Former Warrior Turns Into A Million-Dollar Actor [EN]: Chapter 59

The Unhungry (2)

* * *

YTS [Youth TV Station] Director’s Office.

The planning report for the first half, second quarter projects was complete. Joo Sang-joon CP [Chief Producer], whose gray hair seemed to be multiplying lately, gave a respectful bow.

“Then I’ll be going.”

“Okay, make sure you eat properly.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Not just you, make sure the team eats too.”

“A senior must eat well so the juniors can follow suit.”

“That tongue of yours…”

As Director Choi Hyun-woo gathered the proposals and documents Joo CP had brought, he suddenly asked, “How’s Chang-jae doing?”

“Uh… I think he’s doing alright? He’s got Byun Hwi-seung and Park Geon.”

“That’s strange, though. Hwang Chang-jae isn’t usually that skilled, and the project isn’t anything special.”

Joo CP nodded. It sounded like a backhanded compliment, but he knew it was an accurate assessment.

Hwang Chang-jae was YTS’s problem child… well, not a *very* sore finger.

He’d grown up in the company without much pushing, and he completed his assigned tasks smoothly with near-average results.

But did he stand out? Not at all. He lacked the most important virtue in this industry: ambition and competitiveness.

Director Choi’s finger tapped the table rhythmically.

‘It’s just that all the talented people were starting new projects at the time. I gave it to him to earn some production costs since he was available…’

And then this unremarkable guy suddenly cast a star at the peak of his popularity.

“…What kind of ratings do you think it’ll get, Director?”

“An average of 8%. We need to be conservative.”

The figure was lower than expected. Joo CP tilted his head.

“But he’s a 6 million actor [referring to his appearance fee]? The JNBC drama also exceeded 20%.”

“No, the narrative is different.”

“Narrative as in…?”

“The public supports underdogs; they don’t care about ambiguous cases. If you’re going to be pathetic, be *really* pathetic.”

“Ah, those online communities.”

Joo CP nodded in agreement. It wasn’t a blockbuster with a 10 or 20 billion won budget, but the cast was decent enough.

A male actor who could make a living, a female actor who did well in dramas and commercials, and a new face with ‘mediocre acting and decent looks’ – the kind you see everywhere.

‘But that’s why I can’t guarantee higher ratings. The lineup is ambiguous, so it’s hard to get sympathy votes.’

It wasn’t that dramas with only top actors always became hits, but three was better than two, and two was better than one.

And ‘Gray City Team Leader’ only had Park Geon.

“If it exceeds 10%, it’s a success. If it exceeds 15%, you have to go to Park Geon and bow once.”

However… that project was unlikely to break through. Director Choi rubbed his sideburns, which were starting to turn white again, and dismissed his worries.

“Give them some more production costs. Tell them to have a company dinner with ribs.”

“Hey, it’s just pork ribs anyway.”

“It’s a relief we didn’t go bankrupt after failing two 10 billion won projects. Remember, this year’s budget is tight.”

“I’ll earn a lot!”

“Okay, tell the others not to starve their teams either. And don’t drag out the filming schedule too much.”

Joo Sang-joon CP was slightly moved.

Other broadcasting station directors were going crazy asking for viewership ratings, but this director seemed to have a kind heart because he wasn’t from a PD background…

“If more people quit, the drama department will have to close. That’ll be a disgrace even after retirement!”

“…Director, why are you cutting perfectly fine people?”

*

A lamb rib specialty restaurant located in Seongsu-dong.

Because the owner was the famous actor Yong Joon-sang’s older brother, celebrities had frequented the place since its opening.

So the employees had become desensitized to most celebrities. The reason was that the same people kept coming, so they eventually got used to seeing them after a few visits.

But today was different. Celebrities they’d never seen before were entering the private room.

“…Hey, did you see?”

“Yeah. I greeted him, and he greeted me back. His fan service is no joke.”

“I’m jealous; I want to go in too…”

If they were caught gossiping about celebrities, they’d be in trouble. The servers, whispering to avoid the manager’s eyes, glanced at the private room.

“But what’s going on today? Park Geon, Jin Ji-yoo… all the Roman [the agency] celebrities have gathered.”

*

“Have a comfortable time.”

After the employee who put the meat on the grill left, Jin Ji-yoo took off her hat.

“I thought it was a first-episode strategy meeting, but there are so many people?”

Director Yoo Joon-il glared at Public Relations Team Leader Gong Gi-hyung with a scolding look.

“If the team leader had persuaded him better, we would have brought Goo Shin-seung too, but at the last minute…”

“…No, how could I when Team Leader Yang is glaring with bloodshot eyes and interfering? He’s been suffering so much from Shin-seung lately that he’s practically handcuffed him.”

The largest private room was rented entirely at a restaurant run by actor Yong Joon-sang’s older brother.

Inside the room, Park Geon and his brother Park Seon, Jin Ji-yoo, Gong Gi-hyung, and Director Yoo Joon-il were sitting around. People with close ties within Roman were gathered by department.

Jin Ji-yoo smiled brightly and turned to her former manager.

“But Director Yoo, I’ve been seeing you a lot lately. I thought you kicked me out and went to be in charge of Baek Ha-ni.”

“Hey, Jin Ji-yoo! That’s slander!”

“Isn’t it true? Isn’t it already three projects you two have worked on together?”

“…That’s because Ha-ni causes a lot of accidents. And I’m not in charge of her; I’m just, as a director, in charge of the representative celebrities…”

“Okay, cheers! Everyone’s having somaek [soju and beer cocktail], right?”

“Somaek! Somaek!”

“I’ll have soju.”

With Park Geon’s words, the drinks were passed around, and the meat began to cook.

Today’s event was a small contract celebration and drama strategy meeting for the Park Geon brothers.

With the first episode less than a week away, the topic naturally turned to the viewership ratings of ‘Hoedo Team’.

“Seon-i, what percentage are you expecting?”

At Team Leader Gong’s question, Park Seon frowned and pondered. He couldn’t just shout out whatever he wanted in front of the company people.

“I… uh, um… let’s just say 10% for now…”

“Hey, Park Star has name recognition; it’ll be more than that. Isn’t that right, Director?”

“So I’m looking at 15%. Based on the highest viewership rating.”

Yoo, nodding as if he was being generous, looked to the side.

“What about Jin? Ji-yoo, you used to bet on these things and sweep them all.”

Jin Ji-yoo, who swallowed a piece of short rib, said, “At least 20%, and if we make a viewership promise, up to 30%.”

At the excessively high numbers, Public Relations Team Leader Gong Gi-hyung and Actor Team Director Yoo Joon-il protested.

“Ji-yoo, the rom-com scene is fierce these days. JNBC and MBS [broadcasting stations] couldn’t even exceed 9% and are shrinking?”

“Yeah, and the writer is a rookie. She won a contest held by the production company to earn production costs. Promising 30% if we make a promise is a bit much…”

“Hey, did you two know that ‘Dog of Seoul’ and ‘Black Exorcist’ would explode?”

That was true. While the two company employees cleared their throats, Jin Ji-yoo turned her gaze to Park Geon, who had already devoured three lamb ribs.

“You should ask the person himself about this. If the atmosphere on set is good, you can get a sense of the viewership ratings.”

Park Geon’s hand, which was ruthlessly tearing a new bone, stopped for a moment.

“The atmosphere on set?”

“Yes, I’ve seen it in the articles, but I’m dying to know. What Seon-i feels and what the actor himself feels are different.”

“Byun Hwi-seung acts well.”

“And, what else?”

“The PD doesn’t have much ambition.”

It was an ambiguous statement. Team Leader Gong, who tilted his head, caught the context of the words.

“Isn’t that a bad thing?”

“No, it’s bad to be *too* ambitious. I need to go home early, but I end up filming the same cut a dozen times.”

“Director, that’s the manager’s point of view!”

Park Geon, who was watching the quarrel between public relations and the road manager, asked, “I have a question.”

“Yes? Yes, anything.”

“If the viewership rating is high, does the probability of winning an award also increase? At the year-end acting awards.”

People who weren’t actors were momentarily stunned. Jin Ji-yoo, who had won the most awards in the room, carefully opened her mouth.

“The viewership rating is an indicator of performance, especially for the big awards. It’s like giving it because the actor has led the drama and made money for the broadcasting station.”

“That’s right, Director Kim Ryul received the Best Picture award because the number of viewers can’t be ignored.”

“I see.”

Park Geon nodded as if he had lost interest, but Jin Ji-yoo didn’t miss the light that appeared in his black eyes.

‘A person who never seemed to have any ambition, why an award?’

Last night, when Park Geon contacted her, she was honestly a little excited.

Park Geon: [Do you have time tomorrow evening?]

Park Geon: [I want to buy you a drink.]

She heard that CEO Noh had booked a place to stay near the company, so she thought it might be a housewarming.

‘…No, who calls a company gathering and says they’ll buy you a drink?’

She was uneasy from the beginning when he said it was a store run by a celebrity brother, and when she arrived at the damn lamb rib restaurant, it turned out it was a company dinner.

However, with all the agency members.

‘If that’s the case, you should have said it from the beginning!’

While Jin Ji-yoo was trembling with betrayal, Team Leader Gong’s briefing continued.

“It varies from broadcasting station to broadcasting station, but it usually depends a lot on the percentage. The rookie award is about impact… the lead and supporting actor awards usually go to the actors in the most hit drama of the year.”

“But Park, why the sudden interest in awards? I thought you didn’t care about that kind of thing?”

“I used to, but this year I have a reason to work harder.”

Team Leader Yoo nodded.

“It’s good to set high goals.”

“Anyway, don’t worry, you two. The public relations team will put their soul into it again this time.”

Jin Ji-yoo, whose eyes had darkened as if she had remembered something bad, intervened with a smiling face.

“Team Leader, but why did my movie fail?”

“…Stop talking about that. There was nothing we could do with our power…”

Now D-7 until the first episode.

The time of evaluation is approaching.

*

“Yoo-jin, should I read your lines with you?”

Inside the waiting van, Kwon Yoo-jin shook her head.

“No. I’m okay.”

The manager, who had brought another copy of the script, looked at the actor with worried eyes.

Most of the people she exchanges lines with are Park Geon. If the manager awkwardly accepted it, it would only break the immersion.

“And the scenes we’re filming today are all mixed up, so… it’s better to memorize the order and practice alone. Just watch to see if I’m making any mistakes with the lines.”

“…Are you really okay?”

Kwon Yoo-jin’s hand, holding the script, tightened.

“Of course. I have to be okay.”

.

.

.

‘Hoedo Team’ filming, the seventh day.

Today’s scene was frantically jumping around.

It wasn’t about moving to many places. It meant jumping from episode 1 to episode 14.

During ‘Dog of Seoul’, filming was relatively in order due to PD Na Jong-mo’s style, but ‘Hoedo Team’ had a ruthlessly fluctuating timeline of filming scenes.

In fact, this was typical for a drama filming set. Thanks to this, the actors had to move through the timeline in the play enough to confuse the characters.

“Yoo-jin, this is episode 7. So be a little more comfortable and natural than just now.”

“Yes, I understand!”

Fortunately, Han Tae-ri changed her hair color around the second half of the play, so it was fortunate that she didn’t have to film romance scenes from the beginning.

PD Hwang, who looked around the set, signaled into the megaphone.

“Okay, let’s go in. Cue!”

S#. 13 Fabric Factory (Outdoor, Indoor)

Han Tae-ri was out of her mind.

She’d been through so many things, but the work of this company’s overseas sales team was a monster in itself.

She had to make PPTs [PowerPoint presentations], receive new orders, and visit each contracted store to manage sales and stores.

ㅡThen what, did you think it would be easy?

ㅡNot that…

ㅡOur overseas sales team has many areas to handle due to the nature of the company. We can handle domestic brand sales, launching, and distribution, but if we let go, we’re incompetent.

It had already been a week since she was assigned to the team.

Lee Jin-ha was still in charge of Han Tae-ri’s education, perhaps because he didn’t trust Hong Joon-young, who had caused a major accident.

She made PPTs in the office and followed him around outside, but it was still so hard… Was this human made of steel or something? He didn’t get tired.

ㅡ…He must be a real monster.

Today, after visiting five stores, they came to a fabric factory that received work as a subcontractor. Lee Jin-ha, who was scanning the fabric with sharp eyes, called someone.

ㅡAndersson, how is the schedule for available manpower?

ㅡIt’s not possible. The timing doesn’t work, so it will already be too late when I come to Korea.

ㅡWe will reorganize our conditions and send them to you in writing. We must resolve this before the store’s soft opening.

Perfect pronunciation of English, Swedish, and Finnish came out like a translator.

Han Tae-ri… Kwon Yoo-jin blankly watched the scene as if watching a celebrity.

‘How can a person be like that…?’

However, admiration was for the audience, not for the actor. The price of watching instead of acting was captured on the lens.

‘Ah, I missed it again.’

The cinematographer frowned.

Perhaps because she was a rookie, she did well, but her concentration suddenly scattered.

What was the next situation? There was a high probability that she’d forget the next line timing, and the PD’s cut would drop.

However, there was someone on this set who couldn’t stand NGs [no good takes].

Park Geon, who was holding his cell phone and continuing negotiations without hesitation, turned his gaze.

“……”

There were no lines. He only glanced at it enough to be caught on camera and for the other person to recognize it. Kwon Yoo-jin, who was startled, returned to the scene.

If you didn’t know, everything was as natural as a script or directing.

‘He’s covering from there.’

PD Hwang’s brow, which had been slightly narrowed, smoothed out as if nothing had happened.

It wasn’t a direction in the script or an ad-lib that Lee Jin-ha and Han Tae-ri had matched. That was just one person saving another person’s NG.

“Th, thank you!”

After the okay was given, the monster junior encouraged Kwon Yoo-jin, who didn’t know what to do.

“It’s nothing. Do you remember what I said earlier?”

“If you forget, just don’t be nervous and say your lines…”

Park Geon nodded.

“That’s enough.”

30 minutes later.

A celebrity van coated in solid silver appeared on one side of the set.

“Director, Seo Ye-ni has arrived.”

“…Did she make it just in the nick of time again?”

AD [Assistant Director] Yoo Ho-young nodded unpleasantly. The production team was sensitive to time. No matter how much Hwang Chang-jae advocated ‘roughly appropriately’, he couldn’t like an actor who was late for every filming.

“She’s almost a civil servant. She comes on time, acts appropriately, and leaves on the dot.”

However, he couldn’t nag her to her face because it wasn’t a big enough deal to do that.

The king of the set wasn’t the PD. The person with the highest value had the most powerful voice.

“Is this the second time we’ve been together?”

Seo Ye-ni, who played Yoo Bi-eun, the president of a model agency and the main model, the ‘Umchin-ttal’ [perfect daughter], smiled with her eyes.

She was already tall, but because she was styled like a real model, her presence was overwhelming.

“Yes, please take good care of me.”

“…When I look at it, I think the scenes I shoot with you are very comfortable.”

Park Geon, who was sitting in the corner of the set and reorganizing his makeup, opened only one eye and asked, “Why is that?”

“You can just do it with your usual tension. Lee Jin-ha is more annoying, though.”

In fact, Yoo Bi-eun, who Seo Ye-ni played, actively expressed her liking for Lee Jin-ha.

She was the complete opposite of Han Tae-ri in terms of appearance and background. She threatened Han Tae-ri’s position and created a love triangle to create tension as the sub-female lead.

ㅡDo you have time after work?

ㅡNo, I have to return to the company.

ㅡI wouldn’t have been able to launch this time without me. I would have been running around trying to find a model to put on the launch show.

ㅡ……

ㅡSo let’s have a simple drink. As business partners, let’s have the employee next to you do the work.”

“Cut!”

The two actors who stopped acting looked at PD Hwang at the same time. Seo Ye-ni had an expression that said it was okay, and Park Geon had a subtly disappointed expression.

‘I took up too much time in the front. Even if I shoot this again, the acting ability is the same anyway…’

PD Hwang Chang-jae, who was hesitating, finally shouted, “Okay, let’s go to the next scene!”

The directing team staff, who were preparing to move busily, called a colleague.

“Hey, Jae-ho.”

“Huh?”

“Park Geon’s expression just now. Didn’t it change a little?”

“What are you talking about? He’s expressionless even when he’s joking.”

The staff who brought it up rubbed his eyes as if he was wronged.

“No, I have 1.3 vision…”

* * *