Chapter 142: Unexpected Charm (2)
Chapter 142: Unexpected Charm (2)
Unlike PD Jeon Ha-young, who was lost in a whirlwind of complex thoughts, Seo-yeon didn't have much on her mind.
She simply figured that appearing on an observation variety show would be fine.
Observation variety shows usually do a lot to change a celebrity's image.
After all, observation shows were an effective way to bridge the gap with the public. Because of this, celebrities who felt somewhat distant or unapproachable often benefited greatly from appearing on them.
Golden Duckling was no different.
It featured many young celebrities who felt a bit out of reach, and at the end of the day, every celebrity is someone's child. Many stars preferred the show because it allowed them to showcase that side of themselves.
Of course, there are definitely people whose images got worse after appearing.
There were certainly celebrities whose reputations plummeted because they treated their parents poorly on screen. Seo-yeon made up her mind to be as careful as possible.
"Seo-yeon, have you happened to watch our show?"
"Yes."
"Really? Oh, thank you. I also enjoyed The Chaser and Dream Future. I've been keeping up with all your recent variety show appearances, too."
By "recent variety shows," did she mean Hyper Action Star?
That’s strictly an audition program, though.
For some reason, it felt like many people viewed it as a simple variety show rather than an audition. Perhaps it was because the "audition" vibe was a bit thin? Of course, it seemed like the GH Group had intentionally steered it in that direction.
"Then... back to the main point."
After the ritualistic small talk, Jeon Ha-young cleared her throat softly.
"While Golden Duckling doesn't air during the absolute peak golden hour with the highest ratings, its viewership is right up there with the best of them."
Her tone was confident.
The viewership for Golden Duckling was a staggering 5 percent! In an era where overall TV ratings were declining, that was an incredible figure. Considering reruns and internet clips, its actual exposure was far greater than the visible ratings suggested.
"I'm sure you won't regret this choice."
"Yes."
Jeon Ha-young flinched for a moment at Seo-yeon's stoic response.
...Will this be okay?
Meeting Seo-yeon in person, she was worried because the girl was more tight-lipped and less expressive than expected. However, every variety show Seo-yeon had appeared on had been a massive hit. It wasn't just the recently trending Hyper Action Star or Star Fisherman. Even her appearance on the gaming show Play Until the King had caused a huge stir.
Yet, meeting her in the flesh, she was completely different from how she appeared on TV.
Come to think of it, she doesn't interact with many celebrities, and if you believe the rumors, she has a very quiet personality.
Was her persona on variety shows all an act? If so, her professionalism was remarkable, but as an observation variety PD, it was a genuine concern. There are many celebrities with a severe disconnect between their persona on other shows and their behavior on observation shows. While that could be a positive, it could also be a negative.
If this stoic version of Seo-yeon was her true self, it would inevitably be a drawback in terms of entertainment value. If she was just a picture-perfect, quiet honor student like her appearance suggested...
"Ah, right. Your family will be appearing with you, Seo-yeon. Do we have their consent...?"
"They all said it was fine. My younger sister was actually quite happy about it."
"Oh, so you have a younger sister?"
"Yes. She's starting elementary school soon."
She had a younger sister. This was a positive sign. If a star's younger sibling was cute, that alone could become a hot topic.
"What about your parents?"
"My mother was a bit hesitant, but she gave her permission."
Fortunately, Seo-yeon seemed certain about her intent to appear.
Seo-yeon's parents, huh.
Jeon Ha-young imagined Seo-yeon's parents as a picture-perfect middle-aged couple. Since they had a daughter Seo-yeon's age, they would likely be in their mid-forties. She imagined a refined, middle-aged couple with just the right amount of graceful wrinkles.
It was a vague assumption. Since most celebrity parents who had appeared so far fit that description, Jeon Ha-young simply assumed the same.
"Then, how about we have a meeting with your parents next time?"
"Ah, do both of them need to come?"
"No, no! Just one is fine. Ideally, it would be your mother, since she'll be appearing on the panel."
Seo-yeon felt a bit worried at Jeon Ha-young's words. Unlike herself, who got along with people relatively well and was a good talker, Sua had something of a communication disorder.
"Yes, I'll do that."
Seo-yeon's answer was immediate. Jeon Ha-young was in a great mood. If she could build a rapport with Seo-yeon now and even get her to appear in an MDC drama later, wouldn't that be killing two birds with one stone?
At the time, that was all she thought. She figured as long as the variety show did decently, it would be fine.
However.
"A-Ah, hello. I-I'm Ju Sua, Su-yeon's... I mean, Seo-yeon's mother."
"Mom, I'm Seo-yeon."
"S-Seo-yeon's mother..."
As Sua stuttered and bowed her head, something large bounced up and down. Naturally, Jeon Ha-young's head and eyes followed that trajectory, bobbing up and down in sync.
Whoa, they're seriously huge.
No, she shouldn't be thinking like that. But seriously, wow.
"Wow."
Jeon Ha-young blankly let out an exclamation under her breath before immediately covering her mouth.
An "ajumma" with a high school daughter? Was she really an ajumma?
Ju Seo-yeon was a radiant beauty and the current trend among young actresses. Since Sua was her mother, Ha-young expected her to be good-looking, but...
"E-Excuse me, but how o-old are you...?"
"I-I'm a thirty-nine-year-old ajumma."
Thirty-nine. Ajumma.
There were few people for whom those words felt so ill-suited. In the first place, shouldn't breasts that size usually sag at that age?
Jeon Ha-young was in her mid-thirties herself. She was a career woman who had become a main PD at a very young age and built an impressive career. Though wrinkles were starting to appear on her face, she had comforted herself by thinking of them as the scars of a life well-lived.
But.
Wasn't it cheating for someone older than her to not have a single visible wrinkle? Was this even possible?
Feeling the sheer unfairness of it all, Ha-young couldn't help but realize something.
T-This is... no, this is going to be amazing.
She could feel it. This would undoubtedly be a massive shock to the public. This was going to work!
"C-Could we... talk in a bit more detail? You're truly, truly beautiful."
"T-Thank you."
Seeing the PD making such a fuss, Seo-yeon couldn't shake the feeling that she had been sidelined.
What's going on? Am I not the one appearing on the show?
*
After confirming her appearance on Golden Duckling, the filming date was set quickly.
It was roughly a month away, right after the finals of Hyper Action Star concluded. It seemed MDC wanted to have Seo-yeon on as soon as possible. However, since they didn't want to interfere with her ongoing audition, they had scheduled it for then.
The vibe is a bit strange, though.
Regarding recent events, Seo-yeon felt strangely at ease. Everyone's reaction was just, "Oh, so you're doing a variety show."
But when she told them it was Golden Duckling...
"Just don't overdo it," Lee Ji-yeon said.
"It's good for a person to show a more polished side of themselves occasionally," CEO Kang Chan-yul of Nova Ent had even said.
Their reactions—essentially "just don't cause any trouble"—made Seo-yeon pout. However, when she mentioned that Sua would be appearing...
"Your mom? Seriously?" Lee Ji-yeon was shocked.
"Sua? Really? Hoho, I'll have to start making preparations in advance, then." CEO Kang Chan-yul had scurried off in a flurry of excitement.
Seriously, wasn't this a bit much to their own signed actress?
"Seo-yeon, I'm really looking forward to this variety show!"
"...Yes, thank you."
Only Manager Park Eun-ha cheered her on with genuine enthusiasm.
It was depressing. Why was everyone only interested in her mom?
Well, I guess I know why.
Objectively speaking, Sua's appearance was extraordinary. Since she didn't seem to age at all, people around her were constantly asking for her secret. Ji-yeon's mother was a prime example, and apparently, Park Jung-woo's mother was the same.
Anyway, since everyone welcomed Sua's variety show debut, Seo-yeon felt a mix of complicated emotions and genuine happiness. She had often thought it would be nice if Sua dressed up and went out more. Preparing various things and doing makeup together after so long was certainly fun.
Come to think of it, I haven't told Dad yet.
It wasn't that she had intentionally kept it from him. It just happened that way. But telling him now felt a bit awkward.
If I tell him, won't he start acting differently than usual?
Her father was just like her when it came to caring about his image. If he knew it was for a broadcast, he would probably act like the sweetest father in the world on camera. But if she didn't tell him...
Hmm.
If he acted like his usual snarky self, she would be the only one suffering. She'd have to sit there and take it all because they were filming, unable to even talk back.
It can't be helped.
She decided she had to tell him eventually. The broadcast might be a bit less interesting, but at least she would have peace of mind.
Seo-yeon made up her mind—and then exactly two days later, she forgot.
*
Starting from the Top 16 of Hyper Action Star, real-time voting began.
The show had progressed from group action sequences to proper role-playing scenarios. It was a point where "acting" became just as important as "action." As a result, despite it being the Top 16, winners and losers began to be decided quite easily.
"I didn't expect Jo Seo-hee to make it to the Top 4."
Over the past two weeks of Hyper Action Star, Jo Seo-hee's charm had been heavily highlighted. To be honest, in terms of pure acting ability, it was almost unfair to compare her to the other actors. The only one who could rival Jo Seo-hee was Seo-yeon.
"As for Ju Seo-yeon... well, there's nothing more to say."
She was practically born to be an action actress. There wasn't an action scene she couldn't handle, and her acting was superb. Honestly, it was clear why the GH Group had bothered to produce an audition variety show in the first place.
"They probably figured her success was a given."
"Perhaps that's why, after the initial gunfight, her impact has been a bit less pronounced."
"That's true."
Since no one could beat Seo-yeon in action, she often ended up wandering around like an invincible NPC. Both acting and action required synergy with a partner, but since few dared to challenge Seo-yeon, there was less for her to show.
"It's a good thing Jo Seo-hee is there."
"Ahem. Though it seems she's developed a bit of a negative image."
Jo Seo-hee, who already had a somewhat fierce impression, had gained a new label through Hyper Action Star.
'The Icon of Betrayal.'
After betraying people about three times, such an image was inevitable. Twice in the preliminaries, and once more during a brief team mission in the Top 8. By the third time, even Seo-yeon's eyes had turned sharp as she practically crumpled Jo Seo-hee. Seeing how she managed to survive without any major injuries, Jo Seo-hee seemed surprisingly sturdy despite her looks.
"And then there's Min Do-ha."
"Um, how did she make it up there? And they're all from Group A?"
"She did well enough."
"She showed a lot in the preliminaries."
Min Do-ha had ultimately made it to the Top 4. Now, only the semifinals and the finals remained—just two broadcasts left.
"And..."
The last one.
"The dark horse from Group D."
"Ah, that actress... she was a foreigner, right?"
"Yes, her nationality is Japanese. She's the one who came to Korea to learn acting."
"She's the actress who beat Han So-yu to get here."
It was a very rare case. While it was common for idols to cross over, an actress was different. Honestly, there had been strong prejudices. Since the emotional sensibilities required for acting differed between Japan and Korea, many found the exaggerated style typical of Japanese acting to be childish.
"Narumi Sora, was it?"
"Yes, she's probably nineteen now. She's young, but a very promising actress."
"Above all, she has great eyes."
'Great eyes.' Those who hadn't seen her act might find it hard to understand what that meant. Furthermore, she was exceptionally skilled in action. She knew how to emphasize her own unique color.
"Her weapon-based action is excellent. I'm looking forward to seeing her go up against Ju Seo-yeon."
"She said she had some prior training, right?"
"In her interview, yes."
"Since she beat Han So-yu, expectations are high."
Everyone had predicted Han So-yu's victory, but the winner was Narumi Sora. That was when people really started taking notice of her.
"This is going to be very interesting."
The PDs spoke with anticipation for the upcoming Top 4 filming. In reality, depending on GH's whim, more than just the winner of these four could end up being cast. Beyond a simple audition, everyone here wanted to see proper acting enhanced by movie-quality CG. That was how formidable all four remaining actresses were.
Of course.
Why, exactly, how...
There was one actress standing on set looking completely dazed. Min Do-ha stood there with a hollow heart. Well, at this point, it was actually a good thing. After all, she was in the Top 4. Setting aside the fact that she had gotten here through luck, she was starting to feel a bit of confidence.
As long as I avoid Ju Seo-yeon, I have a chance. Well, I have to avoid Jo Seo-hee too.
The easiest target seemed to be the Japanese actress whose name she barely knew. How dare she, in Korea? Just as Min Do-ha was regaining her subtle confidence...
"..."
"..."
On the set ahead of the Top 4 filming, an actress with black hair tied in a ponytail, Narumi Sora, glanced sideways. A girl with picture-perfect looks was staring at her.
Why a school uniform?
Even Narumi Sora, who was quite serious about her own concepts, found this Korean girl baffling. What bothered her more was that Seo-yeon had been staring at her ever since she arrived on set. Why? Was this some kind of Korean hazing? Or was the "genius actress" keeping her in check? She would have felt better if that were the case, but the vibe was just... strange.
Noticing Seo-yeon's gaze, Jo Seo-hee, who was looking back and forth between Sora and Seo-yeon, furrowed her brow. Ever since they arrived, Seo-yeon's attention had been fixed on Sora.
Is she still mad because I betrayed her again last time?
Thinking that, she couldn't bring herself to speak first and just nervously bit her lower lip. While the two of them were focused on Seo-yeon's reaction...
Hmm.
Seo-yeon's thoughts were actually quite peaceful.
...If she's Japanese, wouldn't she like anime? She probably watches VTubers too.
She wasn't sure if that was a narrow-minded stereotype or just a random thought, but that was what was on her mind.