Chapter 100: Lovely Acting (1)
Chapter 100: Lovely Acting (1)
Occasionally, scripts are replaced right in the middle of filming a drama.
There were several reasons for this.
Sometimes, it was a desperate revision because the viewers' response was overwhelmingly negative. Other times, the writer might have dropped out or been replaced mid-production. Or perhaps the writing speed simply couldn't keep up with the filming schedule.
Naturally, since most of the preparation was based on the original script, the newly revised "live scripts" would sometimes arrive on the very day of the shoot.
"Is this right?"
"..."
The idol-turned-actors—Ma Yeon-woo, Cha Na-hee, and Aiden—all wore incredibly complicated expressions.
At least Cha Na-hee had some prior acting experience, but for the other two, this was their first attempt at acting.
But was Cha Na-hee in a better position? Not particularly.
This is my first time dealing with live scripts...
She was already starting to feel depressed.
After all, the person currently receiving the most criticism in Dream Future was Song So-ha—the character Cha Na-hee played.
Jo Ha-rin’s screen time kept shrinking because of me.
Director Kim Pil-seok had claimed the script was revised due to Writer Im Jin-ha’s personal greed, but that alone didn't explain everything. Even if it hadn't been for personal reasons, the script likely would have been revised anyway.
Despite having less screen time, Jo Ha-rin was being mentioned in online communities almost as much as Song So-ha. This meant their presence was roughly equal.
In other words, it meant that Song So-ha, played by Cha Na-hee, lacked presence.
"..."
As the female lead driving the plot, this was not a good sign. Director Kim Pil-seok was also becoming increasingly demanding of Cha Na-hee.
Even if Jo Ha-rin’s role grew and she gained more popularity, the lead of this drama was ultimately Song So-ha. If Song So-ha didn't come to life, the drama would eventually die.
They look troubled.
As the hastily revised live scripts were handed out, the actors' expressions generally darkened.
Only two people remained composed: Park Jung-woo and Ju Seo-yeon.
In Park Jung-woo’s case, he was a veteran with over ten years of experience, having started as a child actor. While it might seem funny to call someone in their early twenties a veteran, it was the truth.
That girl... it’s hard to believe she’s only just returned to acting after ten years.
Her screen time had suddenly increased.
One might expect her to feel a great deal of pressure, but Seo-yeon’s expression didn't change at all. Even with the sudden surge in lines, she didn't look burdened in the slightest.
On the contrary.
Why did Jo Ha-rin’s screen time increase this much?
Ma Yeon-woo’s face turned pale as he checked the script.
After nearly getting injured during their arm-wrestling match, Ma Yeon-woo had been cautious around Seo-yeon, but his condition had been improving lately.
Aside from almost breaking my arm, she doesn't seem to have a particularly ferocious personality.
Having reached that conclusion, he had been acting friendly on set, even calling her by her name. Seo-yeon didn't seem to mind, either.
However...
Two days ago, after going to see The Chaser with the other members of JustX...
"Whoa, that’s her, right?"
"The girl filming with Yeon-woo this time."
"Is that really the same person? Wow, I’m glad I didn't mess with her back then."
The members of JustX had each muttered such things while looking at Ma Yeon-woo. And Ma Yeon-woo knew exactly what they were trying to say. Their eyes were mostly filled with pity.
...It’s just acting, anyway.
He tried to tell himself that, but the Cha Seo-ah from the movie was so intense she was hard to forget.
The crimson eyes gleaming through the rain. The fire axe gripped in her hand. The beast-like appearance as she screamed and lunged during the final fight with the police officer.
It overlapped with the image of Seo-yeon snapping his arm back.
"..."
Even if he knew it wasn't real, that was the power of a person's image.
Still, up to that point, it was fine. Jo Ha-rin’s role in Dream Future wasn't that big. Even when they crossed paths on set, Seo-yeon would at most give a polite nod. Since they didn't talk much, she wasn't that difficult to deal with.
At least, that was true until today.
"Um, Senior Park. Is this normal? Do scripts usually get revised so abruptly like this?"
In terms of actual age, Ma Yeon-woo was four years older than Park Jung-woo. He was twenty-four, the second oldest in JustX. However, since he had entered the acting world, he tended to treat Park Jung-woo with friendly respect, jokingly calling him "Senior."
"It’s quite common."
"I-is that so?"
"Is there a problem?"
At Park Jung-woo’s question, asked in a flat voice, Ma Yeon-woo swallowed hard. As a popular idol himself, Ma Yeon-woo had seen countless beautiful people, but Park Jung-woo stood out even among them.
There was a common saying that no matter how good-looking an idol was, they would pale in comparison when standing next to an actor. Ma Yeon-woo hadn't particularly agreed with that, but with Park Jung-woo, it certainly felt true to some extent.
It wasn't just his looks; he had an aura that made him difficult to approach. Much like the one Seo-yeon possessed.
Seeing Ma Yeon-woo like that, Park Jung-woo gave him a look of pity.
...It’s certainly understandable that he’d feel pressured.
Sudden script changes were difficult even for seasoned actors. To have it happen to an idol making his first attempt at acting... and on top of that, his scene partner was Seo-yeon.
Her acting is truly extraordinary.
Park Jung-woo had also seen The Chaser. His reaction upon seeing it was:
She was capable of this much?
Admiration and wonder. Honestly, it was far better than her acting as Jo Ha-rin. A terrifying level of synchronization, sharp emotions that pierced through the screen—it was a benchmark of what an actor should strive for.
Seo-yeon’s performance as Cha Seo-ah was at that level. Even Jung-woo’s father, the actor Park Sun-woong, had commented on it.
"I knew Miss Seo-yeon was good at acting, but Cha Seo-ah was something else."
"...Something else?"
"You must have felt it too. Miss Seo-yeon’s specialty is known to be method acting. But Cha Seo-ah wasn't like that."
In the first place, Seo-yeon hadn't really used method acting since her return. There hadn't been a role that required that level of immersion, nor had she been in a situation where she could. She had managed well enough with the acting techniques she had learned over ten years.
However, Cha Seo-ah was different.
She was herself.
She could almost be called the character herself. It was so vivid it didn't even feel like acting. If Jung-woo felt that way, it must have felt even more raw to the audience.
Cha Seo-ah’s presence in the movie was certainly significant, but her actual screen time wasn't that long. A few glimpses when the murders occurred. A part-time job scene. Short flashback sequences whenever the two detectives followed her trail.
That was all, yet it had generated this much buzz. Usually, the title of "Ten-Million Actor" was reserved for the leads of such a film. But the reason no one hesitated to call Seo-yeon, who played Cha Seo-ah, a "Ten-Million Actor" was because of that impact.
...Could she really have that condition?
Alexithymia, was it? Her understanding of it was at an unbelievable level. Her acting alone made one feel how terrifying it was.
That uncanny valley. The eeriness of something that looked human but didn't seem human. Park Jung-woo even found himself wondering if Seo-yeon actually suffered from the disease. In fact, Jo Seo-hee, who had watched the movie with him, had been so restless she couldn't sit still.
"I have to go see her later and check with my own two eyes," she had said before vanishing.
But were they close enough for her to worry that much?
He didn't get that impression, but for some reason, Jo Seo-hee was particularly friendly toward Seo-yeon. He didn't know why, but regardless...
...Well, there’s no way she actually has that disease.
He had felt it while following Seo-yeon around in Desert Island Survival. Seo-yeon was more emotional and sensitive than anyone. It just took a process for those feelings to come out.
So, Jung-woo didn't believe Seo-yeon suffered from such a scary condition. Instead, seeing Seo-yeon deliver a performance that could even spark such thoughts ignited a sense of rivalry within him.
"You don't need to feel too pressured by Seo-yeon’s acting. She’ll adjust to you well enough on her own."
In any case, Park Jung-woo assumed Ma Yeon-woo’s pressure came from Seo-yeon’s formidable acting skills. After all, Ma Yeon-woo was the one among the idols who suffered the most from "wooden acting" controversies.
No, that’s not it.
Ma Yeon-woo gave up on explaining further to Park Jung-woo. He couldn't very well admit that he found the actress too scary to act with.
"E-Excuse me, Actor Park Jung-woo!"
Just then, a small woman was seen rushing toward Jung-woo. It was Min Se-hee, the drama writer who had recently been brought in as a replacement.
"Yes?"
"D-Do you happen to know where Actress Ju Seo-yeon is?"
"Ah, she’s over there. ...But is something the matter?"
"No! It’s just that since her role has changed the most, I need to explain the situation in various ways."
"Ah, I see."
"Then, thank you!!"
As Min Se-hee bowed and prepared to leave, Park Jung-woo recalled the script again.
She’s probably going to explain the revised script.
Her screen time had increased. And there was definitely a love line included. With Ma Yeon-woo. So there would be a lot to convey directly.
"..."
Park Jung-woo briefly brushed his thumb against his chin. A love line... originally, it was supposed to be there. But until now, those parts had all been cut as her screen time shrank.
Was it because she didn't want to give Seo-yeon a love line with Ma Yeon-woo, whom she liked?
That probably wasn't the reason. When cutting down the length, those were likely the easiest parts to remove. If a love line increases, the narrative following it naturally grows as well. Since she was the one who had put in the love line between Ma Yeon-woo and another actor in the first place, it couldn't be said that she hated it.
...However.
Park Jung-woo’s expression turned serious. Seo-yeon’s acting so far. The revised script. The personality and emotions of Seo-yeon he had seen on the deserted island. And comparing them to this script...
"Writer Min Se-hee."
"Yes?"
Jung-woo caught Min Se-hee just as she was about to turn away.
"I have a few questions regarding the script."
"Huh?!"
At the sight of Park Jung-woo’s suddenly serious face, Min Se-hee froze. Whenever he spoke like this, it usually meant something very, very troublesome was about to happen.
*
Seo-yeon’s pupils shook as she looked at the changed script. The entire original plot of Dream Future was already in her head. She also knew how Dream Future had originally become successful.
The ratings for Dream Future are supposed to keep dropping until around episode 7, when it starts its climb back up.
The change in viewership ratings was almost identical to her past life. The only exceptionally high point had been episode 1, where Seo-yeon had played a major role. Thanks to her performance, Dream Future had hit 15 percent, whereas in her past life, the first episode had only reached 7 percent. It had doubled the original premiere's ratings, and while it had gradually trended downward afterward, it was still higher than in her past life.
Originally, from episode 7 onward, Dream Future would start its climb and see a significant increase in ratings, eventually finishing at 20 percent. Jo Ha-rin’s screen time had shrunk around episode 7, so she hadn't benefited much from it, but Seo-yeon had been fine with that. Episodes after episode 8 generally belonged to the latter half of the drama, where the love lines would deepen.
However, for Jo Ha-rin, whose screen time was supposed to decrease from episode 8, that wouldn't have happened!
But now?
Her involvement with Park Min-yul has definitely increased.
Park Min-yul was the character played by Ma Yeon-woo. As if proving Seo-yeon’s popularity, her role had clearly grown significantly. And an increase in screen time after episode 7 meant a major increase in the romance department.
Can I... do a good job?
To be honest, she wasn't confident. She couldn't even properly empathize with what those emotions were in the first place.
"J-J-Ju Seo-yeon, Actress Ju Seo-yeon!!"
She heard the sound of rapid footsteps as Writer Min Se-hee came running over. Director Kim Pil-seok was beside her. They had clearly come to give acting directions before the shoot began.
"C-Could we change a few lines in the script?"
"Pardon?"
And so, a few more script revisions were added. New acting directions were given. Thus, the first shoot of Dream Future after the main writer replacement began.
And then.
"Dream Future... will it be okay this week? I just hope it doesn't drop any further."
The employees of the KMB Drama Department were filled with worry as they talked. The drama, which had started decently at 15 percent, had been on a downward trend. Because of that, the MDC drama airing in the same time slot was practically gloating.
"I heard the writer was replaced."
"Even so, will there be a dramatic rebound?"
"Probably not. Usually, there isn't."
A writer replacement was actually considered a bad omen. Live scripts were bound to be flimsy, after all. Previously, they had enjoyed watching the reactions in the live chat, but now they didn't even dare to look.
"Still, we have to check the ratings. It’s been about 20 minutes since it started, right? What’s the percentage?"
It had been roughly the same as before at the start. It was the same ten minutes ago, too. So they expected no significant change this time either.
"Yes, it’s 14 percent."
"Right, 14 percent... Wait, what?"
14 percent.
It was a figure nearing the peak viewership of the first episode.
"T-Tell the producer immediately! Hurry!!"
"Yes, sir!!"
He hurriedly began scanning the live chat for Dream Future. He had to know what on earth had happened in just ten minutes.