I really need a break to compose myself. Image is everything.
Thankfully this fiasco has ended the morning session of filming and we head back to the hotel to have our stylists and makeup artists do their magic change.
I wonder what the production crew has in store for us next. Laying on the couch browsing articles about the announcement of Kim Tae noona and I being a couple on WGM.
Scrolling through the comments I can't help but chuckle at some responses
Dylanator101: Is Kim Tae unnie serious? His 20! She is 10 years older! can be his mom!
RoRo: A HOT mom!!
Ye-jin'sLove: Dylan is officially the countries greatest THIEF!
Dambi: This is like a reverse of Jung Don \u0026 Kim yeon. But with both of them being having drop dead visuals.
DylanIsLife: The nations' visual couple is born!
There are still a few other comments which I care not to mention.
Some are about my 'scandal' with Moon Won and there are also some fans who are unhappy about the noona-romance.
Overall impressions are generally positive however, if I had to estimate, I'd say about 80% are good. 10 % are neutral, 5% are negative and another 5% can probably be classified as hate speech.
"Dylan, you ready?" Yuri-noona asks
"Yes ma'am" I respond springing into an upright position.
I am then lead to a garden space where I meet up with Tae and about 5 other crew members setting up camera angles and deciding scenarios, "semi-scripted" they say.
Turning to her, I see she's changed into a much more casual look. An Ethnic white blouse, paired with linen shorts, and neat sneakers make her appear comfortable and romantic. Her hairstylist is fixing her hair in place so I really can't think of what to say so I just stand next to them and take in our surroundings.
This place is really beautiful, clear skies, beaming sun and luscious green grass fields with accents of color fill my view all round.
I think I can finally understand why Hyo would move with her husband to JeJu. It's really Asia's Hawaii.
Thinking of Hyo, I remember that she recently asked if I wanted to feature on one of her songs for her new album, while I told her I'd get back to her, being here now has made my mind up.
I have a certain song in mind. I'd probably have to buy the copyright for it. I wonder if his even thought of it yet, even if he hasn't I have a way to compensate him.
Feeling something, no rather someone poking my cheek. I turn to the source and raise my eyebrows before asking "Uhm need anything? Tae-ah"
"No, but you had a serious look about you right then. What's on your mind? " she asks as the staff begins prepping for the shoot to come.
"A song" I answer
"What song?" she asks
"A new one"
"What's it called"
"You'll have to ask Hyo" I say tongue in cheek
"Who? Lee Hyo?"
I nod my head and she puts on a contemplating expression before commenting further
"I didn't know Hyo had any new songs out"
"She doesn't" I say
"Then what are we talking about?" she rolls her eyes
"I'm giving her a song"
"You write music??" she asks interested
'I don't but my name will be on it, so does that count' I think internally
Thankfully before I have to give an answer, the director signals for us to get moving.
"Yes sir!" I shout proceeding to then lead the way to the barbecue area. It's quite easy to tell where I'm suppose to head, I mean there's like 6 camera men.
Entering the barbecue venue by the luxury tent dining area I'm reminded of a modern cabin aesthetic. Wooden furnishings and exposed beams give the place a homey yet affluent way. The dining area especially is really romantic, especially with the view facing the beach and the skyline. At night it must feel like the stars are shining only for you. Whoever chose the location really did there homework.
Engaging in small talk with Tae-ah, we are interrupted by the appearance of the infamous red challenge envelope (the mechanism which the staff and coordinators use to force development).
Taking the envelope, I open it and read out loud for both Tae and the viewers at homes pleasure.
"Ahem!" I clear my throat as I begin reading out loud, "'They say the best way to learn about someone is through their stomach' With the ingredients prepared, cook a romantic dinner for two"
'A cooking challenge huh' I was wondering what Pd-nim had in store for us.
"Noona, how good are you at cooking?" I ask
"I've been told by Jung, that I'm pretty good" She replies confidently
"Jung?"
Nodding her head. she elaborates "Lee Jung. The actress, we are pretty much attached at the hip these days."
Thinking about an age old idiom, I can't help but comment, "Beautiful girls really do huddle together."
Hora is the same, even back at school I remember all her friends were blessed in the looks department.
Tae smiles at my compliment, lightly pushing me before explaining, " I fell in love with Italian food when Jung and I went to Rome, for a holiday in December. I can quite honestly say I have never been so enchanted by another city in my life."
"So you like to travel?" I ask, as we head to the ingredient table sizing up what there is exactly
"It's certainly something I enjoy." She smiles as she makes her way over to me, and picks up a plump red tomato playing with it in between her hands ,
"Last summer for example, we went to Madrid, and one day I was just walking around and I got lost.
My cellphone was dead, I couldn't speak the language. I had no idea where the hotel was and I was worried."
"Okay" I say, not to interrupt her but just to show that I'm listening.
"Eventually I just wondered into this plaza and I sat by this fountain, and I just breathed"
She motions with her whole body telling the story visually, "And I realized that I had been so focused on where I was going and getting back"
She laughs more in self-satisfaction than anything else , " I hadn't even realized where I was" Her voice trailing off in the end, " I hadn't noticed anything, so I started to."
She takes a deep breath as her eyes sparkle, reminiscing about the time, I'm silent taking in every word, her voice like a lullaby makes me calm yet feel a sense of wonder. I picture the scene of her playing out in front of my eyes, "So I started to notice the ... personality" She says with a wide smile on her face, "Personality of the architecture, and the.."
She crinkles her nose cutely trying to think of how to word her experience, "the way people would just greet each other on the streets"
She chuckles slightly ," Even the sky looked uh-uh D-different over there" She looks me sincerely in the eyes " And it was as if I was letting go of something but also finally in the world" She pauses, not sure if it's for dramatic effect, or because of how deep that moment was for her.
"Eventually I found my way back but those few hours. Those were the best. That was the best part of my trip" While she speaks she's been inching closer and closer to me
"Hah" I reflexively exclaim after her long exposition
"What?" She tilts her head at my expression, "Wow, that was so stupid.. That was weird I get it"
She says trying to backtrack. Her flustered expression is really cute
"No no no , that was not" I interrupt her mid panic "It wasn't stupid. I just.... I was just listening to you. Listening to you speak and" I take a gulp,"I want to go with you"
She bites her bottom lip, as I stare into her doe-like eyes, she struggles to get a word out as she just says one word "okay"
Standing there facing each other we just look at each other as if time has stood still. The entire world disappearing from our sight.
Letting the moment almost get the best of me, I was nearly about to lean in and do something regretful.
I catch myself in time and compose myself remembering that there is 19 camera's pointed at us right now
Breaking the tension, I throw out a suggestion, "How about we have a little competition?"
"A competition?"
"Yeah, let's test who has the better cooking skills. We each make a dish that we are proud at and have that couple crew decide who wins. Winner gets a wish"
"Are you sure you want to take the risk?" She teases, "What if I ask you to do something really embarrassing?" Her eyes flutter in excitement
"Oh quite confident aren't you, Noona. But unfortunately, I'm quite confident of my skills too" I reply as I roll up sleeves and start preparing the ingredients for my dish.