Anyone But That Bastard Ahn Jong-hoon!
Kim Soolim's tone was firmer and sharper than ever before. Her furrowed brow was just icing on the cake. It was obvious at a glance that she was in a seriously foul mood.
The atmosphere had chilled instantly at the mere mention of Ahn Jong-hoon.
"Writer, how about we discuss the details later?"
Woo Seung-hyun PD forced the brightest smile he could muster, speaking in the softest voice possible. It wasn't like they needed to finalize the casting right this second anyway. They still had plenty of time for discussions, so there was no need to argue about it now.
"Sigh, fine. I'll head out first."
"Yes, get some rest, Writer."
Kim Soolim left the room first. Once her mentor's shadow vanished from the set,
"Wow, it's been forever since I last saw Master pissed off like that(?)"
Seo Min-kyeong drawled out the word pissed with extra emphasis, her pronunciation spot-on.
Woo PD's eyes widened as he turned to her. "What happened all of a sudden?"
"Exactly what it sounds like. A new role popped up that needs casting. It's a special appearance level in screen time, but it's a key part for the twist. That's why she wanted to cast a lead from Hanbando if possible. As a prequel, it'd be the perfect fit."
"You could've given me a heads-up... I was shocked seeing Kim Writer actually get angry for the first time."
Woo PD let out a short sigh.
"Aigoo, Director. If it were the old Master, you wouldn't have handled it."
Seo Min-kyeong chuckled softly. And she had good reason.
In truth, Kim Soolim had undergone many changes while writing Justice. The old her had always trusted only her own judgment over anyone else's advice or opinions. You couldn't call it arrogance or cockiness... because it wasn't hubris—it was pure confidence. She was a writer who consistently nailed both ratings and buzz. That track record was exactly what gave her such immense influence.
Yet with Justice, she was showing a side no one had seen before. Not only was she actively taking in others' input, but if she deemed it better, she'd boldly pivot the script's direction entirely. Woo PD had only experienced this new Kim Soolim, so Seo Min-kyeong's words might sound like a joke.
"Kim Writer used to be that picky? I can't even imagine it."
"She's gotten way softer."
Seo Min-kyeong leaned in to whisper in Woo PD's ear.
"This is how I put it: Woo-so-gong."
"What's that?"
"The little ball Woojin tossed up."
She believed none other than Woojin was the reason for Kim Soolim's transformation.
"Anyway, let's talk more once we're back in Korea. I've got something in mind..."
Seo Min-kyeong adjusted her glasses, her eyes gleaming sharply.
Like teacher, like student...
Woo PD nodded quietly at her fierce expression. Soon, the two headed out.
The set fell silent once the entire crew had left. And so, the final night in Thailand faded away.
It was mid-August when they wrapped the overseas production and returned home. Filming continued at a frantic pace after that. With schedules bouncing between Seoul and Jinju, Woojin naturally spent more time napping in the car. In other words, things had gotten even busier.
"Good work!"
"You too! Directing team, gather up for a quick meeting!"
Today's shoot in Jinju was done. A full week of relay filming, no less.
"Hello?"
"Woojin, how was Thailand? I keep hearing from Team Leader Kim and getting so hyped for the drama, haha!"
Even in the packed schedule, Woojin never forgot to check in with Director Ra Ho-chan now and then.
"Burnt and Hidden Marks' post-production is done, and it's been selected for the Busan International Film Festival!"
Ra's voice brimmed with excitement as he shared the great news.
"I know you're swamped with drama shoots, but can you make it?"
His first film, his first experience. Ra wasn't hiding his eagerness to share the thrill of it all with Woojin.
Woojin answered without a second's hesitation.
"Yes, I can. I'll adjust the drama schedule!"
Of course he could. What kind of film was Burnt and Hidden Marks? Even if schedules clashed, it would always come first.
"Thank you so much. With you there, I feel totally backed up!"
"Which section?"
"'New Currents.' Once submissions close, the festival sorts entries into sections based on eligibility. New Currents is the Asian film competition for first- or second-time feature directors from Asia."
The New Currents Award aims to discover and encourage talented Asian directors. They select two films from those screened, awarding each the prize and $30,000. Picked by a jury of world-renowned film figures, it's considered the top honor at BIFF. In short, it was prime kimchi soup territory among all feature screenings.
"Check the final cut at the festival yourself. No matter what you imagine, it'll exceed expectations. Hahaha!"
Ra exuded rock-solid confidence. Just thinking about the chroma-key backgrounds layered with CG made his heart race. If he could, he'd charge into the Oe-yu-nae-gang office like General Gye Baek right now. Holding back the curiosity was the hardest thing in the world.
"Can't wait. See you soon!"
"Yep. Gotta share this good news with Yoon Mal-geum-sae and Kwon Hyeok-jin too. Talk soon. Fighting!"
"Yes, you too, Director!"
With Ra's signature hearty laugh, the upbeat call ended. Woojin immediately filled in Jun-an hyung on the details. Come late September, he'd be zipping around even more.
"Hong Gildong must've felt like this."
Jun-an climbed into the car after chatting with the directing team on Woojin's behalf while he changed out of costume and makeup. He murmured in a low voice right away.
"Lightning in the east, lightning in the west. If Joseon had Hong Gildong, then 21st-century Korea has Baek Gildong!"
Exhaustion etched his face, but Jun-an hyung's voice always brimmed with energy. It was thanks to him that Woojin could keep his spirits up on set.
"How'd the talk go?"
"Yeah, they adjusted the list from late September week four to early October week one."
Jun-an added details for Woojin.
"Looks like you'll bounce between shoots and Busan in between. Can't carve out the whole block. It'll be tiring for you, but to do both... you okay?"
"Of course. I'm just grateful you're accommodating me—I should make it work."
"Okay. And after BIFF, they'll batch Yoon Tae-oh's scenes. Time to prep."
So far, Justice filming had focused on Lee Jung-hyuk and Lee Jin-tae. Though it was a dual role, Yoon Tae-oh was a low-screen-time supporting character, pushed to mid-to-late production.
"Already ready. Can't wait to shoot."
"I know. Where's Baek Woojin gonna go? Always the prepared actor~"
Jun-an grinned.
"Anything else important from the director or writer?"
"Nah, they seemed busy with some heavy discussion among the three of them, so I just said hi and bounced."
"Oh right, I didn't greet them. I'll go do that."
"No, the vibe was super serious—better not interrupt. Let's head out today. They'll announce later."
"Alright then."
"Alright, let's hit the road~"
Jun-an spun the wheel with vigor. The evening breeze on the highway felt incredibly refreshing.
Woojin finally escaped the drama set after ages. It would've been great with the full Burnt and Hidden Marks team, but due to scheduling, he was joining late. The KakaoTalk room with Ra, Yoon Mal-geum-sae, and Kwon Hyeok-jin was flooded with festival site photos. Driving solo, Woojin fidgeted with impatience to get there.
Soon, he arrived at his destination: Busan Nampo-dong. Every early October, it turned into a mob scene of filmmakers and fans.
As Woojin stepped out of the car, people who recognized him gathered around. With actors and staff freely mingling and enjoying the festival anyway, why bother hiding? Covering up would just draw more weird attention, so Woojin kept his face out in the open.
"Thank you, thank you!"
He bowed repeatedly to the cheering film fans as he made his way forward.
Moments later,
"Sunbae! Over here!"
"This way, Woojin!"
He finally linked up with the group, who'd snagged a spot in the food alley.
"It's been forever!"
"Sunbae! How was the overseas location shoot? Spill~"
Questions poured in the second Woojin sat. Yoon Mal-geum-sae and Kwon Hyeok-jin, with no commercial set experience yet, stared at his lips with sparkling eyes.
"Whoa, long drive—wet your whistle first."
Ra poured liquor into Woojin's empty glass.
"Cheers!"
The glasses clinked. One sip melted away all the fatigue.
"Seen a lot of films?"
"Yeah! Been living in theaters since day one."
"So many good ones!"
The chatty juniors kept the convo flowing. Hearing them recap plots felt like watching multiple movies at once. Shame he couldn't join them.
"Tomorrow's our GV, right? Guest Visit, audience Q&A?"
Ra had briefed him on the schedule en route to Busan. Afternoon screening of Burnt and Hidden Marks, followed by 30 minutes of stage greetings and Q&A.
"Nervous?"
Ra asked with a pleased smile.
Woojin nodded. "Yeah, dying to see the film."
"Hahaha! I'm the only one here who's seen the final cut. My mouth's watering to spill—whatever should I do?"
Ra roared with laughter. The positive vibes in his reactions put Woojin's mind at ease.
He turned to Yoon Mal-geum-sae and Kwon Hyeok-jin with sincere words. "Congrats on your debuts."
The two juniors clenched their fists, faces overflowing with emotion. Cheers, excitement, joy—the glasses passed with all those feelings, warming the mood. And so, the Busan day drew to a close.
The next day dawned: D-Day for Burnt and Hidden Marks' final cut premiere.