NOVEL WEB Chapter 18
The long-awaited first filming day of “Hydream.”
Everyone gathered in front of the pig’s head with one heart and one mind for the ritual.
But unexpectedly, a few surprising figures were present.
Notably, Kim Gilsan, the head of ST Entertainment, and Lee Sanghak, the head of Pulledie, were among them.
It wasn’t like they absolutely couldn’t show up.
After all, the “Hydream” drama was a joint production of ST Entertainment, Pulledie, and KBC.
However, what raised eyebrows was why such high-ranking representatives were there.
Was it really just to participate in the ritual together? Or were they there to witness the first filming?
Of course, those reasons existed, but there was another main point.
ST Entertainment’s Kim Gilsan.
His weasel-like eyebrows recalled past conversations.
“Director Kim, can I ask you for a favor? Is that okay?”
“Sure, go ahead.”
“Do you remember someone I met a long time ago? Donghu?”
“Wait, oh… wasn’t he the one who was on ‘Kyaaruk Doctor’?”
“Yeah, that kid is working on a project with me, but I heard he’s not signed with anyone?”
“I’m not saying this because my daughter likes him, but he’s really good-looking and super talented.”
He recalled actress Kim Yu-ryun’s words echoing in his ears.
“Absolutely handsome.”
He was also quite tall.
“But he’s too handsome, right?”
Glancing here and there.
Every time Kim Gilsan looked at Kim Donghu, he found it amazing how he seemed to get more and more attractive.
His face was so impressive it could turn everyone around into squid.
Honestly, he was so good-looking it was bewildering.
And then.
“Huh? What’s this?”
He locked eyes with Pulledie’s representative, Lee Sanghak.
“Why is an idol agency after an actor?”
Lee Sanghak looked at Kim Gilsan with a laugh of disbelief.
His toad-like cheeks twitched, replaying another conversation.
“Hey, can I make one request?”
“Oh, what could it be this time?”
“Haha, it’s not complicated… I did a script reading, and that Kim Donghu… I heard he doesn’t have an agency yet?”
“Wait, what?”
“I’m not used to saying this, but to get straight to the point, there’s a newcomer named Kim Donghu.”
“Right.”
“He still doesn’t have an agency; I think this is his lowest point. We absolutely need to bring him under our agency.”
“And if possible, I’d like him to work on a few projects with me. His acting is monstrous, monstrous.”
“Did they say he acts proportional to his looks?”
Lee Sanghak shook his head as if he couldn’t accept it while looking at Kim Donghu’s face.
That good-looking kid is supposed to act well, too?
“Jang Geonho wouldn’t lie about that.”
Just how well does he act to want to work on a few projects together?
What could it possibly be?
“Well then, I’ll wrap it up with a final bow.”
“May ‘Hydream’ hit big!”
With the two representatives’ lingering curiosity, the ritual safely came to an end.
“We’re going to start filming right away. The first scene is…”
Generally, drama filming doesn’t proceed in a linear order.
In extreme cases, they even film the last scene first, and such decisions are usually made based on the filming situation and the director’s judgment.
“Since everyone is gathered here, why not have a little competition?”
The cinematographer Ji Jang-min glanced at Kim Donghu.
About four months had passed since the first script reading.
Three months have passed since the last decision.
Have they truly grown, or was the script reading the peak of their potential?
To solve that mystery, I made a decision.
“Scene 65, shall we move to the first confrontation between the Hydream members and Lee Jae-yi?”
Let’s see them clash properly for once.
+++++
Hydream unfolds the story of youth at Eunha High School.
As the title suggests, the narrative focuses on Hydream.
The tale of underachievers’ youth, tears, and triumphs.
That is the essence of Hydream.
A group of kids with squeaky wheels coming together to boast extreme synergy,
But because they have clear shortcomings, their blooming takes a little longer.
The club ‘Hydream’ decides to participate in the biggest year-end performance, Miri-nara.
This news spreads quickly throughout the school.
Some cheered them on, while others loathed them deeply.
Leading the hatred front was none other than the flower that bloomed in disdain, Lee Jae-yi.
The meeting of the underdogs Hydream and top dog Lee Jae-yi.
It all started with Hydream erasing the graffiti on the clubroom door.
“…Not again.”
The female lead of Hydream, Yoo Hyeri, sighed deeply as she wiped the graffiti.
“Why are we the shame of Eunha High just because our grades are a bit low?”
“Right? It’s not like we did anything wrong.”
Her words were echoed by the male lead, Song Cheolsu.
While they diligently cleaned the graffiti, the second male lead, Jin Hyeok, appeared with a mop.
“Hey, step aside, you think that’s enough? You gotta wipe it all off in one go.”
Yoo Hyeri, Song Cheolsu, and Jin Hyeok.
They were consciously wiping the graffiti as they felt each other’s presence.
“What the—this again?”
“Looks like that Lee Jae-yi kid did this, right?”
After that, the supporting female lead, Yoon Eunjung, and supporting male lead, Jayce, appeared.
The story of five youths, Hydream.
The script was at the midpoint, so they were supposed to be friendly,
But since it was the first shoot, the emotional connection was weak, creating an awkward atmosphere.
It was an unavoidable circumstance.
Isn’t it hard to become close from your very first meeting?
As they were cleaning, Yoon Eunjung whined, “Ugh! Rather than being bullied like this, maybe I should just drop out!”
“Yeah, if you’re gonna live like that, just drop out.”
Those words weren’t from a Hydream member but from Lee Jae-yi.
“What?! Did you just say that?!”
Normally, Yoon Eunjung should have retorted at Lee Jae-yi, but—
“What, what?!”
The moment she saw Lee Jae-yi’s face, she froze, stepping back in surprise.
An intense hostility.
The disgust of disbelief that it was their first shoot and first time aligning swept over Yoon Eunjung.
The hallway vibe instantly shifts from lively to awkward.
Hatred bubbles up, and the nauseating emotions lay thick on the ground.
An aversion toward kids who cluelessly filled their heads with flower fields.
Feelings of inferiority due to not having a harmonious family like theirs.
These emotions combined to shape Lee Jae-yi.
“Just stay quiet and graduate quietly. Why come up from the bottom for nothing?”
“Why were you just lying on the floor?”
Clomp, clomp.
With each step Lee Jae-yi takes, the filming set grows quieter.
Among the clumsily synchronizing fish, a catfish decides to crash the river.
‘What is that gaze…?’
Everyone shrinks back from the aura of Lee Jae-yi, as if they’ve just encountered a sworn enemy.
“Say you won’t go to Miri at this point; that place isn’t fit for you guys to come out.”
“W-What do you mean?”
Everyone’s flustered.
The emotional intensity is off the charts.
All he’s doing is approaching and casually sticking his hands in his pockets, but everyone on set feels Lee Jae-yi’s disdain.
It’s both an inferiority complex from having their family broken and pride in having risen to this point believing in their own brilliant talent.
Having lost their original names and even their homes, a desperate struggle to find a place to belong spreads.
“Why pretend you don’t understand?”
No one could meet Lee Jae-yi’s gaze.
None were ready to face the eyes of a growling beast.
Heads lower slowly.
“Don’t even think about looking up.”
It’s overwhelming.
A rookie, who just debuted, tramples over those raised by the agency.
“I clearly stated.”
Seeing the scared faces, Lee Jae-yi grinned sinisterly.
This is talent; there’s an insurmountable wall that flawed goods can never climb.
Lee Jae-yi delivered a chilling warning and turned away.
No one could utter their scripted lines.
Lee Jae-yi, or Kim Donghu’s violent solo performance.
Normally, they’d shout ‘NG,’ but the director’s eyes were wide open, capturing every moment on camera.
‘It’s a monster.’
A catfish wearing the mask of Lee Jae-yi is about to ruin HideDream.
The minnows can’t survive a wave like this, jaws stretching wide in shock.
Thus, the director couldn’t easily call ‘cut.’
He wanted to keep this momentum going.
Zing.
The camera slowly moves toward Lee Jae-yi.
Originally, this was supposed to depict HideDream’s crisis and highlight their struggles,
but one catfish changes everything.
The arrival of a powerful villain.
A genius born from boiling contempt.
Lee Jae-yi’s appearance is conveyed through the camera.
‘Not yet, not yet.’
Clomp, clomp.
Watching Lee Jae-yi exit, the cinematographer held his breath.
Not yet, not until Lee Jae-yi, Kim Donghu permits it.
He appeals with his whole body to be captured.
With a somewhat gloomy expression,
Lee Jae-yi lashes out against himself while observing the happiness he can never possess.
He thinks it’s unnecessary; such things only make one weak.
His almost breaking expression teeters at the edge but toughens up.
“Huuh…”
A quick sigh, organizing his emotions.
The moment he sees that…
“YEEEEEESSSS!!!”
The cinematographer, looking more than excited, gave the OK signal.
+++++
Just after the first shoot wrapped up.
I’m instantly here.
“Ha!”
ST Entertainment’s CEO, Kim Gilsan, laughed in disbelief.
What did I just witness?
Honestly, I wanted to curse the audition judges who picked Kim Donghu.
Controversy over an idol actor’s acting skills? Of course, it’s bound to happen.
It’s not their primary field!
But there was a way to avoid such criticisms; as long as everyone was at a similar level.
If it’s the same soup, you wouldn’t see the taste of the broth.
However.
“Where did they pick someone like that from?”
A tyrant of lectures.
A catfish stirring the waters, casually taking out small fish.
No chance to win.
If that’s the case.
“I’ll pull him in.”
If you can’t win, just form a team. With that thought, Kim Gilsan immediately moved towards Kim Donghu, who was taking a break after the scene.
Just as he was about to approach without hesitation…
Thud!
He bumped into someone.
“Isn’t it shameless for an idol agency to covet acting roles?”
Lee Sanghak, the CEO of Pulledidy.
His toad-like face was fuming.
“Don’t cross the line, brother. Actors should grow among themselves.”
A textbook line, yet somewhat audacious, made Kim Gilsan laugh in disbelief.
“Hey, don’t we have actors? Is Kim Yu-ryun nothing at all?”
“Oh, who doesn’t know? It’s saying the growth system isn’t properly set up!”
“Growth system?”
Kim Gilsan seemed to press a button with the word ‘growth’.
He splashed some cold water on his face and lit up like a light bulb.
“Are you saying ‘growth’ while watching the kids you raised get eaten alive?”
“…”
Lee Sanghak couldn’t respond to that.
Cold truths can sometimes be too painful.
+++++
After filming wrapped up, Jang Geonho rushed over to Kim Donghu.
It’s more like he sprinted, grabbing a bottle of water and handing it to Kim Donghu.
“Haha, if you’re already this exhausted, do you think your stamina will hold up later?”
“Wow, thank you for your concern, senior!”
“No, no, I didn’t give it to you for that. Just sit down and relax.”
After stopping the flustered Kim Donghu from getting up too hastily,
Jang Geonho repeated what he said earlier.
“If you’re already showing signs like this, your stamina will be in trouble later.”
It was a genuinely worried comment, and Kim Donghu responded nonchalantly.
“Thank you for worrying!”
“Sure, sure.”
Jang Geonho nodded his head contentedly to Kim Donghu’s words.
It was somewhat common.
People often put in excessive effort just because it was the first shoot.
But.
“Well then, I’ll try to exert less effort next time!”
Jang Geonho was left dumbfounded by Kim Donghu’s following words.
Next time, even less?
So this wasn’t his maximum effort?