Moment Press Conference and Filming Begins
“What a fascinating promise,” he said, noticing the current trend of food trucks.
“By the way, has there been any special reason behind that exact one-third discount?”
“In the past three years, none of the broadcasting stations have achieved a viewership rating above 33.3%.
I hope we can break this curse with your drama.”
“I’ve heard your passionate commitment, but this question is a bit delicate… is it okay if I ask?”
“Please, feel free to ask. If it’s difficult, I’ll cut it.”
Reporter Lim Ju-ri hesitated for a moment before speaking cautiously.
“Are there many viewers who believe in your casting for this role… do you happen to know about that?”
Even the PD who had come with the camera crew swallowed nervously.
Deok-su’s poor reputation was common knowledge, though it had been quiet lately.
Especially this reporter Lim Ju-ri was being particularly careful.
But instead of showing concern, Deok-su smiled gently, as if defying their worries.
“Well, it’s a natural concern.
I feel a heavy sense of responsibility, of course.
I’ll do my best not to disappoint the writer or PD who cast me trusting in me.”
“Are you preparing anything specifically for this role?”
Deok-su was about to answer when manager Lee Hui-yeong interrupted.
“That’ll do for today’s interview.
We’ll handle the remaining questions at the press conference.”
Once the interview ended, Lim Ju-ri left with a regretful look.
From her perspective, it was a pity.
But she understood.
In a star’s position, revealing everything at once would be foolish.
The best way was to drop small hints to keep people curious.
She had secretly worried that if Deok-su answered everything, the fun would be spoiled.
“Thank you for today’s interview.”
“Thank you for your hard work.”
As Lim Ju-ri left, filming began.
The first scene was the reunion of lead actors Lee Jin-ho and Kang Se-ah after ten years in the office.
“Jin-ho. What are you doing here?”
“…Nothing.”
“Then why are you here?”
This was the crucial scene where their emotions crossed.
In the dimly lit office, Lee Jin-ho and Kang Se-ah held flashlights and gazed at each other with complex expressions.
‘Ha Jin-ho didn’t hesitate with revenge in the beginning.
But after meeting Kang Se-ah, those instincts softened and gradually changed.
He’s nothing like the steady Lee Jin-ho.’
Even while watching the leads’ acting, Deok-su’s fans didn’t stop.
His densely filled script had become so black with notes there was nowhere left to write.
Before filming, he and the leads had analyzed characters and practiced together, all of which was now embedded in the script.
When Deok-su watched the leads’ acting, he suddenly smelled an unfamiliar perfume nearby.
Turning, he saw rookie actress Yu Ha-jin wearing a thin coat.
“Ah…!”
“S-sorry. Were you startled?”
“No. Did you have something to say?”
“That… your script, senior.”
Yu Ha-jin couldn’t stop staring at Deok-su’s tattered script.
Comparing it to her own neat one made her feel embarrassed.
Deok-su scratched his head and shrugged.
“I’ve been thinking a lot, so I kept doodling.
Today, you don’t need to be nervous like in the script reading, right?”
“Yes, of course! I’ll be relying on you later.”
Thanks to the actors’ stable performances, filming moved smoothly.
Deok-su’s turn came sooner than expected.
“I have to go, brother.”
At Lee Hui-yeong’s words, Deok-su boarded the car.
The destination was a high-end bar located about ten minutes from the current set.
When Deok-su arrived, the set was already in full swing.
The art team had placed fruit snacks and barley tea inside a wine bottle on the table.
Deok-su checked his movement lines when the art director said,
“Mr. L’Vyu, when you hit the glass, use this.
The real ones are fragile, so don’t touch them.
Understood?”
The art director had slightly moved the sugar glass several times to make it visible and warned him repeatedly.
Because accidents could happen, the art team checked multiple times.
Lighting supervisor Hwang Hak-su and PD Oh Chang-seok were discussing the lighting setup.
“Director Hwang. When Deok-su hits the glass, make the lighting dark.
That… that evil feeling.”
“It’s the opposite of Jin-ho, right? Okay.”
Hwang Hak-su, who had already collaborated with PD Oh Chang-seok many times, understood immediately.
As the setting was almost complete, stylist Moon A-rim became busy.
She told Deok-su to avoid his cold watch and clothing.
“…That should be fine.
The outfit looks good too.
I was worried about gray making him look weak, but it looks even scarier.
Perfect, very.”
Deok-su, wearing a gray coat with his hair tied back, frowned at the mirror held by road manager Park Hyeon-woo.
Park Hyeon-woo flinched at that scary sight.
Moon A-rim burst out laughing.
“Hyeon-woo, is Deok-su scary?”
“Noona, look from the front.
If I act cocky, I’ll get hit.”
“If L’Vyu hits me, I’ll be grateful.
But the hairstyle is a bit disappointing.”
The hair stylist hired by the production had tried, but Moon A-rim wasn’t satisfied.
Lee Hui-yeong flinched.
She was the one who had said to hire the hair stylist.
“…We received recommendations from many places, but none caught my eye.
I told the good ones they need to get approval from top stars in advance…”
“Take it slow. I’m fine.”
Lee Hui-yeong nodded with a stern face.
The stylist recommended by the company was competent.
Deok-su’s cold watch was from an expensive brand worth tens of millions, and the clothes were also pricey items worth hundreds of thousands.
“I know some shop managers.
Shall I look into it?”
“Since Hui-yeong is looking first, let’s wait.
I’ll call if needed later.”
Moon A-rim showed a regretful expression while Deok-su, who had been ready, watched the setting take longer than expected.
Because the room was narrow, the lighting stand or lines kept getting in the angle.
While the staff moved busily, Deok-su read his script in a corner.
“Um… hello.”
Hearing footsteps, he looked up to see a strange man.
The man bowed 90 degrees to Deok-su.
“I’m Ha-jin’s manager, Park Chi-sang.
I should have greeted you sooner, but my timing was off.”
“Ah, you’re Ha-jin’s manager.”
“Thank you for the script reading last time.
If you hadn’t helped, Ha-jin might not have gotten a chance.
Truly grateful.”
Deok-su was bewildered.
He knew there had been tense talk between writer Min A-ru and PD Oh Chang-seok during the reading.
Manager Park Chi-sang meant it as a compliment, but he had only wanted to prevent immersion from breaking by changing partners.
‘I had thought of it during the background acting too…’
Anyway, it was just a small favor, but Yu Ha-jin had been the one who seized the opportunity.
Park Chi-sang handed over two business cards with both hands.
“Vints Entertainment? Ha-jin’s agency is a good one.”
“It’s not as good as JMT, but we pour a lot of effort in.
Oh, our president said he’d treat you to a meal someday.”
When Deok-su looked troubled, manager Lee Hui-yeong approached at the perfect timing.
“Please tell him we appreciate the thought.
We’ll check our schedule and reply.”
“Yes, I’ll pass that on. Then.”
Manager Park Chi-sang returned to Yu Ha-jin, who was rehearsing in the corner.
There was a sense of passion and affection in how he cheered her up.
Lee Hui-yeong, watching them, said,
“President Cho Gang-ryeol of Vints Entertainment is famous for his sharp eye.
He’s also known for showering his artists with affection.”
“Really?”
“He’s like an elder in the industry.
I’ve heard his company reputation is good too.”
Moon A-rim joined in.
“But lately I’ve heard other things.
President Cho looks fine, but his wife manages everything.
I heard he’s strict with the artists.”
“That story about his wife has been circulating for a while.
The age difference is fourteen, right?
Something interesting at the next contract renewal…”
The two women, as if competing, spilled all they knew.
But to Deok-su, their rivalry was more interesting than Vints Entertainment.
Both women were ambitious, which was good, but he didn’t want them to get overheated.
Both were necessary people for him anyway.
‘…I’ll talk about it separately later.’
The filming preparations were complete.
Deok-su sat in the center of the angle on the sofa as the extras waited outside.
“Ready, action.”
When PD Oh Chang-seok gave the signal, the female extras entered with the sound of high heels.
Deok-su, laughing alone and shaking a wine glass, pulled out a bundle of fifty-thousand-won bills and waved it toward them.
“Here. Who wants this?”
The extras looked at each other and raised their hands without hesitation.
Deok-su’s smile grew even more wicked.
“That’s right.
You want money, don’t you?
But this money isn’t given to anyone.”
The extras whispered.
Deok-su stood up and tilted his head.
“So, I’ll do a test.”
“…”
“The girl next to you, hit her.
Give this to the one who gets hit first…”
Slap!
Before the words even finished, one extra slapped the cheek of another.
Deok-su stood and approached while shaking the bills.
Then he tapped her head with his fingers.
“Hehe.
Crazy girl.
You really hit hard.”
“I like money.
Quickly…”
Clang!
Deok-su struck her head with the sugar glass from the art team.
The extra collapsed with a thud as the glass shattered.
“Hahahaha! You really hit her hard! Trashy girl.
Hahaha!”
“Cut!”
As soon as the OK sign fell, Deok-su helped the extra he had hit sit on the sofa.
Only the pre-set sugar glass had broken; there was no injury.
“Sorry. Are you hurt anywhere?”
“…No. I’m fine.”
“Deok-su, you hit too hard.”
PD Oh Chang-seok’s joke made Deok-su stick out his tongue.
The set became a sea of laughter.
“PD-nim, is hitting the face allowed for the angle change?”
“Yes, it’s fine.
Let’s change the angle and go to the next one?”
With a single OK cut, the extras didn’t have to get hit again.
No NG either.
But because Deok-su poured his acting desire into it, takes were repeated many times.
“…The first one seems the best.”
“Really?”
“It looks like you put in a lot of force.
There are many such cases.
Relax.”
At PD Oh Chang-seok’s advice, Deok-su nodded.
The PD who gave advice was just as excited.
After the reading, he couldn’t help but worry about Deok-su.
No matter how well they read the script, actors who couldn’t show their full skill on set were inevitable.
But Kim Deok-su went beyond worry and led the set without crossing lines.
‘I want to work with him again someday.’
PD Oh Chang-seok felt a rare comfort.
Filming continued.
After the extras left, it was Yu Ha-jin’s turn to appear.
Yu Ha-jin, wearing a short sparkling outfit, shouted while being held by both hands.
“M-Mr. CEO! If you do this…”
Deok-su’s mad eyes and Yu Ha-jin’s terrified face were captured in detail by the camera.
Even forgetting it was acting, Yu Ha-jin screamed in real fear as if Deok-su would do something to her.
“I-I don’t want—!”
“Cut! Good.”
As soon as the OK signal came from PD Oh Chang-seok, Deok-su let go.
“Are you okay?”
“H-hic…”
Deok-su, with gentle eyes, comforted her, but the crying fit she had already broken into wouldn’t stop easily.
The directors watched the crying Deok-su and laughed.
PD Oh Chang-seok smiled.
“If the footage with this comes out, Deok-su will be scolded.”
“If it’s just scolding, that’s fine.”
“Seeing that straight on…”
As filming went on, the number of Deok-su’s victims grew.
Later, when the white of the eyes appeared during acting, it created a PPL issue and made the employee who had come out to scold him back away with a laugh that wasn’t a laugh.
Time passed, and now one week before the main broadcast was approaching.
“I’m so nervous.”
In the waiting room at Mok-dong UBS Broadcasting Station, Lee Hui-yeong straightened Deok-su’s clothing.
“Yeah.
What should I say to the reporters?”
“Just be comfortable as prepared.
The questions that come in will be obvious anyway.”
Lee Hui-yeong lightly patted Deok-su’s shoulder.
Today was the day of the press conference for Wednesday-Thursday drama Moment.