Immersion: The Monster Awakens
If I'd prepared sloppily, I'd have been left staring blankly like a fish out of water. What the hell? What was that? A fleeting sensation of having lived an entirely different life. My mind couldn't comprehend it, but my body had fully absorbed the experience.
Did I just momentarily become Jae-i?
A boy more obsessed with talent than anyone else—Jae-i. I'd completely immersed myself in his life, only to pull out again.
What the hell is this?
The amazing part was that there were no lingering aftereffects despite the experience. I'd heard that method acting leaves emotions behind and it's tough to shake them off. But I walked away with just the essence, clean as could be.
Flutter, flutter.
How far had I immersed? Turns out it was divided into clips—about the length of one episode.
The script goes up to episode 5.
That left only one thing to do.
"Immersion."
Script reading day.
The site buzzed around a single rectangular table.
"Move it! How can setup be this slow with so few people?!"
"Yes, sir!"
They'd agreed not to film a making-of for the first script reading, so the atmosphere was even more tense. Sites not exposed to the outside world get fiercer, more ruthless. No need for pretense means things turn aggressive. The junior staff were dying under the pressure.
They'd been at it since dawn without a bite to eat—it was inevitable. But on some level, I got it. With the actors' nerves on edge for the first reading, thorough prep outside the script was only natural.
Especially for Hydream. The rivalry was bound to be intense.
The reason? Multiple agencies involved. If it were just actors, it'd be a acting showdown. But with KBC, ST Ent, and Pulledi teamed up, a weird competitive dynamic emerged.
Who'd shine the brightest?
Yet in this rivalry, one group drew the least attention: KBC.
Even though the reading was at KBC.
No one thought KBC stood a chance. And why? KBC had just one actor, a fourteen-year-old kid with no experience.
"They really picked just one out of three thousand?"
"Three thousand? Try tens of thousands on paper."
"Breaking through that for a fourteen-year-old... unreal."
"Yeah, no clue what the bosses were thinking."
They could've grabbed a pro, but they went with some kid they'd never seen before. Rumors said he was a prodigy, but everyone was skeptical. You can tell some things without seeing them.
The staff chatted discreetly while checking the time. Two hours till the reading. Hustle hard, and they'd make it.
Gurgle.
Man, I'm starving. If there were kimbap, I'd munch while working.
Right then—
"Huh?"
A whiff of sesame oil from afar. My empty stomach zeroed in on the food.
It's getting closer.
Who's coming? No one was supposed to.
The kimbap—no, the stranger's face—came into view, and—
"Whoa... what?"
A gasp escaped. Not super tall—maybe 174 if you stretched it. But the proportions, and the face they supported? Insane. Like a perfectly sculpted Christmas tree topped with a diamond star. A god's accidental masterpiece tumbling to earth.
Working at the station, I'd seen countless faces, but this was number one. Looked like a fresh high schooler, but the potential was off the charts.
At the same time, it was ridiculous. A kid this handsome delivering kimbap?
Shouldn't they have cast him instead of that fourteen-year-old?
As the staff prepping the reading thought that—
The kimbap guy bowed politely.
"Hello! I'm Kim Donghu, playing Jae-i for this script reading. Nice to meet you all!"
"I heard you start early, so I brought kimbap and coffee—it's not much, but thanks for your hard work!"
Eyes bulged as his words landed. Then the realization hit:
The bosses really know how to pick 'em.
"Holy crap, this is tuna kimbap!"
Everyone freaked. Kimbap was shocking enough—tuna?!
Kim Donghu followed up immediately.
"Oh, and there are cucumber-free ones too."
My dad, Kim Jangryeol, always said: The later you are, the worse off you are.
"Son, listen up. You're here because of the crew. Make a good impression—no exceptions."
Nothing fancy: Greet well, say thanks, and
"If you can, bring coffee and kimbap to keep their mouths busy, yeah?"
That plants a great first impression—no missteps after that. So his son, me, Kim Donghu, did exactly that.
"Donghu! Kim Donghu! Bro! My boy! You just pick the cutest moves!"
PD Kim Youngmo's grin stretched ear to ear. He bolted over at the news of my arrival and crushed me in a hug.
"Never letting you go again! Donghu, we're together for life!"
The effect was better than expected. I hadn't anticipated this level of hype.
"I haven't even done anything yet—if you're this pumped already, I'll die of pressure."
"What more do you need? This is peak thoughtfulness!"
Everyone nodded at PD Kim Youngmo's words.
I didn't do it for this much spotlight.
Sure, I wanted points, but not this rave reviews. Thanks to it, the next two hours flew by easy.
Finally seeing her again.
I glanced at the entrance while waiting for the reading. It was the day to reunite with Kim Sujin.
She's fourteen too—how'd she snag Hydream?
Then a KakaoTalk pinged.
Oh, right.
Then it hit me—the Hydream cast from my past life. No Kim Sujin.
Who was from ST Ent?
Ah.
One name clicked.
"Donghu, long time no see."
Kim Sujin's mom, the queen who once dominated TV screens—Kim Yuryeon. She beamed at me.
About 30 minutes before the script reading kicked off.
The leads trickled in: actors, director, PD, writer. Everyone gathered, exchanging warm greetings to ease the tension.
Or they should have.
"Donghu, you're way too handsome—it's unfair."
"No, you're too kind."
"Humble too. Meeting you like this is a treat."
Veteran actress Kim Yuryeon chatting openly with an unknown newbie drew eyes naturally.
Who's that?
The kid who beat the KBC audition odds? Damn, he's gorgeous.
Knows Yuryeon sunbaenim? Not a total rookie then?
Curiosity buzzed, but no answers.
"Alright, let's start the script reading. I'll do narration. We'll cover three episodes, up to where all characters appear."
Bigger things loomed. Everyone nodded at PD Kim Youngmo and took seats, memorizing lines. That's where skill gaps shone.
Hydream's student leads—mostly rookies—fumbled the reading. Not acting through the script, just spitting lines flatly.
Seniors polished and guided: from chairman to principal, VP, homeroom teacher. Life vets in and out of the drama covered the greenness perfectly.
One person stewed in dissatisfaction.
What's with these kids' prep? Total slop.
Jang Geonho, playing Hydream's principal, especially. Starting in theater, proud of his craft, he scowled at the underprepared newbies despite it being the first reading.
Reading with ST Ent—can't let our actors look equal.
Should be schooling them, not matching.
He frowned, glancing at his script—covered in meticulous notes.
His partner's? A peek.
Too pristine.
No marks at all. His face soured more.
Kim Donghu, right?
Dunno how he aced the audition. Time to show what effort this place demands. Looks like they picked him for the face.
Acting ain't just looks.
He wanted to wake this fledgling up.
"Scene 55. Principal Wang Ho calls special admittee Jae-i."
I'll show you the path ahead.
"Jae-i, you know why I called you, right?"
No script glance. Eyes locked, demanding eye contact. From perfect mastery. Silent pressure: Act full-on, not just read.
Rookies buckle, lose flow. He expected the same.
But.
"Yes. To clean out the trash at the bottom, right?"
The newbie fired back. Air shifted.
No more light warm-up space.
Kim Donghu vanished. In his place: talent blooming from loathing—Jae-i.
Disgust for inferiors. Lip-chewing flickered, raw emotion spilling.
"Collecting all that useless crap—what were you planning? Honestly, it pissed me off too."
Jae-i spoke. The weak must vanish.
To the actors, it rang different: Prep poorly? Get out. Can't even do this? Bow your head.
Overwhelmed, Jang Geonho's eyes widened.
This punk.
A monster.