Descent Of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 194

“Did you make him practice the script?”

“He’s looking at it while getting his makeup done.”

“Ha, damn it. I didn’t think of that?”

“Don’t worry.”

At the assistant director’s words, Jang Hak-seon asked back.

“What do you mean, don’t worry?”

“He’s from Jae Kyung University, you know.”

“Jae Kyung University?”

“I heard he’s incredibly smart.”

“Oh, really?”

Jang Hak-seon tilted his head, surprised. Usually, siblings tend to have similar academic backgrounds. While Kang Se-ah was a cunning type, she didn’t seem exceptionally bright. But her brother was an elite.

‘Well, I guess.’

In a way, he was the epitome of someone who was good at studying. Not interested in grooming his appearance and just doing what he had to do.

“Then his private life must be clean too.”

“That’s right.”

Jang Hak-seon felt like he was having a seizure just hearing the word ‘private life’ because of Ji Min-ho.

“Still, it’s a relief that he agreed to do it.”

“But… PD-nim [PD-nim is a Korean honorific title for a producer or director].”

“Why?”

“I’m still a bit worried. Even if it’s a short role that doesn’t require much acting, I’m not sure if an amateur can handle it…”

“Hey, don’t worry. With that face, he can act at a school talent show level. If he goes viral on YouTube for legendary bad acting, it won’t be on a humor board, but on a healing board. He might even get a fan club.”

“…Is he that handsome?”

“If you want to survive as a drama PD, you need to think about how this guy’s face will look when captured by the camera. You need to put a camera in your eyes.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You’ll know when you see it, when you see it.”

Jang Hak-seon pointed at Kang Jin-ho, who was coming out of the container.

“Look at that.”

“Yes?”

The assistant director’s pupils shook as he turned his head to look at Kang Jin-ho.

“W-what is that?”

“I told you.”

Kang Jin-ho, who had changed from his shabby tracksuit into a suit and finished his makeup, looked like a completely different person. His messy hair was dried and styled, and how should he put it…

“…He’s a genetic jackpot.”

Kang Se-ah was also pretty. Some even called her a goddess. But Kang Jin-ho was beyond just being called handsome.

“This is unbelievable.”

“Why are you cursing, you punk!”

“Why does he go around with that face like that! If he’s going to waste it, give that face to me!”

“…You can curse more.”

Jang Hak-seon narrowed his eyes and looked at Kang Jin-ho again. No matter what angle he was captured from, his face instantly turned every scene into a photoshoot.

Jang Hak-seon grinned.

“I have an eye for talent, I tell you.”

Seeing that face made all his worries disappear. Jang Hak-seon shrugged and walked towards Kang Jin-ho. A camera director, who had caught the scent, quickly stuck to his side.

“Wow! PD-nim, where did you find someone like that?”

“His face is something, right?”

“I just tried capturing him once… It’s no joke, really.”

“I thought so.”

Seeing even the camera director act like this, it was safe to say that the visual aspect was already a done deal. Especially considering that the camera director was someone who usually had harsh critiques about male actors’ visuals.

Jang Hak-seon approached Kang Jin-ho with a broad smile.

At this point, he was even grateful to Ji Min-ho for causing the accident.

“Did you look in the mirror?”

“It feels awkward.”

Kang Jin-ho kept fidgeting, seemingly uncomfortable in the suit.

‘He’s got a good body too.’

The outline of his pectorals under his shirt was no joke. Sometimes, there were actors with great faces but poor bodies, making it difficult to capture full shots. But Kang Jin-ho’s body seemed to be in perfect balance with his face.

‘I’ve hit the jackpot.’

Jang Hak-seon’s face brightened even more.

Those who knew his usual prickly personality wouldn’t believe Jang Hak-seon’s face right now.

‘First episode’s buzz is definitely secured!’

Jang Hak-seon said with a smile.

“Don’t feel pressured. It’s an easy role. You’ll get used to it after a few times.”

‘Just act at an elementary school level.’ The face will take care of the rest.

Looking at the angle on the monitor, Jang Hak-seon kept exclaiming in admiration.

“Amazing.”

His face was already handsome, but with the lighting, his looks really popped.

Even an ordinary squid can be made into a giant squid with broadcast makeup and lighting. So, what would happen if someone who was already handsome got makeup and lighting?

“It’s amazing, but…”

A clapperboard with ‘TAKE 15’ written on it was pushed in front of Kang Jin-ho’s face on the monitor.

It meant that they were filming this scene for the fifteenth time.

“Kang Jin-ho-ssi [ssi is a Korean honorific title], let’s try to be a bit calmer this time!”

“…Yes.”

Jang Hak-seon took two deep breaths and shouted.

“Action!”

The clapperboard moved back, and Kang Jin-ho’s face filled the monitor.

‘Up to here, it’s perfect, up to here!’

The bangs fluttering against the backdrop of the sea.

The slightly shadowed eyelids creating a deep atmosphere.

His face was a weapon. He was just standing there without saying anything, but the story was progressing on its own.

Up to here, it was truly the best.

The assistant director waved his hand in front of Kang Jin-ho, signaling him to say his lines. Then, Kang Jin-ho looked at Choi Yeon-ha with a deep gaze and opened his mouth.

“We… should… break… up…”

“Cuttttttttttttttttttttt!”

Jang Hak-seon screamed as if he was having a fit and started running towards Kang Jin-ho with all his might.

“Ughhhhh! Kang Jin-ho-ssi! Kang Jin-ho-ssi!”

“Yes.”

“Don’t read the book, say the lines! The lines! Try following me! We should break up!”

“We should break up.”

“When you say it, do it a bit slower! Like this! We should break up!”

“We should break up!”

“Yes, that’s it! Let’s try it again! We should break up!”

“We should break up.”

Like teaching a three-year-old a word, Jang Hak-seon had been teaching Kang Jin-ho ‘We should break up’ for an hour.

He had said ‘We should break up’ so many times in that one hour that he was starting to feel like he was actually going through a breakup, and his heart was feeling a bit cold.

Kang Jin-ho repeated ‘We should break up’ with a calm face.

Then, Choi Yeon-ha approached the PD with a stiff face and opened her mouth. Her expression wasn’t stiff because the situation was serious, but because she had been standing in the sea breeze for an hour without being able to say a single line, her face had become stiff.

“…PD-nim, can we take a break? My mouth won’t move. I think I need to redo my makeup too.”

“Ughhh.”

Jang Hak-seon nodded with a pained expression.

Jang Hak-seon’s heart was in shambles as he nodded.

Why!

Why was he like that!

Even though they say the heavens don’t give everything to one person, why did they give such a face and acting skills worse than an elementary schooler? If he could just say his lines properly, he could become a representative star of Korea, if not a representative actor!

If he just got one good role, he could live off of CFs [Commercial Films] for the rest of his life after just one movie or drama! Why was he reading a textbook with that face!

‘What kind of combination is this!’

“Let’s take a break.”

At Jang Hak-seon’s words, the tense staff sighed and relaxed.

Kang Jin-ho also tilted his head and went to the makeup room. There should be a separate waiting room for actors, but it seemed no one had explained it to him.

Jang Hak-seon didn’t have the energy to tell him the truth and just stared blankly at Kang Jin-ho walking towards the waiting room.

“The heavens are cruel.”

He was doomed.

No matter how great of a PD and director he was, it was impossible to make Kang Jin-ho say his lines correctly today.

“This is supposed to be filmed during the day…”

Jang Hak-seon’s shoulders slumped.

The camera director rushed over and said to Jang Hak-seon.

“W-what do we do, PD-nim?”

“…What do we do?”

“It’s a disease, a disease? Like camera shyness?”

“Should we try filming with the camera hidden?”

“No, no. That won’t work. I saw earlier that he’s incredibly smart. His expression changed as soon as the camera light turned on? A first-time actor already knew which camera was filming.”

“Ughhh.”

Right, they said he was smart. They did say that…

“No, why is he so smart!”

“…Calm down, PD-nim!”

“If he was a bit dumb, I could trick him and film! I’m going crazy, really!”

Choi Yeon-ha, who had warmed up her body with a hot pack, approached Jang Hak-seon, grinding her teeth.

“PD-nim.”

“Yes? Ah, Choi Yeon-ha-ssi. Are you feeling better?”

“Change this filming to night.”

“…But this is a day scene.”

“The atmosphere will be better at night! Change it to night.”

The PD sighed.

Story-wise, changing the breakup scene to night wouldn’t be a big problem. But the problem was that it didn’t seem like the situation would be resolved by just extending the time a little.

“What are you going to do?”

“First, film all the scenes that need to be filmed during the day. There’s no problem except for this scene. I’ve almost finished filming my scenes too!”

“That’s right.”

“I’ll stick with him from now on and teach him the lines. Surely, he can say one line if we repeat it until sunset, right?”

Seeing the fiery Choi Yeon-ha, the PD nodded without realizing it. Choi Yeon-ha was known to have a fiery personality and even grab PDs by the collar. Once she was fired up, she wouldn’t back down easily.

“We have to air it! We can’t let that face go to waste!”

‘That’s a bit of a strange thing to say if someone else hears it, Choi Yeon-ha-ssi.’

PD Jang Hak-seon stared blankly at the container.

Four hours had passed since Choi Yeon-ha and Kang Jin-ho had gone inside the container. In that time, all the other filming had been completed.

Now, only one scene remained.

In the story, it was the scene where Kang Jin-ho, who was Choi Yeon-ha’s boyfriend, broke up with her and left for overseas.

That one scene, which was barely a minute out of the 65-minute first episode, was tormenting Jang Hak-seon.

Jang Hak-seon approached the container with a trembling heart.

‘Let it be harmonious, let it be harmonious.’

If things were going well, he would hear laughter from inside. Someone like Choi Yeon-ha would try to maintain a good atmosphere to ease the tension of a rookie.

But what if he heard a loud noise?

The drama would be ruined.

It wasn’t a problem that could be solved by simply deleting that scene. The storyline would be shattered, and the schedule would be completely messed up. Even if they tried to cast a new actor now, the result would be obvious.

With a prayerful heart, Jang Hak-seon cautiously approached the container, and a scream that seemed to pierce through the container reached his ears.

“Ughhhhhhhhh! Why can’t you do thisssssssss!”

A smile bloomed on Jang Hak-seon’s lips.

‘Let’s give up.’

It seemed faster to find an excuse to give to the investors.

Screech!

A black sedan stopped with a harsh braking sound.

Thud.

The door slowly opened, and a man in a black suit and sunglasses got out, closed the door, took out a cigarette, put it in his mouth, and lit it.

“Hoo.”

The man who exhaled a long puff of cigarette smoke took off his sunglasses and opened his mouth.

“What kind of filming takes this long?”