Free Web NovelActor Lee Kang-jin.
The lead of GTV’s “Slip” strode up.
The power of makeup was definitely remarkable.
The 30-year-old actor famous for his handsome looks now looked every bit a detective with those defined features.
Messy hair, scratchy beard. Even the worn leather jacket.
If I hadn’t looked up “Slip” before coming, I might not have recognized him.
“Good to see you here!”
“Hello, hyung!”
He said with a smile.
“This is our second meeting, right?”
“Hmm, feels like the third.”
“Oh?”
“At the Jusehan Chuseok special we met once, and at the HBS Awards you presented the Rookie Award.”
“Oh, right. Oh dear. Now that you mention it, what a coincidence!”
I laughed along with him. Meanwhile, the juniors were secretly sending SOS messages.
“What’s going on?”
“Why is he greeting us like that...?”
I wanted to answer, but I had no idea either.
He treated us like old friends, but even if you add up all the time we’ve spent with him, it wouldn’t total ten seconds.
I didn’t remember any real conversation at Jusehan.
At most, he gave Junghyun a few words of advice as someone who’d failed at the Daegil raid? And at the year-end song awards, he handed over the trophy and said “Congratulations,” if I recall correctly.
He hadn’t even glanced our way at the Jusehan opening when we all gathered.
I had a hunch, though...
“Ha ha ha!”
“Hee ha ha!”
“Kya ha!”
Since he was so friendly, we matched his tone and chatted cheerfully.
At some point he dropped the honorific and asked familiarly.
“By the way, what brings you here? A cameo or something?”
“I came to meet our music director. I’m going to work on the OST.”
“That’s great. Since you’re on our OST, pick some good songs.”
When I promised to do my best, Lee Kang-jin laughed and pulled out his phone.
“Should we mark this moment by taking a picture on set?”
“Sure.”
“All right, everyone, strike a sleeping pose.”
When I asked why a sleeping pose, he said, “It’s Slip—sleep, right?”
When Ri-hyuk cautiously spoke up with a shocked expression, Lee Kang-jin burst out laughing.
“Oh, really? Glad you got it now. I almost embarrassed myself at the press conference.”
He took a selfie with the lead actor, exchanged contact info, and we parted.
When he asked if he could post the photo on his SNS, our managers said it was fine.
I admired his disappearing back as the leather jacket flared.
“Oh...”
An actor is an actor, indeed.
His stride must have been practiced so much it exuded that rugged detective vibe.
It really felt like the dry protagonist Park Cheol-jin had popped right out of the script.
I was admiring his cool, hard-boiled-novel hero exit when...
“So cool...”
“Director! You’re here!”
Spinning around, Lee Kang-jin ran off rubbing his hands together, obviously spotting the director’s arrival.
“....”
The lead actor beaming “Isn’t our director shining like a million fluorescent lamps today?” and the supervising director laughing heartily.
Junghyun nodded.
“Clearly those who last long have their reasons.”
“Feels irreverent to say since he’s a senior, but um...”
Ri-hyuk trailed off, but I could guess the rest.
I expected someone with a heavy aura—he’s famous for his acting—but this vibe was something else...
Seeing him cling to the director and flatter him made his earlier friendliness to us even more surprising.
Bi-ju gave a wry smile.
“I remember the Jusehan opening.”
“Right.”
We were in our second month since debut, I think.
Gathered in front of TBC broadcasting station, no one spoke to us except the other newcomers.
They’d judged us as lacking connections.
Still, it was nice that things were different now.
Looking at our phones, each displaying “Lee Kang-jin hyungnim,” I felt a strange sensation.
(Photo of NewBlack members and actor Lee Kang-jin doing sunflower-chin poses)
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“One, two, three.”
“Helloooooo...”
“Take a seat.”
Mumbling “NewBlack desu...,” we harmonized and sat down.
In the corner of the set was an office.
The music director was a calm-faced middle-aged man with glasses. He offered us a cup of warm green tea from a pot.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Kang Man-seok.”
We introduced ourselves again.
When he said we should speak comfortably, he refused with, “This is comfortable.”
I watched him appraise us with his calm expression.
—PD Kang Man-seok?
—Good guy.
We’d asked the A&R team about the music director we’d work with.
—Definitely good.
—Good is an understatement. Kang PD is like a heavenly deity among music directors.
—Agreed.
They said many music directors demand you put their daughter in as lyricist or take part of your copyrights, so he stood out.
—But he’s known to be extremely picky.
—He picks great OSTs, but I almost got chewed up in the process once.
—If you’re a one, he’s a three-universe.
—Sun Woo-joo and Sam-Woo-joo, huh.
The A&R team’s comment echoed in my ears.
By the way, who made the Sam-Woo-joo joke? Deputy Seo, maybe? I’ll go back and work on the song with him later.
“Have you read the drama synopsis?”
“Yes, I enjoyed it.”
I added, “And I listened to all the OSTs you did. I’m not in a position to critique, but... I loved them.”
“Really?”
“The score in that historical mystery drama was amazing. The way it started with a clap, then the strings walked a tightrope...”
That popular historical mystery drama featured a Joseon-era murderer targeting high officials who clapped before killing. Victims looking around in fear saw two hands emerge from darkness and clap “Clap!” It was oddly funny, so it was parodied a lot, but the chilling production made the OST popular too.
As I mentioned the points I liked, he gave a gentle smile.
“You came prepared. I happened to listen to your compositions too. I’d heard they’d match our drama’s color, and they were really good.”
He said he liked our voice colors too, and everyone brightened.
After talking about our work, he got to the point.
“Of course, what I want this time isn’t the score but a song.”
OSTs are classified into score and song: score lacks lyrics, like “Bam Bam Ba Ba Bam!” in a political drama; song has lyrics.
“You must have been curious after reading the script. There’s no obvious place for a song.”
“Yes, exactly.”
“That’s why I’ll tell you which scene it’ll go in.”
He then outlined how the story would flow.
His storytelling was so good I found myself saying “Oh,” “Amazing, so what happens next?” in response.
He said, “...So you just compose the song for this part. It’ll play when the protagonist walks through the reed field.”
“I understand.”
“I called you directly instead of going through production. You need to grasp the context of the scene to pick the right song.”
We all nodded at his spoiler warning.
I, jotting notes, asked, “Director, have you heard our song ‘Night Sea’?”
“I have.”
“What if we go in a similar direction? Different theme, but more sorrowful yet calm.”
“Hmm... that could work.”
He asked thoughtfully, “How about the strings?”
“Maybe mix in a little guitar... By the way, how old is the protagonist? We could incorporate an instrument that was popular when he was younger...”
“That’s a good idea.”
He brightened.
The juniors glanced at me and the director anxiously.
“And then we segue into humming here, with Jung-hyun’s mid-low voice, calmly...”
“So no explosive part—more emotional refinement. Right. That might even be better.”
“Yes, exactly. In continuity with the existing score...”
“Ohho.”
“Here, like this...”
“Then how about this...?”
“Oh, I like that.”
After a few more exchanges, I clapped and exclaimed, “Director, how do you understand everything I’m trying to say like that...?”
“Woo-joo, did you read my mind?”
We smiled at each other.
It was seamless.
My heart pounded.
I’d never met someone whose musical views aligned so perfectly before.
Whenever I said something after hearing his explanation, he immediately understood and offered alternatives.
The juniors watched with glazed expressions.
They kept exchanging urgent glances, but I had no time to notice.
I lost track of time, engrossed in this soul conversation with the director.
And an hour later.
“Woo-joo!”
“Director!”
“Where on earth have you been until now!”
“I respect you, director!”
We clasped hands excitedly.
“Ha ha!”
“Ha ha ha!”
Meanwhile, I heard the youngest whisper, “Don’t you think we’re screwed...?”
“Ahem ahem.”
A happy hum slipped out.
Meeting someone whose musical views matched mine so well—I turned to share the joy.
“....”
I saw the juniors, completely deflated in an hour.
“What do we do? There are two Woo-joo hyungs. Two...”
“Can you hear that?”
“What is it now? Wang Ji-ho.”
“We’re splitting.”
“....”
Just then, Ji-ho called me.
“Hyung, I just thought of something.”
“What is it?”
“With an OST, consistency is key. One singer with the same voice suits best. If the voice keeps changing, it feels unnatural, right? So maybe have Ri-hyuk hyung, the main vocal, do it solo...”
“Ay, but we should all do it.”
I glanced at Bi-ju, who agreed with a smile, then turned back to Ji-ho.
“Don’t worry about vocal tone. We can match it.”
“....”
“If we try, we can do it.”
“....”
“Bi-ju, what’s wrong? Something in your eye?”
“Nothing. Hyung... I’m just... happy...”
I laughed at Bi-ju’s moist eyes.
Meanwhile, we approached the actual set where filming was underway.
“Helloooooo—”
We greeted the staff in mosquito voices and took our places.
—One reason he called us to the set was to feel the atmosphere. Songs in OST actually translate a character’s dialogue or inner thoughts into lyrics. So he wanted us to see the character the lead actor plays.
And then.
“Hyung. Ji-ho’s eyes are on fire.”
“I know.”
On arriving at the set, the one watching more intently than anyone was our youngest.
He seemed determined to take in every detail, eyes sparkling, ears perked.
Like an excited puppy on the nation’s best walking trail.
He even took off his shoes and climbed onto Junghyun’s footrest to see past the tall staff.
We and the managers suppressed laughs at his serious “Make way, I’m focused” expression.
I also directed my gaze to the middle of the set.
Lee Kang-jin stood in the detective team’s office holding documents.
The backdrop was dusk.
A slash of sunset light cut through the office.
On the bright side, the other detectives chatted casually about dinner. In the shadowed side, the protagonist rifled through papers.
With each page rustle, his gaze darkened. Then he reached for his coat.
“I’ll be back soon.”
“Be safe.”
The team leader barely looked up from his paperwork as the protagonist donned his coat.
Clink.
A key fell.
The team turned to look, but no one told him his car key had dropped.
It showed how the protagonist, branded a troublemaker, was treated. He rummaged in his empty pocket, returned to pick up the key.
No reaction from anyone.
His expression was so flat it made you wonder if he even felt anything.
Watching that character, I visualized more concretely the feel of the OST I needed to create.
I nodded, and Junghyun asked, “Why, hyung? Good premonition?”
“Oh. Scared me.”
I asked again, “Junghyun, was that a question or a statement?”
“A question.”
“Good. That could’ve been a disaster.”
“....”
I told the elated guy, smiling, “Yes. It’s a good premonition.”
From the next day, I dove right into OST work.
They said since the song appears mid-season, there was no rush, but after visiting the set I had the feel.
I quickly built the skeleton of the song.
Except for occasional calls from the music director exchanging opinions, he gave no special comments on my work. He seemed to trust I’d produce good results whatever I made.
And then.
“Woaah—!”
A red-furred creature approached me exclaiming “Woaah!” as I clicked the mouse.
“Ji-ho. Hyung’s working.”
“He’s happy, so it’s fine. Woaah—!”
“I get that, but all day long? Surely you can calm down by now.”
“Woaah! Cameo!”
The youngest was like this from morning because his cameo was confirmed.
Because of Lee Kang-jin’s SNS post, reporters kept asking production and our company, “Is NewBlack making a cameo?”
Lemon Entertainment’s actor was appearing in the drama too, so both sides decided it was good for promotion.
The problem was the youngest’s reaction on hearing about the cameo from Seok-hwan hyung.
Of course at first we were excited, dancing in a circle saying “Our maknae is acting!” But who expected him to stay at high tension for over six hours?
“Woaah.”
“....”
“Why did you suddenly change the desktop background?”
He’d set our maknae’s music café GIF as the wallpaper.
When the white glutinous rice cake started crying tears of snot, the maknae squealed “Woaah” and ran away.
I laughed at that sight.
“Phew...”
I took a deep breath and stared at the ceiling.
Everything was going smoothly.
Thanks to InMyungDan’s success, the investment for the third album also increased, and we planned to pour money into the music video and concept shots.
We were main level for the OST of a highly anticipated new cable drama.
“SsokSsoK History Exploration Team” view counts were good too.
Among that happy news was that teacher No Jae-hyun, who appeared with us on a show, was also making headlines.
PBS planned a human documentary special on him.
I heard they requested an interview with us too.
Bi-ju said, “Hyung, let’s go with a serious concept this time.”
“Okay. Let’s do it.”
We made a firm decision.
Lately people perceived us as just funny or quirky.
We agreed to appear more serious in teacher No Jae-hyun’s documentary.
Jeju Island.
The home of veteran singer No Jae-hyun.
“So we just have a video call. Like this?”
“Yes. Show natural camaraderie with the NewBlack members, like grandfather and grandson.”
“In that case, I have the perfect candidate.”
He readily raised his smartphone. Soon the pale face appeared on video.
“Don’t let him know it’s for broadcast. Keep it natural.”
As the veteran singer play-acted on the video call to meet the PD’s request, the camera shot from afar.
—How have you been? ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) How’s your health?
“Well, I’ve been well. Ri-hyuk-kun. I got your letter by email.”
“Uh, um... I got your reply too. Starting ‘To Ri-hyuk-kun.’”
“Huh, ahem.”
Their mutual embarrassment made the production team smile. freewēbnoveℓ.com
It was the warm scene they wanted.
As they waited expectantly for the next story, suddenly the two men began debating a book.
“No, no. That’s a misinterpretation.”
—“Sir, you’re taking a revisionist view. We should follow the established theory here.”
“I can’t agree with you. A new era calls for new interpretation.”
Like a heated academic debate, the elder’s face turned red.
“I can’t accept that.”
—“Neither can I.”
Their voices rasping as veins bulged in their necks, but by the call’s end they suddenly smiled.
“Another informative debate today.”
—“Yes, sir. Let’s do it again tomorrow.”
“I’ll look forward to it. Ha ha.”
He ended the call with “Give my regards to the non-alcoholic fellow and his minions, Ri-hyuk-kun.”
Then he asked the silent production team.
“Well?”
“....”
“Is this warm, everyday conversation enough to air?”
The PD holding the plan trembled.
