The Filming Assistant
7:11 AM. A sense of tranquility drifted through the streets of Insadong. *Swish, swish.* The sound of a street cleaner sweeping the pavement echoed loudly. I walked along, eyes glued to my phone. On the screen, the Naver Map app displayed a blue line, acting as my navigator. I was heading toward a cultural complex called Annyeong Insadong. To be precise, I was aiming for the Colorful Museum on the sixth floor.
Nine theme zones. Over thirty photo spots. Decorated in vibrant, dreamlike colors, the place was a hotspot for parents with young children, couples on dates, and teenage girls or women in their early twenties who loved taking selfies. In other words, it was a place that didn't suit me in the slightest. What would a man alone do in such a colorful space? Naturally, the reason I was heading to the Colorful Museum wasn't to take photos for social media.
Last night, on my way home after some heavy, sweaty sex in an alleyway, I received a text from Su-a. She told me she had a shoot in Insadong today. It wasn't a broadcast station production, but an original variety show filmed by Starlight Entertainment, LaStella’s agency. In the past, the word "idol" felt distant, like an unreachable icon, but idols these days strive to be approachable and friendly. They don't just show off their pretty, cool sides on stage; they actively reveal their laid-back, clumsy, everyday selves off-stage. It’s a marketing strategy. By producing vlogs and original content, they build intimacy, and that intimacy secures a loyal fanbase. It might seem like nothing, but this is how countless people fall down the rabbit hole of fandom. People who find joy in an idol’s variety show persona become more interested, look them up, listen to their music, watch their stage performances, and eventually become fans. That’s why idols are creating their own content on YouTube these days. Wever was created for that very purpose. On Wever, idols post about their daily lives or go live to communicate, all to foster that sense of closeness.
Anyway, she called me in, saying there was a shoot at the Colorful Museum today. Still... I’m on my way, but can I even meet her? If they’re filming, they would have rented out the entire venue, and ordinary people would be barred from entry. There’s no way I could just walk in and watch.
She told me that while saying to be there by 8:00 AM. I was reviewing our conversation from yesterday as I walked. Then, my phone buzzed.
It’s true. You have to be diligent to be a fan. People vaguely think of an otaku as someone lazy, rotting away in their room, but an otaku has to be more diligent than anyone else to pursue their hobby. Whether online or offline, if you’re lazy, you can’t be a fan. Well, the standards for "fandom" vary from person to person, but just thinking about buying limited-edition merchandise or fighting for tickets shows how much effort it takes. The same goes for going to music show recordings or attending fan meetings and autograph sessions.
What on earth did she prepare? I was half-worried, half-excited. How often does one get the chance to watch an idol shoot in person? Especially for original content—that’s impossible for a fan unless you’re an insider.
I could vividly picture Su-a smiling deviously, saying "Hehehe." I’d only known Su-a personally for less than a month, but perhaps because we’d shared body heat, I could easily guess her reactions as if we’d been dating for years.
I sent the reply. I was genuinely asking when she’d arrive, but if I answered honestly, I felt like Su-a would pout, so I gave a polite, empty response.
I could see her face again. She’d be grinning, mouth wide open.
I sent back a sticker of a rice cake crying its eyes out. A student at the academy had given it to me, and I never thought I’d actually have a day to use it. As I messaged and walked, I arrived at my destination. I entered the building and went up to the sixth floor.
"There it is." Behind the decorations hanging from the ceiling, I saw the words COLOR POOL. From the entrance, it was so colorful that it felt quite intimidating for a man to enter alone. Unless you had a specific purpose, you’d never walk in here by yourself.
"...Excuse me." Even though it wasn't opening time yet, the door was open, likely because they were preparing for LaStella’s shoot today. A moment later, a woman who appeared to be a staff member came out.
"You're Han Yujun, right?"
"Yes, that's right." I answered just as Su-a had instructed.
"You're here early."
"Yes, that's right."
"The costume is inside the office, so you can change there."
"The costume?"
"Aren't you here as the filming assistant for LaStella today?"
A filming assistant? Was this what she meant when she said not to worry? Right, if I was a filming assistant, I could watch the shoot, even if I wasn't right next to them. "Ah... ah, yes, that's right." Since I was an assistant, I wouldn't need professional skills, right? And since she mentioned I had to wear a costume... was it like being an extra? I thought to myself as I followed the staff member into the office.
"...Huh?" In one corner of the office, there was something that looked like a costume. I looked around to see if there was anything else, but that was the only thing that could be called a costume.
"Is... is that the costume?"
"That's right?" The staff member blinked at my question, looking as if there was something wrong.
"The other staff members will be here soon, so I'll step out."
"Ah... okay." The staff member left the office. The "other staff members"...? They must be from Starlight Entertainment. They would be here to set up the lights and props before the shoot.
"Well... I guess I have to change, right?" I started to take off my clothes, piece by piece. I never expected to be a filming assistant. I don't know how she did it, but it couldn't have been easy to slip an outsider in as a filming assistant. They would usually hire people from the industry or recruit them directly through the agency.
"I never thought I'd live to wear something like this..." I had wanted to try it on at least once. I just didn't expect to wear it like this. Still, with this, I could watch Su-a comfortably all day without anyone noticing.
As the vending machine-like door opened, the members of LaStella walked in.
"Whoa!"
"What, what is this!"
"Wow, it's so pretty."
A mesmerizing space where the walls and ceiling were painted in shades of pink. A large ball pit filled with pink balls, themed like a PINK SPA, welcomed the LaStella members. Each of them reacted, looking around the mysterious space.
"Unnie! Over here, over here!" Iroha, who had been scurrying around like a puppy, discovered something and gestured to Su-a.
"Why? What's there?"
Iroha handed Su-a an envelope. "To LaStella~" Su-a read the writing on the front of the envelope, rolling her tongue in an exaggerated way.
"What is this?"
"It's a letter sent to us?" The members gathered around Su-a in a rush. Two on each side, centered around the leader. After naturally positioning themselves so all five were in the camera frame, Su-a opened the envelope and took out the contents. Su-a, the leader, read the mission aloud as the representative.
"Welcome, LaStella! Today, you must clear three missions!"
At the mention of a "mission," the members squealed like children, excited. "It's not the time to be happy. They said there's a penalty if we don't clear the mission! A penalty!" Su-a said, hopping around to the members who were excited and intrigued. The filming had already begun. The idols showed off their cuteness with slightly exaggerated energy.
"Penalty? What kind of penalty?" Yu Hana stuck to Su-a’s side, her eyes sparkling.
"I don't know. They said it's a terrifying penalty."
"Ooh, terrifying~"
"Terrifying~"
As Yu Hana shook Su-a, Iroha followed suit, shaking Su-a as well.
"Whoaaaa!" The youngest, Han Yeryeong, jumped into the ball pit and giggled. Mio followed, sliding into the ball pit.
"Oof!" Mio dove into the balls and completely disappeared. Seeing that, Han Yeryeong giggled with delight. "Unnies! Mio unnie disappeared!" Seeing Mio buried in the balls, the other members burst into laughter.
"They said we have to find the stars."
"Stars? Here?"
A pool filled with pink balls. Since it was quite deep, finding something in there was no easy task. "They said if we find six and put them in the star pouch, the mission is cleared. Let's go in and find them." One by one, they entered the pool. Su-a, the shortest of the five, entered carefully using the ladder, unlike the other members who jumped in boldly. Then, she started swimming through the pool like a puppy.
"Kyaa, what is that. So cute." Praises of how cute she was poured out as they watched Su-a swimming with only her face peeking out. The members who entered the pool were too busy playing to look for stars. They threw balls as if they were really playing in water, or dove under the balls and popped back up. The mission was important, but capturing their lovely images on camera was more important.
"Wow, that's cute." Mio, who had been calmly enjoying a "half-bath," discovered something and pointed with her finger. In the corner sat a pink teddy bear, looking as cute as a person. It was as large as a human. Yes, that was me. Being a filming assistant meant helping the shoot while wearing a daily mascot suit. I was currently lying still, pretending to be dead, as it wasn't my time to move yet.
"Is it alive?"
"It must be a doll."
"Nana, I'll go check."
Su-a took the lead and started approaching me. Su-a, who had come right up to me, carefully poked my nose—or rather, the teddy bear’s nose—with her finger. "Poke, poke, are you alive?"
I didn't answer. I kept my mouth shut because I had received instructions from the filming staff before the shoot began. Su-a turned her back to the camera and leaned her upper body forward. Turning her back to the camera? That wasn't something Su-a, who always made sure only her pretty side was captured, would do. There was a reason. Su-a whispered in a voice so low that no one around could hear.
"...Mr. Teddy Bear, do you want to eat me?"
As if she knew who was inside the doll, Su-a flashed a devious, eye-smiling look. This girl...! What would she have done if it wasn't me inside the doll...!
"I think it's a doll!" Su-a stood up, turned around, and went back to filming. In the process, she subtly stuck her butt out toward me. Her plump, peach-like butt line was obscenely revealed by the jeans that clung tightly to her body. Watching that scene from right in front of me, I felt my crotch twitch. The rabbit was tempting the bear to eat her. But the bear couldn't do anything. He could only stare silently at the rabbit, who was glancing back at him.