Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Common Sense Quiz
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“I didn’t expect to see you here, but I’m really glad, sis!”
“You know her?”
“Uh… we’re filming a drama together…”
“Two, three. Hello! We connect you and me! Connect!”
Kang Ho-soo’s words hadn’t even finished before they launched into an idol-style greeting.
So it’s Connect, not outlet.
I have no idea what they’re doing in front of a cafe like this.
But I couldn’t just stand there impassively after a rookie actor received such an elaborate greeting.
“Hello. I’m rookie actress Jeong Gyeowol! But… since I’m a rookie, you don’t have to do all this…”
They probably thought I was their senior. Our fields are different, and my career is shorter anyway.
It felt incredibly burdensome.
I’d wondered why Kang Ho-soo, who knew my background, was suddenly doing an idol greeting out of nowhere, especially since he wasn’t a stranger.
“…I just went along with it because of Kang-chan hyung. Sorry, sis. It must be dizzying.”
It seemed to be a habit.
But were they from KS too…?
Even if the actor team and singer (idol) management team were separate.
Executive Manager Kim Gyu-jin would have known Kang Ho-soo was with KS.
Maybe he kept it brief since there was no need to explain it to me.
Knowing Kang Ho-soo was from KS didn’t change anything anyway.
It just made things feel a bit more familiar, that was all.
Anyway, after exchanging greetings with Connect, the KS-affiliated group, I was about to order coffee again when…
“Ah! Sis! You got time by any chance?”
Speaking for myself, I was a time-rich idler with a solid three hours to kill here.
No need to spill the beans about my transfer process in boring detail.
I simply stated the time.
“I’ve got about three hours free…”
“Perfect! Could you help us out a bit? Please? Pretty please?”
This beagle of a guy was a far cry from his vibe on set.
Definitely high energy. His voice pitch was up there too… And we weren’t close enough to chat like this in the first place.
This vibe, this energy, this lighting.
It reeks of filming.
And sure enough, the spot where they’d been sitting had production crew gear.
I wasn’t sure if it was a regular broadcast or a YouTube variety show…
But I knew Connect was a pretty popular group.
Leading representatives of the 4th-gen boy idols, you could say.
Showing my face, even briefly, on a variety show with one of their members?
It seemed like a good boost for my recognition.
But I couldn’t decide this on my own.
“I could help, but… is this a shoot?”
“Yeah, a YouTube variety show! Connect Goes!”
“I’d need to get permission from Manager…”
“Okay, I’ll order your coffee and wait!”
He bolted to place the order without even asking what kind.
I trusted he’d sensibly pick something good—he’d seen me drink iced americanos on set plenty of times.
So I called Yoo Jun-seung.
-Yeah, Gyeowol?
-I got scouted for a variety show. Is it okay if I do it?
-Variety? What program? When is it? I don’t mind, but you’ve got a packed schedule lately, so we need to manage it.
No, no schedule management needed.
I had a three-hour gap starting now.
-I forgot to ask the title… Anyway, right now.
-…Huh? Right now?
I could hear the surprise in Yoo Jun-seung’s voice.
An actress sent to the company to kill time at a cafe or massage chair suddenly asking about a variety gig?
I’d be shocked too if I were him.
-Yeah, they need help right this second.
-…Who?
-You know Kang Ho-soo from my drama? He asked for help with their shoot…
-Oh, Connect Goes!? Do they need a guest…? Anyway, I’m heading in too. Go ahead and start. Executive Manager! Gyeowol’s doing a variety…
Yoo Jun-seung started talking to Kim Gyu-jin and hung up.
‘…Wait, the title was actually Connect Goes!?’
I’d thought it was just a slogan, not the actual title.
Suspiciously terrible naming sense for a program.
I’d agreed to help and gotten manager approval…
But I hadn’t even asked what the help was.
‘Eh, they’re not gonna ask for anything weird. Should be fine.’
And, as always, “should be fine” comes back to bite you.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ One of the production staff approached and clipped a mic on me.
I was sitting in a chair, facing the camera.
Then someone held up a sketchbook next to it: “Self-introduction, please.” Looked like a writer.
I figured I’d do the intro once shooting started, waiting for the cue.
But then the group leader, Lee Kang-chan, suddenly switched to broadcast mode.
“…Shall we introduce the guest we’ve summoned via Friend Chance? Ho-soo’s friend, actress Jeong Gyeowol!”
Rehearsing or something…? But do variety shows even do rehearsals? What a strange world… I watched, thinking that.
This time, Kang Ho-soo went off-script.
“Woooah! Savior! Sis! Please save us!”
…No way.
“Wait, is this already rolling?”
“Ah! First time on variety, right, sis?! This is different from dramas or movies! Once the mic’s on, consider it started.”
“Whoa…. Oh, greeting…, yes, hello! I’m rookie actress Jeong Gyeowol.”
Kkhahak!!!!
…One of the writers let out an enormous laugh.
Missing the timing and getting laughed at this hard? That stung a little.
The laughing writer held up a sketchbook: “So cute, fighting!”
That laugh had been too intense.
Was this teasing or sincere? No clue.
People get nervous, and on a first variety, you might not know if it’s rolling. That’s normal.
I’m not a variety star; I’m an actress. I can hold my head high.
“Sis! Don’t be nervous. Just relax and be yourself.”
“…This is more nerve-wracking than filming the drama.”
“So how did you two get close?”
We weren’t actually close. Just set acquaintances exchanging hellos. But I couldn’t say that.
“Ah, we’re filming a drama together called Psychometry Her.”
“Oh, Psychometry Her! Our maknae’s in it, so we’re super excited. Jeong Gyeowol’s in it too? For anyone who might not know, could you introduce the drama?”
“Uh… introduce the drama?”
I wasn’t here for promotion…
Was I even allowed to do that?
What if I slipped up and it hurt the drama?
But everyone was waiting for my answer.
Lee Kang-chan and Kang Ho-soo were poised for me to speak.
The production crew too.
Even the cafe staff watching us were all eyes on me.
In this atmosphere… how could I not…?
“Psychometry Her is about protagonist Kim I-seo, who awakens psychometric powers, solving cases with Violent Crimes Unit 2, where Ho-soo is the maknae… It’s a kind of superpower detective story.”
“Ooh, what role are you playing, Jeong Gyeowol?”
“I’m Dr. Helena, an FBI profiler.”
The script wasn’t even fully out yet.
It could change anytime… I didn’t know what was spoiler territory and what wasn’t.
So I kept it as brief as possible. No plot spoilers. Just a straight ‘introduction.’
I worried it might be too vague and they’d push for more.
But luckily, they gave fitting reactions, and we moved on smoothly.
Then I learned why I’d been dragged here…
“…So you’re facing a common sense quiz, and you’re using the Friend Chance from last week with the same members. Right?”
“Spot on!”
I was screwed.
They’d lured me into this pitfall.
I wasn’t lacking in common sense.
But one wrong answer… and I’d be crowned the ditzy beauty.
Pretty face, empty head actress.
As a rookie title? The worst.
I should’ve asked what the help entailed before agreeing.
Humans are always hasty.
And that invites disaster.
This was a self-inflicted catastrophe.
“But why pick me? What if I can’t solve it…? Your company has plenty of smart people.”
The idiot Ho-soo finally looked like he realized something was wrong.
He seemed flustered seeing my lack of confidence.
“Uh… On set, you knew everything… You sounded super smart talking to the crew…”
It’d be ridiculous if I, with 12 years in the industry, didn’t know the set.
But apparently, to him, it looked like I was just that sharp.
Knowing the names of nearly all equipment as a rookie…
Plus chatting up the crew to get on their good side. That was the issue.
…Who knew this chill day would decide my actress image.
“And it’s a Friend Chance, so we can’t just call anyone.”
“…Okay, let’s give it a shot.”
I prayed desperately for questions I knew.
I invoked every god known to this world.
“First question.”
Simple format: PD reads the question, we answer.
But with my image and rep on the line, it was anything but simple.
“Director of the Batman trilogy, Interstellar, Inception, Memento, and many masterpieces. The master who weaves modern philosophy into film… His name is?”
“Correct! Christopher Nolan!”
Had the gods answered my prayer?
I hadn’t expected an elementary school-level question…
“Yes, director Christopher Nolan. So, for his 1998 feature debut Following—what was its production budget?!”
You crazy production bastards.