Chapter 163
Chapter 163
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 163
Chapter Title: Reading II
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An actor in this movie asked if Na Gang-in was in this conference room right now.
Half of the staff on this film had worked with Byeon Hyeong-chan back when he was an assistant director on Sunny Day. Among them, those who'd collaborated with Na Gang-in during the Gangwon-do reshoots knew his face.
But most of them weren't in this conference room—they were busy prepping for the shoot outside.
Na Gang-in had arrived in the conference room later than everyone else. They hadn't even held a starting ceremony. No one had had time to be introduced to him.
The action director didn't have to attend the script reading.
So Byeon Hyeong-chan had assumed Na Gang-in wasn't coming at all today.
"That's... huh?"
He'd only just spotted Na Gang-in in the corner of the room.
Byeon Hyeong-chan's face lit up.
"Of course he's here. Right over there."
Na Gang-in stepped forward a bit and gave a greeting.
"I'm Na Gang-in."
A few actors stood up, extending hands for a shake, but then realized the script reading came first and sat back down.
They greeted him from their seats.
"Nice to meet you."
"I'd been wondering what kind of person you were."
"When I heard Director Na was involved, I rushed over here in a hurry. I've always wanted to work with you. Haha."
Everyone else was seated, but Gong Ji-hyeon was still standing.
She was utterly confused.
"Huh? What? Huh?"
Director Byeon Hyeong-chan asked her.
"Gong Ji-hyeon, what's wrong?"
Gong Ji-hyeon pointed at Na Gang-in, her voice flustered.
"You're the action director?"
Na Gang-in answered lightly.
"Yeah."
She denied reality.
"No way! That can't be!"
Byeon Hyeong-chan figured she didn't know who Na Gang-in was and explained.
"It is. You might not know, Ji-hyeon, but he's the guy who makes high-class action scenes possible in record time. The company president and I trusted only Action Director Na Gang-in and set the shooting schedule to one month."
Gong Ji-hyeon was still confused.
"No way."
"Why do you keep saying 'no way'..."
"He's the acting teacher who helped me!"
A few actors just laughed, unsure what she meant. Some thought she was joking to liven up the script reading.
This was THO Entertainment's conference room. President Lee Tae-ho had come in to watch the reading, too.
Lee Tae-ho had seen Na Gang-in's acting in person before.
'Gang-in's acting when he lured Jackal's gang to that seventh-floor building was seriously incredible...'
He'd heard at her audition why Gong Ji-hyeon's acting had suddenly improved. Just to be sure, he asked,
"The acting teacher who helped Gong Ji-hyeon snap out of her slump on that drama set... by any chance..."
Finally, someone believed her.
Gong Ji-hyeon shouted loudly.
"Yes!"
"For real?"
She poured out her words rapidly.
"Yes! Totally real. He passed by while I was sighing in the corner of the drama set and showed me exactly how to improve my acting, teaching me every little detail. He's got insane acting skills, so why does everyone keep calling him the action director?"
Shin Eun-ha had heard the story from Gong Ji-hyeon too. Her mouth fell open.
"Whoa. Gang-in oppa. You can even teach acting now...?"
She suddenly remembered all the things she'd done to snag the lead role in this movie—including practicing with Na Gang-in.
She shot up from her seat.
"Ah! Gang-in oppa! You knew how hard I worked analyzing the script, so why didn't you help me like you did Ji-hyeon!"
Na Gang-in replied matter-of-factly.
"You do fine on your own."
"Huh? Well, I am pretty good to begin with... But if you'd helped, I could've gotten even better faster!"
There was more she felt wronged about.
"And why'd you read my lines like you were reciting from a textbook when you were my scene partner!"
"To toughen you up."
"Ugh... I did get tougher, though."
Na Gang-in smiled awkwardly.
He'd had no choice back then. AI Jeon Ji-in had been uncooperative with Shin Eun-ha's acting practice.
If human lives were at stake, AI Jeon Ji-in would help on her own, but this wasn't that kind of emergency. He got unconditional support for mission-related tasks, but Shin Eun-ha's acting had nothing to do with the mission.
Besides, Shin Eun-ha had landed the lead on her own merits. No need to interfere when she was handling it fine.
Director Byeon Hyeong-chan looked at Na Gang-in with regret.
"If I'd known you were that good at acting, there was this perfect role for you..."
But that role was already cast.
A few actors who'd come gunning for the action parts flinched. They tensed, wondering if the role Byeon Hyeong-chan meant was theirs.
'Action done by Na Gang-in himself would obviously be top-tier.'
'And if he acts well too...'
'I'd want to recast if I were the director.'
If Na Gang-in went after one of their roles, they could get bumped. A few stayed on edge.
Na Gang-in said,
"Helping Gong Ji-hyeon wasn't anything special. I just gave some advice in passing. I've never acted before and have no idea how."
The tense male actors let out sighs of relief.
"Phew."
Gong Ji-hyeon muttered softly.
"Not true. You were really good."
Anyway, he insisted he couldn't act. Gong Ji-hyeon couldn't press further in that situation.
'Why won't you act when you're that good?'
The script reading went smoothly. There were plenty of talented actors. They read their lines with full performances, as if it were the actual shoot.
Director Byeon Hyeong-chan exchanged opinions with them as they went, jotting down good ideas on the spot.
The less skilled actors watched them closely, nerves on edge.
'If I slip up between them and look awkward on screen, word'll get out that I can't act.'
'One wrong move and my career's toast.'
The actors who'd joined casually sharpened their focus. Some even gritted their teeth.
'I lose my head in there, they'll eat me alive!'
Lead actress Shin Eun-ha held her own among the strong performers. Her skills weren't the absolute best in the room, but they were solid enough for the female lead.
Gong Ji-hyeon, at just twenty-one, had joined the ranks of the good ones. A few marveled at her performance.
Kim Yu-chan dominated the others with his looks and acting. Some actors grumbled enviously.
"Isn't that face plus those skills just cheating?"
"Total cheat."
Na Gang-in watched the reading for a bit, then slipped out of the conference room midway. He'd only come to check the vibe today—no need to stay the whole time.
When the reading wrapped, Byeon Hyeong-chan clapped with a big grin.
"Great work, everyone. You were all amazing. This movie's gonna be a huge hit. Haha."
The actors clapped politely, exchanged well-wishes, then grouped up for more greetings.
The assistant director went around checking schedules with anyone who might have conflicts. He stopped by Gong Ji-hyeon to confirm hers.
"If your drama suddenly changes schedule and asks us to adjust, that's a problem."
Gong Ji-hyeon was doing a supporting role in both the movie and the drama.
"Drama schedule's fine. Script and shoot dates are all set."
"Same for our movie. Shoots don't always stick to schedule, though."
"My agency's handling it so nothing overlaps."
Her agency hadn't expected much when they got her the drama role.
Gong Ji-hyeon had been a solid supporting actress last year with decent skills.
But early this year, her acting tanked and her popularity dipped.
The agency hadn't abandoned her, but they weren't banking on her either.
Then things flipped fast.
She got rave reviews from viewers right after joining the drama. She nailed the competitive movie audition too, snagging a solid role.
Her agency ramped up support like old times, promising to sort the schedules themselves.
The assistant director nodded.
"Alright, we'll assume your agency's taking full responsibility."
He didn't push further and moved on to check other actors. A couple months ago, he wouldn't have let it slide so easily.
Gong Ji-hyeon thought back to that corner of the set where she'd met Na Gang-in. Everything had changed after that day.
She glanced around.
"Where is he?"
Na Gang-in was nowhere in sight.
It had been the same last time. She'd looked for him after wrap, but he'd already vanished.
Still, she wasn't worried this time.
'We'll meet again once shooting starts.'
Na Gang-in sold rice bowls at the PC bang after a long while.
Shin Eun-ha, back from the reading, plopped into her usual PC bang seat, lips pursed.
"I thought that textbook reading was the best Gang-in oppa could do. But then..."
She'd thought he was trying his best with that awkward acting and found it cute, even endearing his "human flaw."
"I figured everyone has something they're bad at, y'know? Gave him character. But no..."
Turns out he was the legendary acting teacher Gong Ji-hyeon had raved about nonstop.
Lee Bo-ra teased from the side.
"He must've been sick of you. Right?"
That weak jab didn't land.
"You, who never even practiced lines with Gang-in oppa, coming at me? I at least got practice time. Mostly love scenes, too."
"Ugh. Lucky."
Shin Eun-ha grumbled while eating the japtang rice bowl Na Gang-in made.
"Why's the rice so damn good again?"
Lee Bo-ra dug into hers beside her.
"Always is. Worth rushing over on rice day."
Shin Eun-ha narrowed her eyes.
"Who tipped you off? Eun-seo? I'll tell her no more."
"Eun-seo your exclusive little sis?"
PC bang owner Cha Dong-seok's niece, Cha Eun-seo, was from the same neighborhood as Shin Eun-ha and Lee Bo-ra.
Their dedicated seats were tucked in the PC bang corner, somewhat separated, so other customers couldn't easily see what they were up to.
Shin Eun-ha shoveled japtang rice while grumbling.
"Why's it extra good today... Wait. Mine's the special japtang rice? No wonder!"
Lee Bo-ra panicked.
"Huh? Why isn't mine special?!"
Shin Eun-ha compared their bowls, smirking.
"Gang-in oppa must feel extra bad for me. Special treatment just for me. Guess I'll have to forgive him generously now."
"You featherweight. Forgiven over one bowl?"
"Yup. Done."
Two days later, principal photography kicked off.
Spear of Destiny interwove stories from the Joseon era and modern times.
The Joseon scenes used a set built by another production company in a quiet spot in Namyangju. That film had already wrapped.
President Lee Tae-ho said on site,
"Taking this over saved us on set costs and build time. Since the other company built it themselves, we can tweak it to fit our movie."
Na Gang-in asked,
"They didn't just hand it over for free."
"Of course we paid. Thought about buying it outright at first, but cast salaries ran higher than expected, so we switched to renting."
Active big-name actors had jacked up the costs. Even with a few cutting their fees voluntarily, the budget was tight.
"Local government covering side issues is a relief, though. Guess they wanna turn it into a tourist spot if both our films hit big."
Shoot locations from hit movies or dramas often became tourist draws.
This set wasn't huge on Joseon buildings since the other company built it, but a few tweaks would cover what they needed.
Lee Tae-ho chuckled.
"Kim Yu-chan, our priciest, taking full running guarantee was a godsend. Nearly shorted on promo budget otherwise. Haha."
Shin Eun-ha asked Kim Yu-chan nearby.
"Oppa, you said running guarantee back when it was just the script, right?"
"Yeah. Good vibes."
The vibe now was worlds apart from script stage. Shin Eun-ha hadn't expected so many top actors for a newbie director's tight-budget debut.
"Yu-chan oppa's got no merits besides looks, but killer script sense."
Lee Bo-ra nodded beside her.
"Facts."
Kim Yu-chan rested thumb and forefinger on his chin.
"I am handsome, yeah."