Chapter 65 Family Collection Preparing for Filming
It's possible that the event schedule within the instance has its own timeline, and the production team contacted their superiors almost immediately after obtaining your consent, finalizing the theme for production that same day: "Night Visit to the Shrine."
The location was not the Daijingu Shrine in the Taipei City government building, but a small shrine in the surrounding urban area that had a long history and enshrined a land deity who could pray for agricultural blessings.
To enrich the program content, before the official recording of this episode, the host and photographer, who were originally invited to promote the debut of some unknown idol or male escort, decided to come to your home to collect samples.
"After all, the guests are all ordinary people. It's inevitable that we want to increase the sense of immersion in the show and provide some lighthearted behind-the-scenes moments for the audience." The host discussed with you softly, "Of course, while authenticity is the most important thing, if there are any inconveniences at your home, you can go in first and tidy up a bit."
There's no better time than today, so you have nothing to worry about or feel embarrassed about. Take the person and go home.
On the way to the production crew's car, the host seemed to want to chat with you, but each time he opened his mouth, he seemed to awkwardly end up laughing because his English wasn't very good. So he took out his phone and used a translator to ask you some simple questions, which were nothing more than lighthearted topics like how long you've been in Japan and what delicious food and fun things you've tried.
You've been honed to a point where you don't see interviews and TV shows as just routine things. If, after the show is over, some kind of unspoken rule like an audience popularity contest suddenly appears, then you've wasted your time.
Therefore, you should try to make your replies interesting, appropriately express your love for the local culture without being obsequious, and carefully strike a balance in terms of what the audience might like.
The host kept saying "Si Guo Yi (amazing)," and nodded with a smile. You could feel her satisfaction with you, and you didn't dare to relax.
When your group arrived at the apartment building, another team of program staff also arrived, carrying lighting equipment and larger microphones, and were very dedicated to preparing everything.
A girl walks out of the crowd, nods to you, and stands beside you.
"Next, we'll start filming by randomly surveying the homes of passersby. First..." The director, wearing headphones and giving instructions, checked the process with the two cameramen and the host, while the girl translated clearly and fluently for him.
Wow, how thoughtful! No wonder it's a major TV station; they got all the translators on board so quickly.
Just as you were about to thank the girl, the director, who spoke incredibly fast, turned to face you: "In a moment, you'll naturally lead the host from the stairwell over there to this place. During the conversation, you'll need to express some expectations for our program. Mio must have already discussed these things with you, right?"
The host, named Mio, seemed to want to say something to the director but didn't know how to interrupt. The director, however, completely ignored her reaction, simply frowning and waiting for your response. It's like you'll get harassed by crickets if you're even a little slow in replying…
"Yes, I understand. No problem," you replied.
The translator is essentially a simultaneous interpreter, starting and ending their speech almost simultaneously with you.
This feeling is so magical. It's the first time I've experienced something like this in real life, and you subconsciously repeat, "Daijobu (No problem)," only to be immediately dumbfounded. Just as you're feeling annoyed, the host, Mio, gently chimes in, "You're quite fluent in Japanese!"
You know she's just being polite, but you still scratch your head sheepishly.
"Alright, get ready—Style (Action)!" At the director's command, all the staff stood at attention, the microphones clipped to their chests whistling through the air. You paused for a moment, then quickly got into character.
"Good afternoon! We're from the 'Midnight Exploration' program. Sorry to bother you~" Mio said with a smile. "This young lady, an international student from the Flower Country, is the newly crowned 'Big Eater' who stood out in a ramen competition. Would it be convenient for her to come into your home and take a look?"
You smile and reply, "Welcome, please come in!"
Opening the door, Mio cautiously glanced around the apartment: "Ah, it looks very tidy! International students have to attend classes and study a lot of courses, so it's really not easy for them to keep their homes so organized!"
Great opportunity!
You immediately shook your head and made a "I'm so ashamed" expression at the camera: "Actually, it's just a coincidence. I just tidied up my room. It's really tiring to attend classes, especially for a beginner like me who is learning Japanese. The coursework is very difficult, and it takes a lot of time to keep up. So over time, the room will gradually become messy. I only tidy it up when I find some free time every few weeks."
As you speak, you can feel the air vibrating in the apartment. All the strange phenomena that occurred when you left earlier are gathering strength again. You are not in a hurry, and quietly wait for Mio's feedback.
Sure enough, Mio, being a host who is very good at providing emotional value and reactions, immediately repeated what you said with exaggerated gestures and expressions: "Indeed, coming to a foreign country alone, having to study and take care of housework, even if you can only tidy up your room once every few weeks, you still do a great job. Even if you are a girl, you are amazing."
Once everyone present accepted the scenario you presented, the anomalies in the apartment gradually subsided on their own.
You were happy inside, but didn't show it on your face. You said some self-deprecating jokes, which made Mio laugh.
The camera followed your every move, capturing your relaxed and generous demeanor as well as the layout of the apartment. When you guided them into the small room, you even straightened the cushions on the sofa, showcasing an unconscious sense of everyday life.
The room was small, and you introduced each of the functional areas in the room. Mio picked up the book you had placed on the desk and asked, "It's just basic Japanese."
"Well, because I just arrived and I haven't learned it before. After all, you can only learn authentic Japanese here if you want to learn it properly." You made up a story.
"Ah, Sugoi—you're very clever." Mio didn't ask any more questions, and after the photographer took a few shots of your notebook, she ended the conversation.
Next, at your invitation, Mio sits at the table to learn about your daily life: "Could you tell us about your daily life? For example, what do you usually like to do?"
You thought for a moment and said, "Actually, my life is very simple. Besides going to class, I usually research all kinds of food. I especially love watching videos of competitive eating contests, which is why I decided to try it myself."
Mio's eyes lit up: "Oh? So how many times has this ramen competition been for you?"
"Actually, this is my first time. One of the reasons I came to Japan is because I like the competitive eating culture here. However, after experiencing it firsthand, I found that eating like that and watching are completely different experiences. It's definitely better to quietly enjoy a portion that's enough to fill your stomach but not to the point of overeating." You just want to get rid of the negative situation of not being able to eat, not that you actually want to binge eat every few days. "I genuinely love food and hope that through eating, I can turn these delicious dishes into fuel for my body so that I can become stronger and healthier."
"Oh, so this is what young girls in the Flower Country think? That's quite a different perspective." Mio chatted with you a little longer and continued, "So, what kind of food do you like to eat?"
With a confident gesture, you begin ordering: "Ramen, sukiyaki, traditional grilled fish, and various desserts—they'll be great after the meal to cleanse the palate. A full stomach makes for a wonderfully good mood!"
“You have a lot of insights into food. I wonder how good your cooking skills are?” Mio asked.
Following her lead, you took out the groceries you had bought on the way from the corner.
First, use fresh cucumbers and radishes produced by the university's agricultural college to quickly wash and cut them, marinate them with sesame oil and rice vinegar and set them aside. Then take out the finished rice, add pickled plums and seaweed and make a rice ball.
"This is pork floss. It's made by stir-frying pork until dry and shredding it into strips. It's one of the traditional delicacies of the Flower Kingdom." You grabbed a handful of pork floss and explained while pinching it into the rice ball.
"Here, have a taste." You put it on a small plate and handed it to Mio and the other staff members.
They each tried it, making expressions for the camera as if it were some kind of heavenly delicacy.
"This is the collision of Japanese rice balls and Japanese cuisine. We believe that the collision between Japanese students and traditional shrine culture in this episode will also be wonderful!" Mio elevated the theme. After eating a few more bites of pickled vegetables, she said, "You are really great. You have learned Japanese very well, you take good care of yourself, and you cook very well."
"Thank you, thank you," you said.
"These Japanese dishes are so authentic, you must have some understanding of Japanese culture. What are your expectations for this shrine exploration?"
"I wonder what activities will be arranged. If possible, I'd like to explore the place thoroughly, take photos, check off landmarks, and draw fortune sticks for blessings. However, I will be very careful, as places like shrines deserve respect," you said.
Your answer expressed both your anticipation for the show and your spirit of exploration for the unknown. Perfect! Of course, you couldn't just say, "As long as it's not haunted, it'll be fine."
Filming was nearing its end, and the director suggested that you perform some of your usual talents in front of the camera to further showcase your personality.
This was an impromptu request, so it was easy to handle. After a moment's thought, you took out the convenience store snacks you had secretly bought after class.
Holding the snacks, you covered the labels under Mio's guidance and smiled at the camera: "These are my usual 'collections'! When I feel sleepy while studying at night, I eat a little of these, and they really refresh me."
You immediately tore open a bag of extra-spicy potato chips and easily took a big bite. The camera captured the completely expressionless face on your face, which amused Mio and the director.
"As expected of an international student from the Flower Kingdom, you really don't feel the spiciness at all? It looks super spicy!"
Actually, this kind of industrial spiciness is quite intense and can burn your tongue, but you seem fearless: "This level of spiciness is nothing to me. I guess it will take a bigger challenge to scare me on the show."
"Siguni is the best." Exclamations of admiration echoed throughout the room.
Of course, after the shoot, everyone took off their dramatic masks, said a polite goodbye, and quickly left.
The assistant director proactively added you to his contact information, and the host, Mio, also thoughtfully left you a work account so you can contact her.
“It’s easy for ordinary people to be bullied when they participate in variety shows. You seem to be a very nice person. If you need anything, just contact me and I can help you out.” Mio flew over with a wink, bowed slightly to you, and left the room.
Before you could react, you just waved your hand and stood in the suddenly empty room, staring at your phone, unsure of what to do.
You wanted to add the translator's contact information, and the reason is simple: you can sense she's likely an outsider as well. With such strong professional skills and being in the same field, it's better than being assigned a completely new, unknown translator later.
Perhaps we could talk to Mio about it?
Haha, she still hadn't replied to my messages until three days later during the recording.
walk slowly.
Thankfully, it was still the same translator. She seemed to be a bit introverted; she didn't make eye contact with you, but simply stood behind you, ready to provide simultaneous interpretation at any time.
You are squatting in the makeshift makeup booth set up by the production crew under the torii gate in front of the shrine, waiting in line for the makeup artist to apply some natural "no-makeup" makeup.
Including you, there are five people in total, two women and three men. Everyone is an outsider.
You feel guilty.
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Author's Note: Good evening! Tiger has a lot of free time on Tuesday and Wednesday, planning to write like crazy and finish three stories. Going to sleep now zzz
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