I was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor [EN]: Chapter 25

Kang Woo-jin walked with a cynical air. The actors’ faces clearly showed their embarrassment. They could feel it intensely from Kang Woo-jin’s indifferent expression.

‘Ah, he’s angry.’ Anyone could see it in his face.

Even they would have been annoyed. On the other hand, Kang Woo-jin wasn’t particularly angry. Still, he had to correct what was wrong. As he walked, Kang Woo-jin briefly scanned the wide-eyed actors and spoke curtly.

Of course, in his usual tone.

“I don’t have an agency.”

Immediately, darkness fell over the actors’ faces.

It sounded like a warning that he wasn’t riding on the coattails of a company. That indifferent expression seemed like a low growl. All the actors bowed their heads deeply to Kang Woo-jin.

“We, we’re sorry!”

“We’re really sorry!”

“We didn’t know you were here… We apologize.”

Director Shin Dong-chun blinked at the actors’ sudden apologies.

“Why? What happened?”

Kang Woo-jin, who had been watching the actors intently, replied nonchalantly.

“It seems they just had some misunderstandings.”

“Misunderstandings?”

“You don’t need to worry about it.”

The reason Kang Woo-jin reacted so calmly was based on his own analysis. The current Kang Woo-jin, as misunderstood by others, was a conceited monster actor who didn’t care about what others thought, a ‘my-way’ type, so to speak. There was no need for him to get angry about such trivial things.

It was just the chatter of small fry. Ah, of course, that was just his concept.

Besides, somehow, Kang Woo-jin had become the protagonist of this set. If he could maintain his dignity and style, it would be perfect. Naturally, as an actor, there would be situations where he would have to go ‘no-backing down.’ For example, if someone of high status picked a fight or caused harm.

In that case, Kang Woo-jin himself would definitely be pissed. He was the type who had thrown his resignation letter in the face of the design company’s CEO.

‘I wouldn’t have a problem standing up to them, but is it really necessary now?’

Whatever the case, the actors kept apologizing to Woo-jin. At this point.

‘Hmm-‘

Director Shin Dong-chun, with his square jaw, had a slight grasp of the situation.

‘It seems the actors have been rude to Woo-jin-ssi [Mr. Woo-jin, a Korean honorific]. I’ll have to call them in separately later and hear what happened. Anyway, Woo-jin-ssi has a lot of guts. There are some top actors who would go ballistic at extras.’

He turned his gaze from the actors to the villa in front. The filming setup was in full swing. It seemed they were focusing more on the interior than the exterior of the villa.

“Please check the props in the basement!”

“Yes, yes! I’m going now-”

“Are we filming on the second floor today??”

“According to the schedule, it’s tomorrow!”

There were about a dozen staff members from ‘The Fixer’ scattered around the villa. There wasn’t much equipment visible either. Compared to a typical commercial film team, it was very lacking. However, even this was considered decent for a short film, both in terms of staff and equipment.

Usually, it’s hard to even get half of this.

Fortunately, ‘The Fixer’ had managed to secure investment after being stuck in a rut, which allowed for the current decent situation.

Anyway.

“Principal photography starts at 2 PM! Let’s hurry a bit!!”

The official filming of the short film ‘The Fixer’ was scheduled to start at 2 PM. There were about 3 hours left. Until then, Director Shin Dong-chun would be giving a briefing on the filming setup and accommodations. For reference, ‘The Fixer’ team would be staying in accommodations near the villa for about 5 days of filming.

Most of the filming on the storyboard would take place near the villa.

At that moment.

-Swish.

A woman with long hair suddenly appeared behind Director Shin Dong-chun, who was looking at the villa. The first to notice her was a large man among the actors.

“…Huh??”

It was because she was a very familiar yet unfamiliar woman. The large man murmured her name.

“Isn’t that… Hong Hye-yeon-ssi [Ms. Hong Hye-yeon, a Korean honorific]??”

This line spread like wildfire among the actors.

“Huh??! Where? Ah! Wow!!”

“Wow… it’s her, amazing.”

“Is it really her??! Is it really Hong Hye-yeon? Not just someone who looks like her?”

It was definitely top actress Hong Hye-yeon. Wow. The actors froze again, and Director Shin Dong-chun, who turned his head, found Hong Hye-yeon. His mouth immediately stretched into a wide grin.

“Hahaha, you’re all surprised, right? Sorry. Hong Hye-yeon-ssi will be playing the role of the ‘wife’ here.”

At the same time, Hong Hye-yeon, wearing a white long padded coat, smiled and greeted the actors.

“Hello, let’s work hard together.”

The actors who had just met Hong Hye-yeon were stammering. ‘Huh? Is that really Hong Hye-yeon? Why is she here?’ They had such expressions. It was understandable. After all, a top actress in the country had appeared on a short film set. Thanks to that, the actors greeted Hong Hye-yeon in a daze, as if they were in a dream.

Finally, Hong Hye-yeon’s gaze reached Kang Woo-jin. His face was expressionless. Soon, she murmured to herself.

‘Well, he’s calm. Is it natural? He was so composed even at the reading in front of a hundred people. Still, I was expecting him to be a bit nervous since it’s the first day of filming. Expecting? What am I expecting now?’

Kang Woo-jin gave her a brief nod.

“Hello.”

The surrounding actors’ eyes widened slightly. They were surprised not by Kang Woo-jin’s heavy voice, but because he was so cold even though Hong Hye-yeon had appeared.

‘Isn’t he amazed? I mean, it’s Hong Hye-yeon?? Why is he so calm?’

On the other hand, Hong Hye-yeon, who was now used to Woo-jin’s reaction, smiled at him.

“We meet again, we’re seeing each other quite often. Right?”

‘It’s a blessing for me.’ Unlike his inner thoughts, Kang Woo-jin lowered his voice.

“It seems so.”

This scene was somewhat shocking to the other actors.

‘Seeing each other often? With Hong Hye-yeon?! Are they close?’

‘Wh-what is his identity? Is he a famous actor from the theater scene??’

In an instant, the gaze towards Kang Woo-jin changed to admiration.

At the same time, at GGO Entertainment.

CEO Seo Gu-seop was sitting in a large office with several potted plants. His face still resembled a bulldog. Two male employees were standing in front of him, with a cigarette in his mouth. Soon, CEO Seo Gu-seop, who had been scanning a report, raised his head.

“There’s no problem with Jung-hyuk, right?”

Then, a skinny employee nodded definitively.

“Yes, CEO. Filming is scheduled to start in two days, and Park Jung-hyuk is in good condition.”

“Pay attention. Keep putting pressure on the production company to grease the wheels on set.”

“Understood.”

“Is there any shortage of equipment?”

“There’s nothing specific I’ve heard about.”

“Just in case, go to the set and check it yourself.”

CEO Seo Gu-seop, who had given the order, continued, exhaling cigarette smoke.

“This isn’t just about saving our Jung-hyuk, it’s about GGO Entertainment’s reputation? Don’t do it half-heartedly.”

“Yes, CEO. I’ll pay special attention.”

“If there’s anything lacking in terms of location support or actors, etc., provide help from our side.”

Bulldog CEO Seo Gu-seop was determined to push Park Jung-hyuk’s rehabilitation, and he closed the report he was reading and changed the subject.

“And what about those ‘Fixer’ bastards? Still nothing coming out?”

“Yes. Except for the fact that they received investment and are about to start filming, there’s no buzz. At this point, I don’t think the actors who joined are even B-list in supporting roles.”

“That’s right. If they were even B-list, they would have done some media play. Ha- Thinking about it makes me angry again. In the end, they’re going to use a crappy actor while dissing Jung-hyuk??”

“……”

CEO Seo Gu-seop, whose face had turned slightly red, put a cigarette back in his mouth.

“Okay. They dug their own grave. If trash makes something, it’ll be trash. But who the hell invested in them?”

“That… can’t be confirmed. It’s definitely not from the short film production company. It seems like Director Shin Dong-chun pulled it from his personal connections.”

“Damn it. I hope it’s not another entertainment company trying to attack us?”

“I don’t think so. There’s no reason for them to be interested in the short, independent market.”

“Tsk. It would be nice if ‘The Fixer’ just fell apart without even starting filming.”

CEO Seo Gu-seop, who crushed his cigarette in the glass ashtray in annoyance, abruptly stood up.

“Anyway, contact the reporters we’ve paid off now. Tell them to release the articles. We need to start generating some interest.”

An hour later, articles about actor Park Jung-hyuk were released on the internet.

『[Exclusive] Actor Park Jung-hyuk, Starting Again from the Bottom, “I Will Repay You with My Acting”』

Around 2 PM, back at the ‘Fixer’ set, the villa in Paju.

Several dozen people were gathered in the front yard of the villa, where the filming setup was complete. It was the entire ‘Fixer’ team. Both the staff and the actors. What was interesting was that, unlike at the beginning, everyone’s faces were tense. The reason was simple.

Because of the sudden appearance of top actress Hong Hye-yeon.

No one on this set had even dreamed that they would see Hong Hye-yeon today. Moreover, she, who only does large-scale projects, was even appearing in ‘The Fixer.’ All the staff kept glancing at Hong Hye-yeon, who was standing next to Director Shin Dong-chun.

At this point, Director Shin Dong-chun said.

“As you all have noticed.”

He started the briefing for the staff, whose numbers had increased due to Hong Hye-yeon’s manager team.

“Hong Hye-yeon-ssi’s appearance is a secret until the submission. This is a confidentiality clause in the contract. There’s a reason why it shouldn’t be revealed to the outside, so please keep it well.”

Next to him, Hong Hye-yeon, who had swept back her long hair, gave a casual greeting.

“Please take care of me-”

She had the composure of a top star. Then, Director Shin Dong-chun took over again.

“Except for Hye-yeon-ssi, we will be staying in accommodations nearby for about 5 days of filming. If anyone has any circumstances, please let the production team know in advance.”

Usually, short and independent films have short filming periods, so they often stay near the set. Moving around costs twice as much, and because the scale is small, frequent movements can mess up even a simple schedule.

“Okay! Then, let’s work well together according to the schedule from today!”

Director Shin Dong-chun, who was experienced as a PD [Production Director] but new as a director, bowed to everyone. At the same time, a staff member from the production team shouted to everyone.

“We’ll start shooting in 10 minutes!!”

The staff quickly moved to their respective positions. Although there were only a dozen or so, they were fast. Meanwhile, Director Shin Dong-chun with his square jaw immediately approached Kang Woo-jin.

“Woo-jin-ssi, you can get your makeup done now. As I mentioned, the first scene is a solo cut. Let’s start with a light cut of you entering the villa.”

“Understood.”

Woo-jin answered silently, but.

‘This is crazy, thinking about it being the first day of filming makes me a bit nervous?’

From this point on, Kang Woo-jin’s heart was pounding intensely. No, it had been like that since the moment he arrived on set. Of course, compared to ‘Profiler Han-ryang,’ the number of people was far less.

‘Filming? Am I really filming a movie??’

The tension of the reading and the filming set was like night and day. It was understandable. The reading was preparation, but the set was the real deal. Even though it was a short film set, for Kang Woo-jin, who knew nothing, it felt like standing alone on a vast stage.

Moreover, Kang Woo-jin was the protagonist of ‘The Fixer.’

The camera, Director Shin Dong-chun, and all the staff were moving for Kang Woo-jin. Woo-jin felt a mix of pride and fear. It was a different feeling from when he was with Manager Park.

‘It feels a bit burdensome.’

The responsibility of the lead role. The burden Woo-jin felt was responsibility. He didn’t really know it himself, though.

‘But if it’s like this here, filming ‘Profiler Han-ryang’ must be insane.’

Anyway, even as Kang Woo-jin went to get his makeup done, he tried to emphasize his tough act to himself. It was time to play the concept not only outwardly but also inwardly. Let’s deceive myself. So, Woo-jin deceived himself with a blank expression throughout the makeup process.

Thanks to that, he looked quite cold on the outside.

Around that time.

“Woo-jin-ssi.”

Hong Hye-yeon, who had a script in one hand, spoke to Kang Woo-jin, having arrived unnoticed.

“Have you thought about it? The agency.”

Kang Woo-jin, who had just finished his makeup, gave a low answer that he had put off for now.

“I’ll think about it after ‘The Fixer’ filming is over.”

“…You haven’t had any meetings yet?”

“No.”

“Do you have any conditions in mind?”

There was no way he would. It was strange for Kang Woo-jin to know anything about agencies when he was filming for the first time. Soon, Kang Woo-jin vaguely brushed it off.

“I don’t know.”

Then, Hong Hye-yeon looked at Woo-jin as if she was thinking deeply about something for a moment, and then opened her mouth.

“We are also products. It’s good for actors to set their own value when meeting with companies.”

Hong Hye-yeon, who had given her advice, moved away after saying good luck with the filming. Kang Woo-jin, who was watching her, murmured to himself.

‘You should tell me how to set it.’

Director Shin Dong-chun, who was sitting in front of the monitor, called for Kang Woo-jin.

“Woo-jin-ssi! Get ready!!”

Woo-jin took a deep breath alone and walked towards the entrance of the villa. Behind him, Kang Woo-jin had a brief verbal rehearsal with Director Shin Dong-chun, who was holding the script, and after finishing it, Director Shin Dong-chun sat back in the director’s chair in front of the monitor. Behind him, Hong Hye-yeon leaned over. Her long hair made a rustling sound.

“Director, can I watch the monitor with you?”

“Haha. Of course. Why would you even ask? Would you like to sit here?”

“No, I’ll just stand and watch.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the other actors also started to gather around, watching their surroundings. Around this time, Kang Woo-jin, who was wearing a black blazer as his costume, stood at the starting position. The entrance of the villa’s yard. It was where two cameras were already set up.

“……”

Standing in place, Kang Woo-jin looked at the villa without saying a word. It was to bring out the protagonist of ‘The Fixer,’ ‘Kim Ryu-jin,’ before filming. He had to concentrate even more than during the script reading while sitting down. It had to be much clearer.

This time, he had to move his body as Kim Ryu-jin.

Kang Woo-jin tried to hide the pounding of his heart and delved into the already imprinted Kim Ryu-jin. He spread all the senses he had experienced, seen, and felt during the reading throughout his body. Soon, Kim Ryu-jin’s world unfolded like a panorama before Kang Woo-jin’s eyes.

Kim Ryu-jin’s life, emotions, thoughts, senses, knowledge, etc. In an instant, Woo-jin became Kim Ryu-jin.

At that moment.

‘It’s fast, Woo-jin-ssi’s unique coldness is gone. His eyes have become lighter. I saw it before, but the way he brings out a character is unbelievably fast.’

Director Shin Dong-chun, who was deeply watching Kang Woo-jin’s face on the monitor, shouted loudly at Kim Ryu-jin’s back.

“Hi- Action!”

It was a signal to show Kim Ryu-jin’s world in reality. In response, Kim Ryu-jin took a step. It was after witnessing the body being moved by the client’s wife and a strange man. A subtle fear was present in Kim Ryu-jin’s steps.

One step, two steps.

Kim Ryu-jin looked at the villa and took a third step. A dry noise was heard from the grass.

-Rustle.

Perhaps because of the tension, it sounded like the grass was screaming. Then, Kim Ryu-jin’s fourth step. At this moment, Kim Ryu-jin tripped on the tough grass and fell heavily. Fortunately, he regained his balance. However, one knee was on the ground. He let out a short groan.

“Ugh.”

Everything was so vivid and natural. Like flowing water. It was a scene that showed Kim Ryu-jin’s personality as it was. Director Shin Dong-chun, with his square jaw and admiration in his eyes, murmured softly as he watched all of this on the monitor.

“It’s smooth. Did he even plan such detailed movements? He’s reminding us of the character’s tendencies.”

Hong Hye-yeon, who heard his words, let out a hollow laugh as she looked at Kim Ryu-jin, who had fallen on the monitor.

‘Indeed. In the setting, Kim Ryu-jin has a slightly clumsy feel… With that one small movement, Kim Ryu-jin’s outline has become several times clearer.’

Behind her, the other actors whispered.

“Since he does that after seeing the body in the story, it’s easy to get immersed in Kim Ryu-jin? You can see the character’s personality?”

“I know, right? He’s acting so well. The character really comes alive.”

Hong Hye-yeon, who was listening to the whispers, bit her lip for some reason.

‘The diligence to come up with ad-libs to enhance the character, and the sense to come up with those movements. Kang Woo-jin. Aren’t you too much of a cheat character? If your acting is that good, it’s okay if you lack something else, right?’

Director Shin Dong-chun, with a deep smile mixed with admiration, buried his face further into the monitor.

“I have to use this cut. It’s too good to throw away.”

Everyone was deeply captivated by the lively Kim Ryu-jin. Around this time, Kim Ryu-jin, or rather, Kang Woo-jin, who had slowly gotten up, lamented inwardly while maintaining a poker face.

‘Damn it, how embarrassing.’

Because it wasn’t acting, he had really fallen.

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