The Haunted Monster Actor - Chapter 17



Only Krnovel

Episode 17

“Is this your first time taking a profile picture?”

The ‘thing to do first’ that Woo Ji-yoon spoke of was nothing else.

The scene that Hyunsoo appeared at today is the profile studio.

A profile picture is the face that appears at the top when you type an actor’s name into the internet, and can be said to be the actor’s first impression.

In some ways, creating a first impression with the public and producers is just as important as acting.

“You’re probably out of your mind today.”

Make Star Studio, located in Hapjeong-dong, Seoul, has been working closely with Piorum since its inception.

Gina, the studio owner and photographer, greeted Gogun with joy as soon as she saw him.

“Oh my, Director Ko is here? I’ve been missing you for so long I’m dying!”

The beige jumpsuit and bold, flashy makeup that seems to be trendy among the younger generation these days immediately catch the eye.

Goh Gun shrugged his shoulders in response to photographer Gina’s exaggerated welcome.

“Hey, sis, I’m not a manager yet.”

“Now that it’s been five years, shouldn’t you be the team leader even if you can’t do it? I like seeing the manager’s face, but I can’t keep running around forever, right?”

“Haha, I still like the scene.”

Hyunsoo, who was listening to their conversation, was inwardly surprised.

In the managerial industry where job changes are frequent due to low pay and high workload, she said that after five years, she would be treated as a team leader or higher wherever she went.

The fact that he had appointed such a capable person was also proof of the great expectations Woo Ji-yoon had for Hyun-soo.

“So, where is our actor?”

Gogun tilted his head in response to Gina’s question.

“Yes? You’re right next to me.”

“Huh? Next to you?”

Gina, with a bewildered look on her face, soon realized her mistake and opened her mouth with a puzzled look.

“Oh my, oh my! I’m sorry! The image is too ordinary compared to what you saw on TV… … Oh, no, it’s different… … .”

This isn’t just a passing remark.

Gina was genuinely surprised.

She is a top-tier photographer in her early 30s who continues to receive work from several entertainment companies.

It was impossible for her, who made a living taking pictures of people, to not recognize the face she had just seen on TV when it was right in front of her.

‘The atmosphere, the look in their eyes… … They seem like completely different people. Is this really the same person?’

It is not simply a matter of having a thousand faces.

Literally, my very ‘existence’ felt like that of a different person.

Even after that, Gina’s confused eyes didn’t take their eyes off Hyunsoo for a while.

“Do you have anything to say?”

“Yes? No… … That, that’s… … Ah! Do you have any experience taking profile pictures?”

“I have experience taking pictures on my own when I didn’t have an agency.”

After hearing Hyunsoo’s words, Jinah smiled and answered.

“The atmosphere will be different in many ways compared to when you do it alone.”

Gina’s smile as she spoke seemed somehow sinister.

The profile photo shoot process is divided into four major steps.

The first thing we do is have a concept meeting.

A rough concept for the shoot is established through discussion between the actor, agency, and photographer.

As acting is a job that requires showing many faces through the screen, usually three themes are set in advance.

Once the direction is set, the makeup, hair, and clothing are set accordingly.

After that, we will begin the actual filming.

“Do you have any concepts or ideas in mind?”

Hyunsoo shook his head with a troubled expression.

“I also heard it from the CEO yesterday… … Oh, I did starve since last night.”

At Hyunsoo’s words, Jinaga smiled and nodded.

“I know Jiyoon’s style very well.”

“Oh, that doesn’t mean I took the profile photo shoot lightly. Rather, I thought that the experts would know more about this than I do… … .”

After hearing Hyunsoo’s words, Jina nodded with a satisfied expression.

“In short, leave the work of experts to the experts? That’s the most difficult order.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. And it’s also the best thing to hear.”

I was impressed by the attitude that showed respect for his profession.

“I had a basic outline of the story in mind from the moment I was contacted.”

That’s why I was watching the rebroadcast of ‘Your Darkness’ just now.

Soon, a briefing on the concept prepared by Make Star Studio began.

“The first one is soft and comfortable colors that match actor Kim Hyun-soo’s usual impression. The second one is also in his original mood, but instead, it is serious and has a moderate weight, focusing on full shots. The last one… … .”

Gina pointed to one of the photos she had placed on the table.

This is a captured version of a scene where Lee Ji-woon appears in ‘Your Darkness’.

“Lastly, I’m thinking of capturing it with a contrasting and brain-crushing feel like Lee Ji-woon. What do you think?”

“Nose, what do you mean by contrast and brainwashing feeling… …what exactly does it feel like?”

“Just make a scary face.”

“If that’s the case, I’m confident.”

Go Gun and Hyun Soo nodded without realizing it at Gina’s flowing briefing.

“Then shall we begin right away?”

* * *

Once the concept was fixed, the entire studio began to revolve around Hyun-soo.

First, start with makeup and hair styling.

“I guess you always apply sunscreen. Your skin is so nice.”

“Are you done with your makeup? Let me know when you’re done so I can try on your outfit.”

“Just finish the hair and you’re done!”

Pre-prepared costume setting.

“Since the actress has good proportions, I think a formal look would be better than casual.”

“I saw it on TV, but actor Kim Hyun-soo is really good at washing clothes. If it weren’t for work, I would have liked to see him wear a police uniform(?)… … .”

‘I’m not in my right mind.’

In front of the actress, Hyun-soo was able to skillfully respond to any line, but in front of the studio artists who chattered like sparrows, Hyun-soo remained silent like a mute who had eaten honey.

After being dragged around like a doll for hours, I was completely exhausted before the actual filming even began.

That was the reason why Jinna smiled sinisterly.

“Representative! Actor Kim Hyun-soo’s first setting is complete!”

‘This, this is the first… … ?’

I just felt like going back to the filming set.

anyway.

After the makeup and costume setting were completed safely(?), Hyunsoo, who looked completely different than before, stood in the center of the studio.

‘Surely, there must be something to it that makes you an actor.’

With his ordinary appearance, he naturally took control of the studio just by standing still.

A honeycomb fills the rim light, and a 600W softbox gently reflects light towards the suspension.

The 24-70, 50mm 1.4 lens in Jinaga’s hand was pointed at Hyeon-su.

Click! Peek!

Gina looked at the suspension bridge standing within the square frame of the test shot and was inwardly amazed.

As expected of an actor, Hyun-soo’s gaze as he looked at the camera did not waver at all.

But what made Gina admire him now wasn’t just his gaze.

‘I wondered how he could act so creepy with that ordinary face… … .’

Everyone has their own angle that suits them.

However, Hyunsoo’s face was captured in a stable composition no matter which angle was turned.

The proportions of his facial features were truly perfect.

‘Literally, you have a thousand faces.’

A face like that would be able to make any role completely his own.

Maybe that’s why.

Click! Ping―

Click! Pfft—

Aside from being stable, Hyunsoo’s face showed a slightly different vibe every time a photo was taken.

‘How can the atmosphere be different from each angle?’

Hyun-soo, who had a relatively smooth and ordinary impression for an actor, could be said to have the impression of a kind of blank sheet of paper, as Jin-a put it.

Therefore, if it were as originally intended, the result would have to come out according to the makeup, hair, costume, and lighting that Gina intended.

‘But why… … does it feel like it’s a different person every time I take a picture?’

The shutter sound that had been ringing cheerfully inside the studio gradually begins to die down.

He put down the camera with a look on his face as if he didn’t like something passing by.

“Should we take a break… for a moment?”

* * *

Gina paused for a moment to review the photos she had taken earlier with a complicated expression on her face.

By comparing the results and carefully examining the differences, Gina was soon able to figure out why each photo looked different.

‘eye.’

There are many factors that determine a person’s impression.

Of course, the appearance of the face.

The eyebrows and corners of the mouth that determine facial expressions.

If we were to list all the body types, clothing, and hairstyles one by one, it would be endless.

For photographer Gina, the most important factor in determining a person’s impression is none other than ‘light’.

The curves of the face created by the shades of light affect the mood and impression.

But among them, the organ that makes the most subtle difference regarding ‘light’ is… … none other than the ‘eye’.

‘In each photo… the eyes are different.’

The eye is the only organ in the human body that receives light ‘inside’.

In terms of cameras, it’s like the lens and aperture.

In Hyunsoo’s case, the subtle differences between his eyes and pupils created different atmospheres.

This is an extremely subtle difference that would never be noticeable to an ordinary person other than Gina, the genius photographer.

“Actor Kim Hyun-soo, can I talk to you for a moment?”

Hyunsoo nodded and came next to Jinah.

“This picture and this picture. Do you know the difference?”

As she said that, Gina pointed to two pictures displayed on the monitor.

“Isn’t this the same picture?”

“Look at it more closely. This photo feels a bit like Lee Ji-woon… … Doesn’t he look like actor Kim Hyun-soo here?”

“… … .”

“It’s not just these two pictures. If you look at these pictures here… … .”

Gogun, who was listening to their conversation from the side, tilted his head with a bewildered expression.

“Huh? What’s the difference, sis? They both look clean and well-picked.”

The other photographers who worked as her assistants also did not recognize the difference between what Gina was saying.

“Sister, even from my perspective, it looks like they both came out well.”

And at this place, there was only one person who understood what Gina was saying.

He was none other than Hyun-soo, the person who was asked the question.

‘Certainly, there is a difference.’

In fact, even while taking profile pictures, Hyunsoo was controlling Jang Ki-chun and Lee Jun-hyeok’s emotions that occasionally came out.

That young genius photographer recognized that gap.

“I’ll try to pay more attention.”

After hearing Hyunsoo’s words, Jina looked a little surprised and asked back.

“So, you’re saying there was some difference?”

“Maybe.”

The implication of this answer was simple.

It meant that the sense of incongruity he had discovered was not wrong.

Jinaga continued speaking with a slightly excited expression on her face.

“There’s nothing wrong, so there’s no need to fix it. Instead… … .”

“… … ?”

“Can’t these two be combined? I think it would make something more interesting.”

“Combining? What does that mean…?”

“You can think of it as combining the conflicting concepts that we talked about in the meeting earlier. It’s about putting Kim Hyun-soo’s natural good vibe and Lee Ji-woon’s dark vibe into one face. In a word… … .”

“… … ?”

“Is it like a Janus feeling?”

The two-faced god. Janus.

What Gina wanted was simple.

It was the artist’s unique desire to capture these two opposing eyes in one frame.

Hyunsoo, who understood what Jinaga wanted, thought about something for a moment, then nodded.

“I’ll try.”

“This won’t work… … Really? Are you saying that will work?”

“I don’t know if it will work, but I’ll try… … .”

Before Hyunsoo could even finish answering, Jinah picked up the camera with a slightly surprised expression on her face.

“Please let me know when you are ready.”

Passing by the bewildered faces of the staff, Hyunsoo stood in the center of the studio again.

And then he closed his eyes.

I stood still and began to contemplate the image inside me.

There is one thing that Jinaga did not notice.

The thing that she immediately noticed was that both of these conflicting atmospheres were not Hyun-soo’s.

Currently, there are two conflicting characters inside Hyun-soo.

* * *

I closed my eyes and a dark forest path came to mind as a picture of Hyun-soo.

As you follow the dark forest path, you will come across a large lake that could be compared to the sea, and in the center of the lake, the stern of a large ferry is peeking out.

A mental space created during meditation to control dreams.

This is because I realized that in order to create a clear boundary with the beings within myself, the image must first be clear.

Let’s focus our consciousness again, and someone walks out of the dark forest.

The being walking towards us with a sharp blade in one hand is none other than Jang Gi-chun.

Next, let’s focus our consciousness on the red lake, and a man with a strong impression appears within it.

He is Lee Jun-hyeok, a deep-sea diver from the SSU, who threw himself into the sea to save even just one more survivor, his whole body soaked in water.

Mindless murder and noble goodwill.

Ambivalent emotions that could never be mixed took hold on both sides of Hyun-soo’s consciousness.

When Hyunsoo opened his eyes.

Jang Gi-chun and Lee Jun-hyeok opened their eyes.

The extreme emotions that had been suppressed begin to run wild in Hyun-soo’s eyes.

Even though Hyun-soo didn’t say anything, Jin-a captured his eyes in an extreme close-up shot(*) as if he was possessed by something.

I had no idea what kind of results my work today would bring.

―――

(*Extreme close-up shot: A technique of taking a picture of only one part, such as a fingernail, nose, ear, or eye, by zooming in extremely.)

Continued in the next episode