What is Creative Inspiration? (1)
Lee Min-soo sat in his chair, staring intently at Jeong Seo-hoon.
Right now, Jeong Seo-hoon was running lines with Han Seo-hee.
Under the camera's gaze, Han Seo-hee exuded a thick, immersive presence, as if she'd leaped through time to become a grand prince's wife in the Joseon era.
It's different. Something's different.
The Han Seo-hee who ran lines with other actors without Jeong Seo-hoon was clearly not the same as this one.
Lee Min-soo could see the difference plain as day.
Even the small smile she let slip without thinking.
In front of Jeong Seo-hoon, it felt utterly like the smile of a true grand prince's wife.
He clenched and unclenched his fist lightly, recalling once more that unforgettable voice.
"So why did you call me Suyang, and drop that NG?"
Every time the memory resurfaced, goosebumps prickled his hand. Even after months, it lingered.
The hallucination he'd seen when running lines with Jeong Seo-hoon after dreaming of having his chest sliced open by the grand prince—the way the scenery around him warped and twisted.
In that moment, Lee Min-soo had forgotten the PD, the camera, even himself, fully merging with the chief state councillor's mind to deliver his lines.
It had felt like he'd truly become the chief state councillor.
Was that already last year?
But that mystical sense of unity had been his first and last taste.
Lee Min-soo hadn't recaptured it since.
Thanks to his efforts not to let the sensation fade, he could feel his acting improve with every monitoring session.
"Professor, your acting has gotten even better. Truly impressive."
But no matter how much the PD praised him, the thirst remained unquenched.
Since that day last year, Lee Min-soo had been chasing that lost feeling relentlessly.
That was why he was here on set today, despite having no scenes of his own—to watch Jeong Seo-hoon's performance.
During the break, Jang Seung-won chatted alone with Kim Sang-hee.
"Writer, how's Han Seo-hee's acting these days? She's improved a ton, hasn't she?"
"She has. She's like a completely different person from her audition. How does she improve so fast?"
"The power of love is something else."
"Shh, don't say that so casually—you'll jinx it."
"What's wrong with it? Isn't it natural for the grand prince's wife to love her grand prince?"
Kim Sang-hee said it jokingly too; her expression wasn't serious at all.
"Doesn't Seo-hoon remind you of a totem?"
"A totem?"
"An acting totem. Plant it on set, and the other actors around it get a performance buff too. That's the vibe."
"Ah, I get that feeling a lot. The tone of their acting changes completely when they're with him."
Jang Seung-won scratched his chin with his fingertips, pulling up a recent conversation.
"Lee Min-soo said something similar. That matching lines with Seo-hoon deepens his focus."
"He said that during Illegal too."
"And Han Seo-hee's exceeding expectations. Shame today's her last day."
Han Seo-hee's shoot was officially wrapping today.
All her scenes, including the few flashbacks in the latter half, were done.
Kim Sang-hee flashed a sly grin at Jang Seung-won, who was pretending otherwise.
"PD-nim. Just be honest."
"The viewers love her—how can we drop their love line just like that..."
"No. It could come off as beautifying Sejo. Like trying to soften his image with romance."
"Can't we extend her 20s arc a bit more? It's too bad to let her go like this."
"That was a feint. This is the real one, right?"
"No way. That was sincere too. But if it risks beautifying Sejo, we cut it clean."
Sejo was the man whose selfish ambitions wrecked Joseon's governing system—the core theme running through all of Haegeuk.
As a writer descended from a line of servants in Kim Jong-seo's household, she couldn't compromise.
"I'll extend it by two episodes."
"Really?"
Jang Seung-won lit up, and Kim Sang-hee held up two fingers firmly in the air.
"I've been thinking about it too, watching her act. But extending the 20s arc by two now means a tight shoot schedule—you know that, right?"
"I'll make sure there are no issues."
"You think you know how I'll write the extension script?"
"You wouldn't drag it out pointlessly or ignore set realities. I know you."
"Flattery gets you the pass necklace. I'll send the extension script to your email by tonight."
Jang Seung-won let out a deflated chuckle.
"What? You already wrote it."
"She's worth it. A young, fresh grand prince's wife? Viewers will eat it up."
"I could've won the guessing game if I'd just waited."
"I hold the script, so no. Bummed you lost?"
"Nah. I'd happily lose this a hundred times."
"In exchange for more lovable grand prince's wife, we'll hammer the grand prince's selfishness harder."
Kim Sang-hee had emphasized it relentlessly through dialogue from the start.
Viewers might admire and be drawn to Jeong Seo-hoon's grand prince, but they wouldn't fall for the character itself.
Preserving her ancestor's honor from Kim Jong-seo's era.
"Got it. Balance is key."
"Can't let Sejo get beautified—not even for our ancestors watching from below."
"Great work, oppa."
As the camera cut, Han Seo-hee delivered her farewell laced with regret.
Her shoot was over. From here, Lee Seo-hyeon would take the grand prince's wife baton.
Han Seo-hee had no more reason to visit set.
They'd welcome her as a guest anytime, but a peak-popularity girl group center couldn't drop by idly.
"You too, Seo-hee. Great work all this time."
"So, when will you start treating me casually?"
"I already am."
"Are you keeping distance on purpose?"
She poked with an innocent, beaming smile.
Maybe because she was young, she expressed her thoughts without hesitation.
"It's not that."
"It's the scandals, right? Every co-star actress sparks rumors, so you're being careful?"
"Being cautious with words and actions is just basic human decency—not about scandals."
"Whoa, that's kinda cool. All Korea University kids like that?"
He gave a slightly exasperated look.
What did a line like this have to do with Korea U's prestige?
"I wanna get into Korea U too—think I'd make it with private lessons from you, oppa?"
"I'm not really tutor material..."
"C'mon! The VR lab already dug up how you tutored generals' kids in the army to get them into top schools. I'm VR lab too!"
"Han Seo-hee! Seo-hee-ya! No time—gotta move!"
Her manager appeared then, dragging her away.
"Oppa! I'm off! You worked so hard!"
Han Seo-hee waved frantically, shooting her manager a resentful glare as she was pulled off.
That's when Kim Sang-hee approached.
"Losing your adorable wife to the clutches of an evil manager—why the face? Looks like you're watching your wife head back to her parents' with the kids."
"Ah, writer."
"Hoped something sweet had sparked between you two, but nope. Shame."
"No real interest in dating yet. Too hooked on acting right now."
"That's exactly why you need to experience romance. Not telling you to date—just feel the emotions."
Kim Sang-hee's expression was meaningful.
"Hooked on acting means you need emotion study more, right? Planning a romance lead for you later."
"For real?"
"You know I don't joke with scripts. Or no interest in romance leads?"
"..."
A short, quiet silence.
A gentle signal he wasn't particularly drawn to it.
She was the benefactor who'd quenched his acting thirst, so he'd take the role—but.
"Don't worry. Not your average rom-com. You'll like it."
"'Not average' from you makes me more nervous. Right after Haegeuk?"
"Gotta shelve it till you're ready. You're not yet. Not ready."
Experiencing romantic emotions—what Kim Sang-hee saw as Jeong Seo-hoon's current gap.
"Thought Yoo Jeong-ah or Chae Ji-hyun'd be good fits, but Han Seo-hee works too. If you dated, it'd be first loves for both? Ages match perfectly—fun to watch from the sidelines."
"I'll give it a shot."
"Eek, that face? Like a grad student stuck with unwanted homework."
"Sorry."
"No, perfect. You know my taste runs a bit twisted."
Kim Sang-hee giggled, then got to the point.
"Extending by two episodes."
"Pardon?"
"Why so shocked? Ratings king—two more is natural. They'd delay scheduling for twenty if we asked."
"You hate that stuff."
"Dragging soullessly, yeah. But I want to write more? Love it."
"Which part? Don't tell me..."
Jeong Seo-hoon caught on, and Kim Sang-hee smirked.
"Han Seo-hee's probably jumping for joy right now."
***
Korea University Electronics Research Institute.
Beyond the transparent wall, researchers in clean suits tinkered intently with high-end equipment.
Visiting with Lee Se-jong, Jeong Tae-hyeon gaped in awe.
"No way—that CQI-31 model's here?"
"Why wouldn't it be? We bought it."
"Don't tell me used? Even used's over 900 billion won."
"No university funds for that. Company money, loaned for academic support. And it's brand new."
"Korea U should hand you the chief academic officer spot and bow."
"That'd just tie me down. Status quo's perfect."
Jeong Tae-hyeon scanned the lab anew.
The precise setup felt like a shrunken corporate high-tech factory—unfamiliar to his eyes.
A vast gap in era and budget from the last time he'd seen it.
"A total transformation. Who'd guess this is just a Korean university lab?"
"Didn't call to brag about gear, actually."
"Go ahead—brag away. I get it. Bought a killer TV for my son's drama immersion, and no one notices..."
Jeong Tae-hyeon grumbled alone for a bit, then Lee Se-jong crossed his arms thoughtfully.
"Jeong, remember the patent on yield boost for large-area transfer using environmental variable stamps?"
"The one applied to 2-inch sapphire flip-chips?"
"Yep. The tech that hit 100% micro-LED yield. My company bought the base patent, refined it."
"Why bring it up? Issues?"
"No issues. Just how people connections twist oddly."
Lee Se-jong relayed what Jeong Seo-hoon had told him.
About shooting mainly at Paju Studio, using massive micro-LED walls to conjure backdrops freely for the camera.
As expected, Jeong Tae-hyeon lit with curiosity.
"Using it like that? Never crossed my mind. Wasn't it for comms gear originally?"
"Shocked me too. Thought commercial use'd be cars, phones. Not drama virtual sets."
"Producers can't match consumer ideas, dead or alive. Didn't see that coming."
"Hit me the same."
Lee Se-jong gazed into the lab beyond the glass, continuing.
"Jeong, that research project you're on."
"What about it? Ah."
"Maybe micro-LED style—applicable to dramas? Just imagining. No clue how, though. What do I know about production?"
"Now I'm hooked. My research aiding Seo-hoon's acting career?"
"We're touring Paju Studio. Seeing that mega micro-LED wall firsthand might spark lab inspiration."
"Your buildup's masterful. You amplified my curiosity. Count me in."
"Buildup? For this?"