Uncle's True Feelings (2)
Yoon Jin-won was a child actor who was now in his third year of middle school.
With his pale skin and height of around 160cm, he was adored by everyone on set for his cuteness.
His solid acting skills, honed from years as a child actor, perfectly matched the role's image, earning him unanimous approval from the production team.
"Hello, PD-nim!"
Yoon Jin-won appeared with his manager-mother and greeted energetically.
His bright, lively voice lifted everyone's spirits.
"Ah, yes. Actor Yoon Jin-won. Good to see you."
"I rushed over because I was so curious about what's going on!"
To an outsider, it was a spirited, refreshing attitude that brought a smile.
But in Jang Seung-won's seasoned eyes, it carried a bittersweet edge.
That polished cheerfulness came from the kid's hard-earned savvy in the cutthroat media world.
"Actor Yoon Jin-won, do you like horror stuff by any chance?"
"Huh? Why do you ask that all of a sudden?"
"It's important to me, so just answer. Do you like horror?"
Yoon Jin-won, sensing a trap, cautiously exchanged glances with his manager-mother.
That unchildlike caution left a sour taste once more.
"I like horror!"
"Really? How much?"
"I try to watch it regularly, but circumstances don't always allow it. Still, I make a point to seek it out."
An unchildlike, vague response.
Jang Seung-won shifted in his seat and asked,
"Then have you seen The Shining? It's an older film, but..."
"Huh?"
"First time hearing it, huh. What about Rosemary's Baby? They just remade it recently, so you must've seen that."
"Well..."
"Guess not that either. The Wailing? That one's on movie channels all the time."
"..."
"The Woman in Black? Apt? The Conjuring? Shutter? Which was the scariest?"
"S-Sorry. I haven't seen any of those yet."
Jang Seung-won rubbed the back of his neck lightly.
This wasn't going to be easy.
"What about Illegal, then?"
"Yes! That's the drama where Actor Jeong Seo-hoon, who plays my uncle, appears! Of course I watched it!"
"It's a drama, not a movie."
"Ah! I misspoke for a second! Why'd I say movie? Haha..."
"It's fine, don't worry about your manager. Be honest. You can't handle scary stuff, right?"
Jang Seung-won whispered subtly, his gaze pressing on the manager-mother.
She got the signal not to interfere and fell silent.
"PD-nim... Truth is, I can't watch scary things at all..."
Yoon Jin-won replied, his energy deflated.
"Is it because of that dream in Haegeuk where the late kings appear like ghosts? But it's not just you—I'll be there with the staff, so it should be okay. It's all acting anyway."
"No, not that. Want to see this first?"
"Yes!"
Jang Seung-won sat Yoon Jin-won beside him and played the scene he'd edited cleanly.
As the polished clip ran, Yoon Jin-won responded in a slightly trembling voice.
"Y-Yeah, Actor Jeong Seo-hoon's villain acting is seriously terrifying."
"Just step in for me and do exactly that. Think you can?"
"Yes, I can."
"Good. Now here's the original."
Jang Seung-won played the unedited long take.
It started with a close-up of Jeong Seo-hoon's face and upper body from start to finish, followed by a close-up of himself choking and gasping for air...
"Eek! Jin-won! Snap out of it! Come on!"
Yoon Jin-won suddenly fainted. The assistant director caught him quickly, avoiding injury, while his manager-mother shook him in shock.
Moments later, Yoon Jin-won weakly opened his eyes, realized what happened, and flushed with embarrassment.
"Sorry, PD-nim. I'm just really scared of that stuff..."
Jang Seung-won watched quietly, then gave a weary smile.
"You'll get used to it with more exposure. Let's build some courage, Actor Yoon Jin-won."
***
Jeong Seo-hoon, who had slept straight through from morning, finally woke in the afternoon.
Descending to the first-floor living room, he saw Jeong Su-ryeon soaking her feet in a foot bath, cackling at the TV.
"Sis, don't you smell something delicious?"
"Delicious? Hmm? I don't smell anything."
"Smells like boiling pig's feet. Did a new jokbal place open nearby?"
"Boiling pig's feet? I don't smell anything like—"
Mid-sentence, Jeong Su-ryeon looked down at her submerged feet in the bath and hurled a nearby doll at him.
"You trying to die?!"
Jeong Seo-hoon chuckled ominously on purpose as he headed to the kitchen.
He scooped some food his mother had prepared onto a plate, covered it with wrap, and microwaved it.
While the 2.45GHz frequency made the H2O molecules dance hotly, he checked his phone messages.
He read the piled-up texts from four stunning actresses who could hold their own anywhere, replied briefly to each, sent "Just woke up" to Jang Seung-won's check-in, and gave a positive nod to Cha Do-jin's invite for drinks.
Then he paused at Kim Sang-hee's message.
Jeong Seo-hoon let out a wry smile. Bragging? Really?
That last line must've been what Kim Sang-hee really wanted to say.
***
"Apparently, Actor Yoon Jin-won had sleepwalking issues as a kid. Once, he woke up freezing in the countryside—turns out he'd been sleeping on his great-grandfather's grave. He ran back home in a panic, but everyone was asleep, so no one knew. Ever since, he can't handle ghosts or zombies."
Jang Seung-won explained calmly, and Jeong Seo-hoon countered,
"But the Grand Prince isn't a ghost. If anything, the ghosts are the late kings—the young king's father and grandfather."
"When he first saw your unedited close-up long take, he straight-up fainted."
"..."
"He doesn't faint anymore, but his hands and feet shake. With his sensitive age, I'm worried it'll leave a trauma."
"That could happen."
Jeong Seo-hoon could understand.
Mental wounds were common on the battlefield. Common didn't make them light.
He'd seen countless subordinates, comrades, and superiors suffer more from mind than body.
Most adapted to daily life but carried the scars forever.
For Yoon Jin-won, waking on a grave during sleepwalking was that scar.
Jang Seung-won lowered his voice.
"Hate to say it myself, but most directors and PDs don't care if an actor gets traumatized."
"Really?"
"You know how selfish this industry is. I'm no saint either—this is selfish too. If word gets out I wrecked an actor's psyche, it hurts my rep."
"Someone who calculates kindness for their reputation is just kind."
"Hearing that feels nice."
Jang Seung-won gave an awkward smile, and Jeong Seo-hoon asked again,
"But will a little fear really cause trauma? He knows it's acting."
"The real issue is repeated NG during shoots. It drives young actors mad."
Jang Seung-won explained with a light sigh.
"Imagine a scared kid actor. The other actor terrifies them for real. If they immerse together, you get a killer method scene. But scared kids tense up and NG constantly."
"I see."
"Two or three NGs? Everyone laughs it off. Five or six? Fatigue sets in. Think the kid doesn't notice? They start minding eyes on them, shrink, NG more—vicious cycle."
"Could spread to hating acting itself."
"Exactly. Some quit entirely."
"That's what worries you, PD-nim."
"Even if I patiently endure ten or twenty with a Buddha's smile, the staff, waiting actors, and managers won't. The pressure builds."
On main shoots, actors perform under multiple cameras, staff, and waiting cast.
Added pressure: nail insecure parts flawlessly.
"So, starting today, practice that scene together whenever free."
"Special training?"
"Not that formal. If it's just me, less pressure for him. Practice enough, and he'll have confidence for fewer NGs on main shoot."
"Not promising zero NGs."
Jang Seung-won scratched his head with an awkward grin.
"Seeing how scared he is, even with practice, doubt he'll nail it first take on camera."
***
Jang Seung-won cut non-essential late-night shoots from the schedule.
They had plenty banked from the rushed pace so far.
He slotted Jeong Seo-hoon and Yoon Jin-won for the day's final shoot.
"Good work, everyone. Wrap up. Oh, leave the three main cameras. I'll handle them."
"Yes, PD-nim."
Actors left post-shoot. Staff packed most gear and headed home.
"Not heading out, assistant PD?"
"Gotta stick by the PD-nim like a shadow. How could lowly me go home if heaven-like PD-nim stays?"
"I'm not that authoritarian."
"Help me gain experience, PD-nim. I wanna direct soon."
"Then stay. Suits me fine."
The AR studio held only the PD, assistant PD, Jeong Seo-hoon, Yoon Jin-won, and managers.
Jeong Seo-hoon eyed the slightly tense Yoon Jin-won.
This wasn't their first scene together.
They'd shot warm uncle-nephew bits multiple times.
And Yoon Jin-won had barely felt the lens authority's pull throughout.
'Maybe 'cause he's still young and raw.'
Yet others praised his huge acting leap from his last project. So he wasn't untouched.
"How was today's shoot?"
"Great! Sunbae-nim led so calmly, I barely NG'd and stayed comfy in role!"
"Felt good, huh?"
"Yes!"
Yoon Jin-won beamed and bowed.
With a 23cm height gap, Jeong Seo-hoon loomed down.
Lifting his head, Yoon Jin-won met a sinister smile gazing back.
"I was barely holding back the urge to strangle you right then. You were the only one enjoying it?"
Hic!
Yoon Jin-won paled instantly and started hiccuping. Jeong Seo-hoon switched to a gentle smile, patting his shoulder like nothing happened.
"That's the Grand Prince's truth. He smiles at his nephew but harbors constant writhing desire to tear him apart. Not aimed at you, so relax."
"..."
As Yoon Jin-won, his two managers, and the assistant PD stayed silent, Jang Seung-won clapped softly.
"Nice opening."
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