In This Life, The Greatest Star In The Universe

Translator: MarcTempest

Editor: Rxel

Chapter 228

The Director picked up the script.

『 #23. Police Station (Day)

Cheoljin examines the crime scene photos of the murder weapon.

A close-up of the photo in the document.

It’s a stone with a familiar shape. He feels like he has seen it somewhere before, but he can’t remember and looks frustrated.

Officer: Hello.

A cheerful officer greets the people at the police station.

The officer, who was handing over the documents to the staff, shows interest in the document that Cheoljin is reading.

Officer: Huh?

Cheoljin: (Turns his head without saying anything)

Officer: Do you study Korean history, sir? (With a friendly look)

Cheoljin: What?

Officer: Isn’t that a hand axe in the photo you are looking at?

Cheoljin: Hand axe…?

Officer: You know, the stone tool that was used in the Paleolithic era. The one that the primitive people used…

Cheoljin doesn’t show any reaction.

The officer walks away with an awkward face.

Cheoljin turns on his laptop and searches for ‘hand axe’.

The same shape of the stone tool appears on the screen as the one he is looking at. 』

He looked away from the script and at the scene.

The rehearsal was going on as the script said.

Lee Kangjin, who played the main character, read the document with dry eyes, and the cheerful officer pretended to know him as he passed by.

But the Director noticed a small detail in his eyes.

“Sukyung.”

The way he politely handed over the documents to the police staff and saluted them.

His relaxed walk.

His bright smile as he swung the stone tool and explained the Paleolithic era.

The director felt that the actor had put a lot of effort into the details, and he became curious and interested as a director.

More than anything, he liked his acting skills.

Usually, non-actors who appeared as cameos would overact to emphasize that they were cameos.

Of course, it would depend on the mood of the drama, but GTV’s ‘Slip’ was a genre piece based on seriousness.

In that respect, he liked Jiho’s cameo performance, which was natural and suited his role.

Not too much, not too little.

“You’re good!”

Lee Kangjin also patted Wang Jiho’s back and cheered him up after the rehearsal.

The atmosphere maker made the air on the scene more comfortable with his tone.

At the same time, the staff’s faces softened, who were worried that they would have to shoot multiple times.

The New Black members, who played the role of the thugs, also clapped their hands like seals and whispered to each other that they liked it.

“Director, how is he? He’s good, right?”

“He’s been working hard.”

“Thank you!”

The Director asked Jiho a question, who nodded his head.

“By the way, there’s something I’m curious about.”

“Yes, Director.”

“Why did you call him ‘Sukyung’ when you handed it over?”

“Ah.”

Jiho answered in a matter-of-fact tone, “I heard it from a veteran on the same team. He said that if you address the rank when you give something, it adds more detail. So I searched it up and found out that Sukyung corresponds to a staff sergeant. I heard that they don’t care much about the rank at that point.”

“A veteran? You mean that stern-looking guy?”

“No. The leader of the thugs over there.”

He was referring to Woojoo.

As their eyes met with the Director, the thugs who were eating lemon candies in the distance got up and bowed their heads.

He swallowed a laugh that almost escaped.

This time, Lee Kangjin showed some curiosity.

“But why did you make him a staff sergeant? Because it’s the highest?”

“Well, I didn’t know what kind of character he was, so I made up a setting. I heard that if you live in the military, you get to know how the power dynamics work in that organization,” Jiho said, looking at the script full of notes. “The protagonist is isolated in the police station. Everyone shuns him. If he had a lot of time left in the military, he wouldn’t dare to approach the protagonist first, but if he was about to be discharged, maybe he could.”

“Oh.”

The Director’s eyes lit up, and Lee Kangjin looked at the idol member with interest.

“You did a character analysis?”

“Yes, I had to figure it out myself because there were hardly any clues, but I don’t know if it fits.”

“How did you set it up?”

“He’s a late-term military policeman preparing for the civil service exam.”

“Civil service exam?”

“There’s a line that says ‘gladly’ when the protagonist looks at the picture, right? I was going to make him a history lover at first, but it felt unnatural, so I thought maybe it was a subject he was studying for the police exam.”

“Oh…”

A late-term soldier preparing for the civil service exam to enter society soon.

The two men nodded unconsciously at the fitting background description.

As Jiho was called to the supporting actor to hear the movement explanation, Lee Kangjin opened his lips.

“Director, he’s something else, isn’t he?”

“I know. It’s not easy for someone his age to have that kind of analytical skill, unless they’ve been acting since they were kids. How old is he?”

“He’s a sophomore in high school and it’s his first time acting in a drama.”

“That’s strange. He could go as a supporting actor with that acting skill and that mask, you know.”

It was too early to judge, since they only did the rehearsal, but Jiho’s acting was a pass in every aspect.

He had a solid voice and breath, like a singer.

He delivered his lines clearly and matched his expressions to the situation.

And he even had the passion to do a character analysis for an extra.

On the other hand, the reason they were interested in the cameo actor was not just because he was good at acting.

It was because they felt sorry for the character he had analyzed.

‘How can we use him?’

He looked like a plain extra 1 on the script, but he was too good to be seen with the naked eye.

He had a good character and a solid acting skill.

It seemed like a waste to use him as a one-time character…

He thought of various ideas in his head as he looked at the youngest member of New Black, who was surrounded by his members and giggling.

The youngest came back with a proud expression after talking to the Director. He looked like a confident sparrow.

“Guys…!”

“Did you succeed?”

Jiho whispered to Woojoo with an excited face at his question.

“I finally talked like an adult actor.”

“Wow…!”

“Hey, I didn’t use it. Right?”

They nodded and clapped their hands with a satisfied face. Junghyun patted his back as if he did well.

He practiced since morning, saying that it would not look serious if he said ‘yeah~’ at the shooting site. He seemed to have succeeded.

They made a fuss as Bijoo put a lemon candy in his mouth.

“How was it? Was your acting good?”

“Yes. I was totally immersed in it. Did I do well? Because I think I did well too.”

Jiho bragged.

“I don’t usually treat the thugs well in my role, but I did it for you guys.”

They immediately protested.

“Jiho. Don’t ignore them because they are thugs.”

“Look, he’s being bossy because he used the honorifics.”

“We ate tteokbokki and ran away. We’re not just thugs.”

Woojoo added to Junghyun’s words, “Right. And Junghyun was under them for a year. Be careful.”

“Jiho. I’m short of attendance days. Be careful.”

The extra actor who played the detective role near them almost spat out the water from his nose at their jokes.

“These stupid people.”

Rihyuk sighed.

“Is that the only bad thing you can imagine?”

“When did you ever act bad…”

“Right. He even follows the traffic lights when monsters are chasing him in the game.”

“…”

They all laughed as they saw him turn red from being teased.

Bijoo cooled his heated face with a fan while Jiho left.

“Uh, they’re calling me. I’ll go! See you later!”

They waved their hands.

When the youngest approached the assistant director in the distance, Bijoo tilted his head and whispered to Woojoo, “He seems to have relaxed a bit, right?”

“Yeah, he’s much better than before.”

They tried to make him relax by joking around before the main shooting. It seemed to have worked.

Woojoo felt relieved to see him excited and saying ‘Wow! Acting!’ instead of worrying about messing up. 

Woojoo felt happy to see him acting with such joy, something he had always wished for.

He smiled as he fiddled with his school uniform tie.

“It’s nice. Seeing him enjoy it so much makes me feel full.”

“Me too. Hyung.”

They laughed.

Gurgle.

Their stomachs protested loudly, as if to say ‘not me’, making them feel embarrassed.

Junghyun rubbed his belly.

“Our stomachs don’t agree with us.”

“Let’s soothe them later.”

An extra actor sitting across from them smiled slyly.

While Lee Kangjin and Jiho coordinated with each other, the Director came over to them and gave them some brief directions.

“Jiho will walk down the police station corridor, and he will glance at you guys once. Then one of you will say ‘what are you looking at’…”

Their eyes all turned to one person.

“Oh, you already decided who will do it. Anyway, say that line and then improvise the rest. Except for a few lines, it will be mostly murmuring.”

“Yes, understood.”

They sat in a row on the metal chairs and made a ‘fighting’ pose to Jiho.

He returned a bright smile.

Meanwhile, as the filming was being prepared, Woojoo secretly smoothed out his school uniform.

A cozy feeling.

He felt happy as he touched the uniform, and he sensed the gazes of his siblings.

“Ahem.”

Woojoo coughed and changed the topic.

“Let’s check our expressions before we start filming. Everyone, lower your eyes slightly. And tuck in your chin a bit.”

“Yes.”

“Look straight ahead. And lift one cheek slightly. Oh, look at Rihyuk. That’s the exact expression we need.”

“Be quiet.”

After completing their delinquent expressions, they waited for the filming to start.

“Ready, action!”

The filming began with the Director’s shout.

Jiho started walking towards them.

‘Let’s do well.’

‘Let’s do our best. We.’

Jiho was the main character today, but they decided to do their best as well.

Bijoo looked at Woojoo before the camera reached them.

‘Hyung.’

‘You can do it. Bijoo.’

『 GTV Friday Drama ‘Slip’ — Episode 1, ‘New Black Cameo Scene’ 』

Police station.

In a busy atmosphere, a police officer walks with some documents.

Four handsome boys are wearing school uniforms and arguing with a detective.

“Come on. It’s not even expensive, it’s just a tteokbokki…”

“It only tasted like capsaicin.”

“We really tried to go back with the money.”

They seem to want to look like delinquents among themselves, but they had a strangely shabby vibe.

As expected.

“Hey, hey!”

The police officer slammed the file down. Bang! The blond-haired student screamed and clung to the leader.

But the leader was also scared stiff.

Among the four of them, only the one who looked like the leader of the group was silently humming. The police officer asked him, “Why are you hanging out with these guys? Your face value is…”

“I’ve been bullied for a year.”

“Did you cause any trouble?”

“I’m in the sports club, but I don’t have enough attendance days…”

The detective lost his words at the too wholesome reason and turned his gaze to the member with golden hair.

“You even dyed your hair yellow. Are you dissatisfied with society?”

“Um… No.”

The chick-like student stuttered in Korean, and the leader of the delinquents whispered with his mouth covered, “He’s a friend from LA.”

“Yes, sir.”

The police officer blinked his eyes at the sight of him nodding with his eyes wide open. Then he asked another police officer who was passing by, “…What’s with them?”

“They were caught stealing money from a PC room.”

“…”

The delinquents glared at the detective’s pitying gaze.

“What are you looking at? Have you never seen a criminal before?”

“Don’t talk like a criminal. You guys are just petty offenders!”

Bang! Bang!

“Ooh, I’m so scared.”

“Calm down. James.”

The blond-haired student shrank his body with a timid face saying ‘Korean police are so scary’.

Behind them, the other delinquents were serious, but listening to them, there were some funny lines faintly connected.

“There are all kinds of weird people.”

While various commotions were happening, the detective shook his head.

It was the moment when the ‘delinquents’ who were called the scene stealers of the first episode of GTV’s ‘Slip’ left.

The cameo scene of the New Black members was over in one shot. The director nodded his head satisfactorily.

It was decent.

He had asked them to do it seriously instead of funny, and they did it well.

Now all that was left was Jiho.

Just like before, the ‘detective’ approached Park Cheoljin and said the same lines. The difference was…

‘He’s doing better.’

He seemed to be better at the real thing than the rehearsal.

The staff also exchanged opinions.

“It’s not bad, right?”

“It’s surprising. He’s good.”

“He said he learned acting, but it seems true. He looked like a pure maknae over there, but he looks more mature here, doesn’t he?”

“He has a kind of upright young man vibe that I like.”

Seo Noeul, who was wrapped in a blanket and whining, also watched Jiho’s acting.

‘He learned well. There’s no flaw.’

He was also curious.

‘Who did he model after?’

The walk of a late sergeant, or the way he greeted people politely, or the cheerful smile. He looked like he had diligently copied someone around him.

Manager Cho, who was standing next to him, also watched Jiho’s acting with a strange expression.

Meanwhile, the Director called the assistant director.

“What do you think? The idea I just told you.”

“It sounds good.”

“Right?”

He looked at the monitor.

He didn’t know if it was because of the visual, but it felt bright.

A person with a bright energy who showed interest when everyone pushed away and distanced themselves from the protagonist.

A small light that came to the gloomy protagonist.

He felt sorry to waste that feeling, even though he was an extra.

“Call his company later. Let’s talk.”

“Yes.”

“And also tell Writer Park.”

“…You’re not going to ask for a script revision, are you?”

“Of course not.”

He thought it would spice up the drama if he put that police officer in the scene where another extra appeared.

That was how the director’s plan slowly formed in his head.

After about an hour of filming, their cameo scene was over.

“Good job, everyone!”

They greeted the staff who praised and encouraged them.

Especially the Director, he liked Jiho’s acting and asked if he could film one or two more scenes if his company schedule was okay.

Their youngest made a dragon sound without realizing it and he was momentarily flustered.

“One, two, three!”

“Fighting!”

They took a photo with the main production team for SNS.

They also took selfies with the staff who had requested photos in advance.

They were short on time, but they didn’t want to leave abruptly and cause rumors that they became arrogant as they started to rise.

“Here you go. Did I write your father’s name correctly?”

“Yeah. Thank you.”

Woojoo thought he heard the most requests to write their parents’ names nicely on the signs that they would give to their parents.

When the time was tight for the next schedule.

The manager stepped in and refused to send the sign to Minki Hyung at the right timing.

“I’m sorry. We have to go now. We have a recording in Yeouido right away…”

“Oh, okay. Then just one photo.”

“Sure, I’ll take it quickly.”

They created a situation where they could leave on good terms.

Honestly, Woojoo wanted to do it for everyone, but the filming was delayed more than expected and they had to go to Seoul right away.

As they finished the fan service and headed to the parking lot, he put his arms around his brothers.

“Let’s go, James.”

“Hyung…” Bijoo said with a sad face. “I must have been crazy. What if Minjun gets teased at school for being James’s brother?”

Woojoo laughed at the sight of Bijoo covering his face with both hands.

They all comforted him as he was embarrassed and said ‘eueu’. But he still looked sad when they told him he would be like licorice in the drama.

“Anyway, you all did great.”

“What about me?”

“Our youngest is the best. Hey, Seo. Give us a comment.”

Rihyuk said calmly, “Personally, I don’t want to admit it, but it was an acting that would have looked good to most viewers.”

It was the highest praise.

Woojoo patted his shoulder and said ‘did you hear that?’, and Jiho ran to Rihyuk.

“Ogugu, our Rihyuk Hyung!”

“Aah! Get him off me!”

In the warm atmosphere.

They talked about eating tornado potatoes at the rest area later if the road wasn’t blocked and got in the car.

“…Hm?”

Bijoo looked at his phone and tilted his head. They, who were buckling their seat belts, gave him a look.

“What’s wrong?”

“Minjun sent me a weird text.”

A weird text?

Junghyun narrowed his eyes and said ‘what is it?’, and they also showed interest and said ‘what’s going on?’

Bijoo held up his phone and showed them the text.

“We were on TV during school hours.”

“…?”