Peninsula 2017: Is the system living in the past?

Monday morning.

Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, is a comprehensive film and television shooting base.

The morning mist of late autumn had not yet completely dissipated.

The crew members, their breath steaming in the air, were still half-asleep as they carried heavy filming equipment.

"Diverse Daughters-in-Law" is a daily drama, meaning it's a family drama that airs every day.

The filming was intense and the schedule was tight. The entire crew was like a tightly wound assembly line, allowing no time to stop.

So it's not just the actors who have to work hard.

The same goes for the staff behind the scenes.

"Aish..."

"Why aren't the lighting rigs over there set up yet!"

"What time is it?"

Lee Jae-jin sat on a canvas chair in front of the monitor, holding a rolled-up script in her hand, and was yelling at several production assistants.

He didn't sleep well last night either, his mind was filled with thoughts of the ratings.

"PDnim, good morning."

At this moment, Ham Eun-jung, who also looked tired, arrived at the filming location.

The unpleasantness of last night seemed to have been left behind, and upon arrival, she immediately came over to greet Lee Jae-jin.

"Oh, here it comes..."

Lee Jae-jin raised her eyelids slightly and replied indifferently, "Go and get ready first."

Faced with his attitude, Ham Eun-jung calmly responded and then turned and walked towards the dressing room.

There were already people in the dressing room.

It is Lee Joo-yeon, who plays the older sister, Hwang Geum-sung, in the drama.

Hearing the door open, I turned around and greeted her.

"Good morning, Joo-yeon unnie."

Ham Eun-jung forced a smile, then handed her bag to her assistant, changed into the clothes she would wear for the upcoming shoot, and sat down at the makeup table.

Her stylist was organizing the cosmetics and tools she would need, so she stared intently at herself in the mirror before starting her makeup routine.

She was reflected in the mirror with long, flowing hair.

Compared to her previous short hair, it has lost some of its sharpness but gained more gentleness.

Her adjustments over the past few years in order to develop her acting career have been effective.

"Eun-jung, are you still troubled by your hair?"

I noticed she was spacing out.

Lee Joo-yeon, who had many scenes with her, asked a question.

Actually, it doesn't matter if we don't ask this question, since we could hear clearly what Lee Jae-jin said in the dressing room after work last night, even through the door.

"Yes, I am indeed a bit troubled."

Ham Eun-jung's wandering thoughts were pulled back by Lee Joo-yeon's voice. She then turned her head to look at Lee Joo-yeon's profile and pursed her lips in response.

She felt much calmer after speaking with Park Jiyeon on the phone last night.

At least she still has people supporting her.

But it was precisely because of this that she also thought a lot.

At this moment, the problem wasn't simply about cutting her hair short, but rather what cutting her hair meant to her.

If growing out one's hair is for transitioning into acting, it's about reducing the fixed impressions imposed on one's past image.

What if you cut off your long hair?

That's what she's thinking about right now.

"Although the ratings have dropped a bit recently, they are still performing well overall."

Lee Joo-yeon mentioned the ratings, "PDnim was just a little anxious, that's why he made that suggestion. After all, short-haired Eun-jung is someone that even women would fall for."

"Joo-yeon unnie is joking, no way..."

"Is there some kind of noise outside?"

Just as Ham Eun-jung smiled and shook her head, Lee Joo-yeon's attention suddenly shifted to the outside of the dressing room.

The noise outside suddenly became much louder.

It wasn't the usual noisy setup for a stage, but a different kind of sound, somewhat unfamiliar.

seem...

Who's here?

...

...

"What is that?"

"Wow... a Maybach?"

"Why is there a food truck for fan support?!"

"Whose fans?"

Outside the dressing room, outside the shooting location.

Amidst the astonished gazes of the staff, a Maybach slowly pulled up to the outside of the venue.

Luxury cars certainly attract attention.

But what really caught the eye at this moment was not the luxury car, but the exquisitely decorated pink and white high-end support food truck following behind.

Stills of Ham Eun-jung from her dramas scroll across the LED screen on the roof of the car.

There was also a line of eye-catching text on the side:

"To everyone who worked hard to take photos on this cold morning."

As the car door opened.

The rich aroma of freshly ground coffee and the sweet fragrance of freshly baked Spanish churros instantly filled the air.

It made the nearby staff, who hadn't had breakfast yet, swallow hard.

Not to mention snacks and desserts.

For these people, coffee is something they simply cannot resist.

"Support for Ham Eun-jung?"

"Wasn't she basically left to her own devices by the company?"

"Where did this kind of pomp and circumstance come from!"

Amidst whispers, the Maybach driver got out of the car, walked around to the side and opened the door.

A gleaming black Oxford shoe stepped onto the film set floor.

Immediately afterwards, Jiang Xingchen got out of the car.

Instead of his recent outfit that really showcased his fashion sense, he wore a well-tailored dark gray Italian casual suit.

Hmm... it was rented.

It's the middle of the night, and it's needed the next day.

No tailor could make him a suit overnight.

Fortunately, she has a well-proportioned figure, so simple modifications don't require too much time.

After getting off the bus, he didn't do anything special; he just stood there and looked around.

He exuded an indescribable composure throughout.

The next second, his gaze locked onto Lee Jae-jin, who was also in a daze.

Then he strode over there.

As the highest-ranking manager on set, Lee Jae-jin, after a brief moment of surprise, approached Kang Sung-chen.

I wasn't sure where the other person came from, but I didn't put on airs either.

After all, who knows what kind of background someone who seems rich but whose background is unknown has?

It wouldn't be good if we got into trouble.

"Sir, who are you?"

"President Lee, nice to meet you."

With a smile and a slight bow, Jiang Xingchen greeted Eun-jung politely but not humbly, "I am Eun-jung's personal assistant, Jiang Xingchen Yi Mida."

"Isn't the agent here?"

Lee Jae-jin frowned and glanced back at Lee Hwa-soo, who was walking this way.

The agent had obviously heard Jiang Xingchen refer to herself as a "personal assistant," and frowned, immediately wanting to make trouble.

But the next second, his mouth, which had only opened a crack, closed again.

Following Lee Jae-jin's gaze, Kang Sung-chen also looked at Lee Hwa-soo, her eyes slightly narrowed, revealing a faint sense of danger.

He was very familiar with this aura.

The way those people on the street looked at me.

I saw it when I was being chased for debts.

Their pace also slowed down.

"My job responsibilities are different from Manager Li's, and Manager Li has some important matters to attend to at the company these past two days, which is why I came here," Jiang Xingchen explained calmly, withdrawing her gaze.

As they spoke, the gift bag in his hand was subtly transferred to Lee Jae-jin's hands.

"This is a small token of my appreciation that Eun-jung specially asked me to prepare. I heard that PDnim has been working so hard to meet deadlines that his voice has become hoarse."

Lee Jae-jin took the bag suspiciously and glanced inside.

Two boxes of Cheong Kwan Jang premium red ginseng slices.

This small box alone might be worth a month's salary for a stagehand.

As the saying goes, reach out and don't hit the smiling person.

Besides, it's a gift for oneself.

Lee Jae-jin's tense expression instantly relaxed, and she even managed a smile: "Aigoo, Eun-jung is too kind... Actually, I wasn't targeting her, it's just for the sake of the drama."

"That's what we think too," Jiang Xingchen nodded with a smile, then handed over an iced Americano. "I'll also be on-site to assist with the work during the few days that Manager Li finishes handling company matters."

"No problem," Lee Jae-jin said, taking a sip of coffee and feeling much better. "Now that Kang Sung-chen is here, I can rest assured."

"Thank you for your trust, PDnim. Please excuse me for a moment." Having temporarily settled things with Lee Jae-jin, Kang Sung-chul planned to go check on his mission target.

But before that.

He strolled over to Li Hexiu, who was about two meters away.

He looked her up and down.

Only when he felt thoroughly uncomfortable watching his manager abandon his artist and run away did he finally smile and ask, "Manager Lee Ha-soo, is the coffee in Nonhyeon-dong good?"

"What are you saying?" Li Hexiu froze instantly.

"It's nothing. Please help me distribute the coffee and snacks first. We can talk about the rest after I've met Eun-jung."

Jiang Xingchen smiled and patted him on the shoulder twice.

Then, ignoring his slightly stiff expression, she went straight to the dressing room.

Knock knock knock...

He knocked lightly on the door twice, and only after receiving a response did he press down the handle and go inside.

Inside the dressing room.

Ham Eun-jung had a general idea of ​​what had happened through the accounts of other staff members.

Hearing a knock on the door, I instinctively turned around.

Just then, Jiang Xingchen walked in.

Eyes met...

......