Chapter 43:
Chapter 43:
Has everyone finished their parts for the presentation and uploaded the PowerPoint as we agreed?
The message Lee Hyejin sent that morning was being ignored by her group project members for the past 12 hours.
Although Lee Hyejin had tried to avoid group projects, her major inevitably involved many. Reluctantly, she found herself suffering because of the notorious group project villains this semester too.
If there's no reply in a minute, I'm removing all their names.'
Just as Hyejin was stewing over this, the welcome notification sound rang out.
MiTalk!
MiTalk!
The consecutive notifications made Hyejin check her messages with a glimmer of hope.
I'm sorry. I have a family gathering tonight and I can't miss it.
I'm really sick, I don't think I can submit the PowerPoint by tonight Sorry, senior.
Sh*t.'
Lee Hyejin muttered every curse she knew and angrily shut her laptop.
"I'm removing all your names, you bastards."
In moments like these, she envied students from other departments.
For instance, the Department of Korean Literature.
I met my favorite actor in that class It was nice.'
The thought eased the stress that was on the verge of exploding.
Nothing relieved stress better than indulging in her fandom. Hyejin's fingers were already naturally navigating to BlueChat.
While looking at BlueChat's real-time search words, Lee Hyejin blinked.
#VitaTalkSeven
#VitaminAd
#HanYooilVita
#VitaminHanYooil
Could it be because of the ad?'
Of course, since becoming a fan of Han Yooil, Lee Hyejin had always been the first to watch any video he appeared in.
Lee Hyejin reminisced about Han Yooil's ad, which she had watched and rewatched countless times.
Might as well watch it again.'
Lee Hyejin clicked on the Vita Talk Seven' ad on YouTube.
* * *
Thump, thump, thump.
First, a hand bouncing a yellow ball against a white background is seen.
Then, the ball starts to move more vigorously, and soon the owner of the hand, Han Yooil, comes into view.
Oh!
Yooil, with a welcoming face, starts to walk towards the camera.
Dressed in a chick-like yellow sweatshirt and white slacks, he approaches the camera with a curious look.
Oh, wait, wait!
His round eyes widen, filling the screen with his clear irises.
Are you still struggling to take your vitamins?
The sudden background music starts at that moment.
A familiar intro plays, and the camera swiftly moves backward, starting to capture Han Yooil from afar.
It's framed as if it's from an idol dance video.
Here it comes!'
Lee Hyejin couldn't control her rising cheeks.
The Roll it Fun!' video was well-known even to those who hadn't seen the original broadcast, thanks to its spread across YouTube and various communities.
[Vita Vita Vita Vita Talk Talk Talk!]
The new Vita Talk Seven ad was a variation of the self-introduction video from the RollFun' preview.
In the ad, Han Yooil enthusiastically starts dancing to a slightly modified version of JelliJelli's <You're the BestYOU>.
[Seven Seven Seven Seven Talk Talk Talk!]
Instead of placing his hand on his chest and shaking, he creates the number 7 with his hand and adorably jumps.
Despite the lively atmosphere and popping CG, Han Yooil's eyes seemed a bit empty but even that suited him well.
Fresh, easy, tasty!
Vita Talk Seven!
After downing a Vita Talk Seven, Yooil smiles brightly, ending the ad with a close-up of his face.
After watching the video to the end, Lee Hyejin looked at the comment section with a puzzled face.
"But is this really funny?"
Lee Hyejin pondered as she examined the reactions to the video, tilting her head in confusion.
"Isn't it just cute?"
By now, her infatuation with Han Yooil had evolved from a crush to an unwavering loyalty.
Regardless of Hyejin's thoughts, the impact of Vita Talk Seven was immense.
And positively so.
The dance routine from the Vita Talk Seven advertisement even sparked a short-form challenge trend.
Whether it was done by talented dancers or creators of funny content, the general consensus was similar.
No matter who did it, they couldn't match the original advertisement.
Han Yooil's dance had a unique flavor' that was exclusively his, as the general public acknowledged.
* * *
About that Vita Talk ad
[When I first saw it, I just laughed. But now it's fascinating how did they make this work?]
Seriously impressive
For real
Nothing beats Han Yooil ;;
Let's live enthusiastically like Han Yooil dancing with Vita Talk Seven
My recent fatigue recovery
[(Screenshot of Vita Talk Seven ad)]
For real, who needs a recovery drink now? Just watch Han Yooil's ad
Talk about cost-effectiveness
Advertiser with a mysterious loss
Lololololololololol
Han Yooil was looking at community captures shared by his peers.
""
In truth, these were reactions Brion had already shown him at least once.
Korean Lit Kim Jinwoo: (Ad screenshot)
Korean Lit Kim Jinwoo: Kyakkeumkkkkkkkkkkkkk
Korean Lit Kang Hana: Yooil, I watch your ad when I'm having a tough time, you know?
Korean Lit Kim Jinwoo: It's a regret not going to the filming site, you really
Korean Lit Hwang Riu: ?
Korean Lit Hwang Riu: Why stop talking?
Korean Lit Kang Hana: Maybe his phone was confiscated
Korean Lit Kang Hana: But Yooil, are you going to the Busan International Film Festival? Walking the red carpet?
Yooil left a brief reply.
Yeah.
Replies filled with OMG' and Wow' flooded MiTalk, and just as Yooil was about to close his phone, one more message popped up.
Korean Lit Hwang Riu: Give us the red carpet review, please
* * *
Two days before the film festival's opening ceremony.
It was also the day of the second shooting for <The Mysterious Garden>.
As usual, Yooil arrived early and slowly surveyed the set.
The recently completed florist shop set.
The adorably decorated florist shop set was a mix of fresh and artificial flowers, and the floor tiles combining white and light green were clean and pretty. The frames on the wall and plants like Tillandsia enhanced the overall ambiance of the set.
Medium to large-sized planters placed here and there gave a feeling akin to a small greenhouse.
It's almost like a mini greenhouse.'
The florist shop was not much different from what Yooil had imagined while reading the script.
As Yooil was losing track of time exploring the set, Brion's voice reached him.
Actor Son Jisoo has arrived.
!'
The next to arrive, surprisingly early, was Son Jisoo.
Even the staff seemed surprised by Son Jisoo's early arrival.
Meanwhile, Son Jisoo, who started looking around as soon as he arrived, also noticed Han Yooil.
There he is.'
He looked at Han Yooil with a face full of confidence.
During the preparation period for the shoot, Yooil read and re-read the script. He had never studied this hard in his life.
"You're early, senior."
"It's the basic, you know."
Son Jisoo slowly nodded in response to Yooil's words. Yooil, instead of replying, just quietly smiled.
"We're just waiting for Senior Yiwon now."
"and Senior Joo Heeyoung."
Joo Heeyoung.
An actress who was a scene-stealer and made a special appearance in <The Last Diner>.
I only briefly met her during the reading for this movie.'
Son Jisoo looked around. It seemed like there was still some time before the arrival of Joo Heeyoung and Yiwon.
"Yooil, here's a real tip."
Son Jisoo spoke in a lowered voice.
"It's best to stay as quiet as possible in front of Senior Yiwon."
"What?"
Son Jisoo looked frustratingly at Han Yooil, who asked back with a puzzled face.
"Oh, don't get me wrong. Of course, I genuinely respect Senior Yiwon "
"?"
"But the senior doesn't like rookie actors. Honestly, there are many rookies who are a bit over the top, and I'm not a fan of that, but Senior Yi is even more so"
After evaluating Son Jisoo's statement, the probability of it not being a lie is 78.3%.
That's higher than I thought.'
In other words, that's the probability that Son Jisoo believes his own statement to be true'.
"So, it's better to avoid starting a conversation. Even until a few years ago, I barely had any conversation with him. Back then I"
Yooil listened to Son Jisoo's words while watching the busy staff around. That's when he saw a woman entering the set.
It was Joo Heeyoung.
Although they didn't have a chance to talk in <The Last Diner>, they would spend quite a bit of time together during this movie.
"Hello, Senior Joo Heeyoung. It's been a while."
Joo Heeyoung, who entered the set with a bright face, looked at Han Yooil who approached to greet her.
"Oh, Yooil! It's the first time we've met since the reading. It's been a while. Have you been well?"
"Of course. Have you been well, senior?"
She's tall.'
He didn't expect her to become so famous so quickly since they last met on the set of another movie. He thought she was a noticeable actress back then too
Just as Joo Heeyoung was about to exchange a light greeting with Son Jisoo, an assistant director shouted after receiving a phone call.
"Actor Yiwon has arrived~!"
"Let's get ready for the test shot as soon as everyone's ready!"
A few minutes later, the shooting began.
It was the scene the day after Hyukjin (Yiwon) decided to hire Sooil as a part-time worker.
The red light on the camera started blinking.
"Mark on 7 take 1~"
"Action!"
Han Yooil and Yiwon stood in front of the camera as Sooil and Hyukjin.
Sooil, who had been cleaning since the morning, suddenly lifted his head to look at Hyukjin.
"But sir, what should I call you? Boss? Director?"
"Whatever you're comfortable with."
Sooil casually nodded and repeated boss' and director' alternatively.
It was then
"Boss, I'm here~ Please make a bouquet with Freesia as the main flower~ Today I want it in a classic mood~!"
With a strong nasal voice, the door opened. It was Joo Heeyoung, playing Hwayeon', the florist's regular customer and the boss's secret admirer.
"Oh. Who's this?"
"New part-timer."
"What? Boss, when did you hire a part-timer?"
With dialogue and acting that seemed difficult to pull off naturally, Joo Heeyoung's delivery as Hwayeon' was flavorful yet natural.
Her long acting career and exceptional skills made her a trusted actress in the film industry.
"Baby, how old are you?"
Hwayeon's friendly talk is completely ignored by Sooil.
"No, baby! How old are you?" Hwayeon insisted.
"Was that question for me?" Sooil replied with a hint of sarcasm.
"Of course, it was~"
Sooil looked at Hwayeon, his gaze sharp and a bit standoffish, making Hwayeon slightly flinch.
As Sooil looked coldly at Hwayeon, a smirk formed on his lips, and he spoke slowly.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I just can't recall being your child, so I couldn't answer."
It was a clear taunt, but instead of being intimidated, Hwayeon burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Oh my, you're funny. Boss, you hired a good one. A lot of customers will come just to see his face."
As Hwayeon caused a stir in the florist shop, Hyukjin, who had been quietly arranging flowers, handed her the finished bouquet without a word.
The muscular figure enveloped in a white shirt and black suit pants, topped with an apron, created an unbalanced fashion statement. Yet, it suited the character Hyukjin.
"Thanks, I'll come again~"
After Hwayeon left, having stirred up the place, Sooil looked at Hyukjin with a frown.
"Is she your girlfriend, boss?"
"Park Sooil."
The cold voice made Sooil freeze for a moment.
Kim Hyukjin slowly lifted his head and looked into Sooil's eyes.
"Let's keep one thing clear."
"What's that?"
"Don't cross the line."
Slightly tense, Sooil quickly regained his composure and shrugged his shoulders.
"Sure, whatever."
A few seconds passed after the last line.
"Cut!"
Director Gu Chanik nodded and spoke.
"Let's keep that one Are there other shots left for this scene?"
"Yes, we have close-ups and a full shot of the actors left."
While the shooting team was busy setting up, Yooil sat with Yiwon on some foldable chairs during their break.
"Han Yooil."
"Yes, senior."
Yiwon gazed intently into Yooil's eyes and continued.
"That last line you delivered. It felt a bit rushed. Didn't you think it was too hasty?"
!'
Yooil met his deep gaze.
"I'm sorry, senior."
"No, you don't have to apologize."
Analysis of Yiwon's tone indicates: cold' 54%, distant' 16%, awkward' 21%, tense' 8.1%, others 0.9%.
Really?'
Was he quiet because he was analyzing it?
Yooil remembered what Son Jisoo had said.
I understand why he made such comments now.'
At first glance, the voice might seem cold. But it wasn't entirely unpleasant.
After a moment of contemplation, Yooil spoke.
"Senior, the reason I responded quickly was actually because of the character, Park Sooil."
Yiwon raised an eyebrow, his face showing surprise.
Han Yooil continued slowly.
"The character Park Sooil doesn't like to show his weaknesses, and he doesn't know how to back down easily. So, I thought in a situation where he could feel intimidated, he would actually respond quite confidently and quickly."
Hearing Yooil's explanation, Yiwon pondered for a moment.
He was slightly taken aback. Usually, when he pointed things out to other actors, their responses fell into two categories: either they would apologize profusely or get upset.
He had hardly encountered an actor, especially a newcomer, who articulated their analysis of the character so precisely.
That's quite something.'
Interest began to spark in Yiwon's usually cold gaze.