Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Translator: Penny
Chapter 6
In fact, from the moment Kim Min-joon expressed his intention to participate in this CF, Kim Min-joon, not Ha-eun, was slated to be the star of the CF.
Even a child who has recently become a hot topic can't help but be overshadowed by the presence of a national athlete.
It just so happened that the composition was slightly different from what Kang Eun-tae had initially envisioned.
But the overall framework of the plan didn't change much.
One way or another, they thought it would be better to rely on the status of Kim Min-joon, a national track and field athlete, than to rely on Ha-eun's unchildlike atmosphere.
To ensure that this advertisement did not lose its identity as a children's nutritional supplement advertisement, rather than just an ordinary nutritional supplement advertisement.
Yes, that was the only role they expected from Ha-eun in this CF.
'She said she'd never taken acting classes, was that a lie?'
From the first take, she produced footage that made Kang Eun-tae exclaim without realizing it.
The director was also surprised by Ha-eun's screen presence.
"...The atmosphere is no joke, is it? Is it because it's in black and white?"
Perhaps because it was filmed in black and white mode to emphasize the serious feeling, the 'atmosphere' was better than in regular color footage.
It was as if the sketch-style CF storyboard had been brought to life.
However, it didn't just reproduce the scenes in the storyboard.
Ha-eun's unique atmosphere was also being emphasized by the static filming technique.
Above all, the fact that she ran in almost the same posture as Kim Min-joon, who had just passed the baton to Ha-eun, created a sense of déjà vu.
The sense of déjà vu was used to grab the attention that could be lost when the screen transitioned from Kim Min-joon, a relatively famous person, to Ha-eun.
It was hard to believe that she was a child who had never taken a proper acting class.
Everything Ha-eun captured on camera was in the realm of what is called skill.
If even accidentally falling was Ha-eun's intention.
If even taking complete control of the CF by falling flat on the track and simultaneously showing a close-up of Ha-eun's weighty expression was calculated.
'...I brought a monster, not a diamond in the rough.'
Now, Ha-eun could no longer be judged by the narrow standard of being a child.
Even if all of this was a coincidence, no one could deny that Ha-eun was born with the qualities of a star.
'I'd like you to tell me more about your thoughts, Director.'
'More specifically, what?'
'I don't think just running is enough. I want to know what kind of mindset you want me to have when I run.'
Moreover, the fact that she understood the director Kang Eun-tae's thoughts and executed them in front of the camera made Kang Eun-tae let out a hollow laugh.
How many actors can come up with the perfect answer despite the personal and abstract concept of someone else's thoughts?
Usually, if an accident occurs during CF filming in which a child actor is injured even slightly, the filming schedule is postponed, but now there was no need to postpone the filming.
Because the first take alone captured the image and atmosphere that the director Kang Eun-tae wanted from Ha-eun.
It was nothing in return, but they decided to give Ha-eun some of the advertising lines that were originally Kim Min-joon's.
They were convinced that it would be more effective to add Ha-eun's voice than to keep playing Kim Min-joon's voice.
\*
"I'm sorry, ma'am. We should have been more careful."
Hong Young-tae, the assistant director who was sacrificed and ordered by Kang Eun-tae to convey the situation, continued to bow his head to Ha-eun's mother, conveying his apologies.
This stemmed from the PTSD from a similar incident that happened to a child actor named Song Seo-ah a few months ago.
'Are you going to take responsibility if my child gets a scar on her face? Are you going to take responsibility─!!'
He still vividly remembered Song Seo-ah's mother, who unleashed a lion's roar that seemed to come straight out of a Hong Kong martial arts movie.
Even then, it was an accident caused by the child actor's mistake, but that wasn't something to worry about.
Originally, the director and the filming crew were often the superiors in the filming set, and the cast members were the subordinates.
The special nature of child models sometimes exhibits a strange ability to reverse the superior-subordinate relationship.
Therefore, Hong Young-tae had a duty to keep Ha-eun and Ha-eun's mother calm until the end.
Fortunately, both of them had not shown any particular emotions yet, but he had to remember that they were still dormant volcanoes.
"Please continue to rest in the lounge for now. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to tell us at any time."
Afterwards, Hong Young-tae briefly left the lounge to find out what decision the director Kang Eun-tae had made while he was away.
It was right after that that Song Na-yeon, who had been silently staring at the bandages on her daughter's two knees, opened her mouth.
"...Did it hurt a lot?"
"It was okay except for a little sting. And I didn't get an NG sign."
Ha-eun's voice was a little too calm.
It was different from the active Ha-eun that Song Na-yeon had seen, who liked to sing children's songs and enjoyed various small exercises.
Was the CF filming a lot of emotional burden for Ha-eun?
When she grabbed Song Na-yeon's hand and left the house to go to the advertising meeting, and when she went to meet Kim Min-joon a few days later.
The quiet yet weighty expression and atmosphere that had been added to her daughter made Song Na-yeon worry.
Nevertheless, she couldn't bring herself to say that it would be better not to film the CF.
It was largely due to an inexplicable conviction that she wouldn't be able to persuade Ha-eun no matter what she said.
She was the one who felt more excited than Ha-eun when she received Kang Eun-tae's business card the other day.
She never thought that Ha-eun would really be noticed by people because of the first pitch, and that it would be featured prominently in the newspaper the next day.
Her daughter might really become a star.
Song Na-yeon, who cherished her daughter with all her heart, couldn't help but be cautious about Ha-eun's success, which had moved from the realm of vague imagination to the realm of possibility.
The thought that her concerns might ruin Ha-eun's future.
The worry that a judgment based on momentary emotions could ultimately make things more difficult for Ha-eun.
In addition, she knew that the two letters of the word 'star' were not given for free.
She also guessed that she wouldn't be able to see her daughter always happy and enjoying herself.
"Hey, Ha-eun. Aren't you hungry? Should I ask the staff to bring you some snacks?"
She barely swallowed the question she really wanted to ask Ha-eun and tried to calm herself down.
If she showed any signs of anxiety, Ha-eun would be affected as well.
For now, she had to hope that her daughter wasn't just forcing herself to endure the hardship.
It was only after a long time that Hong Young-tae returned to the lounge.
However, perhaps because the story she heard was slightly different from what Song Na-yeon had expected.
"You don't have to reshoot? But, when you spoke earlier, you clearly said..."
"Well, the first take was so well shot. They said that the same image wouldn't come out if we reshot it."
At first, she mistakenly thought that they were forced to finish with the first footage.
It was almost impossible to postpone the filming schedule until Ha-eun's knee injury healed.
It would be different if this CF was a solo appearance by Ha-eun, but since Kim Min-joon, a national athlete, was also participating in the filming, Ha-eun's situation alone could not be considered.
Nevertheless, she couldn't shake off the uneasy feeling because of what she had heard from Han Min-ah, the advertising team leader at Handong Pharmaceutical, about Kang Eun-tae.
'The director is a bit picky. He might make things difficult for Ha-eun out of unnecessary greed, so it seems like it would be easier for Ha-eun if you, as her mother, could mediate between them.'
It was hard to believe that the picky director said that it was well shot even though there was a mistake of falling during the filming, and that there was no need to reshoot it.
The fact that Ha-eun was given some of the advertising lines that were originally all Kim Min-joon's also made it difficult to guess the reason.
However, she was also reluctant to see Ha-eun, who had injured her knee, running on the track against her will.
"Then, we will send you the date for recording the advertising lines separately by text message. Oh, please contact us if there is anything wrong with Ha-eun's knee."
She had to return the words 'You worked hard' to Kang Eun-tae, who said that he was sorry and embarrassed about Ha-eun's injury.
And so, time passed.
The day of the first broadcast of the CF that Ha-eun filmed, and the day before Ha-eun's first day of kindergarten.
｢Everyone sometimes falls and struggles with the trials in front of them.｣
The CF that had finally started to air began to be recorded on the prepared videotape.
Soon, along with the advertising lines recited in Ha-eun's voice, she faced Ha-eun in the TV, who calmly ran forward, leaving behind the momentary pain.
｢But, I won't give up. No matter what happens.｣
｢If I move forward slowly, I will eventually reach my goal.｣
Song Na-yeon's eyes were gradually turning red at the advertising lines that sounded like an interview with Ha-eun about her aspirations.
Ha-eun, the person who recorded such touching lines, was actually...
-Thud, thud!
-Flapping, flapping─!
She was kicking the blanket alone on the bed, belatedly overwhelmed by embarrassment.
She knew that it was just advertising lines, but she couldn't help but feel her hands and feet curling up.
📝 Translator’s Note:
You may notice that certain lines or phrases in this novel appear both in their original Korean (or Hanja) form and in English translation.
This is intentional — these phrases are classical idioms, divine titles, or poetic expressions that carry layered meanings.
To preserve their original tone and authenticity, the raw text has been kept for reference, while the English interpretation is provided right before or after it. This helps convey both the literal and cultural nuance of the original work.
but if you guys dont want tha raw for future chapters or my future other novels u can just text me on discord and say so discord name Mr.Penny