Chapter 99

99. Filming Begins

August.

Four small children, holding hands, were exploring the set built on the outskirts of LA.

"Wow, it's really big."

"Yeah. It can't even be compared to our school!"

The children couldn't take their eyes off the massive set that perfectly recreated the world from the novel.

Siwoo felt the same way.

The dining hall, dormitories, and classrooms of the Hogwarts-like magic school he had imagined while reading the novel were now right before his eyes.

'Impressive. The investment and passion for art here must be the best in the entire dimension.'

Seeing the set, he finally felt a real sense of being in Hollywood.

Siwoo noticed other children holding hands tightly to avoid getting lost in the complex set.

When asked how old he was, Lucy Riley said she was eight, so he thought she was his age, but it turned out she was a year older in Korean age.

Nicholas Nelson, the child actor playing Bill, was a year older and had been called "Little Romeo" since his photo was released, a handsome young boy.

Fans were eagerly awaiting the release date, referring to Siwoo and Nicholas as the representative handsome boys of the East and West.

Finally, Henry Hall, playing the lead role of Joel Miller.

What can I say?

He looked ordinary externally but had an air of being well-bred.

Like Joel in the novel, Henry also had the image of a neat and tidy young gentleman from a wealthy family.

'Can he act well? I've seen Lucy act, but I haven't seen the other two.'

He would get a sense of their acting during today's reading.

Siwoo looked at Henry and Nicholas with a mix of anticipation and concern.

The handsome Nicholas yawned widely, perhaps having stayed up late in anticipation of today, and turned his head toward Siwoo.

Nicholas, who made eye contact with Siwoo, rubbed his eyes with both hands and asked in a slightly slow Southern accent, typical of a child from Texas.

"I'm hungry. Aren't you?"

Siwoo placed his hands on his stomach and replied.

"I'm hungry."

Lucy, who was holding hands with Siwoo and Nicholas, spoke up.

"I went to a Korean restaurant with my mom! Bu... Bulgogi? It was delicious!"

Henry also chimed in.

"I tried it too. Korean snacks. The black ones. Kim?"

Siwoo compared the accents of the three children.

Coincidentally, each child had a slightly different accent.

Henry from New York.

Nicholas from Texas.

Lucy from LA.

Siwoo from Korea.

Children from different regions had come together to form a team.

"Yeah. Korean kim is really delicious."

Siwoo said.

While the children were chatting about food, a staff member came to inform them that the meal was ready.

The children had lunch with other adult actors in the dining hall of the magic school and proceeded with the script reading.

"Wow, Siwoo. Your diction is really good."

"The lines sound very rich. You have amazing expressive skills for a young child."

"Have you had any training?"

Every time Siwoo delivered his lines, his voice echoed clearly throughout the spacious dining hall.

After the first reading, the adults showered him with praise.

"It's not training... I learned a lot recently while working as a voice actor."

Siwoo replied with a smile.

He had become more adept at emotional acting through his voice alone.

The other children watched Siwoo, who was receiving praise, with awe.

Siwoo playfully showed a V sign to the cute children who were looking at him with admiration and thought to himself.

'I joined this to leave something for Siyun to see when he's older, and it's really helping a lot.'

He had participated in both the Korean and English versions of the "Adventures in Fairyland" animation, and the results were quite satisfying.

The premiere was scheduled for Christmas in December.

Since filming would take place in the U.S. from early November to late March, it would be difficult to watch it in theaters.

* * *

Summer passed, and it was October.

At the end of October, when a cold snap hit Seoul, Siwoo boarded another flight to the U.S. after meeting the actors for a script reading in August.

This trip to the U.S. was different from the previous short visit.

Siwoo was now going to live in the U.S. for the next five months with his mother, Siyun, and his aunt Heeju.

Heeju, a drama writer, had been preparing works to establish herself as a main writer, but with unsatisfactory results, she decided to change her writing environment and join them in the U.S.

Manager Taeu, who had done a lot of work to find a school for Siwoo and a house, would also live next door to Siwoo.

"Finally, we're going! Do your best, Siwoo!"

"Okay!"

Taeu, who was on the plane, looked excited to be a manager for a Hollywood actor.

"Yaaaaaah! Yaaaaaah!"

While Siwoo was calming down Siyun, who started crying on the plane, the plane took off into the sky over Incheon.

And after more than ten hours.

The plane carrying Siwoo's family crossed the Pacific and landed in Los Angeles, U.S.

"Wow, the weather here is really nice."

Heeju, marveling at the warm LA weather compared to Korea, said.

"Yeah, that's why we'll be filming in December and January. Siyun can't go out much in winter, but he can play happily here."

"Auntie~ Eat~ Eat~"

"Eat? What's eat?"

Siwoo translated Siyun's words.

"Playground."

"Oh~"

Heeju, understanding, laughed and touched Siyun's cheek.

Siwoo and his family got into a car driven by a staff member from Got Entertainment and headed to their new home.

It was a beautiful two-story house with a herringbone pattern on the white exterior and a dark roof.

'What? This is much better than our house in Korea?'

Siwoo was also very pleased.

Taeu explained.

"As I mentioned before, we could have found a house with a small swimming pool, but we chose one without a pool for Siyun's safety. The peanut-shaped building next to it is my accommodation. If you go up a bit across the road, you'll find Lucy's house."

Taeu smiled, saying that Siwoo would adapt well because he had friends and family.

As Taeu predicted, Siwoo quickly adapted to LA life.

He made friends at school with Lucy's help and sometimes brought friends home to reassure his mother, who was worried he might be lonely.

Soon, Nicholas from Texas and Henry from New York also moved to LA for the short term, and all the Hogwarts members gathered in the same school and neighborhood.

Henry, Nicholas, and Lucy often visited Siwoo's house to see the cute little brother Siyun.

The children were naturally becoming closer as they prepared for the film.

And in early November.

The first filming began amid the anticipation of fans worldwide.

The early scenes were naturally dominated by Henry Hall, playing the lead role of Joel Miller.

Henry, who still lacked acting skills, had practiced harder than anyone else.

With everyone's support, Henry successfully delivered the early scenes where the quiet and exemplary student Joel appears.

The film begins when Bruce Miller, the owner of a giant toy company that embodies the dreams and hopes of children, receives an email.

- Hello, Mr. Miller. I am pleased to inform you that Joel Miller has been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This email will automatically delete one hour after receipt. Please remember or write down the important information. Parents...

Bruce Miller, recalling the beautiful woman who was called a witch and left him and young Joel years ago, absentmindedly jotted down the important points of the letter.

On a snowy Christmas night.

Bruce and Joel were waiting for Santa in the garden of the large mansion.

Joel asked.

"Dad, you said Santa doesn't exist."

"That's true. But there are wizards who dress up as Santa every Christmas. There will be many children with special abilities like you there. What I want to say is..."

"..."

All parents whose children are starting school have similar feelings.

"Get along well with your friends. Listen to your teachers."

"Okay."

"And... um, no."

"..."

"It's nothing."

Bruce decided to talk to Joel when he was older.

He was still too young.

Soon, Rudolph with a red nose, as seen in fairy tales, flew down with Santa, and a beautifully shining pumpkin carriage was attached behind.

"Hello, Joel. Have you said your goodbyes to your father?"

"Um, yes."

"Then get in the carriage. Your father isn't a wizard, right? So your mother is a wizard? These days, in the middle world, there's no discrimination based on birth, so you don't have to worry."

"Is that so? That's a relief."

Bruce and Joel hugged each other one last time.

"Come back during the holidays. Joel. Call if anything happens."

"Okay. Dad, take care."

Joel stepped into the pumpkin carriage.

The pumpkin carriage, which could hold at most six people, was empty. The moment he closed the door—

Joel found himself on a hill overlooking Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

* * *

Siwoo stretched and relaxed his body.

Now it was his turn.

The first scene was with Nicholas Nelson, playing Bill Lambert.

A showdown between Eastern and Western handsome boys from the start—fans would love it, but...

In the original, there was never a mention of Evan being handsome.

The only setting was that Alice fell in love with Evan at first sight because his smile was so bright and beautiful.

This setting, like the correct answer that Heechan from a variety show guessed, was the reason why Evan was called the hidden true protagonist among fans and why Jennifer Hawkins, the author, chose Siwoo for the role of Evan after seeing XOXO.

In any case, while Bill was the only one described as very handsome in the original, in the film, Evan and Alice's appearances were significantly enhanced.

There are different types of original destruction, and this was a case where the fans' desired original destruction was achieved.

Siwoo entrusted his hair and clothes to an American stylist.

After finishing his preparations, Siwoo stood up and went to the director.

"Nicholas, listen carefully. Siwoo has a lot of experience, so look at him if you're unsure. Got it? Don't be nervous. You've seen Henry act, right? Just be relaxed like him."

"Okay~"

Nicholas replied.

"And Siwoo, you need to lead the scene well. Nicholas doesn't have much acting experience, unlike Henry and Lucy. Well, Henry doesn't have much either... I trust you, Siwoo. Show us your skills from Korea!"

"Okay~"

'Actually, I feel a bit uncomfortable when you shout "I trust you, Siwoo" with a serious face.'

Siwoo, despite his inner thoughts, relaxed and ran to the middle-aged actress playing Evan's mother.

"Hi, Siwoo."

"Hello~"

"Let's do our best."

Evan's first appearance in front of Joel is in the dining hall scene, but his first appearance to the audience is in the shop scene where he buys the Squid's Tear item.

Here, he meets Bill.

Seeing Nicholas, who was chosen for his outstanding appearance, Siwoo thought of Lim Jiseok, the male lead from "Sea Boy."

Sea Boy Power Mode.

Currently, a man who became a star through "Sea Boy."

Knowing how much burden Jiseok had before filming the drama, Siwoo didn't find Nicholas unfamiliar.

"Nicholas~ Hang in there!"

Siwoo called out cutely.

Then Nicholas also shouted.

"Okay! I trust you!"

How could his words be so similar to Jiseok's?

While Siwoo was feeling the scent of a Korean older brother from an American child, the director raised his hand.

The staff and actors held their breath.

"Ready, action!"

With the signal, Siwoo instantly focused, changed his expression, and ran to the visible shop with a playful, bright smile.

Unable to keep up with Siwoo's speed, the wizard's hat on his head flew off and fell.

The actress playing the mother, wearing a wizard's robe, picked up the fallen hat, smiled kindly, and delivered her line.

"You were such a small baby when we first met. How did you grow so fast? You're already old enough to go to school."

Siwoo turned around and waved.

"Mom! Hurry~ Hurry~ What if all the cool stuff sells out!"

"I haven't said I'll buy them yet~?"

Thud!

Siwoo, who had been shaking his hand, put on a sad face.

"You... You said you would..."

The middle-aged actress, seeing Siwoo's acting, where his bright face quickly turned to a sad one, thought he was a child with truly outstanding expressive skills.

"Hehe, you can only choose three."

Siwoo's face lit up again.

"Okay~!"

The American staff, like the Korean staff, laughed and frowned, naturally drawn into Siwoo's acting without realizing it.

Oh.