Chapter 88: Between Drama and Film (2)
Chapter 88: Between Drama and Film (2)
Dream Future.
A youth romance drama featuring a cast of young actors and idols.
The basic plot followed the journey of contestants on an idol audition program as they worked toward their debut.
Including the male lead, Kim Si-hwan, and the female lead, Song So-ha, there were six main characters in total.
"But since it’s an idol-themed show, are the actors going to be okay? Don't they have to dance and sing for this?"
The one who brought it up with a grin was Ma Yeon-woo.
Currently, three of the six leads were professional actors.
Seo-yeon, Park Jung-woo, and an actress named Hwang Seol-ah.
Among them, Hwang Seol-ah had only appeared as a supporting character in two cable dramas. With such limited experience, this was essentially her first time appearing in a major network drama.
So, when Ma Yeon-woo made that comment, it rubbed her the wrong way.
"You haven't forgotten that this is a drama, have you?"
Her voice was sharp, almost snapping at him.
To be honest, Hwang Seol-ah hadn't liked Ma Yeon-woo from the start.
JustX.
Sure, she knew they were a popular idol group. In terms of sheer popularity, he might even rival Park Jung-woo, who was currently sitting there composedly.
But the nature of popularity for actors and idols was different. Idol fans were more intense and their fanbases were broader. If anything, Park Jung-woo was the outlier for having such a massive following.
"Singing and dancing can be fixed with practice, but I don't think acting works that way, does it?"
In response to Hwang Seol-ah’s jab, another idol-turned-actor spoke up.
Aiden, a biracial idol from Canada, let out a smirk.
"That sounds a lot like you're saying acting is some impossible craft to learn, while singing and dancing can be picked up in a weekend."
His tone was calm, but there was a definite edge to it.
Cha Na-hee, who was sitting next to him, looked restless and anxious, but it was clear she was also offended by Hwang Seol-ah’s remark.
In the midst of this chilling atmosphere...
‘Hmm.’
Director Kim Pil-seok was a bit flustered.
Since they were all around the same age, he had thought this would be a good opportunity for them to bond. Instead, because the group was a mix of idols and actors, a strange power struggle had broken out.
‘If I step in now, this tension will just simmer beneath the surface.’
A director’s word was law. If he spoke up, they would shut their mouths, but the conflict wouldn't actually be resolved.
Therefore...
‘Alright, Jung-woo, I’m counting on you!’
He had brought in a mediator for exactly this reason.
Sensing Director Kim Pil-seok’s gaze, Park Jung-woo let out a sigh, realizing things had turned out exactly as he feared.
‘Even if you look at me like that...’
This wasn't a conflict that could be patched up quickly. He thought it would be best to start by slowly bridging the gap between their perspectives.
Just as Park Jung-woo was about to open his mouth to speak...
"Let's have a showdown."
"?"
Jung-woo looked at Seo-yeon with bewildered eyes.
Seo-yeon was speaking with one hand slightly raised.
The noisy room fell silent instantly.
"The actors will prove themselves with dancing and singing. The idols will prove themselves with acting."
Are you out of your mind?
The words were on the tip of Park Jung-woo’s tongue, but he stayed quiet when he saw the strange sparkle in Seo-yeon’s eyes.
‘What is she even thinking?’
So, if he summarized Seo-yeon’s words, did she mean "the losers have to obey the winners"?
‘No, there’s no way.’
Looking at those sparkling eyes, she probably just lacked a bit of social tact.
‘Is she hoping that if they have a fair match of skill, they’ll reconcile through the competition... something like that?’
Thinking of it that way made it somewhat understandable. It felt like a very innocent, if somewhat absurd, idea.
He tried to cut her off before things went further, but...
"Whoa, I like that!"
Ma Yeon-woo was one step faster.
He was a man who was also genuinely lacking in social awareness.
"So, actors do song and dance, and we do acting? But how?"
"Oh, that..."
Seo-yeon trailed off. She hadn't thought that far ahead.
She had only spoken up based on the old-fashioned notion that kids become friends after a good scrap.
"Oh, that’s actually not a bad idea!"
Just as the room was about to fall silent again, Director Kim Pil-seok chimed in.
"I’ll figure out the details. Wow, Seo-yeon, you’re sharp."
Everyone stared at Kim Pil-seok blankly. They couldn't understand what he was talking about. Even Park Jung-woo was deeply confused this time.
Only Seo-yeon looked at him with a triumphant expression.
Seeing her face—which made him want to give her a light flick on the forehead—Jung-woo sighed.
‘I wonder what he’s planning now.’
Director Kim Pil-seok was a young director. On top of that, he was well-connected and often hung out with variety show PDs.
To put it nicely, he was much more open-minded than typical directors. To put it bluntly, he was someone for whom industry common sense didn't apply.
"For today, let's just chat a bit more and head out. Something just came up for me."
With a hearty laugh, Director Kim Pil-seok vanished, leaving behind only a few staff members and Park Jung-woo.
And then...
"..."
"........."
A bizarre silence descended once again.
Amidst the occasional sound of Ma Yeon-woo’s excited voice...
‘Ugh, my head hurts.’
As Park Jung-woo clutched his head in solitude, the first meeting for Dream Future came to an end.
*
Anyway, after that first meeting ended, I got scolded by Park Jung-woo on the way back.
He told me to be careful with my words next time. He said that while he knew I didn't intend to make people feel superior or inferior, it could certainly be interpreted that way.
It was advice born out of genuine concern, but...
‘Isn't it normal for the loser to listen to the winner?’
Seo-yeon, who possessed a remarkably primal way of thinking, truly believed that. The weak should obey the strong. How dare they otherwise?
"You're a total barbarian."
That was Lee Ji-yeon’s assessment after hearing Seo-yeon’s logic. This was simply Ju Seo-yeon’s version of "social common sense."
"So, what did they decide to do?"
"I heard they’re going to tell us today."
It was about time for a call. Having finished filming The Chaser, Seo-yeon was currently attending school without any other major schedules. Filming for Dream Future was still about a month away.
Besides, Dream Future wasn't expected to be a difficult shoot. The role of Jo Ha-rin didn't have that much screen time to begin with.
‘By the time we’re filming around episode 6, The Chaser should be released.’
Since they usually filmed about two episodes ahead, it would be around the time episode 4 was airing.
"It’s going to be tough for him in many ways."
"It’s not that tough."
"Not you."
"?"
Lee Ji-yeon felt a bit sorry for this "Park Jung-woo" person she had never even met. Dealing with this feral girl was bound to be exhausting at times.
Vrrr, vrrr.
The call came just as school was letting out.
"A web promotion?"
—Yes, that’s what they said.
It was a call from her manager, Park Eun-ha. She explained with a slightly excited voice.
—Think of it as a web variety show. They said the idea came to them because of the suggestion you made, Seo-yeon.
‘My suggestion?’
At those words, the previous incident came to mind. The suggestion that got her scolded by Jung-woo and called a barbarian by Lee Ji-yeon.
‘See? I told you I was right.’
Seo-yeon looked at Lee Ji-yeon walking beside her with a triumphant face. Lee Ji-yeon looked back at her with a dumbfounded expression.
—They’re going to split everyone into teams. The voting will be done online. It won't be broadcast on TV; it’ll be a web-only release.
"Like an internet broadcast?"
—Yes, exactly.
Internet broadcasting was starting to grow. In just a little while, public attention would shift from traditional networks to internet streaming and OTT platforms. That era was not far off.
In this transitional period, they were planning to run a promotion through an internet broadcast.
‘It seems like a good way to drum up interest for Dream Future.’
Dream Future was a youth romance drama targeting a younger audience. A web promotion meant they would use everything the internet had to offer for advertising. Internet broadcasting was just one part of that.
—To explain how it works...
Manager Park Eun-ha calmly explained what she had heard. First, they would split into two teams and compete. Those who voted for the winning team would receive prizes through a lucky draw.
—And the winning team gets the entire payout from the variety show's ad revenue.
"That doesn't seem like much."
—Well, for the actors, the main merit is just raising their public profile.
There was no need to give them anything huge. The significance lay in the competition itself.
However...
"So, will it be an Actor Team versus an Idol Team?"
—That’s the gist of it, but the teams aren't strictly divided by profession.
What did that mean? She listened quietly as her manager continued.
The team composition was roughly as follows: while there was an Actor Team and an Idol Team, one person from the opposite group would be mixed into each.
—In other words, one idol on the Actor Team, and one actor on the Idol Team.
This was designed so they could learn from each other.
—And Seo-yeon, you’re on the Idol Team.
That was something Seo-yeon hadn't expected to hear from Manager Park Eun-ha.
*
The Dream Future promotion began, and it received a better response than expected.
It made sense, considering the two people with the highest recognition among the youth were the team leaders.
The leader of the Actor Team was Park Jung-woo.
The leader of the Idol Team was Ma Yeon-woo.
Since Dream Future was an idol drama to begin with, and the drama itself was planned to be released simultaneously on both network TV and the web, this made sense. It was essentially a "live" format, designed to be watched like an internet broadcast.
This pre-promotion was a teaser for that format.
"Whoa, Yeon-woo! Nice job!"
Upon hearing the news, the members of JustX patted Ma Yeon-woo on the back and congratulated him.
"Use this chance to knock that arrogant prick down a peg!"
The one who said this while slapping Ma Yeon-woo’s back was the leader of JustX—the same man who, exactly one year later, would be arrested for testing positive for over seven types of narcotics.
"You're right, hyung. Honestly, I think you can crush him even in acting."
And the one who said that was the man who, two years later, would be dubbed "Apgujeong Killer Hong" after hitting six people on the road while driving drunk.
"Uh, yeah."
While their words gave Ma Yeon-woo a boost of confidence...
"By the way, hyung, that Ju Seo-yeon girl on the Idol Team? I heard she’s on your team. Is she really pretty?"
"Oh, well. Yeah, she’s pretty."
She was pretty, sure, but Ma Yeon-woo was actually a little worried.
Because...
It happened on the first day they met for Dream Future.
"Seo-yeon, is it okay if I speak casually to you?"
Since she hadn't given him a straight answer all day, he had chased after her as she was leaving to ask. Park Jung-woo, who had been talking to Seo-yeon at the time, scowled at him, but Seo-yeon had surprisingly answered with a bright face.
To be precise, she was grateful to him for interrupting the scolding she was receiving from Jung-woo.
"No."
"..."
"Well, it’s a bit much to just say no."
Seo-yeon raised her arm.
"If you beat me at arm wrestling, I’ll allow it."
Arm wrestling? Suddenly?
Ma Yeon-woo smirked at her words. Ah, is this her roundabout way of saying she wants to hold my hand?
"Sure, sure. Let's do it."
"Wait, hold on..."
Park Jung-woo looked like he wanted to stop them, but Ma Yeon-woo shook his head. He figured Jung-woo was just being territorial over someone he had already "claimed."
"Alright! Let's have a go!"
He had shouted confidently, but the result...
"But hyung, didn't you say your arm almost snapped? Did someone hit you back then?"
"No, that’s not it."
He was just genuinely relieved that his arm hadn't actually broken.