Not Making-Of, Solo Camera (3)
He's lost his mind.
Jeong Su-ryeon nearly screamed internally as she skimmed through the footage.
Her little brother was so absorbed in his drawing that he'd completely forgotten his surroundings.
His twisted expression as he glared at the sketchpad, pencil flying across the page—it was like a finely honed blade.
It didn't even look like he was drawing. More like fighting a battle.
The landscape taking shape so rapidly was of masterful quality, as if a great artist had possessed him.
She even felt an impulse to hand him paints instead of a pencil.
What shocked Jeong Su-ryeon the most was the very end.
Her brother, who hadn't set down his pencil until he'd filled every page in the sketchbook, suddenly snapped it in two.
The fierce momentum he'd had, like he was battling the world itself, vanished. He looked toward her with the hollow expression of a weary veteran.
"Why'd you do that? Thirst. A thirst I don't even understand."
His voice carried a listless exhaustion, as if he'd poured out all his resentment and hatred.
She could hardly believe it came from her brother's mouth.
No, that wasn't her brother anymore.
It was Private Lee Jin-wook, swept up in the chaos of war.
Not knowing the twist in Lee Jin-wook's arc, Jeong Su-ryeon just felt a surge of sympathy, wanting to comfort him.
Damn it! That scared me! What the hell is wrong with that kid!
Snapping out of it, she scolded herself and replayed the footage.
"That little punk's got the emotions nailed."
***
The script reading was scheduled.
Jeong Su-ryeon had been bustling around since morning, meddling every step of the way.
She called it newbie care, but to Jeong Seo-hoon, it was just meddling.
"Just go clean-cut and neat. The leads will show up casual anyway, dialing it back a bit. No need to psych each other out from the script reading."
"Psych out?"
"Yeah, that's when everyone puffs up their chests. Happens when you cast actors who are all competitive. But not us."
"I've heard the actresses get pretty intense with it. That true?"
"True, but Yoo Jeong-ah just rules the roost solo. No one's challenging her. Same with the guys. One of the leads is an engineering major who's never set foot in an acting academy his whole life. To Cha Do-jin, you're just a fledgling. Fledgling."
"But I'm supporting cast."
Jeong Seo-hoon was effectively lead-level, driving the story forward.
But on the production profile, he was listed as supporting, vanishing after the early episodes.
The PD and writer had decided to fool the audience by first fooling the crew.
As long as the staff didn't know Lee Jin-wook's true role early on, filming wouldn't suffer.
"Have a good one."
"What do you mean 'good one'? You're coming with."
"Oh, right."
"Isn't the script reading where you, as assistant director, go ahead and prep?"
"Yeah, but PD Song told me to look after you instead of your manager for a bit. Said it'd be easier since we're siblings."
"Who's looking after who? I'm the one driving."
"Still, can't let a level 1 newbie wander a demon drama set alone. Looks to me like PD Song's grooming you for his own crew ahead of time."
She was always "Song PD this, Song PD that."
Now that he was accommodating her commute, it was "PD-nim."
"And don't make it obvious we're siblings."
"That's my line."
"Hey, I'm feeling the exact same way, but not now. Don't want any rumors starting. Like parachute or whatever."
"An aspiring director worrying about parachute talk?"
"What if word gets out I buttered up Song PD to slot you in? Better to prove your skills first, then let it come out naturally later."
More things to watch out for than I thought, Jeong Seo-hoon mused.
Still, compared to rolling in the trenches of war, it was a drop in the bucket.
"Let's go."
***
Jeong Su-ryeon bolted as soon as they arrived at the studio, after pointing out his spot.
Jeong Seo-hoon walked the corridor slowly.
The place was still bustling, brimming with energy.
The soldier's instinctive wariness prickled in unfamiliar territory, but it was bearable.
Ignoring the footsteps approaching and receding, he entered the script reading room.
About half the seats were empty.
"Hello."
Following his sister's instructions, he greeted politely in a moderate tone and slipped quietly into the seat marked [Lee Jin-wook: Jeong Seo-hoon].
Most people glanced over casually before returning to their scripts.
Unknown face, unknown name—clearly pegged as a rookie nobody.
Especially since Lee Jin-wook was just an early cameo who bowed out quick.
"New face. Rookie?"
The actress next to him asked casually.
Pretty, but not quite lead material.
Her name and role: one of the heroine's friends.
Not the bestie—just popping in occasionally to liven things up. Per the script.
"Yes, rookie. Nice to meet you."
"You die in episode 2, right? I stick around till the end. Let's get along till then."
"Sure, thanks."
'Stick around till the end'—was that shade, or self-promo? He'd ask sis later.
"What agency?"
"Don't have one."
"No way! No manager either, then?"
"Nope."
"Oh! You're that guy PD Song cast after the camera test, right? The one who's never acted before?"
Word had spread already.
His sister's words echoed: 'No secrets in this industry.'
"They said you nailed the camera test so hard, PD and writer were over the moon. Wow, had no idea. So glad to meet you."
Thinking he was PD's golden boy, her attitude warmed up.
Just then, Hwang Shin-yoon—who'd rehearsed with him during the test—walked in.
His smile froze at the lips when he spotted Jeong Seo-hoon.
No escaping a soldier's trained eyes.
Hwang Shin-yoon spoke first.
"We meet again."
"Yeah, nice to see you."
"Do well."
"Thanks."
That was it. Hwang sat a polite distance away.
Doesn't want to get chummy, but wants to keep an eye on me.
Judging by the spacing and angle, that seemed deliberate.
"Sorry I'm late. Great to see everyone. I'm PD Song Jeong-woo, handling direction."
"Writer Kim Sang-hee here."
The PD and writer arrived, followed by the big-name actors.
Lead Cha Do-jin, heroine Yoo Jeong-ah, veteran Lee Min-soo as the villain chaebol chairman, and more.
They exchanged natural greetings and small talk, subtly displaying what an A-list league looked like.
Jeong Seo-hoon could tell from simple observation they weren't doing it on purpose.
"You made it?"
Song Jeong-woo, who'd been greeting everyone personally, reached him.
"Don't tense up. Just do your thing. Your thing."
"Got it, PD-nim."
"Let's do great."
After individual hellos, the formal cast introduction began.
Their gestures, glances, expressions during it highlighted hierarchies by seniority, status, popularity.
"Finally, Jeong Seo-hoon as Private Lee Jin-wook. 'Dies in episode 2,' but a key role sparking Koo Jae-man's awakening early on."
A smattering of perfunctory applause welcomed him, and the reading kicked off.
Staff focused on cameras for the making-of footage.
His sister was among them.
Their eyes met briefly; she mouthed silently.
Don't choke.
Yeah, you neither.
Star writer Kim Sang-hee was infamous for her wild changes.
She had no qualms gutting the script.
If the reading or actors fell flat, she'd overhaul boldly.
Sometimes veering wildly from the original pitch.
But results were always stellar. Ratings proved it.
Her nickname from this: supporting-lead specialist.
She'd unhesitatingly make a supporting outshine the leads.
Even upgrading a bit-part with a few lines to semi-lead just because they felt alive.
Actors thus poured focus into every line to stay in her good graces.
Why leads skipped heavy glam? To dodge barbs like 'Sat in hair and makeup all day instead of nailing the character?'
While Song Jeong-woo read stage directions and actors delivered lines, Kim Sang-hee typed on her laptop and showed it.
Jeong Seo-hoon's performance wasn't bad. Actually pretty solid.
No side-eyes from the other actors either.
In other words, exactly the level expected from someone dying in episode 2.
Kim Sang-hee pondered, then typed again.
Do I Really Die in Episode 2? (1)