Chapter 13: On location
March, when a new semester begins at university.
One in four of them is a freshman, so how exciting must the atmosphere be? The dormitory was also chaotic with the residents’ hustle and bustle.
Click.
“Bonggun. Hi.”
“You’re the first one here again, as always. Choi Hwan.”
Kim Bonggun entered the dormitory, dragging a black bag. It was a collection of daily necessities that had been left in the small theater’s storage room.
Since Bonggun’s home is in the countryside, he spends his vacations moving between small theaters and his friends’ boarding houses.
Choi Hwan smiled as he organized his books.
“No, the youngest one was the first to arrive.”
“The youngest? Oh, the oldest brother graduated, right?”
“Yeah. He’s a freshman.”
“Wow. So fresh.”
Park Munseong, Choi Hwan, Kim Bonggun. And even the graduated mate.
They had been using the same room for almost two years. Once assigned, Seoyeon University’s dormitory doesn’t change unless there’s a problem.
Some complained that the dormitory student council wasn’t doing anything, but it was a system that most people were satisfied with. If you get along well, life can be really fun.
“Is this your last semester too?”
Bonggun asked as he roughly unpacked his bag.
Not only him, but Choi Hwan and Park Munseong were also about to graduate. Everyone would leave, except for the youngest. Well, if he’s a weirdo, he’ll leave before that.
“Yeah. I applied for an internship at the end of the semester. So I probably won’t be here much.”
Choi Hwan replied and handed over a bag of snacks.
Why snacks in the morning? He looked puzzled, but he didn’t refuse.
“The youngest left this.”
“He left? Where?”
“I don’t know. When I came in, there was only a letter and some snacks on the bed.”
At his words, Bonggun also reached out to the bunk bed.
He felt something rustling.
[Hello. I’m Ha Muyoung, a freshman. Nice to meet you. But I won’t be able to come in this week because of work. It coincides with the curfew time. So I’ll give my formal greetings next week. See you! ( ? )/]
“Cute, right?”
“He really feels like a freshman.”
Bonggun faintly smiled and tore open the bag.
He was already low on sugar, so this was perfect. As he mechanically munched on the snacks, Choi Hwan asked,
“Are you writing well?”
“……Yeah. I’m writing so well that I’m happy to death.”
“You’ve got a long way of saying it won’t work.”
Crunch, crunch. Bonggun sat in a chair and zoned out. Along with the start of the semester, the submission period for the Daehan University Literature Award, a competition only open to university students, was fast approaching. Since he was about to graduate, this was his last chance.
“This time, I’ll really put my soul into it.”
“Greedy bastard. You’ve won a lot of other awards, that’s enough.”
“It’s a rookie award. If you miss the timing, you can’t get it for life.”
He had already failed three times in the playwriting category. It wasn’t just about the prize money; the winning play would be immediately staged in collaboration with Samyoung Theater in Daehak-ro. It was the best plan to escape unemployment.
Bonggun leaned his head back on the chair and muttered,
“I wish the characters were a bit more intense.”
That’s not working out.
No matter how many times he revised it, he wasn’t satisfied. Choi Hwan wondered what to say to comfort him but decided to keep his mouth shut. As an outsider, he couldn’t understand that world. He just……
“Let’s go out for a drink when the youngest comes.”
“Okay. Before I graduate, I’ll burn it all down.”
“But what does that guy, a freshman, do for work? The vibe doesn’t feel like a part-time job, right?”
It was just a simple topic to lighten the mood. Bonggun only shrugged in response.
“Heh. I’m jealous. Getting a job right after entering university.”
[S#26. Alley Pocha (Evening)]
Jungsu sat with a stiff expression. The boiling tteokbokki and odeng broth bubbled. Jungsu stared blankly at it. Outside, it grew darker, and the streetlights turned on.
Click.
Muyoung followed the director around, watching the screen. Enbin, or rather Jungsu, looked completely powerless. After his father died, all he inherited was a pocha. He had entrusted it to someone, but there were no customers in that scene.
“Okay. Cut.”
The director paused for a moment before giving the cut signal.
Only then did Enbin sniff and enjoy the rising smell of tteokbokki.
“Enbin, this time we’ll shoot one more take from a high angle (hyang).”
“Yes.”
“From the streetlight’s perspective.”
“Got it.”
As soon as the director finished speaking, the camera rose high up. Wow. Muyoung watched, unable to look away, like a primitive man seeing new technology.
‘The set is really beautiful.’
When the door opened, another world unfolded.
A small alley was created in a space of about 60 pyeong. Everything was meticulously designed for a cute, fairy-tale-like atmosphere.
For example, the posters and graffiti on the walls, the teddy bear abandoned under the streetlight, and the lights decorating the pocha.
‘Now I get why the team leader kept talking about PPL, PPL.’
It’s the power of money.
With the orange-tinted lighting, the video was truly warm and visually captivating.
Muyoung locked eyes with Enbin and gave him a thumbs up.
“Enbin’s doing great-!”
And when he shouted in a clear voice, the staff burst into faint laughter. It was a phrase that had echoed on set since morning.
“Aren’t you tired?”
“What did I even do?”
“You’ve been on standby since morning.”
“Exactly. I’m fine because I didn’t do anything.”
That’s actually the hardest part, Enbin wanted to say but stopped himself. Muyoung’s first scene was coming up. He had come in early like a fool when he could’ve arrived later.
“Hyung. Should I help clean up too?”
“Sure, go ahead. When we shoot from above, only the teddy bear’s head will be visible, so they said they’ll lay it down diagonally from the start.”
“Wow. That’s going to be so cute.”
And should we call that meddling or kindness? Throughout the scene, he not only cheered for Enbin but also helped the staff with small tasks.
“Muyoung, don’t do that. Let’s do your makeup.”
“Finally! Yay!”
“Yeah. I’ve waited a long time. Come this way.”
“Wow. Muyoung! Are you going to say some lines now?”
“Haha! Will your mouth start smelling sweet?”
Thanks to him, the atmosphere on set was at its peak.
Though he wasn’t the lead but a supporting actor, Muyoung’s cheerful presence was more significant than expected.
“Noona. Make me look more handsome than Enbin.”
“Are you kidding? Noona, lower his face tone.”
On top of that, he was effortlessly bantering with top idol Enbin, which naturally strengthened his bond with the staff.
“But why are those two so close? Are they originally friends?”
An employee from outside Square Film checked the script and tilted his head in confusion.
From what he heard, Muyoung was a complete rookie with no agency. Then the manager scribbled a note and replied,
“Maybe because they’re close in age. They seem to have a good connection. They practiced together whenever they had time. Is this Scene 34 in Episode 2 where they get wet? Should we prepare extra underwear?”
“No. A bra should be fine. Just prepare a couple, just in case. Does Enbin have free time too?”
“They say practice time isn’t something you find, it’s something you make.”
“He’s got good posture for a rookie. That’s how you last long.”
The manager only twitched his eyebrows and didn’t respond. It was probably something Muyoung had said.
Besides, there was no need to mention the deal they had made regarding the stalker.
The Square Film employees also kept quiet and let it go.
“Director, is it correct that Muyoung inhales in the pocha frame here? Should we keep the screen fixed?”
“Yes, that’s right. Keep it until he sits down.”
“What about the effect scene?”
“We’ll zoom in on Enbin’s face over Muyoung’s shoulder, with Muyoung out of focus. Then we’ll cut to the next scene.”
“Oh, I see. Got it.”
“Please prepare the ND filter (a lens filter that reduces brightness)!”
The director checked the time and hurried.
The footage he saw through the viewfinder was truly satisfying, and he couldn’t wait to move on to editing. When the preparations for the next scene were almost done……
“We’re ready.”
Muyoung appeared, wearing a school uniform.
His hair was slightly disheveled, and he had a pure smile. He had been a high school student until recently, and he still looked the part. Muyoung slowly walked in front of the pocha to check his movements.
‘It’s good.’
The director, the cinematographer, and the other staff members watching him all muttered in unison.
Some praised his natural gait and how he hit his marks, while others admired his side profile, which shone just as brightly as Enbin’s.
“Can Muyoung act?”
“Act?”
A staff member from another company asked.
He had heard the loud cheers since morning, but he hadn’t seen him practice acting. The team leader, who had participated in the audition, just smiled.
“You’ll see.”
Along with those brief words……
After finishing the final camera check, Muyoung stood at the edge of the set. The lights dimmed.
“Muyoung, are you ready?”
“Yes.”
Muyoung replied with a slight smile.
He then looked straight ahead and focused.
Emotions gradually boiled up. The hardships of the nameless ‘student customer’s’ day piled up one by one.
“Ready-!”
Muyoung swallowed and raised his head.
The fresh-faced boy from earlier was gone, replaced by a high school student steeped in the darkness of the alley. Even the staff and Enbin were instantly drawn in.
“Action-!”
[#27. Alley]
The student customer walks weakly. He walks slowly past the pocha but then turns back and looks at it.
This is the frame-in!
In the stationary shot, Muyoung walked past and then returned.
[#28. In front of the pocha]
The student customer, as if making a decision, lifts the curtain and enters.
“Hello. Are you open for business?”
Muyoung sat down as he delivered that line.
The angle, which had been shooting his back, slowly zoomed in, passing his shoulder to capture Enbin’s expression. At the same time, Muyoung went out of focus. This is where the sound effect will come in.
‘He was my first customer.’
Enbin’s voiceover of recollection.
Meanwhile, the staff watching were shocked. The tone changed in an instant. The Square Film employees who had seen him at the audition were also impressed again.
“Okay. Cut. We’ll continue right away.”
The angle shifted from the back to the side.
“What can I get you?”
“Whatever sells the best. Just this much. No tteokbokki or sundae. Something adults eat.”
“What do…… adults eat?”
“I’m not an adult, the adult owner would know.”
Enbin received the 5,000 won Muyoung handed him and awkwardly rubbed his forehead. Muyoung then sighed and rubbed his eyes.
“Sorry. I’m a bit tired today.”
“It’s okay. We’re all human. We have days like that.”
Enbin’s kind words. Muyoung bit his lip to hold back the tears welling up. But the moisture in his eyes kept rising, eventually rolling down his cheeks.
‘Wow.’
The people on set, who had been silently watching the two, or rather Muyoung’s acting, were amazed. Watching Muyoung made them feel a lump in their throats too.
Emotional delivery that evoked empathy in the viewers.
Muyoung wiped his tears with his hand and smiled.
“Okay-! Cut!”
Swoosh-!
The director clapped his hands loudly and shouted. Then, in an instant, the boy transformed from the student customer back into Muyoung.
During this scene, which was shot from various angles a total of five times in succession, Muyoung showed not a single flaw in his acting.
“That guy’s really good.”
“Yeah. But……”
“But what?”
“I don’t know. He’s really good, but there’s something a bit strange about it.”
As the staff tilted their heads in confusion……
Only the director, who had been watching the screen the whole time, knew the answer. Muyoung’s skills were so impressive that he couldn’t stop being amazed.
‘I’ve never seen anything like that before. What is that guy, really?’
It wasn’t during a reading, but on set, with another actor in front of the camera. Muyoung’s true talent had emerged.