Chapter 677

“Get ready to scout out another location just in case. Senior Kim! You have to grab an exceptional angle today, okay?”

“Director Yoo, we’ve known each other for three years now. Don’t you know my skills?”

“I do, that’s why I’m asking you. You know that this is my first piece, right?”

“I do, I do. But don’t put too much energy into it. I’ve seen many cases where people shot too much and it ruined the editing process.”

“Of course. Let’s just do the necessary parts and fulfill every producer’s dream – go home on time.”

Jayeon fired herself up before walking over to the arts director.

“Senior Park, whose idea was it to put a water bottle here?”

Jayeon pointed at a water bottle on the desk. It was a rather crude bottle that was reminiscent of the old milk bottles that couldn’t be seen these days.

“It might look crude, but the feeling it gives off is somehow cozy. I like the pencil here too.”

“It’s from our newest member. Pretty decent, huh?”

“Please introduce me to that guy later. He knows what I want.”

“Alright. But hey, how does it feel to produce your first work?”

“Crazy bitch gunna be real crazy.”

The arts director turned around while laughing. Jayeon looked at the main character’s room which had been completely decorated. This was a place where a man in his thirties, who ran a pojang-macha in a secluded alley, lived by himself. He liked the quiet and did not like noise, but he liked the bustling of people.

On the old desk was a laptop, a lamp, a water bottle with a pencil inside it, and then finally, a manuscript. The main character’s job was as a novelist. He made himself known through short to middle-length novels after debuting, but he hadn’t been able to make any progress since that. He would try to write every night in this shantytown where no engine noises from cars could be heard, with the company of the moonlight, but the white cliff of the manuscript would always stop him.

Jayeon tried matching the objects in the room to the character’s current situation. She smiled every time she found something matching, and whenever she found something lacking, she noted it down on a memo.

“Good, this is splendid.”

The slightly study-looking room seemed like it was enough to represent the main character’s feelings of being driven into a corner. The piled manuscript papers as well as the worn-out keyboard of the laptop showed that the main character did not give up even in the middle of despairing. The room, which had an overlap of many different feelings, was very much like what Jayeon was imagining. If there was something lacking, it was that the wallpaper was a little too clean. That wasn’t anything much since she could just consult the arts team and have them fix it.

“It looks like the company is supporting you quite a lot, eh. They’re lending you such an expensive camera even though it’s a one-act play,” said senior Kim, the camera director.

“It’s pretty long, so as long as you shoot well and put effort into the editing, it’ll have a film-like vibe to it.”

“Maybe it’s because it’s the last one-act play.”

Senior Kim nodded.

“So YBS is quitting one-act plays huh.”

“Because it doesn’t make any money. It doesn’t look like they’re planning to invest as much as RBS does either.”

TV stations were places where the latest trends and traditions coexisted. If they only focused on the tastes of the younger generation, the older generation would turn away, yet if they focused too much on the older generation, the younger generation would turn their backs. They had to broadcast daily lifestyle programs for the elders, and also tell the younger generation about the latest fashion. Or, they had to combine the two into one. Unfortunately, one-act plays catered to neither. In the first place, one-act plays were an experimental stage for the writers and the producers. As it prioritized the ideals of the maker before viewing rates, it was a place where the witty ideas of new writers and the daring direction of new producers were forgiven. There was an era when some refreshing ideas shone like a pearl hidden in the mud causing the three major television companies to heavily invested into it, but the times had changed. TV schedules became longer and more competitive. There was less room for an experimental show with an unstable theme to stand on. Rather than challenges, they pursued stability. Perhaps it was a natural course of action for the TV stations who had become massive.

“If it’s the last time, we might as well do it with a blast.”

“Of course. Let’s make those executives change their minds.”

Senior Kim laughed and walked over to the camera. Jayeon walked around the room by herself and started picturing the content. The main character enters through the door. He walks around the room for a while before sitting down on the chair. He hesitates before turning on the laptop, but he only stares at the desktop. After staring at it for a long time, he pulls out his pencil and glares at the manuscript. That only continues for a short while before he looks out the window and sighs with a mocking smile. The laptop and the manuscript. He leaves behind the items that are the foundation of his lifestyle before standing up.

She could draw the picture clearly inside her head as though she was going through an already shot footage. Jayeon thought about the main character leaving through the door. The pojang-macha, which was his refuge and resting place, would become the refuge and resting place of other people as well. The story of other people would blossom there, and she had to capture it all on camera.

“It’s pretty well-made.”

“You’re here?”

Jayeon looked at Ganghwan, who was standing behind her with the script in hand. This drama wouldn’t be complete without this man. She tried substituting the main character in her head with Ganghwan. The appearance was a little awkward, however, Ganghwan would fill that discrepancy between reality and ideal with his acting. As he was someone who would fulfill her requests to perfection, she wasn’t that worried. In fact, it was herself that she was worried about. In order to bring out this man’s one hundred, nay, one thousand percent, she would have to bring out all the skills of production she had learned until now. A small bowl could only hold a small amount of water. In order to hold the entirety of the man known as Yang Ganghwan, she would probably need a big bowl.

“Hyung, since you’re here, try standing here.”

“Are you going to call me hyung during the shoot too?”

“Fine, actor Yang. For now, try standing in the set.”

Ganghwan entered the room. As the set had all four sides closed off, which was unlike normal sets where one wall was open, Jayeon had to follow him inside.

“How is it? Do you think it fits the image of the main character that you’re thinking of, hyung?”

“Well, I’m horrible at arts.”

“Just tell me what you think.”

“I think it’s pretty good. I think this kind of mild image fits a writer who moved to a shantytown because he can’t go to a temple.”

Ganghwan walked around and looked around the set. His eyes looked pretty serious.

“Please take care of me, hyung. Let me become a star producer with your help.”

“Why are you suddenly putting me on a pedestal? You’re making me uneasy.”

Ganghwan left the room.

“How about the other sets?”

“That one over there is for Maru and Yuna. There’s a limit to the area we can use, so I think we have to assemble and disassemble every time. Anyway, that one over there is for Mira and Byungjae.”

“The TV station set area is really wide huh. I thought what I saw in dramas were actual houses that they rented.”

“Are you really someone who’s been staying in this industry for over a decade? You don’t even know stuff like that?”

“Well, I never showed up on TV. At most, I just showed up briefly as a cameo or something. This is my first time on a set too.”

“Why don’t you come over to the drama side using this opportunity? I think with your skills, you’ll be able to have your name known to all the major producers, you know? Also, what company do you belong to? It’s JA, isn’t it? It must be easy for you to find connections.”

“I thought you hated stuff like using connections.”

“I mean to say that I can’t have that stuff interfere with my work, not that I’m rejecting it entirely. I mean, you can’t keep working in this industry if you ignore it.”

“The reckless street thug can now think for herself huh.”

“I’ve always been smarter than you. But really, why don’t you think about it seriously? I mean, about switching to camera acting.”

Jayeon cautiously looked at Ganghwan’s face. Leaving aside personal feelings, when viewed objectively, the actor known as Yang Ganghwan was a very desired talent. Watching his act would make anyone excited. Yes, excited. There was no other word that described Yang Ganghwan’s acting more properly than that. The viewers would forget that they’re ‘watching’ something and become synchronized with his act. They would become objectified by his acting before being drained of their energy, and only after his act ended would they start breathing again and exclaim. Ganghwan was a merciless actor who sucked in everyone’s gazes.

“Camera acting just doesn’t suit me. I also don’t like the fact that I’m restricted by the location. I heard that shooting a drama is like war, right? You need to be fierce when you’re preparing for plays too, but it’s not as bad as dramas. I want to do the leading, not chasing,” Ganghwan smiled as he spoke.

He didn’t look disappointed at all. Jayeon immediately gave up on the idea. There wasn’t a method to grab a star in the skies after all. Unless that star came down by itself, there was no way of touching it.

“Superstar Yang, it sounds good too.”

“I’ll introduce you to Hong Geunsoo later, so go chase him. He was born to live in front of the camera.”

Ganghwan said he’d look around the set a little more before walking over to another set. Jayeon shrugged. In a world where there were as many actors desperate to debut on TV as there were grains of sand on the beach, this man was rejecting the opportunity. She would understand if he was lacking skill, but he was acting like despite having more than enough skill, so she only found it unfortunate.

“Hello.”

Another one of the main characters, Byungjae, arrived. He had cut his hair cleanly like college students these days. His clothes weren’t too flashy either. If he walked around a college campus right now, he would be one of the ‘handsome oppa on campus’.

“Are those clothes sponsored?”

“No, they’re mine,” Byungjae replied with embarrassment.

“They suit you. Who did the styling?”

“A friend of mine.”

“That friend of yours has good taste. You said you don’t have an agency yet, right?”

“Yes, I’m by myself.”

“Then have your phone with you at all times. The assistant director or I will call you quite frequently. If you don’t pick up, be prepared for the consequences.”

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”

Byungjae raised his head to look at the ceiling. His mouth became open and his expression looked so pure that Jayeon subconsciously smiled.

“Is it your first time at a set too?”

“Yes. In fact, it’s the first time I came to a TV station.”

“Oh my word. Was I too focused on the acting skills? You should have a look around as well. Watch out for the cables on the ground.”

“Yes!”

Byungjae trotted away like a kid on a field trip.

“Looks like he doesn’t need to do acting at all.”

He seemed like he came straight out of the script. Of course he’d suit the character since she picked the one that suited the image, but Byungjae especially had no difference from the character in the script when compared to his real character. Whether this was an advantage for him or not, she would have to find out once they began shooting.

“But hey, the oldest one arrived at the scene first, huh. What a lax atmosphere.”

Jayeon looked at Ganghwan, who was taking Byungjae around the set. There were 30 minutes until the appointment. She would scold the latecomers without mercy.

* * *

“It’s big,” Yuna said in front of the TV station.

Maru tapped on Yuna, who was gasping at the building, and pointed at the building next to it.

“We’re going that way.”

“Eh? Isn’t it this one?”

“That one over there is the building with the sets. This place is for broadcasting and office work.”

“You’re quite knowledgeable.”

“I’ve been here a few times after all.”

They walked past the guard post for cars and entered the 5-story building. The 1st and 2nd floors were combined into a huge warehouse-like area, and that place was the drama set. On the ceiling, which was high above, were bars installed at regular intervals on which lights could be installed. He took Yuna, who was marveling at the forklifts that were used to move the walls of the sets, to Jayeon, who was standing in front of a completed set.

“Hello.”

“Hello.”

As soon as they greeted, Jayeon placed a finger on her mouth, signaling them to keep quiet. Maru shut his mouth and directed his gaze to where Jayeon was looking. He saw Ganghwan leaning against the wall behind the door to the set. He flipped a page of a book with a bored expression before he expressed his annoyance and rolled on the ground. People laughed when a grown adult was acting like a child throwing a tantrum, but they soon became quiet upon Jayeon’s glare. After rolling around in his room for a while, Ganghwan slowly stood up and sat at his desk. Only his back could be seen, but Maru could tell that Ganghwan was pondering. He heard a soft sigh. Ganghwan was clutching his hair as well. While his expression couldn’t be seen it could be gleaned from his actions alone.

“About that much, maybe?” Ganghwan said as he turned around.

Maru subconsciously nodded. This person is an actor after all – these thoughts filled his mind.

KTLChamber's Thoughts

Can we have the title of the drama please…?

Editor's Note:

Man, I always want to watch these serious moves/dramas/plays that they talk about. This time is no different.

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