Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 360

Hyung, aren’t I cute? 360

A staff member took a breath and opened their mouth.

“The child actor said they can’t film the movie.”

“What? They don’t want to?”

“It’s not that, but they got hurt while playing and broke a bone.”

“Ah… then there’s nothing we can do.”

“They said they have a cast on now, so filming would be impossible. They’re sorry. It seems they’ll have to drop out of the movie.”

“Were they hurt badly?”

“I don’t know the details, but if a bone is broken, wouldn’t that be a serious injury?”

“I guess so. Tell them not to be too upset and to focus on getting better. Ah, what should we do? It’s not like the kid has a lot of scenes. I should have filmed them in advance.”

“Wouldn’t it work if we found someone now?”

“Hmm. They need to be young. It’s not easy.”

The reason we don’t use very young children is because they’re hard to find.

If they can act well and listen well, that’s an adult, not a child.

There are many difficult aspects, so we usually use child actors who are a certain age, but this movie needed a kid around 4 years old.

An age where they don’t speak too well, but not too poorly either.

“Director, what about Yeon-ju? I mean Professor Smith’s daughter who came today.”

At the staff member’s words, Director Go Dong-su blinked.

“Yeon-ju?”

“Yes. When I was guiding them earlier, the kids were playing movie-making, and she did well calmly. Professor Smith would have given her some acting guidance too. She’s good at ad-libs.”

“Do you have that video? Can I see it?”

“Ah, I don’t have it, but it’s on the professor’s camcorder.”

“Then shall we take a look?”

Actor Kim Seok-hyun, who was next to him, said to Director Go Dong-su.

“But are you okay with that? You’re very particular about details.”

“Well, there’s nothing we can do about this. We have to do something. What will change if I complain?”

“You’re different after all.”

“In a way, it might be a good thing that we postponed the kid’s scenes to the very end.”

It would have been dizzying if we had filmed them in between.

Movie filming costs money the longer it takes.

So, sometimes we shoot in the order of the scenes, but often we shoot everything we can at that location.

The shorter the filming permit date, the more scenes we have to shoot.

“Let’s go for now.”

Director Go Dong-su went back into the building with them.

***

There was talk about whether we should leave now that we’ve seen everything.

But then the director came and was talking to Smith, looking for the camcorder.

His eyes are busy.

He seems to be pondering.

“Could we have Yeon-ju do a camera test? It might be that she doesn’t look awkward because her dad filmed it.”

While saying that, he said that the original child actor got hurt and couldn’t appear.

We were curiously staring, and the children looked at Yeon-ju.

One of them says.

“Yeon-ju, are you appearing in a movie? Wow!”

“I don’t know.”

“But it would be really fun if you appeared in a movie. Hana will definitely go see it.”

“Yeah. But it might not happen.”

That’s for sure.

Casting isn’t that easy.

Still, Yeon-ju’s lips curled up as if she was happy.

I also hope it goes well.

“Yeon-ju.”

“Dad.”

“Would you like to do a camera test? Over there. But you can’t go in with your friends. This is a test of various things. You can go in with Dad.”

It seems like he’s creating a situation without friends.

Well, Professor Smith is there, so it’s not scary or anything.

It seems like he’s checking how she’ll do if she’s told to act instead of play.

“The lines are these. They’re pretty simple.”

I also checked with the kids, and the lines were really nothing.

A scene where she hugs her dad and whispers, ‘Welcome home.’

Another scene was answering ‘I missed you too!’ to the line ‘Dad, didn’t you miss me?’

It’s a scene where a child appears in the main character’s family.

Looking at the script, it didn’t seem like the child appeared throughout the whole thing.

Still, judging by the lines alone, if you say it’s a small part, well?

“Then I’ll go!”

“Bye-bye!”

“Yeon-ju, do well!”

“Goodbye!”

Seeing Yeon-ju confidently walking in, I thought she would do well.

The door to the room closes.

Professor Smith is inside too, so it won’t be scary or anything.

“Hyung.”

“Yeah?”

“Should Siha do it too?”

“Siha wants to try the test too?”

“Siha wants to be in the movie and say Hyung is amazing!”

Are you trying to promote your hyung [older brother]!

If people are engrossed in the movie and suddenly a child comes out and says, ‘Hyung is amazing! Hyung is cool!’ people will wonder what that is.

While having such silly conversations with Siha, the test ended quickly.

Yeon-ju comes out and makes a V sign.

It seems like she passed.

But the director comes out and comes towards me.

“Would you consider having your younger sibling take the test too?”

“Yes? Wasn’t Yeon-ju chosen?”

“Yeon-ju was chosen, but we also need a child to appear briefly at the end of the movie. We were going to find someone later because there wasn’t a suitable child… They don’t meet the actors either. Should we say we’re sending the video to their father? So.”

“Ah, I see.”

“The lines aren’t much either. I miss you. That’s about it. It’s not really a big test, but it’s important in a way. The emotions, that is.”

I think our Siha lacks emotional acting?

Of course, in my eyes, it’s very rich and perfect.

But I miss you. He would definitely do well with those words.

“Siha, what do you want to do? Do you want to try it?”

“Siha wants to try!”

So, we decided to take the camera test.

They had to film Siha with a camera from above according to the script.

“Siha, you have to say these lines while looking up. Hmm. Just think about how much you miss Hyung and say it. Got it?”

“Okay. Siha will do well.”

“Oh! Fighting!” [A Korean expression of encouragement, like “You can do it!”]

“Hwaiting!” [A Konglish (Korean + English) version of “Fighting!”]

Siha looks up at the camera.

The director gives the cue sign.

Siha says the lines I told him earlier exactly as they are.

“Hyung. When are you coming? Siha is playing well here. Grandpa is playing with Siha too. Hyung. I miss you.”

The original line is ‘Dad,’ not ‘Hyung.’

But the director doesn’t care about that and only looks at Siha captured on camera.

He nods once.

“Good. Let’s film it later.”

Somehow, Siha ended up appearing in the movie.

Is it okay to do this so haphazardly?

“I know it’s strange for me to say this, but the emotions don’t seem very rich on his face.”

Of course, Siha’s expressions have become much richer than before.

“There’s no need to act. Rather, it’s good to have a little less expression like that.”

“Really?”

“It makes it more poignant.”

“It’s rich enough though!”

“??? No. Didn’t you say it wasn’t rich earlier?”

“Isn’t that what parents are like? Haha.”

Director Go Dong-su chuckled.

Anyway, one way or another, he ended up appearing in the movie.

***

I wish Yeon-ju could be there during the movie shoot, but the scenes are different, so they couldn’t be together.

Honestly, it was the same for the actors.

Siha just has to film and act alone.

You could say it’s a solo shot.

Looking at the script, I understand the situation.

To be exact, he was looking at the CCTV [Closed-Circuit Television], not the camera, and talking.

“Then we’ll film.”

“Yes!”

I practiced the lines with Siha.

It would be nice if he did well since he’s doing it anyway.

The location here is an old house with iron doors.

There’s a yard, and you can see peppers spread out to dry inside.

The place with the CCTV installed on the front door in the yard is the background for today’s video.

The script situation is like this.

Siha’s role is the son of a company employee who can be said to be the villain who opposes the main character.

Due to circumstances, he has to leave him with his grandparents and live far away to work.

Siha misses his dad and speaks to the CCTV.

He remembers that his grandmother told him that his dad can see the video taken there.

“Siha, do well. Got it?”

“Okay.”

There are fewer staff than at the set we filmed at before.

There aren’t many scenes to shoot, and it feels like they want to film quickly and leave.

The director gives the cue sign.

I also point to Siha to look up.

Siha understands perfectly and looks at the CCTV.

He sticks his back to the door so that it is well visible in the camera.

It’s very natural even though I didn’t tell him to.

“Dad~ Dad~ When are you coming? Siha is playing well here with Grandma. Grandpa is playing with Siha.”

He fidgets and says this and that.

“Dad. I miss you~ I miss you~”

“Cut! Wow. He’s good. It’s over in one take. This will do, right?”

The director replays it and monitors it.

He nods.

He discusses with the camera crew that they can edit the CCTV screen feeling and then cross-edit it with the scene that actually appears in reality.

Siha runs to me and hugs me.

“Hyung. Did Siha do well?”

“You did so well. You did so well. You might become a great actor later?”

“Really? No.”

“Why? Why not?”

“It’s a big deal. A big deal.”

Siha looked around as if he was surprised.

I tilted my head. What’s the big deal?

“If Siha is popular, he’ll be tired. He’ll be too tired to play with Hyung a lot. It’s a big deal.”

“Pfft.”

Other staff members burst out laughing at Siha’s words.

I hear them chuckling and saying let’s wrap up.

I stroked Siha’s head. Where did you learn these lines? Was it written in the script?

No. Siha can’t read yet. Of course, he could read a few words.

It seems to be the result of studying stickers.

“We’re going to finish up here today. If it’s okay, let’s have a meal together.”

I said okay to Director Go Dong-su’s words.

We made an appointment to meet at a stew restaurant and drove the car.

Siha was proud of his acting today and said this and that.

“Hyung. Siha looked at the camera and acted.”

“Yeah. Yeah. You did.”

“The ajji [term for older man, like uncle] said to act like the camera is a person.”

“Yeah. You mean Actor Kim Seok-hyun?”

“That’s right.”

Looking at the age difference between Actor Kim Seok-hyun and me, it’s only 3 years.

But I’m Hyung and he’s Ajjushi, so it feels strange.

Well, considering Siha’s age, Ajjushi is right.

It’s also true that I’m his legal Hyung even though there’s a 20-year age difference.

It’s like I’m twisting the family tree strangely because I was born in an early year, and Siha is twisting the family tree even more because he’s my Hyung.

Maybe this kind of prank of fate was planned for me from the beginning.

“Siha didn’t think the camera was a person.”

“Then what did you think it was?”

“A phone. A phone. A video call.”

“Ah.”

You thought you were video calling over the camera.

“Wow! Siha is really amazing? You’re an acting genius. A genius!”

“No. If Siha is an acting genius, he’ll be popular. Then he can’t play with Hyung. Siha is not an acting genius.”

“Hmm. I see. Then Siha is good. Just like Hyung!”

“Siha is like Hyung?!”

“Yeah. Like Hyung.”

“Siha is Hyung’s younger brother, so that’s why. He’s like Hyung!”

Are you putting this compliment away!

It seems like Siha likes being like Hyung more than being called a genius.

“But if Hyung is a genius and Siha is like Hyung, wouldn’t it be a problem because you’ll be popular?”

“!!!”

Siha was restless as if he hadn’t thought of that.

“What should I do! Hyung. What should I do!”

It’s okay. Hyung is not that popular.

Oh? Is that not true? Everyone seemed to covet me for my abilities?

Let’s skip that.

“It’s okay, Siha. Actually, people remember people who appear a lot in movies. You won’t become that popular.”

He’s only appearing briefly, so they might forget.

And Siha will grow up, so they might not recognize him even more.

“Hyung is not in the movie, so it’s okay.”

“Huh?”

Why are you okay?

“If Hyung becomes popular, he can’t play with Siha.”

“Ah, I see. Don’t worry, Siha. Even if I become popular, I’ll play with Siha every day.”

“!!! Siha wants to do that too!”

“But if Siha becomes popular, you’ll have a lot of work to do?”

“Siha doesn’t work. He’s not an adult.”

“That’s true.”

Smart, isn’t he? Of course, there are cases where children work.

Anyway, Siha doesn’t work.

I don’t want to make him do it, so that won’t happen.

Siha chooses to play with Hyung over work.

“Ah! We’ve arrived. It’s in front of the stew restaurant.”

“Hyung. Should Siha make stew? Siha has done it.”

“Isn’t that just getting the ingredients from daycare? You didn’t make it, did you?”

“Then how can Siha get it from there? Siha played the game well.”

Hmm. Siha, that’s not a place where you play games to get ingredients from the stew restaurant?

If you just give them money, they’ll put in the ingredients and it’ll come out.

When I said that.

“Siha knows too. He bought it with money from playing the game. From here to here.”

“Yeah. I heard and know too.”

“Siha will buy you delicious sausage. Siha has money.”

“You have money?”

Siha took out money from his pocket with a clanging sound.

300 won.

“This.”

Siha. You can’t buy sausage with that…….

I can’t even add extra toppings.