Chapter 151: A Rural Celebration

“Oh my…”

The staff member sucked in a breath, startled.

It was a busy site, and the tent was tied to the back, so it wasn’t immediately noticeable.

Though covered in moss and worn in places, it was clearly a gravestone.

“Who tied this up?!”

“Uh, the new crew… who was it again?”

“Are you crazy? Setting up a tent over a grave?”

“What an idiot!”

“Ah, never mind. What’s done is done.”

A staff member huffed and gathered people around. The director and other crew members peeked out to inspect the gravestone.

“Is this really a gravestone?”

To Director Woo Chang-min, it just looked like… a rock.

Muyoung squatted down and wiped the dust off with his hands. The characters were mostly worn away, so it was hard to make out what was written.

“What is it? Ho, Hoseoksoon?”

As he grunted and frowned, the old ghost muttered and recited something.

“Ah… it’s the tombstone of a man named Im Seok-soon. A long time ago, during the Japanese colonial period about a hundred years ago, he fled forced labor and came here to start a family, which became the beginning of the village. This is the first tombstone erected, and from here, the communal cemetery extends all the way back there.”

Muyoung relayed the old ghost’s words.

The communal cemetery was a family graveyard. When you think about it, all the countless ghosts were neighbors, cousins, family, and the owner of the tent site was their elder.

“Muyoung reads Hanja well.”

“He’s from Seoyeon University, brother.”

“But how did he interpret that? Wow, that’s amazing.”

The gathered staff members looked at Muyoung in awe. He seemed a bit dim-witted, but maybe he really was a good student.

Muyoung, feeling it was odd to deny the praise, simply stayed silent. It would be funny to insist otherwise when they were complimenting him, right?

“Anyway, we need to move the tent quickly and hold a memorial service. If we don’t, something terrible will happen.”

For now, the ghosts were only disrupting the shoot, but as the smog thickened, who knew what kind of accident might occur.

“Yeah, yeah. We have to do it. Messing with this kind of thing is dangerous.”

“Director Woo Chang-min, let’s halt the shoot for today and hold the service first. We’ll need to call someone to appease the spirit.”

The seasoned staff members readily agreed. Honestly, even if it wasn’t for the shoot, in a situation like this, you’d have to apologize profusely and hold a memorial service.

But Director Woo Chang-min’s expression was a bit uneasy.

“Do we really need to halt the shoot? Can’t we just bring some liquor and offerings and do it?”

The idea of a memorial service itself felt awkward and unsettling to him.

Tying ropes to the gravestone was wrong, but he never thought it would be related to the chaotic shoot.

“We brought in all the CG equipment today. It’s a bit much to pack up now. What will the production company say? ‘Sorry, we have to cancel today because we need to hold a memorial service?’”

If they had seen the angry expressions on their faces, they wouldn’t say that. Muyoung thought for a moment and offered a compromise.

“We probably don’t need to call someone.”

I’ll do it myself. Honestly, I’m more effective than any shaman.

“Instead, let’s prepare a grand memorial and eat together. I’ll treat everyone. That’s okay, right? We were planning to take turns going into town to eat during the shoot anyway.”

Both the dead and the living need to eat.

Let’s just do it all at once.

“If the director feels uncomfortable, just think of it as a first-day celebration.”

“Well, if that’s the case…”

“Assistant Director, you’ve held many memorial services, right?”

“Huh? Yeah, I’ve been in the film industry for a long time.”

“I’ll help. Gyeongmin, help us too!”

Ko Gyeongmin, who had been standing far away, looking nervous, awkwardly raised his hand at Muyoung’s call. Muyoung drew a small square with his fingers and asked,

“Do you have my card? Go into town and buy some food. Lots of good stuff, and mainly things without chili and garlic. And plenty of alcohol…”

He then looked around, seemingly counting the number of people. To others, it might have looked like he was counting the staff, but not at all. He was counting the ghostly elders here.

“Three bottles of soju should be enough.”

“So Muyoung’s treating today?”

“Yes! The atmosphere is a bit chaotic anyway, so let’s eat, rest, and then continue. Shall we move the tent first?”

“Let’s do it!”

At Muyoung’s words, the staff members all gathered to move the equipment and dismantle the tent. Only Director Woo Chang-min shrugged his shoulders.

Squeak-

“Careful over there~”

“This is heavier than I thought.”

“One, two, three!”

They removed the metal poles and completely cleared the area, revealing the site.

A slight mound covered in short weeds.

“How did we not notice this…”

Muyoung sighed in exasperation, placed his hands on the ground, and looked up at the old ghost with a genuinely apologetic expression.

‘It wasn’t intentional. Please forgive us.’

He could feel their hostility gradually melting away. In fact, from the moment they started removing the tent poles, the old ghost’s expression had softened.

“Then, for the tent…”

“That spot over there looks good.”

“Right? The back is all a communal cemetery.”

“But it’ll be a bit scary at night, with all the graves around.”

“If you’re tired, you won’t even think about it. Let’s go over there!”

“Everyone, move your own belongings!”

The staff members moved to the spot Muyoung pointed out.

They cleared away stones and pieces of wood, smoothing the ground, and began setting up the tent again.

Meanwhile, the sun was setting, and just before the darkness fully descended, the food arrived.

Honk- Honk!

“Oh, the delivery’s here.”

“Why so late?”

“There weren’t many options without garlic and chili, but the locals were very helpful once they heard the situation.”

The trunk and backseat of the van were filled with meat, alcohol, and fruit. The staff members laid out a mat in front of the gravestone and set up the memorial table.

Then, the ghosts, who had been lurking around, blankly staring, started to gather, awkwardly forming a line. Oh my, the elders must have been very hungry.

“Hahaha.”

“Huh? What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, the situation is just amusing.”

Actually, the ghosts were so cute that he burst out laughing, but Muyoung brushed it off and helped with the preparations.

“Yeah, this is something. Later, go on a variety show and tell this story.”

The assistant director, about to light a cigarette, placed it among the food instead.

It was fortunate that there was someone to lead the memorial instead of Director Woo Chang-min. With his age and experience…

For Muyoung, it was a relief.

“Alright, let’s begin.”

“Yes. Assistant Director, please go first?”

“I’ll join too.”

Muyoung took off his shoes and stood beside the assistant director. The ghosts huddled together, squatting and looking up at them.

‘Ah, they’ve calmed down. Thank you.’

Everyone’s expressions had brightened considerably. It was as if they were curious yet delighted guests in a quiet rural village.

The smog was also gradually thinning and disappearing.

“Elders! This is our production, ‘The Only Landlord.’ The construction must have been noisy, and we unintentionally caused trouble, so we’re truly sorry. Please accept this simple offering of meat and alcohol.”

As the assistant director bowed deeply, Muyoung also prostrated himself beside him.

Thus, the simple memorial began, led smoothly by the older staff members on set.

“Alright, let’s eat some meat soon.”

“Is that boiled pork? The meat looks so thick.”

“Muyoung, sorry, it’s beef.”

“What?!”

“That’s how it turned out…”

At Ko Gyeongmin’s words, Muyoung jokingly replied.

Whether it’s pork or beef, what’s the difference?

The ghostly elders seemed to be savoring the sweetness after so long.

Soon, people also filled their paper cups and disposable plates with food to satisfy their hunger.

“Have some of this too.”

“Junior, you eat it.”

“Ah, thank you.”

“And just one drink—”

“No, Director! You can’t drink, or you’ll shake the camera.”

“Muyoung, I’ll eat well. Oh, I’m dizzy.”

“Yum~ The meat is really good.”

They gathered in small groups, enjoying the food like a rural celebration. The sun was almost setting behind the mountains, and the brought-in lights were turned on.

“Can we start shooting now? With the meat and alcohol offered, things should be better, right?”

Director Woo Chang-min scoffed inwardly at their superstition as he chewed on the meat. But Muyoung replied firmly,

“Of course. There won’t be any incidents now.”

“…Alright. Then let’s shoot indoors. It’s too dark outside now.”

The protagonist’s house set was on the top floor of the building. Muyoung wiped his mouth and nodded. It was a place surrounded by mountains, with not a single streetlight around.

“Then the second team and the special effects team can head down and rest. We’ll shoot the Knox scene again tomorrow morning.”

“Yes, understood. Take care.”

“First team, gather your equipment and head to the fifth floor!”

“Take your time eating. I’ll just go fix my makeup.”

The unnecessary staff members left early, and only a few continued with the shoot.

Food scattered on the mat. The youngest staff member asked a senior,

“What should we do with this?”

“Leave it. We’ll clean it up slowly later.”

“Hey! Over here!”

“Yes! Coming!”

The ghosts were still too busy enjoying the alcohol and meat to notice.

After fixing his makeup, Muyoung entered the building.

The first and second floors looked like a real villa, but the third and fourth floors had exposed concrete and steel.

Click-

“Wow.”

On the top floor, the protagonist’s home was perfectly recreated. From the sofa and carpet to the smallest props.

“I could live here!”

“You can’t. There’s no water.”

“Right. And you’d freeze to death at night.”

Everyone was in high spirits as they prepared for the shoot. Muyoung sat on the cold floor, checking the script.

It was a scene where the protagonist briefly wakes up before the world ends, sensing something strange. But since this building was a fortress, he falls back asleep without issue.

“Can I have a blanket? My butt is freezing.”

“Sit on the sofa. The sofa.”

“Director! There’s no space for the camera back here.”

“The door comes off. Just remove it and push it back.”

“Ah, got it.”

It was the first day of shooting under a full moon.

While they were inside the building, they had no idea.

Boom- Thud!

Grrr…

A pack of wild boars from the mountains, drawn by the scent of food, had come down to the village.

Hiss- Hiss-

And the ghostly elders, like chasing away a stray dog, drove the beasts away. Stay away from here, they said, the people from the broadcasting station are busy working, so scram.

“Rolling.”

“Yes, ready.”

“And… Action!”

Muyoung, wrapped in a blanket and trying to sleep, suddenly perked up at the sound of the beasts. He sniffled and looked out the window, but all he saw were the ghostly elders waving.

They’re still eating.

They must be savoring every last drop of the meat’s grease.

“What was that…”

He naturally blinked and lay back down. And, bathed in the moonlight, he drifted into a dream.

“Yes. Cut. Good. Let’s move to the next angle.”

The first shoot continued into the early morning.

Director Woo Chang-min realized only much later,

That after holding the memorial that day, not a single minor incident occurred on set.

Strangely, it was as if someone was watching over them, and even potential problems were resolved smoothly.