Chapter 53
Chapter 53
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: The Shooting Set
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Na Gang-in was working Shin Eun-ha and Kim Yu-chan hard on the CF set. Sometimes he'd guide their movements with his hands, but more often he directed them purely with words.
"Eun-ha, roll like this, and Yu-chan, extend your leg right over her."
Shin Eun-ha protested.
"Gang-in oppa! You just told me to roll! You're totally making me do it on purpose!"
"I mean actually roll on the floor to dodge."
Kim Yu-chan chimed in with his own complaint.
"Gang-in, I've got this chronic issue where my leg won't go up high. Hurt it back in the army chasing spies..."
"Your bones and muscles show no sign of that. We all know you've never caught any spies. Stretch that leg? All the way up."
"I'll give it my all."
Na Gang-in stuck close by even when directing verbally, keeping a watchful eye to prevent mishaps.
He gave Kim Yu-chan's extended leg a slight push.
"Hey now. I see that half-assed effort. Higher with the leg. Eun-ha, why are you so weak?"
After filming another two-second clip, a short break finally arrived.
Shin Eun-ha panted.
"I got totally tricked. I thought this CF would be like the movie shoot—just a quick swipe and done."
Back then, Na Gang-in had doubled for Kim Yu-chan, facing off against the other actors himself. That let him control everything freely, making it easy.
Now, only Shin Eun-ha and Kim Yu-chan could be on screen. Na Gang-in wore green tights to assist, but he couldn't block the camera's view, limiting his movements.
On top of that, he wasn't using his training manual skills—he was employing trainee education techniques.
Kim Yu-chan, sprawled out exhausted, said,
"If we do another CF with Gang-in, we gotta make him star in it."
Shin Eun-ha asked,
"Who?"
"Gang-in, obviously. His action leading a beginner-mode piggyback bus ride? This assisting stuff is hardcore difficulty."
"Agreed. Next time, we force him on camera. If he hates showing his face, we'll slap an opera mask on him."
Kim Yu-chan and Shin Eun-ha were dying of exhaustion, but the PD was thrilled.
The PD rewound the footage.
"Those clips where Na Gang-in called for reshoots because the action wasn't right? Why are they all top quality?"
The assistant director nodded along.
"We reshot because he wasn't satisfied, but tons look like completely different moves."
"Right? Lots change with the camera angle."
The PD rubbed his hands together.
"I was gonna pick four for TV and use the rest online, but this changes everything. We've got overflowing material for the web version."
"Plenty of unseen TV cuts for the online vid."
"Heh heh. I can already hear the fans freaking out."
The assistant director glanced at Na Gang-in and the actors.
"Rumors didn't lie—he's the real deal."
"All thanks to my divine touch, right?"
"Na Gang-in said the client demanded him outright?"
"Uh... In this industry, the client's god. That's what I meant."
The CF fight scenes needed two where Shin Eun-ha won and two where Kim Yu-chan did.
After even more filming, Shin Eun-ha slumped in a chair like a ragdoll, gasping.
"Kill me now—I can't do more. Just end me! Wait, I'm already dead!"
Thanks to their hard rolling, the action scenes were wrapped.
Na Gang-in told the PD,
"More takes won't make better shots."
The PD grinned wide in agreement.
"Thanks to you, we've got tons of great footage. That wraps the fight scenes."
Shin Eun-ha perked up instantly.
"I'm alive!"
The PD said,
"Leave the rest to me."
Shin Eun-ha asked,
"Huh? Isn't it done?"
"Gotta film the winner drinking the drink while the loser watches in despair."
"Oh right. Heh heh. After today, acting a sip is cake."
Kim Yu-chan shuffled over.
"Endgame thirst is no joke—Gang-in wouldn't even let me drink water. Let's shoot."
That went smoothly too.
Shin Eun-ha chugged the drink refreshingly. Anyone could see the bliss. She nailed the line with genuine feeling.
"Kyaah! So refreshing!"
The PD marveled.
"Whoa, that's a one-take wonder."
The assistant director pitied her.
"After all Eun-ha's suffering today, no wonder one sip makes her that happy."
Kim Yu-chan savored his drink. Post-sip, he gave a cool, awed expression.
"Haaa. This is why I live."
The PD got even more excited.
"Look at that raw emotion. This CF hits air, my rep skyrockets in the biz. Heh heh heh."
The assistant director shared the joy.
"Director, does that mean my name gets out too?"
"TV CFs are still a stretch for you."
"Aw..."
"But online CF gigs? They'll come your way."
"Whoa, really?"
"Yep. Stack those creds, TV offers follow."
"Man, this CF's huge for me too."
"Duh. Airs on TV, we both hit the jackpot..."
Sudden panic from the side.
"Huh? What's wrong with this?"
The PD turned.
A staffer fiddled frantically with the lighting controls, face pale.
The PD asked,
"What? What's up?"
"Lighting controller's dead!"
"What? Lights are fine!"
"No, the background LED controller crapped out."
During drink shots, background LEDs were supposed to flash pre-programmed patterns. They'd worked fine until now.
"Hey! That can't fail! Why'd it? Who brought it?"
"Hand-me-down from the previous production."
"Right. What kinda clowns are they? Sabotage with busted gear?"
Yelling at gear doesn't fix it.
The assistant director suggested,
"Director, skip the background?"
"No way. Client loved it, insisted. That's why we took their gear."
This ad was originally another company's. An actor injury halted it. They could've swapped actors, but the client switched to this company entirely.
The assistant director asked,
"Send it for repair, reshoot when fixed?"
"When's that?"
"Uh, not today?"
"It can be fixed? It's imported direct?"
"Yeah."
The PD scratched his head furiously.
"Insane. Just two more drink shots, deadline looming. What do I tell the client?"
"We won't get fired, right? Air date's soon..."
"They switched to us despite the crunch. Delay for product launch? We're axed."
"Then what?"
College hacker An Seong-hwan, who'd tagged along to watch, sidled up.
"Mind if I take a look? Controller's basically a computer anyway."
The PD suddenly remembered An Seong-hwan exposing the hacker attack days ago—a security whiz.
"Right! Computer guy! Can you fix it?"
"This is my wheelhouse."
"I'll pay top dollar—fix it quick!"
An Seong-hwan plopped confidently before the LED controller.
It had a monitor, keyboard, mouse for pattern setup.
Five minutes in, he said,
"Gonna need a pro."
The PD asked,
"Why? What's wrong?"
"Looks like hardware, not software."
"Damn. Imported—now what?"
"Uh... Find a specialist in this gear."
Shin Eun-ha cut in.
"Gang-in oppa's great with machines."
An Seong-hwan blinked.
"Huh? Bro's IT security, right?"
Shin Eun-ha boasted openly.
"Gang-in oppa fixes cars, machines—everything. Got his own workshop outside Seoul. We even hit the tool market together for a laser machine once."
"Laser?"
"Cuts stuff with lasers."
"Lightsaber?"
"Nah, tool shop buy. For metal shops."
The PD recalled Na Gang-in pinpointing the hacker's location lightning-fast days ago.
He rushed to Na Gang-in.
"Na Gang-in! It's imported—repair means shipping overseas. Could you check? We gotta wrap this CF today. Need time to CG out your green tights."
Na Gang-in wanted to finish today too—delays meant returning later.
He murmured softly,
"Ji-in-ah. Can you repair it?"
Na Gang-in said,
"Let's crack it open first. Got a screwdriver?"
Staff fetched the toolkit pronto.
Na Gang-in unscrewed and pried open the case. He removed the aluminum control panel cover too.
"Thought you only fixed motors and engines, but electronics too?"
"Not full repair—makeshift. No parts anyway. Fine, just get it running."
The CF team's toolkit had soldering iron, solder, wires, tester. No oscilloscope, but serviceable.
Na Gang-in simplified the long AR explanation for the crew.
"Added bypass lines to the circuit. Should work for now."
The PD asked urgently,
"Fixed?"
"Temporary patch. Holds for today's shoot—proper repair later."
"Got it! Can we test?"
Na Gang-in powered it up, case open. Background LEDs fired pre-sets, flashing brilliantly behind the set.
The PD threw his arms up.
"Yes! We're saved!"
An Seong-hwan gaped.
"Whoa, Gang-in hyung's not just hacking defense—electronics master too?"
Shin Eun-ha bragged,
"Told ya. Gang-in oppa fixes anything."
"Why's noona bragging for him?"
Shin Eun-ha deflected,
"Guy like that—why sell food at a PC bang?"
Na Gang-in still cooked there every few days.
"Yeah, Gang-in hyung shouldn't sling rice—he's made for more."
"Exactly. Entertain biz, obviously. I can mooch meals elsewhere."
"Hyung belongs in IT security."
"Entertainer."
Na Gang-in told the PD,
"Temporary—get it repaired, swap parts later."
"Haha, borrowed gear anyway. I'll flag it on return."
Na Gang-in grabbed the aluminum cover to reassemble the LED controller.
Suddenly, his skin prickled—the hairs standing on end.
7 O'Clock Direction!
Na Gang-in whipped his head back.
Dozens of warning markers popped up around the sound controls and a young woman—then vanished, leaving just lightning icons and alert text.