A Washed-Up Idol's Acting Breakthrough
PD Cho Hyung-gyu let out a long sigh and waved his hand at lead actor Han Gyu-yeong. "Kim Deok-su! What are you... no, Han Gyu-yeong, come here for a moment."
Deok-su felt completely bewildered. He hadn't made any real mistake—he had simply immersed himself in his role.
When he asked the supporting actor Yu Min-ho beside him, the man shook his head timidly.
A short while later, lead actor Han Gyu-yeong returned from checking the monitor and glared at Deok-su before curling the corners of his mouth upward. "X, what the hell was an idol doing acting in the first place... messing things up like that..."
It wasn't a mutter under his breath; the voice was loud enough for Deok-su and nearby Yu Min-ho to hear clearly.
Deok-su stared at him, and Han Gyu-yeong smirked instead. "What are you looking at? Didn't you prepare?"
To anyone watching, it was obvious he was stirring up trouble, but Deok-su remained completely calm.
Yu Min-ho, however, was so anxious he couldn't stand still, probably fearing something would blow up.
'What complaint did he hear from the PD? Well, he doesn't seem like he's acting that well anyway...'
Deok-su knew all too well that getting dragged into this kind of petty revenge would only harm himself.
Scenes like this were common on set.
He had seen more than his fair share of talented supporting or lead actors kicking out low-ranking staff or extras just for the hell of it.
With the PD's signal, the second take began.
Yu Min-ho, who had been terrified, put even more force into his voice. "Woo-harang! This is the perfect moment! Let's charge right in!"
“What sudden words are those? Charge? Are you trying to push the soldiers into the front lines?”
Han Gyu-yeong’s reaction face sharpened.
His voice carried stronger emotion.
Deok-su’s own reaction grew fiercer too. “Woo-harang! This is the right time! How long are you going to cower like a coward...”
“Cut! Ha... this is driving me crazy. The expression... again.”
But somehow, no OK sign came.
Even after repeating the same setup several times, the result stayed the same.
PD Cho Hyung-gyu’s unexplained takes kept piling up, and the atmosphere grew heavier by the minute.
On the twentieth take, PD Cho Hyung-gyu dropped his megaphone and stormed over to Deok-su. “Kim Deok-su. You... you... try saying your line one more time.”
Deok-su had no idea what the problem was.
From what he had researched, PD Cho was a straightforward director who just pushed forward at full speed on what needed to be done.
Judging by his expression, he was genuinely irritated.
First, Deok-su calmed his emotions and immersed himself in the role once more.
“Woo-harang! This is the right time! How long are you going to cower like a coward...”
“...Enough. Seeing it up close makes it even clearer. This is really... Everyone, take a short break.”
“Break time!”
Assistant director Ha Seong-hoon’s booming voice echoed across the set.
PD Cho Hyung-gyu, who had approached so aggressively, turned away with an expressionless face, leaving Deok-su utterly confused.
Plus, it was almost sunset.
The scene they were shooting was an outdoor night scene, and today was the last shooting day of the week.
Shooting outdoors at daytime in a nighttime setting was practically impossible.
Furthermore, he couldn’t understand why Han Gyu-yeong kept glancing back at him from inside the van.
“...I’ll have to redo my makeup. Everything’s wiped off here.”
During the break, inside the small car, Lee Hui-yeong reapplied Deok-su’s makeup.
It was the makeup team’s job, but they had all been held hostage by Han Gyu-yeong’s tantrum.
With his eyes closed, Deok-su asked, “Why has Director been acting so strangely since earlier?”
“I still don’t know exactly. I heard him having a serious talk with the main writer...”
“Maybe he didn’t like my acting...”
“No, not in your usual timid way. If that were the case, he’d just cancel the shoot.
Anyway, I heard the main writer is coming later. Go meet him...”
Knock knock.
As Hui-yeong was about to leave, a knock sounded on the car window.
She wiped the condensation and saw assistant director Ha Seong-hoon.
Hui-yeong quickly lowered the window. “Ah, PD Cho.”
“Kim Deok-su. The PD wants to see you for a moment.”
Deok-su tensed up as he headed to where the PD was waiting, with Hui-yeong following right behind him.
PD Cho Hyung-gyu was chatting with the staff around a bonfire when they arrived.
He saw writer Na Mi-yeong and frowned at Deok-su. “Kim Deok-su, why are you making people uncomfortable?”
“What did I do wrong? What are you talking about all of a sudden...”
“Aish, why did you hide that amazing voice during the audition? Haa...”
Seeing Na Mi-yeong suddenly flash a smile like a bipolar patient left Deok-su dazed.
In truth, Na Mi-yeong had wanted to cheer out loud.
She had picked him for his looks, but his voice was pure Woo-harang.
Unlike her, PD Cho Hyung-gyu, who had been glaring the whole time, jumped in.
“Writer, the situation is serious. You saw the monitor, right?”
“Yeah. Ha, my eyes...”
“...Yes, yes. Writer’s eyes are great.
That’s why a supporting role isn’t enough and the extra is stealing the spotlight from the lead.”
Only then did Deok-su realize why Han Gyu-yeong had glared at him earlier.
He must have heard a harsh complaint from the PD and felt humiliated.
Having his existence completely overshadowed by a minor character or extra, the humiliation would have been immense.
“So, sorry. Kim Deok-su. You won’t be appearing today...”
“Wait. PD, what does that mean exactly? Trying to sabotage Deok-su?”
“Writer, Han Gyu-yeong is being buried.
Right now the content is Han Gyu-yeong saying the right things, and he gets buried...”
“He gets buried because of his own circumstances.
He’s barely got one scene and he’s already too picky.
Do we have to look out for the leads’ circumstances too?”
A heated argument broke out between the PD and the writer.
Deok-su stood there dumbfounded by the situation revolving around him.
“Is this... Deok-su oppa’s...”
Hui-yeong felt even more stunned.
She had only been given a minor role, yet he was bigger than the lead.
Na Mi-yeong even called Han Gyu-yeong directly to persuade him and made a phone call.
After just a few words, the writer left the PD in high spirits.
“We’re running out of time, so let’s move quickly.
Change this scene to a night shot and tweak the lines a bit.
And Deok-su, come see me later.”
The set quickly returned.
Na Mi-yeong finished the script revisions in less than thirty minutes, leaving the staff stunned.
After finishing the revisions, she took Deok-su to her car.
When Deok-su sat in the passenger seat, she handed him a lukewarm coffee. “The only drinkable thing here.”
“I’ll drink it.”
“It seems you don’t care about food either.
But what’s with the plastic in your shoes? I heard you have good fashion sense, yet you’re surprisingly practical?”
Anyone could tell the words were just teasing.
“I don’t have time to look for fashion right now.”
“Yeah, you’re right. I just hate people who can’t wear clothes.”
“This place isn’t exactly one where you need to dress up.”
“Aha ha. Really interesting? Deok-su. No? It’s our third meeting.”
Cold sweat trickled down Deok-su’s back.
He had no way of knowing what kind of people Kim Deok-su had met.
He couldn’t use the excuse of losing his memories either; showing sympathy was only possible after public opinion improved.
For now, he had to adapt on the fly.
“I might have been rude earlier...”
“Actually, it wasn’t that bad.
When I first debuted, I criticized my own works.
What was it... I hated cheesy, superficial romances.”
Deok-su swallowed dryly.
He no longer felt even the slightest resentment toward Kim Deok-su.
He already knew that resenting someone didn’t change anything.
Some of it had also been refined by his father.
“Still, you picked me.”
“It’s not like people with Deok-su’s looks are common.
A person should distinguish between public and private life.
Whether that person is a washed-up idol or what.”
“I’m sorry about that. Thank you.”
“Why so polite? It’s making me uncomfortable.
You’re planning to contact me once the drama comes out?”
“I’ll have to prove it with my skills.”
“Whoa? Not bad.”
Deok-su bowed his head and got out of the car.
Na Mi-yeong was an impressive person.
She showed exactly what professional attitude should look like.
Back at the set, Hui-yeong handed Deok-su the revised script.
“Huh? The lines have increased.”
“Yu Min-ho was cut.”
Only then did Deok-su notice that the supporting actor Yu Min-ho, who had played the role of Woo-harang Six, was nowhere to be seen.
The increased amount was good, but seeing the cold reality of the broadcasting world left Deok-su bitter.
“Let’s start!”
With Ha Seong-hoon’s booming voice, filming resumed.
After Deok-su finished preparing and took his position, lead actor Han Gyu-yeong whispered softly, “Taking someone else’s lines because they’re fine? Are you happy about it?”
Deok-su didn’t answer.
In reality, the leads didn’t care whether the supporting actors lived or died.
The reason he said it was obvious.
“Shut up, you bastard.
Since you’re a washed-up idol, come leech off this side too?
Not in your dreams...”
“Han Gyu-yeong! Snap out of it!”
“Ah, yes. Sorry.”
Ignoring PD Cho’s warning, Han Gyu-yeong took every chance to poke at Deok-su’s temper.
Deok-su had no reason to respond.
He had just heard that a random supporting actor was outshining him...
Whether his pride was hurt or not, he had zero interest in getting tangled up in such petty provocation.
“Ready! Action!”
The red light came on for the camera, and everyone’s eyes turned to the monitor.
“Woo-harang...! This is the perfect moment! Charge!”
“W-w-what sudden words... I’m sorry.”
Han Gyu-yeong’s NG kept going.
Deok-su’s performance was suppressing him.
As PD Cho Hyung-gyu repeatedly told him to say “again,” his voice gradually grew louder.
“How... how did that voice even come about?!”
Looks aside, that voice just didn’t fit at all.
That voice wasn’t that of a washed-up idol; it was pure Woo-harang.
He was acting, but that guy...
Every time he tried to react, Deok-su’s presence left him unable to speak properly.
Somehow, after more than thirty takes, he finally received the OK sign.
“Thank you.”
After filming the scene, Deok-su greeted every staff member individually.
The staff accepted his greetings with awkwardness but without refusal.
It was a far cry from how they had been treating him in the morning.
He greeted the furrowed-brow Han Gyu-yeong too, but the man left in a whirlwind of cold wind.
When Deok-su approached PD Cho Hyung-gyu, the PD said flatly, “...Thank you. See you next time.”
“Yes! Thank you.”
Perhaps because he had received recognition through acting, Deok-su’s voice came out louder.
Even after finishing the first schedule, Deok-su’s daily life didn’t change much.
He only trained in exercise, acting, and occasionally dance and vocals.
“Was this today?”
“The second day, so yes.”
Deok-su and Hui-yeong sat in front of the TV.
In front of them, Jeong-mi was peeling an apple.
It was a peaceful time, yet Deok-su’s heart raced as he munched on the apple.
Around forty minutes into the drama, the moonlit screen cut to a military camp.
There stood lead actor Han Gyu-yeong and Deok-su.
“Eh? There they come!”
Hui-yeong’s words froze Jeong-mi’s hand while peeling the apple.
Deok-su held his breath too.
“Woo-harang! This is the perfect moment! Charge!”
“What sudden words are those? Charge? Are you trying to push the soldiers into the front lines?”
Jeong-mi watching the drama with them had her eyes wide.
“Is that... is that Deok-su? Why is his voice like that?”
“I practiced it.”
The voice Deok-su had just changed for the first time felt completely unfamiliar to his mother.
“Is your throat okay?”
“Ah, yes. It’s fine.”
The sudden voice change seemed to worry his mother.
Looking at her silently watching him, Deok-su felt sorry.
Eventually, the Deok-su who had charged forward first was swallowed up by the enemy soldiers and vanished from the screen.
The two minutes of Deok-su’s appearance passed in an instant.
“The editing is really well done. The close-ups are also carefully handled...”
“Son, you’re not hurt anywhere, are you?”
Hui-yeong scratched her cheek while looking at Jeong-mi, who was covering Deok-su’s face.
“No. We wore all the safety gear when we shot that scene.”
“That dangerous a scene?”
Hui-yeong couldn’t bring herself to say the truth.
That day, while filming the charging scene, Deok-su had been trampled by the people.
He wasn’t seriously injured, but there had been a terrifying moment.
After light monitoring, Hui-yeong stood up.
“Oppa, don’t go on the internet today at all.”
“Okay.”
“...Even if you want to, you won’t be able to.”
Deok-su’s eyes widened when he saw what was in Hui-yeong’s hands.
She held a LAN cable, a Wi-Fi router, and his phone.
Jeong-mi burst out laughing at Deok-su’s surprised face.
“You really took care of the manager.”
“Ah, Mom. Still, the phone...”
“I got it for you. I wanted you to sleep comfortably today.”
The two women’s conspiracy meant Deok-su wouldn’t know the results until the next day.
Upon returning home, Hui-yeong began checking Deok-su’s reactions in earnest.
“Did anyone watch today’s My Hwarang? Why is Kim Deok-su showing up?”
“Heard he’s a washed-up idol voice, but surprisingly good acting.”
“L’Vyu is out? Only Woo-harang is mentioned.”
“Han Gyu-yeong got completely deleted lol lol lol. Acting sucks lol lol lol.”
“Damn, Kim Deok-su’s voice is amazing lol lol lol lol lol lol. Han Gyu-yeong is seriously being buried.”
“L’Vyu’s voice is so good TT TT I almost became a fan.”
“You’re already too late. I actually became a fan TT TT...”
“Are fans being too much? Still, it’s worth watching.”
...
While looking at the reactions, Hui-yeong smiled.
The old negative ones were decreasing, replaced by positive ones.
Articles about Kim Deok-su were starting to appear one after another.
“Signature’s L’Vyu receives perfect Woo-harang acting reviews... contributing to rising ratings?”
“Comeback signal? L’Vyu’s Woo-harang acting surpasses even Woo-harang’s presence...”
...
Most were articles that praised Kim Deok-su’s acting and created curiosity about his future to boost views.
“Ratings are up too? 1.3%?”
While Hui-yeong smiled, her phone rang.
It was Ha Seong-hoon, assistant director at OBC.
He greeted briefly and immediately got to the point.
“...Is it possible for Mr. L’Vyu to appear in the next episode too?”
Hui-yeong smiled without realizing it.