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

Chapter 153 Xiuzhi's forceful flirting with Jiang Lang leads to his embarrassment; her debut performance is a resounding success.
The van drove into a huge, enclosed film studio complex near Gwangalli, Busan.

Kang Jae-hoon got out of the car carrying the portable pet carrier containing the calico cat.

The little guy in the crate was clearly uneasy about the new environment.

The claws scratched at the box wall, making a soft rustling sound.

Kang Jae-hoon gently patted the side of the box to reassure it:

"Be good, I'll find you a quiet place to settle in later."

……

The opening ceremony was held in an open space outside the venue.

Incense burner, roasted pig's head.

Director Yeon Sang-ho led the main actors Gong Yoo, Ma Dong-seok, Jung Yu-mi, Kang Jae-hoon, and others in offering incense.

Staff members then offered incense on behalf of the staff.

There was no lengthy speech.

The process is simple and efficient.

After bowing.

They dispersed.

Kang Jae-hoon handed the cat carrier to the temporary pet caretaker who had been contacted in advance and was in charge of pet care for the crew.

I gave a few instructions.

He then hurriedly headed towards the dressing room area.

When he pushed open the door leading to the giant makeup area.

Even though they were somewhat prepared.

I was momentarily stunned by the sight before me—

The spacious area was divided into more than a dozen large dressing rooms by partitions.

But what's most striking are the people moving through it.

The number of makeup artists dressed in uniform gray work clothes, wearing hairnets and masks was so large...

A quick glance reveals at least forty people!

This scale.

It was a much larger makeup team than any film or television series he had ever worked on.

Many of them were still busy organizing the dazzling array of items on the mobile shelves—

Silicone limb stump, prosthetic wound, blood pack...

This is clearly an extra-large makeup team prepared for the massive "zombie horde" in the film!
A technician responsible for preparing the special skin gel nearly bumped into Kang Jae-hoon, who had stopped, while pushing a cart full of bottles and jars.

"Oh! Sorry, sorry!" the other person quickly apologized.

Kang Jae-hoon stepped aside, suppressing his surprise, and quickly walked towards the lead actor's dressing room.

"Please have a seat, actor Kang Jae-hoon."

"Thank you for your hard work."

Kang Jae-hoon nodded in return.

The makeup artist worked quickly and professionally.

Powder brush, eyebrow pencil, contouring product, hair gel...

Tools flew through her hands.

Unlike previous makeup styles that aimed for realism or special effects, this new style is different.

The goal this time is to adjust his slightly mature and rugged face towards that of a sunny young man and baseball player.

The foundation shades lean more towards a healthy honey color.

He deliberately downplayed the sharp angles of his brow bone.

Highlight the bridge of the nose and the apples of the cheeks.

Her hair was carefully styled into fluffy, slightly damp, wispy strands.

More than an hour.

The image of "Rongguo" has been initially established.

"Please go to the changing room to change your clothes."

The changing room is in the next area.

The stylist handed over a blue and white baseball jersey, along with matching trousers and a baseball cap.

Kang Jae-hoon quickly changed.

then.

The stylist then handed him a huge, half-full sports backpack.

The bag felt heavy in my hand.

Pull it open and see—

It was stuffed with towels, elbow pads, loose jerseys, socks, a few bottles of drinks, and even a few books, all printed with the baseball team's logo.

It is clearly a props team's meticulous simulation of the daily burdens carried by high school students.

When Kang Jae-hoon, dressed neatly and carrying a huge backpack that almost covered half of his back, walked out of the locker room.

Someone had already notified the film set to prepare.

Follow the passageway toward the core shooting area of ​​the photography studio.

A high-speed train, nearly 100 meters long, lies horizontally in the center of the photography studio.

The two middle sections are assembled from real train carriage parts and a large number of meticulously constructed sets and steel support structures.

A complete, 1:1 scale replica of a KTX high-speed train carriage.

At the front and rear ends of these two actual train carriages.

It is connected to three "transition carriage" frames of the same specifications and length, but with a relatively simple structure.

They form the main framework of this "death train".

"Jaehoon! Over here!"

Director Yeon Sang-ho's voice came from not far away.

Kang Jae-hoon looked in the direction of the sound.

The director is standing near the front of the first actual train car.

He was surrounded by people—

Gong Yoo, with his hair neatly combed, was carrying a high-quality black briefcase.

Ma Dong-seok's muscular physique made his leather jacket bulge out.

His on-screen wife stood beside him—

Jung Yu-mi wearing specially customized maternity clothes that accentuate her belly.

Beside.

It's the actor who played the villain, Executive Director Kim, and... Bae Suzy.

She was wearing the same blue and white baseball uniform as Kang Jae-hoon.

However, the bottom is a matching pleated skirt.

Long stockings encased her slender ankles.

The white canvas shoes are clean and refreshing.

Her makeup was very light.

She wore almost no makeup.

The blue and white tracksuit jacket was a bit too big, obscuring her slender figure, and the pleated skirt was also very ordinary in style.

but……

Perhaps it's that exquisite face that, no matter how plain it is, cannot hide its radiance.

Perhaps it's her naturally fresh and clean aura that perfectly complements her high school student attire.

This ordinary, even somewhat unfashionable, school uniform looked great on Bae Suzy.

Surprisingly, it exuded a stunning sense of youthfulness, unadorned and naturally beautiful.

The sunlight, or rather the simulated sunlight and lights inside the studio, seemed to favor her.

It made the surrounding busy and gloomy film set background pale in comparison.

Kang Jae-hoon's gaze inevitably lingered on Bae Suzy for two seconds, a pure, instinctive appreciation and amazement for beautiful things flashing in his eyes.

Although he quickly and subtly suppressed his emotions.

But this subtle change did not escape Bae Suzy's notice.

The corners of her lips twitched up almost imperceptibly.

That wasn't a smile.

It's more like... a firm confirmation.

A subtle satisfaction derived from the silent validation of absolute confidence in one's appearance and demeanor.

"Alright, everyone's here. Let's have a quick talk."

Director Yeon Sang-ho clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention:
"Let me tell you about the filming schedule for the next three days."

"Over the past three days, we've focused our efforts on filming the dialogue scenes in the train carriages before the zombie outbreak. The key is to introduce the characters, their backstories, personalities, and the subtle tensions in their relationships, laying the groundwork for the impending disaster! So, emotions and details are extremely important!"

"The first scene - we filmed Rongguo and Zhenxi."

As soon as these words came out.

Kang Jae-hoon and Bae Suzy were stunned almost simultaneously.

Their faces were filled with undisguised surprise.

In the South Korean film and television industry, the first scene filmed (or "first shot") has an unwritten but very important symbolic significance.

It signifies a "good start".

This indicates whether the entire project can proceed smoothly.

therefore.

Almost all film crews choose to entrust the first shot to the most experienced or most reliable actor, the "pillar of strength."

Just like Kang Jae-hoon's previous works such as "Ode to My Father," "Veteran," and "Himalaya"...

Without exception.

The first shots were all taken by actors of Hwang Jung-min's caliber.

This is not only a recognition of the actor's status and strength.

It also expresses the hope for a smooth startup and a good omen.

And now.

Director Yeon Sang-ho used the first shot of the highly anticipated film "Train to Busan" as a reference.

Was it handed over to two relatively young actors with little experience in the film industry?

Gong Yoo and Ma Dong-seok were clearly somewhat surprised by this arrangement.

But after the initial shock...

Instead, a happy, even somewhat amused and encouraging expression appeared on his face.

"All right."

Yeon Sang-ho turned to Kang Jae-hoon and Bae Suzy:
"We don't have much time, let's get straight to the script. Jae-hoon, Suzy, come here."

He led the two to the entrance of the pre-set carriage scene.

"This scene sets the tone for your relationship."

The director pointed to the narrow passageway and the location where the camera would be set up in the train carriage:
"Jin-hee is Rong-guo's 'ardent pursuer'. She is proactive, straightforward, sunny, and confident, and she is open and honest about her feelings."

He pointed his finger at Bae Suzy, indicating her character's state.

"Rongguo—"

His gaze shifted to Kang Jae-hoon:
"Tsundere, stubborn, shy, secretly overjoyed but never admitting it, her body language betrays everything..."

and many more!

—Director's description sounds exactly like a certain elbow strike master from Seongsudong?

This thought made Kang Jae-hoon feel inexplicably amused.

The saying "Art imitates life" is truly a profound truth.

If I imitated her straightforward, stubborn, awkward yet genuine demeanor, wouldn't that be pretty close? Just thinking about how she always pretends to care when she's actually concerned, yet stubbornly calls it an "expired free gift"...

Ok.

Having a reference point makes you feel more grounded.

"..."

"Alright! Everyone, get ready!"

Yan Xianghao picked up the walkie-talkie and said:

"Props team, final check on the aisle items! Lighting team, are you ready? Camera team, are the action points set?"

The scene instantly became extremely busy.

The lighting technicians skillfully adjusted the position and brightness of the soft lights.

The sound engineer held the long boom microphone and repeatedly checked the angle and sound pickup effect at the predetermined position.

The track car was carefully pushed to the preset position.

The set design assistant quickly checked the backpacks and scattered items on the chairs with the checklist to ensure they were arranged correctly according to the script.

Everything was done to capture the less than two-minute prelude to the storm inside the train carriage.

"Two actors, get ready—"

"Action!"

The clapper fell with a crisp sound.

The camera first focuses on the door at the connection between the carriages.

The door slid open.

Bae Suzy, who plays "Jin-hee," walks in full of energy, carrying a bulging canvas backpack.

The baseball team boys (extras) in the cubicle immediately started making exaggerated jeers:
"Wow! Jin-hee! What are you doing here?"

Bae Suzy's gaze instantly locked onto her target, a hint of smugness in her voice:

"Because someone is here, I specifically applied to be transferred here to be the cheerleader!"

The camera pans in, following her intense gaze—

Kang Jae-hoon was originally sitting on the outside of the two-seater.

However, in the instant their eyes met.

He moved to the inner seat by the window in a flash, almost hastily.

Followed by.

He quickly pulled out his earphones from the side pocket of his backpack, hurriedly put them in his ears, and turned his head to look out the window.

The intention is obvious—

He wanted to leave the outer seat for her, while using headphones and a cold demeanor to mask his panic.

at that time.

Bae Suzy ignored the fact that there were still several empty seats inside the train carriage.

He walked straight to Kang Jae-hoon's side and sat down casually. "Hey!"

Kang Jae-hoon's gaze remained fixed on the view outside the window, but he couldn't help glancing out of the corner of his eye towards the person beside him.
"With so many empty seats, why do you have to sit next to me?"

The sound that came out was a deliberately feigned "protest," tinged with impatience and disdain.

Bae Soo-ji heard the sound.

A natural and intimate side profile—

He rested his arm on the armrest between the two of them.

This movement caused her body to lean slightly forward.

The distance between the two was instantly compressed to less than half a fist's width.

She tilted her head slightly.

Those beautiful eyes, filled with stars.

Without blinking.

Staring intently.

He stared at Kang Jae-hoon's profile, which was trying to appear calm.

That smile was completely unreserved.

Like honey melting in the sunlight.

It's so sweet it's blinding.

Because—I like you!

His voice was as open and honest as if he were announcing a truth.

With her boldly proclaimed approach.

A unique quality that belonged to her, like a freshly peeled lychee—

Crisp, pure, and slightly sweet...

breath.

Without warning.

It forcefully invaded Kang Jae-hoon's nasal cavity!

This sudden, aggressive fragrance, belonging to the opposite sex, mingled with her gaze and that earth-shattering confession...

Like a micro-current, it instantly surged through my entire body!
Kang Jae-hoon's body is under the camera's focus—

Suddenly, he froze!
It was originally just stiffness and unnaturalness in the performance.

now.

It was forced to produce a seven or eight tenths of a sense of realism...

In that moment when the air was filled with the scent of life and my heart was beating a little faster.

An extremely untimely, even somewhat absurd, thought suddenly flashed into Kang Jae-hoon's mind:

--if.

He approached Lee Sung-kyung so suddenly, and said such cheesy and audacious things...

There's only one possible outcome!
A single elbow strike imbued with immense humiliation and anger would physically end all approach and idle chatter...?
--so.

Should we try imitating the "elbow strike" too?
The moment the thought popped into his head, even Kang Jae-hoon was surprised.

What an international joke!
With my physique built up through years of training and recently through the snow-capped mountains of Nepal...

He could practically picture that catastrophic, high-definition, slow-motion scene in his mind:
—With a sudden elbow strike, mimicking the standard procedure of the Holy Water Cave, which he subconsciously imitated.

Bae Suzy, with her delicate, boneless figure and slender arms and legs...

Like a butterfly flung away by a heavy truck...

A scream of agony...

It flew directly out of the frame...

You don't even need to guess what the headlines of tomorrow's entertainment sections will be:
[Train to Busan Opens in Disaster! Tragedy Strikes on First Day of Filming! "Nation's First Love" Bae Suzy Seriously Injured and Hospitalized!]

[Shocking! Opening ceremony turns into a nightmare! Kang Jae-hoon brutally assaults his co-star!]

[ICU?! The production crew is covering it up! Bae Suzy's life hangs in the balance?! The cause is suspected to be...]

……

Kang Jae-hoon forcefully banished this terrifying thought, which could destroy the entire project, from his mind.

The thin layer of sweat that had risen on his back from Bae Suzy's closeness instantly turned into icy cold sweat.

terrible!

Method actors are terrifying!

at that time.

Bae Suzy was completely unaware of the turmoil Kang Jae-hoon was experiencing in that instant and the "elbow crisis" that could change his fate.

She is fully immersed in the role of "Jin-hee".

Continue to "pressure" on Rongguo, played by Kang Jae-hoon:
"Stop struggling, Rongguo. You can't escape my grasp, because..."

Her pink lips curved into a captivating yet sweet smile as she spoke, each word deliberate and deliberate:

"This is destiny."

The words fell.

The baseball teammates (extras) who were already prepared erupted at just the right moment with a huge and enthusiastic jeer, whistles and clapping.

"Wow--!"

"Together with!"

"Whoa!"

"..."

The entire train compartment was instantly filled with the noisy atmosphere of youthful hormones and romantic comedy.

Amidst this tremendous roar and Bae Suzy's close gaze,

The camera clearly captured Kang Jae-hoon's reaction—

He seemed to have been completely shattered by this blatant "fatalism" and the jeers, losing the last bit of his pretense.

He raised his hand suddenly.

He forcefully pushed the baseball cap down on his head!

The wide brim of his hat instantly covered most of his face.

however!
Just a fraction of a second before the hat completely obscured his expression, the camera precisely captured a moment—

His tightly pursed lips curled upwards uncontrollably into a very clear arc, tinged with a sense of helplessness yet also a secret sense of extreme pleasure.

That smile vanished in a flash.

It was so fast it felt like an illusion.

Yet it also unmistakably revealed the arrogant young man's inner elation and undisguised shyness.

"Crack——!"

Director Yeon Sang-ho's voice came through the loudspeaker.

The set suddenly became quiet.

The enthusiastic cheering and applause effects abruptly stopped.

Kang Jae-hoon raised his hand almost immediately.

He yanked off the baseball cap that was almost pressing down on his nose.

He instinctively turned his head to look to his side—

Bae Suzy was still in the same position as when she was holding onto the armrest.

The lingering smile made the corners of her eyes slightly upturned.

That exquisitely flawless face, when viewed up close and without any obstruction, possessed a striking beauty.

It came into view without warning.

Kang Jae-hoon's heart skipped a beat.

It's almost a conditioned reflex.

To cover up his momentary loss of composure.

Perhaps it was to break the delicate atmosphere.

The hat that Kang Jae-hoon is holding in his hand.

He gently but firmly placed it on Bae Suzy's head.

The wide brim of the hat instantly covered the area.

It covered most of her excessively beautiful face.

It also covered up that lingering smile that had made Kang Jae-hoon's heart race.

"Well……?"

Bae Suzy was taken aback by this sudden "attack".

Raise your hand.

Use your fingertips to hook the brim of the hat and lift it up slightly.

He revealed his large, blinking eyes, which were filled with obvious confusion.

"What are you doing?"

Kang Jae-hoon quickly composed himself.

He forced a straight face and used a businesslike tone to cover it up, saying:
"Let's go watch the replay."

The words have not yet fallen.

He stood up with remarkable agility.

Without turning his head back.

They practically fled the seating area.

Bae Suzy was still pushing up the brim of her hat with one hand.

She blinked as she watched his retreating figure.

The slight confusion I felt from being labeled earlier was instantly replaced by a more novel and subtle feeling.

—Are you shy?

—Wasn't that bewildered reaction just now entirely an act?

This realization made her already beautiful eyes crinkle into crescents.

The corners of her mouth curved upwards again.

It's more relaxed and real than when you're acting.

Bae Suzy tidied her messy hair.

He adjusted the baseball cap on his head, which still held the warmth of Kang Jae-hoon's body.

He also stood up.

Follow his direction toward the monitor.

in front of the monitor.

Director Yeon Sang-ho was reviewing the footage with the cinematographer and assistant director.

The image rewinds and slows down frame by frame.

The final frame freezes on the subtle moment when Bae Suzy leans on the armrest and approaches, and Kang Jae-hoon's body instantly stiffens and his eyes widen in surprise.

"This initial reaction point was captured very well."

Yeon Sang-ho turned his head to look at Kang Jae-hoon, who had just walked to his side:

"The stiffness and subconscious defensiveness caused by the sudden close stimulation felt very real, not a deliberately acted tension. In particular, the subtle contraction of the pupils conveyed the momentary panic."

Kang Jae-hoon's heart skipped a beat.

The director has an incredibly sharp eye...

His acting was more than just stiff.

He suffered a double blow of mental damage from both the aroma and the "elbow strike fantasy"!

……

"The change in expression before pulling down the hat brim is handled in a very nuanced way, externalizing the true joy and shyness in a subtle way that tries to conceal them."

Director Yeon Sang-ho, oblivious to Kang Jae-hoon's subtle expression, continued:
"Micro-expressions and body language are well integrated."

He added one last sentence, his tone rather flat:
"Jae-hoon's acting skills are very solid, and Suzy's performance is very natural."

"This one is fine."

Director Yeon Sang-ho spoke to the assistant director beside him, then picked up the walkie-talkie:
"We passed the first test. A great start! Everyone worked hard."

The words fell.

The set erupted in enthusiastic applause and cheers.

Kang Jae-hoon felt the admiring gazes directed at him and Bae Soo-ji.

Especially the director's comment that he had "solid acting skills".

This put his mind at ease.

The corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up in a smile.

"Actress Jiang."

Kang Jae-hoon turned his head upon hearing the sound.

Bae Suzy was standing next to him with a smile.

A fair hand hovered in the air.

Palms facing him.

There was no sense of aggression in the light in his eyes, unlike the character he played.

The joy and invitation shared by the collaborating actors after completing a brilliant performance were purely a matter of personal connection.

He was gestured to high-five in celebration.

Kang Jae-hoon looked at the pale, luminous hand in front of him, which seemed to glow under the studio lights.

Then he met her eyes, which were full of smiles.

The lingering effects of the heartbeat I felt in front of the camera just now seemed to gently ripple again.

immediately.

Kang Jae-hoon's smile widened.

With the same ease and joy, he raised his right hand.

Palms facing forward.

The movements are crisp and clean.

He reached out to meet her gentle, hovering hand.

"Snapped!"

A light, crisp clapping sound.

It wasn't particularly loud amidst the clamor of the surrounding crowd.

But it was crystal clear to the two of them.

(End of this chapter)