Despite the holidays coming soon, the cast of The Star's Secret had one more work commitment to attend before they could fully enjoy the holiday season.
For today, they will have a promotional shoot for Webflix, one of the largest streaming platforms in the world.
Inside the studio of Webflix Korea, the atmosphere was light and friendly, with a touch of elegance, just like the show they were promoting.
Inside one of the studios of the building, a number of cameras and crew walked around, making sure that the set was well-covered by the cameras. The set was decorated modestly and simply.
There was a matte black backdrop plastered on the walls with the repeating word 'Webflix' together with its signature logo, a red 'W' lettering. The lighting on the set was also soft and flattering, casting an even glow across the set.
Everything was neat, polished, and organized, as expected from a production backed by a major platform.
Five highchairs were arranged in a semicircle at the center, all facing the main camera. In front of them were cue cards and some handheld paddles used for games. They were round and white ones with a cutout of the cast's faces.
A staff member behind the camera gave the final countdown before the shooting starts.
"3... 2... 1... Cue!"
The red ON AIR sign lit up, and the host, a cheerful woman in her early 30s, welcomed the audience with a bright smile.
"Hello, everyone! Welcome to Behind the Stars, your favorite Webflix special, where we bring you closer to your favorite drama stars! Today, we have the incredible cast of the upcoming drama The Star's Secret! Let's meet them!"
The camera panned across the group, entering.
Minjae was the first one to enter. He showed a sweet smile as he sat in the middle front. He was dressed in a soft cream knit sweater layered over a simple white shirt, paired with nude slacks. Overall, he was neatly styled by Lux & Co.
Minjae looked warm and effortlessly handsome.
Next to him, Yura wore a black top with subtle sparkles and a skirt that caught the studio light gently. Her make-up was done finely, her hair was sleek, and her smile was graceful and composed.
On the other side of Minjae, Haejin, who was the second lead, sat confidently. He wore a dark navy jacket over a high-collared shirt and black slacks. He looked charismatic and poised, but on the inside, he was dying of nervousness.
On the other hand, Seojin and Jihoon sat at the back.
Jihoon wore a striped shirt and light-colored jeans. A funny and wide smile was plastered on his face. While Seojin had a polished look. She was wearing a dark blouse tucked into wide slacks.
"Welcome, everyone!" The host clapped her hands together as the cast waved their hands and made subtle poses in front of the camera.
It was a direct shoot without any introductions and talks, just pure games and questions.
"Let's start with our first game. Who's Most Likely To! I'll read a prompt, and you'll raise the paddle with the face of the cast member you think fits the answer best!"
Minjae and the others looked at each other suspiciously. Since they were close by now, there was no embarrassment between them. They just chuckled and listened to the game.
"Let's start with something easy," the host said, flipping the cue card with an amused grin. "Who's most likely to forget their lines during filming?"
Instantly, there was a wave of laughter from the cast. The camera cut to a wide shot that captured all five cast members in the frame. They were shown smiling, chuckling, and already reaching for their paddles as if it was easy.
Minjae didn't even hesitate. He smiled as he raised a paddle with Jihoon's goofy face on it. Next to him, Yura lifted the same one, covering her mouth as she giggled. Jihoon, however, dramatically gasped and pointed at himself as if he couldn't accept their answers.
"Hey! Is that how we're starting?" Jihoon exclaimed out loud, holding his arms up. The camera quickly cut to a close-up reaction of him.
Even Seojin and Haejin raised Jihoon's face paddle, nodding with a soft smile as they just laughed while Jihoon defended himself continuously.
The host leaned forward slightly, eyes twinkling. She chuckled and pointed at Jihoon.
"Wow! That was unanimous! Jihoon-ssi, do you have something to say to them?"
The camera zoomed in on Jihoon again as he placed a hand over his heart, overacting as usual.
"It's not true guys. Don't believe them. They're just jealous because I'm good with my lines," Jihoon smiled so widely at the camera.
However, laughter just broke out again, as the rest shook their head dismissively.
"Alright, next one! Who's most likely to laugh during a serious scene?" The host flipped to the next card.
A beat of silence passed. This time, the cast looked around suspiciously at one another, some narrowing their eyes.
However, in an instant, they all raised Jihoon's face once again.
Jihoon raised both arms in the air, as if he were feeling attacked.
"Okay, that one, I'll accept. But only because they're funny."
"Sure, Jihoon-ssi. Let's go with a spicier one this time," the host teased, holding up the next card. "Who's most likely to get scolded in the set?"
A groan came from behind the paddles. They all showed different reactions. This one made them hesitate.
The truth was, all of them had been scolded by Director Hwang, except Minjae, who was able to do anything that was asked of him.
"Oof, this is a dangerous one…" Jihoon leaned forward dramatically, as if in deep thought.
Haejin narrowed his eyes with a crooked smile. He tapped his paddle lightly against his knee, clearly weighing his options.
Yura tilted her head slightly, lips pursed in mock concern, while Seojin simply looked down at the paddles in her hand, trying not to laugh.
Then, one by one, the paddles came up.
Yura chose herself, making a sheepish expression as she lifted it halfway. Haejin raised Seojin's paddle with a playful smirk. Jihoon, of course, lifted Yura's, immediately earning a playful glare from her. Seojin hesitated before she raised Jihoon's face again, which made the studio crew laugh softly from behind the cameras.
Meanwhile, Minjae just held Jihoon's face again, letting out a soft laughter. He found it funny, but he was still calm and composed.
"It seems like no one voted for Minjae." The host chuckled as the answers made her curious.
"Yes, Minjae is that impressive." Jihoon sighed as if he found it unbelievable.
"We actually look up at him a lot in acting since he was the one who guide us sometimes." Seojin also explained briefly.
"Yes, guys. It's true. Minjae could act all the scenes given to him. We were really impressed by him." Yura also smiled as she explained why no one answered for Minjae.
The host leaned in, grinning.
"Is it true? You've never been scolded, Minjae-ssi?"
Minjae looked like he was thinking for a moment. His lips slightly parted before curling up again into a soft smile.
"Well, I guess it's just me, then." Minjae answered confidently, but with a hint of joking around it.
Another wave of laughter echoed, with the casts letting out their jealousy.
Minjae only smiled, gentle and humble, but with a flicker of mischief in his eyes. He leaned slightly back in his chair, adjusting his sleeves as the host moved on, still chuckling.
"Alright, alright, moving on before someone really gets scolded! Let's pick up the pace with the next one…"
The shooting progressed smoothly, with the cast growing more relaxed and playful as the different segments continued. Each question brought out more of the cast's chemistry that the camera perfectly captured.
It was clear that the cast built a clear bond while filming The Star's Secret.
The crew behind the scenes could also be heard laughing quietly between takes, clearly enjoying the energy the cast brought to the set.
The next rounds included quirky prompts like Who's most likely to mess up a scene?, Who's most likely to be caught napping in between takes?, and Who's most likely to secretly check their reflection before every scene? to which Jihoon, once again, became the usual suspect.
Even Minjae didn't hold back in joining the teasing, knowing that it's important to stay talkative in direct shoots like this one.
By the time they reached the final few questions, the host looked visibly delighted at them.
"You guys are honestly one of the most fun casts we've had here," she said sincerely, setting her cue cards aside.
As a closing scene for the shoot, they were asked to share one word to describe their experience working on The Star's Secret without any explanations.
One by one, the cast members took a moment to think, then shared their answers.
"Chaotic!" Jihoon said first, raising his paddle with his own face on it and flashing a grin.
"Growth," Yura said next, her voice soft but confident.
"It's Meaningful," Seojin also added, offering a gentle smile.
Haejin gave a quiet nod before saying, "Grateful."
Then, it was Minjae's turn. He looked around at his castmates before looking at the camera with a thoughtful look.
"Everything," he said clearly. "It's our everything."