Rookie Talent Agent Knows It All-Chapter 848: First Filming of Haze (2)

[Everyday V13]

[Date: April 5, 2021]

-11:00 a.m [NEW: Jung Miso]

Shoot of the day canceled.

(Emergency meeting note: Rescheduling required.)

The message was brief, but the implications were anything but simple.

We had received filming permits from Namhae County for the set and for the islands of Jodo and Hodo, but the issue was that both the locations and time frames were strictly limited. That was because people lived near all three shooting sites. If today's shoot got canceled, our entire filming schedule would unravel.

However, what worried me even more was not knowing why this alert had come up.

'Did Miso get hurt during filming? Was there some kind of accident on set? Or had someone sent by those jealous of me stirred up trouble?'

I couldn't tell which.

At that moment, I heard President Han Yoo-Sik shouting while watching staff load gear onto carts. "Everyone, be careful with this thick fog! Don't try to lift heavy stuff on your own. If it normally takes two people, use three!"

"Yes, sir."

"Oh, and Chief Hyun! According to PD Oh, the fog's even thicker on the mountain and it's very damp. Be careful not to slip on your way up."

"Understood."

Listening to them talk triggered a sudden thought.

'Could it be... the fog?'

Looking around, I saw the fog had thickened so much it obscured even the outline of the breakwater. It hadn't been this bad when we arrived by boat, but now that the boat had departed, it was visibly worse. And they said the fog on the mountain was even heavier. That made it likely the Everyday alert was due to some kind of fog-related accident.

I couldn't be certain, but I decided then and there to start reducing every possible risk.

I handed the backpack I had prepared for the island to Han Yoo-Sik. "Sir, could you distribute this to the staff?"

Han Yoo-Sik took the heavy backpack and looked puzzled. "Whoa, what is this?"

"They're LED safety ropes."

I opened the top of the backpack to show him. Inside were six spools of 50-meter LED rope lights, wound inside cylindrical cases.

"I brought them just in case the mountain path becomes dangerous due to the fog. They emit green light similar to a chroma key background, so they won't interfere with CG effects."

Today and tomorrow, we were scheduled to film the scene where the evil shaman Wolryeong turns a young girl Illyeong into a spirit medium on Yeonmu Island a hundred years ago.

The shrine set used as Wolryeong's spiritual ground had been built behind the pension where Miso stayed last night on a steep slope. We had already installed guide ropes up the hill to help people climb safely, but in this dense fog, even those ropes might not be visible. The LED ropes would solve that.

As I explained this, Han Yoo-Sik lit up and called over Production Chief Hyun Jong-Yeon.

"Jong-Yeon, come take a look at what Chief Jung brought."

Hyun Jong-Yeon approached, saw the LED ropes, and was impressed. "Wow, these will really make the climb safer. Thank you."

Han Yoo-Sik laughed heartily. "Jong-Yeon, you've got a lot to learn from Chief Jung."

"I'm embarrassed. I didn't expect the fog to be this bad inland compared to the sea."

Hyun Jong-Yeon blushed, admitting he had visited the island multiple times but never thought of this.

However, it couldn't be helped. Before the regression, I had lived on this island for a while and had personally prepped gear like this.

At that moment, Hyun Jong-Yeon handed the backpack to one of the staff members. "Gyu-Ho! Take this and figure out the best spots to install it."

"Yes, sir!" AD Jin Gyu-Ho ran over, grabbed the backpack, and loaded it onto the cart.

Clunk.

At the same time, I checked Everyday again. But the alert still hadn't been cleared.

Just then, a staff member reported that everything was now loaded onto the island cart. "Sir, we're ready to move."

Han Yoo-Sik turned to the group. "Alright then, let's haul these carts up the hill. Be careful, everyone."

"Yes, sir."

About twenty staff members gathered around the two carts and began pushing them slowly up the mountain path.

Creaaak.

Listening to the old cart's rusty wheels and walking through the thick fog along the mountain trail toward today's filming location, a chill began to creep down my spine as the fog deepened. The surrounding sounds faded until all I could hear was the distant crash of waves against the island's edge.

It felt like I was being pulled straight into the world of Haze, the story we were about to film.

***

After pushing the carts past the pension where Miso had stayed, we finally reached the set.

There were three large tents on-site—one for the director and crew, one for makeup and costume changes, and one for general waiting.

And then there was Wolryeong's shrine, today's main filming location. Half of the shrine structure had been built, while the rest was covered in chroma key fabric. The shrine was meant to look old and partially rebuilt after collapsing a century ago, so the final look would be created with CG. In front of the shrine was a wide clearing where the jimmy jib and other filming equipment were being set up.

Just then, Oh Sang-Do shouted, "Let's hustle! If we want to finish scenes one through ten by tomorrow, we need to move fast."

"Yes, sir!"

About thirty crew members from the art and filming departments in front of the shrine quickly picked up the pace. Meanwhile, the staff who had arrived with Han Yoo-Sik parked the carts and joined in.

"Let's get moving and help them out," said Han Yoo-Sik.

"Yes, sir." Hyun Jong-Yeon gave sharp orders. "Leave the carts and go lend a hand, everyone!"

"Yes, Mr. Hyun."

The team quickly moved up toward the set.

"Hey~ we're here!"

"Man, I've never been so happy to see people."

Those prepping the shoot were genuinely relieved. Reinforcements of twenty more staff made a huge difference.

"Can you help reinforce the guide ropes behind the shrine? They're loose and we can't have anyone getting hurt."

"Okay. Mr. Jung prepared LED ropes, so let's use those for the setup."

The team climbed up, ready to reinforce the ropes by weaving them with the sturdy LED lines I brought.

Just then, Oh Sang-Do gave instructions over the wireless intercom. "Alright. Looks like the crew's all here and we've got the gear. As soon as the LED lines are installed, let's prepare for shooting."

Everyone responded in unison over the intercom.

Meanwhile, I turned my eyes to the tents. Inside, local elders from Hodo and older supporting actors were getting their makeup done. Namhae County had requested we include locals from Jodo and Hodo as extras to ensure smooth cooperation. The production team readily agreed, so most of the island's elders were now here, buzzing with excitement at the thought of appearing in a drama and getting paid for it.

"Oh dear~ I still can't believe I'm going to be on TV. My daughter-in-law asked if it was true, and I couldn't even sleep last night."

"Me too!"

"Come on~ they're paying us. You think they won't show us on TV? Don't worry."

The elders of Hodo were playing villagers who come up the mountain to capture Wolryeong. All they had to do was follow the supporting actors, hold bamboo spears, and shout.

That's when I spotted Park Sang-Gyu and Miso getting makeup done in the tent next to the village elders. Miso's makeup seemed to be done already. She was crouched down in a patched jeogori and skirt, waiting for Park Sang-Gyu—who played Wolryeong—to finish his makeup.

Assistant Manager Yang So-Ri was so focused on transforming Park Sang-Gyu into the wicked shaman Wolryeong that she didn't even notice I had arrived.

Just then, Miso looked around and our eyes met. "Oh? Uncle Yoon-Ho's here!"

Miso dashed toward me, her braided hair bouncing behind her.

Remembering Everyday's warning, I hurried toward her and shouted, "Miso! Be careful!"

Thankfully, Jung Sang-Bong reacted quickly and grabbed Miso by the arm. Miso froze, then carefully lifted one side of her skirt and tiptoed down the slope. Once she reached me, she threw her arms around me.

"Hehe. Uncle Yoon-Ho~"

I gave Miso a light hug back and looked her over. "Today's fog is really thick, so you need to be extra careful. Okay?"

Miso raised the corners of her mouth in a smile. "Sorry. I just got really excited to see you."

Every time Miso smiled like that, I just couldn't bring myself to scold her. Then, I realized her cheeks looked especially plump today.

"Miso, you must've had a lot of noodles last night, huh?" I asked.

Miso stuck out her tongue and made a cute excuse. "W-Well, it was just too delicious! I couldn't help it!"

I half-squinted and gently pinched her cheek with one hand, pointing to her belly with the other. "So you ate until your cheeks and belly puffed up like this?"

At that, Miso took a deep breath. "Hooop!" Miso's cheeks and stomach sank in. "My cheeks and belly aren't puffy at all. Uncle Yoon-Ho, you must be seeing things."

She held her breath as she spoke, and her face gradually turned red.

I let out a small laugh. "Pfft. It's okay, you can breathe. The hanbok hides it anyway. Just be mindful when you're moving around. Later you'll have to act like you're starving, remember?"

Miso exhaled. Her sunken cheeks and belly popped back out.

"Fwaa~ Okay! But Auntie So-Ri said she's going to do the makeup properly later anyway."

"Right."

After all, the emaciated look would be created with makeup and partial CG, so there was no need for Miso to actually lose weight. Still, with the warning from Everyday on my mind, I gave Miso a serious heads-up.

"Oh, and Miso. You really have to be careful today while filming. The fog's thick and it could be dangerous."

"Okay!"

"And wait a second."

Worried, I knelt down in front of Miso. "Miso, can you rest your hand on my shoulder and lift your right foot?"

Miso tilted her head but did as I asked, gripping my shoulder and raising her right foot. I picked up a fallen twig from the ground and used it to dig out the clumps of dirt packed between the grooves in her shoe sole.

Scrape scrape.

As I cleared the deep grooves, the tread began to show again.

"Alright. Now the other foot."

"Okay!"

After I cleaned both soles, Miso playfully lifted each foot in turn.

"Oh? They feel lighter!"

"Good. If dirt gets stuck in the treads again, make sure to tell someone to clean them out." I then turned to Jung Sang-Bong. "Sang-Bong. During filming, she'll be wearing straw shoes, but whenever she switches, make sure to clean the soles. That's how we avoid slips."

Jung Sang-Bong nodded, surprised he hadn't thought of it. "Yes, sir. I'll also check the elders' shoes."

"Good. And keep an eye on the kids from the folk song choir when they get here. It'd be a disaster if one of them got hurt."

Soon, the traditional folk song children's choir from Namhae would be arriving by the next boat. One of the conditions under which the county granted us the filming permit for today was to include the children's choir. It made sense—they needed to speak in the local dialect, and since they would be singing and playing alongside Miso, we gladly accepted.

Those kids couldn't get hurt either.

"Today, I'll treat everyone like our lead actors," said Jung Sang-Bong.

"Good."

The current time was 8:30 a.m. There was still some time before the hour flagged by Everyday's warning, but I couldn't predict what might happen.

Whatever it was, I had to stop it. Too many people had worked too hard for this day to let anything go wrong.

***

"Alright, we'll begin with the revised script, scene one."

To meet Namhae County's cooperation requirements, we had added more content depicting events from 100 years ago, which meant additional scenes had been written into the script. Scene one of the revised version started with Wolryeong and Illyeong holding hands as they entered the shrine.

Park Sang-Gyu and Miso, already in costume and makeup, were standing by hand-in-hand.

Oh Sang-Do glanced at them and called out, "Okay, we'll start with the scene of them heading toward the shrine. Give me the signal when you're ready."

Transformed into the 60-year-old wicked shaman Wolryeong, Park Sang-Gyu slowly bent over.

A member of Devoted, nicknamed the "man of a thousand faces," Park Sang-Gyu was now almost unrecognizable thanks to both his acting and Yang So-Ri's makeup. One hundred years ago, a sixty-year-old would've looked much older. And Wolryeong, having exhausted his spiritual powers, was meant to resemble an eighty-year-old.

Park Sang-Gyu leaned heavily on his cane, panting with effort. "Rea...dy..."

When Park Sang-Gyu gave the cue, Miso nodded.

At that moment, Oh Sang-Do spoke through the intercom. "Quiet on set... rolling. Ready, action!"

With a small but firm shout, the scene began. In the thick fog, Wolryeong as played by Park Sang-Gyu clutched Miso's tiny hand with his wrinkled free one.

『Illyeong... once we finish the rite at the shrine... I'll give you a sweet yakgwa[1]... huff... huff...』

Park Sang-Gyu lifted the corners of his mouth in a false smile.

And in return, innocent seven-year-old Illyeong smiled back and held his hand tighter. Her expression gleamed with pure, radiant innocence.

『Okay, Grandpa Wolryeong!』

Miso started walking, helping Park Sang-Gyu along.

Step, step.

Then Miso began to hum.

『Neon-yang~ Na-nyang~ swirling and spinning~ let's playyy~』

Originally a Jeju Island folk song, 'Neon-Yang Na-Nyang' had spread to Yeonmu Island too. Miso had picked it up from local children during the climb and now sang it softly.

Park Sang-Gyu replied in a gentle tone.

『Illyeong... once the rite is done, I'll let you play with the kids down the hill.』

『Really?』

『Yes... but you must come back before nightfall, alright?』

『Then let's hurry! Oh, wait! I'll go ahead and clear the leaves first!』

Miso let go of Park Sang-Gyu's hand and dashed toward the shrine.

Park Sang-Gyu's lips curled into a sinister smirk. It was the twisted grin of someone feigning affection for a child who had no idea she was about to be offered as a sacrifice.

『Hehehe... yes, yes. Be happy—delight in it. For the deeper your joy... the deeper your despair shall be... hehehe.』

Park Sang-Gyu chuckled low and began to sing a local folk song.

『On Mount Geum~ a cloud cart floats, carrying rain or snow~

Oh, how fine... what a joy... hehehehehe.』

As the South Sea folk tune left his lips, a cruel, childish smile spread across Park Sang-Gyu's face.

Park Sang-Gyu's performance sent shivers down everyone's spine.

***

Oh Sang-Do paused the shoot and praised Park Sang-Gyu. "Cut! Okay, that was great! Wow, Mr. Sang-Gyu. Your performance just now blew the table read out of the water."

Still panting, Park Sang-Gyu nodded and replied. Because of the old man makeup and the deliberate breath control for the role, delivering lines was no small feat.

"Th-Thank you, Mr. Oh."

"Alright, let's take a short break and resume shortly."

While Park Sang-Gyu earned praise from the PD, the village elders watching nearby weren't nearly as impressed. They now eyed Park Sang-Gyu with open hostility. The realism of his performance—his vicious expression toward Miso—had sparked some serious misunderstanding.

"Gracious! Just look at that wicked face. I knew he looked shady from the start."

"Trying to trick and sacrifice that sweet little child? Disgusting."

"Bet that's just how he is in real life, huh?"

"Of course. No one could act like that unless they were born evil."

A chill ran down my spine.

'No way... is this why the shoot gets canceled?'

Later today, these same elders would take up bamboo spears as extras and join the supporting actors to attack Wolryeong in a mob scene. But if they stayed angry and swung those spears with real force, someone could get hurt.

'Sang-Gyu hyung is one of the kindest people I know.'

I was just about to go over and clear up the misunderstanding with the elders. At that moment, a new message crackled over the intercom from Oh Sang-Do.

"Yes, okay. Yeah. Miss Ju Yung-In, Mr. Sung Gyu-Hwan, and the kids' folk song choir just arrived? The fog worried me, but thank god they made it."

It was the boat carrying Ju Yung-In, Sung Gyu-Hwan, and the traditional children's choir who would sing with Miso today.

But right then, As he continued speaking over the intercom, Oh Sang-Do suddenly sprang to his feet, his face twisting in disbelief.

"Hey! Are you insane?! How are we supposed to film now?! This is—"

The moment I heard that, it finally clicked. Now I understood the reason behind the Everyday alert.

'So that's what it was...'

1. Yakgwa ☜