LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 87
The next morning.
Seeing the van parked right in the yard from early morning brings a chuckle out of me.
Just by looking, it’s clearly a dark-colored van with tinted windows, suggesting, “Oh, there’s a celebrity inside.”
Or maybe they’re about to kidnap someone or something.
I heard they were coming to greet me, but I didn’t expect them to show up in such a conspicuous van.
What if a crazy fan photographs them?
Hmm… is being an actor a little less chaotic?
Speaking of which, I can’t recall hearing many stories about actors being tormented by fans.
Anyway, as I approached the van, the window slid down smoothly.
“You’re right on time!”
“I figured the car shouldn’t be parked for too long.”
“Oh, I understand. I’m heading to work too… There aren’t too many people in the neighborhood, so I wasn’t attracting much attention, especially since it’s morning.”
“Really? I doubt that! But please open the door for me?”
“Oh, right! Get in.”
Once I entered the van, I found it was much more spacious inside than it looked outside, and a manager in his mid-thirties was driving.
“Hello! Thanks for the ride today.”
“Haha, not at all. Besides, it looks like Chang-sik is taking a lady along.”
“This guy talks nonsense.”
“Anyway, we’ll be heading out now, so make yourself comfortable.”
Well… someone like Moon Chang-sik wouldn’t be reckless enough to give a ride to a woman just like that because of the attention.
Being an actor is truly a tough job.
If I had a face like that, I’d probably be dating four girls by now. Tsk tsk.
Speaking of which, the seat is super comfy.
Is it because this car is meant for long travels? It feels like a sofa.
“This car is really cozy! How much did it cost?”
“This? I’m not sure, the tax accountant bought it.”
What, are they J.P. Morgan or something?
I guess if you have to ask about the price of a van like this, you probably can’t afford one?
…Honestly, that’s true.
Even though I earn more than an average person from broadcasting, it would never compare to a celebrity’s income.
Regardless, the van sped smoothly toward the broadcasting station where the filming was to take place.
During the drive, I asked Moon Chang-sik about the filming.
“How long does it take to shoot one scene?”
“Well, it varies depending on the day and movements, but I usually arrive at sunrise and leave at sunset.”
“Then you get to leave early in winter, huh?”
“….”
“Just kidding.”
“Not funny.”
Hmm… so filming hours are somewhat similar to a regular job? Or maybe they could be longer.
“Well, you’re not filming the whole time. You have to move according to the scenes and can spend time reading the script or gathering the mood until it’s your turn to shoot.”
“Mood?”
“The scenes can vary greatly depending on the atmosphere that day.”
Oh… so acting isn’t just about performing; they also have to understand that, huh?
“So, what if you read the mood and it’s all over the place?”
“All over the place? What an expression…”
“I mean, what do you say then?”
You can’t exactly call it a disaster, right?
Looking at me like I was some clueless fool, Moon Chang-sik paused before replying.
“If the mood goes off… it varies for each actor, but I tend to overact.”
“Overact?”
“Should I say, with more energy?”
“Oh… to lift the spirits?”
“Exactly.”
Wow, true professionals are different. They think of all these details.
I hope the atmosphere is good when I arrive.
There’s nothing worse than being among guests at a funeral.
After chatting, we finally arrived in front of the broadcasting station.
“By the way, do you usually shoot at the broadcasting station?”
“Well, sometimes we rent locations, but other times we just build a set inside.”
“And today’s one of those days?”
“Yes, and building a set, even though it costs extra, allows us to shoot exactly how we want.”
I see.
But it seems like even though Moon Chang-sik is an actor, he knows a lot about filming.
Has he learned everything from observing?
“Are we going out like this?”
My gaze shifted outside the window to a crowd of people in front of the broadcasting station.
All women, and some were holding stuff that looked like signs. Is there an idol coming or something?
“Of course, we’re heading to the parking garage. Some people get off here, but we cannot afford to do that, right?”
Right, there’s a high chance that pictures could end up on some internet news tomorrow.
Since they say I’m meeting the director today, I dressed up a bit. Standing next to Moon Chang-sik could easily lead to misunderstandings.
“Let’s head to the parking lot first.”
As we drove to the parking lot, it was surprisingly empty, unlike the building we just passed.
There were only a few cars parked, just enough to make it feel a bit desolate.
“Looks a bit empty, huh? It gets packed on music show days.”
Ah… so that’s why they built a spacious one.
After parking the van inside, we all got out and headed to the elevator in the parking lot.
Phew… just thinking about going to the set makes me nervous.
There’ll probably be other actors there too, right?
Ugh… would it be okay to ask for autographs? But isn’t that a bit intrusive since they’re all here for work?
“Feeling nervous?”
Just then, Moon Chang-sik beside me shot me a curious glance.
Did I look nervous?
“Yeah, well… it’s my first time in a place like this.”
“Everyone’s usually busy, so just make sure to politely greet someone who looks important.”
“Really?”
“Just greeting an older person or someone who looks like an actor already gives you a good start in this industry.”
“Oh….”
Ending that exchange, the elevator doors opened, and we arrived on the floor where the set was.
“Alright, let’s go.”
“Wow….”
As soon as I stepped in, I was struck by the spaciousness of the area.
Lights hung densely from above, and people busily moved about with equipment in hand.
On one side, I could see actors sitting on arranged chairs, and on another side, staff gathered together chatting.
It felt like a proper filming location, and as I took it all in, Moon Chang-sik signaled me to hurry up.
“Are you planning to gawk all day long?”
“It’s just so fascinating.”
“Well, I felt that way when I first came too.”
Following Moon Chang-sik across the filming area, I spotted a middle-aged man up ahead.
He wore a hat pulled low and had a scruffy beard, appearing somewhat grumpy.
Though I shouldn’t express it, he somewhat resembled a toad?
That toad-like director was chatting with the staff when he turned his gaze toward us.
“Finally showed up? I told you to get here sooner.”
Is something wrong? The grumpy toad director snapped at Moon Chang-sik before his eyes widened as he turned his attention toward me.
“This person?”
“Yes, they wanted to see what the shooting set is like today.”
“Who had the nerve to suggest such a thing….”
The toad director scanned me up and down.
Seeing him look at me like that made me understand why Moon Chang-sik called him a chef.
His gaze didn’t feel uncomfortable at all, but rather it felt as if he was examining an ingredient.
At that moment, the eyes of the toad director didn’t seem like human pupils but like camera lenses.
After him inspecting me from head to toe, he finally said….
“Guess I see why! Welcome!”
He surprised me by welcoming me with the brightest smile.
“Uh, uh? Ah, yes.”
“Oh, don’t be nervous. It’s all just people doing their jobs, right? You came to see the set today, right? I’ll guide you perfectly, so you can observe properly.”
What is going on here?
Is it really okay for someone’s attitude to change so dramatically?
Shouldn’t the actor be someone like Moon Chang-sik, and not that toad director?
I can’t tell what was going on, but at least it seemed like he had more than one face.
“Come on, follow me!”
He waved for me to follow while leading the way, and I stood there in a daze when Moon Chang-sik sidled up beside me and quietly said something.
“I think your face might brighten the atmosphere better than my overacting.”
“Huh?”
What kind of absurd comment is that? When I looked at him, baffled, he shrugged his shoulders.
“Let’s just observe as we follow? That’s what you came for, right?”
“Uh… yeah, I guess so.”
Still, it’s better than frowning and bringing the mood down…
So I followed the toad director who made his way further inside.
“Here we go, this is where we’ll be shooting today.”
As I entered, I was met with another impressive set, likely a recording studio from the looks of it.
“Wow… it really feels realistic.”
Though, with one of the sidewalls completely missing for filming, it wouldn’t be ideal for actual recording conditions.
“Haha! We invested quite a bit! We got a good amount of funding this time! The quality of the set raises the quality of filmmaking.”
His proud demeanor as he spoke reminded me that directors truly have a unique flair. A nice set wouldn’t be a bad thing.
“If we end up filming, it’ll be right here on this set. The movement is from inside the recording studio, a brief dialogue with Chang-sik, then the scene of opening the door and stepping out; it’s not much.”
“I see….”
Just hearing it didn’t seem like a big deal.
Is it really as easy as memorizing the lines and just following along?
It doesn’t sound like it requires much emotional acting either.
“What do you think? Doesn’t it sound manageable?”
Did he pick up on my casual vibe? The director asked, and I nodded absentmindedly.
“Yeah, I guess it doesn’t seem too tough.”
“If that’s the case, want to give it a try while you’re here?”
And with my casual nod, the toad director suddenly threw me a curveball proposal.
“Excuse me?”
“You can see yourself on camera, and if you like it, we can use that shot. Haha!”
…Isn’t it kind of unusual for a film director to be so laid-back about shooting?
Is it really okay to handle things like this?
I glanced at Moon Chang-sik.
You’re a serious top-notch actor, can the director really manage things this way?
I stared at him with that implication, but….
“Of course! Experiencing how you look on camera is an essential quality for an actor.”
…This guy is even more of a character than I expected!
I’m starting to get scared of the entertainment industry.
Hyeon-su, you’re surviving in a place like this after all.
It’s no wonder he seemed a bit sharper than the rest.