Rookie but One-in-a-Million Actor

Chapter 7

**Production Company’s Circumstances**

“Hello, I’m Jo Miyoung, the CEO of Square Film.”

A meeting room in Seoul City Hall.

Employees from Square Film, in charge of producing a promotional web drama, and government officials gathered in one place. It was the time for final adjustments before production began.

“Let’s keep it casual. From the report, everything looks fine. We just need to proceed as planned, right?”

The head of the PR department flipped through the documents carelessly. It was evident he didn’t want to be there. After all, they had outsourced the project to handle it independently, but meetings kept being scheduled.

“We need to adjust some details.”

However, from Square Film’s perspective, their client was none other than the government. This project was quite significant among those they had handled. They couldn’t afford to overlook anything.

“Details? What kind?”

Jo Miyoung displayed a draft on the large screen.

‘One Night Food Trip’

The work primarily takes place at a small cart bar that opens in an alley every night. The main plot revolves around the owner, an ordinary citizen, and the patrons who visit, creating moments of comfort and empathy.

“Have you checked the PPL (product placement) list?”

The food featured among the characters was particularly important.

Specifically, items known as K-Food.

These were both the promotional focus and the central elements of the drama. Numerous popular Korean dishes from YouTube were scheduled to appear, including traditional Korean food.

“There are a lot, right? Chicken Fire Ramen, Bibimbap Dumplings, Ottogi Curry, Mirak Rice Punch. That’s about it, right?”

The department head glanced at his subordinate, who confirmed there were more than nine products listed.

“When you include the Korean dishes requested by the Seoul government, a total of twelve foods will appear. This excludes drinks and snacks.”

“And so?”

“As you know, seven episodes are the base.”

If they exceeded a certain number of views and the response was good, they would produce up to ten episodes. That was the contract. The department head frowned, wondering what the problem was.

“There are too many types of food for the number of episodes.”

“Just put two in each episode then.”

Grinding. Employees standing close to the CEO noticed her teeth clenching. The indifferent officials seemed uninterested.

“The sponsors are against that. Plus, with each episode being 15 to 20 minutes long, focusing on too many items reduces the show’s impact.”

“Ha! They’re really fussy!”

The department head’s harsh words made the room tense. He waved his hand dismissively.

“I don’t mean you, ma’am, but those companies. Don’t misunderstand.”

Jo Miyoung merely smiled.

Power dynamics. She kept repeating that phrase in her mind, to hold on to her composure.

“Anyway, the problem is there are too many food items compared to the number of episodes, right?”

“Yes. So, if possible, how about removing the Korean dishes requested by the city-”

“No way! That’s the most important part! Bibimbap, Bulgogi, what else?”

His subordinate quickly answered.

“Cupbap.”

“Right, Cupbap! We planned this to promote that-!”

The department head waved his hands, firmly rejecting the suggestion. The other officials seemed to share his stance.

Jo Miyoung had somewhat expected this reaction.

“Then how about reducing the PPL?”

“Who’s funding the set production? Using taxes recklessly these days can cause big problems! How can we spend the budget without knowing the view count?”

If they secured corporate cooperation, everything would be smooth.

If there were issues in production, it was the production company’s problem, not theirs.

“Since the alley and cart bar are the main settings, we can cut costs by finding a suitable location.”

“Why are you acting like an amateur, ma’am?”

The department head scoffed, as if she was clueless.

She had almost ten years of experience in the field. An amateur?

Her smile deepened.

“It takes three days to shoot one episode, right? Repeating that seven times totals twenty-one days. For twenty-one days, if we light up an alley and have staff moving around, do you think residents will appreciate it? It’s not an apartment but a multi-family housing area.”

If the response was good and they extended the episodes, it could take nearly a month. For a month, the residents would live under lights instead of the moon.

“It’d be a problem if complaints come in. A big problem.”

Unpleasant, but not entirely wrong. Even if the city approved, issues at the location were inevitable.

It meant the shoot could be canceled.

The department head scratched his upper lip and spoke as if he was doing them a favor.

“Alright. You said twelve items, right?”

“You mean the food items?”

“Yes, yes. That. Then let’s make an additional contract. Keep the conditions the same, but increase the episodes from ten to twelve. If the response is good, we can shoot everything without issue.”

This son of a-

Jo Miyoung was smiling sweetly, but she was cursing internally. When she might burst out swearing, only the employees were on edge.

“See what you can do until then. Our SquareFilm team is very capable, right? You’re quite popular on MiTube these days, aren’t you? Haha!”

Following the manager’s words, the other subordinates joined in with laughter.

Whether it was cramming two dishes into one episode or adjusting the length of the video, it was literally up to us to make it work. We were the punching bags for the sponsors and Seoul City.

“Oh dear. It’s already this late.”

“Shall we go for lunch?”

“Director, you haven’t eaten yet, right? How about joining us?”

They had no intention of wasting even a minute of their upcoming lunch break. The director, still smiling brightly, declined.

“No, we have some things to wrap up.”

“Is that so? Well then, keep up the good work, everyone! Let’s make something spectacular! Alright? Haha!”

Led by the manager, the related staff members filed out. The meeting room was left in silence. The director, standing tall, slumped onto the desk.

“Damn it-”

At that moment, the team leader quickly opened the door and scanned the surroundings to ensure no one was around.

“Fucking cockroach bastards-”

“Keep it down. We’re still at City Hall.”

“They keep talking about secure jobs, but their heads are as useless as trash cans…”

Jo Miyoung spewed fierce curses as she slumped into a chair. Her head was throbbing with pain. The customer is king, but this was too much.

“It’s a poisoned chalice.”

The team leader sighed, ruffling his hair.

They were just starting to establish a foothold in the market. The experience of a project with a major like Seoul City was supposed to be a great asset, but now they hit this roadblock.

“What do we do now?”

The staff’s question prompted the team leader to organize the documents.

“What else can we do? We’ll have to go around to the sponsors and plead from tomorrow.”

“Does that mean you’ll be putting two items in each episode?”

“If possible. It’s best to assume we won’t get an extension. Isn’t that right, Director?”

If they planned for one item per episode and couldn’t shoot everything, it would be a disaster.

“…How far along is the script?”

The synopsis was already done. Adding items meant changing the storyline and directing style accordingly. The team leader stroked his chin and answered.

“We’ve got up to episode 2.”

“Read the synopsis.”

“Oh. Um. Just a moment.”

The team leader sat down next to the director. The staff followed suit.

It seemed lunch was off the table.

“Episode 1. The protagonist, who had been living on his own, hears of his father’s death. Left behind is a food stall and a will. -Son, I’d like you to run the stall at night. There are people who will be sad if the stall disappears.- The protagonist starts running the stall out of necessity.”

“Cut the details. Who’s the guest?”

“The first episode features a retired breadwinner.”

Each episode has a different story.

Customers with various concerns appear.

Jo Miyoung closed her eyes and thought for a moment before speaking.

“Change it.”

“Huh? To what?”

“What’s the main demographic for MiTube web dramas?”

“Younger people, especially students.”

“Let’s target them first. Change the first episode from a middle-aged man to a student. Didn’t we have an episode about a high school senior?”

A high school senior, showing the struggles of youth. With no time to ponder what to do next, they are overwhelmed by entrance exams. It was perfect for drawing empathy from the main viewers.

“Yes, I think that was set for episode 3.”

“Put aside the script you’ve written for now and move that episode to the first slot. And-”

She had to make a bold move.

To ensure an extension, they needed to make a splash. With only seven episodes, they had to go big from the start.

Jo Miyoung tapped the desk with her fingers.

“Make sure to cast good actors.”

“Do you have any guidelines?”

“Both acting and looks should be top-notch.”

“Uh… Director. Not to spoil the mood, but if the role is for a student, they’ll all be around the same age.”

Talented actors in that age group with good looks and skills were likely already with major agencies.

Besides, weren’t they casting for a one-time supporting role in a 20-minute web drama?

“Give up one aspect. I recommend focusing on acting. Bad acting is already a stretch with Enbin.”

Enbin, an idol selected as the protagonist of One Night Food Stand and the Seoul City ambassador, was handsome but lacked acting skills.

“No. Keep looking. We’re still in the first round of auditions.”

“We’ll look, sure. But if we don’t find anyone, it’s my neck on the line.”

The team leader’s whine made Jo Miyoung wave her hand. She muttered with conviction.

“There will be someone. Definitely.”

Someone who could carry this challenging situation on their shoulders.

* * *

“Mooyoung, straighten your back.”

Yoochan instructed Mooyoung while holding the camera. Mooyoung awkwardly looked at the lens, then smiled and adjusted his posture.

“This is so strange. Usually, the first round is just documents.”

“Acting needs to be shown on video. Turn slightly. Your left side looks better than your right.”

Yoochan knew how to work the camera. Knowing the better angles of his face and exposing the best parts to the camera were key.

“Like this?”

“Great. Start from there.”

“Ready when you are.”

“Okay- Action!”

As the record button was pressed, Mooyoung began with an introduction.

“Hello. I’m Ha Mooyoung. I graduated high school this year and am about to enter university.”

He couldn’t find much information about the web drama he was applying for.

The casting call had no age or physical requirements, leaving Oh-seok puzzled about what roles they were seeking.

“I haven’t been acting for long, so I don’t have any roles to mention. Also-”

Including personal worries in the video was also puzzling.

“As for my concerns…”

Mooyoung slowly read from the paper stuck next to the camera.

“I haven’t had this concern for long. As a high school senior, I was overwhelmed with studying and didn’t know what to do with my life. All I did was study… Then I stumbled upon acting, and now I’m living with the dream of acting.”

Mooyoung smiled brightly. Yoochan, viewing this through the camera, gave a thumbs-up, indicating approval.

“I will now start my free acting segment.”