot and walked away. Watching her, Kang Ujin muttered to himself.

'You should tell me how to set that value.'

Director Shin Dongchun, sitting in front of the monitor, called out to Kang Ujin.

"Mr. Ujin! Get ready!!"

Ujin took a deep breath and walked towards the entrance of the villa. He had a brief verbal rehearsal with Director Shin Dongchun, who was holding the script, and then the director returned to his seat in front of the monitor. Behind him, Hong Hye-yeon bent down slightly. Her long hair made a rustling sound.

"Director, can I watch the monitor with you?"

"Ha-ha. Of course. Why not? Would you like to sit here?"

"No, I'll just stand and watch."

As she finished speaking, other actors started to gather around, watching carefully. At this moment, Kang Ujin, wearing a black blazer, took his