Chapter 2
Chapter 2
It Was Not Just a Simple Dream
Versatile Genius Actor with Martial Arts Skills
Where Baek Seungchan followed Kim Sungho, the assistant director was standing with a face full of worry.
“Assistant Director, what do you think of this kid?”
Kim Sungho said to the assistant director with a confident expression, looking as if he had just found a treasure.
“Hmm.”
The assistant director carefully studied Baek Seungchan for a long moment. He examined his face, short hair, even the slightly disheveled state of his clothes.
“He’s fine, isn’t he? Totally looks like a delinquent. And he even has a scar, so he looks like someone who’s actually fought before. This is more than enough.”
The assistant director’s satisfied expression deepened as he looked at the small scar on Seungchan’s forehead. It had come from saving Kim Sungho earlier, but to the assistant director, it looked like a mark from a real fight.
“I told you I’m fine.”
“Good. Let’s use him for the minor role.”
Hearing this, Baek Seungchan tilted his head.
“A minor role? I just came here as an extra.”
Kim Sungho laughed and lightly tapped Seungchan on the shoulder.
“It’s not much different from being an extra. Just think of it as adding one line of dialogue.”
He smiled subtly as he spoke.
“And you’ll get paid more, so just do it.”
“Paid more?”
The strange dream left him a little confused, and in fact, he had been thinking of refusing—but now his ears perked up.
“Oh, this is your first time, right? A minor role pays at least double.”
“Double?”
“Not just double, at least double.”
Since Seungchan’s original pay was 100,000 won, it meant at least 200,000 won.
“What do you think? Should we send someone else?”
“No, I really want to do it!”
Seungchan answered with the military discipline he had practiced as a private. There was no reason to refuse when the line was short and the pay was higher.
“Good, smart choice.”
Kim Sungho smiled with satisfaction.
“Are we done talking?”
“Yes.”
“Great. Let’s get ready immediately. We need to start shooting right away.”
Seungchan followed the assistant director to a classroom where a few other actors around his age, dressed in school uniforms, were waiting.
‘These people must be the delinquents, and that one must be the protagonist.’
Two actors with menacing faces clearly looked like delinquents, and the other, a boy with a fresh, innocent look, must be the protagonist. Baek Seungchan’s role was one of the delinquents who bullied the nerdy protagonist.
‘Kairos, maybe?’
Though he didn’t know the protagonist’s name, Seungchan had a rough idea. It was a member of a recently popular idol group. He had learned this from watching music programs during his military service.
“Your name is Seungchan, right? As I said earlier, the line is simple. When Nam Siwoo falls, just say, ‘That bastard’s crying.’ That’s it.”
“I’ll do it.”
After the assistant director’s brief explanation, filming started immediately.
“Hey! I told you, if you cross my sight again, I’ll kill you!”
The actor with the most menacing look, playing the delinquent leader, growled at Nam Siwoo.
The web drama they were filming, “The Nerd’s Legend!”, was a typical delinquent school story. The nerdy protagonist is bullied by delinquents, awakens, trains his fighting skills, and later punishes them.
The scene being filmed now was of the delinquents tormenting the handsome but frail protagonist.
“S-sorry! I’ll be careful from now on.”
Nam Siwoo said his line, looking frightened. Watching his acting, Baek Seungchan was struck—not because it was good, but because it was utterly unnatural.
‘Is that supposed to be acting?’
Maybe it was the memory of the Thousand-Faced Ghost from his dream. Things he hadn’t noticed before were now painfully clear.
The lines, expressions, and emotions were completely disconnected. To Baek Seungchan, who had practiced imitating people as the Thousand-Faced Ghost, the awkwardness was even more pronounced.
‘So, the face carries everything, huh?’
The acting was terrible, but the face alone made the actor the focus. He recalled reading articles about idol actors’ poor acting skills; now he understood why such criticism existed.
“Cut.”
The harsh voice of Director Park Taeho echoed across the set, filled with irritation.
“Let’s take a short break and try again.”
He sighed deeply and left the classroom. Though he didn’t say it aloud, everyone on set, actors and staff alike, knew the reason.
“I’ll go get some fresh air.”
Nam Siwoo glanced around nervously and left the set. As soon as he exited, murmurs spread among the staff and actors.
“He really can’t act…”
“I’ve been shooting with the director for over three years and have never seen him get this frustrated.”
“He has every right to be angry.”
“But at least the face is great. Fans will like him even if he can’t act, right?”
They complained about his acting but universally praised his appearance and fan base. After all, this web drama was a tribute for fans.
‘You should have said this in front of him,’
Baek Seungchan heard the unintended gossip and felt uncomfortable. He stood and tried to shake off the feeling.
“I’m going to the restroom for a bit.”
As he walked down the hall, he heard faint sounds from a classroom.
“Huh?”
He glanced inside and saw Nam Siwoo practicing lines alone, looking much more focused than during the chaotic filming moments.
“Seems like he gets nervous a lot.”
It wasn’t brilliant acting, but it was better than what Seungchan had just seen on set.
Seungchan watched silently from outside for a while.
“Trying hard, even if he’s not great at acting.”
With that thought, he returned to the set. Soon after, Nam Siwoo and Director Park Taeho also returned.
“Alright, back to shooting!”
The director shouted, and filming resumed.
“S-sorry, my bad….”
“Again!”
Despite starting over, nothing much had changed.
“S-sorry….”
“Again!”
Repeated NGs continued, and the staff grew exhausted. Everyone stayed silent, but no one thought the situation was good.
“I’m sorry…”
Nam Siwoo’s face darkened further, and his confidence faltered.
Seungchan frowned, watching him. Constant mistakes, the tense atmosphere growing heavier, Nam Siwoo practicing alone in the classroom, and the confusion from the strange dream—it all compounded into a mix of frustration and irritation.
‘Would it be different if I stepped in?’
Perhaps because of the strange dream, he suddenly felt he had to do something to change the moment. Without hesitation, Baek Seungchan acted.
Thud.
He gently pushed the actor playing the delinquent leader aside and stepped forward.
“Huh? What’s he doing all of a sudden?”
“Shouldn’t we stop him?”
There was a small stir among the staff, but Seungchan didn’t care.
Recalling the moment from his dream when a martial artist tormented the innocent, he spoke in a cold, chilling voice.
“Damn it! I told you to live quietly! Do you really want to die?”
His eyes were sharp and deadly. The line wasn’t in the script; it came instinctively.
“….”
The set fell silent. Staff and actors froze, unsure what was happening.
Nam Siwoo, surrounded by the cold atmosphere, changed completely.
He trembled, his gaze wild. His face turned pale.
“S-sorry… p-please spare me…”
His voice was weak, and his every movement was genuine. Fear emanated naturally, as if he were truly being bullied.
In this moment, Nam Siwoo’s acting could have been called the highlight of the scene.
When the scene ended, Baek Seungchan felt something strange.
‘The cut should’ve been called by now… why isn’t anyone saying anything?’
Usually, by this point, the director would shout NG or Cut. But silence remained.
“Um… sorry for stepping in suddenly.”
He scratched his head nervously. Finally, Director Park Taeho’s voice came.
“Cut!”
Seungchan relaxed his tense body.
‘He’s going to say something, of course. I interrupted suddenly.’
But the reaction that came next was unexpected.
“Good!”
Director Park Taeho smiled for the first time since filming started.
“Wow, amazing!”
“Gives me chills!”
“Siwoo, your acting’s good too.”
Staff whispered among themselves, all impressed by Seungchan’s acting.
“Huh?”
Seungchan stood, momentarily bewildered.
“That attitude, that emotion! Excellent.”
Director Park approached Seungchan, full of praise.
“Let’s just change the line and do it again.”
“Ah, thank you.”
Seungchan, still processing the situation, bowed slowly.
“But who exactly is this kid? Acting this well and just standing there all along?”
“Oh, he’s the friend Kim Sungho brought.”
The assistant director smiled, stepping closer.
“Ah? Kim really found a talent. Very good!”
Director Park seemed pleased with the scene Seungchan had created and patted his shoulder.
“Take a short break, memorize the lines, and let’s go again.”
As the director left briefly, Kim Sungho approached Seungchan eagerly.
“Seungchan, you did amazing! My instincts were right—you really are good at acting.”
Excited, he kept talking without pause.
“The moment you said your line, I thought you were a real delinquent! You’re not a veteran, right?”
The acting was so realistic that it felt as if the nearby school’s actual delinquents had been brought in.
“I was surprised too.”
Seungchan muttered to himself in a daze.
“Ah? What did you say?”
“It wasn’t just a simple dream…”
Seungchan realized that the strange dream he had earlier was not an ordinary dream.