NOVEL NEXT Episode 016
Episode 016
Shooting Episode 1, Scene 1.
It really felt like I had become the main character.
Certainly, in a typical drama, the main character would have received Episode 1, Scene 1.
‘Well… It’s not that long… But I am the main character up to Episode 3.’
I raised the emotions of the high school student Shin Han-jae role while having these idle thoughts.
I didn’t need to delve as deeply into emotions as when I was acting the role of Hwang In-seop’s high school student.
Rather, such emotions would only hinder me in portraying the role of Shin Han-jae’s high school student.
When I filled my entire body with the bright and energetic spirit of Shin Han-jae’s high school student role.
“Ready, action!”
Director Kang Han-sung’s signal dropped, and I slowly started running with a bright expression while tying my shoelaces.
That’s right.
My first scene was running.
Feeling the fresh morning air with my whole body, roaming through every corner of the fictional stage ‘Seongdong’, which becomes the center of all events.
This was the first task given to me today.
‘Like someone who has never faced any hardship in life.’
It wasn’t just me.
The residents of Seongdong were also vigorously preparing for the day, unaware of what was about to unfold here.
But in the alleys of Seongdong, jealousy, anger, despair, fraud, suicide, murder, and more were already prepared to sprout.
Sure enough.
A man covered in blood suddenly appeared, flinging open an old iron door.
Although it happened in a different location, the man started to run as if he were jogging alongside me.
At the same time, the camera screen split into two, contrasting my image with that of the blood-covered man.
Of course, I couldn’t see the split scene.
I would only be able to see the two screens shot in different locations merged into one when the edited version came out.
But this picture was already drawn in my mind.
It was natural, having imagined it in my head thousands of times while reading the script, and having experienced it physically through the method mask.
Thanks to this, I was able to gradually change my expression, which had been bright and refreshing, as if sensing the change in atmosphere.
To look like I was gradually getting tired after running at full speed.
Finally, when I reached the intersection.
I waited for the signal, breathing heavily with a completely stiff expression.
There weren’t many cars at Seongdong’s intersection.
I could have jaywalked at any time if I wanted to.
But I obediently waited for the signal, and felt someone slip by next to me.
I, who had been mindlessly breathing heavily, belatedly realized this fact.
At the same time, I heard the screeching sound of a truck coming to a sudden stop.
Boom!
With a loud noise, the blood-covered man’s body was hit by the truck and began to fly through the air.
The scene unfolded before my eyes in very slow motion.
The man flailed desperately in the air, trying to grab onto something.
But there was nothing to grab.
The man turned his head towards me with a surprised expression.
It was amazing.
To make eye contact with someone flying through the air after being hit by a truck.
After our eyes met, I could read various emotions in the man’s eyes, which I had thought were merely surprised.
What has happened to me?
Did I really get hit by a truck?
Why at a time like this?
Why did this happen to me?
I need to live.
I have so much to resolve if I live.
And that was the end.
Time, which had slowed down for a moment, began to flow at its original speed again.
The man’s body crashed into the ground and slid straight into a street tree with a loud noise.
I belatedly came to my senses and ran to save the man, but I instinctively felt it.
That the man’s life had already ended.
The man’s identity was Hwang In-seop’s father.
The person who had led Jung Bo-ra’s father to his death.
Thus, the seeds of discord were sown in Seongdong.
* * *
The re-shooting progressed smoothly.
Despite having to reshoot all of Shin Han-jae’s high school student scenes, which meant a lot of footage, we managed to cover half of Episode 1 not too late.
Fortunately, it was possible thanks to the well-coordinated schedules of the other actors.
At this rate, it seemed we could finish the re-shooting soon and air
Director Kang Han-sung seemed to think the same, talking to writer Jung Su-min with a bright expression.
“As expected, our eyes weren’t wrong. Actor Lee Si-joon has prepared for the role perfectly. At this rate, we’ll have a stockpile of footage before Episode 1 airs.”
Because Director Kang Han-sung was showing a positive response.
The already good atmosphere on set naturally improved even more.
The actors performing together and the staff creating the work all didn’t hold back on their praise.
After each scene, merciless compliments came flooding in, to the point where I thought I might be trapped in a ‘praise prison’ and never get out.
It was like a life sentence.
“Actor Lee Si-joon! You’re really the best!”
“To think you’d nail the role of high school student Shin Han-jae so perfectly!”
“So this is what the character of high school student Shin Han-jae was supposed to be like!”
“I thought you were only good at heavy acting, but you bring out the comedy scenes well too! I’m dying trying not to laugh!”
“But it doesn’t feel too light either! It’s perfect! I can’t wait to see the edited version!”
“A handsome person who’s good at acting too! Truly born to be an actor!”
I bowed my head with an ambiguous smile to maintain humility.
At the same time, I didn’t miss the impressive analysis of the high school student Shin Han-jae role contained in the praise.
As mentioned earlier, the role of Shin Han-jae’s high school student shouldn’t just exude a serious atmosphere like Hwang In-seop’s high school student role.
And the role of Shin Han-jae’s high school student was the most crucial contributor to this atmosphere in
Especially until Episode 3, I had to bring out most of these characteristics of the drama.
‘So I shouldn’t just act by taking the incidents seriously.’
Just as the seemingly bright high school student Shin Han-jae in Episode 1, Scene 1 experiences an emotional change when encountering a major event like a traffic accident.
Even within a single scene, I needed to be able to express various emotions like crying, laughing, getting angry, and laughing again.
An Myung-hyun’s failure to properly portray the role of high school student Shin Han-jae was due to the difficulty of this acting.
‘Writer Jung Su-min has made the script development very fast to match recent trends. So the emotional changes of high school student Shin Han-jae are quite rapid.’
I also had no choice but to struggle to master all the emotional changes.
The difficulty was so high that it wouldn’t be strange to call it the ‘real protagonist’ of any decent work.
But fortunately, the reaction on set was hot, and thanks to that, I could catch my breath.
‘Still, I shouldn’t be arrogant. Let’s keep practicing to perfectly handle the remaining shoots.’
It was while I was making this resolution.
Someone approached me as I was resting alone before the last shoot of the day.
When I turned my head, it was Yang I-deum’s manager, whom I had greeted in passing before.
“Actor Lee Si-joon. If it’s not interrupting your rest, could we have a brief chat?”
“Of course. What’s the matter? Is it about I-deum?”
“No, it’s not that. Rather, I heard that you haven’t decided on an agency yet.”
It seemed to be true that Yang I-deum’s agency was interested in recruiting me.
This was the first time Yang I-deum’s agency had made a direct approach.
But I chatted with Yang I-deum’s manager without being flustered.
“Ah. You seem to have heard through I-deum. That’s right. I don’t have an agency yet.”
In fact, it would have been strange if I couldn’t answer calmly.
I had been talking about agencies with other managers all day.
Every time I took a short break after finishing a scene, managers from various agencies would approach one by one, breaking through the wave of compliments.
Then, saying they heard I hadn’t found an agency yet, they would hand me their business cards and leave.
Fortunately, due to the many watching eyes, there were no cases of burdensome approaches.
The same was true for Yang I-deum’s manager.
“The re-shooting is still in full swing, so you don’t need to feel too burdened. I just want to have a light conversation about agency matters later. Here’s my business card.”
I smiled as I accepted Yang I-deum’s manager’s business card.
“Thank you for the card. As you said, I’ll contact you right away after the re-shooting is over.”
Among the agencies that approached today, there were quite a few well-known ones.
Even Yang I-deum’s agency was doing well in the industry recently.
‘But…’
I didn’t bother to receive the terms from these agencies.
If I had acted more actively, I could have easily gotten their terms, but it was too early.
There was room for my value to increase a bit more depending on
‘My acting doesn’t necessarily… receive positive evaluations from viewers.’
But if there was even a slight possibility, it wasn’t too late to receive terms after
Even if my acting received bad reviews, the conditions would inevitably be better than now.
‘Anyway, getting the role of high school student Shin Han-jae without an agency will be an important career milestone.’
Seo Myung-hee also advised me to decide on an agency after
‘Above all, now is the time to focus on acting in
So I exchanged a few more casual words with Yang I-deum’s manager.
It was a conversation on ordinary topics, completely unrelated to contracts.
A moment later.
“Then I’ll be waiting for your call.”
Thinking this was enough, Yang I-deum’s manager left to return to his place.
Only then did I catch my breath and think about acting in today’s last scene.
Simultaneously, the content I had practiced in advance flashed through my mind.
But the thoughts didn’t continue for long.
“What’s this?”
“Oh my. How shameless.”
“Why is that person here?”
“Did they mix up their schedule?”
I turned my head as I heard the staff murmuring.
Surprisingly, An Myung-hyun’s manager was standing there.
Step, step.
“Hello, actor.”
“Ah… Yes. It’s been a while.”
“I came trying to match the timing, but it seems there’s still shooting left.”
“Episode 1, Scene 24. Just one scene left.”
“I see… I shouldn’t disturb your rest for too long, so I’ll get straight to the point.”
“Yes?”
“Could you spare me some time after you finish today’s schedule? I humbly and earnestly request this.”