Filming in Rhythm, Provocations Ignited
At a glance, a filming set feels a lot like the military.
When the news says the cold snap has broken, it's freezing like mad. When they call it balmy spring weather, it suddenly turns scorching.
Seeing short sleeves popping up on set by late April, maybe the "filming set = military" theory holds water.
But regardless of the seasons, Sonkkeut-eul Geollyeoneun (At Your Fingertips) was cruising along smoothly.
Even setting everything else aside, the shooting pace was insanely fast.
Just looking at how quickly they knocked out individual scenes, it even felt faster than Gongbeomche.
Of course, there were physical limitations.
Gongbeomche had almost no location shoots.
Filming happened either in indoor sets or at the Gangwon-do cabin, with the lead actors always in one place.
So they could often pull tomorrow's or the day after's scenes if they finished the day's call sheet early.
But Sonkkeut-eul Geollyeoneun (At Your Fingertips) was different.
The production scale was huge, and the in-story settings varied wildly, so they were heavily influenced by the set environment.
Even if they could reuse sets, supporting actors were often out on B-team shoots.
So when conditions allowed, they'd shoot extra scenes, but on days they didn't, they'd wrap early and rest.
And surprisingly, this was working out great.
The downtime kept their focus sharp.
Sharp focus meant fast shooting the next day, then early wrap again.
The miscellaneous scenes they grabbed when possible added up to way more than expected.
It was a virtuous cycle.
With things going like this, the words "shooting complete" were starting to shimmer on the horizon.
Two weeks if fast, three at most?
Maybe tweak the call sheet one more time?
I was mulling that over when a voice called out.
"Hey! What're you doing?"
It was Ko Sang-wook team leader, just climbing out of the driver's seat.
"Why're you spacing out? Didn't you hear the horn?"
"Oh, I thought it was someone telling me to move for parking. Didn't know it was your van, team leader."
"Yeah, first time seeing it? Even Gongbeomche actors use this a lot lately."
"Guess they got it after I left. Makes sense—I basically handed D.P a ton of actors lately."
"You want a high-five?"
"Damn it."
"Damn? Damn?"
"Ko Sang-wook-shi?"
"This guy's lost it, huh?"
I was bantering with team leader Ko, whom I hadn't seen in a while, when the van door opened and Seo Jae-yeon stepped out in her dress.
"Top star arrives."
"Red carpet tonight?"
"Yeah. Premiere and press event combo."
"Gonna gauge reactions? Superstar entrance and all."
"Enflicks must've shelled out—looks like they invited everyone who matters."
"Seriously, you two just hanging in the parking lot?"
Yeah.
Today was the premiere and press conference for the new Enflicks drama starring Jae-hyeok hyung as the lead.
Normally, an actress with no connection to the project wouldn't show up.
Even in the same agency, Seo Jae-yeon and Jae-hyeok hyung had never worked together.
But we four were the exception.
Jae-hyeok hyung, Kim Ra-un, and Seo Jae-yeon had all talked up their D.P rookie days in acceptance speeches and interviews.
Officially recognized as the quartet of friendship, I guess?
I only got tacked on later once people caught on, since I fly under the radar.
But why's she looking so sulky?
"What's with the pout?"
"Seeing your face just pisses me off all over again."
"Picking a fight right off the bat?"
"No matter how I think about it, it bugs me."
"What does."
"Jeon... unnie's attitude."
"You were about to say Jeon So-ra."
"No?"
"Totally. She's been acting all high and mighty with her senior."
Team leader Ko jumped in.
"Hyun-woo, you're something else."
"What about me?"
"How do you take someone who's not quite broken and smack her till she is?"
"Gotta do that much to turn trash into a person."
"Trash? This trash?"
We chatted as we headed from the exclusive parking lot through the connected hallway.
Truth be told, I'd arrived at the venue ages ago, but team leader Ko wanted to enter together, so I waited.
Seo Jae-yeon's got VIP pass privileges, though.
Every corner grabbed me on my way down to the exclusive lot, but leading with her, no one stops us.
The second we exited the hallway, I felt reporters' eyes on us.
Enflicks had the place locked down tight—no shutters clicking.
"Have fun, Seo Star."
"Go smile a bit."
We handed Seo Jae-yeon off to the venue staff and headed to the red carpet exit, keeping the talk going with team leader Ko.
Naturally, the topic was Sonkkeut-eul Geollyeoneun (At Your Fingertips).
We're on set every day, but external buzz? Hard to gauge.
"How's the word on the street?"
"Industry folks? Split down the middle, I'd say."
"Even factoring in Jeon So-ra's star power?"
"Yeah. Without her, it'd be worse than even. This industry's more conservative than you think. E-sports feels alien to them."
"Hm. And the public?"
"More positive than insiders. Like 6-4."
He said it casually, but this wasn't guesswork.
Key timing for Kim Ra-un's exposure, plus packing in rookies.
And just recently, we scooped up senior Kang Min-sik too.
D.P's PR team's probably crunching data hard.
"But pure reactions? Sanso Jwiso edges it out."
"They nabbed Tae-woong actor. He's full S-grade now, right?"
"Nothing but praise wherever he goes. No personality drama or anything."
"What can ya do. Gotta clash head-on."
Gongbeomche and Young Per Al had their dirty undercurrents, but that's rare.
Usually, it's whose PR team hustles harder, whose biz team burns more budget.
Probably same for Sonkkeut-eul Geollyeoneun (At Your Fingertips) and Sanso Jwiso marketing war.
Though launch timing's still TBA.
Then it happened.
The press section got rowdy, and familiar faces emerged from the exclusive hallway.
Joo Young-hoon, Ko Hak-su.
And Tae-woong.
Reporters swarmed Tae-woong...
Wait, are they nuts?
Dragging an actor deep in shooting to this?
Immersion's on the actor, sure, but wouldn't rest be better than parading him?
Just my naive take, though.
"Damn. Shoulda pushed to bring Ra-un even if it wrecked him. Headline gold."
Am I too soft on the actors?
Time to toughen up the producer mindset?
Then I saw Ko Hak-su and Joo Young-hoon heading our way after handing Tae-woong to staff.
No way they're coming at me...
"Heard you're finally finding your calling, late bloomer."
First words made me doubt my ears.
Ko Hak-su director extended a hand, smug as hell.
Stunned, I shook it anyway, and he kept going.
"Guess some folks are just born cursed? Shoulda quit acting sooner."
"Director, that's a bit...!"
I waved off fuming team leader Ko.
Something felt off.
I knew Ko director was a patronizing old-school type who looked down on others.
Half of it was probably just him.
But the other half? Suspicious.
With team leader Ko right here, this aggressive?
Unless he's deliberately poking...
"He said it. Ko Hak-su's gunning for you."
"He's nervous. Director got tangled in that scandal too, right?"
"For real? So the guilty one's sweating solo?"
Senior Min-sik's words flashed back.
Thought short, action swift.
I smiled and opened my mouth.
"Yeah, wish I'd quit acting sooner. Who knew making shows was this fun."
If he's baiting, no need to bite.
Stay cool, amp his unease.
But Ko director's response blew past expectations.
"Who the hell do you think you are, yapping like that?"
Wait, why'd he take the bait?
I barely said anything.
"Punk who could barely land bit parts, and now? Fun?"
That clicked—a fact I'd forgotten over the past year.
Stuck in production, working with Jung Hee-soo and Im Un-taek directors, it slipped my mind...
Right, this is how it always was.
My bad for forgetting.
Some drama directors are riddled with inferiority complexes.
Talented, but out-earned by variety PDs, out-ranked by film directors.
They love power trips.
Flexing superiority over nobodies like past-me, actors not worth the dirt.
Even making blacklists.
That's why he hates dining with me.
Me—the guy he blacklisted—making better shows?
Or maybe not that deep.
Just primal disgust at trash he tossed now lounging in the living room.
If Ko Hak-su stopped there, I'd have just said "yeah, sure."
No wins in fighting.
But his next line crossed it.
"Parading singers from music videos, jerking 'em around? Think this industry's that easy, puppeteering idiots?"
Why'd God give talent to this guy?
Ko Hak-su sucks at story structure but nails scene direction.
Perfect duo with character wizard Hong Hee-young writer.
But...
"Ko director."
"What? Butt-hurt?"
"Nah, just correcting one thing. Im Un-taek director's thirty-five right now."
"What? The hell you on about?"
"Dunno who's better this instant, but Im Un-taek at thirty-five shoots ten times cleaner than you did. Guaranteed."
"You crazy son of a—!"
"Your debut directing? Around that age, right? Total flop."
"Hey!"
"Director."
Finally, Joo Young-hoon butted in.
Ko director, who'd been seething quietly, finally raised his voice.
A few sharp-eyed reporters glanced over.
Shutters clicking?
Joo Young-hoon glared icily.
Last met right after Kim Ra-un casting—months ago.
"Do Hyun-woo."
"Yes."
"You planning to quit dramas after a day or two?"
"No, sir."
"Then stick to fights you can handle. Burning bridges with a director? What's the play?"
First lesson from Joo Young-hoon since joining SSK?
Fine, if that's senior wisdom numero uno.
"Got it. I'll handle it.".
Handle it, sure.