Superstar From Age 0

Chapter 745

As soon as Bae Seung-won’s casting was confirmed, Cocoa Entertainment received a flood of materials about the drama [Dawn].

From the script of the sixth episode, which had not been aired yet due to Jo Seung-hwan’s drunk driving accident, to the completed scripts of the following episodes, and the memo with the ending, they got everything they needed to know about the character that Bae Seung-won would play, his past, present, and future emotional changes.

It seemed like they had sent everything they could from their computer.

“They were almost in tears, thanking us. They said they could start filming as soon as they were ready, so just let them know whenever we were prepared.”

The staff from the actor team 2, who had printed the materials that arrived by email and delivered them to Seo-jun and Bae Seung-won, said with a pitying face. They could tell how the situation was at the set just by hearing the voice of the PD on the phone.

“Oh, and when you look at the script…”

At the staff’s words, Seo-jun and Bae Seung-won opened the script.

“Do you see the mark on the role that Seung-won will take? They marked the parts that will be filmed at the same set.”

“Well, it’s easier to film them all at once. Hm? What’s this?”

On the script, the scenes where Bae Seung-won’s role appeared were very noticeable, but on the corner of the page, there was something written like a rolling paper, or like an additional material on the edge of a textbook.

At Bae Seung-won’s question, the staff smiled and answered.

“It’s a commentary. The writer and the PD thought it would help Seung-won practice, so they wrote it.”

Oh.

Seo-jun and Bae Seung-won’s eyes widened.

They could tell how much the writer and the PD loved this drama just by looking at this.

“It’s going to be a good drama.”

Seo-jun said with a smile, and Bae Seung-won nodded in agreement. 

He was happy to join such a drama, even though it was late.

“Shall we start analyzing then?”

Of course, he could see the hard road ahead of him.

Seo-jun and Bae Seung-won occupied one practice room and read the script.

“It’s a relief that only five episodes have been aired so far.”

“Right. The characters’ stories will start to deepen soon.”

The most urgent thing was the sixth episode, which had to be aired soon.

The two actors read the character’s past, the scripts from the first to the fifth episode, and watched the videos of Jo Seung-hwan’s acting.

“We have to keep the same character personalities as the two lead actors. The viewers are already used to them, after all.”

“Then do I have to copy Jo Seung-hwan’s acting exactly?”

Bae Seung-won asked, and Seo-jun answered.

“I think it would be better to act similarly at first, and then gradually change to your own character.”

Even if the character’s interpretation changed suddenly, the viewers who knew the reason for the actor’s change would understand, but Seo-jun still hoped that the drama’s flow would be smooth.

‘It doesn’t mean that Seung-won hyung has to be a copycat.’

They needed an acting that would make the viewers feel the actor’s change as little as possible, while also showing Bae Seung-won’s charm.

‘It’s a hard task, but it can be done with practice.’

Seung-won hyung could do it.

Bae Seung-won, who was lost in thought for a moment at Seo-jun’s words, smiled and said.

“It sounds difficult, but… let’s try?”

Seo-jun smiled brightly and got up from his seat.

If his friends saw him, they would have shouted ‘Run away!!’, with such a dazzling smile.

“Then I’ll try acting as the male lead. I’ll do it exactly as Jo Seung-hwan did at first.”

“Okay. Got it.”

And so, Seo-jun and Bae Seung-won’s acting practice began.

It was the start of a hellish training.

***

And a few days later.

At the set of SBC drama [Dawn].

“Wow…”

They saw Bae Seung-won, who was acting with the actor of the male lead role, on the set.

“Is it just me, or… he looked like he was acting exactly like Jo Seung-hwan at the beginning of the sixth episode, but now he feels a bit different, doesn’t he?”

The writer, who was worried enough to come to the set in person, said, and the PD nodded repeatedly.

“That’s right. It’s a different vibe. I can’t pinpoint where it’s different, but… maybe it’s Bae actor’s charm that shows.”

“That’s true. Somehow, the character feels more alive than when Jo Seung-hwan was acting.”

The writer and the PD’s eyes sparkled.

Bae Seung-won’s lively acting matched well with the two lead actors.

And they also had a good chemistry, as if they had practiced beforehand. 

Even though Bae Seung-won didn’t even participate in the script reading.

“It’s Cocoa Entertainment…”

The PD said with emotion, and not only the writer, but also the other staff couldn’t help but admire.

Thanks to Bae Seung-won, who had rolled around in Seo-jun’s hellish training, a model of self-sacrifice, the drama [Dawn] was able to finish filming the sixth episode safely.

***

Click.

The door of the practice room closed.

At that sound, Kim Chan-hee, an actor from Cocoa Entertainment, who had escaped from the youngest position thanks to the new actors, shuddered and trembled.

I’m just practicing with Seo-jun, the acting genius, but why do I feel like… I’m walking into the tiger’s mouth with my own feet.

‘Is it because of Seung-won hyung?’

Kim Chan-hee thought of Bae Seung-won, who had practiced with Seo-jun for a few days.

His face was shiny as if he had taken care of his skin, but his eyes were dead.

If his face was also haggard, he would have thought ‘He practiced really hard!’, but his face was fine and his body looked healthy, but his eyes were dull, which made him more scared.

“Shall we start, Chan-hee hyung?”

“Y-yeah. Let’s do that.”

Seo-jun asked with a bright smile, as if he was happy. Kim Chan-hee nodded without knowing.

It was the second hellish training that started with a beauty contest.

***

Ding dong-

The light on the door of the practice room turned on. 

It meant that someone was calling from outside.

“Who! Who is it! Seo-jun!”

It sounded like a translation of ‘Please save me!’… It wasn’t an illusion… right?

He heard it often when he practiced with his friends.

‘The culprit is… Lee Seo…’

‘How did my friend… sob…’

‘The autopsy results show that he died from excessive acting practice. And the culprit is…!’

‘To be continued next week!’

Well, they played like that.

‘They were all good at acting, so it was fun.’

He recalled the happy memories, and Seo-jun, who was spitting out the energy to replenish Kim Chan-hee’s stamina, nodded at Kim Chan-hee’s desperate scream. He was thinking of taking a break anyway.

Kim Chan-hee, who didn’t know Seo-jun’s thoughts, opened the door of the practice room with a look of ‘I’m alive!’. He didn’t know who it was, but he was so grateful that he felt like crying.

“Uh? Noona?”

“Sorry to interrupt your practice… Huh! Is that Actor Seo-jun!?”

The staff member of Team 3, who was holding a bunch of papers, was about to talk to Kim Chan Hee when he noticed Seo-jun standing behind him. He gasped in surprise.

“Yes. I was practicing acting with Chan Hee hyung.”

Acting practice?

No, it was acting hell.

Noona, please get me out of here! Kim Chan Hee sent a desperate look.

“You were! Chan Hee, you must have had a great time!”

Unfortunately, the staff member of Team 3 did not catch his look.

But he would soon find out.

“What is that?”

“Oh, this? It’s the work that Chan Hee chose. I wanted to discuss it with him.”

Oh.

Seo-jun’s eyes sparkled.

“Can I join the discussion too?”

“…Yes?”

Seo-jun was interested in the script that the staff member of Team 3 was holding.

***

“So, that’s why I think we need to consider this work more carefully.”

Somehow, the staff member of Team 3 ended up explaining the work he analyzed in front of Seo-jun. He understood the look that Kim Chan Hee gave him earlier.

‘He was asking for help!’

As he pointed out the flaws of the work, he felt like he was giving a presentation in front of the team leader, no, Director An and the president. He wished someone would save him, but sadly, no one came.

The staff member of Team 3 sighed inwardly when Seo-jun, who was listening quietly, raised his hand. The staff member tensed up again.

“Yes, yes!”

“But don’t you think there is something worth noting in this work? I think Chan Hee hyung chose it for a reason.”

Seo-jun’s words made Kim Chan Hee’s eyes shine.

The work was as the staff member of Team 3 said, a work with a rookie director, a rookie writer, and a story that jumped here and there. But the character appealed to Kim Chan Hee’s heart. He didn’t want to miss it.

“Oh, so I looked for other works that have similar characters.”

Oh.

The staff member of Team 3 pulled out other scripts as if he had prepared them.

There were dramas by famous writers, movies by decent directors, works by rookie directors but with reliable movie production companies, and so on.

Seo-jun read one of the scripts and thought.

‘He didn’t know I would be here, so he must have always brought these candidate works with him.’

He glanced at Kim Chan Hee, who was happily reading the most attractive script among them. (He had escaped from the acting hell.)

He imagined the staff members of the actor team who tried their best to respect and fulfill the actors’ wishes, and Seo-jun smiled softly.

In a somewhat relaxed atmosphere.

Ding-dong- The light next to the door turned on with a sound.

Seo-jun and Kim Chan Hee looked up from their scripts.

“Should we open it?”

“Yes.”

At Seo-jun’s nod, the staff member of Team 3 quickly opened the door.

“Uh, Tae Woo hyung?”

It was Choi Tae Woo.

“Director An is looking for you. If you’re not done yet, come later.”

“Then…”

Seo-jun looked at Kim Chan Hee and the staff member of Team 3.

He felt like making their sparkling eyes gloomy. A mischievous smile appeared on his face and he soon spoke.

“I’ll go now. We’re done.”

Wow…!

He felt like he heard a small cheer from Kim Chan Hee and the staff member of Team 3 behind the closing door.

***

“What were you doing?”

“I was practicing acting with Chan Hee hyung and listening to Team 3’s work analysis.”

Seo-jun’s words made An Da Ho and Choi Tae Woo tilt their heads.

They understood the acting practice, but work analysis?

Seo-jun explained with a smile.

“Our actor team is really good at their job.”

“They are. I’m the one managing them.”

The manager of the actor team, Director An Da Ho, shrugged his shoulders and smiled. His cheekiness made Seo-jun and Choi Tae Woo laugh.

“But why did you call me, Da Ho hyung?”

He had already reported and talked to him as soon as he arrived, like stamping his attendance.

At Seo-jun’s question, An Da Ho opened his mouth with a smile.

“I wanted to ask you how you’re going to spend your summer vacation. Are you going to look for a new work or do something else? Do you have anything in mind?”

Seo-jun told him what he had thought of beforehand.

“I want to take some summer courses.”

“Really?”

“It’s easier to film during the semester if I earn some credits in advance. Cyber courses are good, but I think on-site courses are better.”

He liked the quality of Han Ye University’s cyber courses, but he wanted to act with the students on site.

An Da Ho and Choi Tae Woo nodded at Seo-jun’s words.

At the same time, words like ‘summer, heat, stamina, nourishment.’ popped up in their heads.

“And…”

Hm?

An Da Ho and Choi Tae Woo looked at Seo-jun.

Seo-jun grinned.

“I also want to participate in the school festival.”