That Moment
The reporters invited to the script reading room recalled a famous saying in the industry.
Yoon Chang-ho's sets have that ad-lib magic━━when you're short on story fodder, just wander onto Yoon Chang-ho's shooting location, and you'll snag some decent material. It was practically gospel for entertainment and film journalists.
His on-the-spot script revisions were legendary, and sometimes he'd even write new pages the same day. Yoon Chang-ho prized that spontaneous energy above all. Script readings were no different. Unlike the usual affair where actors just check their characters' vibes and tones, something 'special' always went down on his reading days.
But.
······What the hell is that.
······That's not just ad-lib magic.
······He's going that far?
Just now, an overwhelming sense of on-set realism had materialized, straight out of an actual shoot.
Provisional Title: “108-Month Full Installment”
A celebrity craving love as a woman, not a star. And a sleazy used-car dealer hooked on the thrill of the scam.
At the very least, one of the two leads driving this film had nailed their backstory crystal clear.
"Boss, boss? Please, just give me one more chance."
That exquisite mix of contrived desperation laced with just the right irritation and fury.
A used-car lot in Incheon. The stifling stench of flood-damaged interiors from summer rains, exhaust fumes, and sticky humidity rode a hot gust right into the room.
······Full sleazeball vibe.
······Monsters are real monsters.
······Just lines, no makeup?
The reporters' awed gazes shifted to the opposite side.
Actor Cha Jin-tak. The veteran hailed even as Yoon Chang-ho's on-screen persona, renowned for toughening up the young actors who joined his films just to chase Cannes glory.
That was the guy.
Or had been······
"······I want to buy it too."
"Then why not?"
"This isn't what was listed online. The plates are totally different. You can't just bulldoze me into buying like this, right?"
"Hold on."
"I can't go through with this."
"Ah, see, our customer here's got the wrong idea."
"Wrong idea?"
"There was an issue with the vehicle registration, so we had to pull new plates. That's why they're different."
"What? A problematic vehicle?"
"Not the kind of problem you're thinking, boss. It was a passenger car━━you know, display model. You go to a lot, see the shiniest, spotless one they've polished to hell?"
"Test-drive model······"
"As you can see, these test-drives get extra clean care compared to regular cars. No mechanical issues at all. The only 'problem' is reregistering it for sale."
"For sale···"
Cha Jin-tak's eyes blazed as he took the cue. Midway through what started as ad-lib, it had stretched long━━and now he'd crossed into pride territory.
You prepped your role, huh? Alright, can you handle this? How 'bout that? Want me to really throw down?
"Mileage is off, though?"
"Mileage?"
"Yeah. Site said 1,000 km, but the odometer here's at 10,000. That's not cool."
"Ha, boss. Boss?"
"Even for a test-drive, there's limits."
"Boss, this car's not just for you, right?"
"So?"
"It's so nice, folks keep coming by, sitting in it, flooring it for a test. Right?"
"W-Well······yeah?"
"See? That's why it ticks up. Great car. Not just you━━people drop in just to check it out. Got another customer coming soon."
Cha Jin-tak froze, words caught in his throat.
"·········"
Seizing the gap from that absurd excuse━━9,000 km from casual sit-ins━━
"Of course, boss, we get it. Competitors everywhere, can't list every digit exact. Fudging the last few? Gotta cut us some slack. Please."
"No, but-"
"In return, washer fluid and diffuser, free. Honestly? Plenty wanna snag this even if it wasn't you. Feels like my uncle, that's why."
Lee Tae-gyu━━no, 'Dokgo Kwang-cheol'━━slid in slick as oil. Cha Jin-tak met those greedy eyes and involuntarily looked away.
━━━Gulp!
This wasn't mere role study. It was like he'd been born to hawk used cars, wriggling alive like a fish in water.
The perfect sleazy dealer incarnate.
Cha Jin-tak, who'd seen and done it all from his theater days, now sensed it.
From here on, it was the current pro world he didn't know.
What the hell is this kid.
He'd read about him before. Lee Tae-gyu. Articles on the rookie who interviewed real-life counterparts for gritty roles, from gamblers to cult elders.
Thought it was just PR hype······but he came fully prepped?
Didn't expect this level. DK Entertainment, after all. Figured Do Yoon-seop's CEO hype for his actor.
······This kid's the real deal.
Cha Jin-tak's instincts screamed: this young actor was different from the rest.
But it wasn't over. Head lifted again, driven by the obsession that something might still be lacking━━
"Th-"
"Whoa, starting hot today━━love it."
Yoon Chang-ho cut in perfectly.
Clap clap clap━━!
From somewhere, the reading had morphed into a Tae-gyu vs. Cha showdown. Folks started clapping along with the director━━actors, staff, reporters, producers, everyone, faces lit with awe.
And rightly so.
Something had just sparked between those two.
This something was━━
······Seeing this already?
To seasoned staff: a perfect take that needed ideal weather, condition, everything aligned even on real shoots.
······I feel it.
To reporters: article angles crystallizing, hype ready to unleash.
······This'll blow up.
To investors: numbers surging past break-even.
······Maybe even Cannes for us···?
To supporting cast with overlapping scenes: pressure mixed with festival dreams.
······Shoulda brought my camera···he's insane.
To DP Choi Seong-cheol: mise-en-scène vibes anew.
To Seol A-yoon: a resolve that clenched her fist under the table.
"Let's pause for now. Hate interrupting too much, but something's brewing."
"Director."
"Hm?"
Amid the buzz of that 'something,' one voice cut slow and steady.
"Sorry, but···could we do just one more scene before breaking?"
Lee Tae-gyu.
"Can't rest in this state."
He was the one left hungry, really.
For [Dokgo Kwang-cheol], he'd copied a real sleazeball dealer's dokkaebi fire via Seo Woong-tae the detective's intro, memorized every industry trick and tip.
Just over two months. Hospital time included, cramming the used-car world into his brain.
······Did everything I could.
It doubled as acting study. Stuff all role intel, don the character's dokkaebi fire, dive deeper into their backstory.
Thus.
Now fully equipped with zealous virgin high-schooler's fire and sleazeball dealer's━━
······Now the real fun starts.
Lee Tae-gyu was curious.
About the fused fire's power.
Having felt each separately, he craved reactions to this exquisitely grafted 'that moment.'
And so.
With everyone holding breath for his next line━━
"Actually."
His words ignited the already scorching room.
"Even if we break later, I really wanna hear the seniors' takes on this part."
A building in Mapo-gu.
In Dream Entertainment's HQ, the exec office with prime views.
CEO Seol Woong spun the monitor, grinning and nodding.
"······Saw that? It's all falling into place naturally."
"·········"
"Lee Tae-gyu this, that━━supporting role anyway. 10-million supporting vs. 30-million lead? Ha! No contest! Keep this momentum. Bet you: no one your age does it better. Trust me a bit."
Script reading for Provisional Title: “108-Month Full Installment” wrapped; just schedule tweaks left.
Suddenly.
Seol A-yoon looked up, odd expression as she spoke.
"······In my age group now?"
"What, why."
"Bump the age bracket?"
"Still top-tier."
"Number one there too?"
"What're you on about."
"I act better than Do Kwang-seon? No, right?"
"·········"
"See? Can't even fake-agree."
"You eat something bad?"
Seol Woong tilted his head at his sister's out-of-left-field rant.
"······Yeah, that's her."
Arms crossed, lost in thought.
"Blind, unconditional support no questions asked? Yeah, even blood kin struggle with that."
"Hey."
"Look, eyes say it all. What was it? Acting? Nah, different from before. But then,"
Her brother started to respond to her rain-soaked mutterings, exasperated━━
"············Oppa."
"·········?!"
That dreaded word from kin after ages sent chills down Seol Woong's spine.
Whatever.
Thoughts sorted, Seol A-yoon spoke carefully.
"That Lee Tae-gyu guy."
Tensing at the name, Seol Woong snorted at what followed.
"He seems to like me."
"Duh."
"What?"
"30-million star. Boosted fame on top━━"
"Not that!"
She snapped, irritated.
"Like me, for real!"
Silence hung briefly.
"·········"
"·········"
Seol Woong tossed the most logical reply.
"······Bullshit."
"For real!"
He shut it down flat, but as her rambling piled on, curiosity crept in.
"Kinda iffy myself, but damn, maybe not. But if not, how else? That timing, eyes only change for me?"
What the━━
"Nah. Doesn't feel like acting······argh, what? Not crushing for real?"
······What went down at that script reading?