The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol

“…Me?”

“Yeah! It’s totally confusing!”

I would have ignored it as usual, but brushing it aside wasn’t simple this time as it might be true.

I narrowed my eyes and asked,

“Do I… do I look like some kind of ghost or something?”

What the hell was he talking about to someone alive and well? Min Jiheon looked me up and down when he heard that. Then, with a serious expression, he tilted his head slightly, making me more nervous.

“…Hmm. I don’t know. You seem fine now. Just a little bit suspicious.”

“Min Jiheon, your words keep changing, but they’re all useless, you know?”

“Do you know that you can be quite harsh?”

Min Jiheon murmured, “Too harsh…,” with a hurt expression.

“Seo Hoyun, come in now. Let’s start filming!”

“Yes.”

Leaving Min Jiheon’s annoying words behind, I stepped confidently into the camera frame. I checked my position first, and then Yu Jia entered.

The scene of our characters’ first encounter.

“Ugh! I’m nervous. What should I do?!”

“If the director is this nervous, what else can we do? Seo Hoyun, it’s okay. Just act comfortably.”

There wasn’t much to say since the staff and the director were all trying to comfort me. I just gave a faint smile when Yu Jia spoke to me.

“Hoyun, let’s do our best.”

“Please take care of me, sunbae.”

Once the preparations were done, Director Yu signaled from behind the camera. The AD came forward to mark the editing point and hit the slate.

“Scene 15, Take 1!”

Yu Jeonghwa walked toward the rooftop railing and shouted cheerfully in sync with the timing.

“Ah! Let’s do our best today too!!”

I didn’t know why there always had to be a scene in dramas where someone yells from the rooftop to make a resolution.

It was a scene where she comforts herself after making several mistakes at her first job and getting scolded by her seniors.

Yu Jeonghwa took a deep breath and shouted again.

“Newcomers are supposed to make mistakes! Let’s do better next time and hang in there! Hang in there! Hanging in there is the key to success! Yu Jeonghwa, fighting!”

I heard that Writer Kim Sukhui had a tough working life, and her mindset seemed reflected in the dialogue by about 80%.

“Excuse me, do you know where the variety show department is?”

It was my turn to turn around when I heard that line.

I nodded my head and replied slowly,

“It’s on the fifth floor below.”

I remembered what the hastily hired acting trainer had told me to do.

Think of the character in three dimensions… and so on. I recalled the theories I had crammed into my head and opened my mouth.

“Yes, it’s on the fifth floor.”

There was a slight tremble in Yu Jeonghwa’s eyes.

Hmm?

Something caught my attention, but I controlled my emotions as the trainer emphasized and continued delivering my line.

“Are you a new employee?”

“Yes, I’m Yu Jeonghwa, assigned to the variety show department this month.”

“Variety show department.”

“Cut!”

When we reached that point, the director slightly tilted his head and called cut.

“…?”

I didn’t understand why, and when I turned around, the director was frowning at the monitoring screen.

“What’s wrong? Hoyun, were you nervous because it’s your first time, right?”

At his words, a light laughter burst out from the filming set.

…Huh?

I wasn’t nervous at all.

Yu Jia had now reverted to her real self from the character Yu Jeonghwa. She clapped her hands lightly, trying to change the atmosphere.

“Hoyun, shall we try it again?”

“Yes, I’m sorry.”

Since there was an NG, I quickly apologized, and the director, who still had a favorable impression of me, waved his hand. Then, filming resumed right away.

“Are you a new employee?”

“Yes, I’m Yu Jeonghwa, assigned to the variety show department this month.”

“Variety show department….”

“Cut!”

The second take failed.

“Yes, it’s on the fifth floor.”

“Cut!”

The third take failed.

What’s going on?

I was doing everything as usual. No, I was even trying harder than before.

Confused and not knowing what to do, Director Yu spoke up.

“Um… should we take a break for now?”

Feeling flustered, I hurriedly approached Director Yu after being kicked off the set.

“Director, I’m sorry for causing so many NGs. Can you tell me what the problem is?”

“Well, Hoyun. It’s not a big deal. You’re doing a good job. It’s just that….”

“Yes?”

“It’s not the same as when I saw you at the audition or during the script reading. Back then, I thought, ‘Wow! This is PD Lee Jeonghun~.'”

Director Yu scratched his head.

“Right now, it feels a bit… like you’re just acting?”

“…”

“Of course, it’s natural for actors to act.”

Director Yu shrugged, seemingly unsure of his own explanation. But he said there was no other way to explain it.

Not understanding, I rewound the filmed scene to monitor it, and Yu Jia approached me.

“It seems like the director has high expectations.”

“I’m sorry, sunbae.”

After bowing my head in apology, I went to a corner of the set and quietly looked down at the script. I then recalled what the acting trainer had told me: focus on proper pronunciation and emotions.

Strange…

At that moment, Min Jiheon, who had been watching from somewhere, suddenly appeared, slurping down his coffee.

“Jiheon’s appearance.”

“…”

This was crazy, seriously…

For a moment, I thought he and Kang Ichae would make a perfect pair.

After finishing his coffee, Min Jiheon yawned.

“Seo Hoyun, did you get an acting trainer?”

“Excuse me?”

“That seems to be the problem.”

What kind of nonsense was that?

Just as I thought his words were dragging on, he seemed to realize that not many people were paying attention to us, so he brazenly continued.

“Um… I don’t know what the trainer told you, but you just need to be yourself on the show. You’ve been PD Lee Jeonghun all along. Why make things complicated?”

“…!”

Wait, that’s true?

“You look awkward because you’re trying to act unnaturally. It’s like putting an unnecessary layer on top, blurring the essence.”

… He’s right?

“The only thing worth listening to from the trainer might be… well, your vocalization. Your diction is already good, but it’s different from the vocalization of most actors.”

He’s spot on??

“…Why are you staring at me like that?”

“No, it’s just a bit shocking…”

I thought he was always half-hearted and blunt, but when he talked seriously about acting, I couldn’t help but be taken aback.

Min Jiheon must really be passionate about acting…

Only when someone was deeply invested in something could they accurately pinpoint another person’s problem and give advice.

According to Jeong Dajun, his acting skills have recently soared to an almost divine level.

…He might have been possessed.

I looked at him slightly differently, and Min Jiheon smiled awkwardly.

“…Did I sound too much like a sunbae?”

“…”

“But I find it burdensome to be admired too much. I’m a bit annoyed by that… sorry.”

“Don’t worry, there’s absolutely no need to worry about that.”

“…Alright.”

Taking a deep breath, I calmed my nerves and stepped back onto the set.

***

Yu Jia touched up her makeup and went back for the fourth take. Seo Hoyun had been talking with Min Jiheon and came back with a slightly sour expression.

Are they not on good terms?

But the moment his eyes met Yu Jia’s, his expression returned to normal. Yu Jia chuckled.

He’s pretty good at hiding it, but he has so many enemies everywhere. Yet he doesn’t seem to care much about it…

Yu Jia didn’t think much of it. Since her childhood, she had been rolling around in the rough entertainment industry, so she could tell if someone was going to make it or not.

Seo Hoyun clearly belonged to the former group.

After all, he’s the one who sets the stage, so there’s no way he’ll fail.

Still, Yu Jia always felt a strange feeling when looking at him.

He was desperate, but he wasn’t the type who was desperate for the thrill of the stage. But… could such a person really dive headfirst into becoming an idol?

“Sunbae, please take care of me once again.”

“Me too.”

Interesting…

For better or worse, Yu Jia liked Seo Hoyun quite a bit. He was clean, didn’t cross the line, and took care of his own business without being interested in others. Such juniors were always the best.

“Alright, cue again!”

As the slate came down, she transformed into Yu Jeonghwa again. She got up with determination and grabbed the passing PD Lee Jeonghun.

“Excuse me, do you know where the variety show department is?”

PD Lee Jeonghun glanced at her, and she couldn’t help but be surprised.

Underneath the slightly tired eyes, there was indifference. He really looked like a zombie office worker wandering around Yeouido.

“Yes, it’s on the fifth floor.”

As Yu Jeonghwa nodded her head in confusion, Seo Hoyun—no, Lee Jeonghun looked at her ID card and asked lightly,

“…Are you a new employee?”

Oh, what’s this?

“Yes, I’m Yu Jeonghwa, assigned to the variety show department this month.”

“…Ah.”

After hearing that, a trace of disappointment crossed his tired eyes.

“Variety show department…”

Wow.

Yu Jia was impressed.

I’m kind of jealous.

It didn’t feel like acting. Seo Hoyun was PD Lee Jeonghun. Even without any special lines, he was able to convey annoyance with just the phrase “variety show department,” as if he had already experienced that department’s hardships.

It was only natural.

For Seo Hoyun, who barely slept when he was in the variety show department and always had a pillow ready to use in his office, it was a real-life role.

As he looked at the flustered Yu Jeonghwa, Lee Jeonghun hummed and made a short sound.

“Then I wonder which show you’ll be assigned to… It better not be mine, though.”

“Show?”

“…Ah, yes. Sorry for the late introduction. I’m PD Lee Jeonghun.”

“Really?! You’re THAT PD Lee Jeonghun?!”

“Do… you know me?”

The person, who had a pretty friendly appearance, was the one rumored to be the difficult and often controversial “Lee Jeonghun.” Caught off guard, Yu Jeonghwa’s response was a stuttered, open-mouthed surprise. Seeing her reaction, Lee Jeonghun narrowed his eyes.

“‘That PD,’ huh.”

“…”

“I’m curious how a new employee who just joined heard about me….”

Shit!

Yu Jeonghwa tried to be clever.

“PD?”

“…Yes?”

“Are you not a celebrity?”

Yu Jeonghwa threw a Hail Mary, and after looking at her, Lee Jeonghun opened his eyes wide for a moment before bursting into laughter. His lips curled up, and his eyes twinkled beautifully as they turned into crescents.

“Your social skills are amazing.”

“…”

“Congratulations. You’ll do well wherever you go, Ms. Yu Jeonghwa.”

He seemed genuinely surprised at her ability to flatter.

Unable to respond to Lee Jeonghun’s sudden pronouncement, Jeonghwa stuttered and looked at his radiant face.

Lee Jeonghun bid her farewell and left the camera frame without waiting for a reply.

“He does seem quite rude…”

As she was left alone, she mussed up her hair and muttered blankly,

“…Should I bury my bones at this job?”

Jeonghwa had a crush on him.

She just hadn’t realized that she was destined to be grilled by the evil PD in the future…

“Cut!”

The director gave a thumbs-up with a gleaming look in his eyes.

A thumbs-up.

It was an expression that only came out when the director was extremely satisfied.

***

“This is exactly the picture I wanted! Seo Hoyun and Yu Jia are perfect! The newcomers these days are really scary. They’re like sponges, able to take instructions so easily~.”

“Hahaha, thank you.”

“There’s no acting hole! Min Jiheon, of course, and Yu Jia and Seo Hoyun, too! It feels rewarding to hold the megaphone~!”

After the first shoot, the director praised them until his mouth went dry. Min Jiheon, uninterested in such things, was just eating snacks in the shooting area.

He ate about ten servings during the last meal…

I really understand why he said they took him to every hospital.

I think I would have traveled all over the country to make sure my younger brother wasn’t sick if he ate that much.

“How can you act so well? I heard it hadn’t been long since you’ve taken acting lessons at Daepaseong…”

“Haha, no. I’m just worried about causing trouble.”

“Hmmm….”

Yu Jia, already good at acting and ambitious about her work, wanted to hear his know-how on how to improve further.

However, …

There’s nothing like that.

I didn’t need to try to understand Lee Jeonghun. I just had to remember all the terrible experiences I had during my time as an evil PD.

Every time I smiled innocently during the script reading, I was thinking about our department head when I was still a PD. But Director Yu and Writer Kim Sukhui misunderstood as they burst into a chilling scream, saying, “It’s really scary.”

“Anyway, good job on the first shoot today! I’d love to have a dinner party if I could, but we have a shoot at dawn tomorrow.”

“Haha. We’ll have a party when the first episode airs, right?”

“That’s true, hahaha!”

The director repeatedly laughed at the successful shoot and disappeared. I greeted all the staff and actors and returned to the van. My manager wasn’t there, as he was talking to some people.

Ding!

[You’re practically a free pass, a free pass! You act so naturally.]

It’s been a while since I saw the system message. I bit into some candy while looking at it.

“Did you enjoy the strike?”

[…It wasn’t a strike, okay?]

“Really? Then did you enjoy your vacation? Did you go to Hawaii or something?”

[Yes, it was great, I went surfing ^^]

Surfing my ass…

After accepting the acting offer, the system message seemed to hold a grudge against me as it gritted its teeth in response. I could feel it very clearly, even through the text.

“Let’s get to the point.”

[…]

“What are you, you little bastard?”