Peninsula: From a supporting actor to the best actor in Chungmuro

Chapter 18: Filming Wrap-up and New Characters

May 29th.

Inside the Apgujeong recording studio.

The last scene of the Korean dubbing of "Despicable Me 2".

Jiang Zaixun stared at the image on the monitor where Gru and Lucy were riding a rocket towards the volcano, his Adam's apple rolling up and down with the countdown numbers.

"Three, two, one, go!"

"Listen Lucy! We might all die this time—"

"Ka, you are confessing your love now, not collecting a debt!"

The director suddenly cut the music off: "And the breathing is too heavy. Gru is so relieved at this moment!"

"Sorry, Director."

Jiang Zaixun took a sip of iced American coffee to moisten his throat: "I'm ready."

The seventh time.

"Listen Lucy! We might all die this time—"

When Jiang Zaixun spoke again, his voice was rough but mixed with a hint of coaxing and stickiness:
"But I have a question for you!"

"Now? Then you better ask quickly!"

The pre-recorded voice of the actor who voiced Lucy came from the headphones.

"If I wanted to go out with you, would you be willing?"

The ending of Kang Jae-hoon's voice suddenly rose with the volcano erupting special effects in the movie.

"Are you kidding?" Lucy burst out laughing. "Of course I do!"

"Cut!"

Jiang Zaixun pursed his lips and waited for the director's instructions.

After a moment, the director wiped the sweat from his forehead:

"Perfect, done!"

The whole audience was silent for two seconds, and then suddenly burst into cheers.

Assistant Director Li aimed the ribbon tube at Jiang Zaixun, and "bang" it exploded into sequins all over the sky.

"Congratulations on wrapping up! Thank you for your hard work!"

"Thank you."

Kang Jae-hoon wiped off the gold powder stuck on his eyelashes and thanked the staff he had worked with for a month.

Amid the clamor of equipment being collected, the director handed him a crumpled envelope:

"Good boy, that vibrato at the end is amazing."

Jiang Zaixun held the envelope less than two millimeters thick and thanked him:

"It's all thanks to Director Nim's guidance."

"Add contact information and look forward to our next cooperation."

"it is good."

"correct."

After exchanging phone numbers, the director patted Jiang Zaixun on the shoulder and said with a smile:
"If you have time, have more romances. That way, you can save yourself 20 NGs when dubbing a love scene next time."

"what……"

Jiang Jae-hoon's eyes suddenly flashed with the cold face of Lee Sung-kyung when she called him an idiot, but the next second it was replaced by the crescent eyes of Lin Yoona who was smiling while recording.

"Why are you dazed?"

Jin Dayuan used his elbow to hold his neck and dragged him out, while not forgetting to give the director a two-finger forehead salute.

Jiang Jae-hoon was dragged out of the door staggering.

There were flakes of gold dust stuck in the reflection of the recording studio glass, like star stickers someone had put on as a prank.

……

Inside a charcoal grilled meat restaurant in an old house in Sinchon-dong, Mapo-gu.

The sound of grease dripping into the charcoal fire and exploding into stars mixed with the sound of liquor bottles colliding turned the script discussion into a gang meeting.

Han Dongyu picked up a piece of sizzling pork belly and placed it on the small plate in front of Huang Zhengmin:
"Brother, you're the perfect fit for the role of Tai Yi. Beneath that rascally, unruly air there has to be a touch of humanity. You're the only one in Chungmuro ​​who can bring this role to life."

Huang Zhengmin swallowed it whole with chili sauce:
"Who is the heroine?"

"I want to find Han Hyo Joo, the pure type can suppress the bloody smell."

"Han Hyo Joo?"

Hwang Jung-min sucked his teeth as he flipped through the script of "When a Man Falls in Love":

"She just finished filming 'The Watchers,' and her mind is full of detective muscle memory. You want her to play a little white rabbit who's cornered by loan sharks?"

Han Dongyu paused while tearing the perilla leaves:

"The producers want box office guarantees."

Huang Zhengmin raised an eyebrow: "Isn't it enough to have me?"

"Big brother agreed to act in the show?"

"Hey, at least you can call me Big Brother. How can I not help you with your debut?"

"Ha ha."

Han Dongyu quickly picked up the soju bottle with both hands and poured wine for Huang Zhengmin.

The two clinked their glasses and drank it all in one gulp.

When the soju on the table was almost gone, the door of the shop was slammed.

The night breeze that came in when Jiang Jae-hoon pushed the door swept away half of the smoke in the room.

"Sorry, there's a traffic jam."

After explaining, Jiang Zaixun bowed and greeted the two of them:

"Good evening, teacher nim, director nim!" "This is my last disciple, Jiang Zaixun."

Huang Zhengmin kicked the plastic stool in front of him:
"A toast to Director Han."

"Yes."

Jiang Zaixun held the cup with both hands and drank it all in one gulp.

"Assign a role for my kid."

Han Dongyu stared at Jiang Zaixun's face for a while through the smoke from the barbecue table and asked:
"What roles has Xiao Jiang played?"

"I've played a soldier in the 60s, a noblewoman in the Middle Ages, and even voiced Gru in the animated film Despicable Me 2."

"."

The range of roles played by Kang Jae-hoon was so great that even Han Dong-wook couldn't help but be amazed.

"The gangsters are too inexperienced, and the loan shark accountants are too obedient."

He looked through the character list and said:
"The main reason is the huge age gap. The youngest thug in the gang is at least 30 years old."

Since the main character is Hwang Jung-min, the ages of the characters in the play have to be set around his age.

There really isn't a role that's quite suitable for Kang Jae-hoon.

“You’re the screenwriter!”

Hwang Jung-min flicked the ash from his cigarette and said, "Open a separate line for him."

"Single open line"

Han Dongyu stared at the sizzling beef intestines for two seconds, then suddenly knocked on the table:
“Add a real estate agent!”

He immediately took out his ballpoint pen and scribbled on the blank space in the script:

"The night Taiyi lost the store's deposit in a gamble, we added a scene where the real estate agent was involved in the negotiations - the homeowner demanded the final payment, the heroine waited anxiously for Taiyi, and Xiao Jiang made up lies to delay the process."

The spicy soju that Jiang Zaixun just swallowed made his Adam's apple roll:
"Real estate agent?"

"An expert in telling lies in a suit."

Huang Zhengmin stuffed the burnt beef intestines into his bowl and said, "Go to the agency for internship tomorrow."

"..."

When Kang Jae-hoon opened the door, Lee Sung-kyung was lying on the floor doing the downward dog yoga pose.

The waist and hip curves outlined by the yoga pants made Jiang Zaixun hurriedly fix his eyes on the shoe cabinet.

"you've been drinking?"

"Well, I finished filming today, but I didn't drink too much."

He took out the wrinkled red envelope from the closing ceremony and shook it:

"The director said he would look for me next time."

"Congratulations."

"cough--"

Jiang Zaixun choked on his own saliva.

——The last time this woman said congratulations was last year when she was accepted as a disciple by Hwang Jung-min.

However, this time the congratulations seemed to be mixed with other factors.

"besides."

"explain."

"Teacher Hwang Jung-min has given me a new role—"

He slumped onto the sofa, picking at the threads of the cushion with his fingers as he waited for the call to be made.

I waited for three beats but received no follow-up questions.

"Playing the real estate agent!"

He suddenly raised his voice: "You have to wear a suit to work!"

Li Jingjing turned over and changed into a bridge pose, with the waist and abdominal muscles rising and falling with breathing:
"so?"

“This time there are two minutes of independent footage!”

"It's still an extra."

".I will start my internship at the agency tomorrow to experience the role."

"Need me to praise your dedication?"

“Not really.”

Before Jiang Jae-hoon finished speaking, Li Jingcheng suddenly stood up with a somersault.

The wind from the yoga mat blew the scent of lavender laundry detergent all over his face.

"What time does the agency open?"

"Eight o'clock."

Li Jingcheng glanced at the time and said:

"Then you still have seven hours to catch up on your sleep. I'll let you take a shower first tonight."

"Wow, Bible, you're really—"

"Until I change my mind."

Jiang Jae-hoon fell silent instantly and ran into the bathroom.

The moment the door closed, I heard her mutter:
"You have to experience the role for a two-minute scene, idiot"

He suddenly peeked through the crack in the door and asked:

"Bible, did you just praise me?"

"roll!"

(End of this chapter)