Superstar From Age 0

Chapter 325

A few moments later, the table was filled with the food they ordered.

Milan Chellen smiled slightly as he watched the waiter leave the private room with a bit of excitement.

“I bet the news that we’re here will spread like wildfire.”

“I know, right?”

The actors and the director exchanged various stories as they ate.

They admired how Andrew handled his fork and knife with grace (his dad was proud) and asked Seo-jun how the filming in Korea was. 

Seo-jun answered with ease, as it was a question he got every time in both Korea and America.

Davis Garret took a sip of red wine and said.

“Evan and Rachel did a cameo, right? Let me know if you have a good script next time. I think it would be a good experience to film abroad.”

“Haha. Sure.”

The Korean directors would have been shocked to hear such a conversation.

They talked happily about their past or recent works, and time flew by.

“What do you want for dessert?”

At his dad’s question, Andrew hesitated between chocolate and ice cream. Seo-jun noticed and smiled.

“Andy, do you want to split half and half?”

“Can I?”

“Sure.”

Andrew smiled brightly and nodded vigorously. 

Andrew’s dad smiled at the close relationship between his son and Seo-jun.

When the dessert came out and Seo-jun and Andrew split the chocolate and ice cream, Davis Garret opened his mouth.

“You all probably know this, but I’m going to do a lot of ad-libs when I film.”

Milan Chellen, who had worked with him before, just smiled, and Seo-jun and Vanessa looked at Davis Garret with a bit of nervousness. 

Andrew didn’t know what it meant and blinked.

“The director gave me permission, so I hope you all can go along with me.”

Jeffrey Rodek nodded his head. He was curious.

What kind of improvisation Davis Garret was talking about.

“Um. Does that mean we can also say lines that are not in the script?”

At Seo-jun’s question, Davis Garret nodded his head without hesitation.

“Of course. I’m going to ad-lib, but if the other characters stick to the script, it won’t make sense. Of course, I’m not going to act recklessly. I’ll cover you if you’re having trouble.”

Davis Garret smiled meaningfully.

“Just try to act your ‘character’ as freely as you can. You’ll see what it’s like to not be bound by the script. It’s rare to have such an opportunity where the production company and the director both allow it.”

Freely.

Everyone in the room felt their hearts pounding.

***

Seo-jun had a good time and returned to his accommodation, where Kim Jong Ho and manager Kim Sang Woo had arrived.

“Did you have fun?”

At Kim Jong Ho’s question, Seo-jun smiled broadly and nodded his head.

“Yes. Did you enjoy sightseeing?”

“I think I walked around too much. Sang Woo already passed out. That’s why I told him to exercise more. He’s younger than me…”

Seo-jun chuckled at Kim Jong Ho’s shaking his head. 

Kim Jong Ho had been traveling around LA during the day and practicing with the script of [Survivors] at night. 

He had so few lines and scenes that he should already know them by heart, but he read them until the script was worn out.

“Take it easy.”

“I am taking it easy. I only look at it at night, what are you talking about.”

Kim Jong Ho flipped a page of the script and opened his mouth.

“When I first got a role with lines, I was really looking at it all day long. I still remember that line. It reminds me of those days. Back then, coming here was my dream…”

The middle-aged actor who was about to fulfill his dream closed his mouth for a moment and looked at the young actor who made it possible. 

What kind of luck did he have to meet such a good actor?

He remembered the boy who was fidgeting next to him when he filmed The Doctor’s Will.

‘I’m glad I switched seats then.’

Kim Jong Ho smiled softly and opened his mouth.

“Seo-jun-ah. I’m going to C Save Center tomorrow. Do you want to come with me?”

“Yes. Sure.”

Seo-jun readily agreed to Kim Jong Ho’s offer. 

He was planning to go there anyway to infuse mana into the symbols he engraved on C Save Center and C Saver.

‘I didn’t think I’d come here so soon.’

He hoped everyone was doing well.

***

It was December, and [Survivors] began filming.

But Seo-jun and Kim Jong Ho didn’t start filming right away.

Since there were five main actors, they had to film their stories first.

First of all,

They filmed the story of ‘Raymond Wish’, played by Davis Garret.

“Wish family, we’re starting filming!”

At the assistant director’s shout, the director and the planning team leader swallowed their saliva. 

They didn’t know when and where Davis Garret’s improvisation would pop up, as they had written in the contract and told him at the dinner a few days ago.

“Ready… Action!”

The director, Jeffrey Rodek, shouted action with a heart that seemed to thump.

And fortunately, although some of the lines were different, they were able to film the overall atmosphere similar to the script.

Next, they filmed the story of ‘Jackson Miller’, played by Milan Chellen.

“Miller family, we’re getting ready for filming!”

Milan Chellen and his family of actors appeared in the bustling shopping mall.

Unlike Davis Garret’s filming, which was tense, Milan Chellen’s part was exactly as the script, so the director and the planning team leader were able to breathe a sigh of relief.

“…Hm?”

“What’s wrong?”

“No, nothing.”

The director tilted his head with a strange feeling, even though it was a neat filming.

The next filming was the story of ‘Cynthia Lindberg’, played by Vanessa Olsen.

“Shopping mall staff! Gather up!”

They filmed ‘Cynthia Lindberg’, who worked as a guide at [Galleria Mall], which was the background of the movie, and then they filmed the story of ‘Ian Weaver’, played by Andrew Walker.

“Weaver family! We’re starting rehearsal!”

At the staff’s call, Andrew Walker, who was sitting with his mom and dad, jumped out of his chair. 

He put down his crumpled script on the chair and turned around.

“I’ll be back!”

He ran off without looking back, as if he wasn’t scared of his first filming. 

The Walker couple sighed and smiled wryly.

“Isn’t our son too brave?”

“It’s so cute how he shrinks in front of Jun.”

“I wish I could see it…!”

Just like Seo Eun Hye and Lee Min Jun did before, they took pictures of Andrew Walker rehearsing.

And finally, they were going to film the story of ‘Lee Hyun Woo’, played by Seo-jun Lee.

Acting as the ‘father of Lee Hyun-woo’, Kim Jong-ho only had a brief appearance in the story of ‘Lee Hyun-woo’ that was being filmed at that time.

From then on, it was entirely the stage of the five lead actors.

Time flew by,

and the day of Seo-jun’s filming came.

The setting of [Survivors] was a shopping mall called ‘Galleria Mall’, which did not exist in the real California, with a movie theater, a restaurant, a small amusement facility, and hundreds of stores from the basement level 2 to the 5th floor above ground.

Seo-jun got out of the car and looked around the filming site.

The staff who were running around with costumes or props and the staff who were busy moving equipment for filming such as lighting machines looked similar, but it felt unfamiliar and new just because it was not a Marine Star but a Bearound filming site.

“This way, please.”

When Kim Jong-ho, manager Kim Sang-woo, and Seo-jun were looking around with a new feeling, a staff member came out to guide them inside after contacting Anda-ho.

Jeffrey, the director, and the planning team leader, who seemed to be waiting at the door, greeted Seo-jun and Kim Jong-ho with their camera lenses.

The two actors smiled when they saw the camera. 

This camera must be filming the ‘making film for Korea promotion’ that they heard at the accommodation.

‘They are all smart.’

‘That’s right.’

The two actors exchanged glances and shook hands with Jeffrey.

“Thank you for your hard work today. Jun. Kim.”

“Thank you for having us.”

“We’ll do our best!”

Seo-jun and Kim Jong-ho greeted Jeffrey and the planning team leader and looked around the set. 

Manager Kim Sang-woo also followed behind them with curious eyes. 

The camera followed them.

There was nothing but surprises inside the studio. Kim Sang-woo exclaimed with his mouth wide open.

“/Brother. This is really amazing./”

“/I know./”

They couldn’t help but admire the set that looked like a part of a huge shopping mall that had been cut out with a knife. 

And it wasn’t just one or two stores, but a fairly large set.

“/Are these products on display real?/”

“/Probably not./”

“/But they look like real products./”

Not only the background of the set, but also the products inside seemed to shine brightly. 

It felt like they were in a real shopping mall wherever they looked.

“/So they’re going to destroy this place?/”

“/Hollywood scale is no joke./”

Seo-jun also felt sorry for destroying such a nice set as Kim Jong-ho and Kim Sang-woo said.

‘It looks like they worked really hard on it.’

“/Uncle. Are we really going to break this? We can do it with CG, right?/”

“/Or maybe they have prepared another set./”

Seo-jun and Kim Sang-woo nodded at Kim Jong-ho’s opinion. That seemed more likely.

“Kim. Can you spare me a moment?”

“Ah, yes.”

As they were looking around the set, one of the staff called Kim Jong-ho.

“I’m from the costume team. Can you try this on? We got it according to your size, but some of the others said it was too small. If there’s nothing that fits among the spare costumes, we have to get it right away.”

“Okay.”

Kim Jong-ho nodded his head as if he understood some of what he heard thanks to his studies.

“/Uncle. Should I go with you?/”

“/It’s okay. I just have to say if it fits or not. Sang-woo, you stay here too./”

“/Yes./”

Kim Jong-ho headed to the dressing room with the costume team staff. 

They must have seen enough of the set, so Seo-jun and the two managers sat down on the prepared chairs and waited for Kim Jong-ho.

“/But what kind of clothes are they?/”

“/Hmm. Should I go and see?/”

Manager Kim Sang-woo, who was a little anxious about leaving his actor alone, quickly headed to the dressing room. 

And then he came back shortly after with a chuckle.

Seo-jun and Anda-ho tilted their heads at Kim Sang-woo’s unexpected reaction.

“/Uncle Sang-woo. What kind of clothes are they that make you laugh like that?/”

“/No, I just thought that the filming crew did a great job of reproducing them./”

Seo-jun and Anda-ho blinked their eyes.

Unless it was a really important prop, there was not much mention of it in the script, so Seo-jun couldn’t guess what kind of clothes Kim Jong-ho would come out wearing either.

After waiting a little longer, Kim Jong-ho came out wearing the clothes.

“/Seo-jun! Look at this!/”

He appeared laughing loudly, and Seo-jun and Anda-ho were speechless.

There he was, Kim Jong-ho, wearing a fluorescent orange hiking outfit that looked like a school uniform from his parents’ generation.