11 - The Second is Proficient
Director Kim laughed coolly as if he had been waiting to be asked. But what he said next was simple.
“Hey, give me a soju here!”
Director Kim, who ordered alcohol saying he needed to wet his throat first, took a shot with a "Kheu-uh" sound.
“I finally found her.”
Found? What? Geon-ha and Seung-yeop exchanged ambiguous glances at the incomprehensible words. Director Kim, noticing their reaction, poured himself another shot of soju. He seemed ready to finish the whole bottle by himself.
“Kyaa, now the blood is flowing a bit. Geon-ha, there’s a role I really want you to take.”
Director Kim handed over the script, saying let's talk after looking at the synopsis and the role first.
‘Hide.’
The moment he saw the title, Geon-ha somehow predicted that he would like this work. With a slight smile on his lips, he opened the script.
Hide was a secret agent group of the nation for the security and safety of the city.
50 years later, the future.
With the emergence of the information and communication company Link, smart devices and IOT develop to the fullest extent. Not only domestically but also overseas, there was no place where Link's technology did not reach, and as a result, people moved according to Link's intentions.
People only saw what Link showed, only thought what they were made to think, and only believed what they were made to believe.
The world that people saw and heard was all under Link's jurisdiction.
Link's goal was to dominate and control, turning the whole world into their own utopia. They wanted to eliminate those who tried to escape Link's control, saying that many of them had rotten minds.
The seriousness of the situation was realized after one of Hide's agents was manipulated by Link, murdered an executive.
Hide gives Jin, a high-ranking agent, the mission to dig into Link's interior, take out the core chip inside the server, and destroy it.
“I want you to take on the role of Hide's top ranker, ‘Jin’.”
“What about the role of Link's representative?”
“Cheon Hae-il has agreed to do it.”
Teacher Cheon Hae-il, who wanted to be called an actor for the rest of his life, was famous for making the audience nervous with just one look, even if he only appeared for one minute.
In particular, in his recent work, he was praised for perfectly portraying the role of a sinister inner story that was not outwardly revealed.
With Teacher Cheon's charisma, he would play the villain like it was his calling. Geon-ha nodded as if to acknowledge Director Kim Seong-cheol's addition and continued reading the script.
Jin, who received a special mission, infiltrates Link and investigates the inside to extract the chip.
There was a research center in Link, which was outwardly advanced technology research, but if you went down to the unknown underground, there was a laboratory experimenting with the androidization of humans.
Human mechanization. It was possible because they were experimental subjects created as if they were raised from a very young age.
It was unrelated to the chip, but Jin wanted to help them with the anti-humanitarian experiment and requested support from headquarters. However, the situation at headquarters was not good due to a spy planted in Hide by Link.
Jin's identity is also exposed, and he is in a state of hiding. Jin, who was hesitating, risked the danger and helped the experimental subjects escape, but those who had no ego left committed suicide as soon as they left the laboratory.
Among them, only one, L17, suppresses his own actions to commit suicide and struggles to make eye contact with Jin.
“L17… Who’s playing this?”
It was not an easy role. Most of the time, they had to think and act inflexibly like a machine, and occasionally show a human-like gaze. A quiet yet intense atmosphere was needed.
“If I were greedy, I’d want to play this role myself…”
Geon-ha said that sincerely and stared at Director Kim Seong-cheol. He chuckled as if he knew he would say that.
“Who would cast Geon-ha as a supporting role?”
Besides, it was a role that was created as if raised from a young age, so they had to be small and thin. Not to mention dieting, Geon-ha was disqualified from the start with his large height and frame of 186cm.
But the role of L17 was so intense. It was also acting that any actor would want to try at least once. He, who was thinking about how he would act if he were him, suddenly asked.
“The actor you said you found earlier, is that by any chance the actor for this role?”
“Kheu-uh! I found her. I found her!”
Director Kim slapped his knee with a thud, poured soju into his beer glass, and immediately brought it to his mouth.
“Who is it?”
Director Kim Seong-cheol, who was rumored to be picky about acting direction, was so happy. Geon-ha was also looking forward to meeting a talented actor.
“I happened to be doing a web drama this time.”
Director Kim opened his mouth in a hoarse voice. His face was already red to the point of bursting.
“Stories of fresh youths are good too.”
He was the type of person who shortened his words when he was drunk. Anyway, he was much older than him, so he would rather he spoke informally. Usually, Director Kim was the type of person who wouldn't let go of honorifics even if he told him to. But he changed when he drank.
“I was watching auditions for lead roles. Kheu-uh, really.”
Everyone there was so engrossed in it as if they were watching a one-person play, and they praised her endlessly.
“Her eyes are exactly L17. It has to be her.”
“Is she that good? Who is it?”
“You probably don’t know her since she’s a rookie.”
“So who is it!”
Seung-yeop, who seemed frustrated, took a shot of soju and sighed deeply. Geon-ha also waited quietly while staring intently at Director Kim's mouth.
“Im Se-ah, is who it is.”
He frowned at the unexpected name and looked down at the script.
- L17 (19 years old, male)
The setting was clearly written on the first page. So he never expected her name to come up.
“Gender doesn’t matter, whether it’s male or female.”
Director Kim smiled contentedly, saying that the setting could be changed. He picked up some snacks with a good feeling, then noticed Geon-ha's expression, which was so stiff that it seemed a bit cold.
“Why? Do you know that actor? Don’t you like her?”
He hesitated, wetting his lips, then sighed.
Im Se-ah. He thought she would be able to play this role wonderfully. Although he didn't like her first impression.
“No. I’ll do this work.”
He was curious. About her acting. Madly.
***
The day of Dan's music video shoot.
As always, the set was always busy. Se-ah, who had finished all the preparations, greeted Director Park and came to check the filming location.
It was an outdoor set with a concentration of European-style buildings. The first shoot took place inside. It was the room of ‘Ji-hee,’ who is blind. Dan also gave the main character of the music video a name.
“There’s not much furniture and the structure is simple.”
She looked around the space while listening to her manager Ye-won's words. Dan was leaning against the doorway, having arrived sometime.
“Because she can’t see.”
Unlike his comfortable clothes, his expression seemed full of discomfort and anxiety. He must be worried that the music video wouldn't turn out as he intended, even though he wanted it to be good.
“I’ll be here alone for 30 minutes.”
Dan frowned at Se-ah's words. He didn't seem to like it even though he had heard the storyboard he had created in detail.
“……”
Dan sighed, turned around and left without answering. Ye-won clicked her tongue and looked back at her. Their eyes met for a moment, and Ye-won's eyebrow twitched.
“Don’t tell me, I have to leave too?”
“Please.”
“Oh, please. I just thought that person made you uncomfortable.”
Ye-won, who smiled coolly, also left Ji-hee's room, and she was left alone. Se-ah looked around the room and began to get used to the distance.
Director Park said it would take about 30 to 40 minutes to start filming. She had to get used to this place within that time. Enough to move freely even without seeing.
Se-ah's eyes slowly closed as she stood in the middle of the unfamiliar space.
Meanwhile, Dan sighed repeatedly and approached Director Park Jun-hyung. It seemed that the equipment connection was almost complete.
“Director.”
“Oh, yeah.”
Dan, who called him director on set because of Director Park's scolding, which was mixed with shouting. Director Park was talking about something with the camera team and answering absentmindedly.
“When are we starting?”
“Soon.”
“Actress Im asked for 30 minutes.”
Director Park finally turned his head to look at him at Dan's slightly sarcastic tone. He looked a little different from his uncle, who was professional when he came to the set, but he was still worried.
Even if the visuals were good and the editing was good, if the acting captured by the camera was not good, the quality would noticeably drop.
“30 minutes? Okay.”
Director Park, who looked at his wristwatch and nodded, smiled slightly and pressed down on Dan's shoulder.
“Get ready to be pleasantly surprised.”
“Do you trust Actress Im?”
Director Park laughed boldly and shrugged his shoulders.
“I trust my eyes. Watch.”
Dan's expression, which was full of worry, eased a little at the trustworthy words. This album was a song he had written as if possessed. He had never worked like that before.
He always carefully checked and confirmed everything while writing songs. But this time, he composed as he remembered, as if someone was telling him.
When he finished making it, he felt uneasy. It seemed clumsy and lacking because he made it all at once. But when he tried to touch it, he couldn't see any parts he could touch. To the point of being overwhelmed.
“Okay.”
The song he made that way unexpectedly received unanimous approval from the people involved and became the title of his album.
Everyone who listened to it said it was so good, which confused him. The working method was different from his previous songs from start to finish. He was confused by the better response than usual.
So he became sensitive. Because he couldn't be sure of the success of this song, unlike his previous songs.
“I’ll trust you.”
Dan sighed once again and sat down haphazardly on a chair and closed his eyes for a moment.
