Chapter 92: "Sketch" First Shooting

"Yeonwoo, it's so nice to see you again."

"Really, it has been a few months since I last saw you, Directors."

The staff who came to greet him were few, as if they were shooting a graduation project for a university film club, but looking at their lineup, it was actually impressive.

From the director of photography to the lighting, sound, and assistant director, who had more on-set directing experience than most directors, only the elite of the Park Chan-hong team were present.

They had already worked together on "Master Plan."

"Alright, the time we have for shooting is not long. Let's start."

With Director Park's words, Yeonwoo and the extras stood near the departure gate, following the assistant director's guidance to set their movements.

At this point, every extra was needed, so even the manager Min-soo and stylist Yaeun were walking around as a young couple.

"Ready, cue."

The departure gate door opened, and as Yeonwoo walked out, the camera started filming, closely following him.

There were few extras, so the camera focused on capturing the scene without making it look awkward.

'Well, not capturing his face and focusing on something else would be a waste.'

The director of photography, who was filming Yeonwoo's upper body as he walked out, took a few steps back.

Yeonwoo walked out, took off his sunglasses, and with a disinterested look, pulled out his smartphone.

"Yes, Mother. I've arrived."

His fluent New York accent.

The staff, who had marveled at his Italian in "Master Plan," nodded at his perfect English.

"I know. To be honest, I didn't really want to come to this country. But it's for work, so I have no choice."

After a pause, as if listening to a scolding, he continued with a reluctant nod.

"Yes, I understand. I'll be careful. It's already night there, so get some rest, Mother."

After ending the call, Yeonwoo pulled his suitcase and moved out of the frame.

"Okay, cut."

As expected, the scene was perfect on the first try, and now Jung Cheol-min, who was waiting, became nervous.

Jung Cheol-min's role was to introduce Korea to Yeonwoo's character, Jay Miller, in the early part of the film and set the stage for the subsequent scenes as the manager, Jung.

"Alright, if you're ready, let's move to the next shot."

To shoot all the scenes within the two hours of cooperation from the airport, they had to be quick.

The staff and actors quickly moved to set up the next scene.

"Keep moving in the background. We'll throw the focus, so keep changing your clothes and walk through."

The extras nodded at the assistant director's instructions.

Min-soo and Yaeun, with somewhat stiff expressions, looked at the different colored tops they had prepared to avoid being in the frame.

"Brother, the place where I put the clothes won't be in the shot, right?"

"Probably. Just walk through quickly, change your coat, and do it again."

Yaeun nodded at Min-soo's words.

Just walking behind the actors felt awkward and long, even though they were using their own legs.

"Yeonwoo is admirable. How can he be so natural?"

Min-soo also nodded at Yaeun's words.

"Action."

At Director Park's cue, Yeonwoo slightly hobbled, one hand in his pocket, looking around.

From his posture to his expression, anyone could tell he had just arrived in Korea as a Korean-American.

And from off-screen, Jung Cheol-min's voice could be heard.

"Hey, Mr. Miller?"

Yeonwoo, who had been looking around, turned to look off-screen.

With the director's okay, they quickly reset for the next scene, focusing on Jung Cheol-min.

"Let's do that scene again."

Jung Cheol-min, looking around, spotted Yeonwoo and slightly raised his toes, waving his hand above his head.

"Hey, Mr. Miller?"

As a seasoned actor, he exuded the atmosphere of a working professional with a hint of tension.

In fact, his nervousness about his pronunciation was what made him look like an ordinary office worker greeting a foreigner for work.

He walked quickly towards Yeonwoo.

"Okay, that was good."

Now both were in the same frame.

"Teacher, I'll stick to the script, no ad-libs."

"Sure, you've memorized it, so do it exactly."

Yeonwoo nodded and smiled.

It felt strange to be in the same frame as his teacher, filming a movie.

"Action."

At the cue, Yeonwoo extended his hand first.

"I'm Jay Miller. I'm from A-Music Company, right?"

Jung Cheol-min, mimicking the typical movements of a Korean salesperson, rubbed his hand on his suit and shook hands politely.

"Please call me Manager Jung. I'll take you directly to the company."

"Thank you. Then, call me Mr. Jung. I'm not a celebrity, so 'manager' feels awkward."

"I see. This way, please. The car is ready."

Jung Cheol-min pointed to the right side of the frame, guiding Yeonwoo. There was no specific action, and the real airport entrance was in front of the camera, but he skillfully pointed to the wall, adding a natural movement.

Meanwhile, the extras, manager Min-soo, and stylist Yaeun busily walked behind them, changing their clothes and walking through again when they were out of the frame.

"Good, cut."

With little time, the staff quickly moved the equipment and set up for the next shot.

"Let's do it again. Cue."

As Jung Cheol-min led the way, Yeonwoo followed, and the director of photography filmed their backs.

"Have you been to Korea before?"

"First time."

"I see. It's a warm country. I'll help you adapt during your stay."

"Thank you."

Though it was a back shot, Yeonwoo's acting conveyed a slight hesitation and delay in his response, making it feel like he wasn't entirely enthusiastic.

The airport scene was quickly wrapped up.

However, shooting Yeonwoo and Jung Cheol-min separately in multiple shots took a lot of time to set up.

"Alright, let's move to the LN Entertainment headquarters and shoot the car conversation and the scenery in one go."

***

"Mr. Jung, do you happen to like indie music?"

At Mr. Jung's question, Jay looked at the driver's seat.

"I don't discriminate by genre."

"Ah, then how about joining us at a festival? You don't have any album projects for a month or two, and they said you need time to adapt."

Jay nodded, looking at Mr. Jung, who was actively trying to take care of him.

"Sure, I'll go. I'm curious about Korean indie music, not just K-POP."

Jay turned his gaze back to the window.

Looking at the land where he was born, now almost forgotten, his face revealed a strange and subtle emotion.

He saw the vibrant Han River and a gray bridge with heavy traffic, which seemed to reflect his current state of mind.

The country that had abandoned him and sent him to America, and the country that had recognized his dream of composing and given him a chance to build a career, these conflicting feelings swirled in his mind as the car steadily moved forward to the company.

"Okay, cut!"

After a brief shoot at the LN Entertainment building, they wrapped up the day's filming.

"Wow, it still feels like a dream. I'm in Director Park Chan-hong's movie."

"Let's celebrate at home tonight, Teacher."

"Sure, let's get some beer and go home."

Jung Cheol-min, who was staying at Yeonwoo's place to shoot the indie festival scene the next day, watched as Yeonwoo smiled and asked Min-soo, who was driving.

"Min-soo, do you have any plans after work today?"

"Not really."

Jung Cheol-min's eyes lit up.

"Oh, then how about a drink with the manager? It might be boring just the two of us."

"Sure, why not?"

Min-soo, who usually enjoyed drinking but had to be cautious due to his job and Yeonwoo's abstinence, nodded.

"Min-soo, let's drink together and stay at my place. We have a lunch shoot tomorrow, so we can go out after a hangover breakfast."

"Ah, that's why you found the lighter at the claw machine place?"

"Brother, I was so nervous, I was sweating like crazy."

With a few drinks in, Min-soo and Jung Cheol-min quickly became close, chatting loudly.

Yeonwoo, smiling at their conversation, picked up his smartphone.

He searched for "Master Plan," which was now in its final stretch, with about a month left to reach ten million viewers.

- "Master Plan" Day 33: 9.5 million viewers. Will it reach ten million?

- "Master Plan" attracts 500,000 viewers over the weekend, showing strong momentum.

The production and distribution companies were determined to keep the screens occupied until they reached ten million viewers.

Yeonwoo thought that with this momentum, they would likely reach ten million viewers by the end of the week, even with a conservative estimate.

'Well, let's see how the special edition of "Beyond the Stars" is doing.'

Thanks to its success, two special editions of the making-of "Beyond the Stars" were scheduled for the week.

- Special edition of "Beyond the Stars" to soothe the disappointment of its end.

- "Beyond the Stars" driven by the director's cut special edition.

- What's next for the "Beyond the Stars" trio: Ryu Yeonwoo, Son Jin-wook, and Jin Yoo-han?

'What's next for them?'

Yeonwoo clicked on the article that caught his eye.

What's next for the "Beyond the Stars" trio: Ryu Yeonwoo, Son Jin-wook, and Jin Yoo-han?

The recently concluded "Beyond the Stars" is still popular.

Among the three men who captured the hearts of many viewers:

Jin Yoo-han has chosen the musical "Dejanand" for his next project, causing a stir.

On the other hand, Son Jin-wook is set to return in the drama "Prisoner," directed by Lee Young-hwan.

However, Ryu Yeonwoo, who has yet to announce his next project, has been busy this year, excelling in both the big and small screens.

Yeonwoo nodded as he read the article.

He often communicated with Son Jin-wook and Jin Yoo-han, but they usually didn't discuss work, so he learned about their next projects through the news.

'Ah, Yoo-han mentioned he was doing a musical last time. I didn't know it was "Dejanand."'

"Dejanand" was the musical Yeonwoo loved the most from his previous life and the connection that led Han Hae-woon to find him in this life.

'It seems they've adapted it in a Korean style.'

It was a work he wanted to do if given the chance, but Yeonwoo, who was not good at singing, shook his head at the thought of his singing skills.

Jung Cheol-min, who had been chatting with Min-soo, noticed Yeonwoo quietly looking at his smartphone.

"Yeonwoo, what are you looking at?"

"Ah, it's about Jin-wook and Yoo-han. They both have news about their next projects."

"Our movie is an indie film, so the journalists haven't gotten any sources yet?"

"Yes, the news about me is just about my next project."

Yeonwoo looked at Min-soo.

"Min-soo, I've received a lot of help this time, so I'd like to send coffee trucks to both actors."

"Sure, how about a snack truck instead? They're popular these days."

Yeonwoo showed interest in Min-soo's suggestion.