Bedroom Genius Actor - Chapter 34
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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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Episode 34
“You said he accepted?”
“Yeah, it was a success.”
Hwang Eun-seok spoke to his team members with a triumphant attitude.
“I was really scared it wouldn’t work out…”
“We even notified the PR team about this, so if it had failed, ugh…”
“Right. How did you even persuade him, PD?”
Actually, finding reviewers and advertising is something the PR team should handle.
But this time, the writing team insisted on doing it themselves. To the extent that main writer Hwang Eun-seok stepped forward personally.
This was partly for promotional purposes, but also because they wanted to get evaluated by the Armchair Reviewer before the drama aired.
‘Actually, the Armchair Reviewer isn’t really the type to give harsh feedback, but his evaluations are definitely reliable.’
The Armchair Reviewer usually says all works are interesting.
But within that, he had the ability to accurately pinpoint lacking parts and good parts.
In other words, the ability to find both strengths and weaknesses regardless of a work’s entertainment value.
Especially, he doesn’t get swayed by ratings or public opinion.
“But what kind of person is the Armchair Reviewer? He looked quite old.”
“Right, I was really curious about what kind of person he is. Is he a man or woman?”
At those words, Hwang Eun-seok laughed awkwardly.
“He’s a man… and seems to be around his thirties.”
“If he’s in his thirties, he’s in his thirties. What do you mean ‘seems to be’?”
“…”
Hwang Eun-seok told his team members the whole story of meeting the Armchair Reviewer.
“…A mask?”
“Why? And he works in this industry?”
Then Junior Writer Lee Yeon-hee quietly spoke up.
“Maybe… he didn’t commit some crime or something? So his face can’t be revealed…”
“How dare you say such blasphemy!”
“How dare you suspect the Armchair Reviewer!”
The writers went wild at the junior writer’s words.
At the reaction of devotees whose god had been insulted, Junior Writer Lee Yeon-hee was startled and bowed her head.
“S-sorry!”
Then Hwang Eun-seok nodded.
“Such speculation is rude to the Armchair Reviewer, so don’t do that. And when I met him, he didn’t seem like that kind of person.”
Apart from being a religious-like figure to the MBS Writing Team, such speculation wasn’t good.
Moreover, when the cafe employee rudely wielded a broom, the Armchair Reviewer actually became intimidated and responded meekly.
He didn’t seem to have a bad nature.
“Well, since he’s coming to watch the work in person, we’ll see then. You’ll know what kind of person he is when you see him directly.”
Even while saying this, he thought.
‘I wonder if he’ll wear a mask when he comes next time too…?’
Hwang Eun-seok felt inexplicably troubled.
***
-You can take a little break until the editing of ‘My Little House’ is finished. We have promotional schedules planned right after editing ends, so it’s awkward to schedule other things.
“Ah, yes. Thank you. Then I’ll see you when schedules are set.”
Kim Ji-hu ended his call with Choi Tae-geon like that.
“That’s a relief. I was worried about what would happen if problems arose.”
He had been worried about his schedule getting tangled up because of the Armchair Reviewer work, but it seemed that wouldn’t happen.
So for now, it meant he could focus on his blog.
‘I was getting anxious anyway, so doing other work might help me forget a bit.’
After finishing filming for ‘My Little House’, Kim Ji-hu had actually become more anxious.
The filming itself had certainly gone smoothly, but that doesn’t directly translate to box office results.
Especially whether they could gather the 3.5 million audience the system had suggested was uncertain.
Moreover, since it was now in the editing stage, he had passed the point where he could do anything about it, and was just trembling with anxiety alone.
So he planned to work on blog-related tasks and temporarily forget about it.
‘Don’t forget! My main job is being a blogger!’
Acting was just a side job and something he’d quit someday.
If not for the system’s threats, he would have already focused on his blog long ago.
Everything he’d done acting-wise so far was to revive his blog, wasn’t it?
‘More than that, I should probably write it…?’
Kim Ji-hu stared intently at the box placed by the entrance.
***
A few days later. The day he was supposed to watch MBS’s drama.
“…”
Kim Ji-hu arrived in front of MBS Broadcasting Station.
“What’s with that person…”
“…A robber? Did he come to rob the broadcasting station?”
“Nah, it’s probably some kind of filming.”
He could hear people whispering.
Kim Ji-hu made a sad face hearing those words.
‘I don’t want to do this either…’
But what choice did he have?
Just wearing a mask carried too many risks in various ways.
Since he had worn a mask the first time, he decided to stick with masks consistently.
Kim Ji-hu entered MBS Broadcasting Station before more people’s attention was drawn to him.
But not long after, he saw Hwang Eun-seok, whom he had met last time.
Hwang Eun-seok spotted Kim Ji-hu wearing a mask and approached him, saying.
“…Your mask color changed.”
Thinking the black mask from last time looked too much like a robber’s, Kim Ji-hu had put effort into choosing a colorful one this time.
Though it still looked suspicious.
“…Yes, that’s how it turned out.”
“I never knew masks came in various colors.”
“I only learned that recently too…”
“Ahem, shall we go in then? Others are waiting too.”
Kim Ji-hu followed Hwang Eun-seok.
The security guard looked at him with suspicious eyes, but thanks to Hwang Eun-seok’s “It’s okay…” he was able to enter.
And the place they arrived at was an editing room in MBS Broadcasting Station.
Since he had been to SBC’s editing room before, he could immediately tell it was an editing room.
There were about four people there.
‘That person is… Go Yeon-ha PD, right?’
The short-haired woman sitting in the center. She was a PD Kim Ji-hu had heard of several times.
Then Go Yeon-ha PD spoke up.
“Hello. You’re the Armchair Reviewer, right?”
“Ah, yes… Kim… I mean, I’m the Armchair Reviewer.”
“Our writing team insisted so strongly that we ended up inviting you. Ahaha… Shall we sit and talk first?”
“Yes…”
Kim Ji-hu sat in a chair and looked at the people behind Go Yeon-ha PD.
‘They’re probably other writers or staff members.’
Then a thought suddenly occurred to him.
Actually, Kim Ji-hu had come to the broadcasting station with a light heart.
Since reviewing was something he’d always done, he thought he just had to do what he always did.
However, facing these people, he realized what he had to do.
That is, he had to evaluate it in front of the staff who created this work, including the PD and writers.
‘Did I… take on something a bit dangerous?’
Wasn’t that the case?
If he spoke critically, they’d say ‘What does a mere reviewer know to be criticizing?’ and if he spoke positively, they’d say ‘He’s no different from any other reviewer after all.’
‘Did I dig my own grave?’
It was an unexpected variable.
Cold sweat began to flow down Kim Ji-hu’s back.
Regardless, Go Yeon-ha PD continued speaking.
“I’ve actually watched Armchair Reviewer’s reviews quite often. So I’m very curious about how you’ll evaluate this work. Usually, creators find it difficult to view their own work objectively.”
Though it was clearly gentle words, in Kim Ji-hu’s mind it translated as ‘I’ll be watching what you say? Just try saying something strange?’
Kim Ji-hu nodded and answered for now.
“I’ll, I’ll do my best to watch it…”
Go Yeon-ha PD smiled and nodded.
“You probably won’t be able to finish it all today, so you can watch about half and continue tomorrow. If it gets too much, feel free to leave.”
Unlike ‘Trauma,’ it seemed production had already finished.
Since ‘Trauma’ had so many incidents and was made on such a tight schedule, he wondered if this was normal.
“Yes, I understand… Then I’ll let you know when I’m leaving.”
“Let us know if anything comes up.”
Hearing those words, Go Yeon-ha PD stood up, and the other staff members followed her out of the room.
Kim Ji-hu soon looked at the screen.
“Well, shall I take a look…”
***
Go Yeon-ha PD came out of the room and said to Hwang Eun-seok.
“That person is okay, right?”
“Yes, PD. Even if he looks strange outwardly, his behavior and speech were normal.”
“Still, just in case, I think it’d be good to have someone stay with him. I’m not suspicious, but just in case.”
“Yes, I’ll stay with him.”
Go Yeon-ha PD said that while furrowing her brow.
“But is he really trustworthy? I think he wrote good analysis pieces too, but honestly, whether it’s enough to enter the professional realm is questionable.”
“You might think that way. Since it’s not writing based on professional knowledge. But.”
Hwang Eun-seok looked directly at Kim Yeon-ha PD and said.
“His skills are certain. I’m confident about that, having followed his blog for almost 10 years. And actually, aren’t you in an urgent situation right now, PD?”
At those words, Go Yeon-ha PD averted her gaze.
Hwang Eun-seok said to such Go Yeon-ha.
“Whether this is a rotten rope or a sturdy rope, we have to grab it and see. Rather than just falling off a cliff.”
“That’s true.”
Go Yeon-ha PD nodded as if agreeing.
“Then I’ll leave it to you.”
“Yes, I’ll contact you when Armchair Reviewer finishes watching.”
Go Yeon-ha PD went to do her work, and Hwang Eun-seok looked toward the editing room and thought.
‘I believe in you, Armchair!’
***
Kim Ji-hu remained alone in the editing room, watching the drama and letting out admiration.
‘Oh… so this actor appears.’
That actor was none other than Oh Jin-woo.
He was one of the actors said to be doing best in the industry these days, along with Ryu I-hyun.
Oh Jin-woo had a very unique personality, which was.
‘An actor who does an incredible amount of ad-libbing.’
His nickname was the Emperor of Ad-libs.
He was known as the most difficult actor to use from directors’ and writers’ perspectives.
Usually when using Oh Jin-woo, they don’t think about what role would suit him, but rather feel like they’re putting the person called Oh Jin-woo into the script.
‘The point is that it’s incredibly entertaining though.’
Oh Jin-woo himself was an interesting person, and the lines he ad-libbed within the story often pierced through the work itself.
He had such a thick fanbase, and was an actor that PDs and directors wanted to include if they could.
‘But…’
Kim Ji-hu’s brow gradually furrowed.
Episode 1 was racing toward the latter half.
‘It’s still hard to be certain, but… somehow…’
Kim Ji-hu thought with some doubt.
‘He doesn’t seem quite right for this work?’
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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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