Godsent Top Star [EN]: Chapter 99

Why Is This Suddenly Popular? (2)

099. Why Is This Suddenly Popular? (2)

2022.02.07.

The scene where the female lead, Shin Yeo-won, and the male lead, Kim Joo-young, played by Yeon-woo, gradually build their emotions by the sea. If Kim Joo-young’s nonchalant help during their hike marked the beginning of a subtle emotional connection, the seaside scene intensifies that connection, revealing a deeper intimacy through their actions. But in fact, this scene is…
– Hmm… needs revision….
– Revised? How?
– First, the sea… It’s a shame to waste the sea….
– Ah. I was also thinking it’s a bit of a waste.

It wasn’t originally planned. While dramas often have scripts modified based on viewership or audience reactions, the question was, ‘Can a movie do this…?’ Director Ji stroked his chin, then consulted with the assistant director. After a whispered exchange, they were in agreement, and the script was revised on the spot.
– Director Ji is usually like this.

Yeon Do-hee, who had known Director Ji for much longer, accepted the revised script with practiced ease.
– Take off… clothes…?
– Ah. Only the top, only the top. Taking it all off would be subject to censorship.
– ….

I wasn’t even thinking of taking it all off.
– I thought it would be a waste not to use the body I worked so hard to build. And I think the reaction would be better if it’s Yeon-woo’s upper body exposure. It wouldn’t seem like a waste.
– Word-of-mouth is very important among our movie’s target audience. Think of it this way: the more it’s talked about, the more viewers we get. In that sense, this scene is crucial.

The assistant director persuaded Yeon-woo solemnly. Director Ji nodded heavily in agreement but avoided eye contact, seemingly embarrassed.
– The body, contrasting with the face, will enhance the movie’s dramatic impact. I’m sure of it!

The reasoning was a bit odd, but… anyway, the argument that it would boost the movie’s success sounded plausible. But.
– Cut!
– Hmm. Let’s try that again.
– Ah, Do-hee. Not like that, try it this way…?
– Something’s a bit lacking… Let’s go again!

Director Ji, having revised the script, kept re-shooting the same scene, seemingly dissatisfied. Yeon Do-hee, as well as the filming crew, were growing weary. It was then that Yeon-woo suddenly caught a fish the size of his forearm.
– It’s perfect….

Director Ji, muttering and staring intently at the monitor as if mesmerized, seemed to find the result quite promising.
– Seriously, Yeon-woo, you’re a natural. How did you even think of catching a fish there?
– It just… happened that way.

That was the truth. Adrian, standing beside me, suddenly jumped up and down, unusually excited.
[You must catch that!]

Until then, Yeon-woo hadn’t even noticed the large fish approaching. He was mechanically bending down and splashing water because of the repeated filming. As it turned out, that was helpful.

Instead of splashing water on Yeon Do-hee playfully, he ended up splashing water in a slightly different way. He ended up catching a fish and throwing a water bomb, so to speak.
– As expected. Yeon-woo, you’re a natural, you’re a natural. How can you find and fill in the missing parts right there? You’re really a natural, you’re a natural.

It was something I did on the spur of the moment because of Adrian’s encouragement. But it seemed to have been very enthusiastically received by Director Ji. Finally, the endless cycle of re-shoots came to an end.
– Do-hee… are you okay? Aren’t you cold… sorry.

Yeon Do-hee had been repeatedly hit by seawater because Director Ji couldn’t get the shot he wanted.
– Yeon-woo’s ad-lib saved me, what.

It was fortunate for Yeon Do-hee, who had already had to change her wet hair and clothes several times, despite the difficulty.
– Oh, I thought I was going to be wet all day today.

Yeon Do-hee said, shaking her head with a towel that the stylist had hurriedly brought.
– But how did you come up with such an ad-lib? I didn’t know you could suddenly catch a fish there. Did you originally know how to catch it?
– It just… happened that way….
– I was really surprised just now. That just now wasn’t acting.
– I guess so.

Maybe even Yeon-woo was surprised. If someone who was acting suddenly caught a fish the size of his forearm out of the blue. I don’t know if it was planned, but it wasn’t.

Anyway, it was fortunate that the result was good.
– Don’t you think the vitality of the vigorously wriggling fish and the atmosphere contrasting with the tragedy between the two of them in the future will be the climax? No matter how I look at it, catching this fish is a divine move.

The assistant director muttered, and Director Ji nodded emphatically in agreement. I don’t know, but well, if the director says so, then that’s it. There’s also a saying that interpretation is more important than the dream. If the result is good, everything is good.
[Now, if you only learn how to procure food in places other than the waterfront, it will be perfect.]

Adrian’s words, watching with satisfaction, were a bit uneasy.
***
Director Ji made very good use of every corner of the island.
– There’s something like ruins in the middle of the island, and the atmosphere there is pretty good. The director asked if it’s okay to proceed with the reunion scene there.
– I don’t mind.

Yeon-woo nodded readily. ‘What was the scene we’re going to shoot this time…?’ Shin Yeo-won realizes that she is attracted to Kim Joo-young, but she tries not to admit it. Shin Yeo-won was very tired and going through a difficult time to harbor feelings of love. That’s why she once felt good feelings, but she tries to separate from Kim Joo-young and goes on a trip again.
[If there’s a connection, we’ll meet again, won’t we?]
[What if we don’t meet?]
[Our connection must not be that strong.]

Shin Yeo-won, who said that, accidentally meets Kim Joo-young again on her travels.
[We meet again. This is fate, right?]

The background of this meeting is a ruin that must have been intact at one time. Now, the form is scattered and the past appearance is not left.
– The background is also an important symbolic device. The ruined appearance metaphorically represents Yeo-won’s desolate heart and imperfect situation. From here, the misalignment will be highlighted little by little more.

At first, Director Ji said that he was planning to shoot this scene in the ruins of Greece. But when he looked at it with a drone, there was a perfect scene here too.
– It’s better to use what we have, right?

This time, Yeon-woo was in charge of the guide. To be exact, Adrian was.
[Hmm. I don’t think it’s a good idea to go into the forest today.]
– …?
[The weather is a bit of a concern.]

The sky where the sun was shining brightly was clear without a single cloud. But when we arrived at the ruins and started filming, not long after.
– Huh? It’s raining…?

Large raindrops began to fall one by one. It was the beginning of the disaster.
***
Someone said that the weather at sea is very fickle.
– The raindrops are getting thicker?
– Wow. When did those dark clouds gather like that?

It seemed like the sun was shining brightly just thirty minutes ago. Before I knew it, the raindrops were getting thicker and dark clouds were gathering.

It was so unusual that,
– We’re calling off filming today! Pack up quickly and go down.

Even Director Ji, who is immersed in filming once he gets into it, hurriedly stopped filming.
– It’s probably a squall [sudden, localized storm], right? I hope it comes and goes quickly.

Someone’s uneasy voice. But no one could answer that voice.
– Does it usually rain like this here?
– We don’t know… because we’re not from the island….

Even the local staff were very flustered by this fickle weather.
[Tsk. This is going to be dangerous.]

Except for Adrian.
– Dangerous, what do you mean?
[It’s okay for you, benefactor, because I’m here, but with this many people, there’s a possibility of being stranded.]
– Stranded?
[Of course. With that many clouds, it will pour down. In this kind of forest, it will be difficult to see even an inch ahead in that kind of rain. Besides, you’ll be slowed down because you have luggage….]

Most of the equipment used for filming is large and heavy. Even the price is not cheap, so I couldn’t abandon it.
[Rather than going down the mountain recklessly at times like this, it would be better to wait for the rain to stop in one place. Fortunately, there’s a place I know not far away.]

Even in that short time, the raindrops became thicker. The pouring speed was also much faster and more violent. Soon, my hair and clothes became damp.
– Prepare to evacuate quickly!
– Pack up the equipment!

By the time the actors and staff hurriedly finished preparing, a torrential downpour like awls was already pouring down.
– Call the lighting team!
– Huh? I can’t hear you well! What did you say?

Even the sound was not heard well. It was when everyone slowly realized that they were on the verge of being stranded, let alone going down the mountain.
– Everyone.

Even though the voice of the person next to me was not heard properly because of the heavy rain. For some reason, even though I wasn’t even shouting, Yeon-woo’s voice penetrated into my ears very clearly. Even the mind that was embarrassed by the unexpected situation calmed down little by little thanks to the fact that the voice was very calm. Was that why?
– This way. Follow me.

Everyone started following Yeon-woo, who was holding a light for exploration, as if possessed.
***
The pouring rain was so heavy that it was difficult to see even an inch ahead. But the light and voice of Yeon-woo were firm without hesitation.
– A tree has fallen. Watch your step.
– There’s a hole here, so don’t step on it.
– It’s slippery. Only step on the part I stepped on and follow me.

Even his voice was so clear. Even the staff who barely managed to catch up from the very back could hear it well. Clearly, it was a torrential downpour that made it difficult to see even an inch ahead.
– How can Yeon-woo’s voice be heard so clearly?

It was a very mysterious thing. A situation where you can’t even know if the person right next to you is there unless you reach out and touch them. But Yeon-woo’s voice penetrated into my ears very clearly. The fear that had fallen into confusion stopped at the calmness that did not feel any embarrassment.

The fear of being stranded. The fear that we might not even be able to get help because it’s a remote place. In the worst case, the fear that a terrible ending in which everyone dies would come. All kinds of fears swirled in the situation I was experiencing for the first time. But.
– Just follow me well.

That calm and firm voice. It was natural that the credibility soared like crazy.
– Was Yeon-woo’s voice so calm and good?
– I knew he was unusual when he was acting….
– He’s not even using a microphone, but it’s still so clear, so he’s an actor…?

Come to think of it, Yeon-woo’s lines always stuck in my ears. I also remembered that his line delivery was unusually good. When he recited ticklish lines, all the staff on set felt even ticklish emotions. Of course, the opposite was also true. Due to the filming schedule, there are times when filming does not proceed according to the flow of the movie.
– Suddenly, I remember my unrequited first love… I think I was like that back then…

Someone muttered with a faint look while filming,
– Can I rest for a bit?
– Why?
– I broke up last week.
– Ah….
– Hey, damn it. I thought I had forgotten everything.

Someone left the scene sobbing at the rising emotions.
– So that’s why?

People with the talent to evoke such feelings with their voices are rare enough to be counted on one hand. In their eyes, Yeon-woo was a born actor. That kind of actor who unknowingly captivates people and dyes them to the bone.
– Maybe I’m still captivated.

It was obvious just by looking at the people who were flustered and followed the instructions all at once. A person who is mysterious but whose mystery is no longer unfamiliar. That was Yeon-woo. Of course, it was a thought that could be made because I didn’t know Yeon-woo’s abilities. Someone said that delusion is freedom.
– I didn’t know I would use it like this again.

Yeon-woo, who was encouraging and leading people at the very front, thought. The reason why his voice could be heard clearly through the heavy rain was simple. It was because he mixed spiritual power into his voice and spread it. It was something I occasionally used when hosting the radio show instead of Lee Joo-ha. Even then, the reaction was so strong that very fine adjustments were needed. Moreover, it is a live broadcast now. It seems like I’m using my abilities too openly, but…
– I have to live first.