Chapter 27: Survival

[Seo Yeon-ju-Kim Sun-il ‘Special Task Force 808’ Mock Shoot Begins]

The article was correct. Finally, the day of the mock shoot had arrived.

Looking back, time had passed so quickly. After unlocking the special perks, Sua had experienced a series of unbelievable events and had to keep running without a break.

It was hard, yes. But did that make me dislike it?

“Not at all. I actually like it. It’s the best.”

The days when I tried every field and only faced failure seem cold now. Compared to that, this excitement feels quite warm. So, I can enjoy even these anxious moments if I choose to.

Sua repeated this to herself and tried to calm her racing heart.

“First, I received a message.”

[From Lee Geum-sook, the writer]
[For those who won’t be traveling in personal cars, gather by 8 AM. A bus has been arranged. We’ll travel together.]

Sua naturally planned to join. There was no other choice. For someone like Sua, whose life was close to being that of a beggar, having a car of her own was like a dream.

“Let’s see, the meeting point is….”

Sua tried to check the meeting location but failed.

It wasn’t because of low literacy. It was simply because a phone call had unexpectedly appeared, blocking the screen.

“Ah.”

But as soon as she saw the caller ID, she bit her tongue.

Seo Yeon-ju. The person calling was Seo Yeon-ju, no less.

Sua first checked the time.

The meeting time was 8 AM, and the current time was 5 AM.

“…There’s still 3 hours left?”

She was being called at such an early hour? It was hard to even guess the reason. Did she uncover some details about the credit card incident?

“Anyway, I can’t not answer it. Let me focus.”

Sua steeled herself with a serious expression in front of the mirror.

“Hello.”

“Oh, you’re awake? Hi, Sua.”

Seo Yeon-ju’s bright voice. It was the same as always.

“Did I wake you up? It’s so early.”

“No.”

“You’re still so stiff, even now, just like in the interview. We’re not strangers anymore, you know?”

It’s because I’m nervous. I’m nervous.

“…What’s the matter?”

“Of course, I’m asking about the mock shoot today. How are we going to go?”

Sua thought for a moment. Did Seo Yeon-ju not receive the message?

“The exhibition hall. You just need to be there by 8 AM.”

“Huh? Are you talking about the rental bus?”

But immediately, a confused voice returned.

“Sua, the leads should go together. That’s how you bond. Plus, your identity is still a secret to the others.”

“The leads together?”

“Yes. Let’s go together. Come to the doll department store in front.”

“The… the doll department store?”

Sua was startled and asked again.

“You lost your card nearby, remember? Don’t you live around there? I thought it would be a good place to meet.”

“Ah, that’s right. You’re right. Yes, yes.”

Thank goodness. Sua sighed in relief.

The call quickly wrapped up, with Seo Yeon-ju telling her to wait in front of the doll department store as she would be arriving soon.

An hour later, Sua arrived in front of the doll department store.

She pressed both her palms and face against the display window.

The department store, which had not opened yet, displayed dolls that were peacefully asleep inside. They were so cute. Should I buy them all later?

Yes, rabbits are lonely creatures. They’ll need some companion dolls. As Sua pondered these thoughts, the phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Sua, I’ll be there soon.”

As soon as Sua hung up, she moved away from the window of the doll department store. She didn’t want to give the impression that she was admiring the dolls. If she hadn’t received the call, she would have been in trouble.

Soon, a sleek, black van appeared. The door opened smoothly, revealing Seo Yeon-ju.

Seo Yeon-ju waved her hand with a big smile.

“Ta-da, found you, Sua!”

She was still wearing a headband. Sua greeted her briefly.

“Hello.”

“Huh? But, Sua, you’re wearing a hat?”

Seo Yeon-ju tilted her head in confusion.

“Well, the mask, I get, but why the hat too? And now that I look at you… your outfit is kind of… how should I say… a little…”

Sua felt a bit uneasy after hearing that. “Do I look weird?”

She quickly checked her appearance.

She was wearing a white hat, a black mask, tight jeans, and a black t-shirt. She thought it was the best she could do.

“…What’s wrong?”

“The thing with a mock shoot is that you have to capture the overall vibe on camera, right? But if the outfit is too simple, it’ll feel off.”

“Mm…?”

“If someone like Sun-il, who’s hopeless, wore something like this, I wouldn’t say anything. But since I like you, I’m telling you.”

It didn’t seem like a lie. There was only concern in Seo Yeon-ju’s voice, no hint of criticism.

Looking at Seo Yeon-ju, it became clear. She had fully prepared, from her outfit to her makeup.

“…But Sua, you’re actually really pretty. How can you still shine even in such a simple outfit? It’s kind of a shame, really.”

Sua was feeling a sense of despair, though.

“I really tried my best to dress up…”

Maybe she lacked a sense of style.

It couldn’t be helped. She’d have to learn about fashion on her own later.

“Sua, do you want to borrow some of my clothes? Want to stop by my place?”

But just then.

“You still don’t know Lee Sua, do you?”

A voice echoed like it was coming from a cave.

Looking around, it turned out that Seo Yeon-ju wasn’t alone in the van. Kim Sun-il was sitting proudly in the other seat.

Ah, so that’s what she meant by going with the leads.

…But did Kim Sun-il really say that in front of him, calling him a hopeless trash? What kind of relationship do those two have? While Sua was shocked by this, she couldn’t stop thinking.

“Lee Sua intends to prove herself through acting alone. She’s different from you.”

“What?”

“In front of everyone, without any decoration, just by acting, she can convince the audience of her character.”

“Ah? Is that so? I see…”

Sua was confused. What is he suddenly talking about?

A snowball of misunderstanding started rolling on its own. At the same time, Seo Yeon-ju was staring at Sua with wide eyes.

“Sua, is that really how it is? I had no idea, and I ended up explaining everything in detail. How embarrassing. Ugh, my face is burning.”

What should she say in response?

Sua took a moment to carefully choose her words, but in the end…

“…Yes.”

She finally confirmed it. Her face, lowered in embarrassment, turned slightly red.

Yes, it’s better to be misunderstood.

There was no way she could say that this was her best effort in dressing.

After that, the van kept speeding forward.

The destination was the Jeonju Film Studios.

They had apparently built a mansion there for the filming of “Special Operations Team 808,” and while Sua was curious about what it would look like, she soon forgot about that thought.

She was just so sleepy.

“I’m so sleepy. I want to sleep, but I can’t.”

She had woken up at the crack of dawn, so it was no surprise she was tired.

But even though she felt like she was about to collapse from exhaustion…

Sua couldn’t fall asleep.

It wasn’t just Seo Yeon-ju and Kim Sun-il in the van. There was one more unexpected person.

“Sua, nice to meet you.”

It was Kim Yi-seo, the CEO of Mystic Entertainment.

‘It’s like a child’s body with a professor’s soul inside.’

It was strange. It was peculiar.

That was the first impression Sua had of Kim Yi-seo. Her elegant voice coming from such a small frame was striking.

She was so small that calling her a little girl seemed fitting. From Sua’s position behind her, Kim Yi-seo’s seat seemed empty, as though no one was sitting there.

…However, Sua carefully chose her words. Kim Yi-seo. She was the one who single-handedly secured the investment for the short film Geum.

She would have to be cautious in how she addressed her.

“Hello. It’s an honor to meet you, CEO.”

At that, a small laugh came from the front.

“Feel free to speak casually. No need for formality right now. As an actor, your etiquette should be shown through your performance.”

Vroom—

“Sua, where did you learn acting?”

As the van continued to move, Kim Yi-seo suddenly asked.

Sua thought about it. Acting school, drama academies, art centers… but none of those institutions’ habits seemed to have influenced Sua’s acting.

“I’m curious about where your foundation comes from.”

What does she mean by that? Sua blinked, confused.

“I’ve never gone anywhere to learn.”

The hands of Seo Yeon-ju and Kim Sun-il, who had been flipping through the script, came to a halt.

“……Hmm, so, you really did teach yourself as a hobby, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“I thought Sun-il and Yeon-ju were just messing around, but now I’ve heard a definite answer from you. I can’t just not believe it.”

Had they been talking about her?

Since Sua had nothing to say, she just stood there like a backdrop.

“Expectations.”

At that moment.

“You give a performance that builds expectations,” Kim Yi-seo said, emphasizing her words.

“Being excellent and building expectations are two different things. When it feels bland and tasteless, it becomes obvious. Eventually, it becomes tiresome.”

Sua thought. Really? I didn’t know that.

Kim Yi-seo turned the question toward Seo Yeon-ju.

“Yeon-ju, what do you think acting is?”

“Acting?”

Seo Yeon-ju, perhaps not expecting the question to come to her, hesitated for a moment before speaking in a calm voice.

“Acting is, of course, leading emotions, isn’t it?”

“Leading emotions?”

“Yes. It’s an expression that helps the audience bring out certain emotions. The actor’s role is to do that.”

“What about you, Sun-il?”

“Cleanliness.”

Sun-il answered without hesitation.

“Acting is the specific action that materializes the character’s goal. You have to think of it that way to keep it clean. The moment you complicate it, it becomes messy.”

“Now, finally, Sua. What do you think?”

At that moment, Sua felt all eyes turn to her. It was obvious. Even though they didn’t all physically turn to look, it felt like their entire bodies were waiting for her answer.

“Sua?”

“I…”

For a moment, it felt like the entire van had become silent. Even as the car drove noisily forward, it felt like everything around her had paused.

“I’m still looking for that answer.”

The silence grew stronger.

It was an answer Sua couldn’t avoid.

She didn’t know anything about such a complicated topic. But she couldn’t simply say she didn’t know, so she just said whatever came to mind.

Was it such a bad answer? Sua waited nervously.

Then, after a short while.

“That statement,” Kim Yi-seo said.

“You mean that, at least until you find your answer, you’ll keep acting, right?”

It was just before they reached their destination.

Mystic Entertainment dropped Sua off at the parking lot.

“Sua, we’ll see you inside later.”

After the brief greeting with Seo Yeon-ju, they parted ways for a while. The three from Mystic Entertainment had a lot of meetings to attend to.

Sua checked the time on her phone.

It was 8:00 AM. The other staff members were just gathering to leave. That meant she had arrived far too early.

To put it nicely, she had arrived early, but in reality, she was like a lost child.

Surprisingly, the place was vast. There were studio buildings scattered all around, and in the distance, something resembling an outdoor set could be seen.

Now, what should I do, left alone here?

Sua pondered seriously for a moment.

“…When will I ever come to a place like this again? I should just take a look around.”

It was 11:30 AM at Jeonju Film Complex Studio.

A drama is the result of all sorts of efforts coming together.

Thanks to that, the once spacious parking lot was now completely packed. Buses, vans, and all sorts of vehicles filled the area.

All of them had gathered here solely for the rehearsal shoot.

Instead of a simple script reading, writer Lee Geum-sook and PD Choi Heewon had chosen a mock shoot. As a result, the parking lot was bustling.

It was only natural. The direction team, sound team, lighting team, props team, camera crew, costume team… everyone was giving their all, as if it were a real production.

“Are we using the outdoor set today? Did you bring enough water?”

“Be careful, if that breaks, who’s going to take responsibility?”

“Don’t put the chairs down yet! We’ll need more!”

Equipment scattered around the parking lot was gradually being moved toward the outdoor set, and among the hustle and bustle, some people who had reunited because of the Special Task Force 808 greeted each other warmly.

“Wow, who knew we’d meet again through this project?”

“I know. I thought 808 would never be finished.”

The outdoor set, once resembling a wasteland, was now completely transformed.

The production team had made a bold decision. Instead of renting a police station, they had temporarily built the headquarters of the Special Task Force right here. What lay before them was a very sophisticated and polished task force headquarters.

Around the entrance, cameras, chairs, and other equipment were being set up. The scale of the setup was far beyond a rehearsal.

The actors who had arrived early sat on chairs scattered around, chatting or reading their scripts, while crew members with cameras rushed to capture the scene.

“Hello! Do you like the role you’ve been assigned?”

“…I thought the reporters weren’t coming today?”

“Don’t worry. We’re from the marketing team!”

At last, the actors relaxed and responded.

The marketing team was capturing the moments before the mock shoot began. Though it seemed like a pointless task, the value of these videos would soar exponentially if the drama became a success.

The outdoor set, once desolate, began to come alive as more people gathered. Soon, the crowded people naturally began chatting.

Every conversation has a theme.

And today was no exception. The topic was clear.

“So, who’s playing Kim Yuhan’s role? Is it you?”

“No, it’s not me. Even if I were asked, I wouldn’t be allowed to do it.”

“I’m confident I checked all the male actors’ faces in the parking lot today, and every single one of them already had their roles assigned. But I really have no idea who’s playing Kim Yuhan.”

“Are you sure they’re coming today?”

“Definitely. They must be coming. The fact that they told the reporters not to come shows it’s certain.”

Soon after, Seo Yeon-ju and Kim Sun-il appeared at the same time.

“Hello, everyone, I’m here.”

“Hello.”

They easily received greetings from everyone and were soon tasked with an interview by the making team.

However, the arrival of these important figures didn’t end here.

“Heh heh, you all seem full of energy.”

It was veteran actor Hwang Myeong-pil. He hadn’t landed a lead role, but his face always appeared in supporting roles, earning him a reputation as a top-notch character actor.

He adjusted his magnifying glasses and spoke to Seo Yeon-ju.

“It’s been a while, Yeon-ju. How’s the practice for your role as Ha Yoon-jin going?”

“Who’s Yeon-ju? I’m Ha Yoon-jin.”

“Heh heh, that confidence is always a good thing. So…”

Seo Yeon-ju smiled playfully and responded teasingly, while Hwang Myeong-pil also smiled, scanning the surroundings before asking.

“…Where’s Kim Yuhan? I’d like to see their face.”

“Yeah? I’d like to see them too.”

Seo Yeon-ju shrugged, indicating her disappointment.

No matter how they asked, it seemed the atmosphere wasn’t one where they would get an answer, so the topic of conversation soon shifted.

“Speaking of which, did you see the cars lined up neatly in the parking lot?”

Someone burst out laughing.

“Ah, I saw that too. It was unbelievably tidy.”

“We had no choice. The parking attendants were walking around with their eyes wide open. I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by their presence.”

It was a story about a parking attendant.

“Her eyes were really pretty, you know? And she had a great proportion.”

“Her back looked like that of a celebrity.”

“Are you sure she’s not a parking attendant? I saw her checking things out, like walking between Studio 1 and Studio 2 earlier.”

“She was probably checking for uninvited guests. Remember, there were times when reporters snuck in. Sometimes, obsessive fans cause trouble too.”

“She’s too good-looking to be a parking attendant. She should be a model or something.”

“Exactly. I’m curious to see her without the mask.”

Seo Yeon-ju found the conversation a bit puzzling.

“What are you talking about?”

“Didn’t you see her, Yeon-ju? There was one parking attendant who really stood out. Everyone was so intimidated by her that they were parking their cars perfectly.”

Seo Yeon-ju did notice how neatly the parking lot was arranged.

But a parking attendant?

Was there even such a thing at the film complex?

Just as Seo Yeon-ju was tilting her head in confusion, writer Lee Geum-sook and PD Choi Heewon arrived.

“You’ve arrived!”

Everyone stood up to greet them, and some, unable to suppress their curiosity, immediately spoke up.

“Hello, Writer Lee! But why did you only bring PD Choi? Everyone here is waiting for Kim Yuhan.”

“Oh, I bet PD Choi is feeling left out now.”

Writer Lee Geum-sook replied with a sly smile and looked around, but soon her face turned to one of surprise.

Kim Yuhan was indeed nowhere to be seen.

“…They really haven’t come? What’s going on? Let’s wait a bit.”

Writer Lee Geum-sook immediately picked up her phone.

“Yes, we did inform you of the mock shoot schedule in advance. Oh, you’ve already arrived? Ah, you’re at Studio 1. Hello?”

“Do you want to come to the outdoor set?”

The people around watched in fascination.

It was no surprise. Writer Lee Geum-sook, who produced hit after hit, was showing a very warm attitude toward the actor—something they had never seen before.

And then, shortly after,

All eyes turned to the new arrival. At the same time, everyone fell silent. Or perhaps, their mouths hung open in stunned silence.

Eyes wide with disbelief.

“….”

A dead silence fell over the crowd.

“Hello. I’m Kim Yuhan. I’m playing Lee Sua’s role.”

The parking attendant had removed her cap and greeted them.