episode_0027

[Seo Yeon-joo – Kim Sun-il ‘Special Mobile Unit 808’ Mock Filming Begins]

The article was right. The day of the mock filming had finally arrived.

Looking back, time flew by so quickly. After unlocking her special ability, Soo-ah experienced a series of unbelievable events, and since then, she had to run diligently every single day.

It’s tough, for sure. But does that mean I don’t like it?

‘Not at all. I love it. It’s the best.’

Those days when I tried different fields and only faced failure were cold. Compared to that, isn’t this excitement quite warm? So, I can enjoy even this nervous heart, right?

Soo-ah repeated this to herself, calming her anxiously beating heart.

“First, a text message came.”

[From Writer Lee Geum-sook]

[Those who are not traveling in their personal vehicles, please gather by 8 AM. Bus rental is complete. Let’s travel together.]

Soo-ah was definitely planning to join. She had no choice. For Soo-ah, who was almost a beggar, having her own car was like a dream.

“Let’s see, the meeting location is…”

Soo-ah tried to check the meeting place, but she failed.

It wasn’t because of her low literacy skills. The sudden phone call simply blocked the screen.

“Eep.”

But as soon as she identified the caller, she bit her tongue.

Seo Yeon-joo. The other party was Seo Yeon-joo, no less.

Soo-ah checked the time first.

The meeting time was 8 AM, and the current time was 5 AM.

“…3 hours left?”

Calling this early in the morning? Even guessing the reason was difficult. Did she find out about the credit card incident?

‘Anyway, I can’t not answer. Let’s be fully alert.’

Soo-ah armed herself with a determined expression in front of the mirror.

“Hello?”

“Oh, you’re awake? Hi, Soo-ah-ssi.”

Seo Yeon-joo’s voice was always bright. It was the same as always.

“I didn’t wake you up, did I? It’s quite early.”

“No.”

“Just like at the audition, your reaction is too stiff. We’re not even talking on the phone for the first time, are we?”

It’s because I’m nervous. I’m nervous.

“…What’s the matter?”

“Well, of course, how are you going to the mock filming today?”

Soo-ah thought. Could it be that Seo Yeon-joo didn’t get the message?

“In front of the exhibition hall. You can go there by 8 AM.”

“Huh? Are you talking about the rental bus?”

But then, a questioning voice returned.

“Soo-ah-ssi, the main actors should stick together to strengthen their bond. Besides, your identity is still a secret to the staff.”

“Main actors?”

“Yes. Let’s go together. Come out in front of the Doll Department Store.”

“T-The D-Doll Department Store?”

Soo-ah asked back in surprise, but.

“You lost your card nearby, didn’t you? I thought you lived around there. It seemed like a good place to meet.”

“Ah, that’s right. That’s right. Yes, yes.”

Thank goodness. Soo-ah breathed a sigh of relief.

After that, the call quickly proceeded and ended. Seo Yeon-joo said she would come directly, so Soo-ah should wait in front of the Doll Department Store.

And so.

One hour later, Soo-ah arrived in front of the Doll Department Store.

“…”

Soo-ah pressed both palms and her face tightly against the display case.

The department store wasn’t open yet, and the dolls sleeping quietly inside were so cute. Should I buy them all later?

Yes, rabbits are lonely creatures. They need friend dolls. As Soo-ah was thinking about this and that,

─♩♪♬

A phone call came.

“Hello?”

“Soo-ah-ssi, I’ll be there soon.”

As soon as Soo-ah hung up the phone, she moved far away from the Doll Department Store. She couldn’t give the impression of just looking at dolls, it would have been a disaster if she hadn’t received the call in advance.

After that, a sleek, black van appeared. The door opened smoothly, revealing Seo Yeon-joo.

Seo Yeon-joo made a gesture of grasping and releasing her hand, showing her delight.

“Ta-da, I found Soo-ah-ssi.”

She was still wearing the headband. Soo-ah greeted her briefly.

“Hello.”

“Oh? But Soo-ah-ssi is wearing a hat?”

Seo Yeon-joo tilted her head right after that.

“I can understand the mask, but even a hat? No, looking at your outfit overall… How should I put it, a little…”

Hearing that, Soo-ah became slightly anxious. Did I dress strangely?

She quickly checked her condition.

She was wearing a white hat and a black mask on her head, and jeans and a tight black T-shirt on her body. It was the best she could do.

“…Why?”

“Mock filming is about capturing the overall feeling on camera first. But if the outfit is too simple, it just doesn’t feel right.”

“Um…”

“If a hopeless trash like Sun-il wore this, I wouldn’t say anything. But I’m saying this because I like Soo-ah-ssi.”

It didn’t seem like a lie. Certainly, Seo Yeon-joo’s tone only contained concern, with no hint of criticism at all.

Also, looking at Seo Yeon-joo, it was obvious. From her clothes to her makeup, she was fully prepared in a very flashy way.

“…But Soo-ah-ssi is really pretty. How can you look so radiant even when you’re dressed like this? It’s almost a shame.”

More than that, Soo-ah was despairing over something else.

‘I tried my best to dress up…’

I guess I have no sense of style.

It can’t be helped. I’ll have to learn fashion separately later.

“Soo-ah-ssi, should I lend you some of my clothes? Do you want to stop by my place?”

But that’s when it happened.

“You still don’t know Lee Soo-ah.”

A voice that seemed to echo from a cave.

Come to think of it, Seo Yeon-joo wasn’t the only one in the van. Kim Sun-il was sitting conspicuously in another seat.

Ah, so that’s what she meant by the main actors going together.

…But she just openly called him hopeless trash in front of Kim Sun-il? What exactly is their relationship? While Soo-ah was shocked in many ways,

“Lee Soo-ah is planning to compete with her acting alone. Unlike you.”

“What?”

“In front of everyone, without any embellishment, she can convince people of the role she’s playing through acting alone.”

“Huh? Is that it? I see?”

Soo-ah thought. What’s he suddenly talking about?

The snowball of misunderstanding started rolling on its own. It was at the same time that Seo Yeon-joo was looking at Soo-ah with wide eyes.

“Soo-ah-ssi, was that it? I didn’t even know and I was explaining in such detail? Oh, I’m embarrassed. Crazy, my face is burning.”

What would be a good thing to say?

Soo-ah carefully chose her words for a moment, but.

“…That’s right.”

In the end, she affirmed it. Her head was bowed, and her face was slightly red.

Yes, it’s better to be misunderstood.

Saying that this is what I look like when I try my best to dress up…

“…”.

She couldn’t bring herself to say it.

.

.

.

.

.

After that, the van ran non-stop.

The destination was the Jeonju Cinema Complex.

They had built an entire mansion there for the filming of Special Mobile Unit 808, and Soo-ah was secretly curious about what it would look like.

Soon, she forgot about such thoughts. She was sleepy.

‘I’m sleepy. I’m going crazy because I want to sleep.’

It was only natural that she was tired, since she had woken up at the crack of dawn.

Yes, I feel like I’m going to collapse from sleepiness…

“…”

Soo-ah couldn’t fall asleep.

That’s because Seo Yeon-joo and Kim Sun-il weren’t the only ones in the van. There was another unexpected person.

“Soo-ah, nice to meet you.”

The CEO of Mystic Entertainment. Kim Yi-seo spoke.

‘It’s like a professor’s soul is in a child’s body.’

Amazing. Bizarre.

That was Soo-ah’s first impression of Kim Yi-seo. The dignified voice coming from her slender physique was in stark contrast.

She was so small that the word “kid” was fitting. From where Soo-ah was sitting in the back, Kim Yi-seo’s seat looked like no one was sitting there.

…But Soo-ah chose her words carefully. Kim Yi-seo. The person who solved the investment funds for the short film ‘Sword’ in one go.

I have to be careful.

“Hello. I’m meeting the CEO.”

Then, a small laugh came from the front.

“Speak comfortably. There’s no need to be formal now. Actors maintain etiquette with their acting skills.”

Vroom─

“Soo-ah, where did you learn acting?”

The van was still running. Kim Yi-seo suddenly asked.

“I looked back on everything. Actors School, acting academy, art center… But no institution’s habits are evident in Soo-ah-ssi’s acting. I’m curious about Soo-ah’s origins.”

What are those things? Soo-ah blinked.

“I’ve never gone anywhere to learn.”

Seo Yeon-joo and Kim Sun-il’s hands, which were turning the pages of the script, stopped.

“…Um, so, it’s true that you learned as a hobby, self-taught?”

“Yes.”

“I thought Sun-il and Yeon-joo were joking, but now I’ve heard the confirmation from the person herself. I can’t even not believe it, really.”

Was her story being talked about?

Soo-ah didn’t have anything to say, so she just acted like a background prop.

“Expectation.”

Right then.

“You put on acting that makes people expect things.”

Kim Yi-seo emphasized, putting strength into her words.

“Being excellent and giving expectations are separate. In the end, the moment you think it’s colorless and odorless, it becomes obvious and you’ll definitely get tired of it.”

Soo-ah thought. Is that so? I just learned that.

Kim Yi-seo turned the arrow of her question to Seo Yeon-joo.

“Yeon-joo, what is acting?”

“Acting?”

Seo Yeon-joo seemed not to have expected the question, and she paused for a moment to think, but soon she opened her lips with a calm voice.

“Acting is, after all, like judo, isn’t it?”

“Judo?”

“Yes. An expression that guides viewers to bring up certain emotions. That’s what the role of the actor is, after all.”

“Sun-il, what are your thoughts?”

“Cleanliness.”

Sun-il answered without hesitation.

“Acting is the concrete action of materializing the character’s goal. You have to think only that way to keep it clean. The moment you think about it in a difficult way, it gets dirty.”

“Now, last but not least, Soo-ah. What about you?”

Immediately after, Soo-ah felt all eyes on her. It was certain. Even if they didn’t all turn their heads, it seemed that they were all waiting for Soo-ah’s answer with their whole bodies.

“…”

“Soo-ah?”

“I am.”

At that moment, it was as if the inside of the van had entered a state of silence. Even while the car was moving so loudly.

“I’m still in the process of finding that answer.”

The silence became a little stronger.

It was an unavoidable answer for Soo-ah.

Soo-ah doesn’t know anything about such difficult stories. But she couldn’t say she didn’t know anything straight out, so she just made up something that came to mind first.

Was it too much of a sloppy answer? Soo-ah waited anxiously.

And after a while.

“That thing you said now.”

Kim Yi-seo said.

“That means you’re going to continue acting at least until you find the answer, right?”

It happened right before arriving at the destination.

◈◈◈◈◈

Mystic Entertainment dropped Soo-ah off at the parking lot.

“Soo-ah-ssi, then let’s see each other inside later.”

With Seo Yeon-joo’s short farewell, they temporarily parted ways. The three members of Mystic Entertainment apparently had a lot of things to discuss separately.

Soo-ah checked the time on her cell phone.

The current time is 8 AM. It’s time for the other staff to gather and depart. In other words, it means she arrived way too early.

…To put it nicely, she arrived early, but in reality, she was a lost lamb.

The place was surprisingly large. There were studio buildings randomly erected here and there, and something that looked like an outdoor set in the distance.

So what should I do, being thrown into this place all alone?

Soo-ah seriously pondered for a moment, and then.

“…When else would I get to come to a place like this? Let’s take a look around.”

◈◈◈◈◈

11:30 AM. Jeonju Cinema Complex.

A drama is a result of all kinds of efforts coming together.

Thanks to this, the parking lot, which had been so large, was now packed. All kinds of vehicles, including buses and vans, had arrived.

All of these things gathered solely for the mock filming.

Writer Lee Geum-sook and PD Choi Hee-won chose not a simple script reading, but a mock filming. Thanks to this, the parking lot was bustling.

It was only natural. It was the day that everyone, including the directing department, sound team, lighting team, props team, filming team, and costume team, would do their best as if it were real.

“We’re using the outdoor set today. Did you bring enough water?”

“Move carefully, whose responsibility will it be if that breaks?”

“Don’t put the chairs down yet! There’s a lot more to put down!”

Equipment that had been unloaded in the parking lot was being transported to the outdoor set, and in the meantime, those who had reunited through Special Mobile Unit 808 greeted each other happily.

“Wow, I can’t believe we’re meeting again through this work.”

“I know. I thought 808 would remain forever unfinished.”

The outdoor set was almost a wasteland. But it was different now.

The production team made a very big decision. Instead of recruiting a police station, they temporarily built the headquarters of the special mobile unit here. What unfolded before their eyes was a very stylish special unit headquarters.

Now, cameras and chairs were being laid out around the entrance. From the scale alone, it was different from practice.

The actors who arrived early sat on the chairs scattered here and there, chatting or reading the script, and there were people with cameras who rushed to capture the scene.

“Hello! Are you a little satisfied with the role you’ve been assigned?”

“…I thought they said the reporters weren’t coming today?”

“Of course. Don’t worry! We’re the marketing team!”

Only then did the actors relax and respond.

The marketing team captured the scenes of this moment before the mock filming. Even though it seemed like a useless thing to do, the value of these videos skyrockets the moment the drama becomes successful.

The outdoor set, which had been desolate, naturally became more lively as people gathered. Eventually, the people who filled the set naturally began to talk.

Every story has a subject.

Today’s place is no exception. The subject was certain.

“So, who took the role of Kim Yu-han? Is it you?”

“It’s not me. Even if I wanted to, they wouldn’t let me.”

“I’m sure I checked the faces of all the male actors in the parking lot today, and every one of them had already been cast. I really don’t know who took on Kim Yu-han’s role?”

“Are they definitely coming today?”

“They’re definitely coming. It’s certain, seeing that they blocked the reporters from coming.”

After that, Seo Yeon-joo and Kim Sun-il appeared at the same time.

“Hi everyone, I’m here.”

“Greetings.”

They easily received everyone’s greetings, and immediately had to deal with the making-of team’s interviews.

But the appearance of these big names wasn’t the end of it.

“Heh heh, everyone’s energetic.”

Veteran actor Hwang Myung-pil said that. He doesn’t secure a main role, but he raises his name value as a luxury supporting actor every time he shows his face.

He adjusted his reading glasses and spoke to Seo Yeon-joo.

“Yeon-joo, it’s been a while. Did you practice your Ha Yun-jin role well?”

“Who’s Yeon-joo? I’m Ha Yun-jin.”

“Heh heh, I always like that confidence of yours. So…”

Seo Yeon-joo smiled and answered playfully, and Hwang Myung-pil also smiled and scanned the surroundings before asking.

“…Kim Yu-han? I want to see his face.”

“I wonder? I want to see him too.”

Seo Yeon-joo shrugged her shoulders as if regretting.

Since it didn’t seem like they would tell him no matter how he asked, the topic of everyone’s conversation soon changed to something else.

“Speaking of which. That’s right. Did you see how neatly the cars are parked in the parking lot?”

Someone burst out laughing and said.

“Ah, I saw it too. It was unbelievably neat.”

“I couldn’t help it. The parking attendant was glaring with wide eyes. I was unknowingly overwhelmed by their force.”

It was a story about a certain parking attendant.

“Their eyes were so pretty, right? Good proportions too.”

“Their back view was completely like a celebrity.”

“…Isn’t it possible that they’re not a parking attendant? When I was checking things here and there earlier, I saw them wandering around Studio 1 and Studio 2 too.”

“They must have been checking if there were any unwanted guests. Reporters have sneaked in before. Sometimes, extreme fans cause trouble.”

“It’s too bad to have them as a parking attendant. They should be a model or something.”

“I know. I’m curious about what they look like with their mask off.”

It was an elusive story for Seo Yeon-joo.

“What are you talking about?”

“Yeon-joo-ssi didn’t see them? One parking attendant was particularly noticeable. Everyone is adjusting their parking angle after being overwhelmed by their energy.”

Yeon-joo did see how neatly the parking lot was arranged.

But a parking attendant?

Does the Cinema Complex have something like that?

As Seo Yeon-joo tilted her head,

Writer Lee Geum-sook and PD Choi Hee-won appeared.

“You’ve arrived!”

Everyone stood up from their seats and greeted them, and at the same time, some people who couldn’t suppress their curiosity immediately raised their voices.

“Hello, Writer Lee! But why did you only bring PD Choi? Everyone here is just waiting for Kim Yu-han.”

“Oh my, PD Choi must feel hurt hearing that.”

Writer Lee Geum-sook answered with a sly smile and looked around, but soon her face was also tinged with embarrassment.

Kim Yu-han really wasn’t there.

“…They really didn’t come? What’s going on? Wait a minute.”

Soon, Writer Lee Geum-sook immediately picked up her cell phone.

“Hello? Yes, yes. I would have told you about the mock filming schedule in advance. Ah, you’ve already arrived? Ah, you were in Studio 1. Do you want to come to the outdoor set now?”

The people around them watched the scene with wonder.

That’s because Lee Geum-sook, who creates hit works with everything she writes, was showing such a friendly attitude towards an actor, something that they had never seen before, at least.

And after a while.

“…”

All eyes converged on the newly appearing person. It was at the same time that people shut their mouths. Or perhaps, they gaped in a daze.

Their eyes were all wide.

“…”

The surroundings were all silent as death.

“Hello. I’m Kim Yu-han. I’m playing the role of Lee Soo-ah.”

The parking attendant took off their hat and greeted them.