Chapter 149: Golden Duckling (1)
Chapter 149: Golden Duckling (1)
Seo-yeon had recently been testing the waters, looking for the right moment to talk to Writer Min Se-hee.
There were two main reasons for this. One was strictly personal.
As for the other...
"The script has changed a bit recently."
"Yes, yes."
Writer Min Se-hee nodded quickly, her voice stuttering slightly.
In the world of drama, a writer's power is quite formidable—especially if they are a star writer.
However, Min Se-hee was not a star writer. This was effectively her debut work. Naturally, she had no choice but to be mindful of the opinions of an actor with a decent reputation.
Furthermore, that actor was...
Seo-yeon is a bit... difficult.
It was a sentiment that would have made Seo-yeon pout if she heard it, but it was the truth. To the hamster-like Min Se-hee, Seo-yeon was like a Vorpal Rabbit—threatening in many ways.
The image of someone with cute features but combat prowess strong enough to slaughter dozens... that was the vibe. Perhaps that impression had bled into the recent scripts.
"Why is Lee Yu-ju doing a chair shot here...?"
Seo-yeon was genuinely bewildered.
She had watched Sky Garden in her past life. While she usually felt nothing for romance-heavy dramas, she had actually enjoyed Sky Garden. Or so she assumed.
Because of that, she had a great deal of trust in Sky Garden. After all, it was a drama that had pulled legendary viewership ratings on a general programming channel. Now that it was being produced for a major network, why the sudden chair shot?
Naturally, no such scene existed in her past life. Sky Garden had been a drama that maintained a sophisticated level of tension.
"W-well, it's just that your recent image seems to be getting such a positive response..."
"Do I look like the type to smash someone with a chair?"
"A-ah, no, it's not that... It's just that your action scenes have been such a hot topic lately..."
It seemed her popularity on Hyper Action Star had influenced the script. But still, a chair shot? It had suddenly turned into a delinquent flick.
"I don't use things like chairs."
"...?"
"I was suggesting that bare hands would be enough."
For the record, the scene itself was original to the story. To the elite students of Taeyang High School, the existence of Lee Yu-ju was an anomaly in many ways.
In particular, Lee Yu-ju was the top student in her year. Naturally, many looked down on her, and some even tried to harass her. Just as Lee Yu-ju was about to resolve the situation with her unique presence and sharp tongue, a small scuffle was supposed to break out.
That was when 'Lee Min-hyuk, the eldest son of the Lee Hyuk-soo family,' was supposed to appear and save her. That was the gist of the scene. It was a moment that made viewers wonder if he was the male lead, creating a fair bit of heart-fluttering excitement—at least until the next episode revealed that the harassment itself had been orchestrated by Lee Min-hyuk.
She really is a rookie writer; she wavers in areas like this.
How did such a great drama come out in her past life? Surely there must have been distracting factors back then too...
Maybe the actors anchored the script during filming.
Considering how easily she swayed now, that seemed like a strong possibility. Regardless, the important thing was her current script.
"I-I see. It certainly was a scene that didn't quite fit the tone of the drama."
Fortunately, Min Se-hee readily agreed to revise it. However, she looked somewhat disappointed. Did she really want to see me do a chair shot that badly?
I just signed a chair CF, too.
Of course, school chairs were different from the one she was endorsing. If she had beaten someone with the specific chair she was advertising, it would have been a legendary piece of PPL, in its own way.
"Well then, since I have to go revise the script..."
Just as Min Se-hee was about to leave, Seo-yeon hurriedly grabbed her shoulder. Although she had approached her because of the script, she figured it would be good to ask about something she had been wanting to discuss for a while. She didn't know how much longer Writer Min would be on set, after all.
"Hieeeek!!"
Min Se-hee's reaction was nothing short of dramatic. The moment Seo-yeon grabbed her shoulder, she recoiled in terror, looking like a mouse caught by the scruff of its neck by a cat.
"..."
"A-ah, I was just a little startled."
Min Se-hee made an excuse, but it was more than just "a little." What kind of hand was this? This was the hand that swatted away flying paintballs and tossed people around like ragdolls. It was a glaring fact that if someone like Min Se-hee were caught in that grip, she’d be turned into dried filefish instantly.
She felt it once again.
Lee Yu-ju definitely wouldn't use a chair.
When your own hands are your strongest weapons, why bother with tools? Of course, Lee Yu-ju and Seo-yeon were different people, but that thought kept circling in her head.
"Anyway."
Seo-yeon chose her words carefully before speaking.
"Actually, there's a scenario with a theme I really want to write."
"Pardon?"
"...It's a movie scenario."
Seo-yeon hesitated for a moment before continuing slowly.
"I was wondering if you, Writer Min, could take it on."
"A movie? You want to make a movie, Seo-yeon?"
Min Se-hee spoke as if it were completely unexpected. Of course, there were actors who tried their hand at directing. But wasn't Seo-yeon a bit too young for that?
"I'm not going to direct it. But I do want to make it."
"T-that's a difficult distinction."
More than that, she was curious about what kind of movie scenario Seo-yeon wanted to create.
"But it's not impossible."
"Is that so?"
"Yes."
Min Se-hee's official debut was Sky Garden, so she was technically a rookie drama writer, but she understood how the industry worked. She had participated in many projects as an assistant. She was a "rookie with experience."
"It depends on whether you're going for a small-scale independent film or a large-scale production with major investment. Are you aiming for the latter?"
"Yes."
"Then first, you'd need to find a studio that can push the project forward. You'd also need to secure investment, though..."
It went without saying that investment was the hardest part. But ironically, Min Se-hee thought the latter might actually be the easiest for her.
Jo Seo-hee.
Jo Seo-hee's family was wealthy. Extremely wealthy. In terms of business rankings, they were easily in the top five. Recently, they even seemed to be showing interest in the cultural industry because of their daughter. They seemed to be flexing their muscles for the first time with Gyeongseong Lady, though she didn't know the details.
And there's GH Group.
Thinking back to Hyper Action Star, she knew how special GH Group considered Seo-yeon to be. Having watched that show, Min Se-hee could see the general outline of the script. From start to finish, it was a variety show literally made for Seo-yeon. If Seo-yeon said she wanted to make a movie, they would likely be the first to lend a hand.
"And naturally, you would star in it as an actor."
"Yes."
"Usually, an actor's name value influences the investment and production. They say the bulk of a movie's budget is the actor's salary, right? In other words, if your own value is high, you save that much on production costs. And..."
"And?"
"It becomes even more certain if a star writer joins. Oh, and a director too."
If the scenario itself had power, making a movie wasn't an impossible feat. However...
I'm not at that level yet.
Min Se-hee sighed. She was curious about the scenario Seo-yeon wanted to make, but she didn't think she was at the level to handle it.
"...Then."
Seo-yeon hesitated before speaking.
"If I were to make a movie, would you be willing to write the scenario? Ah, of course, only if you find the theme I want to explore... acceptable."
It was rare for Seo-yeon to speak so hesitantly. She had a movie she wanted to make, but she had no intention of dragging those around her into a failing project. If she was going to do it, she wanted to make a movie that could succeed. Of course, everyone who makes a movie feels that way.
"Me? I'm not exactly a famous writer... You could find someone much better, Seo-yeon."
Min Se-hee spoke in a flustered tone. She wondered if it was a joke, but Seo-yeon's face was dead serious.
"You can do it."
Seo-yeon believed it. Just looking at Sky Garden, she felt Min Se-hee's style would mesh well with the movie she wanted to make. She had a conviction that the writer would express her ideas beautifully.
"You're going to become a star writer."
Seo-yeon spoke with a firm tone.
"I will make sure of it, through Sky Garden."
Giving voice to that certainty.
"I'll make it happen."
At those words, Min Se-hee found herself nodding reflexively. If things really went as she said, there was nothing to lose.
*
Seo-yeon thought back.
To the two people she had met at the previous fan meeting. No, it was something she had been thinking about for a long time. Ever since she decided to become an actor. Perhaps the reason she clung so desperately to acting and nothing else was because of that. The moments she appeared on the screen or TV as an actor were her only way of communicating with her.
Ju Seo-yeon.
Her own name. Seo-yeon whispered the name to herself as she recalled memories of her past life. Her name was certainly in there. It was blurry now, but she remembered it not as her own memory, but as a word called out by someone else.
That someone. The person she had met recently.
I need to graduate.
From her past self. But she couldn't do it yet. She hadn't realized it herself, but the previous fan meeting had confirmed that there were still lingering regrets, like sediment at the bottom of a glass. As long as her past self existed, there were emotions she could never truly possess. She didn't think that was a good thing.
So, this was a preparation for that. Preparation for graduation. It was still far off, but she would take it step by step. She hoped this movie would become her diploma.
Seo-yeon exhaled as she thought.
Anyway.
Seo-yeon looked up. Her room came into view. But it felt different than usual. That was because today, this place was a filming set.
Specifically, for Golden Duckling.
It was a new variety show Seo-yeon was trying out—an observation variety show. To be honest, even though it was an observation show, she wasn't quite sure what she was supposed to do.
...What am I supposed to do?
"Just live normally. Like you always do," Jeon Ha-young, the PD of Golden Duckling, had said, but it felt more like an emphasis on not showing her usual self. After all, it was a variety show.
Other people seem to do all sorts of things.
Seo-yeon pondered seriously. Was she supposed to do outside activities like everyone else?
I've shown enough of me studying.
Seo-yeon closed the notebook she had been scribbling in. To be honest, she hadn't been studying. It was more like a vague delusion about the future... no, let's call it a plan. She had succeeded in packaging it as "studying" for the cameras installed in her room.
Regardless, Golden Duckling was a show that depicted the daily lives of young stars. If they were shown neglecting their studies, it often caused a stir.
Sarcastic comments like those were common. Because of that, actors usually included short scenes of themselves studying, even if it was just for show. The difference between having it and not having it was surprisingly large.
Seo-yeon tapped her chair and spoke.
"Should I say a line or something?"
She tried to naturally include the chair PPL... but it felt awkward. Anyway, the chair she was currently sitting in was the one she would soon be advertising. She hadn't filmed the commercial yet, but she figured she should practice in advance.
But how do I do a chair PPL?
For the record, all the chairs in Seo-yeon's house had been replaced with Adiz. She wanted to promote them naturally, but it wasn't as easy as she thought.
"..."
So, what now?
Seo-yeon thought hard. Usually, what she did was play games. And watch VTubers. And then watch various videos. She usually exercised in the morning, so it was awkward to go now. If she went in the afternoon, there were no spots left, and people stared so much it was hard to focus.
Hmm.
Seo-yeon sat back down. Well, they told her to do what she usually does, so maybe she should just watch a VTuber?
Just as she was thinking that...
"M-my daughter~ Mommy brought some fruit."
"Yes... Pardon?"
Seo-yeon turned her head naturally to answer, then froze when she saw Sua entering the room.
What the...
Sua was different from usual. Normally, Sua didn't put much effort into her appearance. At home, she usually wore comfortable clothes like an ordinary housewife.
But today... Sua was perfectly made up, as if she had just come from a professional stylist. She was styled from head to toe. Looking at her like that, it was impossible to believe she was in her late thirties. She looked like she was in her twenties.
Isn't this... a bit much?
Seo-yeon thought seriously. In a way, it made her feel like her own looks weren't even a result of a "glow-up." Was it just pure, superior genetics?
Setting aside her looks, her outfit was also eye-catching. It was comfortable enough to be worn at home, yet it subtly accentuated her figure. It was definitely not a piece of clothing Sua owned.
Wait, is it Park Jung-woo's mother?
The only person capable of styling her mother to this extent was her. Ji-yeon's mother tried hard, but she didn't have the skill.
She really knows what my mom's weapons are.
Seo-yeon marveled in spite of herself. The first thing that caught her eye was Sua's impressive chest. Seeing that, her gaze naturally drifted down to her own. That movement didn't stem from envy. After all, she was the one who had inherited those genes.
Surely... I won't end up like that, right?
This is enough. Seo-yeon thought so, but she had been getting worried lately. Despite her best efforts to burn fat through exercise, her "presence" was steadily growing. She was at the point where she had to buy new underwear, so it was only natural for her anxiety to rise.
"So, my daughter, what are you going to do now? Games? Or that?"
"That" clearly referred to watching VTubers. But looking at Sua's eyes, Seo-yeon felt like she might die if she watched that now. Those eyes were saying, 'You need to manage your image properly.'
Ah, image.
Thinking that, she reminded herself of the purpose of filming this observation variety show. Image. To completely break away from her "weird" image!
Then what should I do?
She had already done the studying. Well, technically it wasn't studying, but still. Should she do something active, like a sport?
Gaming?
It was technically an e-sport, so wouldn't that count?
As she was pondering...
Clack.
"Daddy's home!"
The sound of the front door opening echoed through the house. At that sound, both Seo-yeon and Sua's heads snapped toward the door simultaneously.
Why was he home at this hour?!
Their reactions were identical. At this time, Young-bin should have been busy working at his company.