Peninsula: From a supporting actor to the best actor in Chungmuro

Chapter 127 Cat's Shadow on Set, Day and Night

Filming has ended.

Director Gao watched the playback on the monitor three times before finally raising his hand—

"Pass."

The assistant immediately understood and led the applause.

Scattered applause broke out on set, but soon it grew into a continuous burst.

Kang Jae-hoon got up from the mat and dusted himself off.

Director Gao walked over and looked him up and down a few times:

"You didn't hurt yourself?"

Kang Jae-hoon immediately bowed and apologized to the director through a translator:
"I'm sorry, Director. I was too impulsive just now. You're right, I should have mastered the wire work techniques first."

Director Gao stared at him for a few seconds, his expression softening slightly:

"You're quite bold, but don't be so reckless next time."

"The director is right."

Kang Jae-hoon nodded sincerely.

The matter was thus resolved.

But the way everyone on set looked at Kang Jae-hoon clearly showed more respect.

They dared to argue their point when the director lost his temper, and after proving themselves with their abilities, they were able to promptly admit their mistakes.

This series of combined moves demonstrates a clear understanding of human relationships and social dynamics.

……

After finishing work in the evening.

Kang Jae-hoon dragged his tired body back to his hotel room.

Just opened the door.

The calico cat came running over, meowing, and circled around his ankles.

Jiang Zaixun bent down and scooped it up.

The little guy immediately nuzzled his head against his chin.

The snoring sound is like a small motor.

"Are you hungry?"

Kang Jae-hoon casually tossed the script onto the coffee table.

I took out the cat food and poured it into its food bowl.

The calico cat immediately jumped down from his arms and squatted in front of the food bowl, taking small bites.

Kang Jae-hoon squatted down and watched for a while before getting up and going to the bathroom.

Hot water rinsed over my shoulders.

Kang Jae-hoon suddenly noticed a large bruise on his right arm.

It's likely that he hit the edge of the protective mat when he fell.

(Luckily, Kim Dae-won didn't see it...)
(Otherwise, I'll have to nag for ages.)
When I came out after drying myself off, the calico cat was squatting on the coffee table with its front paws tucked in, staring intently at the open script.

"So serious?"

Kang Jae-hoon sat down on the sofa, drying his hair, and flipped through the script for tomorrow's filming scene.

[Xu Chenghun: I didn't come to save you, I just... (pause) didn't want to see such beautiful eyes filled with despair.]

Kang Jae-hoon read aloud the Korean pronunciations marked on the script:

"I-don't-come-to-be-copied-and-get-it-..."

"I just didn't want to chop such a damn eye..."

Even he couldn't help but frown after reading it aloud.

That pronunciation is really strange.

At this moment, the phone screen lit up—

[Lim Yoona]: What are you doing?

Kang Jae-hoon casually took a picture of a calico cat with its paws tucked inside, looking at the script, and sent it to them.

[Kang Jae-hoon]: [Image]

[Kang Jae-hoon]: I'm teaching it to act.

[Lim Yoona]: Ahhh, so cute!

[Lim Yoona]: But has someone forgotten something?
Kang Jae-hoon then remembered that he had promised to take his picture.

I just wanted to take a quick, perfunctory photo.

But suddenly, as if possessed, I picked up the calico cat and ran to the bathroom mirror.

(My hair is too messy)

Kang Jae-hoon casually ran his fingers through the stray hairs on his forehead.

(The lighting is also not good)

He turned to the side to adjust his angle, letting the warm bathroom light shine obliquely on his face.

(The cat's expression...)
The calico cat was pushing his chin with its paw with a look of disgust.

"Click."

In the photo—

Kang Jae-hoon's wet hair hung down his brow bone, and his eyes, beneath his wet eyelashes, looked like amber that had been washed with water.

The robe hung loosely on his body, revealing a small patch of his chest.

The calico cat's paw was resting right on his chin, creating a funny "refusal to work" effect.

I received a reply in less than three seconds after sending it.

[Lim Yoona]: Wow~
[Lim Yoona]: This photo is so gentle on the eyes! ^^
[Lim Yoona]: Suggest posting more often.
Staring at the "Suggestions to send more messages" message on his phone screen, Kang Jae-hoon turned his head and reached out to poke the calico cat's forehead:

"It's all your fault for moving around."

The little guy immediately grabbed his finger with his paw and gently bit it.

"hiss--"

Kang Jae-hoon pretended to be in a lot of pain.

The calico cat meowed smugly, jumped onto the windowsill, and ignored him.

My phone vibrated again—

[Lim Yoona]: Did filming go smoothly today?
Kang Jae-hoon glanced at the bruise on his right arm, hesitated for a moment, and finally shook his head:

[Kang Jae-hoon]: It's great. The director praised my jumping posture as standard.

[Lim Yoona]: Pfft, what kind of weird compliment is that?
[Lim Yoona]: But... are you really not injured?

[Kang Jae-hoon]: Yes, the protective pad is very thick.

The dialog box flashed "typing" for a moment, but what finally popped up was a trivial instruction.

[Lim Yoona]: That's good. Get some rest and keep up the good work tomorrow!
Just as Kang Jae-hoon was about to reply "Goodnight," a new message notification suddenly went off.

Cut it out and take a look.

It was sent by Lee Sung-kyung.

Still alive?

Kang Jae-hoon glanced at the cat's shadow curled up on the windowsill and slowly typed:

[Kang Jae-hoon]: I got scolded by the director.

The message "The other party is typing" kept flashing at the top of the chat box for ten seconds.

In the end, only two words popped up—

Serves him right.

Kang Jae-hoon stared at the two words for a while, then suddenly burst out laughing.

The calico cat was startled by the laughter and looked up at him, its ears twitching.

The phone vibrated again—

[Lee Sung-kyung]: The first-aid kit is in the lining of the suitcase, and the white spray bottle is used three times a day.

Kang Jae-hoon sat up abruptly and looked down at the bruises on his arm.

The floor-to-ceiling window reflected his astonished expression, as if someone were really watching him through a camera lens.

He got up and took out his suitcase.

Sure enough, I found the medicine box neatly packed in the hidden compartment.

There was a sticky note on top that read, "Expired medicine, feel free to use."

He took a picture of the sticky note and sent it to them.

[Kang Jae-hoon]: [Image]

[Kang Jae-hoon]: Expired?
This time, it took five minutes to receive a reply.

Lee Sung-kyung: Use it or not, it's up to you.

Kang Jae-hoon unscrewed the white bottle and sprayed it on the bruise. The cool touch made him shrank his shoulders. The calico cat came over, sniffed the spray, and sneezed in disgust.

The dialog box fell silent.

The roar of a night plane came from outside the window, and he lay back on the bed.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the Oriental Pearl Tower was bathed in a purple glow.

Kang Jae-hoon held the script face down to his chest, only belatedly realizing it was 1 a.m. Seoul time.

------

The next day.

Six o'clock in the morning.

The dressing room on set.

Kang Jae-hoon closed his eyes and let the makeup artist apply foundation to his face. The touch of the makeup brush across his eyelids made him frown slightly, but he quickly relaxed.

In order to create the image of Xu Chengxun, a down-on-his-luck painter.

The makeup artist deliberately added more shadows under his eyes to create the feeling of fatigue from staying up late for a long time.

After a while.

Kang Jae-hoon opened his eyes.

A face, both strange and familiar, was reflected in the makeup mirror—

Her hair hung messily over her forehead, she had some stubble on her chin, and even her lips looked dry and chapped from applying special lipstick.

This is completely different from his usual clean and neat image.

"Perfect."

The makeup artist stepped back with satisfaction, picked up the setting spray, and sprayed it twice on his head.

Today we're filming Xu Chenghun and Xing Lu's second formal encounter. The narrative has already laid two key groundwork points:

During the suicide attempt, Xu Chenghun saved Xing Lu, establishing an initial bond between them.
The flashback reveals that the two had a fateful encounter on the streets of Vienna.

The story now enters a new phase:
Xing Lu, who runs a coffee shop, is hiding a secret.

Xu Chenghun's identity as a painter conceals the truth about his status as a chaebol.

Two masked individuals begin a dangerous yet romantic attraction to each other amidst the aroma of coffee.

In a romantic relationship, the initial attraction between a man and a woman is definitely based on their appearance.

Only if the appearance is acceptable will there be a desire to continue learning and developing the relationship.

That's how it is in the play.

The same applies off-screen.

While neither of them reached the level of breathtaking beauty, they were definitely the type who were "blessed by God."

Kang Jae-hoon's bone structure is so outstanding that it can withstand close-up shots from CCTV cameras.

His eyes and brows were deep but not sharp, and when he smiled, the corners of his eyes drooped slightly, giving him a somewhat naive look.

Liu Yifei possesses a classical beauty, with her phoenix eyes conveying a sense of story.

The proportions of his facial features are just right.

It can withstand any kind of death lighting.

Her skin was so white it was almost transparent, giving her a natural soft-focus effect in front of the camera.

That's why.

The off-screen chemistry between the two actors perfectly mirrors the "sexual tension" the director demanded in the film.

Therefore, the initial ambiguous stage of filming went exceptionally smoothly.

There isn't even a line.

The director captured the heart-fluttering atmosphere he wanted simply by the two gazing at each other through the coffee shop's glass window.

------

For seven consecutive days, the crew filmed in a coffee shop set.

The wooden bar counter was polished to a shine, and the coffee machine emitted a genuine aroma every day. Kang Jae-hoon had become proficient in the espresso extraction process and had even learned to draw crooked heart shapes on the milk foam.

That evening's filming schedule included a scene depicting a conflict in a coffee shop.

The props team rearranged the wooden tables and chairs to ensure the fight sequence wouldn't be obvious. The production crew attached protective tape to the table corners, and the martial arts instructor led five extras in rehearsing the movements of a drunkard causing trouble.

Kang Jae-hoon stood in the corner, repeatedly practicing straight punches and blocking techniques.

This 1v5 rescue scene by Xu Chenghun was a commercial element added at the last minute by the investors.

A drunken customer harassed Xing Lu, and a down-on-his-luck painter stepped in to help.

In the chaos, Xing Lu tried to help, but accidentally smashed a vase on the back of Xu Chengxun's head.

The director behind the monitor frowned as he stared at the storyboard.

The tone of the art film was disrupted by this abrupt action scene.

But the producers insisted that audiences needed these kinds of exciting scenes—

In reality, they couldn't refuse the amount for the advertising space.

Filming officially started.

Five extras stumbled into the coffee shop, reeking of alcohol, and surrounded Xing Lu, played by Liu Yifei.

"Beautiful lady, would you like to have a drink with me?"

The lead extra reached out to touch Xing Lu's chin, but she turned her head away.

"boom--"

Jiang Zaixun yanked the drunkard closest to Xing Lu aside and shoved him onto the coffee table. The sound of a glass shattering seemed like a signal, and the other four immediately surrounded them.

"Didn't you hear me when I said we were closed?"

In close-up shots.

The veins on the back of Kang Jae-hoon's hands bulged, and his eyes were sharp as knives.

A melee breaks out.

"Fuck him!"

The blond-haired guy who was pushed over yelled.

The four immediately took action.

Kang Jae-hoon leaned back to dodge, then delivered a powerful backhand punch that landed squarely on the other actor's chin guard.

For safety reasons, the fight scenes all used camera tricks and special effects makeup.

But Kang Jae-hoon's fist still grazed the other actor's cheekbone, causing the actor to hiss.

(Oops, I used too much force...)
Kang Jae-hoon quickly apologized with his eyes, but the acting couldn't stop.

He continued following the action director's plan, spinning and kicking at the second "drunkard".

But the other party suddenly changed their actions.

What should have been a kick to the ground turned into a tackle—

"Boom!"

The two of them slammed heavily onto the coffee table.

Kang Jae-hoon's lower back slammed hard against the edge of the table, and the pain made his vision go black.

(What's going on...)
The set suddenly became quiet.

Everyone sensed that something was wrong.

Director Gao raised an eyebrow as he stared at the monitor, but didn't call "cut."

Kang Jae-hoon gritted his teeth, pushed the actor off him, quickly composed himself, and continued to complete his scene.

He picked up a glass pitcher and "smashed" it at a third person;
A single over-the-shoulder throw took down the fourth person;

Then he was kicked by the fifth person and staggered.

Just as he was about to throw a punch in retaliation—

"boom!"

Liu Yifei picked up a sugar-coated glass vase and smashed it hard on the back of his head.

Kang Jae-hoon rolled his eyes and lay flat on the ground.

"..."

"Crack!"

After the director yelled "Cut," the extra who had deliberately altered the action immediately ran over to apologize.

"I'm so sorry! I got too into character just now."

"Getting too into the role" is probably the most perfect excuse in the world.

Kang Jae-hoon has had his share of minor roles.

He understands the mentality of extras who risk their lives for a fleeting shot.

But he also knew what kind of mistakes were accidental.

What kind of "not"?

Kang Jae-hoon's status as a "foreign lead actor" is already a sensitive one.

In addition, the "jumping off a building" scene at the start of filming stole the show, inevitably causing some subtle emotions.

But he just couldn't let it happen.

"fine."

Kang Jae-hoon shook his head and forced himself to stand up straight despite the pain.

He glanced at Director Gao behind the monitor—

The other person was discussing the shot with the photographer, seemingly unconcerned about the accident that had just happened.

"One more."

A moment later, Director Gao said without looking up.

The clapperboard sounded again.

Kang Jae-hoon returned to the starting position.

The pain in his lower back made his movements a little stiff, but he quickly adjusted.

……

This scene was filmed six times.

Every time they reshot the scene, Kang Jae-hoon had to be hit, fall down, and get hit by a vase again.

By the seventh time.

The footage on the monitor finally satisfied Director Gao.

When Kang Jae-hoon slowly turned around, clutching the back of his head, his expression of shock and pain was incredibly genuine.

Blood plasma flowed down his fingers to his neck, staining his white shirt collar with a glaring red.

Liu Yifei's panicked expression was also just right.

"Pass."

Sparse applause rang out on the set.

Kang Jae-hoon slowly stood up, supporting himself on his knees. The dull pain in his lower back made his movements somewhat stiff.

"well enough?"

Liu Yifei leaned closer and asked in a low voice.

Kang Jae-hoon forced a smile and waved his hand.

On his way to the rest area, he could feel all sorts of gazes coming from the set—

There was admiration, sympathy, and also those waiting to see the joke.

Jin Dayuan stepped forward to examine the bruises on his back, and said in a low voice:
"That bastard did it on purpose."

He was referring to the extras who altered the movements.

Kang Jae-hoon shook his head and said:

"unimportant."

It's really not important.

Compared to the experiences of many senior figures in their early years, this little trick is nothing.

Just then, the phone screen lit up—

[Lim Yoona]: How was work today?
Kang Jae-hoon stared at the message, his finger hovering over the screen for a long time, before finally replying with only one word:

【it is good. 】

(End of this chapter)