Chapter 103: Lovely Acting (4)
Chapter 103: Lovely Acting (4)
Writer Im Jin-ha reduced Jo Ha-rin’s screen time.
Seo-yeon didn’t know the exact reason why.
There are many reasons why a drama writer might reduce a character's role. Judging by Park Jung-woo’s reaction, it didn’t seem like a common occurrence.
But still.
Seo-yeon wasn’t particularly hung up on Jo Ha-rin’s reduced presence. Her goal for this role was simply to offset the image of Cha Seo-ah. In that regard, she felt what she had now was enough.
Occasionally, the image of Cha Seo-ah would overlap with Jo Ha-rin’s acting, but that was fine. It was actually quite funny.
“Seo-yeon.”
“Yes?”
It was around that time that Cha Na-hee, who played the role of Song So-ha, spoke to her.
“My acting... it’s really lacking, isn’t it?”
“...Pardon?”
“I mean, your screen time was reduced.”
That was what Cha Na-hee said. It seemed she believed that because she, the lead, was being overshadowed by Jo Ha-rin’s presence, the writer had cut Seo-yeon’s parts.
That wasn't it. It felt more like the writer had some other motive.
Seo-yeon wanted to tell her that, but she couldn't bring herself to say it. Even though her own screen time had technically increased, the fact that people weren't talking about her much was actually because she was being overshadowed.
If Seo-yeon spoke now, it would only sound like a hollow excuse to comfort her.
“So, could you help me out a little? I’ll do whatever it takes until the drama ends.”
Cha Na-hee was, first and foremost, an idol. It wasn't often that idols became truly serious about acting. After all, they had their main careers to worry about.
“Yes, I’ll help you as much as I can.”
“Th-thank you!!”
She was a truly upright person. She was definitely older than Seo-yeon, yet it couldn't have been easy for her to bow and ask for a favor like this.
However, Seo-yeon’s help didn't lead to an immediate improvement in skill. Cha Na-hee had undoubtedly learned from professional instructors before, so her acting wasn't going to get dramatically better overnight.
“....”
But watching Cha Na-hee gave Seo-yeon a lot to think about. She reflected and came to a realization.
I was trying to avoid acting out love.
Acting as someone in love with another person. To be honest, it was something Seo-yeon lacked confidence in. And she didn't really want to do things she wasn't confident in.
It was a childish thought. She had told herself she wouldn't be picky about roles as an actress, yet here she was.
Seo-yeon had pride as an actress. She realized that the complacent thought of "it's fine if my screen time is reduced" was actually an insult to Cha Na-hee.
“I... I want to see you act for real, Seo-yeon. Like you did in Episode 1.”
Cha Na-hee said this with a smile, even though malicious comments about her were still being posted online.
She was a strong person. Seo-yeon didn't know much about Cha Na-hee—only that she was from a girl group, that the group would soon disband, and that she was the "breadwinner" who had supported the group alone.
Out of all the members in that group, Cha Na-hee was the only one who remained active until the end. Seo-yeon felt like she was starting to understand why.
“...Yes, if the opportunity arises.”
Cha Na-hee smiled at Seo-yeon’s response.
And then.
“This stage scene is really important. You know that, right?”
Jo Ha-rin’s importance suddenly spiked. Director Kim Pil-seok spoke to Seo-yeon.
“Park Min-yul falls behind, and Jo Ha-rin takes his place. The Jo Ha-rin who had no presence until now.”
In other words, she had to cram seven episodes' worth of missing performance and presence into this single episode.
“It’s... a bit of an unreasonable request, but...”
Min Se-hee said, bowing her head.
And so, filming began.
Seo-yeon looked at Ma Yeon-woo on the stage. A top idol. Just as Seo-yeon aspired to be a great actress, a top actress, he was perhaps already at the highest peak as an idol. Therefore, she had no worries about his performance.
Emotions...
Seo-yeon took a deep breath. It had been a while since she had truly anchored her emotions.
Method acting. She had intentionally kept it at a distance for a long time. Method acting is just one technique; it isn't particularly special. While it can provide immersion, it isn't always necessary.
It can be too much. Excessive immersion can sometimes come across as cringeworthy. That was why Seo-yeon hadn't gone out of her way to use method acting, which was slow to recover from emotionally.
But.
Right now.
It might be different for others, but for Seo-yeon, it was special. It was the first type of acting she had ever done, and it was the acting that made her emotions shine brighter than anything else.
Submitting to the surging emotions, she synchronized her body with the rhythm flowing around her. The stage was about to begin. The performance Jo Ha-rin would show.
She could feel Cha Na-hee watching her from below the stage. Seo-yeon smiled at her. It was a smile directed at the audience below.
What Jo Ha-rin feels for Park Min-yul is still just simple curiosity.
An unfamiliar, flustered feeling. Yet, a warmth spreading through a heart that had started out cold and fluttering. It was definitely that kind of emotion.
Ironically.
Writer Im Jin-ha had reduced Jo Ha-rin’s screen time, but that actually helped. Jo Ha-rin had no presence until now, and her narrative with Park Min-yul was practically non-existent.
So, she had to build it from here. She had to convey to the viewers that pleasant sense of unfamiliarity Jo Ha-rin felt when reaching out to Park Min-yul.
Because of that, Seo-yeon could empathize with Jo Ha-rin’s emotions. To Seo-yeon, the affection of others was something unfamiliar and flustered.
And now, Seo-yeon would act out that unfamiliarity. That was the narrative, and the most brilliant emotion Jo Ha-rin had to show from this point on.
A lovely performance that would make anyone fall in love. A true heroine.
‘Wow.’
Watching her, Cha Na-hee’s mouth fell open. Seeing Seo-yeon dancing on stage with a bright smile, she looked like a real idol.
Her feelings for Park Min-yul.
It wasn't just that. As a rookie idol, those traits naturally manifested in her movements. Naturally, since Seo-yeon was an actress, there were bound to be clumsy parts to her idol persona. She sublimated that into her acting, and Ma Yeon-woo naturally covered those deficiencies. He was a pro, after all.
Thus, the stage was perfect. It felt like watching a real performance—one that maximized strengths while hiding weaknesses.
Cha Na-hee couldn't take her eyes off the radiant Seo-yeon. It felt as if she were at a real concert hall. The cheers of countless fans—the sound Cha Na-hee had always heard—seemed to ring in her ears.
Only when the music stopped and Seo-yeon high-fived Ma Yeon-woo did she realize it was over. Only then did she remember that this was acting.
She probably wasn't the only one who felt that way. And just as Cha Na-hee expected...
[<Dream Future> Ratings Return to 15%!]
[<Dream Future> Successfully Rebounds on the Buzz of <The Chaser>!]
Articles began to pour out.
*
“Did you see Dream Future yesterday?”
“I didn't watch it before because it seemed childish, but it was actually pretty fun yesterday.”
“I heard the actress in Episode 7 is the same one who played the killer in The Chaser?”
“Really? She felt completely different, though??”
“Right, right? I was shocked too!!”
Starting from Episode 7, people began talking about Dream Future. Until then, it had just been seen as a peculiar drama that aired simultaneously with an internet broadcast—a new experiment.
“Damn, Jo Ha-rin was insanely pretty.”
“I thought she was amazing in The Chaser too.”
“I wondered why they didn't give Jo Ha-rin more screen time, but was this all part of a grand plan?”
“No way.”
It wasn't hard to find people talking about the drama. Movies and dramas—Seo-yeon’s name began to be mentioned in both circles.
Stories about Writer Im Jin-ha were also circulating on the internet. Someone among the staff must have leaked the information. Or perhaps...
“Hmph.”
Han Seon-ah snorted as she typed out a new article. It was an internal scoop from KMB—an article about Im Jin-ha.
The headline was something like: [Drama Writer’s Power Trip Controversy: Are the Viewers Not Responsible?]
Something along those lines.
“Ah, is this too much clickbait?”
Reflecting on it, Han Seon-ah revised the article. Regardless, she had no intention of letting the writer walk away quietly.
And so, Episode 7 ended and Episode 8 began. The meeting between Jo Ha-rin, who had entered the Top 10, and Song So-ha.
“Did it go up again? What’s the number?”
“17 percent! It went up another 2 percent.”
“Wow, this is crazy. Are we going to see a drama break 20 percent for the first time in a while?”
With the general trend of drama ratings declining, a rating over 20 percent was considered a massive hit.
[<The Chaser> Surpasses 8 Million! Will it hit 10 million?]
[<Dream Future>’s Pleasant Climb! Ratings Approach 20%]
Episodes 9 and 10 of Dream Future followed. Song So-ha showed her prowess and realized her feelings for the male lead, Kim Si-hwan. Meanwhile, Jo Ha-rin also had a chance encounter with Park Min-yul.
Cha Na-hee did her absolute best. As the female lead, Song So-ha, she was gradually asserting her presence to the public.
Discussions about Dream Future were lively across various communities. Ratings continued to climb, and YouTube view counts soared.
[Ramiel’s Broadcast]
「I watched a movie recently, The Chaser.」
「Ah, I guess everyone knows it. It’s good, right?」
「I heard the same actress was in it, so I checked out Dream Future recently, and I was shocked.」
「Her acting was so different I couldn't even tell it was the same person.」
「...Honestly, I thought it was truly amazing.」
「Ah, what? My voice sounds familiar? You... you must be mistaken.」
「Ahem, anyway, The Chaser and Dream Future. Ramiel’s recommendation!」
The drama was mentioned on various internet broadcasts, and the buzz only grew. It was rare to find someone who hadn't seen either The Chaser or Dream Future.
“Ju Seo-yeon? This actress is appearing everywhere lately.”
“I first saw her on a variety show, and I liked how cheerful she was.”
“But because of her Cha Seo-ah image, she’s a bit scary. I feel like she’s going to show up with an axe.”
“Pfft, that’s true.”
Naturally, mentions of Seo-yeon, the supporting actress who appeared in both, continued to increase.
[<Dream Future> Soundtrack Released, Dominates Melon Charts!]
The OSTs from the drama began appearing on music sites, making their presence felt.
[<The Chaser> Hits 10 Million!!]
And as The Chaser reached the 10-million-viewer milestone...
“Yes, hello, Director Bae Jin-hwan. ...Pardon? You want me?”
That was exactly when Seo-yeon received the phone call.