The Classroom Tyrant: Hide Dream's Explosive First Shoot
The long-awaited first day of shooting for Hide Dream. Everyone gathered in front of the pig's head for the ancestral rite, united in prayer for success. But there were some unexpected faces in the crowd. Most notably, ST Enter CEO Kim Gilsan and Pulledi CEO Lee Sanghak.
It wasn't as if they had no reason to be there. Hide Dream was a joint production between ST Enter, Pulledi, and KBC, after all. What raised eyebrows, though, was why big shots like the CEOs had shown up. Just to join the rite? To watch the first shoot? Sure, those were part of it, but the real reason was something else.
ST Enter CEO Kim Gilsan. His weasel-like face furrowed as he recalled a past conversation.
"CEO Kim, I have a small favor to ask. Is that okay?"
"Of course, go ahead."
"Do you remember that kid from way back, Donghu?"
"Huh? Oh... the one from Kyarruk Doctor?"
"Yeah, that's him. He's working with me on this project, but he doesn't have an agency. Not just saying this because my daughter likes him—he's insanely handsome and overflowing with talent."
He remembered actress Kim Yuryeon's words echoing in his ear. He's definitely handsome. His height wasn't bad either. But he's too handsome, isn't he?
Kim Gilsan kept stealing glances. Every time he looked at Kim Donghu, the kid seemed to get even more striking. An absurdly good-looking face that turned everyone around him into squid—ink-black with envy. Honestly, it was so perfect it left him feeling empty.
Then.
Hmm? What's this?
His eyes met those of Pulledi CEO Lee Sanghak.
Why's an idol agency eyeing an actor?
Lee Sanghak snorted derisively at Kim Gilsan, looking utterly incredulous. His toad-like cheeks twitched as a certain conversation replayed in his mind.
"CEO Lee, just one favor."
"Ugh, what now?"
"Haha, it's not hard... I read the script, and this Kim Donghu guy... he doesn't have an agency yet, right?"
"Pardon?"
"First time saying this, so... straight up, there's this rookie named Kim Donghu."
"Yeah, yeah."
"No agency. In my eyes, now's his lowest point. We have to scoop him up. And if possible, have him do a few projects with me—his acting is monstrous, a monster."
His looks match his acting skills, huh? Lee Sanghak shook his head slightly at Kim Donghu's face, unable to fathom it. A guy that handsome doing great acting without coasting on his looks?
Actor Jang Geonho wouldn't lie about something like that. How good was his acting to make a veteran beg to work together multiple times?
What on earth?
"Then, one final bow to wrap it up."
"Hide Dream, hit it big!"
The rite ended smoothly amid the CEOs' burning curiosity.
"We'll start shooting right away. First scene is..."
Drama shoots rarely follow the story order. In extreme cases, they film the finale first, decided by on-site conditions and the director's judgment.
Everyone's here, so why not pit them against each other?
Shooting director Ji Jangmin glanced at Kim Donghu. It had been about four months since the script reading. Had he grown more? Or was that the peak? To settle his curiosity, he made the call.
"Scene 65—the first clash between Hide Dream members and the Ijei group. Let's go with that."
Time to really throw them at each other.
+++++
Hide Dream was a tale of youthful passion unfolding at Galaxy High School. As the title suggested, it centered on Hide Dream. A story of underdogs—the low-achievers at the bottom—finding emotion, growth, and triumph.
Kids who each had their quirks banded together for explosive synergy, but clear flaws delayed their bloom. Their club, Hide Dream, decided to enter Mirinae, the biggest year-end showcase. Word spread like wildfire across the school.
Some cheered them on. Others despised them fiercely. Leading the hate was Ijei—the flower bloomed from loathing.
The underdog Hide Dream meets top-dog Ijei. It began with Hide Dream scrubbing graffiti off their clubroom door.
"...They did it again."
Hide Dream's heroine, Yoo Hye-ri, sighed deeply as she wiped the door.
"Why are we Galaxy High's shame? Just because our grades suck?"
"Right? We didn't do anything wrong."
Chiming in was Hide Dream's hero, Song Cheol-su. As the two scrubbed away, the second male lead, Jin-hyuk, showed up with a mop.
"Hey, move. You think that'll work? Just mop it all at once."
Yoo Hye-ri, Song Cheol-su, Jin-hyuk. They bantered competitively while cleaning.
"What the—again?"
"Bet Ijei put them up to it."
Then came sub-heroine Yoon Eun-jeong and sub-hero Jayce.
The five youths—Hide Dream. The script was mid-story, so they were supposed to be tight-knit. But on the first shoot, the emotional buy-in was shallow, creating an awkward vibe. Unavoidable. People don't bond instantly.
As they cleaned...
"Argh! If we're gonna get bullied like this, maybe I should just drop out!"
Yoon Eun-jeong grumbled—not quite a whine.
"Yeah, if that's how you wanna live, just quit."
But the reply came not from a Hide Dream member—but Ijei.
—What?! You done talking?!
Normally, Yoon Eun-jeong would fire back at Ijei. But...
What, what is this?
The moment she saw Ijei's face, she faltered, stepping back. Fierce hostility. Unbelievable for a first shoot, first take—pure loathing poured onto Yoon Eun-jeong.
The hallway's mix of warmth and awkwardness shifted instantly. Revulsion boiled, disgust pooling like a swamp. Hatred toward oblivious kids with flower fields in their heads. Inferiority from their intact, happy homes she lacked. It all fused into Ijei.
"Just stay quiet, graduate quietly. Why crawl up from the bottom?"
Thud. Thud. The set hushed with each step. Among the still-clumsy fish syncing up, one catfish appeared, churning the river.
What kind of eyes...
Ijei's aura— like facing a mortal enemy—cowed everyone.
"Quit Mirinae now. It's not a place for trash like you."
"W-what are you talking about?"
Everyone panicked. The emotion was too intense. Just approaching, hands in pockets, sour expression. Yet everyone on set felt Ijei's hatred.
Inferiority over her broken home. Pride in rising here on raw talent. Losing her real name, her roots—desperate thrashing to find a place. It radiated.
"You heard me—why pretend you didn't?"
No one met Ijei's eyes. No one was ready for that beast's glare. Heads bowed slowly.
"Don't even think of looking up."
Overwhelming. A fresh rookie crushed agency trainees.
"I said it clearly."
Ijei smirked bitterly at their fear. This is talent. Flawed goods can't climb this wall. She issued a chilling warning and turned away.
No one delivered their lines. Ijei—no, Kim Donghu's violent solo rampage.
Normally, NG. But the director's eyes bulged, capturing every second on camera.
A monster.
The catfish in Ijei's mask aimed to ruin Hide Dream. Minnows couldn't survive the waves it brought, jaws gaping. He couldn't call cut easily. He wanted this flow to continue.
Whirr. The camera slowly tracked Ijei. Meant to build Hide Dream's crisis, highlight their struggles. But one catfish flipped it.
The villain's entrance. A genius born of seething hate. The camera conveyed Ijei's arrival.
Not yet, not yet.
Thud. Thud. Watching Ijei—no, Kim Donghu—exit, the director held his breath. Not until Kim Donghu allowed it. His body screamed film me.
A gloomy expression somewhere. Seeing happiness he lacked, Ijei whipped herself. Don't need that. That's why you're weak. The fragile face held the line, then hardened.
"Hoo..."
A short sigh sorting emotions. The moment he saw it—
"CUT!!!"
The director signed off with uncontainable excitement.
+++++
Right after the first shoot wrapped.
"Ha!"
ST Enter CEO Kim Gilsan laughed in disbelief. What had he just witnessed? Honestly, he wanted to curse out the audition judges who passed on Kim Donghu.
Idol actors' acting controversy? Inevitable. Acting isn't their main gig! But even then, if everyone's similar, it evens out. That naengmyeon stays naengmyeon—no one notices the acting flaws.
But.
Where'd they dig this guy up?!
The classroom tyrant. A catfish slaughtering minnows, muddying the waters.
Couldn't beat him. So.
Recruit him.
If you can't win, make him your teammate. With that thought, Kim Gilsan moved immediately toward Kim Donghu, resting after his scene.
As he stepped forward without hesitation—
Thud!
He bumped into someone.
"An idol agency poaching actors? That's pretty shameless, don't you think?"
Pulledi CEO Lee Sanghak. His toad face was flushed with venom.
"Don't cross the line, hyungnim. Actors should grow with actors."
Textbook words, bold tone. Kim Gilsan laughed incredulously.
"Hey, we don't have actors? Actress Kim Yuryeon means nothing?"
"Aigoo, who doesn't know? You lack a proper training system!"
"Trai-ning?"
The word "training" flipped Kim Gilsan's switch. He rubbed his dry face, eyes blazing.
"You talk training after watching your trainees get devoured?"
"..."
Lee Sanghak had no retort. Cold truths hurt sometimes.
+++++
After the shoot.
Jang Geonho rushed straight to Kim Donghu—practically sprinted—handing him a bottle of water.
"Haha, if you're this intense already, stamina later gonna be rough?"
"Whoa, sunbaenim! Thanks for worrying!"
"Nah, not why I gave it. Sit, relax."
He stopped Kim Donghu from jumping up politely.
Then repeated: "Do this from the start, and stamina's gonna tank later."
Genuine concern. Kim Donghu replied innocently.
"Thanks for the worry!"
"Yeah, yeah."
Jang Geonho nodded warmly. Common on first shoots—overdoing it from nerves.
But.
"Next time, I'll try easing up more!"
Kim Donghu's follow-up left Jang Geonho dumbfounded. Next time, more? So this wasn't even full power?