NOVEL WEB Chapter 17 - Are you planning to kill this old man too?
Chapter 17: Are you planning to kill this old man too?
TL: Aniea
‘Kang Woo-ju is bowing his head!?’
It was a particularly impressive scene given that Kang Woo-ju seemed like someone who would never bow his head to anyone.
Of course, unlike the other newcomers, he didn’t bend his waist completely, but his series of actions were so natural and elegant that it was perfectly sufficient as a first greeting.
‘…The atmosphere is amazing.’
‘…He even tailored a suit for this.’
‘…He looks even better in person than in the photos.’
These impressions were shared by those who hadn’t met Kang Woo-ju in person before.
Not only the staff but also the fellow newcomer actors found themselves unintentionally opening their mouths in awe.
Especially the newcomers, who had memorized the script for today, realized that his appearance matched exactly with [Kang Joo-heon].
‘…He arrived exactly on time.’
Even this seemed staged.
This was a common thought in everyone’s mind. With just his entrance, Kang Woo-ju perfectly imprinted his presence on everyone, leading to a silent admiration pouring out.
At the same time, everyone’s gaze turned towards Kim Young-ho, curious about how he would take this situation.
‘Ho, look at this guy?’
At the same moment.
Kim Young-ho was also looking at Kang Woo-ju with interest. Having been in this field for decades, he had met a wide variety of actors.
Among them, there were those who, out of a desire to leave a strong impression, resorted to excessive ad-libbing without prior consultation and got kicked out. (TL Note: Ad-lib means doing improvisation in the script on the spot)
There were also cases where someone ruined their image by acting like a villain even off-camera, completely immersing themselves in their role.
‘…He does have a vibe, though.’
Usually, he would ponder how to guide such a brash act of a junior onto the right path.
But looking at Kang Woo-ju right in front of him, a strange curiosity arose. To him, the synchronization with the character [Kang Joo-heon] seemed very high.
‘Especially those eyes are quite something.’
Those calm eyes, revealing a firm sense of self without a hint of doubt, were truly a masterpiece.
It was so calming, almost chilling, to continue looking into them.
Even Kim Young-ho, who had matched with numerous actors over the years, hadn’t often seen such acting.
Suddenly, he became curious.
Just how far Kang Woo-ju had prepared.
“Ah, has my grandson arrived?”
“……!?”
Startled-
Everyone was startled by Kim Young-ho’s sudden acting. The line he just uttered was from [Kang Han-cheol], the chairman in the introduction of “Peaceful Chaebol Life”.
The scene where the chaebol group’s chairman Kang Han-cheol and his grandson Kang Joo-heon make their first appearance.
It was an important introduction that simultaneously informed about the characters of the two and the direction of the drama.
‘Wow… To do this on the spot?’
‘That’s Kim Young-ho sunbae for you.’
‘That’s what experience is all about.’
Both from the actors and the staff.
Admiration poured out at Kim Young-ho’s acting. Despite throwing the line without any sign, the immersion was no joke.
At the same time, sympathy for Kang Woo-ju also surged. For a newcomer, responding to such acting on the spot was too harsh.
‘He’s completely marked.’
‘He’s going to have a tough time for a while.’
‘If only he arrived early more often.’
Everyone thought that Kang Woo-ju would fail. There were dozens of people sitting here, with cameras rolling as well.
Just the number of eyes watching him would easily exceed a hundred. How could any newcomer respond to that?
“I have returned, Chairman-nim.”
“……!!”
Yet, as if to mock everyone’s expectations, Kang Woo-ju poured out the perfect line without a moment’s delay.
At the very least, if he were human, he would have shown a slight sign of panic for a brief moment, but not a single hair on his head flinched.
Kim Young-ho, smiling as he watched him, acted according to the script, but only he knew whether it was genuine or not.
“Tsk tsk. Just take a seat over there for now.”
“Yes.”
The two exchanged dialogue as naturally as breathing, continuing their act.
It wasn’t limited to just the dialogue. At some point, Kim Young-ho’s posture had slightly bent like that of an old man, and his overall movements became slower.
In response, Kang Woo-ju confidently found his place and sat down after ensuring Kim Young-ho had taken his seat.
“You’re still looking well.”
“You brat. Even if you covet this old man’s position, shouldn’t you at least wish me a long life with your words?”
“Wouldn’t it be better for you to live longer by enjoying clean air and playing golf with your friends?”
“Tsk tsk. You’re too outspoken. That’s why your uncles and aunts are so desperate to get rid of you.”
Gulp-!
Someone swallowed dryly, but it was impossible to tell who. Everyone felt similarly.
Not only Kang In-ho and Jung Ha-rin but also everyone sitting in the meeting room didn’t dare to interrupt.
They simply became spectators of a scene from a drama, rolling their eyes while holding their breath as much as possible.
“So, I heard that the project in Taiwan was successfully concluded. It must have been a challenging task since it also heavily involved semiconductors. You did well.”
“Did you wish for my failure?”
“Of course not. I just think that if you were born ten years earlier, I wouldn’t have aged this much. It seems there really is something to the idea of talents passing down through generations.”
“I still have a long way to go to catch up to you, Chairman-nim.”
“Oh, now you’ve learned how to flatter?”
“You know my personality.”
“You rascal. You’ve only gotten better with words.”
Tsk tsk-
Kim Young-ho let out a pleased laugh. Kang Woo-ju, in tune with him, slightly lifted the corners of his mouth.
Their interaction was so natural it felt like watching an actual grandfather and grandson.
However, the warm atmosphere was brief. Kim Young-ho then sharply continued with a tense line.
“But I’ve heard an interesting rumor.”
“…Rumor?”
“That our grandson used a bit too much force in handling things this time? There’s some strange noise coming from the labor union.”
“……”
Kang Woo-ju fell silent for the first time.
Although this was also part of the script, those watching were impressed once again.
Kang Woo-ju, who had not shown any sign of discomfort until now, subtly changed his posture and expression.
Just that was enough to convey his discomfort to the audience.
‘Silence speaks as well…’
‘To express it this way?’
‘The script only had dots for this part!?’
Beyond memorizing the entire script, it seemed he had also prepared how to express this scene through every movement and facial expression.
The production staff smiled at the absurdity, and the newcomer actors bit their lips with a mix of admiration and anxiety.
“…..I will take care of it quickly.”
“Never mind. I’ve already taken care of it.”
“Grandpa, you?”
“You only call me Grandpa at times like this.”
“The act of addressing someone can be a sufficient bargaining chip. Weren’t you the one who taught me that, Chairman-nim?”
“Our CEO Kang is good in many ways but lacks cuteness. After all, even taming a puppy is supposed to be fun because it has its charms.””
Tsk tsk-
Everyone clicked their tongues at Kim Young-ho’s ease in portraying a complicated sentiment, indicating he was somewhat pleased despite chiding.
“Thank you for your help, Grandpa.”
“Are those just words? Though it’s not like me to say, it was quite a bothersome task. What was it again? Ah, right. The lawyer known as ‘Mad Dog’…”
“Is she still alive?”
Ssshhh-
Everyone in the meeting room twitched at the chilling voice of Kang Woo-ju. Even without any particular rise or fall in his tone, it was clear he was angry.
“You’re going to give me a heart attack, you little brat!”
“I asked if she was alive.”
“Haha, now that I see, that mad dog isn’t a dog, but a fox. Okay, what if she’s dead? Will you kill this old man too, like your uncle?”
“……”
“……”
The two glared at each other in silence.
The air quickly grew heavy, and those watching held their breath all at once. They feared that even a slight breath might disrupt the mood.
…Among them, there was someone secretly clenching his fist while watching the back and forth between the two; it was Oh Dong-gyu, the assistant director.
‘It’s said that life is full of ups and downs.’
He had felt dizzy when he heard the news that the lead actor was involved in drugs.
Not just because of the money involved, but because his love for the work, whether as a writer or an actor, was second to none.
‘I didn’t expect much.’
A project hurriedly scheduled as a stopgap, and on top of that, a complete mess with a parachuted lead. It would have been stranger to expect it to succeed.
But what was this bizarre scene unfolding before his eyes?
‘It’s been a while since I’ve felt this way.’
His heart was racing.
It was similar to the first time he held a camera.
The desire to record this moment with his own hands.
The ‘anticipation’, which had gradually worn down with each passing year to the point where even its traces were hard to find, was back.
“Everyone, grab the cameras.”
“…Eh? Ah, yes!”
“Lower your voice. From now on, respond by nodding your head. Make sure our voices don’t get picked up by the mics.”
Oh Dong-gyu quietly woke up the staff who were completely lost in the acting.
If it was the actors’ job to immerse themselves in the performance, it was the staff’s role to take a step back and observe as objectively as possible.
“Everyone, pull yourselves together. From now on, we become the camera itself. Don’t take your eyes off for a second. Record everything that happens here.”
Nod-!
The staff nodded in unison. Led by the skilled direction of Oh Dong-gyu, the production team got into position.
‘The director and writer… seem to be handling things on their own.’
Director Kang In-ho quickly regained his composure like the veteran he was. He adjusted the situation so that the other newcomer actors could naturally continue the script reading.
Jung Ha-rin was also busy writing something with the assistant writers, probably noting down ideas or changes inspired by the scene they had just witnessed.
‘I can’t lose out either.’
Whirring-
Feeling passionate for the first time in a while, Oh Dong-gyu took hold of the camera himself. He then zoomed in, filling the screen with Kang Woo-ju’s figure.
As if he didn’t want to miss a moment of his acting.