Chapter 64: Do You Want Her Dead?

EXO's VCR officially began to play. The fans in the audience erupted in cheers and screams. Just as the members were about to climb onto the faux mountain, Park Ji-won suddenly said:"By the way, when...,the Peninsula asteroid

"Anihaseyo..."

Walking into the private room, Chi Jingyuan quickly scanned the interior before greeting Kim Won-suk, the director of the drama crew who was already seated.

Upon returning to the peninsula, Ji Chang Wook expressed his interest in the drama "Our Beloved Summer" to his agency and requested a meeting with the production team. The agency, having full confidence in Ji Chang Wook's discerning taste in projects, immediately contacted the "Our Beloved Summer" production team through official channels. Director Kim Yoon Suk showed great interest and readily agreed to meet that evening.

It's just that from what I can see, Kim Yu-seok's style is a bit old-fashioned. He didn't agree to meet at the trendy cafes popular these days, but instead directly set it up at a barbecue restaurant, and even chose dinner time. He's basically combining the meeting with a meal, getting everything done in one go.

If this wasn't their first meeting, but they already knew each other, Ji Jingyuan estimated that after dinner, the other party might even take him to another place for a "one-stop" experience.

"Jingyuan xi has arrived, sit, sit."

Seeing Ji Jingyuan enter and bow, Jin Yuanshi also smiled and waved his hand repeatedly, signaling him to sit down. At the same time, he still enthusiastically made a gesture of getting up to greet him.

Although they didn't actually stand up, their attitude has definitely shown.

Chi Jingyuan smiled and bowed after greeting him, then sat down opposite him. Although it was their first meeting, he didn't seem at all restrained, sitting there generously and naturally. Jin Yuanshi looked at him intently, making a silent evaluation in his heart.

After settling down, Chi Jingyuan also took a good look at the director who might be collaborating with him for a while.

Jin Yuanti 77 years old this year, he is almost 40. He is slightly chubby, wearing black-rimmed glasses. His appearance is ordinary but has a kind face. However, his skin is not good, with obvious pits on both sides of his cheeks.

He definitely won't pay as much attention to grooming as an artist in this profession.

When he set his face in a stern manner, he must have looked quite severe. But at this moment, with a smile on his face, his already small eyes narrowed slightly, giving off a feeling of peace and friendliness.

Before coming, Chi Jingyuan had seen Kim Gyun-seok's information. He had been in the industry for a long time and worked on many film crews earlier, but he hadn't been officially working as a director PD for a few years. He started directing his first show in 2010. Besides last year's "Monster" which performed average, the other two TV dramas he shot were well-received, especially the 2010 production "Sungkyunkwan Scandal," which was very successful.

Chi Jingyuan, through reviewing materials and his own analysis, discovered that Jin Yuanshi's directorial style is distinct when he takes on the role of director. He has a mature filmmaking and production ability, excels at creating atmosphere, and pays attention to detail. Moreover, he has a good network of connections within the industry. He is considered a very outstanding director in recent years in the television drama field, with a promising future.

"Having no appointment at the cafe, wouldn't that feel a bit out of place" Kim Yeontan sized up Ji Kyeong-won after a moment and took the initiative to speak, simultaneously picking up an already opened bottle of soju from the side and pouring it into a small glass. "I saw your profile and you should be an adult by now, how about a drink"

Of course not, coffee shops and barbecue restaurants each have their own advantages...

Chi Jingyuan proactively reached out to take the wine bottle, pouring it while smiling and replying: "It feels more comfortable here, and I can eat a bit more before going back... You know, the company manages our profession very strictly. We never get enough to eat, and I appreciate you giving me this opportunity today."

Gim Yontan had heard some things about Ji Kyeong-won from a friend, including the behind-the-scenes story of the last-minute replacement of the male lead in "The Heirs." At this moment, the other person's casual and natural yet polite demeanor made him nod inwardly. The other person's double entendre also made him chuckle uncontrollably. Looking at Ji Kyeong-won, he shook his head:

"Ah Jia, I've heard friends mention you many times before. There are always whispers about you in the industry. Today, meeting you face-to-face, I realize the rumors were still understated. You are truly impeccable, both in appearance and character. Completely..." Kim Yeonsuk gave a thumbs up.

"Ani, oh, you're flattering me. Now that you've said that, how can I possibly eat more" Chi Jingyuan smiled sheepishly, looking a little embarrassed by the praise. He had the innocent look of a young man.

“Hahaha.” He laughed heartily again, and Kim Yeonsuk called over a waiter to bring out the dishes. At the same time, he chatted casually with Jiyeong Won about his recent activities. He seemed really interested in learning more about his idol's profession, asking him interesting questions about his acting career and personal insights on it.

After a few polite exchanges to get acquainted, the charcoal grill and dishes were served. The two of them then started discussing the real purpose of their meeting.

"Does Jingyuan have already seen the script"

"Yes, it's a really excellent script," Ji Jingyuan said with a smile, his tone genuinely praising.

"This drama made quite a few adaptations from the manga. We wanted to portray the somewhat cold and realistic story of the world or company as a chessboard, showing the faces of office workers through the perspective of Zhang Kele, a new employee in the workplace…"

Jin Yuantan took two sips of wine and began to chat animatedly. He even asked, "By the way, Jingyuan, do you know how to play Go"

"Yes, but I'm not an expert." He nodded and didn't boast.

He learned it for a while when he was young, but because he wasn't very interested, he didn't continue afterwards. Overall, he could only be said to understand the rules and how to play, but he was far from being good at it.

Even the title of the show, , he didn't know what it meant at first, and only looked it up later.

"Unsei (未生) in Go is a term that refers to a move in a desperate situation where a seemingly lost piece suddenly has a chance of survival. It describes a piece that is currently unable to survive, but it is not a dead piece; it still has the possibility of living."

"It won't have much of an impact, but it would be better if it did, helping with character understanding." Kim Yu-seok also nodded and continued, "The male protagonist, Jang Keun-lae, is a child who loved Go from a young age and dreamed of becoming a professional Go player, but failed because of family burdens. Due to a family crisis, his life became very difficult, working multiple jobs to make ends meet. When he entered the workforce with only a high school diploma and no experience, he would feel a strong sense of confusion and frustration..."

Kim Min-seok was in high spirits, grilling meat and drinking with Ji Kyeong-won while extensively discussing the character of Jang Keun-gwang, the male lead in the script, and his own interpretation. He also occasionally analyzed the plot and the clever reasons behind the script's settings.

Under the perfectly placed spotlight at Chi Jingyuan's, he spoke enthusiastically for a while before taking a sip of his drink and sighing, "You know, last year I filmed a short film for 'Unborn,' right"

"Inside, I've seen this short film, it was well made."

"Actually, originally we wanted to cast actor and idol Kim Woo-bin for the short film. He's like you, an idol turned actor, I'm sure you guys know him…"

"Yes, I've met senior Kim Seon Ho a few times."

He shrugged and said, “That was the original plan, but since this is TVN’s 8th anniversary special project, the production team places a lot of importance on it. In the previous meetings, some people felt that Jin Seon-kyul's performance in various aspects wasn't quite up to par.”

We all know that the role of Zhang Klai requires many conditions, such as an outstanding appearance, a young age but excellent acting skills, and preferably, the actor comes with high popularity and heat.

"Because our drama doesn't follow the typical idol drama format, the male lead will face many setbacks in the first few episodes, which might make some viewers feel frustrated. Therefore, we need a high level of audience engagement and sufficient discussion before developing the plot further and delving deeper."

“Another limitation is the acting aspect. It's really quite restrictive. Although our drama focuses on the male protagonist, it also leans towards ensemble acting. Several key supporting roles are played by very experienced and talented senior actors. If the actor playing Zhang Klai doesn't have enough charisma and acting skills, he could easily be overshadowed, leading to a lack of charm in his character.”

"Excellent in appearance, acting skills are outstanding, popularity is also high, and young. When we had the production meeting, these key points were highlighted, including myself. Many people directly thought of you, Jingyuan..."

Jin Yuanxi smiled and lightly tapped the water with his finger, gazing at Chi Jingyuan. "You were truly amazing as Jin Tan last year," he sighed. "That naturalness and the feeling of struggle, it seemed to transcend the boundaries of an idol drama."

"Kang Sang-mita." Hearing himself praised like this, Chi Jingyuan felt a little embarrassed and quickly thanked them.

“No matter what, Jingyuan, you are our top choice. Siwon is still lacking in several aspects compared to you… However, if s hadn't given us a reply this time, we were going to let Siwon try it out. After all, he was the original choice, and I heard that you haven't taken on a TV drama in a long time.” Almost at the end, Kim Yuon-seok also started being straightforward.

After this face-to-face meeting and conversation, his first impression of Chi Jingyuan was indeed very good. He felt that the praise he had heard about the other party in the industry before was true, and several directors and screenwriters who had worked with him were full of praise.

All in all, Ji Jingyuan is indeed one of the most suitable choices for the male lead in this drama. He excels in every aspect compared to the initially chosen Kim Tae-hyung.

This time, even if the other party doesn't follow up, this is also Ji Jingyuan's comeback after a year since "The Heirs" became popular. Coupled with his own fame in Asia and the popularity of EXO, this drama can gain a lot of attention and hype out of thin air.

The actors they cast for this drama are all powerful performers, but they might lack popularity and need to make up for it in other areas.

"Hmm..." Chi Jingyuan pondered for a moment. "When would the official shoot start"

“The crew formation has already begun, and the casting is just about finalized. If you’re on board, everything will be ready in half a month. We'll have the script discussion meeting at the end of August, and then we’ll officially start filming.” Gim Eul-suk was obviously prepared, readily outlining the schedule: “The broadcast schedule has been decided – it’s a weekend drama, premiering on October 17th.”

"Okay, I will discuss with the company and confirm as soon as possible."

Chi Jingyuan nodded, then bowed lightly, repeating the opening words: “Thank you again to the director for giving me this opportunity.”

"Hahaha..." Kim Yonsuk burst into laughter, just like before. This time, he even reached out and patted him hard on the shoulder.

……

With Kim Yuanxi gone, Ji Jingyuan got into the nanny car driven by Park Jaekhyun from the parking lot.

Before that, when he was talking with Gim Yeonsook, Park Bo Gum had been waiting in the parking lot. After it ended, he made a phone call and two minutes later, he came over.

Sitting in the backseat of the nanny car, Ji Jingyuan took his phone and searched for some information about the drama "The Untamed" once again.

Just now, Kim Yeong-seok told me some pretty confidential information. For example, the drama "The Uncanny Counter" has been in preparation for over a year. The original comic book author, Yoon Tae-ho, is also involved. The script has been revised and polished many times, and the actors were carefully selected to be talented actors.

This drama will be filming its first episode in Jordan, marking the first time a Peninsula television series has filmed there.

For example, this drama was coveted by several major terrestrial TV stations and CJ even since it started being developed last year. It was considered a big fish in the TV drama market, but after much consideration and negotiation from all sides, it ultimately chose to air on tvN.

Before coming on board, Chi Jingyuan was still considering between "The Untamed" and "Pinocchio," hesitating over which one would be more suitable. To be honest, he leaned more towards the former.

Though he hesitated for a moment with the phone in his hand, Ji Jingyuan still didn't call Park Shinhye.

The female lead for Pinocchio has already been cast as Park Shin Hye. He was originally going to reach out and ask about the play's details, but now he feels it's unnecessary.

After some communication with Jin Yuanshi and his own contemplation, he has almost made up his mind.

Compared to filming an idol drama, he is more interested in workplace dramas which are unfamiliar territory for him and have higher acting requirements.

After making the decision, he relaxed a lot. Chi Jingyuan leaned back in his chair and casually brushed through a few news articles before feeling bored. He clicked into v's page again.

Today, ** Entertainment released the debut music video for their new girl group Red Velvet's song "Happiness." Ji-sung was already able to watch it once during lunch.

After watching it, he felt a little strange.

The song is pretty good, the melody is cheerful and catchy, and the title and lyrics "Happiness" have a great meaning. It's also a bit addictive, after listening to the chorus once you can basically sing along.

After all, most of the lyrics in the chorus are " ".

But how to say it, he thinks that if you look at it through this v, the song is more suitable as a welcome song at the entrance of a wildlife park than a debut song for a kpop girl group.

...or even a specialized background music for television shopping programs would be perfectly acceptable.

The makeup of the four people inside is overall average and very similar. Some of the black fans' comments are not unreasonable. For unfamiliar people, or those with a slight case of face blindness, they can only rely on hair color to recognize them.

Pool Ching Yuen feels that this makeup not only failed to showcase IU's charm, but actually covered up a lot of it, having the opposite effect. Acting Awards ceremony is also nearing its end. As expected of Ji-yeong, the final grand prize went to Lee Bo-young, the female lead of the drama "Listen To Your Voice".He has already received enough...