Making-Of? No, Solo Camera (1)
Jeong Seo-hoon signed the appearance contract.
The pay per episode was 900,000 won.
As he stared blankly at the amount field, Song Jeong-woo put on a somewhat guilty expression and explained defensively.
"This is standard for a rookie actor. They usually get 500,000 to 700,000. Special A-grade rookies can pull over a million. 900,000 isn't low at all. I pulled some strings for you."
"But I'm only shooting for one episode's worth of scenes, right? And I get paid for the full run?"
"They'll keep using your flashbacks and stuff throughout. You're not just a bit part—you're a solid supporting role."
Total appearance fee: 10.8 million won.
Jeong Seo-hoon's shoot was expected to wrap in as little as two days, or a week at most if delayed.
"Working a generous week for 10.8 million? Sounds pretty good to me."
"And then reruns and third runs add 20% and 12% on top, so it keeps coming in. Stack up a bunch of these, and it's nice side cash. Export overseas? Pure pension money."
Actor setup was nearly complete, he said.
As soon as everything was ready, they'd dive into script reading and start shooting right away.
"No agency yet, right? Duh, of course not. My bad."
Song Jeong-woo chuckled at his own forgetfulness before continuing.
"Nail this drama, and your acting career's on the fast track, Seo-hoon. Private Lee Jin-wook's a standout role. Next gig, you could be commanding 5 million per episode easy. More, even."
"Not sure if there'll be a next time. First one's got me pretty nervous."
"No need. Just do what you did in the camera test—that's plenty. You said you served, right?"
"Yes, I did."
"So no day job right now...?"
"Nope. Just prepping to go back to school."
"Back to school? College kid, huh. What's the major?"
"Electrical and Electronic Engineering."
"Ah, engineering. Unexpected. Kinda pegged you for film studies after that test. Even though you said no acting experience—it just felt right."
"Our school doesn't have a film department. Heard they're starting one soon."
That's when writer Kim Sang-hee showed up with a thick new script she'd printed.
Her face looked haggard, hair a mess, but her eyes burned with life.
"PD Song, new script's out."
"What? You revised it?"
"Yeah. Take a look. Rewrote the plot outline too—easier to get with both. Seo-hoon, you too."
Sure enough, Kim Sang-hee had printed two identical copies.
Song Jeong-woo took it reluctantly.
"Setup's all done, and now you change the script? Hope you didn't tweak much."
"Tweaked plenty."
"Aigoo. Here we go again with our Kim Sang-hee."
Song Jeong-woo flipped it open while seated.
His casual skimming froze at some point, pupils quaking lightly.
He devoured the first two episodes in one go, then looked up.
"You're keeping Private Lee Jin-wook alive?"
"Have to. Why toss a gem like that after one episode?"
"But he confesses his grievances to Lawyer Koo Je-man and suicides—that shock drives Je-man to dig into corruption."
"Doesn't have to die for shock therapy on a lazy lawyer. You against keeping him alive?"
"Nah. As long as the flow holds, more screen time for Lee Jin-wook's great."
"What about you, Seo-hoon?"
Kim Sang-hee asked with sparkling eyes.
The late-30s star drama writer wasn't leering—more like fishing for praise.
"Does that mean longer shoot for me?"
"Bigger role overall. Why so blasé? Other actors beg for one extra line, working back channels."
"Cut him slack, writer. Zero interest in showbiz. Engineering major, remember?"
"Engineering? Whoa, doesn't fit the vibe at all."
Episode 1 was mostly unchanged.
But the ending flipped.
Originally, it closed with Lawyer Koo Je-man reeling from news of Private Lee Jin-wook's suicide.
The revision: Lee Jin-wook leaves a suicide-hinting message and vanishes; Je-man rushes to find him as Episode 1 ends.
Private Lee Jin-wook is actually a murderer.
"......"
"......"
"What're those faces?"
Song Jeong-woo hesitated, then ventured cautiously.
"Bit of a gamble, no? Writer Kim, you must've been blown away by Seo-hoon's acting. Ripped the whole foundation. But you know the skeleton's up already. Can't emergency-revise now—that's shoddy work. Illegal construction, even."
"Sigh."
Kim Sang-hee sighed deeply, hands limp.
"Not a redesign. Reviving the original vision."
"Original?"
"Yeah. Not a full rewrite—this is the original. Polished it a bit. Meant for Episodes 4 or 5, prepped early."
She offered more script; Song Jeong-woo snatched it.
"This original too?"
"Yep. My sleeping prince in the laptop. Seo-hoon, read up."
"Sure."
Not fully polished—excerpts of key scenes.
Jeong Seo-hoon and Song Jeong-woo sped through.
S#???. (Lawyer Koo Je-man recalls Lee Jin-wook's testimony)
Senior 1: Lee Jin-wook! You bastard! Do it quick, like ordered!
Lee Jin-wook: N-no, I can't! Killing civilians is a war crime!
Senior 2: Huh? They look like civilians to you? Distinguish rebels from civvies here, and you're first to die, punk!
Senior 3: Shoot already, asshole! You ain't escaping alone today!
Lee Jin-wook: Aaaargh!
(Seniors force Lee Jin-wook, blindfolded, to shoot bound civilians—but berserk Lee Jin-wook shoots the seniors instead.
Jam. Stops.
Last survivor, officer bleeding from leg, aims at Lee Jin-wook.)
Officer: Jammed, huh. Private Lee Jin-wook...... Why disobey orders, private?
Lee Jin-wook: Y-you deserve to die!
(Officer pulls trigger at Lee Jin-wook. Lee dives into brush, flees.)
S#???. (Lee Jin-wook's true flashback)
(Blindfolded bound POW corpses before them; Korean soldiers dead, sole survivor officer. Calm Lee Jin-wook stands before him.)
Officer: Lee Jin-wook...... Why...... go this far......?
Lee Jin-wook: Killing civilians is a war crime. So it's fine to kill you all. Keeping discipline, my way.
Officer: Your life...... ruined too......
Lee Jin-wook: Who? Those friends you sent over the Jordan? You? Me?
(Lee Jin-wook crouches before officer.)
Lee Jin-wook: Know how itchy I got wanting to kill you? Every night here, fantasizing peeling your skin, holding back, holding back?
Officer: You're...... insane......
Lee Jin-wook: When you guys relieved stress killing POWs, how I screamed inside to join? Trained morals are a pain. Can't just do what I want.
Officer: Spare...... me......
Lee Jin-wook: Why only invite me now! Why!
(Gunshot echoes; Lee Jin-wook rises, ecstatic.)
Lee Jin-wook: So this is it. The thrill of killing.
Finished, Song Jeong-woo swallowed hard, eyeing Kim Sang-hee.
"Lee Jin-wook's a pleasure killer from the start?"
"Yep. Modeled after Dexter. Always fantasizing pushing people to death's edge, begging, wailing—how thrilling to watch up close."
"......"
"But hates dying or jail himself. Bottled it up—until seniors slaughtering 'rebels' (civilians) snapped him."
"Like starving guy watching you grill steak right in front......"
"He was a key driver originally. Triggers Lawyer Koo Je-man's awakening—but also Je-man's burden to resolve."
"So all those murders Je-man faces......?"
"Originally all Lee Jin-wook's crimes. Suicide scattered them to multiple perps. No need now."
"Main villain all along. Why change the character pitch then?"
"Never changed character. Just script."
"Same diff."
"No. Script shows actions and lines in the moment. Can't capture full life."
Song Jeong-woo nodded vigorously in agreement.
"The scenery off-screen."
"Wrote it for Yoo Si-wook originally."
"Ah, Yoo Si-wook. Fits perfect. 'Wook' in the name, huh."
"But your test, Seo-hoon—aha. This character's born for you. That's why Yoo flopped."
Kim Sang-hee smiled warmly at Jeong Seo-hoon, praise-hungry.
Auntie-age top writer going soft on a rookie? Rare.
Meant she was hooked.
"Had to revise if for Yoo. Wouldn't satisfy you, writer. You hate settling."
"Exactly. Without Seo-hoon, Lee Jin-wook's just Episode 1 fodder. Lucky break."
"What happened?"
Jeong Seo-hoon looked puzzled; Song Jeong-woo explained.
"Yoo Si-wook got nabbed DUI. Off-air awhile."
"Told him sell the car, quit booze, or chop hand—pick one! Aish! Madman."
Making-Of? No, Solo Camera (2)