The first rehearsal with Jung Goongwon.
The Chairman’s Office, where Jung Chanyul’s only family, his grandfather Jung Baemin, stays.
From early in the morning, Jung Chanyul visits him.
He naturally sits on the sofa and they exchange greetings.
Chanyul complains about the new tasks assigned to him in HR Team 4.
Most of it is about the territorial attitudes of Choi Taek and Lee Haryeong in HR Team 4, but Jung Baemin warmly listens to his grandson’s grumbling.
Just then, when an employee enters the meeting room with urgent business, Jung Baemin sternly tells them not to disturb his time with family and sends them away.
Jung Chanyul looks up to his grandfather even more for such moments.
Director Woo Hyunsik wants Jung Goongwon to show both the kind-hearted side of a grandfather in his interactions with Jung Chanyul and the stern, commanding tone he uses with employees, displaying the many facets of Jung Baemin.
“When you’re talking with Jung Chanyul, I think it’d be good to turn your body as much to one side as possible. And Chanyul, it’d be even better if you act a bit more like a childish grandson.”
“How about crossing my legs?”
“That’s good too. You can loosen up a bit more. Feel free to add a few lines of ad-lib if you want.”
Even the demanding Director Woo Hyunsik mostly accepted ad-libs from Jung Goongwon, even if they strayed from the script.
“Yes, understood.”
Jung Goongwon was already famous for always adding ad-libs to every drama he appeared in.
Directors rarely disliked it because his character interpretations were outstanding.
However, it was common to shoot several extra takes, since few actors could keep up with Jung Goongwon’s ad-libs right from the first scene.
But this time, even Woo Hyunsik had a strange faith.
Even if others struggle to keep up—
‘If it’s that kid, it’ll be fine, won’t it?’
He was confident Jeon Yeohoo would keep pace with Jung Goongwon’s ad-libs.
In fact, Jeon Yeohoo never once got stuck exchanging lines with Jung Goongwon.
“I’ll try to move my head as much as possible within the frame. Um… but is it okay if I move as far as behind the sofa?”
“That’s fine.”
“Understood. Senior, how do you feel about this scene?”
“I think you’d only move that much when you first come in, right?”
“Yes, so…”
He was even making suggestions about what Jung Goongwon needed.
Woo Hyunsik quietly left his seat and watched the two rehearse.
The setup was almost finished, so when Woo Hyunsik waved at them, both actors gave him the okay sign.
Woo Hyunsik sat down.
Even just seeing Jung Goongwon appear on screen gave a tremendous sense of presence.
“Ready! Three, two, one! Cut!”
*****
Rustle.
The sound of Jung Baemin turning papers echoed loudly in the otherwise silent Chairman’s Office.
Noisy voices came from the corridor.
[Deputy Manager Jung Chanyul has arrived—]
[Grandpa, I’m here~.]
Before the secretary could finish, Jung Chanyul barged into the Chairman’s Office.
With both hands in his pants pockets, he showed not a trace of manners, but Jung Baemin didn’t say anything.
Because this was his beloved grandson, not just anyone.
Rather, Jung Baemin smiled and welcomed him.
[My grandson is here. It’s just the right time for a break, come sit down.]
Jung Baemin took off his glasses and moved to the single sofa in the center.
Jung Chanyul sat on the three-seater sofa positioned inside, beside the single-seater.
[I came to match Grandpa’s break time.]
[I really raised a good grandson. But you never come to see me just because you have free time. Is something wrong? Not happy with your new team?]
Jung Baemin already knew that Jung Chanyul had been transferred to HR Team 4.
He was the one who approved the transfer in the first place.
[That’s why I said, if I was going to change teams, I should at least get a proper title. You know one word from me and it’s done, but you kept refusing.]
[Whether it’s the director’s seat or team leader, I’ll get them eventually anyway. For now, this is enough. They’re all treating me like a team leader anyway. But Grandpa, do you know about HR Team 4…?]
[About HR Team 4?]
Jung Chanyul shut his mouth tight.
The chairman wouldn’t not know what HR Team 4 does, right?
[Um… you know about it, right?]
Just then, the secretary appeared with a knock, cutting off their conversation.
[Sorry to interrupt, but the Executive Director wants—]
[If you’re sorry, leave. Is it so important that it has to interrupt a family conversation?]
[S-sorry.]
Jung Chanyul glanced at Jung Baemin’s expression.
[Whoa, scary. Grandpa, aren’t you being too strict?]
[What are you talking about? So, what did you want to say?]
[No, about HR Team 4.]
He double-checked the firmly closed door and whispered.
[Ghosts.]
At Chanyul’s question, Jung Baemin nodded quietly.
Of course!
If he’s not surprised, Grandpa already knew!
[Are you shocked?]
[Of course I am. What kind of normal company has a department like that?]
[Do you know why entrepreneurs and politicians rely on shamans so much, Chanyul?]
[How would I know that?]
Jung Baemin adjusted Jung Chanyul’s tie as he spoke.
[Because ghosts really exist in this world. Our company’s success is all thanks to taking good care of them. Team 4 has been a traditional department ever since the company was founded. Their role is to ward off misfortune and purify the area to bring in good fortune.]
[Huh, really? I thought they just fought all day.]
[Once you adjust, the basic work isn’t that different from usual.]
Relieved, Jung Chanyul began whining to Jung Baemin about how tough things were in Team 4.
The disregard and oppression he faced in Team 4! How Lee Haryeong and Choi Taek treated him! And even the terrifying ghosts!
[Even Haryeong keeps nagging me just because I can’t see ghosts. Sure, usually I can’t, but sometimes I do see them, you know?]
[I said from the start you wouldn’t be able to adjust.]
[I didn’t know it’d be this hard. Haa…]
[Chanyul, not only I knew this, but so did you. Is there any need to repeat it? You should think of a solution.]
Jung Chanyul pouted his lips.
The way he whined to his grandfather hardly looked like a man of his age.
[Come on, I’m your grandson, can’t I skip the hard stuff? Isn’t that what being a parachute is for? Why do I have to go to ○○ Company anyway? When I got into university, that old man didn’t even congratulate his own son for getting in, but now I have to go see him again.]
At the word “stingy,” Jung Baemin burst out laughing.
[Right. Shouldn’t you be the first to see that stingy old man squirm? And if you tell me the names of those who give you a hard time, I’ll deal with them. There are plenty of people in Korea who can see ghosts.]
[But not many can handle swords, right? That Choi Taek guy swings his sword around all the time.]
Jung Chanyul jumped up and imitated Choi Taek swinging a sword.
He had no sense of balance and his skills were terrible, but to Jung Baemin, his grandson’s antics were utterly adorable.
[Right, right. You’re saying a lot of true things today.]
[Anyway, I just came to complain today. But Grandpa, I have something to ask.]
[Go ahead. Don’t leave your old grandpa hanging.]
Jung Chanyul sat back on the sofa, stretching toward Jung Baemin.
[Grandpa, have you ever seen Lee Haryeong?]
[That’s… why do you ask?]
Jung Baemin’s eyes narrowed like a snake’s.
[Because I’m about to talk about how pretty Lee Haryeong is, and if you’ve never seen her, it won’t make sense.]
At his grandson’s childish words, Jung Baemin finally burst into hearty laughter.
He set aside his suspicious gaze.
Chanyul shook his legs and stood up, as if he’d said all he wanted.
[Okay, that’s enough. I’m leaving now.]
[Done complaining?]
[Yeah. I feel much better. Grandpa, I’ll finish things off coolly and come back, so praise me lots when I do, okay?]
[Even if you do nothing, you’ll live being praised. I’ll make sure of it.]
[That’s just you saying that. I’m off.]
The camera was blocked for a moment by Chanyul’s legs, and beyond that, Jung Baemin’s face looked grim.
“Cut!”
*****
“When you leave, try walking a bit closer to the camera and do it again. That way, we can emphasize the change in expression.”
“Okay.”
After a few more takes following the monitor review, the scene finally wrapped up.
“Phew.”
Jung Goongwon, though the scene was over, sat alone in the Chairman’s Office, muttering to himself.
His acting with the junior just now was more memorable than any before.
‘Director Woo Hyunsik kept praising him. Now I see why.’
Maybe because of his unique aura, not a single staff or actor dared approach him.
Even during break time, the atmosphere around him felt different.
Of course, there were always some who couldn’t read the mood.
“Um—”
A rookie employee who had been filming the making-of video on set for a month now.
As Jeon Yeohoo caught her by the sleeve, she turned in surprise.
“Senior’s still concentrating. He probably doesn’t like being filmed even from afar right now.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
Often, making-of footage was shot from afar during rehearsals or practice, so it wasn’t really her fault.
Jeon Yeohoo smiled and said,
“I have some free time. Want to chat with me?”
“W-with you, Jeon Yeohoo?”
“Please call me Jung Chanyul.”
He pointed to the camera lens.
“Since it’s for the making-of. It’s better if I’m called Jung Chanyul.”
“Um… then, how does it feel to be filming your first scene with senior Jung Goongwon today?”
“Senior Jung Goongwon… He’s amazing, and I learn so much every moment I act with him. It’s great. Oh, want to hear something interesting? If you watch senior act, you’ll see his eyes actually change.”
She tilted her head.
“His eyes?”
Jeon Yeohoo stared straight into the camera and pointed at his own eyes.
“Depending on the lines or situation, his gaze changes—and even the glint in his eyes changes. For example…”
The employee’s gaze followed Jeon Yeohoo’s finger to his pupils.
“When you act, you calculate how wide to open your eyes, where the lighting is, and where to focus. If you do it like this—”
The glow in his eyes vanished in an instant, leaving only pitch-black pupils on camera.
“W-wow.”
You could control that?
“When acting with senior Jung Goongwon, there are times when the glint in his eyes just disappears—it can be scary. He’s amazing, right?”
“Yes…”
“Next scene coming up! Please prepare for rehearsal!”
“Looks like it’s time to go. I’ll see you later.”
Filming Jeon Yeohoo’s back as he walked away, the rookie employee tried to calm her racing heart.
She’d been told how amazing Jung Goongwon’s acting was, but now she’d heard why—and even seen a demonstration.
‘If Jeon Yeohoo can not only see that, but do it himself… isn’t he actually incredible too?’