Kim Doyun Is a Crazy Guy
“Kim Doyun’s getting good feedback from the props team?”
Writer Yun Song-i nodded at Director Lee Tae-ryun’s baffled question.
“You didn’t know? Actor Kim Doyun has an incredibly good reputation among the staff.”
“I’m well aware of that, thanks to you, Writer Yun, and that loud rookie from the camera team.”
“Haha… He’s especially popular with the props team, you know.”
Director Lee Tae-ryun spoke as though the idea was difficult to comprehend.
“What, did he hand out coffee or something?”
At Director Lee Tae-ryun’s joke, Writer Yun Song-i laughed and answered.
“No. The props team asked for some advice earlier, so he stopped by. That’s when they happened to be talking about Actor Kim Doyun. From what I heard…”
Just then, the props team leader walked over.
“What’s this? Talking about our team? No badmouthing allowed~.”
“No, sir. We were talking about Actor Kim Doyun.”
At Writer Yun Song-i’s words, the props team leader let out an understanding “Ah!” and continued.
“You mean Doyun? That actor’s genuinely a good person.”
“You’ve fallen for Kim Doyun too. What’s so great about that guy?”
When Director Lee Tae-ryun grumbled in reply, she answered with a smile.
“You secretly like him too, Director.”
“Me? Where?!”
Director Lee Tae-ryun bristled at the props team leader’s comment. Ignoring his outburst, she kept speaking.
“At first I thought he was just a passionate rookie, but now our entire props team wants to scout him. Is that all right with you, Director?”
“No.”
“See? You really are protective of him.”
The props team leader smiled at Director Lee Tae-ryun’s firm refusal.
“Doyun really does have talent. I keep wondering where that sense of his comes from.”
She had said it to tease the director, but half of it was sincere.
The props team had already benefited from Kim Doyun’s astonishing ideas on several occasions. This letter was an especially clear example.
“The letter is such an important prop that I was preparing it separately, exactly as you requested, Director.”
Director Lee Tae-ryun snorted.
“Hmph. And you brought something that crude?”
The props team leader laughed.
“Still, it perfectly captured the feeling you wanted. The poor quality is only natural—he’s not a professional.”
“Is it that bad?”
“You already know the answer. The feeling is alive. That’s exactly the part Doyun always helps with.”
The props team leader stroked his chin lightly.
“It’s truly amazing. If that’s talent, I’m honestly envious. He speaks like someone who’s experienced it firsthand. To me, it’s fascinating.”
Director Lee Tae-ryun crossed his arms and replied indifferently.
“At first everyone was squealing about how great Kim Chan-uk was. Now they’re all about to start a Kim Doyun fan club.”
“Come on, it’s because he treats the staff so well.”
Listening to their exchange, Writer Yun Song-i muttered with a puzzled look.
“That’s strange, Director. You’re unusually strict only with Actor Kim Doyun. Normally you treat actors you like so kindly…”
Yun Song-i thought for a moment, then nodded as if she had figured it out.
“Ah! Is this that ‘denial of liking’ phase or whatever it’s called?”
Today’s rehearsal for my portion had already ended.
Of course, leaving early as a rookie actor would be insane.
“All right, time to pitch in!”
So during the remaining hours, I helped the staff as much as possible.
“Anything I can help with?”
“Oh, Actor Kim Doyun!”
“Doyun, could you give us a hand over here?!”
“Hey, Doyun!”
“Thanks, Doyun!”
Every single one of them called my name. After spending a few days here, real affection had taken root.
In my previous life on set, no matter how hard I worked, I never received reactions like this.
No. Hadn’t I learned from the princess? It wasn’t that I had changed. I simply hadn’t been able to see it before.
Of course, discovering the Actor Gallery had probably widened my field of vision on set as well.
Naturally, I wasn’t helping the staff purely out of goodwill or to build favor for my plans.
I glanced at Kim Chan-uk, who was reading the script in the corner.
That’s one method, I suppose.
Theater doesn’t rely on cameras. The actor alone bears responsibility for everything on stage.
My calculation was that truly understanding each staff member’s movements and roles would help my performance.
It would also make it easier to handle any sudden incidents.
Of course, it would be best if nothing like that ever happened.
I nodded to myself.
In short, this was all for one purpose! In the short term, to reach ten thousand points. In the long term, the road to becoming a ten-million actor. That was what this was about.
It was right then. While I was moving the equipment a staff member had asked me to carry, my eyes landed on Lee Se-rin up on stage.
A solo scene rehearsal?
That arrogantly brilliant genius actress was the very person who had made my acting life possible. The thought gave me a strange feeling.
And at that exact moment—
—Crash!
A sharp explosive sound rang out from the stage as one of the lighting fixtures flashed like it had burst. The blinding glare turned everything in front of me pure white for an instant.
“Lighting team! What happened?!”
Don’t panic. First, calmly assess the situation.
I shook my head to clear my vision and instinctively turned toward the stage where Lee Se-rin stood.
“…!”
Lee Se-rin had collapsed in the middle of the stage, her face deathly pale.
Lee Se-rin bit her lip as if in pain for a moment.
“Kim Doyun….”
I had to be perfect. Simply being a former child actor who could act well or the daughter of legendary actress Lee Myeong-hwa was not enough.
At every moment on set, I had to prove that my performance was the most outstanding of all.
The protagonist, Kim Chan-uk, was no threat. His skill was clearly far below that of a true professional like me.
But Kim Doyun was different. The acting of this rookie I had never seen before was on another level.
The refined technique that seemed sharpened over long years. Above all, the occasional inexplicable sense he displayed.
It feels like I’m standing in front of a heavyweight actor….
Lee Se-rin could not understand where this sense of unease came from.
This can’t continue. If I’m not the best…!
An obsession that bordered on compulsion. In Lee Se-rin’s ears, her mother’s voice refused to leave.
“Hoo.”
The moment she endured the headache and spoke her lines—
—Flash!
An intense light instantly swallowed the stage.
“…!”
Dozens of lights exploded from the direction of the audience seats that should have been empty.
The multiple fixtures hanging from the ceiling looked to Lee Se-rin like a vast audience.
“Ah, sorry! Lighting error!”
The lights quickly went out, but Lee Se-rin’s breathing had grown ragged.
“Haah…… Haah……”
And so she sank to the floor.
“I’m sorry.”
Lee Se-rin bowed her head. The atmosphere quickly settled into dismissing the event as a simple mishap—she had merely been startled by the sudden lights.
But I had seen it clearly. The way her eyes were trembling.
That’s…
Right then, our eyes met.
“What? Do you have something to say?”
“Huh?”
I had been staring at her without realizing it.
“Did you see a ghost? Why are you making that face?”
Her tone was cold. Yet the end of her voice trembled faintly. She was clearly trying to maintain composure.
More surprising was that my own expression had shown so openly.
I smiled at Lee Se-rin.
“I was surprised. I realized something. Something very important.”
“Oh, really?”
Lee Se-rin turned away as if expecting more pointless talk. I watched her retreating figure.
This incident had turned my suspicion into certainty.
I opened the gallery and pulled up the post where I had previously asked questions.
I skipped past the crazy people and kept scrolling.
Amid all the chaotic jokes, one comment stood out.
An actor who specialized in that? Why?
Judging by the users’ reactions, he seemed legitimate.
After exchanging several questions and answers with PsychiatristActor, the conclusion was clear.
Lee Se-rin was famous in drama circles for demanding retakes whenever she wasn’t satisfied. For someone like her, a live stage—where even a single mistake could not be tolerated—might feel like a space that demanded absolute perfection.
And the recent accident had revealed that trigger.
This is the start of the Act 2 rehearsal.
There were still two weeks until the end of Act 3 rehearsals. Two weeks remained until the live broadcast.
Time is sufficient.
The conditions were met. The only problem was that Lee Se-rin continued to keep her walls firmly up.
“I didn’t want to resort to this method.”
Now I had no choice but to go all out. After all, I had staked my entire life on this stage.
“Um, Director. I have a favor to ask.”
“A favor?”
Director Lee Tae-ryun was visibly taken aback by Kim Doyun’s unexpected behavior.
“I’d like to borrow the stage. Just until the next rehearsal.”
“The stage? This isn’t a place you can just borrow on a whim…”
Before Director Lee Tae-ryun could finish, the FD’s voice cut in.
“Oh, it should be fine, Director. We’ve reserved the space for our program for the time being, so there’s plenty of room.”
Cinematographer Yun Seong-woo also added his support.
“Director Lee. Why don’t we at least hear him out?”
“There’s no need to listen to some rookie’s nonsense……”
The cinematographer shook his head at Director Lee Tae-ryun.
“He wouldn’t ask without a reason. And if it’s just borrowing the stage, there shouldn’t be any issue.”
The cinematographer tilted his head curiously.
“Besides, weren’t you the one who always said the closer the actors are to the set, the better, Director Lee? You told them it was fine to rehearse on their own if needed for this production. Wow, even I couldn’t help agreeing when you said that.”
It was the moment the goodwill Kim Doyun had built up with the staff paid off.
“That’s true, but…”
Caught in his own words, Director Lee Tae-ryun looked up at Kim Doyun with an expression of pure disbelief.
“What’s the reason?”
“I need to do some one-on-one acting practice with Actor Lee Se-rin. It’s absolutely necessary for the production.”
“What?”
Director Lee Tae-ryun had known Lee Se-rin since her child-acting days. She was an actress who rarely practiced privately with others. And now she was going to practice with a rookie?
Director Lee Tae-ryun asked again, incredulous.
“Three whole days? Are you certain you’ve reached an agreement with Actor Lee Se-rin?”
Kim Doyun answered with a bright, unhesitating smile.
“Of course. We’ve reached a perfect agreement.”
And at that exact moment, Lee Se-rin—who had been drinking water in the corner and happened to overhear the conversation—froze.
Agreement? Me???
Kim Doyun was committing outright fraud right in front of the director and staff without batting an eye.
Staring at that shameless back, Lee Se-rin felt her mind go completely blank.
That guy… isn’t he completely crazy?!