Chapter 94

94

"......Me?"

"Yeah! It's totally confusing!"

Normally, I would have ignored it, but since I knew it was true, I couldn't easily dismiss it.

I squinted and then asked, "You mean... I look like a ghost or something?"

What are you talking about to a perfectly fine guy standing right here? Min Jihun looked at me from head to toe after hearing my words. He tilted his head with a serious expression, making me a bit nervous.

"...Hmm. Well, now you seem fine. But it's a bit hard to tell."

"Mr. Min Jihun, do you know your words change a lot and are mostly useless?"

"Bro, you're a bit harsh, you know?"

Min Jihun muttered, "Talkover..." with a hurt look.

"Seo Hoyun! Come in now. Let's start the filming!"

"Okay."

Leaving behind the annoying words of Min Jihun, I confidently stepped into the camera frame. I checked the movement path, and soon Yoo Ji-a entered.

This was the scene of their first meeting.

"Ah! I'm nervous, what do I do!"

"What do you do if the director is nervous! Seo Hoyun, it's okay. It's okay. Act naturally."

The staff and director had already given me all the nervousness I needed, so there was nothing much to say. I just smiled faintly, and Yoo Ji-a spoke beside me.

"Hoyun, let's do our best."

"Senior, please take care of me."

The preparation was complete, and Director Yoo gave the cue from behind the camera. The assistant director came forward to clap the slate and called out.

"15-1-1!"

In sync with the timing, Yoo Jung-hwa walked up to the rooftop railing and called out brightly.

"Ah! Let's do our best today!!"

I don't know why dramas always have a part where someone loudly declares something on the rooftop.

This was a scene where, after her first day at work, she was being pushed around, making mistakes, and being harshly criticized by seniors, and then comforting her deflated self.

Yoo Jung-hwa took a deep breath again and called out.

"Being a newbie means making mistakes! Let's do our best for the next time! Let's endure! Endurance is the key to success! Let's cheer for Yoo Jung-hwa!!"

...I heard that writer Kim Sook-hee had a tough career, and it seemed like 80% of her mindset was reflected in the dialogue.

"Excuse me, do you know where the entertainment department is?"

When I heard this line, it was my turn to turn around.

Next, I nodded and slowly replied.

"Yes, it's on the 5th floor downstairs."

I remembered the things the hastily assigned acting trainer told me to do.

Think of the character in a three-dimensional way... I refreshed the theories I had stuffed into my head and spoke.

"Yes, it's on the 5th floor downstairs."

Yoo Jung-hwa's eyes slightly wavered.

"Hmm?"

Something felt off, but I tried to control the emotion the trainer emphasized and delivered the line.

"Are you a new employee?"

"Yes, I'm Yoo Jung-hwa, who was assigned to the entertainment department this month."

"The entertainment department."

"Cut!"

At that point, the director slightly turned his head and called out "Cut."

"......?"

Not knowing what was wrong, I turned around to see the director frowning at the monitoring screen.

"What's wrong? Hoyun, you were nervous because it's your first time, right?"

At his words, a light laugh erupted in the filming area.

"......?"

I wasn't nervous at all?

Yoo Ji-a, who had instantly returned to her original self, clapped her hands lightly to lighten the mood.

"Hoyun, let's do it again?"

"Yes, I'm sorry."

It was an NG, so I quickly apologized. The director, who still had a high affinity for me, waved his hand. The filming resumed immediately.

"Are you a new employee?"

"Yes, I'm Yoo Jung-hwa, who was assigned to the entertainment department this month."

"The entertainment department..."

"Ugh!"

The second attempt also failed.

"Yes, it's on the 5th floor downstairs..."

"Cut!!"

The third attempt also failed.

"What? I'm doing it normally, right? I'm even trying hard?"

Confused and at a loss, Director Yoo said,

"Um... let's take a break for now?"

I approached Director Yoo confidently, having been kicked out of the filming.

"Director, I'm sorry for the repeated NGs. Could you tell me what the problem is?"

"Ah, Hoyun. It's nothing much. You're doing well. You're doing well, but..."

"Yes."

"It's just that you're not the same as during the audition or script reading. Back then, I thought, 'Wow, this is PD Lee Jung-hoon!'"

Director Yoo scratched his head.

"Now, it feels a bit... like you're just acting?"

"......"

"Acting is natural for an actor, but..."

Director Yoo shrugged, realizing his explanation was a bit incoherent. But he said he couldn't explain it any other way.

Not understanding, I rewound the filmed scene on the monitor, and Yoo Ji-a came over.

"Maybe the director has high expectations."

"I'm sorry, senior."

I bowed my head in apology and went to a corner of the filming area to look down at the script. I recalled what the acting trainer had said. Something about clear pronunciation, emotion, and such.

"What's strange?"

At that moment, Min Jihun, who had been watching from somewhere, slurped his coffee and popped out.

"Jihun's entrance."

"......"

He really is...

Suddenly, I thought he would match well with Kang Eun-jae.

Min Jihun slurped his coffee and yawned, then asked,

"Seo Hoyun, did you get a trainer?"

"Uh?"

"Maybe that's the problem?"

What's with this sudden comment?

As Min Jihun's words dragged on, he realized no one was paying much attention to him and spoke casually.

"Um... I don't know what the trainer said, but you just need to be yourself on air. You've always been PD Lee Jung-hoon. Why complicate it?"

"......!"

Wait, that's true?

"Your acting looks forced. When you try too hard, it adds an unnecessary layer that obscures the essence."

...That's true?

"The only useful thing from the trainer might be... pronunciation. Your diction is already good, but it's different from a typical actor's."

He's not wrong at all?

"......Why are you looking at me like that?"

"No, it's just a bit shocking..."

I thought he was always indifferent and clueless, but when he spoke seriously about acting, I was taken aback.

'Min Jihun really seems to be serious about acting...'

He can dive deeply into anything and understand it thoroughly, which allows him to give precise advice.

Moreover, according to Jung Da-jun, his acting skills have improved so much that it's almost like a god has descended.

'...Maybe he's possessed.'

Looking at him with a slightly different perspective, Min Jihun smiled awkwardly.

"...Did I come off as too senior?"

"......"

"But I find people who admire me too much to be a bit burdensome. It's a bit too much... sorry."

"There's no need to worry, it won't happen."

"...Okay."

I took a deep breath to calm myself and stepped back into the filming area.

***

Yoo Ji-a adjusted her makeup and entered the fourth take. Seo Hoyun, who had been talking with Min Jihun, returned with a slightly sour expression.

'Are they not getting along?'

But when our eyes met, she immediately returned to her original expression. Yoo Ji-a chuckled.

'She's confident. She's quite skilled at hiding things, and she has many enemies everywhere. But she doesn't seem to care about such things...'

Yoo Ji-a thought it was no big deal. Having rolled around in the entertainment industry since she was young, she could now tell at a glance whether someone would make it or not.

Seo Hoyun was clearly the former.

'He's setting the stage, so he can't fail.'

Despite this, Yoo Ji-a always felt a strange sensation when looking at him.

He's desperate, but not desperate for the thrill of the stage. But... can someone like that really throw themselves into being an idol?

"Senior, please do your best again."

"Me too."

'It's amazing...'

Yoo Ji-a liked Seo Hoyun, regardless. He was clean, didn't overstep boundaries, did his job, and didn't bother others, which made him the best.

"Okay, let's do it again!"

The slate was lowered, and he, now back as Yoo Jung-hwa, wiped his face and, as if making a decision, stood up. He grabbed the passing PD Lee Jung-hoon and spoke urgently.

"Excuse me, do you know where the entertainment department is?"

PD Lee Jung-hoon, who was walking, only turned his gaze to glance at Yoo Jung-hwa. Yoo Jung-hwa was startled by his look.

Under his slightly tired eyes, there was a hint of indifference. He looked like a zombie who had just been recruited and was walking around Yoido.

"Yes, it's on the 5th floor downstairs."

Yoo Jung-hwa, looking naive, only nodded, and Seo Hoyun... no, PD Lee Jung-hoon, looked down at Yoo Ji-a's ID and asked casually.

"...Are you a new employee?"

'Oh, what?'

"Yes, I'm Yoo Jung-hwa, who was assigned to the entertainment department this month!!"

"...Ah."

A hint of disappointment flashed in his tired eyes.

"The entertainment department..."

'Wow.'

Yoo Ji-a was impressed.

'This is a bit envious.'

It didn't feel like acting. Seo Hoyun was PD Lee Jung-hoon. Without any special lines, he conveyed the frustration of having already experienced all the ups and downs of the entertainment department with just the word "entertainment department."

It was natural.

For Seo Hoyun, who had been working like crazy in the entertainment department and didn't even put a pillow down when he slept at the broadcasting station, it was a real-life performance.

Looking at Yoo Jung-hwa, who was somewhat flustered, PD Lee Jung-hoon made a short sound.

"Then, which program will you be assigned to... It can't be mine, right?"

"Program?"

"...Ah, yes. I'm late in introducing myself. I'm PD Lee Jung-hoon."

"Really?! That PD Lee Jung-hoon?!"

"...Do you know me?"

He looked quite friendly, but he was known as the notorious PD Lee Jung-hoon. Yoo Jung-hwa, surprised and stuttering, saw PD Lee Jung-hoon's eyes narrow.

"'That PD'?"

"......"

"I'm curious where a new employee who just joined would have heard of me..."

'F*ck!'

Yoo Jung-hwa used her wit.

"PD?"

"......?"

"Not an entertainer?"

Seeing Yoo Jung-hwa's desperate bluff, PD Lee Jung-hoon's eyes widened for a moment before he burst into laughter. His lips curled up, and his eyes formed a crescent, sparkling beautifully.

"Your social skills are impressive."

"......"

"Congratulations. You'll do well wherever you go, Yoo Jung-hwa."

The comment about being an entertainer was somewhat genuine.

Unable to say that, Yoo Jung-hwa stuttered and looked at his shining face.

PD Lee Jung-hoon, after introducing himself, didn't even wait for a response and walked out of the camera frame without a second thought.

"He looks rude..."

Alone, she roughly tousled her hair and muttered blankly.

"...Will I bury my bones in this company?"

Yoo Jung-hwa was dazed.

She just hadn't thought about the fate of being thoroughly grilled by the notorious PD in the future...

"Ugh!"

At the same time, the director called out "Cut" and raised his thumb with a sparkling look.

A thumbs-up.

It was an expression used only when the director was extremely satisfied.

***

"This is exactly what I wanted! Both Seo Hoyun and Yoo Ji-a are perfect! Newcomers these days are really scary. They absorb opinions like sponges~."

"Hahaha, thank you."

"No acting flaws! Of course, Min Jihun as well, and Yoo Ji-a and Seo Hoyun! It's rewarding to direct~!"

After the first filming, the director praised them non-stop, his mouth dry. Min Jihun, who naturally didn't care, was only focused on the snacks at the filming site.

He ate ten servings of a meal last time...

'I can understand why he was taken to all the hospitals.'

If my brother ate that much, I would also worry if he was sick and travel around the country.

"How can you act so well? I heard you only recently started acting lessons at a large acting school..."

"Haha, no, I'm just worried about not doing well."

"Hmm..."

Yoo Ji-a, who was also a good actor and had a strong desire to improve, wanted to hear his tips.

But, "There's nothing special."

I didn't need to try to understand PD Lee Jung-hoon. Just recalling the miserable experiences from my time as a notorious PD was enough.

During the script reading, every time I smiled benignly, thinking of the department head, Director Yoo and Writer Kim Sook-hei would scream, "It's really too scary!"

"Anyway, good job on the first filming today! I'd like to celebrate, but we have an early shoot tomorrow."

"Haha. We'll celebrate when the first episode airs."

"That's true, hahaha!"

The director, pleased with the smooth filming, laughed and disappeared. I said goodbye to the staff and actors and returned to the van. My manager was temporarily talking to someone and wasn't there.

Ding!

[Almost a free pass, huh? Your acting is really top-notch.]

It's been a while since I saw the system window. I bit into a candy while looking at it.

"Did you have a good strike?"

[...It wasn't a strike?]

"Really? Then did you have a good vacation? Did you go to Hawaii?"

[Yes, it was very good, I enjoyed surfing^^]

Surfing, my ass...

Since accepting the acting role, the system window has been answering me with a grudge, grinding its teeth. I could feel it very clearly through the text.

"Let's get to the point."

[......]

"What are you, kid?"