Chapter 115

Chapter 115

"Where on earth did such an actor come from?"

Park Jinmo marveled as he watched Jinseok's acting from the corner of the alley.

Whatever it may be, there's always a limit' to everything. No matter how perfectly an actor immerses themselves in a role, there is a certain awkwardness inherent in their performance due to the habits they've developed throughout their life.

For instance, the actor's pronunciation or actions might reveal a familiarity with their previous roles.

However, in Jinseok's acting right now, there was not a hint of awkwardness.

It felt as if he had extracted from the script the scenario of a perfect con artist, thrown off balance by the deviation of his plan, accidentally confessing' and brought it to life.

Such admiration wasn't limited to Park Jinmo alone.

"Hehe"

A small laugh escaped from Yeo Jaeyoon's lips. During the shoot, Yeo Jae-yoon had been strict and somewhat cantankerous, but Jinseok's acting undeniably caused the muscles in his face to loosen.

"During the first audition, he couldn't find the direction, and now."Folloow current novÊls on nov/3lb((in).(co/m)

On the screen capturing Jinseok's face were dilated pupils expressing bewilderment, cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and a lower lip uncertain of how to deal with shyness.

And, in an awkward yet harmonious manner, the fingertips directed towards a flustered Lee Hyemin were captured, completing the ensemble.

"Surely, there's something different about actor Kang Jinseok's performance. It's something that can't be explained simply by excellent script analysis."

At that moment, Jinseok's face, which had been facing the floor, subtly turned towards the camera. Following his gaze, the camera slowly shifted to a frontal view.

It was a first-person perspective aligned with his eye level.

As scripted, the face of Lee Hyemin, blushing and displaying signs of embarrassment, entered the frame. However, for some reason, there was a feeling slightly different from those emotions.

"Is this a sense of being moved?"

More precisely, it was an expression that seemed to be inspired by something rather than just being moved.

"My intention was a bit different."

Since there was no intention to cut slack just because she was his daughter, if the acting had been subpar, Yeo Jaeyoon would have called for retakes without hesitation.

However, the current feeling wasn't bad, so he decided to let it pass.

Just insisting on reshooting might have been a huge setback if Jinseok's acting wavered.

Lee Hyemin wrote a note with trembling hands and showed it to Jinseok.

"Is it true?"

"Re-really? Of course!"

It was an unexpected note, and Jinseok's eyes widened in surprise.

That too was brief; Jinseok somehow managed to speak in a nonchalant tone, but he still trembled visibly, unable to conceal his hesitation.

"Uh, well we um, food!"

"Foo-food? Shall we eat? There's a delicious pig's trotters place nearby, and a pork bone soup place also a fried chicken place."

"Or there's bossam"

The menus suggested by the man who had just confessed weren't exactly suitable for a date. That's why Lee Hyemin found it even more endearing.

Jinseok, or rather, the man who had just confessed, was making his embarrassment even more apparent.

The two of them, caught on screen, looked incredibly awkward. Lee Hyemin shyly nodded her head.

The screen displayed a charming awkwardness, reminiscent of a couple attempting to take their first steps in a relationship.

"One, two, three."

Watching their interactions, Yeo Jaeyoon silently counted in his mind.

"Ah, cut!"

Yeo Jaeyoon tossed aside the headset connected to the microphone and let out a hearty laugh.

"Wow, this is no joke."

"But I feel embarrassed just watching."

"Amazing. What's the title of this movie?"

"Hey! When is this movie coming out?!"

"I forgot to breathe. This is real acting."

Whether it was the trigger for the applause or the citizens who were watching the shoot, they all collectively marveled. Among them were, of course, students from Seoguk University.

"You have to do that to make a movie."

"But the two of them in a two-shot, they really match well."

"Jinseok is filming a romantic comedy this time, right?"

"Not exactly a romantic comedy. But well, that's close enough."

"I see. So, are they going to hold hands and act all lovey-dovey?"

"Probably. These days, that's a trend."

"Hmm. That's the trend of trends. But what is the trend, exactly?"

Normally, those who would scold each other without hesitation were strangely in sync during moments like these.

It was a conversation very familiar to Jinseok. In response, he raised his head with a somewhat embarrassed smile, as if saying he couldn't help it.

However, for Lee Hyemin, the somewhat heated conversation seemed a bit unfamiliar, and her face flushed. The men found her reaction cute and burst into laughter.

"You said Hyemin, right? Nice to meet you, Hyemin."

At that moment, Kwak Dupal, the team leader, nodded slightly and greeted her. Startled by his unexpected greeting, Lee Hyemin quickly blinked her large eyes.

Then, with her long hair falling to her waist, she gracefully bowed to Kwak Dupal.

***

"At Pizza King, they want to use Kang Jinseok as their exclusive model."

In the conference room of the advertising agency "Dolphin Excursion."

Like a calm pond disturbed by a thrown stone, the tranquil atmosphere was disrupted by the team leader's casual remark.

"If it's Pizza King KL Entertainment's Kwon Seokhoon, right? KL Entertainment must be aware that the contract is likely to be extended."

"Besides, Pizza King should know that KL Entertainment doesn't like Kang Jinseok. Why would they want to use him?"

"It's going to be noisy again."

"Actor Kwon Seokhoon didn't react badly either. Why would they want to change?"

In response to the team members' questions and reactions, the team leader placed documents on the table and spoke.

"The person in charge said they want to change Pizza King's image, and Kang Jinseok is quite popular these days, right? His recent work with Director Yeo Jaeyoon? Even though the movie won't be released for a while, there are photos popping up on social media and news portals. You know, right?"

"That's true."

"And if the movie becomes a hit after it's released, his appearance fee will go up. They might be trying to secure him in advance."

"What if the movie flops?"

Still, even if it's a contract with a rookie guarantee, it wouldn't be bad. Besides, Kwon Seokhoon doesn't really have much activity going on, right?"

As the team leader explained in a weary voice, the team members nodded in agreement.

Looking at his team members, the team leader added one more thing.

"And this upcoming project is expected to hit at least a mid-range. I have a friend in the film industry, and it seems like other directors are all trying to delay the release dates for their films."

"Why?"

"They think they'll lose all the audience if they release around the same time. I don't know the details, but it seems like rumors are already spreading over there. This next project is no joke."

Surprised by the team leader's words, the team members nodded, saying, "If it's the combination of Director Yeo Jaeyoon and Kang Jinseok, it's sure to be at least a mid-range hit."

Sipping on his lukewarm coffee, the team leader continued.

"But there's a problem. The advertiser wants to grab Kang Jinseok specifically for the model, so we have to adjust to that. But suddenly rejecting Kwon Seokhoon seems like KL Entertainment would catch on."

"Oh that's true. That director really has a dirty personality."

"That's right. Also, besides our Pizza King project, there are a few more ad shoots lined up with KL Entertainment actors. We need to extend contracts for some of them. If our relationship sours because of this, it's really going to be a headache. Do you understand what I mean?"

The team members nodded in understanding. Although the advertising agency and the entertainment planning agency weren't in a direct hierarchical relationship, they often collided with each other, so maintaining a good relationship was preferable.

After a moment of silence, one of the employees asked the team leader.

"But, Team Leader, isn't KL Entertainment a bunch of money-crazed people? They won't care much, right? They'll do anything that makes money."

"Well, that's true, but when you actually go to the shooting site, they can be quite picky. This one has too much exposure, so it's a no-go. This one doesn't match the image, so it's a no-go. This one doesn't align with the planning and feels different, so it's a no-go.' They'll go on about that kind of stuff."

"Ah"

The team member nodded, seeming to understand.

It was a challenging situation where the desired actor for the advertiser could potentially have a negative impact on another advertisement.

The conference room fell silent in the face of the difficult circumstances.

"Now, let's tell KL Entertainment that Kwon Seokhoon is done as a model, and we need to successfully wrap up this project."

In that atmosphere, the team leader threw another question into the mix.

"Anyone confident?"