Ch.26Nameless Student Soldier

Kim Donghu, or rather Lee J, was High Dream’s hidden card.

They had tried to keep him out of making films or press articles.

But it seemed his looks were at a level that couldn’t be hidden no matter how hard they tried.

Just a brief exposure was enough to set the comment section on fire.

ㄴIs there really someone this handsome?

ㄴHe’s not Jin Suhyeok, so who is he really?

ㄴBut seeing someone this good-looking not properly featured, isn’t he just a regular person?

Who is he, is he appearing in the show, what’s his name, what role does he play, and so on.

Even though the comments were going wild with curiosity,

there were no answers that could satisfactorily resolve these questions.

High Dream was simply happy that something was creating buzz.

Isn’t the scariest thing to disappear without a trace?

In that sense, this kind of attention was welcomed with open arms.

‘The editing is almost done, and the broadcast will be soon.’

It would soon be December, and in the blink of an eye, January.

High Dream’s air date was scheduled for early to mid-January, so there was just a little over a month left.

Glance.

PD Kim Youngmo looked at the calendar while taking a break from editing.

Time was flying by so quickly.

And there was one unnecessary worry.

‘I have about two days left to film with actor Kim Donghu.’

High Dream was a 16-episode broadcast, and Kim Donghu, who played Lee J, appeared in about 5 episodes.

It was impossible to guess what kind of impact these 5 appearances would have.

If his popularity skyrocketed exponentially through those appearances,

if it generated enough firepower to set the viewer boards ablaze like the current article comments,

‘Then the story of High Dream might change.’

That would mean more additional filming and editing work, wouldn’t it?

“Ugh, it’s terrible just imagining it.”

Yet as PD Kim Youngmo said this, a smile never left his face.

++++++

On the day of the script reading for “Endless Frontline.”

People were curious about the newly added seat at the square table.

“Whose seat could it be?”

“I don’t know, it just says ‘Student Soldier Role’ without a name…”

“I heard Director Park cast someone in a real hurry?”

“It’s really unusual for someone to join in the middle of the schedule like this.”

Unlike all the other places at the table that had both the role name and actor name written on them.

This one seat, like a lonely island, only had <Student Soldier Role> written on it.

People wondered who the owner of that seat might be,

especially Han Taegeon, who was playing the lead role in “Endless Frontline,” who went so far as to directly ask the director.

“Director, a new actor is being added, and you’re not telling us anything about them?”

To his friendly smile and question, Director Kang rolled his eyes around.

In truth, even if he wanted to tell them, Director Kang didn’t know much himself.

‘Director Park said it had to be him, so I just agreed.’

He hadn’t even properly seen his acting, so it was really awkward to say anything.

The only thing he could say for certain was that he was unbelievably handsome.

But he knew that couldn’t be the answer to that question.

“You’ll meet him soon enough anyway.”

“I heard he’s a rookie, but he’s running a bit late, isn’t he?”

Director Kang chuckled at Han Taegeon’s playful remark.

“Well, well, you’ve become quite the old-timer, haven’t you?”

“Come on, you know I’m just kidding.”

“I actually told him to come a little late, since it’s his first time here, it’s good to make an entrance.”

Otherwise, I heard he would have come two hours early.

Han Taegeon nodded along with the director’s follow-up and stood up from his seat.

‘So you’re deliberately making the rookie nervous, especially one joining mid-production.’

An unconfirmed presence that everyone was curious about.

The question of why they needed to add a “Student Soldier Role.”

This was setting the stage for a direct confrontation to prove himself.

As the script reading time gradually approached.

“Hello everyone! I’m Kim Donghu, who will be playing the Student Soldier role! Please take care of me!”

With a resonant voice, the figure shrouded in mystery appeared.

A face that looked quite youthful at a glance.

Giving the impression of someone who had just barely finished high school at most.

But in fact, there was something else that stood out much more,

“Wow… what’s with that face?”

It was his unbelievable appearance.

The sensation of witnessing God’s masterpiece walking before your eyes.

The feeling of encountering the ultimate beauty one should aspire to.

Purely because of his looks alone, a brief silence fell over the script reading venue.

Step, step.

He was clearly just walking, but each moment seemed like a photo shoot.

This silence continued until Kim Donghu greeted all the senior actors and the director,

and took his seat.

Everyone was momentarily stunned by his surreal appearance.

“F-Finally, all the pieces I wanted have come together.”

Wait, that wasn’t photoshopped?

Glance.

Director Kang looked at Kim Donghu’s face even as he continued speaking.

As technology advanced, changing faces with Photoshop had become trivial,

and in a world where people with different real-life appearances from their photos were overflowing on SNS.

How could someone with such looks be even more handsome in person than in photos?

What on earth did he eat growing up to look like that?

‘Let’s not worry about it, what matters isn’t looks anyway.’

Well, strictly speaking, looks were important too, but in the end, it was all for nothing if the acting wasn’t good.

He thought that just the basics, at least the basics would be fine.

Because if they could just capture that face on camera, it would be a hit.

“Now then, let’s begin the script reading. Just because there are no cameras today, don’t take it easy, everyone.”

Hahahahaha.

The atmosphere lightened a bit with Director Kang’s attempt to ease the tension.

“Then without further ado, let’s start with the Student Soldier part.”

“Scene 165, Student Soldier kills allies to survive.”

The moment Director Kang’s narration ended.

Whoosh!

The smiling expression disappeared from Kim Donghu’s face.

+++++

Why does the Student Soldier have no name?

Because he lived a life where even a name was a luxury.

In war, amidst bombardment.

In a world where you never know when you might die, what could be more foolish than having a name?

Warriors gathered under the red flag to carry out revolution.

Despite receiving a great destiny, their treatment was miserable.

Sometimes eating baked soil,

chewing on tree roots had now become routine.

“What is revolution anyway, that we live like this?”

From Kim Donghu’s, no, the Student Soldier’s mouth came an emotionless voice.

A boy who lost his entire family at a young age and took up a gun.

The words coming from that boy’s mouth were so cold.

Looking down, he sees a dying comrade.

The same guy who was shouting at him earlier about taking his food.

A pointless man, why does that even matter?

“Yeah, I ate it. Is that a problem?”

Why shouldn’t one steal a comrade’s food?

There was no one to teach him that moral concept.

They were all just fly-like lives that no one would notice if they died.

Then it didn’t matter who killed whom, right?

“Anyway, if we’re going to die like this, those who can live should eat more.”

I need to eat a lot because I have to live for my sister’s share too.

Crunch.

The sound of crushing the ground translates as the sound of breaking necks to the ears of those at the reading.

An emotionless killing machine, a weapon that kills others with only the purpose of survival.

Everyone is overwhelmed by the Student Soldier’s appearance.

‘What have you brought us, Director?’

Han Taegeon, who had been smiling warmly, had his gaze fixed on Kim Donghu.

He had never once thought he would bow to anyone in terms of acting ability.

But what was being shown now, what realm was this?

Goosebumps spread when those emotionless eyes surveyed the audience.

The mouth of the monster born of war, violence, and gunpowder opens again.

“The South.”

Whoosh-

A deep sigh pushes around like a storm.

Emotionless feelings compressed to the limit.

The gaze of a machine that wouldn’t blink an eye while killing multiple people looks beyond the battlefield.

“Sister, does the South really exist?”

It’s so hard to get even one bowl of soup and rice.

Emotional acting at a level that someone who should just be entering middle school shouldn’t be able to display.

Director Kang couldn’t take his eyes off Kim Donghu from beginning to end.

‘How can something like this exist?’

The range of emotions is absurd.

The skill to portray both the tender longing for a sister,

and the complete lack of emotion when killing someone.

He thought only a machine could do that.

Because it’s impossible for humans to turn emotions on and off.

‘But he’s doing it? A rookie?’

And at his first script reading too.

Even with so many actors and staff present?

Director Kang’s lips immediately curled up to his ears.

He could finally complete it.

Not 100%, but 120%.

The key was right there.

‘Kim Donghu!’

It was with Kim Donghu.

And at the same time, there was someone who was just as surprised as Director Kang, perhaps even more so.

‘Did I perhaps sign a contract with someone unbelievable?’

That was none other than Choi Seokho, Kim Donghu’s agency CEO, building tenant, and manager.

He knew he was handsome, and he roughly knew he would be good at acting.

But what was he showing now?

‘I need to revise the plan.’

A smooth path for Kim Donghu? That seemed meaningless now.

Because Kim Donghu’s acting ability had the power to achieve all of that.

So what could he do here?

After a brief contemplation, Choi Seokho immediately came to a conclusion.

‘I’ll make an agency tailored for Kim Donghu.’

Creating a space perfectly designed for Kim Donghu.

+++++

After the shocking script reading.

Choi Seokho and Director Park immediately signed a contract for his appearance right there.

Choi Seokho, a master at such negotiations, was able to secure the best contract,

And Director Park, for whom taking a little extra care of one rookie actor wasn’t an issue,

acted decisively.

With the contract for “Endless Frontline” confirmed.

Time flew by quickly to December.

“Today is the last day I’ll see Lee J.”

Kim Donghu’s final filming day for “High Dream” had arrived.