Episode 13
“Would you like to try playing a Qing dynasty envoy?”
The answer flew out of my mouth at once.
“No...?”
“Pardon?”
The director looked flustered, as if he had naturally expected me to say yes.
“What do you mean, no? Didn’t you come here because you wanted to act?”
“I only came thinking I might pick up some side work...”
“There’s nothing hard about it. You don’t need to feel pressured at all.”
To persuade me, he even handed me the script himself and showed me the scene.
“You just need to stand there looking solemn and say a few lines in Chinese. Then when the lead swings his sword, you get hit and die. That’s all.”
“Th-that’s exactly what feels pressuring...”
I took a step back.
“I really came with a light heart.”
“...”
“And from what I hear, there are more lines than I expected... and it looks like the camera has to catch me in a solo shot too. I’m not comfortable with that.”
Even if our company allowed side jobs and moonlighting, that was separate from being embarrassed.
“If you want, I can at least help with pronunciation.”
“...”
The director seemed to think it over seriously, then carefully held out the script again.
“Sorry, could you read it one more time?”
“I, the envoy of the Qing Empire, command you to step aside immediately!”
“How dare you block my path! Do you not value your life?”
“I will take your head back to the Great Qing as a trophy of war!”
He seemed to feel something then, because he grabbed me again.
“Actor-nim, how much do you get per hour?”
“I came in for 15,000 won...”
“Double.”
“?!”
“No, that still wouldn’t be enough. Quadruple... no. I’ll add 300,000 won to today’s day rate. Why don’t you just do it yourself?”
“You’ll give me an extra 300,000 won?”
“Yes. Separate from the extra's pay.”
“...”
That was seriously tempting.
Seeing me hesitate, he turned and called out, “Assistant director, give me your wallet.”
He hurriedly opened it, took out all the 50,000-won bills inside, and handed them to me.
Seven bills.
In the blink of an eye, there were another 350,000 won.
“Well?”
“...So I only have to say one line, right?”
“Yes. Simple!”
“Hmm...”
To be honest, I was already getting bored from waiting so long.
And if there was extra pay on top of it...
Money was money, after all.
If they were this desperate, maybe it was better to do it.
More than anything, it actually sounded fun.
“All right, then.”
“Oh, thank you!”
The director broke into a broad smile as though he had been waiting for those words, took my hand, and personally pressed the bills into it.
“There’s nothing difficult about it. Just do exactly what I tell you. First, you’ll come in from over here...”
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Tap-tap-tap!
They kept smearing something over my face.
Earlier they had just dressed me in a constable’s outfit, slapped a hat on me, and told me to alternate between carrying a trident and a club.
This time they were doing full makeup too.
They’d put on cosmetics and even attached a beard.
This was getting uncomfortable...
Did I make a mistake saying yes?
But it was too late to back out now.
Besides, I already took the money.
By the time the makeup took, it was too late to find a substitute.
Whatever. Since I’ve already decided to do it, I might as well enjoy it.
Once the makeup was finished, they helped me into the Qing envoy’s costume as well.
When I looked in the mirror in that state...
Who is that...?
My features were still there, but I looked like someone I’d never seen before.
That’s pretty fun too.
How many chances in a lifetime would I ever get to wear actor’s makeup and dress as a Qing envoy?
“Actor-nim, you need to go.”
“Me?”
“Yes, actor-nim.”
“Ah, yes...”
I walked out of the makeshift waiting room, still hearing that strangely ticklish way of addressing me.
The sky had gone beyond sunset and was now fading into dusk.
“Actor-nim?”
The assistant director, who had been waiting in front, came up to me.
“You’ve memorized the script, right?”
“Yes. There weren’t that many lines, thankfully.”
I’d memorized everything while they were doing my makeup.
“According to the original script, you’re supposed to arrive on horseback. But... you haven’t ridden before, have you?”
“No, not at all.”
Ride a horse? I’d only ever seen them at the zoo.
“You only need to get on it, though.”
“Really ride it?”
“Yes. We’ll do all the movement with CG anyway, so you can just get on and stay still.”
“...I see.”
Noticing the unease on my face, he added, “The handler is waiting right over there, and if there’s even the slightest hint of danger, we’ll step in immediately. Don’t worry. You absolutely will not fall.”
In truth, even if the horse reared up, it wouldn’t be a level of danger I couldn’t handle.
There were thick mats laid all along the horse’s side.
Even if I fell, I wouldn’t get hurt.
“Once we give you the signal, just fall onto the mat. We’ll remove the mat with CG too, so don’t worry about it.”
“Understood.”
“We don’t have much time, so let’s go right away. We have to shoot while there’s still sunlight.”
“Yes.”
I moved straight toward the camera.
Honestly, while I’d been waiting, I thought it would be incredibly nerve-racking since I had lines and even a solo shot.
But I’m not as nervous as I expected.
Apparently the few times I’d already acted as a constable had helped me get used to it.
“Ready, action!”
The shoot began at once with the cue.
But before I even got to my line...
“Cut, NG.”
The director stopped me.
“Your expression froze a little. Can you loosen up just a bit?”
“Ah, yes.”
Easy. Let’s keep it easy.
Huuuu—
I took a deep breath and relaxed the muscles in my face.
“Let’s try again. Hi, cue!”
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Thud-thud-thud! Clang!
Actor Choi Kang-san rushed forward quickly and blocked the Qing envoy’s path.
The Qing official widened his eyes and shouted, “You insolent wretch! How dare you block this person’s way? Do you know who this is?!”
But instead of moving aside, Choi Kang-san glared at the Qing envoy in return.
This is where I need to do well.
The director bit his lip hard.
This actor had been thrown in as a desperate stopgap.
Or rather, it was hard to even call him an actor.
They had essentially grabbed an ordinary extra who had come on set and used him as a patch because he happened to know Chinese, so he couldn’t help being anxious.
Please, just do the basics. No, actually, as long as you’re not so bad that it looks like you’re merely reading a textbook, that’s enough.
He didn’t even expect dazzling acting.
It would be enough if they could simply use the footage at all.
And then, at that moment...
“Get out of my way.”
A voice heavy with solemnity and killing intent struck his ears.
“!?”
The director’s eyes flew wide open before he could stop himself.
“I am an envoy from the Qing dynasty. Step aside.”
Formal Chinese rang in his ears.
Setting aside the seasoned cadence woven into it, the voice itself carried such overwhelming authority that it sounded as though it was barking at some lowly commoner.
Am I hearing this correctly?
He tore off the audio headphones he had been wearing.
Instead of looking at the monitor, he stared directly at the set.
“How dare a Joseon bastard block my path. Do you not value your life?!”
He was looking down at Choi Kang-san with a disgusted expression, as if he were staring at a bug.
“I’ll take your head back to the Qing as a trophy!”
Kang Seo-jun gave an order to the retainers.
“Cut off that lowly Joseon bastard’s head. I’ll turn the whole marketplace into a sea of blood.”
But his words never had the chance to come true.
Whoosh!
In an instant, Choi Kang-san’s body shot upward on the wire and passed over Kang Seo-jun in a flash.
“...Ugh.”
He let out a single cry before dropping hard onto the mat.
A beginner would usually instinctively try to protect themselves with their hands or feet, worried about getting hurt.
But Kang Seo-jun really did just go limp, as though he’d been struck by a sword, and crumpled face-first into the ground.
The moment Kang Seo-jun fell completely...
“Cut, okay!”
The director had no choice but to shout for a take.
“That’s very good! Perfect!”
His pleased voice burst out bright and clear.
It was Kang Seo-jun who was confused instead.
...Already okay?
From a beginner’s point of view, he’d assumed it would take more than one or two tries, but instead they’d passed him on the first take.
Before he could even stand there blankly, the director was already approaching with obvious delight.
“Kang Seo-jun, that was great!”
“...Did it turn out okay?”
“Yes. It was so natural?”
He asked it as if he truly meant it.
“Are you sure this is your first time acting? You didn’t work as an extra a few times before?”
“No, this is my first time.”
“Your expressions and movements are excellent.”
The director gave him a thumbs-up.
“I was bracing myself for five or six takes because you were a beginner, but there wasn’t the slightest sign of it.”
“Oh...”
“That was acting on the level of a seasoned supporting actor.”
“Thank you.”
I was still a little dazed.
I hadn’t expected to be praised that much.
It must be because of the talent.
His acting ability really had been rated B+.
So it seemed the effect was real after all.
“Then today’s filming scene is...”
“Done.”
It was already over.
Somehow, the makeup took longer than the actual shoot.
“Kang Seo-jun. You worked hard today. You did very well.”
“Yes, thank you.”
“And...”
He called out to a man standing in the distance. “Back Caddy?”
“Please talk with Kang Seo-jun for a moment.”
“Understood.”
The man called Back Caddy bowed politely and handed me his business card.
“Hello, I’m Baek Myeong-jun. I’m the casting director for this production, and I usually work with Director Im Jeong-mu.”
“Ah, I see.”
“The director really seems to like you. So, would it be all right if I contacted you later for a good role, if one comes up?”
“...Pardon?”
I flinched.
Kang Seo-jun subtly took a step back.
“That’s a bit...”
Apparently expecting me to accept without hesitation, Baek Myeong-jun also looked flustered.
“Why, why not? Didn’t you just enjoy acting?”
“It was fun, but calling it a role sounds too grandiose, so it’s a little pressure-inducing... Besides, I have another main job.”
“Ah, I see.”
His expression finally turned understanding.
“Right, you came as an extra after all... Even so, if it’s not too rude, could I at least have your contact information?”
“Yes, yes. Sure.”
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
“What a sweet deal.”
Since my face was now known as the Qing envoy, I couldn’t do any more constable work, so I took an early finish all by myself... no, I bailed out early on my own.
That left me with 90,000 won for the extra work and another 350,000 won for playing the Qing envoy.
“...440,000 won?!”
This was absurdly good.
“I came out just to get some fresh air, and I’m going home with this much money.”
My lips curled up on their own.
When I checked the estimated arrival time, it was only 7 p.m. by the time I’d get home.
“On a day like this, I can flex a little too, right?”
It had been a while since I’d opened a delivery app.
“I’ll order a whole platter of Korean beef intestines... and you can’t have gopchang without soju mixed with beer.”
By the time I got home, the food had arrived exactly on schedule.
Humming to myself, I set the table.
“Today was productive too.”
I mixed the soju and beer into a refreshing somac and knocked it back in one go.
Then I popped a piece of beef intestine, full of rich, creamy goodness, into my mouth.
“Ahhh, now this is happiness.”
What made it even better was...
“Tomorrow’s Sunday...!”
I didn’t have to go to work, and I could sleep in as late as I wanted.
Lately, it felt like my satisfaction with life had been rising all the way toward the top.
I like this life. A lot.
I hoped I could keep collecting quiet little pieces of happiness like this, peacefully, for a long time to come.
“A toast to the me who worked hard today!”
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