Hype in the Editing Room and a Theater Club Invitation
In the editing room during winter break, An Joo-seong and Song Eun-ha sat grinning from ear to ear.
The reason they were smiling even while tackling the grueling edit was obvious. Just as anyone would guess, they were thrilled with the footage.
An Joo-seong stared at Lee Min-woo on the screen and suddenly spoke up.
"This isn't just me thinking that, right?"
"Yeah. Same here."
No clear subject was stated, but their minds were in sync.
They'd been friends since college, connected through years of collaboration. They kept it strictly "Director" and "Writer" on set to avoid misleading the actors, but they clicked effortlessly anyway.
"How does he act that well? Is it because I haven't done a real movie? Nah, I've worked with a few rookies. He's insanely handsome, a killer actor, great personality... He's a born entertainer."
"Wow, you told me not to make a fuss after the audition."
"That was just me not wanting to jinx it. He's only 17. Honestly, I was blown away filming him."
An Joo-seong's face turned serious as he continued.
"An actor needs life in their eyes. They have to convey any emotion with a single glance, even without lines. Pure, clear... like love captured right there."
"Isn't that what Professor Lee Jae-young drilled into us back in the day?"
"I forgot everything else, but that stuck. Maybe because it keeps coming back to me while directing. Anyway, this guy's got it."
An Joo-seong pointed at the screen—obviously Lee Min-woo in his school uniform.
His serious expression softened again.
"Heh... so handsome."
"What's wrong with you? You look crazy."
Song Eun-ha shot him a disgusted look, but An Joo-seong didn't care. He leaned back in his chair, letting out a sigh—or maybe a chuckle.
"I have a good feeling about this one. Please let it blow up."
"Don't jinx it like that. Stuff that would've succeeded crashes."
"We blew the budget big time this round."
"We prepared thoroughly; no choice. The mid-roll ads will cover it anyway."
"Not much left. Plus, let's aim for a major channel. Ad rates would skyrocket."
An Joo-seong clasped his hands in prayer before the edit screen.
"Ah... views are gonna explode this time. Please. Just once. New semester timing is perfect too."
"Stop with the voodoo already."
Only after Song Eun-ha snapped did An Joo-seong calm down.
Purely in terms of shooting time, we could've wrapped Eighteen's Temperature up to episode 3 comfortably during break.
Most of the story was set in school, and the scale wasn't massive.
The issue was editing...
Still, I figured episode 1 would hit NewTube before break ended.
I'd saved every bit of the advance contract payment. The writer said Eighteen's Temperature would run 10 episodes, and I'd gotten partial payments per installment upfront.
Full payout would land me just shy of 10 million won in my account.
Anyway, that's how my parents found out naturally. Their reaction was perfectly neutral—no shock, no opposition.
Like they'd been expecting it someday.
Instead, they told me to quit my cafe job. Said it was too much.
I'd been thinking the same.
So the conclusion... I kept doing it. Weekends only, just like during term time.
Shifted to evenings, though.
I'd planned to quit, but they begged me to stick it out through break, so I said okay. The reason I'd considered quitting was juggling shoots with classes anyway.
And as I got more comfortable with filming, I kept thinking an agency would be nice.
Main reason: I'm still a student. Travel ate up tons of time, and prepping for roles meant running around solo for everything.
No big issues this time, but contracts too. Probably after this project wraps... around summer break, I could look into it properly.
Today was one of my rare days off, though. No shoot, no classes since it's break, not a weekend so no shift.
I flopped onto my bed. White ceiling stared back.
Normally, spare time like this would've had me anxiously flipping through my script, but weirdly, not today.
Tired, maybe.
...Have I been pushing too hard lately?
Two weeks into break.
Since the audition: performance assessments, finals, part-time, shoots.
Luckily, everything aligned perfectly—no overdoing it, I thought. But my body was more honest than that.
Just rest today.
With that thought, I lay there blinking slowly.
Sleep wouldn't come, though.
Habit kicked in; I grabbed my phone.
Talk app showed piled-up messages.
Top names floating there.
Checked the group chat with them first—figured out the deal instantly.
Kids from other schools wanted a soccer bet, short on players, calling me up. Why me? I suck at soccer.
Quick replies to the soccer queries: No.
Seo Jae-hyun hit back fastest.
Feels like I got baited...
Anyway, wrapped up with Seo Jae-hyun and skimmed the backlog one by one.
...Who the hell's Kim Hye-ri?
Shelved total strangers for now, replied simply to the familiar ones.
Classmates or kids I'd nodded to in self-study club.
Up until the school trip, I'd basically walled off friendships, so I was gradually expanding since.
Weirdly, only girls messaging... Well, guys wouldn't hit me up without a clear reason like Seo Jae-hyun or Ji Hyun-su.
Quick replies sent, kept scrolling. Spotted the name I wanted.
[Choi Dong-rak]
Wonder what he's up to lately.
I called him that because he'd said the club nicknamed him Dong-dol lately.
Stuck in my mouth easy, so I'd been using it since.
Dong-rak replied quicker than expected.
Made up my mind? About what? My brain blanked, then it hit me.
Before finals, Dong-rak had told me to swing by the theater club over break.
Forgotten it.
Why'd I assume it'd be after second year? Definitely been scattered lately.
Choi Dong-rak stood from his seat. In the back row of the School Auditorium, he adjusted his glasses and looked up at the stage.
Lee Na-hee, Yeoul theater club president, stood onstage. Script in one hand, the other slicing the air as she ranted passionately.
Super intense—her black ponytail whipped wildly.
The underclassmen in front looked solemn, not scared...
...Kinda holding back laughs, though.
His sharp eyes caught it.
Dong-rak fixed his glasses and headed over.
"Sunbae."
Lee Na-hee paused and turned at his call.
"Oh, Dong-rak. What's up?"
She was one who never used his nickname Dong-dol.
"That... thing you mentioned last time—"
As Dong-rak started cautiously, a same-year guy butted in: Kim Sang-woo from acting.
"Why you still 'sunbae-sunbae' so cringey?"
"Hey, Kim Sang-woo. None of your business. Let Dong-rak call me comfy."
Lee Na-hee glared at him.
His buddy, getting chewed out too, teased back playfully.
"Nosy much. Focus on acting."
"But sunbae's cringey af fact."
"Can't call her that myself. Dong-dol can tho."
"Why."
"His adaptation's our break stage. Don't kill the playwright vibe. Wanna get cut?"
"Fml."
Dong-rak adjusted his glasses.
"I don't have that power."
"Lol jk."
Once the buddy finished, Lee Na-hee approached Dong-rak with a grin.
"So, Dong-rak, what'd you wanna say?"
"Oh, that Min-woo from before. The one who wanted to join."
"Min-woo?"
Lee Na-hee yelped in surprise. Voice louder than expected—auditorium eyes turned.
Kim Sang-woo and buddy crowded in, intrigued.
"Min-woo? Our Min-woo?"
"Lee Min-woo tight with Seo Jae-hyun in class 7?"
"You two, quiet. Dong-rak, go on."
Dong-rak continued.
"Told him to visit over break last time. He says he's coming now—cool to call him?"
"For real? Now?"
"Yes."
"He's actually coming?"
"...Yes."
Her voice kept rising. Club members tidying props onstage and seniors approached.
"Who's coming?"
"Lee Min-woo."
"Who's that?"
"Y'know, the super famous first-year."
"Oh, that insanely hot one?"
"Yeah. Saw him in the cafeteria—goddamn ulzzang."
"He's really coming? Why? Into the club?"
"Tell him come! Pls~ Wanna be friends."
"Dong-dol, you tight with Min-woo?"
Dong-rak stuck out a hand to block the especially pushy girls.
"Don't come closer. If Na-hee sunbae okays, I'll call."
"Ooh, Dong-dol's got charisma."
"President, what you waiting for. Say yes."
"He ain't a member—can he even come?"
"Who said that dumb shit. Stfu."
"Whoa, Ga-yeon noona laying down the law. Scary af."
Then Lee Na-hee spoke.
"If he's even coming to watch... means he's serious about joining, right?"
"Agh, just invite him already. So dense."
"Quiet!"
She flushed, cleared her throat pointlessly.
"T-tell him now's fine. We were gonna do full practice anyway."
Dong-rak nodded, stepped back, phone out.