Casting
Before he quite realized it, makeup finished, Yongjun was sitting on a folding chair and waiting for his turn. Yujin sat on his lap, and her mere presence was enough to catch every woman on the crew.
"Yongjun, you're good to go."
"Ah—right. One second. Yujin, you have to stay right here. You can't go anywhere else, okay? Got it?"
After asking the nearby staff to keep an eye on her so she wouldn't wander, he stepped into the shot. Yujin stayed where he had left her, perched on the folding chair with shining eyes, watching them film.
Then someone glided up beside her.
"Hi there."
It was writer Jang Yonghye.
She bent at the waist to meet Yujin's eyes and offered a gentle smile.
"You saw Auntie earlier, didn't you? Want to watch Daddy act with me?"
As if it were the most natural thing in the world, she drew a chair over and sat down at Yujin's side. The child froze for a moment at the appearance of a stranger, but the warm voice coaxed a cautious nod out of her—and the We Are Married crew caught the whole thing, start to finish.
Jang Yonghye went on in that same soft voice.
"What do you think of Daddy's acting? Pretty cool, right?"
"Yes. He's cool."
She leaned in closer and kept the conversation going.
"Wouldn't our Yujin like to try acting too, in pretty clothes like that? People would go wow."
Yujin nodded along to the gentle voice. The thought of everyone focusing on her felt good.
"Really? Then how about you and Auntie go change into clothes like that together?"
Jang Yonghye took the child's small hand and smiled softly. With an utterly innocent look, Yujin clasped that hand in return and followed.
One of the variety staff tracking the pair muttered under his breath.
"Leave this kid alone for a second and somebody could walk off with her..."
Led by the writer's hand into the dressing room, Yujin was changed by the stylists moving at Jang Yonghye's direction.
"Wow, it really suits you. Shall we take a look in the mirror, Yujin?"
Jang Yonghye brought her in front of a full-length mirror. The costume was something a young master of a Joseon noble house might have worn: a brightly colored hanbok, the traditional dress of the era, finished with the soft cap once worn by boys of good family.
From behind Yujin, who had fallen into her own reflection, Jang Yonghye shot the stylists a look. On cue, they began chiming in.
"Wow, it really does suit her."
"She looks amazing."
At the sound of it, the corners of Yujin's mouth twitched as she stared into the glass.
Then Jang Yonghye's mouth opened again.
"Want Auntie to take your picture, Yujin? Come stand right here."
Shy and hesitant, she still stepped into the spot Jang indicated and struck a pose. Out of nowhere, several crew members carrying lights poured in and spilled bright light across her face, and the cameras started clicking.
Having gotten everything she had come for, Jang Yonghye put Yujin's clothes back as they had been and returned her to her earlier seat as if nothing at all had happened. To Yujin it had only been a brief, fun little adventure, so she went right back to watching Yongjun act, eyes shining once more.
Meanwhile, after checking the photos, Writer Jang sent them off at once and placed a call.
"Yeah, you saw the photos I sent? Keep that exact feeling and revise the script. I emailed you how I want it changed, so use that and flesh it out."
Once she had finished giving orders to the writers under her, she immediately dialed somewhere else.
"Yes, Chief. You know what my work is worth. Revising this is the better move, no question. Director Kim and I have found our rhythm plenty of times—he'll follow my lead, so don't worry. Right. We'll do it that way. I'll leave the rest in your hands."
It was no exaggeration to call Jang Yonghye the star writer carrying MBS's dramas, and true to that reputation she began driving things forward with tremendous force, exactly as she had pictured them. When the answers coming back through the receiver proved favorable, a faint smile spread across her lips.
Yongjun, meanwhile, had no idea any of it had happened during his shoot. Once his scenes wrapped, he came over to Yujin's side for a short break.
"Whew... Did you see Daddy filming?"
At the question, Yujin nodded.
"Uh-huh. You were cool."
His face lit up. Being praised by Yujin felt strangely good. He gave her hair a light pat and dropped into the seat beside her.
"What a relief. My girl thinks I'm cool."
So this was how fathers turned into fools for their daughters. Yongjun found himself agreeing without even trying. He pressed a snack into Yujin's hands and settled in to enjoy a small, quiet bit of healing.
"I'm sorry—our Yujin, in a drama?"
At that same hour, PD Park Minseok was relaying the orders of MBS's chief of drama and variety to Hyejin.
"Yes, ma'am. It's... well, today Yujin went to the drama set with Yongjun, right? And the writer there seems determined to put her in the show."
Caught off guard, Hyejin's eyes went round.
"Just like that? Out of nowhere?"
She wasn't even sure this was how broadcasting normally worked. Park Minseok, and now this drama writer—what on earth had they seen in her daughter to act like this?
"Of course we're thrown too, but if I may speak purely from my own perspective... I think it could be a good opportunity for Yujin."
Park Minseok brainwashed himself into believing this had nothing to do with ratings, buzz, or pressure from upstairs, and set about persuading her.
"If Yujin ever debuts in the industry, this would make a genuinely strong credit."
"But she's never acted. Not once."
"Even so, I'm serious—she has talent. You saw it on set. It isn't easy for a kid that age to understand what adults are saying and actually follow along."
Hyejin gave a small nod. From the time Yujin was little she had never really made trouble, and more than once, when something was explained to her, she had acted as if she already knew.
"And... the appearance fee is pretty decent."
Park Minseok casually named the figure the drama side had sent over.
"Five hundred thousand won an episode—about four hundred dollars. Of course she won't be in every episode, so it won't add up to all that much, but the shoot time will be short to match. And more than anything, for a rookie child actor, that's a huge amount."
At that, Hyejin's eyes wavered.
Money, money, money again. Guilt prickled at her—was she selling her own daughter for material things?—and at the same time the weight of reality rose up to meet it.
"...I'll ask Yujin later. If my daughter wants to, I'll let you know then."
"Of course. Take your time. Here's the drama side's number. Once you've decided, you can reach them there."
Minseok drew a neatly printed business card from his jacket and rose.
What did Writer Jang even say, to have the bureau chief himself issuing orders? I've got more than enough of my own work as it is.
Grumbling inwardly, he left the café.
Hyejin sat there a long while before realizing Yujin would be home soon. She grabbed her bag and hurried to her feet. Outside, the cool evening wind brushed past the tangle of her thoughts.
Once home, she waited at the door. A moment later a van pulled up, the rear door opened, and a station employee set Yujin down. The instant the child saw her mother, she came barreling over and threw herself into her arms.
"Ogu, my little princess. What did you do today?"
"I played with the pretty aunties and the handsome uncles. And I tried on a hanbok, too..."
Yujin launched into a delighted chatter, as if she meant to report every single thing that had happened. Hyejin listened to each word, then scooped her up and carried her inside.
"Really? Our Yujin had a very busy day, didn't she?"
"Yeah! I wanna go again!"
Yujin answered with a bright, innocent smile, and for a moment Hyejin said nothing. A faint smile touched her own lips, but her eyes, as they rested on the child, held something strangely complicated.
The next day, Hyejin sent a text to the number Minseok had given her.
And just like that, Yujin's drama shoot was set.
"Today there's a shoot at the agency with Areum, the Loverich members, and Yujin. Recording and practice scenes will be in it, and we'll check in with you every hour, same as last time."
Hyejin listened to the crew's briefing as she saw her daughter into the van that had come for her.
"Yes. Please take good care of her."
In her heart she wanted to look after Yujin on set herself, but her income was still too unsteady for that. She had no choice but to keep working at the restaurant alongside everything else.
The van soon pulled away.
At that same hour, the girl group Loverich—Sung Areum's group—had gathered in the practice room to lock in the choreography for their comeback track.
"All right! Let's push just a little harder."
Minju, the leader, swept her sweat-damp bangs back and urged the members on.
"But Areum unnie, you've got a shoot today, right?"
Seoyun, the maknae, looked at her through the mirror as she asked.
"I heard the crew's coming, but they said to just do it like we always do."
Areum answered offhand and fell back into formation. Unlike when she filmed with Yongjun, she was all professional.
They were still drilling the choreography when the manager stepped into the room.
"Crew's almost here. Just keep practicing like normal."
No sooner had he finished than the practice-room door opened and staff carrying camera gear poured in.
And mixed into that crowd was one tiny doll of a child.