Chapter 331
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 331
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Performance
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After a white Christmas, with pure white snow falling, the end of the year drew near.
Korea was buzzing with awards season.
[MBS, Can the 6-Episode 'Spring Has Returned' Win?]
[MBS, Mulling Over a New Award Category?]
[The Most Talked-About Drama of the Year, 'Spring Has Returned']
[A Discovery of New Actors? The 4-Episode 'Tomorrow']
[Can Actor Lee Seojun, Currently Filming Hollywood Movie 'Survivors', Attend?]
-Looking forward to the MBS Drama Awards, haha
=Same. MBS really did sweep the drama scene this year.
=The drama that aired after Spring Has Returned was also pretty good.
-Well, Seojun will sweep all the viewer-voted awards, haha.
-That new award category MBS is making? I bet it ends this year.
=Same. They’ll give awards to Spring Has Returned and Tomorrow for boosting ratings since the start of the year, and then get rid of it next year.
=But both deserve it. They were more talked about and had higher ratings than your average 16 or 20-episode drama.
-Haha, Tomorrow wouldn't normally be getting this much attention, haha. It's only because it aired alongside Spring Has Returned.
=Well, I agree to some extent. But Tomorrow was fun too. The actors did a great job.
-But Seojun probably can't make it, right?
=I don't think he can, with his filming schedule. The flight alone is over ten hours.
=T_T
* * *
December 30th.
The MBS Drama Awards began. One by one, splendid actors graced the red carpet.
The Sprouts, who had been watching from the very beginning to the very end of the red carpet in hopes of a surprise appearance from Seojun, let their shoulders slump.
-I guess Seojun isn't coming after all.
-Seojun T_T work hard on filming T_T
[MBS Drama Awards Part 1 Ends!]
[Acceptance Speeches from the Rookie Award Winners!]
[Winners of the Excellence Award for Monday-Tuesday and Wednesday-Thursday Series!]
-…Are they not giving awards for Tomorrow and Spring Has Returned?
=I heard they’ll probably give them out in Part 2.
=Makes sense, considering the buzz. And we're still watching, haha.
=Same. I was going to sleep after seeing Seojun get his award… MBS…!
-As expected, so many commercials, haha.
Part 2 of the MBS Drama Awards kicked off with a celebratory performance by an idol group.
“Hello, viewers. I’m actor Park Dohun,”
“And I’m Yoon Hyein.”
Park Dohun and Yoon Hyein, serving as special MCs, greeted the audience with a smile. The camera then panned to Kang Taeyoung in the audience. Cheers erupted at the sight of the main cast from ‘Spring Has Returned’.
[Special Drama Category. Excellence Award.]
The 4-episode ‘Tomorrow’ and the 6-episode ‘Spring Has Returned’ were grouped together in the ‘Special Drama Category.’
The Best New Actor award went to a cast member from ‘Tomorrow’, while Jeong Boram from ‘Spring Has Returned’ received the Best New Actress award. Everyone applauded to congratulate the brightly smiling Jeong Boram.
“Special Drama Category. Excellence Award.”
Park Dohun opened his mouth with a smile.
“Actor Lee Seojun for the role of Yoo Seongjin. Congratulations!”
Confetti burst, and Lee Jiseok, who had been asked to accept the award on his behalf, walked onto the stage. After receiving the trophy for Seojun, Lee Jiseok stood at the microphone and spoke with a smile.
“I’ll be accepting and delivering the award on his behalf, but we can’t miss out on the winner’s acceptance speech, can we?”
At Lee Jiseok’s words, the producer in charge of the awards ceremony clasped his hands together. He had checked and rechecked everything countless times for this very moment.
“Please, let there be no accidents…!”
While the audience looked on, bewildered, the screen behind Lee Jiseok, which read [Special Drama Category, Excellence Award], turned black.
[Hello, viewers. I’m actor Lee Seojun.]
The black screen brightened, revealing Lee Seojun.
The viewers blinked, seeing Seojun with his hair neatly styled back and the bright sky visible through the window behind him.
-Is that a video?!
-Whoa. Is it live? Or pre-recorded?
-Looks live?! But it should be dawn in LA right now…!
A few Sprouts screamed as they watched Seojun’s face, glistening in the morning sun, on their screens. Song Yujeong immediately took a call from Im Yena and enthusiastically gushed about Seojun’s radiant looks.
Perhaps because it was morning, his face looked even more refreshing.
[It’s a shame I can only greet you through this video. It’s still morning here in LA. But I woke up early and have been watching the MBS Drama Awards. Congratulations to all the winners.]
Seojun said with a smile, an earphone in one ear.
[I believe that such a short, 6-episode drama could become this popular is all thanks to the interest and love from you, the viewers. I didn't expect an award since my appearance was so brief, but thanks to all of you, I received one. I'm truly happy.]
Seojun’s sincerity could be felt even through the screen.
[Haha. There are so many people I want to thank, I don't know where to start. Producer Gong Heechan, writer Yoo Cheonga, thank you for creating such a wonderful project. Thank you to all the staff I filmed with, and all the actors I worked with. To all the viewers who loved Spring Has Returned, thank you so much. I want to continue showing you even better performances in the future.]
Seojun beamed on the screen.
[Actor Lee Seojun Wins Best Couple Award, Excellence Award!]
[Actor Lee Seojun Wins Netizen's Choice Popularity Award!]
* * *
The new year began, and filming for ‘Survivors’ resumed.
“Hello.”
Seojun walked onto the set.
For some reason, there seemed to be more staff members around the set than usual today. Tilting their heads in curiosity, Seojun and An Daho approached the set and gasped in admiration.
“The set is huge today.”
“It is.”
Today’s set was different. If the usual set was wide, today’s was both wide and tall. The set, raised by about a meter, looked like it would require stairs to get on and act. Looking around, they saw that there were indeed stairs.
“The cameras and lights are all up high, too.”
At Seojun’s words, An Daho looked up.
With the set being higher, the cameras filming the actors on it, the lights providing the right illumination, and the microphones recording their voices all had to be installed higher than usual. In particular, there was a lift-like machine for the camera operator to go up with the camera.
“They’ve really gone all out.”
A new voice made Seojun turn around.
“Ah, Davis.”
“Hey, Jun. You’re here early.”
“I like being on set.”
Davis Garrett smiled back at Seojun, who spoke with a bashful grin.
“Hello!”
Seojun and Davis Garrett, who were discussing today's scene while looking at the set where final checks were underway, turned around at the sound of a cheerful greeting. Both actors were already smiling, as they could tell who it was just from the voice.
“Hey, Andy.”
Andrew Walker beamed at the sight of Lee Seojun and Davis Garrett welcoming him with smiles.
* * *
“Ready, action!”
KABOOM!!
Before they could even curse at the sound of another explosion, people collapsed to the floor. The vibration from the ground was intense.
“…Why is the sound coming from here?!”
The explosion came from a different direction.
It wasn't the south shopping district, where a bomb had already gone off, nor the west restaurant area, nor the east movie theater. It wasn't even the north amusement park, which they had considered their last escape route.
It was a completely unexpected place.
Underground.
Screams erupted from the people, who turned pale at the sound of the explosion coming from below. The vibrations from the floor were ominous. *Thud, thud.* Sand-like particles fell from the ceiling, and cracks began to form on the floor and ceiling.
“Oh, God…!”
As gray cement was exposed through the spreading cracks in the white tiles, someone called out to God. Unlike the buildings above ground, if the pillars in the basement were to break, the aftermath would be devastating.
The people who had been sitting on the ground due to the shaking shakily got to their feet. Their faces showed they realized they couldn't just sit there. With ashen faces, they scanned their surroundings, searching for an escape route.
If the explosions until now were merely to block the entrances, the explosions from now on were…
“…The building is going to collapse…!”
Explosions intended for collapse.
The people, who had been relieved to find a way to live, found their breathing quicken. The sound of sobbing could be heard. Screams rang out. Some people were saying something to Raymond Wish. There were also suggestions to immediately take the path Raymond had found.
Amidst the people struggling to survive,
Lee Hyunwoo, who had been curled up, raised his hands to cover his ears.
It was hell.
* * *
KABOOM!!
An impact, incomparable to anything before, struck the building once again.
The screams of the survivors, isolated in pockets in the south, east, and west, echoed within the building, but they couldn't be heard in the sealed-off areas.
The ground beneath people's feet split open.
At the alarming speed of the collapse, people screamed and tried to back away, but the floor gave way faster than they could move.
“Aaargh!!”
The remaining people, who watched others disappear with screams, leaned against the walls, their faces pale with terror.
But the walls weren't safe either.
A large wall, pushed by the tremors from the explosion, crushed a person leaning against it. The people who witnessed the horrific sight screamed.
“Ian!”
Cynthia Lindberg called out to Ian. Jackson Miller also kept a close watch on Lee Hyunwoo, who was huddled in a corner.
But they could do nothing more. They didn't know which part of the floor would collapse next, or which wall would fall. The ragged breathing of the anxious people was drowned out by the sound of the crumbling building.
There was nothing people could do in the face of such a massive disaster.
Just as Raymond Wish, who was assessing the situation, was about to shout something,
The floor collapsed.
Before the people standing on it could even react,
A pitch-black darkness swallowed them whole.
* * *
“Cut, okay!”
At Director Jeffrey’s shout, the actors who had been hiding breathlessly under the set peeked out one by one. The actor who played the role of being crushed by the wall crawled out from a prepared crevice beneath it.
The staff chuckled at the sight of the actors ‘surviving’ one by one.
The unusually high set had all been prepared for this scene.
They had laid out chroma key-colored mats under the set and made the floor collapse at the right moment. This would make it look as if the actors were really disappearing into the ground. The rest would be handled with CG.
Vanessa Olson, who had emerged from a hole in the set, lightly pressed a hand over her thumping heart.
“I was still a little startled, even after the rehearsal. Are you okay, Andy?”
“I thought it was fun!”
Andrew answered Vanessa Olson’s concern cheerfully. His flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes seemed to speak of his genuine excitement.
“Jun?”
Seojun said with a smile.
The set, reminiscent of dungeons from his past life, made him feel nostalgic and was also fun. When he had first started creating dungeons, such crude traps had been quite useful. But on second thought, he had also fallen into many crude traps himself. It was because he had lived as both the weak and the strong.
“I had a lot of fun, too.”
“…Kids these days are so bold.”
Everyone burst into laughter at Vanessa Olson, who shook her head.
Hahaha.
The planning team leader from Bearround, who had been laughing along with the others, whispered to Director Jeffrey.
“I don't think we have to worry anymore.”
When Director Jeffrey tilted his head at the sudden remark, the planning team leader said with a broad smile.
“About actor Davis Garrett, I mean. He hasn't made any changes so far, has he? He must be happy with the script you revised. Haha. I think we can finally relax!”
“You think so?”
Director Jeffrey’s gaze shifted to Davis Garrett.
He had certainly been quiet for someone who had it written into his contract that he could revise the script at will. There had been a few minor adjustments, but nothing major.
“Of course! So please, don't worry and just film according to the script!”
The planning team leader declared with a satisfied smile, pleased with the smooth filming process.
But a few days later.
The planning team leader would come to realize that his judgment had been far too hasty.
* * *
“Can’t you be quiet!”
Raymond Wish roared.
Startled by the shout, Milan Chelan, Vanessa Olson, and Andrew Walker stared at Davis Garrett—no, at Raymond Wish. Standing there was Raymond Wish, his face completely contorted.
The actors’ eyes widened in shock.
This was different from the script!
“Oh, no…!”
The planning team leader cried out in despair at the incident that had occurred right after his confident declaration to Director Jeffrey.
In the original script, Raymond Wish calms down the claustrophobia-stricken Lee Hyunwoo with a cool, calm, yet warm voice. He helps him come to his senses and rediscover his will to live.
In other words, the ‘Raymond Wish’ played by Davis Garrett was the quintessential ‘hero’ of a ‘disaster movie.’
But that personality had been completely altered with this one line.
‘Can’t you be quiet!’
It was an expression of irritation and anger that a ‘disaster movie hero’ should never show to the ‘weak.’
A character change like this meant that not only the previously filmed scenes but also all the upcoming ones would have to be completely redone.
All these thoughts flashed through the planning team leader’s mind like a bolt of lightning. Since Director Jeffrey hadn't called cut yet, the planning team leader had to cover his mouth and scream internally.
‘I let my guard down. I let my guard down!’
He had underestimated Davis Garrett’s reputation.
He should have kept a close watch without letting his guard down.
Revising the script again, adjusting the filming schedule, building new sets, casting new actors… The thought of all the overtime made the planning team leader’s mind go blank.
‘…But why hasn’t he called cut?’
The other actors must have been startled by Davis Garrett’s sudden ad-lib. They probably couldn't continue filming properly due to the shock, yet instead of Director Jeffrey Rodox's "cut," only screams could be heard on set.
‘…Screams?’
The planning team leader flinched at the sound of a scream filled with pain and slowly raised his head to look at the set. The other staff members and Director Jeffrey were already staring at the set, mesmerized.
“Ugh… ugh… Aaaah…!”
There was only one person.
An actor who was continuing to act, matching Davis Garrett’s sudden ad-lib.
Amidst the genuinely startled actors,
There was Lee Hyunwoo, whose condition had ‘worsened due to Raymond Wish’s irritable shout.’
It was Lee Seojun.