Chapter 67: Negative Selection Method

ior group from the same company, for publicity purposes"Bo frowned, looking unconvinced."Ani, only you would think like that. Yuan is way prettier in person because she has such great charisma.""Bro B..., the Peninsula asteroid

The conference room door was ajar, not fully closed. A white paper with black lettering reading "Unborn" was taped to it. Muffled voices could be heard faintly from inside.

After gently knocking on the door and walking in, there weren't many people in the conference room yet. The actors taking part sat beside the long rectangular conference table in the middle, while their respective managers had pulled up random chairs and found a secluded spot against the wall.

"Anihasaiyo..."

As soon as Ji Jingyuan entered, he drew most of the attention. He proactively greeted the people in the field with a bow, and the actors who were greeted, those of similar seniority, also stood up and smiled in return. Under the gaze of everyone, Ji Jingyuan sat down at the seat at the forefront of the conference table, the one belonging to the male lead.

He came a little earlier than usual today. Although he is the leading actor in the whole play, “The Untamed” has many ensemble scenes, and the supporting actors also have heavy roles. Besides, after looking at the cast list given by the production team, he realized that among all the lead actors, he was probably the youngest in terms of seniority and experience. Arriving early to show humility wasn’t a bad thing.

As the agreed-upon time drew near, the various lead actors arrived shortly after one another. After exchanging greetings and courtesies, those standing closer began to chat amongst themselves, complimenting each other and making casual conversation to build rapport. After all, they would be collaborating on this set for three or four months from now.

Chi Jingyuan listened to the several main actors chatting beside him. Besides responding to topics related to himself, he occasionally chimed in with a few words.

As the male lead, and an idol actor who was personally invited by the production team after they had initially chosen Kim Soo-hyun, Ji Chang Wook could feel many eyes in the meeting room watching him. There were some kind gazes and some that seemed more critical.

A book friend I've known for ten years recommended this reading app to me, Wild Fruit Reading! It's really great. I use it for audiobooks when driving or before bed to pass the time. You can download it here.

However, he has also acted in two plays and worked with two crews. He is already familiar with the rules when joining a new crew. Pool Kyung-won didn't pay attention to these gazes, instead, he casually looked at the other actors sitting nearby. Including Pool Kyung-won himself, they are the true core protagonists of this TV series "The Undying."

The female lead, Jiang Suxia, is not a typical beauty, but she has distinctive features and recognition. She's a well-known actress among the younger generation with good resources. When she debuted in 2009, she immediately landed the lead role in a movie. Since then, she hasn't had much break from acting in TV dramas and movies every year.

Her representative work is the movie "Sunny" released in 2011. This film, which combines humor and tears, caused a big sensation on the peninsula that year, with a total of over seven million viewers. A small-budget youth film became the most popular film on the peninsula in the first half of the year, which shocked countless industry professionals. She was nominated for the Daejong Award and Baeksang's Newcomer Award for this film, which can be considered a success.

As a young actress born in 1990, Kang So-ra's acting and professional attitude are still recognized. According to director Kim Won-seok, she, like Park Seo-joon, entered a company to experience the life and characteristics of a white-collar worker for the role in the drama "Unborn," and it seems to have lasted for over a month.

This approach sounds dedicated and would make the crew feel very at ease.

> The Jiang He over there on the right is considered an old friend of Ji Cheng Yuan's. He played the student council president, Lee Hyo Shin, in "The Heirs" last year. Although his role wasn't very large, he stayed with the crew for a long time and naturally became quite close to Ji Cheng Yuan. When they first came in to say hello, the other party even walked over and gave Ji Cheng Yuan a friendly shoulder hug as a sign of closeness.

He will play Zhang Baiji, a fellow intern and contemporary of the protagonist Zhang Kelai in this drama. He is a very important character with a lot of screen time.

The last point is that senior actor Lee Seong-min, who is smiling broadly beside Chikyeongwon, is talking about which nearby barbecue restaurant has the best taste.

Li Xingmin, who debuted as a stage actor in 1985, has a high seniority and experience. However, for so many years after his debut, he only played supporting roles in various plays. It wasn't until 2006 that he first took on the leading role in a movie. In terms of resources, he had never been very good before.

However, Li Xingmin's years of honing his craft through stage plays have resulted in excellent acting skills. His appearance is quite likable and he has a strong connection with the audience. In recent years, he has gradually gained recognition, starring in both television dramas and films. Last month, he just finished filming the movie "Bandits: The Era of Rebellion" and almost immediately joined the cast of "My Unmarried Life" without taking a break.

He will play Wu Shangzhi, the team leader of the Business Three Team where Zhang Kulai, the male lead, belongs. His role is very important, even not weaker than the male lead, and he has a lot of scenes with Ji Sung. He is one of the most important actors in the drama.

Moreover, the character setting of Wu Shangzhi is very good and charming. Some plots also allow actors to fully display their acting skills. One of the important reasons why Kim Yu-seok and Ji Kyeong-won said that they were afraid that the male lead's acting would be suppressed at the time was because of the role played by Lee Seong-min.

Chikyeongwon also saw the problems in the script, but he didn't really have any opinions. Zhang Kelai's character, if interpreted well, could be very shining. From high school to entering the company, knowing nothing and being ostracized, filled with confusion and frustration, but through his perseverance and hard work, he grew step by step. This kind of effort counter-attack journey that fills the audience with empathy is the most impressive, and Chikyeongwon is also quite confident in his acting.

Soon, representatives and staff from the production company, as well as the main creative personnel of the show – director Kim Won-sik, screenwriter Jung Yoon-jeong, Lin Yi-ru, and others – all arrived.

Jin Yuanxi smiled and greeted everyone before stepping forward to give a brief overview of the filming plan and pre-production process for "The Untamed."

“...."This drama won't be filmed in a studio. We will be shooting entirely on location. From the company building to the cafeteria and even the office, everything will be filmed directly at real locations...."

"...The specific shooting location is Seoul Plaza next to Seoul Station. LG has provided a lot of assistance in terms of the venue. They completely emptied the 15th floor of Seoul Plaza, which was originally used for daily office work, for us to use for daily filming. If needed, we can also borrow scenes from floors 16-18. This kind of strong support and the addition of scenery are largely due to LG being your spokesperson across all lines..."

Facing the praise in several creators' eyes, and the various gazes that were looking at him at the same time, Ji Jingyuan smiled and nodded to Jin Yuanshi who was watching him.

He knew about this. LG had originally been sponsoring the "Youth" drama crew, with their ads appearing in some parts of the show. However, it was just normal sponsorship support, not as extensive as it is now. Before Park Ji-won joined, some location issues hadn't been settled yet.

However, after knowing that Ji Jingyuan was cast as the male lead, LG's side quickly loosened up. They even increased their offer in terms of leasing and directly provided the entire 15th floor of Seoul Square for free for filming. Besides admiring their wealth and generosity, the support they offered was truly impressive.

Jin Yuanxi said that even before filming began, Chi Jingyuan had already brought many benefits to the production team. That's true, it wasn't an exaggeration.

"...The crew has been officially formed, and the shooting schedule has also been submitted to each agency. Actors who have roles in Jordan, please remember to hand over the materials to the event staff later. The crew will help you book your flights together. We will gather in Seoul on the morning of the 21st and fly to Amman, Jordan to officially start filming. The location and shooting regulations there are already in place, so those who don't need to go just wait for us to come back and join the set..."

"...The broadcast time has been confirmed, and it will be officially aired on tvN on October 17th. It's a Friday-Saturday drama. Although there are almost two months left until the broadcast, the production team has made arrangements for everyone's individual schedules and promotional activities in between, so overall, it's not as ample as it seems. I hope that everyone will work together during the filming process and fully immerse themselves in their roles..."

After all, it was the first time all the actors and creators met, Kim Yuan-sik took to the stage and spoke eloquently. After him, representatives from the production company and TVN also took turns taking the stage and delivered many words of support and encouragement.

Although there might be some repetition and rambling, everyone below are industry insiders. No one shows any impatience, instead they all listen attentively with smiles and seriousness. They even clap and cheer at appropriate times, making the overall atmosphere very good.

After the opening remarks were finished, the production team and television staff left the stage. The script discussion meeting, belonging solely to the actors, officially began.

This stage involves everyone sitting together, starting from the beginning, immersing themselves in their roles by reading the script, and rehearsing dialogues with each other. Although it's not a real performance, it serves as a warm-up for the actual filming process. It helps everyone gain a deeper understanding of their characters and the script, which is beneficial for the subsequent formal shooting.

If any problems are encountered during the process, please point them out in advance.

The script workshop lasted for two days in total. We went through the first few episodes repeatedly and carefully. The detailed scripts for the later episodes, however, were not available because of the shoot-as-you-go format, which might require last-minute changes. So we just skimmed through them briefly.

…………

“About how many degrees is it around here…”

On the evening of the 20th, Ji Jingyuan was watching things in his dorm room to prepare for tomorrow's flight. He opened his suitcase and was about to pack his clothes when he suddenly hesitated. He didn't know what kind of clothes to take with him.

"Quickly taking out his phone to check: 'The average annual temperature is 13 to 25 degrees Celsius, a subtropical desert climate with significant seasonal differences... The temperature in Amman, the capital yesterday, was... 27 degrees. You don't need to bring too many heavy clothes.'"

I just threw in a few short-sleeved summer clothes, since I'm only going for a short time and don't need to pack too much. However, just in case it gets cold, Chi Jingyuan also brought along a hoodie.

“How did your crew come up with the idea to film in Jordan Is there anything famous about the scenery there” D.O., lounging on the bed with his elbows propped up and looking down at Jiung while he packed, asked curiously.

“I don’t know either, who knows what the production crew was thinking. I didn’t even know Amman was the capital of Jordan until after Naver,” Ji-sung turned back with a wry smile and maliciously speculated, “I guess it’s just for the gimmick of ‘the first TV series to film in Jordan,’ you know how many people on the peninsula care about that kind of thing. Maybe it could boost ratings.”

"I also agree," Do Kyung-soo nodded in agreement. As a native of the peninsula, he understands some public opinion better.

Seeing that Chi Jingyuan had already packed his things, he casually asked, "How many days will you be gone"

"It'll probably take four or five days, maybe three if we work quickly."

He hesitated for a moment, then Do Kyung-Soo expressed his concern: "That...but I heard my manager say that the company doesn't seem to be very optimistic about your drama "Mr. Sunshine", right Pure workplace dramas haven't been particularly popular lately."

"Wasn't there before I don't know much about it, but it should be available soon."

Putting the suitcase by the bed, Chi Jingyuan sat on the edge of the bed with his legs crossed, confidently smiling and chatting with the two people opposite him. "Besides, our company not being optimistic about it actually proves that this drama can be successful, you know If the company really believed in me, I wouldn't dare to act in it. No, brother, if you want to become an actor, don't you study our company's film and television history How could there be a future without it…"

He generously shared some of his film selection experiences, particularly detailing the "anti-selection method" he developed after researching the brilliant achievements of Company S's film and television department.

"The 'reverse voting' method, you this… hahahaha…" Do Kyung-Soo and Oh Se-hoon couldn't help but laugh together after hearing it. The whole dorm was immersed in a sea of happiness.

After twitching with laughter for a while, Do Kyung-soo felt it was inappropriate and still tried to defend the company: “But the company’s

‘It Doesn’t Matter, It’s Love’ has done pretty well, last broadcast's ratings were already at 10 percent.

"

“Ten percent…” Chi Jingyuan smacked his lips, savoring this viewership figure. He vaguely remembered that when his starring role in "The Inheritors" premiered, the ratings were only ten percent. The entire crew felt like the drama was going to flop. It was like the sky was falling. For a whole month and a half, everyone from the director to the actors was restless and anxious.

Unexpectedly, to Do Kyung-Soo's surprise, reaching a 10% viewership rating here is already a very satisfying thing.

"Hmm..." He pondered for a few seconds before deciding to be honest: "Is there any possibility that the company took this drama you've been offered not because it was their first choice, but because it was the best they could get with their resources"

"Hahaha…" Wu Shixun laughed again. As an EXO member who wants to be an actor but the company doesn't arrange it, he must have some dissatisfaction in his heart. Hearing Park Kyung-won diss every word made him laugh and clap along.

"Maybe." Do Kyung-soo also stared blankly for two seconds before slowly nodding.

As a roommate, he knew very well that Park Ji-young chose all of his scripts from “Reply 1997” to “The Heirs”. The company’s film and television department didn't care about his opinions at all. But Park Ji-young filmed two hits, and this drama “The King Loves His Pride” although not yet filming, Do Kyung-soo also had a strong feeling that this drama should also be a hit.

Although Do Kyung Soo still appeared to have some expectations for company S on the surface, he secretly made a note of the 'anti-selection method' in his heart.

After chatting for a while, Chi Jingyuan suddenly remembered something else and reminded Wu Shixun: "By the way, the chocolate bars I ordered are estimated to arrive in the next two days. Remember to help me receive them and eat them slowly, don't wait until I get back and they're all gone."

“Who likes to eat that stuff Only kids like chocolate bars.” Hearing this, Wu Shixun’s face was full of disdain, as if he had been insulted: “When the manufacturer said they were going to give us a few boxes, we all refused. The only one in the whole group who likes this kind of thing is you. If you want to eat it, just ask the manufacturer! Why buy it yourself”

"Do you think I'm just as shameless as you"

Qi Jingyuan curled his lip and lay in bed, dropping a harsh remark: 'You said it yourself, don't eat it when you buy it back!'

"Tsk, you're still so childish..."

Too lazy to care about such uncouth people who lack taste and appreciation, Chi Jingyuan lay in bed picked up his phone preparing to read some news and forum posts before going to sleep.

A performance video of the 15th Family Concert featuring a collaboration between him and Sun Seung-wan was uploaded to the internet, drawing considerable attention.

Even though Sun Seungwan sang very well, it didn't improve their reputation. Instead, it sparked another wave of attacks. Some more radical fans of Ji Kyeong saw the two people's collaboration stage and felt very dissatisfied. They felt that these two people were not on the same level at all. Why should our oppas support this rookie girl group Moreover, songs like "allforyou," a male-female duet love song, just made them angry.

On the other hand, quite a few genuine passersby who clicked in after seeing this actually thought the girl sang well and formed a preliminary impression of her. As for whether any of them became fans, I have no idea.

It's possible.

However, this time Sun Shengwan's real gain should be that through this stage, many passersby and haters have learned that the girl who collaborated with Ji Jingyuan is called Wendy, not some blue-haired parrot.

No matter what, this is still a kind of progress...

On the other side, YG's newly debuted boy group, NER, made their official debut on August 17th on "!c". YG had been doing a lot of promotion and hype for this new boy group beforehand. Last year, they even held an internal company PK competition variety show to select the five members who make up NER today.

Living up to the hype and promotion prior to their debut, NER's reverse debut has been quite successful. Their debut song, "Emptiness," has achieved excellent digital chart performance, immediately topping major music charts upon its release.

Speaking of it, this nEr is also considered a competitor to EXO. Ji-yeong even took the time to listen to this song, and he indeed thought it was pretty good. It's a rare type of song in recent male group songs that sounds pleasing right away. Although it's a rookie boy group, he estimates that this song should rank quite high on the year-end charts.

Although their debut results were quite good, catching up to EXO, even with members leaving, is still a long and challenging journey.

Chi Jingyuan was looking at the various rainbow farts that his fans were sending to him on the forum when he suddenly received a message displayed at the top of his phone screen. It was sent by Zhou Tzuyu.

What does "The Untamed" mean

This morning, s officially announced that Pool Jingyuan will star in tvN's new drama "The Uncanny Counter" to celebrate its 8th anniversary. He will be playing the male lead role of Zhang Kelai. Zhou Tzuyu probably saw this news online today and sent a message specifically about it.

Only after seeing that it was sent by her did Ji Jingyuan go blank for a second, specifically checking the time on his phone to find it was already past twelve. He wondered what Zhou Tzuyu was doing up so late and not sleeping.

Chi Jingyuan remembered that she still had to go to school every morning.

" is a drama series about the experiences of several sets of twins in the womb. It’s a comedy." The rapid tapping on the screen gave her a reply.

Less than five seconds after sending it, Zhou Tzuyu replied:

"What a cheat!"

Seeing this reply speed, Chi Jingyuan blinked speechless. He estimated that Zhou Tzuyu should be lying in bed now, afraid of affecting her roommates, so she was covering her head with a small quilt to block the light from her phone as she messaged him.

...and this content....

"You already know everything, so why ask me If you can't sleep this late, just count sheep... Whatever, I'm going to sleep anyway." After sending the message, this time Zhou Tzuyu's reply was a little slower than before, coming over after ten seconds:

Good night.

Seeing the pool, Jingyuan smacked his lips and didn't reply. He directly put his phone on the bedside table, got out of bed, turned off the light, and then came back to sleep. He had to fly to Jordan with the crew early tomorrow morning.

A journey of over twenty hours sounds terrifying.

At the same time, in the JYP trainee dormitory, Zhou Tzuyu was just like Park Jiyoung thought she would be—using a small blanket to cover her upper body, hiding inside and secretly texting him. Her eyes, slightly squinting from the bright light, were still glued to her phone.

After sending "good night," Tzuyu waited for a while, but several minutes passed without a reply from Jingyuan. Used to this already, she pouted unhappily and tapped the screen, then obediently put her phone on the bedside table to prepare for sleep. She tucked herself in with the blanket, clutching the edge of the quilt, closed her eyes tightly and began to slowly count sheep.

But for some reason, as I was counting, my mind wandered off to somewhere else.

……

The next morning, Chi Jingyuan packed his luggage and met up with his manager and assistant at the set of "Unborn". They boarded a plane to Bangkok, Thailand.

There's no direct flight... I have to transfer.

This is really infuriating.

First released on the Traditional Chinese Novel Networkrstand."Li Chenghuan nodded and, after giving his instructions, left in a hurry.After he left, the members started discussing."Jingyuan, you can still shoot arrows" Wu Shixun looked at him in surprise...