Chapter 58
“There are about 30 minutes left until the reading ends.”
“Then after the reading, we’ll film a few scenes from the reading.
And then we’ll gather only the actors I mentioned and conduct the interviews.
That should be okay, right?”
A man who seemed to be the PD in charge of Section TV explained the situation to the production staff gathered around Choi Sunhwa.
“Yes.
Then, other than the filming, is there anything else we need to prepare?”
“Ah, by any chance, is there a separate place where we can conduct the interviews instead of inside the studio?
I took a quick look earlier, and it seemed a little messy.”
“Well, this is a place we rented too...
I’ll look around first and let you know.”
When Choi Sunhwa answered the Section TV PD, Cha Seungjun, reading the situation, turned to Kim G i nam and Moon Changsu, who were standing nearby.
“G i nam and Changsu, from now on, look for a place where we can conduct the interviews and contact me.”
“Yes.”
Following Cha Seungjun’s instructions, Kim G i nam and Moon Changsu hurriedly left the area and went somewhere.
“Ah, and Moon Hyunbin is also appearing in this movie, right?”
“Yes.”
“Would it be possible for Moon Hyunbin to do an interview as well?
Originally, we were planning to interview the four main actors, including Director Park, but Moon Hyunbin is really hot these days.”
At the unexpected sudden proposal, Choi Sunhwa awkwardly scratched her forehead.
“Ah...
Actor Moon?
We didn’t inform him about this beforehand...
You know how sensitive actors can be about these things...”
“I understand that, but this was also something that was suddenly decided on our side, so please help us out if you can.”
After being asked repeatedly, Choi Sunhwa, who was in a difficult position, subtly glanced toward Cha Seungjun and me.
Her eyes seemed to ask if there was any way to make it work.
I opened my mouth toward Choi Sunhwa.
“Manager, Moon Hyunbin’s manager is over there.
Why don’t you talk to him first?”
“That’s right.
Hyunbin had a manager.”
“Does Hyunbin have an agency?
We were going to contact his agency first too, but we heard that he still doesn’t have an agency.”
The Section TV PD asked.
“He doesn’t have an agency yet.
Apparently, he has a personal manager.”
“Ah...
Then please ask him to come over here for a moment.”
Soon, Ma Sanghee, who had been waiting for the rehearsal to finish at one side of the studio, approached us.
“I heard roughly what happened.
You want Actor Moon to join this interview as well?”
“Yes, would that be possible?”
“Well...
It would be a good opportunity for us too, but we weren’t informed about it beforehand, so we haven’t prepared any clothes or anything.
An actor’s image is everything, and he can’t appear on TV wearing a tracksuit.”
“Ah...”
Both Ma Sanghee and the broadcasting station staff seemed disappointed by the situation.
“Excuse me, what about this?”
At my sudden interruption, everyone’s attention immediately focused on me.
“What, do you have a good alternative?”
“If the problem is the clothes, how about we change into the costumes we brought with us and film the interview?”
“The costumes we brought?
Don’t tell me...
You mean the Crown Prince’s outfit from the movie?”
Choi Sunhwa blinked in surprise.
I quickly continued.
“If it were just Hyunbin, the picture might look a little strange, but if several people wear them together, wouldn’t it actually show the concept of our movie?
It could also help promote the movie.”
Perhaps my words sounded convincing, because everyone gathered there, including the Section TV PD, quickly fell into thought.
I added some more explanation to help them understand my idea.
“We could also connect this kind of promotion with the movie’s promotions later, when we go around for stage greetings after the release.
It’s still unfamiliar in Korea, but in Hollywood, things like character marketing and costume promotions are often used for publicity.”
“Hmm...
Costume promotion...”
Manager Choi Sunhwa seemed to like my idea quite a lot.
“Then, if we’re going in that direction, since Moon Hyunbin and Gil Boyoung play the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, how about having them appear together?”
This time, Ma Sanghee added another idea.
Ha.
As expected, a manager is a manager.
She actually thought of including Gil Boyoung in the interview in this situation.
I couldn’t help admiring her.
“Actress Gil Boyoung?
I think that wouldn’t be bad.
Isn’t this Gil Boyoung’s first commercial movie comeback in seven years?
We could naturally ask her about what she’s been up to as well.”
The Section TV PD exchanged words with the writer beside him.
“Then shouldn’t our Hyejoo also be interviewed?!”
Han Hyejoo’s manager suddenly joined the conversation, seemingly having appeared from nowhere.
“I mean, isn’t that obvious?
After the main actors, Hyejoo has the biggest role.
Hyunbin and Boyoung, who have smaller roles than Hyejoo, are getting interviewed, but leaving Hyejoo out would make the picture look strange.”
“Just act naturally, exactly as you did during the reading earlier.”
The Section TV cameras were rolling inside the studio.
“Don’t make it too perfect like earlier.
It’ll be more fun if you stumble over your lines and make a few mistakes.
Right?
Hahaha.”
Director Park Junbeom jokingly said in a good mood.
“Ah, deliberately making mistakes is actually harder.
Well, I can’t help it.
I’ll mess up my lines once.
Hahaha.”
This time, Min Seungjae cheerfully played along with Director Park’s joke.
The Section TV filming crew naturally captured everything on camera.
“Minister Jo!
Right now, I...
Aba-ba, Ama-ba-ba, no, Your Highness, I...”
“Sorry...”
As the camera came right up to him, nervous Moon Hyunbin inevitably stumbled over his lines and made a miserable expression.
Seeing him like that, everyone gathered there burst into laughter again.
In that cheerful atmosphere, the filming of the reading ended, and the main and supporting actors moved to the rooftop of the studio building for the actual interviews.
On the rooftop, Section TV had installed a banner and standing banners for Red Moon, Blue Sun.
In front of them were eight chairs.
Director Park Junbeom sat in the center.
To his right sat Min Seungjae, Yoon Hwaseon, Gu Bonjik, and Park Junsang.
To his left sat Moon Hyunbin, Han Hyejoo, and Gil Boyoung, all dressed in historical costumes.
A short female reporter who had come from a comedian background conducted the actors’ interviews.
At first, the reporter started with light questions about the movie and guided the atmosphere.
Then, naturally, she moved on to questions about Min Seungjae’s comeback, which was probably the biggest topic of interest these days.
After that, questions about each actor’s recent activities and the chemistry between the actors in this project continued.
“Are the clothes you’re wearing right now the actual costumes you’ll be wearing in the movie?
They’re so beautiful.”
The reporter showered praise on Moon Hyunbin, Han Hyejoo, and Gil Boyoung, who were wearing hanbok.
“Ah, this movie has a wonderful story, of course, but I think you’ll also really enjoy seeing the beautiful royal clothing of Korea, recreated according to the historical period.”
Moon Hyunbin had hurriedly memorized this answer right before the interview.
He was so nervous while answering that he was sweating cold sweat.
“It looks like you memorized that in a hurry.
I thought you were reading from a Korean language textbook.
Hohoho.”
As expected from a former comedian, the reporter turned what could have been an awkward atmosphere into a cheerful one.
“Now, I’ll ask Actor Park Junsang a question.
He plays a rookie historian.”
When his turn came, Park Junsang, who had been casually crossing his legs and pretending not to care, quickly corrected his posture.
He moved his facial muscles a few times before mechanically putting a broad smile on his face.
The reporter continued speaking to Park Junsang.
“I understand that this is your first time working with Moon Hyunbin, who plays the Crown Prince.
How do you think your chemistry with Hyunbin will be on set?”
For a moment, Park Junsang slightly frowned as if wondering why the reporter had brought up Moon Hyunbin in his question.
Park Junsang was younger than Moon Hyunbin, but his debut had come earlier and his popularity was much greater.
That was why he was displeased with the reporter’s attempt to place him on the same level as Moon Hyunbin, who had only just begun gaining popularity.
However, as soon as the camera focused on him, Park Junsang wore a relaxed smile as if nothing had happened and spoke.
“When I watched him during the reading earlier, I could really feel the spirit of a rookie.
Anyway, he seemed full of passion.
He also stumbled over his lines quite a lot because of all that passion.
Haha.”
At Park Junsang’s words, which were delivered like a joke, Moon Hyunbin awkwardly smiled beside him.
“Well, I am technically senior to Actor Hyunbin, but Actor Hyunbin is older than me, so I think there will be a lot I can learn from him.”
Whoa...
What was that?
Was that some kind of new way of mocking someone while pretending to compliment them?
Perhaps she had thought the same thing as me.
The look in Ma Sanghee’s eyes as she stared at Park Junsang was filled with sharp anger.
The tension at the filming site did not only happen between actresses.
The Section TV PD and reporter also sensed something strange about Park Junsang’s attitude.
They quickly exchanged glances before turning their questions toward Gil Boyoung and Han Hyejoo.
“Yes, then I’ll ask Han Hyejoo and Gil Boyoung a question.”
At the reporter’s question, Gil Boyoung and Han Hyejoo quickly put on comfortable professional smiles, as if they had never been nervous.
“You’re both former child actors, right?
You even appeared in the same drama when you were in middle school.
And now, after becoming adults, you’ve appeared in the same movie again.
It’s a somewhat difficult question, but if you were to evaluate each other’s acting compared to back then, how would you evaluate it?”
For a moment, an awkward feeling passed between Gil Boyoung and Han Hyejoo as they looked at each other.
But soon, Gil Boyoung smiled and answered.
“That’s not a difficult question.
It’s a cruel question.
Hoho.”
“You’re not trying to laugh and just slip away from the question, are you?
Haha.”
“Ah, you caught me.
Hoho.”
Gil Boyoung continued exchanging light jokes with the reporter to keep the mood lively.
Then, her eyes gradually became calm.
“Hyejoo...
I’ve known her well since we were young, and we appeared in the same drama when we were in middle school, so I thought I knew her acting style quite well.
But after seeing her today, I felt that her concentration had become much better than before, and that her acting had really matured.
So, rather than me inspiring her, I felt like I was the one who got motivated by her.”
“Oh~
That sounds like a huge compliment.
Then, what about you, Han Hyejoo?”
After thinking for a moment, Han Hyejoo slowly opened her mouth.
“Unni Boyoung is really delicate in the way she handles emotions.
Even when she takes a single breath, it feels like she doesn’t just breathe it out casually.
Otherwise, would she have been called a child acting prodigy?
Hoho.
I thought her acting was so perfect that I couldn’t believe she had been away for seven years.
So I was also incredibly motivated by her.”
Rather than sounding like compliments they were simply giving because they were on television, Han Hyejoo’s words felt sincere.
For a moment, I even wondered if perhaps Han Hyejoo didn’t actually dislike Gil Boyoung.
“Oh~
It’s wonderful that you inspire each other.
Now, finally, Director Park Junbeom, could you please give a final greeting to the viewers of Section TV?”
Following the reporter’s lead, the camera that had been focused on Gil Boyoung and Han Hyejoo naturally turned toward Director Park Junbeom.
As soon as they moved out of the camera’s view, the gazes Gil Boyoung and Han Hyejoo exchanged became tangled with complicated emotions toward each other that I had never seen before.
I stood some distance away at one side of the rooftop and watched the two of them.
There’s definitely some story between those two that I don’t know about...
What on earth happened between them...?
