Chapter 130: Rising Stars (1)
Chapter 130: Rising Stars (1)
Sky Garden was a drama that Seo-yeon, in her past life, hadn't really been able to relate to.
The cutthroat competition of private education, the psychological warfare between parents desperate to get their children into top-tier universities.
And the children themselves, struggling by any means necessary to secure a spot at those elite schools, committing acts of malice without a second thought.
For Seo-yeon, who hadn't even been able to attend school properly, she couldn't help but wonder: Is it really worth going that far?
After all, she had been in a situation where attending a regular school was difficult, let alone a prestigious one.
And that remained true even now.
Neither Seo-yeon’s father nor her mother cared much about her academic performance. They had even gone so far as to say that living a life befitting a student was what mattered most.
‘Though that might be because I’m already working as an actress.’
Regardless, the protagonist of Sky Garden was a character that was incredibly difficult for Seo-yeon to portray from her own perspective. Because of that, she had many internal concerns.
‘But still.’
Seo-yeon scanned her surroundings.
Everyone was young.
Of course, there were many middle-aged veteran actors present as well. However, Seo-yeon was seated in the section where the younger cast members were gathered.
To put it another way, the "classmates" who would be targeting Seo-yeon in the school setting were all gathered right here.
"It’ll probably be more comfortable for actors of similar ages to sit together, right?"
Lee Min-hwa, the PD of Sky Garden, said with a smile.
It was a pleasant, good-natured smile, but it certainly didn't carry a purely positive meaning. There was no way she was unaware of the subtle power struggles that occurred between young actors.
‘She’s basically telling us to handle it ourselves.’
That was why she had arranged the seating this way. It was a "consideration" that wasn't exactly a consideration—a way to let them settle things now so that no issues would arise once filming actually started.
"Everyone is staring at you, Seo-yeon."
"…I see that."
For Seo-yeon, who was mostly used to lively and energetic sets, this atmosphere was quite foreign. It was likely the same for Cha Na-hee.
And honestly, Cha Na-hee was in a more precarious position than she was.
‘An idol-turned-actress.’
And an active idol at that. Furthermore, while Summer Girl was a fairly well-known group, they weren't exactly considered "top-tier."
‘Actors have a strong tendency to look down on idols.’
They often called them "lowly entertainers." To actors with rigid mindsets—or even those who learned from such people—there wasn't much of a difference.
It had even been broadcasted before: actors sitting stone-faced, not even cracking a smile or clapping while singers and idols performed at film or drama award ceremonies.
If they were like that during performances, how would they act on a professional acting set?
The reason they were focusing their attention only on Seo-yeon right now was for that very reason. To them, Cha Na-hee was practically invisible. They likely didn't expect much from her in the first place.
‘Even though she proved herself in Dream Future.’
Seo-yeon let out a small, bitter chuckle. It was frustrating to see how they could still look down on someone despite their achievements.
‘It turns out Jung-woo sunbae was the unusual one.’
Her respect for Park Jung-woo rose once again. He had never shown any discrimination toward idols.
While it helped that Dream Future was split half-and-half between idols and actors, it was mostly because Park Jung-woo, the biggest name among the actors, had taken the lead in setting a positive tone.
‘But here, Na-hee unni is the only one from an idol background.’
And the actors gathered here today were all individuals with significant names for themselves—all of them promising prospects.
‘The cast is even better than it was originally.’
Many of the actors she remembered from her past life were still here. They were likely the ones Writer Min Se-hee had envisioned from the start.
However, the younger cast was different. Unlike her past life, where most were rookies, this time the room was filled with rising stars.
Actors who would eventually shine as time passed.
Method actors.
Character actors.
Actors destined to walk the red carpet.
It was clear that KMB had sharpened its blade for Sky Garden, using the success of Dream Future as a springboard.
And just as Seo-yeon was observing them, the other actors were keeping a close eye on her as well.
‘Ju Seo-yeon.’
‘So she’s the lead.’
‘And she didn't even have to audition.’
Every single young actor participating in Sky Garden had gone through an audition. There were only two exceptions: Ju Seo-yeon and Cha Na-hee.
Naturally, the others couldn't help but feel a sense of resentment. Most of them had steadily built their careers since they were child actors and had been groomed as top prospects within their agencies.
Yet, their lack of concern for Cha Na-hee mirrored Seo-yeon’s own thoughts.
‘Because she’s an idol.’
They didn't see her as a competitor. They figured she was just someone who would crawl back to her main job once she got bored of acting.
But Seo-yeon was different. Especially since they were of a similar age.
‘Even after a ten-year hiatus.’
Kim Hyun-seok, who was cast as the eldest son of the "Lee Hyuk-soo family" in Sky Garden, narrowed his eyes as he looked at Seo-yeon.
In truth, he hadn't cared much when Seo-yeon first made her comeback. He thought she was just a child actor returning after a decade. He assumed the interest sparked by her variety show appearance would fizzle out quickly.
That is, if Seo-yeon hadn't starred in back-to-back hits.
‘The Chaser and Dream Future.’
On top of that, rumors were circulating that the new show she was filming, Hyper Action Star, was merely a stepping stone for her to star in a major action movie.
Of course, since it was a public audition program, nothing was certain, but still.
‘She must have connections with the higher-ups.’
Otherwise, there was no way she would receive such a massive push. Even if The Chaser was a hit, everything seemed to be moving forward as if they had been waiting for her.
"What is it, Kim Hyun-seok?"
At that moment, his friend Han Seong-jin, who was sitting next to him, gave a small smirk.
"Are you that bothered by her?"
"Don't act like you aren't."
The two had known each other since they were child actors and were quite close. They were in the same agency and had even appeared in the same dramas and movies.
"Well, she is the lead of this drama."
"Do they pick leads through connections now instead of auditions?"
"They picked her based on her career."
That damn "career." At most, she had two recent works, didn't she? The Chaser and Dream Future. Taesumdal was from when she was too young, so that didn't count.
In terms of the sheer number of projects, they had far more. Even if they only counted appearances in hit productions.
"It’s about how impactful the roles were."
"…."
He couldn't deny that her roles had been impactful. He certainly felt hostile toward her, but if he ignored her acting ability, he couldn't call himself an actor.
‘Cha Seo-ah and Jo Ha-rin.’
They were roles with completely different colors. The performances she delivered were so distinct that it was hard to believe they were the same person. It was acting that didn't seem possible for someone her age.
But he told himself:
‘It’s only because those were the roles she was given.’
Kim Hyun-seok thought this as he watched Seo-yeon. He had the confidence that if he were given such roles, he could do just as well.
To put it kindly, he had strong pride as an actor; to put it bluntly, he was a bit overconfident.
As the strange silence persisted...
"Has everyone had a chance to talk?"
Finally, Writer Min Se-hee and Director Kim Il-soo arrived, and the meeting officially began.
"Those of you who saw the script during the auditions already know, but I believe you all have a general grasp of the drama's atmosphere and content."
Director Kim Il-soo, after glancing briefly at Min Se-hee sitting beside him, began to speak.
"It’s a story centered around 'Sky Garden,' a place where royal families live."
Specifically, it centered on the prestigious Taeyang High School located within Sky Garden.
"First, regarding the lead, Lee Yu-ju."
Director Kim Il-soo looked toward Seo-yeon.
"She is the younger sister of a student who got a perfect score on the CSAT and was the top entrant to the Baek-yeon University College of Medicine—the best university in Korea."
Like her brother, she was a character who entered Taeyang High School through a special admission process.
It was said that Lee Yu-ju’s older brother, Lee Seok-chan, had successfully gained admission to Baek-yeon University through a unique, independent curriculum. And he had supposedly passed that curriculum down to his younger sister.
"You all are the parents who are after that curriculum. That’s why you target Lee Yu-ju."
Some tell their children to become her friend.
Some use threats.
Others use their power and influence.
Parents who use every method imaginable to get that curriculum out of Lee Yu-ju. Their only goal is their children's success. And to protect their reputations as families of doctors, lawyers, or prosecutors.
"It’s a story about private education. It will be a drama that satirizes academic elitism."
After explaining various details for a long time, Kim Il-soo took a breath and finished.
"That’s all for the overview of the work. Today is just a meeting to get to know each other before the official script reading."
He gave a wide grin. Then, he set the mood for everyone to talk freely.
It was different from when PD Lee Min-hwa was speaking. There was a strange silence, but this time, the director was watching.
"I’m already worried sick because of my own son, I didn't expect to be acting out that kind of stress here too."
"I’ve never had much of a connection with 'prestigious' places like this, so this is new."
"It’s a real headache. Goodness."
The middle-aged actors were the first to speak up. Once they broke the ice, the younger actors naturally followed suit.
"Seo-yeon-ssi. There’s something I’ve been wanting to ask, if that’s okay?"
The one who spoke first with a friendly smile was Han Seong-jin, who was sitting next to Kim Hyun-seok.
"I’ve been enjoying Hyper Action Star lately. Is all of that... actually real?"
Han Seong-jin was genuinely curious. I mean, think about it.
A person seeing flying paintballs and deflecting them? Her running speed was extraordinary, too. The stunts she performed—it all seemed impossible without rehearsals or a script.
"That’s…."
Seo-yeon was internally flustered, not expecting to be asked that so directly. Just as she was about to give a sincere answer...
"It’s obviously all tricks."
Kim Hyun-seok said with a smirk.
Wait, was he pulling a "Mr. Satan" right now?
"Don't be so naive. You really think a person can poke a hole in a coconut with their finger? Or crush wood while trying to start a fire? Or toss a 200kg Giant Sea Bass into the air by themselves? Paintballs? Those fly at 90 meters per second. How do you see those and swat them away? She even dodges them when multiple rounds are fired. That’s impossible unless it’s choreographed beforehand."
"…."
In any case, Kim Hyun-seok had watched every variety show Seo-yeon appeared in. And his overall impression was this:
Variety shows sure do exaggerate.
They make it look so real that people might actually believe it.
That was his general sentiment.
"He’s right."
The funny thing was that Cha Na-hee was the one who agreed with him.
"I think they’re trying too hard to push that kind of image onto an actress."
Cha Na-hee was upset! It felt like people on the internet were forcing Seo-yeon into a meme.
‘There’s no way my Seo-yeon is that violent!’
Though their reasons were different, their conclusions were the same.
‘Hmm.’
Listening to their conversation, Seo-yeon suddenly thought of her recent fan community. A community filled with various photoshopped memes.
To be honest, Seo-yeon found them quite fun and liked looking strong, but as an actress, it was a bit...
‘I... I need to manage my image….’
Seo-yeon tended to get a bit carried away whenever she appeared on variety shows. But hearing Kim Hyun-seok’s words, she wondered if she had gone a bit too far.
She decided she should tone it down for a while.
With that thought, Seo-yeon let out a quiet, internal sigh.