In This Life, The Greatest Star In The Universe

Translator: MarcTempest

Editor: Rxel

Chapter 83

Awkward gazes intertwined in the air.

Director Han Yeongjun, who had a startled expression for a moment, soon regained his composure.

Woojoo greeted him first with a smile.

“Long time no see, Director.”

“Yeah, it’s been a while.”

Director Han Yeongjun, who had been looking at the panel that said ‘Advertising Department’, showed a faint smile as if he understood the situation.

While they exchanged awkward greetings, the crowd in the lobby began to grow as people from other floors came to join them.

Of course, the object of their attention was not New Black.

It was Lee Gyeonwoo, the top star actor with a towering height.

He pretended to be happy to see them and was now listening to a whisper from his manager.

His eyes were calm, like a player listening to the director’s instructions.

He nodded his head and greeted them.

“Hello.”

His voice was soft and pleasant.

“I didn’t expect to meet people I know here.”

“You know us?”

“Of course. We’re filming together, aren’t we?”

“…Yes?”

He noticed that their reaction was strange and said ‘ah’.

Then he chuckled.

“You haven’t heard yet. We’re going to record together. That special episode.”

“Oh!”

“I heard we’re on the same team.”

Then they understood.

He was going to appear on the Chuseok Special.

From what they heard, he was assigned to the same team as them.

He felt glad for some reason and greeted them again.

He talked to them about various things.

He said he enjoyed listening to Night Sea and Something, and complimented them on their visuals and singing skills.

Woojoo wondered what he had heard from his manager earlier, and it turned out to be this.

He had learned some minor details about New Black before talking to them.

It was a showy gesture, but they were happy to see it.

He was like a walking billboard.

Every word he said made the people around them perk up their ears and tap their smartphones.

They heard whispers like ‘New Black?’, ‘What are they filming together?’ in their ears.

It was a win-win for both of them.

They got publicity and he got image.

The top star approached the rookie idols without hesitation and showed sincere interest in them.

His actions seemed to impress the people.

In this short time, Woojoo heard ‘Wow, he’s really nice’ at least thirty times in his ears.

They also praised his drama and played along, creating a warm atmosphere.

When the director heard a whisper from his secretary, he interrupted.

“Gyeonwoo, I think we have to go down soon for lunch with the Chairman.”

“Oh, yes.”

Lee Gyeonwoo, who had been smiling softly, reached out his hand for a handshake.

“It was nice to meet you. See you at the recording.”

“Thank you, Sunbae-nim.”

Like a pied piper, Lee Gyeonwoo and his entourage moved to the elevator with the crowd.

Meanwhile, they were left alone again.

Some people came up and asked them what show they were going on, but Seokhwan Hyung took care of them.

Woojoo felt like hectic things had happened in a row and was blank for a moment.

“Now I have a chance to talk to you.”

Woojoo heard a middle-aged man’s voice from behind.

He had sent the others away first, and Director Han Yeongjun was standing there.

The younger ones sensed the atmosphere and cleared the space.

He asked with a smile, “Are they all younger than you?”

“Yes.”

“They’re handsome. I thought they were actors.”

He nodded his head with a smile.

“I couldn’t talk to you properly earlier, with Gyeonwoo and all. How have you been?”

“I’ve been living hectically.”

“I heard you debuted. Lemon, right?”

Woojoo smiled awkwardly.

“Yes.”

He also smiled.

Because the last time they met, the company that offered to introduce him to an idol agency was Lemon Entertainment and DNS Media.

At that time, Woojoo hated everything! He ran away saying that.

And now, a few years later.

Woojoo debuted as New Black of Lemon Entertainment.

When he felt a bit awkward, Director Han Yeongjun said with a smile, “You look like you’re doing well. I’m glad to see that. Besides, my nephew was so sad after you left. I got a lot of scolding from him.”

“Oh, I’m still in touch with Taehyun and we’re doing well.”

“Really?” He stuck out his tongue and said, “You never told me anything. You were a shy kid before you debuted, but now you’ve changed a lot. You’re not like you used to be.”

“Really? You look the same to me.”

Director Han Yeongjun was about to say something, but he just smiled. Then he checked his message and fixed his clothes.

“I have to go now.”

His eyes curved like crescent moons behind his glasses.

“Yeah, it was nice to see you. Woojoo, see you next time.”

“Yes, see you next time.”

After exchanging polite greetings.

He got into the elevator that arrived soon and disappeared.

And Woojoo looked at the closed door for a moment.

He felt strange.

He didn’t know why he felt this way, but he felt a strange feeling while talking to Director Han Yeongjun.

Several scenes flashed by.

The posters of various stars hanging in the lobby on the first floor.

The director leading the top star to the office.

And their appearance that no one could recognize yet because they were still rookies.

And.

The question from Bijoo about where they would be on the wall of TJ Entertainment’s building.

The thirst for success that had been dormant in his heart for a while rose up again because of the success of their first album.

***

From that day on, Woojoo devoted himself to work.

They went to events during the day and practiced at night.

And the most important thing they were working on was, of course, the advertisement.

They had two versions of the Everdream uniform advertisement.

One was the YouTube advertisement CF that they had explained before, and the other was the photo shoot.

“How is it, Hyung?”

“Hmm…”

They all looked at the camera screen.

“Jiho, how about lowering your chin a little? No, not that way. Tilt it to the left by about 10 degrees.”

“Hmm, I don’t know.”

“So this is what you’re doing right now.”

Woojoo mimicked the youngest member’s pose.

“Wow, that’s spot on.”

“You even got the expression right?”

“You’re a master of disguise. This guy.”

Woojoo ignored their teasing and showed them another example.

“You should tilt your head slightly here. You have a symmetrical face, but your left side looks more refined.”

“Um, okay, I’ll try that.”

They were in the practice room, with a camera and a tripod set up, experimenting with different poses.

“Hyung, can you check my posture too?”

“Bijoo, you’re already so poised and handsome, there’s nothing I can criticize …”

Bijoo smiled at his praise, while the other two protested.

“What about me then?”

“And me, Hyung?”

Woojoo gave them some tips as well, but he wondered how he ended up being the unofficial photo director.

Maybe it was because of the last time they shot the jacket for their first album.

Woojoo had nailed the expressions and poses then, and they seemed to think he was a super model.

Or maybe it was because he had practiced his expressions and postures for days before they started the rehearsal today.

“Since dawn, you’ve been doing this. You said you had to check everything carefully according to the contract.”

“…”

“So everyone had to skip breakfast and be on alert.”

The two men swallowed their saliva and approached the advertiser.

Woo Heeseon, the team leader from KG International’s clothing division, was holding a list in one hand and flipping through the clothes on the hanger.

She seemed to be checking if the costumes were ready.

“You came early, team leader.”

“Yes, I have a lot to check.”

She bent her waist to check the tags inside the uniforms, and also the embroidery of Everdream.

They stood behind her, who was checking everything meticulously, and only swallowed their saliva.

When the super boss, the advertiser, walked around the scene and checked for any problems, anyone would be nervous.

The problem was that she was calm and picky.

She had such a keen eye for detail.

She pointed out any issues in a soft voice, but they were not trivial, but rather reasonable questions.

That was why the two employees had to follow her around with tears in their eyes until the models arrived at 9 o’clock.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere on the scene was more tense than usual.

It was because everyone was preparing nervously because of the sudden appearance of the advertiser.

Kim, the manager, scratched his cheek.

He was worried.

‘I don’t know if the rookies can do well in this atmosphere.’

He thought of New Black, whom he had met a few days ago.

He was impressed by how passionately they read the advertising script.

But whether their skills would match their passion on the scene was uncertain.

Well, the only consolation was that today was not a CF, but a photo shoot.

Considering the quality of the photos in New Black’s first album, he thought they would do well enough in the photo shoot.

He just hoped they would make as few mistakes as possible.

“The models have arrived!”

Someone’s words made the scene busy again.

Soon, the models entered, following the sharp-looking director.

“Hello!”

The staff’s eyes turned to the cheerful greeting.

They came in casual T-shirts, but they had a refined vibe that was evident in New Black.

They bowed their heads to each staff they saw and approached New Black.

And when they reached the advertiser and the two AEs.

“Hello, we are New Black!”

As they greeted, Kim Seunggwan, the manager, looked closely at the advertiser’s expression.

But something was strange.

At first, Team Leader Woo looked at them lightly, but soon she started to smile faintly.

It was a dramatic reaction for someone who had been expressionless all day, checking the scene preparation.

What is it, the effect of their faces? He thought, and soon realized the reason.

‘Huh?’

It was because of the clothes New Black was wearing.

They were different types, but they were all brands launched by KG International.

From T-shirts, pants, shoes, to hats.

He didn’t know who prepared them, but he thought they must be a very sensible employee.

Advertising was a message.

And New Black showed how hard they prepared for this advertisement without having to say it.

Meanwhile, as the advertiser’s expression softened, the atmosphere on the scene also began to change.

As they walked around the studio and made eye contact with the staff, the faces of the people on the scene, who had been stiff, relaxed a bit.

In less than a few minutes, Manager Kim felt the atmosphere on the scene changing.

Along with that, he had a feeling that today’s shooting would go very well.