Chapter 22: On Set with Gimbap

The underwater special filming set located in Goyang City, Gyeonggi Province.

The follow-up shooting for  was in full swing.

“Ah, damn it. This is seriously frustrating.”

Park Tae-won, who was staring at the script resting on the coordinator’s head, was visibly annoyed.

“Why is my script this short? Are you telling me to do all the work by myself?”

Due to Park Tae-won’s frustration over today’s underwater shoot, the manager hurriedly intervened, giving subtle signals to the staff.

Clothing racks and lighting panels were scattered haphazardly around Park Tae-won, trying to surround him and prevent his complaints from reaching the director’s ears.

“Hey. Honestly, does it make any sense for a nobody like Ahn Yoo-seok or Mu-seok to shoot the CO-Tem ad?”

That was it. Park Tae-won had been the advertising model for CO-Tem, the number one men’s cosmetics brand, until last month.

Naturally, he expected the contract to be renewed, but he found out through news articles that the model had suddenly changed, and he was now venting his anger to the fullest.

It was understandable. CO-Tem had always had a rumor that they only hired ‘the most popular male actor in Korea’ as their model.

So, having an unknown actor take that spot was infuriating.

“Tae-won, let’s just go inside for now. The director is waiting.”

“Ah, damn it. If they want to shoot, they should come to me.”

“Hehe. It’s the final shoot today, so can you please just hang in there a little longer?”

Whether it was because of Park Tae-won’s attitude or his physical condition, the thin manager begged him, rubbing his hands together.

“Ah, damn it.”

The bleak atmosphere on ’s set felt like walking on thin ice, tense and precarious.

Despite maintaining a solid 10% viewership rating, the tensions between Park Tae-won and the O Media staff were palpable.

Behind the filming building, in the smoking area, complaints were constantly spilling out from assistant directors and junior staff.

“Why did Park Tae-won skip again today?”

“No idea. Maybe because of the ad.”

“My friend is doing lighting at the  set, and it’s totally different from here.”

The youngest member of the lighting team grumbled.

Of course, the lead actors Seo Ji-won and Ahn Yoo-seok carefully looked after the staff, creating a warm atmosphere on set.

Thanks to the investor Mom’s Food, who provided a luxurious catering truck every day, the crew was surprisingly slim and happy while filming.

“Hah, don’t these leads ever look out for the staff?”

“We don’t even ask for coffee or dinners. We just want some breathing room to work.”

Whether online or offline, ominous vibes had begun circulating inside ’s team.

* * *

If someone asked me what my favorite food was, I wouldn’t hesitate to say, “Gimbap.”

Whether it was with radish pickles, tuna, or beef, as long as the gimbap was perfectly made, it was undoubtedly one of Korea’s soul foods.

Gimbap packed by my mother, a simple 3,000-won roll from the neighborhood, or even convenience store triangular gimbap.

A Korea without gimbap is unthinkable.

Even during my assistant writer days, when the sensitive head writer insisted on proper meals, I often just had gimbap instead of eating at a proper restaurant.

Despite all that, gimbap remains my favorite and most perfect food.

Episode 3 of  was centered exactly on this gimbap.

I was enjoying tuna gimbap and tteokbokki, packed from the snack bar in front of my studio, while watching the protagonist eagerly make gimbap.

When an old rival, knowing the protagonist’s identity, appeared and fought not with knives but with gimbap,

I chuckled, thinking, “Ah, what a waste of good gimbap.”

Now that  had become a close companion, I was itching to write the next script quickly.

-  is ending next week~ Author-nim~ Hope you’re resting well?

A square chat notification popped up at the bottom right of my laptop.

It was Hong Joo-hee, who had been increasingly checking on me lately.

She always asked if I had anything I wanted to write next when we met, which meant she was probably preparing the next contract.

Signing a second contract with H Studio was good.

With them, I wouldn’t have to negotiate much and would get a precise deal.

The problem was that these kinds of messages didn’t come only from Hong Joo-hee.

- Hello, writer Lee Jung-hyuk. I’m Sung Si-jun from Sochon Media. I’ve been a longtime fan of yours.

- The weather has gotten really cold. Please be careful not to catch a cold, writer. It’s not just the name, but I’m a big fan of , so I’m reaching out. If you have time, I’d like to invite you to a meal. Do you have a favorite food?

- Writer! Long time no see! I’ve been really enjoying  lately!

- Writer Lee Jung-hyuk, are you available for a call? We’re watching the drama closely.

From producers who knew my name to ones I’d never heard of, everyone was competing to get in touch.

Among them was a producer who had approached me with  before. They had been repeatedly declining because of their ex-wife Jeon Min-jung.

They probably didn’t expect the drama to become such a hit.

Last week, episode 12 of  recorded a peak rating of 14.2%.

Since  was at 14.3%, it was only a 0.1% difference.

When a work becomes a hit, not only the actors but also the writers benefit.

“The biggest beneficiary is probably me.”

Everything was decided by the ratings.

If the ratings tanked, you’d be labeled a failed writer and wander in limbo without another project.

But if the ratings were good, producers would be scrambling to sign you.

There’s a saying that a writer’s worth equals their ratings.

I popped the last corner of the gimbap into my mouth.

Chewing slowly, I was enjoying the present moment.

A few years ago, this gimbap was survival itself; now, it had become a luxury.

Thanks to Netflix.

Drrrrr - drrrrr -

If only that damn phone wouldn’t ring, I could fully enjoy this.

“Pick up the phone*.”

- Hello. Writer Lee Jung-hyuk, how have you been?

*Again?

- Again? I called because I was worried if my friend’s eating well. Well, if there’s anyone in Korea who’s currently the fullest, it’s definitely you. Still, man! Bring some good food for me.

“Don’t come. I’m not telling you about the next episode.”

- Ah, why not? I’m curious about the next episode. Should I come now? Actually, I’m near your studio.

Click -

Dong-dong

Before I could finish, the doorbell rang.

That annoying so-called friend of mine was exhausting.

I roughly crumpled the gimbap foil and opened the door.

Kim Chang-soo stood there, waving the tuna sashimi takeout bag like a trophy.

“Our Lee Jung-hyuk’s absolute favorite tuna. Only the big belly part.”

“No. Go back.”

*Hey, why?

“I have filming today. I need to get to the set.”

“Seriously? Filming? I want to go! Thanks to my friend, I might see a celebrity! Seo Ji-won is insanely good-looking in person!”

“Absolutely not.”

Wow. And you call yourself a friend.

“Don’t borrow the studio. Enjoy the tuna you like and go.”

I tried to leave Kim Chang-soo behind in the hallway but he grabbed me urgently.

“Tuna, tuna will be on me.”

“I said I’m not eating.”

“No, not for you. For the set.”

“Da—”

“I’ll cover all the staff’s tuna on set!”

“Hey, what are you talking about? There are so many staff.”

“Even so, what, three or four hundred thousand won? Seo Ji-won, hehe, I can’t even treat you to tuna? I’m a urologist in Sangsu-dong number one. I’ve gotten all the men in Sangsu-dong back on their feet.”

“Hey, hey. Calm down.”

“I’m telling you! It’s a special! Special order!”

* * *

“Writer. What’s your favorite food? Mine’s tuna.”

Seo Ji-won popped a piece of navel pork, marbled with pinkish water patterns, into his mouth.

“Wow. This is so delicious.”

“Writer, it’s my first time eating tuna on a filming set.”

“Me too. Writer, you’re the best. I’ll take pictures and post it on my story.”

Everyone waiting to pick up their packed lunches thanked me in unison.

The assistant directors lined up behind Director Kim excitedly snapped photos as well.

Since it was the last shoot, the happiness was genuine. The luxurious tuna lunch added the perfect touch.

“Hehe. Please enjoy your meal! I prepared this for my closest friend, writer Lee Jung-hyuk. I’m Kim Chang-soo, running ‘Chang Bi Urology’ in Sangsu-dong! If any of you  staff or men come by, I’ll give you a big discount. Especially Director Kim! You look exhausted, you know?”

Kim Seung-pyo, who was wrapping rice with a thick piece of well-prepared tuna back fat like a seaweed wrap, was caught off guard.

Ha ha ha, the room burst into laughter at his appearance.

Kim Chang-soo stuck close to me, smiling brightly.

After giving an elaborate introduction, Kim Chang-soo sat back down, barely eating.

That was understandable since Seo Ji-won and Hong Joo-hee were sitting right in front of us.

“You two are middle school classmates, right?”

“Yes. He was a great writer even back then. He won first place in school essay contests and stuff. I was sure he’d succeed as a writer. Hehe.”

“Writer, you have good friends. They say if you have even one friend who believes in and supports you, you’ve lived well.”

“Hehehehe.”

“Ouch.”

Kim Chang-soo playfully tapped my back and smiled arrogantly.

“Seo Ji-won, or Seo Ji-won-ssi? How should I call you?”

“Just Ji-won, please. If you’re a friend of Jung-hyuk’s, then there’s no older brother or anything for me.”

“Oh, older brother?”

Kim Chang-soo’s face flushed bright red as he expressed his excitement with full gusto.

“Of course, I can’t call the writer ‘older brother’ because he’d hate that.”

“Who would hear that? I’d get scolded for having no conscience.”

“Hey, Seo Ji-won, weren’t you born in ’96? There’s only a few years difference, so you can call him ‘older brother’.”

~

Excited Seo Ji-won and even more excited Kim Chang-soo high-fived.

“Too bad you came on the last shoot. If this writer works with us again, please visit often.”

Meanwhile, Hong Joo-hee professionally dropped a hint that she would naturally sign a contract with me for the next work as well.

“You… seriously make me so jealous. How do you get to work with Seo Ji-won and, well, Hong Joo-hee? Shouldn’t she be an actress too? How do you get to work with people like them? Meanwhile, I’m stuck with… you know… just that all day.”

After finishing the meal, Kim Chang-soo suddenly seemed to have a moment of clarity at the smoking area, exhaling a long stream of cigarette smoke.

“Hey, we’re going to the after-party. Want to come along?”

Director Kim Seung-pyo, whose legs were twisted in a complicated position, flicked an electronic cigarette ash and asked.

“Is it okay? I hope I’m not intruding. Hehe. Shall I come?”

Though it was the final shoot, there were two extra scenes left to film, and everyone planned to gather afterward.

Hong Joo-hee had rented out the second-floor hof in the Sangam area.

It was known for excellent kitchen staff and operated as a Korean buffet during the day.

Pizza, chicken, tteokbokki, grilled pork bones, and golbaengi (sea snails) were all prepared evenly as people gathered in threes and fives.

I wanted to sit with staff I usually didn’t talk to, but thanks to the impudent Kim Chang-soo, I had to sit with Seo Ji-won, Hong Joo-hee, Ahn Yoo-seok, and Director Kim Seung-pyo.

“Before we get too drunk, shall we make a bet?”

* A bet, huh?

“What kind of bet?”

* Ratings bet?

Gambler Hong Joo-hee enthusiastically started the atmosphere.

“If you win, what will you do?”

“Buy dinner?”

“Psh, I can buy dinner anytime.”

“How about granting a wish?”

Ahn Yoo-seok winked and raised his hand.

“I say 15%. Fifteen percent is the magic number. I think it’ll go over that.”

Everyone called out their expected ratings, mostly between 15 and 18%.

The highest was Kim Chang-soo, who confidently shouted 18.2% as if he were a friend.

“Last one’s yours, writer.”

“How much will you say?”

All eyes focused on me.

I cautiously opened my mouth, receiving all their gazes.

“I say 20%.”