wavenovel Chapter 1393 Pressure
Chapter 1393 Pressure
Chapter 1393 Pressure
December 7th marked the fourth day since Ji Kyung-won arrived at the film set.
The abandoned bathhouse in the prison, where the film "The Spy" was being shot.
"The water is flowing."
Wearing the same jacket and shirt, Ji Kyung-won, playing Jung Ba-rin, opened the water pipe in the abandoned bathhouse. Seeing the cool water flowing smoothly out, a dark light flashed in his pupils, but his tone was very natural and ordinary. He simply asked out of curiosity.
"Yes, because the water pipe is still connected."
Young actor Lee Seo-joon plays Luo Zhiguo, Zheng Balin's childhood friend and the prison guard who brought him here. He nodded and casually explained.
"Wow~~"
The water was still flowing under the showerhead, splashing up as it hit the floor.
Chi Jingyuan quietly watched the splashing water in front of him. Under the close-up shot of the camera next to him, in the distinct light and shadow, his eyes began to change.
From easygoing, friendly, to a slightly goofy...
He became cold, tyrannical, and visibly impatient.
"do you know?"
Chi Jingyuan spoke directly, interrupting his good friend Luo Zhiguo, who was probably thinking he was very interested in the abandoned bathhouse and kept introducing it.
"Mo?"
Luo Zhiguo was interrupted and turned his head around, somewhat puzzled.
"you……"
In the shadows, Chi Jingyuan no longer concealed himself. The dim light made his face and expression indistinct, but one could sense the undisguised chill emanating from his deep pupils.
"You are annoying."
The noticeably faster speaking speed and the slightly rising intonation at the end of the sentence, accompanied by the rustling sound of flowing water, seemed to instantly lower the surrounding temperature by an index.
"Huh? MO?"
Li Ruizhun, who plays Luo Zhiguo, either seemed puzzled or hadn't heard him clearly, and smiled as he asked again.
At that moment, director Ahn Gil-ho, who was watching the monitor, frowned in dissatisfaction.
Because in this scene, when faced with Zheng Balin's sudden change, Luo Zhiguo should have two more lines, asking Zheng Balin curiously why he said that, instead of simply repeating 'MO?' again.
Forgetting lines is impossible; that would get you a lot of flak.
He could tell at a glance that the young actor Lee Seo-joon had clearly not kept up with Ji Kyung-won's performance... During the scene, the other actor seemed to be putting a lot of pressure on him.
"..."
The assistant director noticed the mistake and asked with his eyes and gestures whether they needed to do a retake.
But Ahn Gil-ho waved his hand without hesitation and rejected NG's suggestion. At the same time, he leaned out even further and stared at the monitor, looking at Ji Kyung-won in the shadows.
It doesn't matter if someone makes a mistake.
Because... the protagonist performed too well.
"We met before we went to high school, right..."
On the monitor, Chi Jingyuan stepped out of the shadows, letting the dim light in the bathroom illuminate his face. As he walked, he recounted his memories, his hands in his pockets, exuding a strange sense of ease and comfort.
That was the feeling of relaxation from no longer having to pretend, and... the excitement of being able to satisfy one's desires.
"We were in the same class and sat next to each other."
"We go to school and come home together every day..."
“I’ve been watching you ever since that time.”
Chi Jingyuan seemed to have entered a memory, pacing slowly around Luo Zhiguo, speaking in a slightly faster tone.
But beneath the seemingly calm tone, there appeared to be an increasingly intense malice.
"And you..."
"You're too modest. You always give way to others and don't want to stand out..."
"Even if you do good deeds, you don't want to be famous, but instead attribute the credit to me."
"Really..."
His voice suddenly rose in intensity: "Annoying."
"So, from that time on, I started thinking..."
Chi Jingyuan stopped, standing face to face with Luo Zhiguo.
On the high wall behind him, an exhaust fan was turning gently, casting light behind him and creating a perfect backlight.
"MO?"
Facing the sweating and visibly nervous smile of Luo Zhiguo, played by Lee Seo-joon, Ji Kyung-won casually spoke while taking out his earphones and putting them on without any haste.
Bach's "Air on the G String" unfolds gently, and the beautiful classical music seems to penetrate the limitations of the headphones, spreading to the surroundings. Even the dust in the light seems to jump and pray along with it.
"I……"
Chi Jingyuan adjusted his headphone cord and then tilted his head back.
He wasn't looking at Luo Zhiguo; instead, he was looking above him and behind him, as if a God was protecting him there, or as if he were declaring his decision from above.
A second later, his gaze shifted downwards, looking into Li Ruizhun's eyes, his eyes filled with indifference.
The midday sun shone directly in through the ventilation fan, and as the blinds rotated, the light was cut into fragments, which, through the floating hair and dust, enveloped Chi Jingyuan. In the backlight, his expressionless face was almost blurred, but with the hazy edge of the light, it had a kind of divine quality that made people's hearts tremble.
"I will put you on trial."
The deep voice was like a death knell, resolute and final.
At the same time, the soles of the shoes rubbed against the ground, producing a sharp and ear-piercing screeching sound, and Chi Jingyuan suddenly sprang up, his knife plunging straight into Li Ruizhun's chest.
Without hesitation, they went straight to the heart of the matter.
Faced with Lee Seo-jun's expression, which was unclear whether he was in disbelief or simply not quite there yet, in the close-up shot, Chi Kyung-won suddenly curled up the corners of his mouth and smiled excitedly.
It was as if he enjoyed the smooth, peeling sensation of a knife piercing a person's body.
Or perhaps, the sense of accomplishment and excitement of finally giving someone you've disliked for so long the punishment they deserve.
what……
He seemed about to let out a groan of joy.
This smile somewhat dispelled the divinity he had just felt, as if he were a god descending to deliver judgment.
But the cold-bloodedness and terror unique to ruthless perverts are even more vividly portrayed.
One cut, one cut, one cut.
The director, assistant director, and cameramen and lighting technicians watching from behind the monitor couldn't help but get goosebumps.
Even knowing it was a prop knife, the thud and the flesh striking each other, the strangely quiet sound of the impact, each thud...
Yet it still sends chills down your spine and fills you with dread.
However, they didn't have to suppress their anger for long. Before Chi Jingyuan could even make two thrusts, Li Ruizhun slipped and fell to the ground, earlier than the script had planned.
I don't know if it was because the person I was playing was stabbed and died.
Or was it simply fear?
"CUT!"
Just then, the director called "cut," and Ahn Gil-ho's loud voice propelled the take to a close: "Excellent! Excellent performance! Kyung-won performed excellently!"
Just moments ago, Chi Jingyuan was in a 'killing state,' repeatedly stabbing people in the body. He was also awakened by the sudden sound from outside the scene. His character and reason collided in his mind, and the extreme excitement made him feel a little dizzy.
Holding the prop knife in his hand, he surprisingly didn't want to throw it away.
However, the stagehand who had already come to his side was about to take back the props. After noticing that Chi Jingyuan did not react, he took the initiative to call out "Jingyuan-xi".
Chi Jingyuan immediately woke up, responded, and quickly placed the prop knife in the other person's hand.
"Aigoo, Jingyuan's been getting better and better lately!"
Before he could say anything, director Ahn Gil-ho had already come to his side, his face showing satisfaction and excitement, and he even clapped.
"Hehe..." Chi Jingyuan chuckled softly, shook his head, and seemed a little uncomfortable.
"Look at you."
Anji-ho glanced at him twice, his expression understanding, and gently patted his shoulder: "Go and rest for a bit, we'll continue later."
Such a breathtaking performance requires complete immersion, and it's very common for actors to suddenly be unable to detach themselves from the role due to emotional distress.
Excellent actors are a common occurrence, and Ahn Gil-ho fully understands this.
"Hey Yigu..."
Just as Chi Kyung-won was about to turn and leave, Lee Seo-joon, who had been helped up by the stagehands, came to his side, supporting his waist.
"Oh my god, that scared me to death."
He wiped his sweat with a look of fear and lingering unease: "Senior Jingyuan's expression just now, that look in his eyes... ah, I really felt like he was going to kill me!"
His expression seemed a bit exaggerated, perhaps because he was genuinely intimidated by Chi Jingyuan.
However, it's also possible that he's trying to curry favor.
"That's it~"
However, Ahn Gil-ho and the assistant director next to him exchanged a glance and nodded.
Lee Seo-joon was clearly overshadowed; he didn't even finish his lines and just kept saying "MO?"
He was so scared during the killing scene that he didn't react at all. In other movies, the scene would probably have been cut short immediately. The scene was also cut short because of his fall.
However, in this scene, it was a lucky accident. Ji Kyung-won's outstanding performance as the male lead was enough to make up for these mistakes... and the few shots could be reshot later.
Ahn Gil-ho didn't get angry at his mistake, and even offered a few words of gentle encouragement.
Lee Seo-joon's role was small, just a cameo. As a young actor, he lacked experience, and acting alongside a TV King was a significant challenge.
And this isn't just any ordinary TV King...
"Thank you for your hard work~"
"Jingyuan's acting skills are really amazing."
As Chi Jingyuan walked out of the bathroom at the filming location, the staff members who had become familiar with him all struck up conversations with him, praising him and showing enthusiasm and admiration.
While there may be some politeness involved, to be honest, most of the crew members on set had already given up on the male lead.
After several days of filming, Ji Kyung-won's performance was noticed by everyone in the "Spying" crew.
Although I couldn't come a few days before the start of the project due to some reason, some people talked about it behind my back.
However, his first scene after his return was already amazing. Although the subsequent filming was not smooth sailing due to issues such as cooperation and chemistry, and there were many mistakes, his professional level has been recognized by everyone.
Some staff members were discussing it privately during meals, and the phrase "He truly deserves to be called the newly crowned TV King" became quite popular.
Most importantly, and what impressed them the most, was Ji Kyung-won's portrayal of Jung Ba-rin, his twisted acting, and his interpretation of a ruthless killer devoid of empathy. This truly amazed many in the crew.
They had never seen a pervert in real life, but after watching Ji Kyung-won film for two days, they naturally felt that this was what a pervert should be like.
Some people even joked in private, wondering if Chi Kyung-won really had some kind of problem, since he didn't seem to be acting. They said that top celebrities are often said to have strange quirks in private, so what if he... and so on.
"Jingyuan~"
As soon as I stepped out of the bathroom, my assistant, who had been waiting, immediately handed me a down jacket.
On his first day at the Gangwon-do film set, Ji Kyung-won saw Kim Ji-won in her oversized down jacket. When he first arrived, he thought she was being a bit over the top, acting like a country bumpkin.
For the next two days, he maintained his own fashion style, wearing warm sweatshirts and jackets.
It was only the third day...
"Well…"
Chi Jingyuan quickly put on the oversized down jacket, wrapping himself up warmly: "So comfortable~"
The wind in Gangwon Province is so cold!
I sat down on a stool near the director's monitor, took the hot coffee handed to me by my assistant, and took a satisfying sip. The cool breeze calmed my slightly chaotic emotions considerably.
"You acted really well."
Footsteps sounded, and Kim Ji-won walked over, naturally sitting down on the stool next to her. Her bulky, oversized down jacket filled the chair completely.
Chi Jingyuan glanced at her but didn't laugh at her, because he was doing the same thing himself.
And big clothes don't necessarily mean a bad figure... although he felt that Kim Ji-won had quite a few figure flaws.
During their time on set, the two often chatted together during their breaks, and their past collaborations had fostered a strong bond between them, making them quite familiar with each other.
Ji Kyung-won's assistant immediately handed Kim Ji-won a hot coffee. The woman thanked him, took a leisurely sip, and then looked at Ji Kyung-won with wide eyes: "Your company's coffee seems to taste a little better... Your acting is putting so much pressure on us."
"It's not our company's coffee, it's just that other people's coffee tastes better."
Chi Jingyuan, biting his straw, corrected her, then tightened his zippered collar and leaned back in his chair: "Pressure is what drives us, right?"
Actors are actually very sensitive to and attentive to each other's performances. They can tell which actor in the same production team is good and who is average, slowing down the progress, and dragging the team down with just a glance.
While Ji Kyung-won's phenomenal performance surprised and excited the main cast and crew, it also put a lot of pressure on the other actors.
The actor's performance was completely authentic, a true embodiment of a pervert. As long as there were no mishaps or the director wanted more angles, the filming was usually done in one take, making the shooting process very fast.
They were all on a normal schedule, but there were still quite a few NGs, and after going back and forth, the final product wasn't very exciting.
Both are lead actors, so the comparison is quite obvious... Although no one will say anything, the actors themselves are well aware of it. People who are ambitious and want to do a good job in acting will naturally feel the pressure.
"Pressure alone is not enough to motivate you; it just leads to anxiety!"
Kim Ji-won frowned, clearly displeased with Ji Kyung-won's arrogant tone and his detached attitude.
But soon she laughed again, her brows relaxing as she leaned closer with a cheerful smile: "TV King Chi~"
After getting to know each other better these past few days, Chi Jingyuan often joked about calling himself a TV King, and she just went along with it and called him that directly.
"Hmm?" Chi Jingyuan raised an eyebrow, his expression showing some satisfaction.
"How do you think I should act as the character Choi Hong-joo?"
Kim Ji-won's expression turned serious: "I thought I had a thorough understanding of this character, but after watching your performance, I suddenly felt that I was a little lacking."
"TV King Ji-won~" Kim Ji-won winked: "Please share some tips on being a great actor~"
Kim Ji-won's intelligent and beautiful face was slightly raised, and she should have looked very pretty. However, at this moment, she was completely covered by a huge down jacket and a knitted hat that covered her forehead, making her look a little silly.
However, Chi Jingyuan wasn't in the mood for that right now. After hearing her words, he raised an eyebrow and said, "Hey, you know what, I actually did analyze your character."
"Oh?"
Kim Ji-won's eyes lit up: "Tell me quickly!"
The two naturally moved a little closer, each wearing an oversized down jacket, looking like two honest, chubby men, their down jackets touching.
They each held a cup of hot coffee and chatted enthusiastically.
"Should we write this down in a notebook?"
"You have to understand the characters; what's the point of just memorizing them if you don't understand them?"
"Wow, no wonder he's a TV King! I won't remember that."
"Hmm... I should still write it down."
"What do you mean?"
"Ok?"
"Yes, yes, yes, Emperor Chi, you speak! I'll listen to you~"