I Can't Help It
Next day.
At the TVK variety filming location.
Park Munsu stood with his arms crossed, watching his actor Ki Seongchan who was filming the opening.
“Wow! Today, we have gathered four versatile entertainers who are active in both dramas and variety shows.”
‘Versatile entertainers…’
The words were amusing.
It was versatile in a positive sense, or rather, it meant they weren’t specialists. It was the same thing.
More bluntly, if it were a hook on your nose, it was a nose hook, and if on your ear, an earring.
“Ki Seongchan-ssi, I heard you’re coming to work at the variety department instead of the drama department these days.”
“Aigoo. For the time being, I won’t even look at the drama side. I’m sorry to the producers.”
“Is it okay to understand that you don’t feel sorry for the variety department people?”
“Of course. I’m proud of the variety department.”
A burst of laughter erupted—wahahaha—
In this studio variety show, the staff’s laughter is naturally incorporated into the broadcast. Staff don’t hide their laughter.
Rather, if something is fun, they actively laugh.
‘Fuck, really what the hell…’
Even though I’d been a manager for over ten years, I didn’t show it openly, but my mood was foul.
The staff were innocent.
Ki Seongchan had self-deprecatingly said to laugh, and he made them laugh.
It was rather grateful if they actively laughed.
Because of the pride of being a celebrity manager?
Where did that come from.
If you’re a manager, you’re a manager, and if your celebrity likes it, that’s it.
And if you earn money well, it’s the best.
‘Seongchan hyung… aigo… this guy. Living so diligently. Live a bit more casually…’
Well-spoken.
Reads the atmosphere perfectly.
Has a sense of humor too, and even the image of three consecutive flops as an actor.
But it’s not easy to criticize an actor for failing.
He accepts it, that hyung.
So he’s doing well in variety.
That was the problem.
‘I don’t like variety even though I don’t like it… It doesn’t help the actor’s image either.’
Ki Seongchan doesn’t like variety.
He didn’t express it directly, but as a manager, I could tell.
If I don’t know that much, I can’t be a manager.
Sticking with him longer than my wife.
Park Munsu was chewing on last night’s conversation.
—Uh… The picture is really good. Actor Ki Seongchan… First of all, it’s acknowledged that he can’t be rejected outright from that side. No matter how much he’s criticized for failing, Ki Seongchan is Ki Seongchan.
A top-tier actor who would choose a drama that throws hundreds of billions.
But that’s how the times are.
Trends change, and the faces of actors that viewers want change.
Leads, top stars.
Even if you analyze them carefully, they are different.
Of course, handsome or distinctive. If there’s something standout.
But the details are different.
Among them, Ki Seongchan has a neat and uprightly handsome face.
The image is the same.
Debuted at twenty, short time in supporting roles, then straight to lead.
During nearly twenty years in the entertainment industry since debut, not even a small scandal.
But this seemed to be the poison.
Always similar roles.
Upright, kind, good protagonist.
Great role.
Viewers started ignoring them from some point, and even backlash.
└ I don’t know what work it is. That’s just that role.
└ My sister is going crazy. But my sister probably can’t tell either lol
└ Does Ki Seongchan’s mom not know?
└ Upper row PPT sweat. Report it lol
└ Bullshit. Did I curse?
└ Now when Ki Seongchan appears, I believe and skip it. Watching the same thing again and again. Feeling like rewatching.
└ Parallel world lol lol lol
└ Still, recently you do variety well, let’s have a drink~
└ Oke. Drama joat, variety goat
Park Munsu put his phone in his pocket.
‘The problem is with Seongchan hyung…’
He won’t do it.
Definitely.
That hyung has honey poured on Nine Entertainment, with inexplicable responsibility. Overwhelmingly.
And some… resignation?
As an actor, having lost confidence?
Anyway, that’s the state.
He didn’t tell others, but this is also a clear fact that a manager can know.
So last night, I cautiously told that story to Lee Jaewook.
—Um, but Seongchan… no, Ki Seongchan won’t do it. Absolutely.
—Because he’s a company cash cow? Because of responsibility?
—Do you know that?
—Yes. I roughly know he lost confidence. I don’t know as much as Team Leader Park Munsu who directly handles it, but.
—Just put in another actor on our side. It’s not necessary to only bring leads. Right now, if we exclude Ki Seongchan, there’s no actor to put as lead.
So, with self-deprecation, it ended.
Then, this cold human Lee Jaewook asked again.
—Does this work need Ki Seongchan?
—……
—Ask again. Does this work seem helpful to Ki Seongchan?
Couldn’t answer, left the place.
After three flops, even the acting ability controversy that didn’t exist before came up.
But Ki Seongchan isn’t lacking in acting ability recently. Even if acting is good, if the same image is consumed, the actor can’t help it.
It’s not the producers’ fault, but they do what the other side wants, and the result is this.
Gukbap actor.
Clichéd actor.
3-time flop… something like that evaluations.
—Ask again. Does this work seem helpful to Ki Seongchan?
The last question from yesterday, Lee Jaewook’s unanswered question, spins in my head.
‘Yeah, this fuck… helpful. Helpful…’
The reason I couldn’t answer is simple.
Not that I don’t know, but I don’t have the courage to bring it up to Ki Seongchan.
Park Munsu looked up at Ki Seongchan filming.
‘Don’t laugh too hard, fuck… You look tired. It’s sad.’
No one can fool others. The actor doesn’t fool himself.
The people watching from the side either.
So for six hours.
While rest and filming repeated, Park Munsu lost in thought, and after filming, to Ki Seongchan with a tired face, said.
“Let’s have a meeting tonight, hyung.”
“Meeting? What meeting? Didn’t the schedule end today?”
Again, laughing in the middle of this.
Without showing dislike for the sudden additional schedule.
Variety is really tough.
The responsible celebrity doesn’t like variety, but to make him do it, it’s angering. I don’t belittle variety.
If you follow along, you’ll know how tough variety is.
“The schedule is over, but the company. I want to discuss the next work.”
“Next work?”
“Yes.”
I don’t call variety the next work.
Both Park Munsu and Ki Seongchan clearly recognized it from the conversation just now.
“…Hey, fuck… Munsu-ya.”
“Yes, hyung.”
Anger appeared on Ki Seongchan’s face that I hadn’t seen before.
“You too, fuck… Are you going to torment me?”
“Hyung…”
“If I fail more here? The company? And me?”
“You should be an actor. You want to, right? And hyung should only think about himself, why worry about the company? How much has hyung done for the company?”
Ki Seongchan sighed as if the ground was disappearing under Park Munsu’s words.
“Haa… You go separately today. It seems harsh words will come out. Go first.”
I didn’t think it would be so easily persuaded.
But I didn’t expect such a fierce reaction.
“I’ll leave the treatment.”
“Take it.”
“The work is good. I’ll leave it, Ki Seongchan-ssi.”
“Ki Seongchan-ssi… uuh, distance feels good, Team Leader Park Munsu.”
“I’ll go first. Please watch this. Please.”
After leaving the filming set, Park Munsu called Lee Jaewook.
—Yes. This is Lee Jaewook, manager of Ha Eun-yul.
“I don’t know the method… damn.”
—It seems you already talked.
“…ha.”
—It seems you couldn’t persuade at all.
The steps walking aimlessly stopped abruptly.
What is this guy, really?
He stabs the painful spots with incredible precision.
Are the guys from politics like this?
But there’s no wrong spot to argue.
If you look at it, the originally smart guys do this well even in unfamiliar fields?
Do they grasp the work well?
Is the level difference that much?
At the end of self-doubt, Park Munsu opened his mouth.
“Help me.”
—I understand.
Answering so easily?
Before I could open my mouth.
—Ha Eun-yul is on break time, I’ll contact you later.
Park Munsu muttered while holding the disconnected phone.
“…fuck, really. Because of the skill difference, I’m a piece of shit, and I am a piece of shit. Please do something…”
* * *
<Melancholy Romance> outdoor location site.
Put the phone in pocket and approached Ha Eun-yul.
Left a short evaluation for Team Leader Park Munsu to the Ghost.
“Amazing, action. Wow, I haven’t seen this much even a few times.”
Since it’s the singer side, I rarely see it directly, but it’s famous. Full of passion and quick action.
There’s clearly a great talent to run, but when the goal point comes, just runs.
So, to express it… a racehorse that doesn’t know when to stop?
Just runs, I don’t think about front and back.
Anyway, the priority is care for Ha Eun-yul.
But her expression isn’t good.
“Drink water.”
I made a hole in the 500ml pet bottle’s opening and gave her water with a straw, she glanced at it and snatched it.
Outdoor filming has two rest areas for actors.
Prepare chairs at the site or go back in the car.
Ha Eun-yul is the latter.
The actor herself is comfortable with it, and I think for acting, it’s better for Ha Eun-yul.
I need to supply constant stability to Ha Eun-yul.
Better than surrounded by people.
Especially since the temperature is rising, it’s hard for female actors.
“Let’s go by car.”
When I suggested going by car to Ha Eun-yul, she moved her feet to where the car was parked as if waiting.
It wasn’t acting cold, but feeling uncomfortable to the point where even that acting can’t be done.
No physical change.
Rather, skin condition is clean.
No blemishes on face, much better than usual.
Distinguish physical fatigue and mental fatigue. If it were an aide.
‘It’s the psychological part.’
Moon Najin was starting to get competitive…
While walking following Ha Eun-yul, Ghost’s commentary.
Actresses are like that. Even a big one like Cha Yoon noona… there were actresses too. All of them got their heads broken.
‘Moon Najin…’
Lead actress of <Melancholy Romance>.
Same age as Ha Eun-yul.
Quickly information brushed her head.
At the site, smiling brightly, almost ‘this stage is mine’, appealing with her whole body.
I felt it several times subtly feeding.
But is that my kind?
When I conveyed that desire with eyes, now she seems to have gotten used to communication. Answers immediately.
Really? Today wasn’t particularly worse or anything.
When arriving at the car, Lee Yujeong got in the car after Ha Eun-yul, turned her back and looked at me.
“Sorry, can you wait outside a bit?”
“Yes. It’s fine.”
“We have something to talk about.”
“Yes.”
Even though I said it’s fine, I moved a bit away from the car with Lee Yujeong who asked for permission again.
Trying to follow me, the Ghost asked in a way that couldn’t say yes or no.
It seems like you need to know what’s going on?
Actors don’t tell everything to me.
Special relationship, Ha Eun-yul and I now.
Business relationship.
But ambiguously at the boundary of trust.
Meaning not telling all problems.
If I didn’t say it, I can’t… and giving up is thinking I’m not doing my job.
I decided to cross the shortcut.
“I can’t help it.”
When I answered, the Ghost dove into the car.
Outside the car… half-assed…
If entering, enter fully, this picture is really bad.