A Genius Director Who Dominates OTT Platforms - Chapter 25

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Genius Director Who Dominates OTT

Episode 25

* * *

Accomplice is basically a work that Dohyeon-u handles exclusively, but Chae Seo-hui is sometimes dispatched in the role of assistant CE.

This happened when Dohyeon-u had personal schedules or when there were separate tasks to handle on set.

To Chae Seo-hui’s eyes, the Accomplice filming set was truly a fascinating place.

Originally, CEs are uncomfortable presences for producers.

Since they represent OTT companies that prioritize capital logic, they often have to say things that contradict production sensibilities.

Especially when filming Gyeongseong Bakery…

“Ugh, Gyeongseong… Gy-Gyeongseong, where is that?”

Chae Seo-hui’s algorithm got momentarily tangled as she chose instant amnesia to protect her ego, but it didn’t change the fact that the Accomplice set was fascinating.

First of all, all the staff members like the CE.

“Director! Have you eaten?”

“Director, don’t you buy a car? If this goes well, try asking the company for some performance bonuses.”

“Should I set you up on a blind date?”

Even though over 70% belong to outsourced studios rather than SSK and don’t need to make a good impression, they always approach him to talk.

It wasn’t just the staff.

“Hey, Do Art Director.”

“I told you I’m not interested in being an art director.”

“Why? If you come under me, I’ll work you like a dog.”

“That’s exactly why I won’t.”

“Aw, that’s too bad. Oh, right. Did you see what C Team shot yesterday for the middle school insert?”

“I saw it.”

“Doesn’t the school look a bit gloomy? The lived-in feel is good, but the wall color is… We need to differentiate it from the high school insert.”

“I was thinking the same thing. How about changing the school uniform color?”

“Pastel?”

“Oh, exactly. How did you know?”

“You little punk, did you think I wouldn’t know?”

From Director Jeong Hee-su to Art Director Jo Tae-seok to Sound Director O Jun-jae.

Everyone freely asks Dohyeon-u for advice and opinions without hesitation.

Usually when a CE tries to give opinions, everyone becomes wary like Heungseon Daewongun erecting isolation monuments.

At Gyeongseong Bakery…

“Ugh. Ba-Bakery, what’s that?”

But the real highlight was the actors.

“CE Do, should we try delivering these lines faster?”

“Why?”

“It’s an urgent situation, but the words being used seem to have too many syllables.”

“Hmm… That makes sense. Let’s try modifying the dialogue together. I’ll convey it to the director.”

Not only discussions about acting direction.

“I’m having trouble grasping the emotion for this. Could you play the opposite role for me once?”

They also practice acting together.

“How would you express this if you were CE Do?”

Sometimes he even provided acting guidance.

The crowning point here was that Dohyeon-u doesn’t know that people like him.

“I think everyone just has good personalities? Surely they’re not like this only to me?”

It’s like some kind of Dohyeon-u World.

You know that meme that was popular back in the day?

A worldview where everyone likes me, but I don’t realize it.

‘It’s not like he’s putting on a clueless act, right?’

Of course, it was a joke, and Chae Seo-hui had been amazed by Dohyeon-u’s abilities countless times.

“Cut! Okay!”

“Moving right along!”

The set works like some kind of machine.

At the same time, the passionate performances the actors were delivering were at a level rarely seen.

It felt like scenes that would normally be filmed with great effort in regular dramas were flowing out as naturally as breathing.

Dohyeon-u was at the center of it all.

SSK still treats Accomplice as a troublesome contest work, but…

‘This looks like it’s going to be a huge hit.’

Watching the filming gave her a heart-pounding feeling.

That’s why she came along for the last scheduled 4-day Gangwon-do location shoot.

It was partly to assist Dohyeon-u, who was tired from coming to the set without rest for weeks.

Chae Seo-hui was thinking such thoughts while checking things she needed to report to SSK.

Vroooom-

Suddenly, huge trucks began entering the filming location entrance one after another.

There were as many as six of them.

‘Those are catering trucks?’

Chae Seo-hui, with her extensive on-set experience, recognized that those trucks weren’t simple meal cars.

Premium among premiums catering.

With separate cooking cars, ingredient-only refrigerated trucks, serving cars, coffee cars with baristas making drinks personally, and top-grade snack cars that cost much more than decent meal cars.

It was what’s commonly called mobile fine dining.

Sure enough, as soon as the trucks stopped, catering company employees began transforming one side of the set into a fine dining zone.

The staff showed bewildered expressions at that dizzying smell of money.

“I-Is that really our food?”

“I hope it is…”

“Get a grip. There’s no way that’s the case.”

“Hey, call the director. I think SSK made some mistake. Shouldn’t they be going to a different set?”

“Those grapes are definitely sour grapes…”

The staff’s reactions were all similar.

There’s no way that’s our meal car.

Because Accomplice doesn’t have famous actors.

Actually, even fairly famous actors don’t get treatment like that.

It would only be possible when fans of top-tier actors among the top tier gathered their spirit bombs, you could say?

It was the moment when Chae Seo-hui, who had the same thought, was about to hurriedly call SSK.

Swoooosh-

Banners attached to all the catering trucks unfurled simultaneously.

And there on them was.

“?!”

The face of a handsome man smiling shyly and.

“…!?”

【Milk-colored Dohyeon-u】

The phrase was emblazoned there.

At the same time, Dohyeon-u, who had been standing at the edge of the set, ran over at an unbelievable speed and stormed the passenger seat.

“Hey! Seo Jae-yeon! Aren’t you taking that down right now?!”

What emerged from the passenger seat was really Seo Jae-yeon.

Wearing an extremely satisfied expression.

“I-It’s really Seo Jae-yeon?”

“Actor Seo Jae-yeon? Here?”

“Sh-Should I get an autograph?”

Staff members who treat most celebrities as ‘acting technicians’ began to stir.

And for good reason – it’s Seo Jae-yeon, after all.

The only actress in her twenties capable of being a Chungmuro leading lady.

Next year, she’ll become the only actress in her thirties capable of being a Chungmuro leading lady.

This meant that Seo Jae-yeon existed at the very top among all current Korean actresses.

Seo Jae-yeon, who rarely appears on variety shows and is called the celebrity among celebrities…

‘Milky-white Dohyeon-u?’

Chae Seo-hui was surprised.

She was definitely very surprised.

But…

“Kim Jae-yeon and Kim Jae-hyeok. Twin siblings who are theater actors.”

“Really? Can you show me their profiles?”

“I told you I was an unknown actor! What unknown actor would have connections with such top stars?”

“If you go to Theater Troupe 【Saessak】, you can see Kim Jae-yeon and Kim Jae-hyeok. Should I get you a ticket?”

The sense of betrayal was even greater.

“Hey, you fraud!”

* * *

“Let’s eat well!”

“We’ll eat gratefully!”

The staff shouted like baby birds and began their meal.

“Wow, crazy. Can you see the blood in the steak?”

“Wh-what kind of dish is this?”

“Whisper…”

“Say it louder.”

“Special grade chef!!!”

They looked like ancient people discovering a futuristic city.

The actors’ reactions weren’t much different from the staff’s.

In a way, our drama’s actors were even less familiar with ‘catering trucks’ than the staff.

Most of their filmographies consisted of independent films, and it’s rare to call catering trucks to independent film sets where every penny matters.

Perhaps because of that, enthusiastic reactions burst out every time I passed by.

“Milky-white Dohyeon-u!”

“We love you, CE!”

Ah, damn.

I’ll be teased for a while.

But honestly, it doesn’t feel bad.

I knew best how much everyone had suffered to film this drama.

It feels good to eat delicious food together, right?

However.

“Hey, Seo Jae-yeon.”

“What.”

“Don’t you really have any sense of economics? How much is all this? Are you going to throw money around?”

“Senior might not know since you don’t watch the news, but there’s something called the trickle-down effect in the world.”

Talking nonsense about trickle-down effects.

I sighed and sat next to Seo Jae-yeon.

We weren’t eating outdoors but having our meal in the 4-person hall inside the serving support vehicle.

Across from me sat Director Jeong Hee-su and Chae Seo-hui.

Considering Seo Jae-yeon’s fame, this was appropriate.

She should at least be able to eat comfortably.

“When did you come back from London?”

“Why doesn’t senior know what everyone in the world knows?”

“Are you showing off because you’re famous now?”

“I’ve gained enough fame to show off a little.”

“Nice line?”

“It was dialogue from the rom-com I filmed last time.”

“Get along well with the writer. It suits you.”

Though we met after a long time, we were chatting as if we’d seen each other yesterday, so Director Jeong Hee-su, who was chewing on pork ribs, joined in.

“I didn’t know CE Do was acquainted with actress Seo Jae-yeon. You two seem very close?”

Seo Jae-yeon snorted.

“We’re not that close.”

“Really?”

“Yes. When he quit acting and left for the company, he didn’t contact me once. That makes us strangers, right?”

“What are you talking about? I contacted you soon after.”

“Can the long period of 17 days be grouped with the word ‘soon’?”

“…My mind was troubled. I had a lot of thoughts when you retired from acting.”

“After you’d already decided on joining SSK with Sung Tae oppa that evening?”

Ah, Sung Tae-chang.

That loose-lipped System Message to just anyone.

“But really, why did you come?”

Though Seo Jae-yeon has quirky tendencies, she’s not someone who acts carelessly.

Or more precisely, she used to, but I corrected that, should I say?

Coming to the set so openly with such expensive catering wasn’t simply to see my face.

If she wanted to see my face, she would have made a separate appointment.

Sure enough, Seo Jae-yeon brought up her business.

Something really out of the blue.

“I want to make a cameo appearance.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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