NOVEL NEXT Chapter 479
A few days ago, after finalizing the year-end concert schedule at The Six Headquarters.
It seemed the other members and the juniors had caught fire, as I could see noticeable changes at a glance.
For example, they were appearing on singing broadcasts more frequently, or taking lessons somewhere.
In fact, The Six had even started assigning instructors for the third and fourth generation trainees, creating an overall strong sense of upgrading their skills.
Personally, I think it’s a good phenomenon.
Everyone had been active as near-game streamers for almost two years.
No matter how much the essence of a Vtuber is real-time broadcasting, shouldn’t we, on the surface, engage in idol activities as virtual idols?
In that sense, holding this year-end concert again is a pursuit of change in the style of The Six.
So, while a nice breeze is blowing through the Celestial Realm…
“Cut! Great job, everyone!”
I am still filming on set.
“Kim Soo-hyun, you worked hard.”
“Yep!”
… One must do what one has to do.
I’d like to practice along with everyone else, but.
There are already pending tasks, aren’t there?
Well, I have already practiced enough.
At times like this, it’s okay to take it easy.
Practice exists for those who cannot live without it.
The necessity has somewhat faded for Buhwang, who can be thrown into the field at any moment.
Anyway, practice is practice, and as Kim Soo-hyun, I thought today’s shoot was fulfilling as I turned my body around.
Since we’d filmed everything for today, I was hoping for a quick exit…
“Ah, Kim Soo-hyun, are you done filming?”
“Oh… hello.”
I ran right into the director.
… I had been avoiding the director recently, but right after filming, I couldn’t escape.
We inevitably met.
“How was the shoot?”
“Oh, it was fun.”
“Fun…?”
“Ah, I meant I’m enjoying my work that much.”
These days, we have been gradually shooting action scenes dealing with zombies.
Swinging a baseball bat made of light, hollow Styrofoam, the zombie actors were hitting it perfectly, which honestly was fun.
Would you say it has a satisfying impact?
I feel a bit guilty, but they aren’t really hurt, after all.
“Well, that’s a relief. You seemed very passionate.”
“Yes, yes, haha….”
Anyway, whether it’s because it’s fun or not, the progress of the shoot was surprisingly smooth.
It feels like we might finish quickly.
I was worried about overlapping with concert practice, but thankfully that’s not the case.
Right now, we’re shooting the early part of the episode, but if it picks up speed, we might wrap it up in no time.
Perhaps by the winter, we’ll be done?
Well, maybe we could postpone the shoot.
The final scene needs to have a winter background, after all.
The date background of the episode is winter as well.
So looking at my costume now, I’m wearing a bright red puffer jacket over a school uniform.
It’s a bit hot when filming because the padding is thick, but these days, the weather has gotten cooler, so it’s okay.
“Is there anything uncomfortable with the shooting?”
“Oh, everyone is treating me so well….”
They’ve treated me well even on set.
Above all, the director is favorable towards me, making the actual shoot comfortable.
In fact, considering the situation itself, it’s quite favorable for me.
Receiving generous funding from an OTT company to create a drama, the very competent and recognized director in the industry is supportive of me, isn’t that right?
It must be a scenario anyone would enjoy.
“Speaking of which, while watching that action scene earlier, I thought… if swinging a baseball bat at zombies…”
“… in that part, Yeon-ah should ensure the bat doesn’t swing when she’s swinging it…”
Of course, seeing the zombies going wild might be pressuring.
But do I have the coolness that directors or writers like?
Thinking about the people I’ve filmed with so far being universally supportive makes me feel like maybe I do have some talent.
“Ah, by the way, I need to prepare for the next shoot…”
“Oh, yes, yes! I must have held the busy person up.”
“It’s not a problem. If changing time with you, director, is a gain, then it’s all good.”
“Haha, you’re quite a jokester.”
Well, anyway.
Not wanting to be held up any longer, I glanced around and made my escape.
“Phew, let’s go to the next filming location, Manager.”
“… But there’s no next shoot, right? Today’s schedule is concluded.”
“Haha, then to the gym.”
After making my escape, I headed to the gym, as usual.
I’ve still been going to the gym regularly, but it’s become a bit tedious with the cold weather lately.
Come winter, I might be buried under blankets.
“Oh, but Manager.”
“Yes, what is it?”
“By the way, do I have any schedules on that day?”
As I was moving towards the gym, I recalled the sense of discomfort I felt during the last Celestial Realm meeting, so I asked.
When I checked my schedule at home, there was nothing unusual, but you never know, right?
It feels odd for no reason, so I decided to consult the human calendar, my manager.
“Oh, that day? Hmm… Ah.”
“Oh, does something spring to mind?”
The manager, who knows my schedule inside and out, nodded as if they understood the date upon hearing it.
Sure enough, it’s the manager!
Performance is guaranteed…
“It’s the first release of the drama, right?”
“Ah, yes?”
… Though I thought so, it was indeed unusual for me not to know about it.
“… What if you didn’t know?”
“Ah, no… was it that?”
… Now that I think about it, usually on such release days, schedules aren’t arranged.
Because of that, I had checked it off as a holiday, so it was no wonder I didn’t know from looking at the schedule.
“I completely forgot while filming this drama….”
Especially since we filmed only season 1 of the survival game drama and have been delaying season 2 for another drama.
Honestly, it’s understandable to forget the release date.
“That’s quite… the people involved over there would be disappointed to hear this.”
“… It’s a relief to know in advance, at least.”
More importantly, the release date…
What a stroke of unluckily bad timing.
The upside is that neither the drama’s premiere nor the live concert is something I have to do live.
They might ask why a live concert isn’t done live, but that’s just how virtual idol concerts are.
If the first premiere is live, wouldn’t that be a live performance?
Anyway.
The drama premiere will probably have a time to watch it with the director and other actors.
The concert live is naturally going to lead to a screening with the members and then a follow-up broadcast…
Finding a way to manage both seems… impossible due to time constraints.
So I guess one of them will have to be sacrificed.
What a pity.
“Do you have anything planned that day?”
“Well, it’s just the concert performance date.”
“… Yes?”
“But I won’t be performing live that day.”
“What does that mean…?”
More than that, the airing of the drama season 1…
Wow, it’s fast-tracked.
Well, considering that when I started filming, almost everything from sets to actors was almost ready.
Plus, the filming period was extraordinarily short, right?
So, it feels like they might have edited everything right after finishing filming and released it exactly on schedule.
“Do you think the drama will do well, Manager?”
“… You may as well ask me, but I don’t know.”
“You’re a pro in the entertainment industry.”
“In the acting area, Kim Soo-hyun is now more of an expert.”
“No way.”
I can’t imagine knowing the entertainment industry better than Park Kang-seok.
Park Kang-seok is like a walking wiki in a sense.
He has a mechanical way of information where if you ask about data, it pops out instantly.
“You’re starting to shoot projects quite a lot, aren’t you, Kim Soo-hyun?”
“W-Well, I guess that’s true?”
“Then, your instinct might just be more accurate.”
But when even Park Kang-seok says that, it’s somewhat convincing.
Thinking about it, how many projects will there be if I count the role I’m playing this time?
Can I fill one hand?
At this point, I feel like I’m somewhat seasoned.
Well, if I evaluate this survival game from the perspective of a veteran…
“… It may fall somewhere in the middle.”
Still, it might at least hit a solid mark, right?
… Even if it has a lot of mixed reviews, there’ll surely be a solid fanbase out there.
“That much should generate quite a buzz.”
“Me?”
“Yes, since you’re always in the public eye so well.”
“Hmm, is that so?”
Well, Jisoo is charming, indeed.
I’m curious about how she’ll come out in the drama.
If possible, I hope she comes out exactly as I envision her image.
“One thing is for sure, we’ll know once the work is released.”
“That’s true.”
Still, pretty soon, we’ll get to catch a glimpse of the reactions, even if it’s just briefly.
I’ll just have to wait.
Anyway, so that day, I went to the gym, worked out.
And thereafter, I continued my busy routine.
Regarding the year-end concert, with other members’ lessons and practices to consider, we simply held discussions for song and choreography.
On the other hand, moving along quickly with the drama, we were filming steadily.
In the meantime, I appeared in various ads and variety shows, making my face known.
Broadcasting may have become slightly, just a little, neglected, but anyone could recognize I was living a hectic life as I scrambled through my day, making time fly.
Before I knew it, the season had come when the trees gradually started shedding their leaves.
When I wore one of Yeon-ah’s outfits, a puffer jacket, at the filming location, it was no longer hot.
“Kim Soo-hyun, did you see?”
“What about?”
On a day I was filming as usual, Kang Yun-sung approached me and showed me his phone.
“That thing we talked about releasing today. It just came out.”
“Oh, let me see it once.”
“Here.”
I took the phone Kang Yun-sung offered, and on the screen, there was a big title of the work written prominently.
[Credit]
“This is out already.”
Saying that, I clicked on the video.
Then a grand background music played.
“Yes, it came out well.”
“Heh, I’m looking forward to it.”
Shall I see how it turned out?
So, finally, I watched the trailer for the survival game drama ‘Credit’ in a corner of the filming location.