Meerkats on the Prowl
Two meerkats popped into view.
Chae Seo-hee and Director Jung Hee-soo, who had snapped their heads up at the word cameo that tumbled out of Seo Jae-yeon's mouth.
"A cameo...?"
Ambition dripped from Chae Seo-hee's soft murmur.
You know the type.
The predator lying in wait, silent so as not to scare off its prey with a single sound.
"...Hmm."
Director Jung's face, by contrast, was a complicated mess.
If I had to guess, it looked like his inner selves were duking it out.
The career-minded Jung Hee-soo screaming to snag Seo Jae-yeon for the filmography right now, versus the artist Jung Hee-soo who only cared about the work's perfection.
His expression screamed multiple personality disorder in the making, so I stepped in quick.
"What's this sudden cameo talk?"
"The script's fun, though?"
"Even if the script's fun, where's the character for you in our drama?"
Gongbeomche barely had any extras to begin with.
The present-day sequences in the isolated Gangwon-do cabin—up through episode 7—had zero extras.
The school days flashbacks needed them for classrooms, back alleys, tteokbokki joints, and such...
But none fit Seo Jae-yeon.
She was way more serious than I'd expected, though.
"That first love mentioned starting in episode 4? Yeon-hee."
"Ah."
"I could do her."
Yeon-hee.
She never actually appeared, but the characters mentioned her plenty.
First love of Hyun-tae, Kang-cheol, and Sung-jin.
There was a scene with her, technically.
But no face, no voice.
We framed it on her back and shoulders only, keeping the friends' bonds at center stage, not romance.
Of course, with Seo Jae-yeon, we could swap to frontal shots.
She wouldn't bomb the acting, and her looks would sell multiple guys crushing at once.
But...
"Eat your food."
"You dissing me right now?"
"Yeah. Straight-up roasting."
"Why? It's free! I want to do it."
"Same reason we turned down Ra-un. Our drama can't have actors stealing focus."
Even a quick cameo— the second her face hit screen, viewers' immersion would shatter.
Not a disaster, sure.
Positive buzz, mostly.
But weighing that against the immersion break from her star power alone? Bad for the work's polish.
I didn't spell it out.
She'd read the script— was she seriously pushing for the cameo?
Her face was all pouty, though.
Chae Seo-hee beat her to the punch.
"Hyun-woo, no offense, but have you lost your mind?"
"On what?"
"Seo Jae-yeon wants to do it!"
"I'm the total director."
"Who cares about that!"
It's everything, isn't it?
"Apologize quick and lock in her schedule now."
"Nah."
"Hey!"
With Chae Seo-hee raging on her behalf, the pout on Seo Jae-yeon's face softened a bit.
"Guy's a total mule. Dropped acting whenever he felt like it."
"What a jerk."
"You're Chae Seo-hee, CE, right?"
"Yes! Chae Seo-hee here!"
Full name and title? Like I'm her boss or something.
"You auditioning for big sis-in-law?"
"Big sis-in-law?"
"Kidding. Wanna trash Hyun-woo together instead?"
"Sounds good!"
"Where to start, Chae CE?"
"You know Do Hyun-woo World?"
"Oh yeah, I'm an expert."
Do Hyun-woo World?
The hell?
Why don't I know my own world?
I stared, dumbfounded, as Seo Jae-yeon and Chae Seo-hee suddenly clicked and started whispering like old pals. Then I turned to Director Jung Hee-soo.
He'd stopped eating— belly full, maybe?— and was eyeing me.
"All done? Want some coffee?"
"Nah, more like..."
Director Jung glanced at me, then Seo Jae-yeon.
Out the window at the Gongbeomche set, then checked his phone pics.
Site stills from the shoot.
What gives?
"Total Director CE Do Hyun-woo."
"Fancy title all of a sudden."
"Got a director lined up for your next gig?"
"Next one?"
We'd nearly wrapped Gongbeomche, but next? No way.
"Obviously not."
"If the chance comes, give me— I mean, me— one shot."
"Outta nowhere?"
Hee-soo, age 43.
Honest about his desires.
After the meal, Seo Jae-yeon insisted on checking if the work was cameo-worthy, playing detective.
She ended up touring the shoot.
I worried it'd disrupt the actors, but they barely glanced her way.
Shoot was endgame; immersion at peak.
Her gaping jaw slowly closed, and she nodded.
"Fair. I'd wreck it."
We headed to Seoul together after.
This absurd A-lister had hitched a catering truck solo, no manager.
Leave her, she'd truck back. Directing team scrambled a rental.
"Total director okay riding like this? I can truck it."
"Wrap's at 3 tomorrow anyway. Just heading back early."
"Say it like you'll drag me to Seoul no matter what."
"Even if tomorrow's shoot ends at 4, I'll haul your ass to Seoul."
"Whole hour of affection added. Impressive."
"Right?"
"Touched."
Our usual nonsense flowed, till she dropped it casual.
"That Jang manager."
"Yeah."
"Looked ready to cling."
"Would be weirder if not. You know his type? Boosts his drama promo too."
"What's Kim Ra-un see in a sleaze like that?"
"Guy ended his no-name days. Ditching him might tank popularity— he's scared."
Celebs in bubbles freak at shifts inside.
Seo Jae-yeon— babying me for years— same deal, kinda harsh to say.
"That's why I came."
"Huh?"
"D.P.'s top star openly backing a senior? Jang won't touch promo with that."
Nope, not a baby.
"You thought that far?"
"Trickle-down effect. Top actions ripple down."
"So you're top, huh?"
"Top star."
Playful chat, but spot-on.
D.P. promo owes buzz for Ra-un's 0% Algorithm.
Jang's got the playbook: leak my beef with Ra-un, trash rival Gongbeomche.
Promo frames it as "support our actor's project"— attacks us.
Uncomfortable.
D.P.'s competent.
But her public support flips it.
Promo sees Jang's push as office politics.
Ra-un vs. Jae-yeon rivalry? Plausible for same-agency tops.
They'd back 0% over hitting us.
That's her move today.
"No need to control articles, then."
"Doubt it'll hit news sans big actors. No press here anyway."
"Don't sweat. I fed sauce to Reporter Moon already."
"Grown up, Jae-yeon."
Won't stop Jang cold, though.
Plenty media contacts outside D.P. promo.
But... expected.
"Drama's fun? Script was, site's no slouch."
"Told ya."
"Actors kill it. How'd you cast 'em?"
"That tale might loop us to Busan."
"Jeju doable."
Her vibe hyped me; spilled casting stories.
Skipped Eum Sung-hyun's backstory, but plenty else.
She listened hard, then tossed:
"You're into it."
"Duh. You admitted."
"Not the work. The job."
"CE? Feels like destiny."
"Remember? Retire, you manage me."
"...Yeah."
Choi Jae-hyuk, Seo Jae-yeon, Kim Ra-un, Do Hyun-woo.
D.P. rookie quartet.
Funny now, but I grabbed first shot: supporting in guaranteed hit film.
Small role, big impact— stronger than most supports.
Site canned me after one take.
Laughable now, brutal then.
All that hype, wasted.
Seo Jae-yeon bawled for me.
Sweet kid.
We vowed: she flops, I manage; I flop, she does.
"You broke the promise, sunbae."
"Too fun managing this."
"Sure?"
"Dead sure."
"...Good."
She continued.
"Then make lifetime goal: cast Seo Jae-yeon."
"Lifetime goal? Kinda small."
"Cocky much? Low-budget 8-ep drama CE."
"Low-budget?"
"Not wrong?"
"Fair."
Ditch contest tag, not heavyweight vs. commercials.
Believe it'll compete on merit, though.
She sensed it, hence the tease.
"Goals bigger, better. Aim for superstar Seo Jae-yeon."
"Depends on your run."
"What to watch? Killer looks? Peak acting?"
"Has-been or not."
"Hey! Hate that word."
"Said 'cause you're not. And 'hey'? Sunbae's here."
"Not sunbae anymore."
"Seo Jae-yeon, casual banmal power trip scandal."
"When'd I power-trip?"
"Seo Jae-yeon, this power trip? Scandal."
Laughing and bantering, we crossed Misade Bridge— Han River in sight.
The 10-week Gongbeomche shoot wrapped in 7 weeks and 3 days.
Side-by-side scripts hit 2 eps weekly sometimes— not all-time record, but OTT speed record worthy.
Post-production left.
Release countdown on.