#gatm

“Yoboseyo? Oh, oppa…I’m almost done…Ye~ I’ll be down soon.”

A young woman was sitting on a chair talking on the phone whilst an older woman stood behind her, finishing the last strands of hair to be curled. It was nearly noon and the hustle and bustle of the salon can be heard from downstairs as more and more customers were coming in to get their hair done.

“And….we’re done! Let me just comb through your hair a bit and you can go,” the older woman said as she set down the curling iron on to the table.

“Thank you as always, Mi young-unnie!” The young woman smiled at Mi Young through the reflection of the mirror in front of her. Her radiant smile was pure and infectious, causing her hairstylist to instinctively smile back at her.

“Aigoo, our ALUU representative. Absolutely pretty! No wonder all of Korea is going crazy over you,” Mi Young takes off the salon cover from the young woman who was waving her hand in face back and forth in disagreement with the stylist’s statements. “ Of course, it’s also thanks to your unnie that’s helping you become more pretty every day, right?”

“Andwaeyo, I was just born this pretty,” the young woman haughtily puts her hands in her hips while laughing. “Joke! Of course, it’s ALL thanks to all the unnies and especially my Mi Young-unnie! I’ll contact you so we can have fun once all the filming is done.”

Mi Young walks to send the young woman off from the salon whilst chatting away.

———————————————————————————————-

“Is Mi Young noona in? I called her and told her I was dropping by to give my greetings.”

“She is. She’s taking care of someone right now but I think she’ll be down soon,” The new receptionist busily looked at her desk before looking at the customer in front of her. Across from the front desk table, stood a broad chested man that stretched the fine threads of his (most likely designer) plain black t-shirt, black tufts of hair for bangs covering half his forehead, pressed down by the dark baseball hat he was wearing. At the sight of the good-looking man with one side of the face mask unhooked from his ear that allowed her to clearly see his face, she exclaimed. “Omo! Omoomomomo! It’s Ji Chang Wook!”

Ji Chang Wook smiled and laughed at the girl’s behavior. He leaned in to the receptionist and beckoned her to come closer, “Thank you for recognizing me but…can you keep it down?” Chang Wook furtively looked at the customers that were waiting in the salon’s lobby to see if anyone was staring at them. (A/N: Though who wouldn’t?? With a man that tall, shoulders that wide and that tell-tale sign of a celeb’s getup of a facemask and baseball hat? Oh Changwook oppa…)

The new receptionist apologized and sheepishly smiled. She was about to inform Chang wook that she’ll go get Mi Young quickly before noticing that she didn’t need to as she saw her in the level above, looking and waving at the customer going down the stairs. “Oh! Chang Wook-sshi! It looks like she’s done. You can just come up the stairs to see her.”

Ji Chang Wook turned around and saw his noona waving goodbye to someone. He smiled after not seeing her for a while and called up to her to get her attention. As he walked from the receptionist to the stairs, he brushed by a woman. Though it was only a slight graze of their shoulders that came in contact that could be ignored, Chang Wook instinctively turned around. The woman he bumped into was fairly shorter than him, probably barely eye level. It was a pity that he couldn’t see her face but even the sight of her back somehow left him briefly enraptured. Light brown hair that came off as almost golden as it caught the sunlight streaming from the windows of the salon, giving her a glow down to ends of the wavy tendrils that gracefully flowed down the back of her light blue off shouldered dress. The vision of her set something to light within him and yet just like that, she simply walked off the salon not knowing of the attention she had held within a man.

Working to shake himself back to sense, Chang-wook sheepishly reasoned it to be the celibate military life that had made him a simple base of a man to get struck at the figure of a woman. Though there was something familiar about that woman…to have caught his attention like that, he conceded in his head.

Going back to the task at hand, he quickly scaled the stairs to greet his longtime hairstylist and friend after not seeing her since his time in the army.

—————————————————————-

“Jihyun-ah, here is a copy of the interview questions that they’ll be asking you. Look over it again, just in case.”

“Oh okay, oppa.” Nam Ji Hyun said to her manager who was turned around to face her from the front car seat, reaching to take the sheet of paper from him. She scanned the paper to review the questions she needed to ready her answers more for the ongoing film promotional period.

“How was Mi Young-sshi by the way? I heard that the salon was going to open another branch in…was it in Daechi-dong or Yeoksam-dong?” Ji Hyun’s manager inquired after a moment of silence.

Setting the paper down in her lap, she replied, “She’s doing well as usual and I think she said Yeoksam-dong? Ne…I told her we should have another vacation again with the rest of the team once the film’s been officially released?”

They continued to hold a brief conversation before Jihyun went back to reviewing the questions. At nearly an hour drive to the set place for the interview from the salon’s location of Cheongdamdong, she was soon done with the task and was able to take a rest and occupy the time on her phone. Careful not to press down on the hair that her hairstylist did, she laid back on her chair, sending texts to friends and surfing on Naver.

Reviewing the top searches before scrolling down on the day’s stories, a sizable article headline caught her attention:  ACTOR JI CHANG WOOK RELEASED FROM THE ARMY- WHAT’S HIS NEW PROJECT?

It seemed like plate upon plate upon plate of food being set onto the table was never going to stop coming. An older woman with short stature and a ready smile on her face adorned with a plaid, navy blue apron was humming as she walked back to the kitchen once again to retrieve another serving of food to put on to the dining table.

"Eyyyy, Eomma! This is too much! You're overworking yourself," Ji Chang Wook playfully protested as he hovered between the kitchen and the dining table, watching it slowly get filled up with numerous dishes and sides until the surface could almost not be seen. He was pleased to see his mother in her element but was also partially, genuinely concerned at the time-consuming and hard work his mother must have put in to make the feast being laid in front of him.

"My son that I miss so much has come back from the army! All the mothers of Korea would be do the same thing. This is normal," Chang Wook's mom called out to him from the kitchen. After scooping a ladle full of soup onto a big bowl, she cautiously exited the kitchen. Chang Wook hurried to his mother to help her set the bowl on the table.

"A mother's joy among many things, is to feed her child food that she's cooked. And I haven't been able to cook your meals in a long time! Consider this a favor for your mom that's been lonely cooking meals just for herself, ne?" Chang Wook smiled affectionately at his caring mother and gave her a hug.

"My mom, you worked hard. Thank you very, very much."

Hugging her son just a bit tighter, she felt herself tearing up at the thought of all the things that her son had to endure. Beyond the army, there were months that he would barely be in contact knowing full well he was giving his all to another project often to the neglect of his own health by not having proper meals and eating ramyun after ramyun instead. For what its worth, she wanted to show her son her love and support in as simple as preparing food for him to make him feel that she was always there for him. Though he may love his job,  she knew it must have been difficult to always keep people at a distance due to the nature of the industry he chose to be in.

Working to stop the tears from falling, she decided to take the conversation into a lighter tone by slyly remarking, "…if only my son can finally give me a daughter in law to help with the household and keep me company around the house…" At that statement, Ji Chang Wook briefly stiffened. "Didn't you have that girl you always went out with? What was her name…lemme think..I think it started with a J? J-J-"

"Ah, eomma! Now, now! I wouldn't want the food that you worked so hard on to get cold," Chang Wook hurriedly worked to change the topic at hand. He put on an exaggerated act of enthusiastically sitting down and putting on a face of awe at the feast in front of him.

She shook her head at her son and settled the topic to be brought up again for another day and sat down at the table.

In front of them was truly a feast that bring about awe. On the table laid home staples sides that ranged from a fluffy rolled egg to all kinds of seasoned vegetables (bean sprouts, spinach, radish, perilla leaves, kimchi) that were sure to renew one's health, cucumber pancake, hearty slices of bossam and a murky, meat filled soup at the center.

"Sundaeguk! Sundaeguk! Hwa~ I missed that the most!" Chang Wook beamed and already had a spoon at the ready to dig in. ------------------------------ Ji Chang Wook sighed contentedly while rubbing his stomach. Settled comfortably on the couch with the remote on one hand and the other on his stomach, the handsome actor looked every bit of a newly released and unemployed army man lazying around in mismatched house clothes  that he was rather than what one would expect from someone who is a fashion icon, a sponsor and face of products ranging from luxury brands to face masks that millions of people go crazy over.

"Ah, I'm so full…," Ji Chang absent mindedly murmured as his concentration was on the soccer game that was airing on TV.

After his early lunch with his mother and the clean up afterwards, she had insisted on him resting whilst she went out for errands though he had suggested accompanying her. Since then, a few hours have already gone by spent watching the replayed soccer tournaments and the usually active man was starting to feel restless.

Getting up from the couch to retrieve his phone in his room, he dialed his manager's phone to see if he was available to go for a motorcycle ride around the city later in the day along with some of their other friends.

The quiet beeps of the flash sounding from the camera could be occasionally heard cutting through the music sounding in the studio.

"Good! Ji hyun-sshi, just tilt your head to the right a little bit…neh, neh. And your hands…..good, good," the photographer took a photo as he crouched in the ground to take a photo of Nam Ji Hyun in a better angle. Taking a pause to review the photos taken on the computer screen, people from Ji Hyun's styling team took the opportunity to retouch her makeup and add further volume to her tousled hair with a hairspray and a comb in hand.

Nam Ji Hyun stood from her position on the floor for her stylist to better fix herself, the trail of her off white, chiffon dress fluttering behind her. Rearranging the relaxed waves of hair strategically on top of the flower crocheted V-neck lining of her dress, the actress exuded the perfect example of simple elegance and innocence as her outfit highlighted her youthfulness and delicate features. And yet when it was time to resume the photoshoot, the versatility of Nam Ji Hyun's gaze brought out by the photographer's directing showcased an allure that wouldn't be expected from a fledgling of a former child actress. Delivering looks ranging from one of coquettish curiosity to pained longing to hesitant desire with ease, young though she may be, it could not be refuted that she was still a seasoned professional with over 10 years of experience in the industry with the control she had over her expressions.

The photographer murmured in approval as he prompted Ji Hyun to make slight changes on her poses. "Just one more...And...we're done! Good work everyone! Good work, Jihyun-sshi!"

Jihyun bowed her head humbly to everyone around her saying, "Thank you everyone! You've worked hard. Thank you," before she approached the photographer to personally thank him.

"Thank you for your care and guidance, photographer-nim."

"Thank you too, Jihyu-sshi. The photoshoot today will be for sure be a success with the quality of shots you've allowed me to take. You are truly amazing. It's going to come out great."

"Ey, photographer-nim. Anieyo. I just tried my best. Thank you for acknowledging my effort," Jihyun bashfully and humbly responded to the photographer's compliments.

"It has been an honor to work with you, I hope I can take more of your pictures in the future and oh! Good luck on your movie," the photographer shook her hands and left to further review the shots that he took.

Meanwhile, Jihyun went to go change out of the sponsored dress for the photoshoot and go back home as her schedule was done for the day.

Rambunctious laughter filled the café as Ji Chang Wook and his friends entered the place with their helmets in hand. The barista standing at the wooden counter illuminated by the metal light fixture and the letters spelling out PEACE overhang against the wall, greeted the crowd with familiarity and set out to do their usual drink orders.

They collectively passed by to head to the stairs where there was a private seating area in the upper level for the owner and his friends to hang out as they wish. The retro coffee shop by day and bar by night, Carnaby St., was the regular hangout for the handsome actor, especially on days when he went out to for a ride on his motorcycle or vespa. The vibe of the shop was stylish, bright and yet approachable with its eclectically designed British memorabilia that makes one feel like they're at the heart of London.

Everyone was settled on to the wooden table placed amidst the string lights and hanging vines upstairs as the owner of Carnaby St. brought them their drinks. With the owner joining in, they updated each other on the going-ons of their life that had been busy lately and prevented them from getting together sooner. Their conversations were boisterous and filled with teasing and jokes especially to the expense of Ji Chang Wook as his release from the army was one of the main topics to talk about. A lot of his friends had already enlisted long before he did and knew from experience the difficulty of adjusting back into society once again and wanted to ease their friend back to the way of things. It made Ji Chang Wook really appreciate his friends as he saw their efforts and love the bond they all had despite being in different working industries.

Bringing himself out of his thoughts, he tuned into the conversation to hear about Gil Bok who worked as a camera director talking about the new movie he had been busy with to Chi Gu.

"Are you guys going? I'm sure the higher-ups expect you guys to come to the VIP Premiere since Chang Wook-ah is back and he's worked with the actors of the film before."

Chang Wook looked at Chi-Gu in inquiry.

"It's still a couple of months away so that's probably why the company hasn't confirmed with us about the scheduling quite yet," his manager responded.

"Ah okay," Ji Chang Wook said to Chi-Gu and then turned to his other side. "Hwa~ Gil Bok-hyung, this is rare for you to suddenly bring up work. That's strange."

"Yeah it is not typical of me but you guys have to watch it when it comes out! This old man's heart has been moved," Gil Bok jokingly patted his chest with a mockingly teary eyed expression, his mouth skewed in a comical manner.

The actor and his manager laughingly jeered at Gil Bok's antics.

"Oh, are you guys talking about Jihyun-ah's new movie?" Choi Tae Joon interjected into their conversation. "She was telling me about it when I happen to meet her in a café with Khun (his cat)."

"That's right. Yah~…Nam Ji Hyun-sshi," the camera director shook his head. "It's amazing. She is completely different in this one," thinking of how the young actress's role in her new film was a complete and utter departure from her roles in the past. "The set would get goosebumps in some of her scenes."

"Jihyun-ah?" Ji Chang Wook tilted his head in thought.  "I didn’t think she'd be doing another project yet. We lost contact after my first year in the army but I remember she told me she was taking a break to finish school."

Tae Joon shrugged. "I didn’t get a chance to ask her but we're probably going to see each other again in that cat café since she's a regular there so I could ask for updates."

"Oh! Jo Jae Yoon-Hyung is also part of the production by the way," Gil Bok mentioned.

"It's the same movie that you were working on? I know he mentioned he was busy with a movie that's coming out soon. I didn't know it would be the one you were also in," Tae Joon said.

"Yeah, he's not playing a bad guy this time," Gil Bok laughed. "Did you know his wife is pregnant again?

"Wow, again? Incredible," Chi Gu remarked. "I don't know how he does it..."

"Hyung! Have you seen the game last night?" Kangwoo, who had been busy talking with the Carnaby owner, Jin Su, excitedly brought up the soccer game that aired to Gil Bok and the others.

And just like that, the group got swept up by talk of their favorite sport, they fervently discussed the moves of the players and moved on from discussing work matters.

The soft, crackling sound of piano being played on the speakers over head flowed through the conference hall in Apgujeong-CGV. There were hushed murmurs from the crowd as they waited for the emcee to finally announce the beginning of the event.

A woman of short stature, known for her "square shaped" face walked up the stairs to the podium in the side of the low makeshift stage.

"Hello everyone. Thank You for patiently waiting and for coming to the event. My name is Park Kyung Lim and I will be the host for this afternoon." The emcee momentarily paused and acknowledged the audience's applause while taking note of the group of people slowly filtering in from the side of the stage. "Director Shin Su-won, most known for her short films acknowledged by the Cannes Film Festival that depict realism of life's problems has come back with a new creation that will for sure move our hearts once again. A melodrama. A relatable story about womanhood and the growing pains of living in today's society. DAL."

And with that, Park Kyung Lim stepped away from the microphone as the lights dimmed and the trailer of the film that was being introduced to the crowd was shown up above the stage on the hanging projector.

As the overview of the movie reached its end, the event organizer promptly cued the actors to enter the stage once the lights came back on. One by one, the actors stepped on to the stage with the introduction of Park Kyung Lim. Though the lights in the room were already on, it was further illuminated by the irregular, blinding flashes from the invited photographers that sat in the front portion of the room, ensuring that they were able to take individual and group shots of the cast.

From the stage, Nam Ji Hyun maintained her smile and composure amidst the tear-inducing commotion from the cameras. Casually adjusting the skirt of her flared, vintage-flower dress that alluded to the slow change of the season, she slightly bowed her head in order to subtly take a deep breath to calm her beating heart. Almost bursting from her chest, the actress couldn't hide a slight shake in her body. It wasn't out of nervousness or apprehension. She was filled with an all encompassing feeling of anticipation.

This film project was a new endeavor she had taken on with some hesitance after taking a break to finish off school. Though she did some advertisements between then and now, this was her first full fledged production that she had committed to after college, her first commitment as a full-time actress. It had initially taken her a bit of time to get a hang of filming again but it always comes back, the love for this field that had caused her to remain and pursue this career since she was 9 years old and the experience that has come with that now that she was almost 24 years old. But this time, she felt there was more she had to offer from what she's learned in her time to recollect herself since her last project.

For the time to finally come in which the amount of her self that she had poured into this project in the past couple of months come into fruition and be shared to the public, it left her restless. And now, this project marked the entry into the title of an "official actress, Nam Ji Hyun" without any hyphenated descriptors (childstar)…or at least thats what she hoped.

Breaking her out of her thoughts, she felt a hand in the small of her head prompting her to sit down at the chairs lined up behind them to sit for interviewing.

"You okay, Jihyun-ah?" Seo Kang Joon quietly asked after nudging her as the rest of her coworkers sat down,

"Oh, oppa. I just spaced out for a bit," Jihyun stared up at his light brown eyes and smiled at his concern. "I was just thinking about how I can’t wait to show our work to everyone."

"I know...hwaiting to us!" Kang Joon put up his fists in determination.

"That's right! Hwaiting!" Nam Ji Hyun mimicked Kang Joon and laughed.

"Children! Hush," Jo Jae Yoon interjected, reprimanding them jokingly.

"Ne, Seonsaengnim…," the two young actors responded in a mocking tone but followed his directions as staff gave the actors some microphones along with the director who had accompanied them on stage.

Starting with introductions, the director who was sitting close to the emcee initiated the talk, "Annyounghaseyo, I am Shin-Su Won, the director of 'DAL.'

Beside her, a known mischievous looking man then introduced himself with a serious face, "I'm Jo Jae Yoon and I am a highschool student in the same school as Kang Joon and Jihyun…"

A collective sound of jeering came from the people of the press and the crew. Park Kyung Lim said while laughing, "Let's not even kid around with the impossible ne? Come back to your senses, Jae Yoon-sshi."

"Aye, a lot of the staff have told me they get confused sometimes. But ok fine, I am the homeroom highschool teacher of Hyo-Jeong, Jihyun's character," Jae Yoon mock-grudgingly conceded. " I work to guide the students to reach their dreams."

Beside him followed the handsome, young actor from 5surprise, "I am Actor Seo Kang Joon and I play Kim Byeong-Su, a boy who is fully of energy and life but also is lacking a lot, especially in noticing the situations around him. Please look forward to this character's antics, mistakes and growth."

At Nam Ji Hyun's turn, she simply stated, "I am Nam Ji Hyun and I play Han Hyo-Jeong, a dutiful daughter to her parents and a diligent student."

After her was a women she had previously worked with in a drama called Angel Eyes. Playing a mother to Nam Ji Hyun this time around, Kim- Yeo Jin introduced herself as someone who hoped to support their daughter alongside actor Cho Jin-Woong's character as the father.

Moving on to the questions, Kyung Lim inquired, "Director Shin Su-Won-sshi, this is your second time naming a film after something from outer space, the first being: Pluto. Is there any reason? Will you be making it into a series of sorts?"

The director responded, " I want to say it was a coincidence in regards to its connection with my past work. It just had really fit into the overall theme/ concept of what I had imagined about this film which focuses on the interactions of Jihyun's character with the others and the impact that comes from that. One of the major points is her interactions with her parents and her struggle with her role as a daughter which really dictates her decisions and actions on other aspects of her life. The moon (dal) is known to be the main source of illumination for what lays within the darkness and we will see how true that becomes for our Hyo-Jeong-ah. I also took into account the closeness it had with the word daughter (ddal). So with those play in words, it really just all connected."

"Ah,I had not thought of that! That's amazing," the emcee said. " So, will the story mainly revolve around Jihyun-sshi then, Director-nim?"

"Her role is integral in the plot but all the others who do have some connection with her in some way all have a story that allow the audience into their psyche."

" Thank you for that insightful answer, Director," Kyung-Lim then directed her attention to Seo Kang-Joon. "Kang Joon-sshi, what is your relationship with Jihyun in this film?"

"I am someone who is between a friend and an acquaintance to Hyo-Jeong-ah who is also my next door neighbor," answered the 5surprise actor.

"So will you guys have a 'some' connection then?" She probed for further details.

"Maybe? In a way? It's hard to explain but if you watch you will understand why I answer in that way," Kang Joon replied.

"Aye, Kang Joon-sshi! Stop teasing us…" Kyung-Lim moved to ask the same question to Nam Ji Hyun hoping for more information out of her.

"I would have to answer the same thing as Kang Joon-oppa," she politely responded.

"These actors are doing their best to make us want to watch the film, ne?" The emcee directed her question to the audience. "How about in real life then? I know you have worked with Kang Joon before in a drama along with the fact that I've heard you have kept in contact since. Any parallels between there and your relationship in the film?"

"Hyo-jeong and Byeong-Su constantly change and develop in the film due to each other but somehow a distance seems to always exist. In real life, Kang Joon oppa and I are better friends than our characters. He has really been a good support and took care of me in the set and with the scenes along with the other sunbae-nims."

Kang Joon nudged Jihyun subtly in the shoulder in reaction to her response, " Anniyo, Jihyun is a big sunbae to me and she's the one who actually really helped me along with the others. I already knew what she could do before, through 'What Happens With My Family' drama  but there were some really heavy scenes in the script that I couldn't imagine being realized. Jihyun-ah made it come alive. I have a lot to learn from her." The actor turned his body in his seat to bow towards the young actress.

Flustered, she shook her hands in denial and holding the microphone that was in her lap, sheepishly said, "Oppa! Stop saying nonsense!" She lightly slapped him in the shoulder. "I'm getting embarrassed in front of all the other great sunbae-nims."

Kim Yeo-jin, who plays the mother in the film, suddenly interjected, "Aigoo, these young ones flirting…" She laughed at the two young actors' responses.

The questions were soon directed to the other actors and provided further elaboration and material for the press to use in reports of the film.

"Please look forward to the movie on its release in October. Thank you very much," Director Shin Su-Won said to the press as a closing statement. Her head bowed down first and the rest of the cast followed suit.

A thick stack of bulkily packed portfolios was on the wooden bedside table of the popular, sought- after actor, Ji Chang Wook. They were scripts sent to him from various production agencies in hopes their project would be positively considered to have him as their actor. Placed there for him to review when he has time, he was currently reclined on a pillow propped against his headboard, holding a folded packet on one hand angled towards the light from a lamp. Adjusting the black rimmed glasses resting on his nose, he murmured a few lines of the script for his upcoming project in order to work on memorizing it.

Flipping through the next page, he diligently went over the paper and practiced the lines under his breath. Whilst he tucked another piece of paper to the back, his phone made a "ding" sound.

His eyes still trained on the paper, he pulled on the handle of the drawer of his nightstand. Halfheartedly feeling around until he felt his phone, he finally set aside the script momentarily to look at who sent the text. Unlocking his phone he saw it was a file attachment of a brief schedule update from his manager for the following month.

Scanning it quickly, among the dates and times for pictorials of products he sponsors along with some fashion magazine shoots, written in between was a VIP Premiere appearance.