Chapter 214: Celebrity (2)
Chapter 214: Celebrity (2)
"A nepotism hire? Well, do your best, I guess."
That was what she had said while looking at the doll-like girl standing before her.
Pitch-black hair, pale skin.
And mysterious eyes with a hint of red.
The girl looked like she had stepped straight out of a fairy tale.
Her appearance was so striking that one couldn't help but think, 'Ah, they brought her in just for her face.'
In fact, everyone around her had been whispering the same thing.
The staff, and even her own manager.
That was why she had called her that.
A parachute. A nepotism hire.
It was the word young Jo Seo-hee hated most.
It felt as if a precious opportunity was being handed to someone who wasn't serious about the craft. It felt like a foreign substance had contaminated the world her mother had dedicated her life to.
Jo Seo-hee believed she definitely hated her back then.
At least, until she saw her act.
*
Vrrr, vrrrrrr!
Clack, thud, tumble!
Waking up to the sound of her phone rolling on the floor, Jo Seo-hee squinted at the wall clock with bleary eyes.
"…Mornings are never easy."
She hadn't expected to remember those days first thing in the morning.
Jo Seo-hee let out a sigh.
She climbed out of bed and moved through her usual routine. A light workout, breakfast.
As she was getting ready for school, the housekeeper approached her.
"You look bright lately, don't you, Miss Seo-hee?"
It was a casual remark.
Seo-hee gave the middle-aged woman a sharp, sidelong glance.
"Just speak normally, Auntie."
"Oh my, isn't this normal?"
Jo Seo-hee sighed at the woman’s beaming smile.
This woman had been in charge of the household chores since Seo-hee was a baby. She had been hired when her mother was at the height of her career and had worked for the family ever since.
"Is the movie filming not too exhausting?"
"No, it’s going smoothly."
Jo Seo-hee replied as she straightened her school uniform.
Smoothly.
Yes, that was exactly the right word.
Gyeongseong Lady was progressing well in many ways. Not just the filming itself, but also in terms of promotion and distribution. Everything felt like it was falling into place.
'The chaos at the beginning feels like a lie now.'
There was a time when a large portion of the cast had walked out and investors were expressing deep concern.
To be honest, Seo-hee had felt a sense of vertigo when the actor for the role of 'Goto Isamu' dropped out. It wasn't easy to find an actor of that caliber.
It wasn't just an extra; it was essentially the main antagonist. The role required someone with both acting prowess and public recognition.
Even as Seo-hee scrambled to find a replacement, no one was easily available. Most actors shook their heads because it was a villainous role and a film by Director Baek Min.
As the saying went, Director Baek Min’s films had such a unique color that many actors avoided them. In particular, the veteran actors who were suitable for the role of Goto Isamu didn't just avoid his work—they often actively disliked it.
'Plus, there are the homoerotic undertones.'
Those elements likely caused various issues.
However, that problem had been solved far too easily.
Out of nowhere, Seo-yeon had brought in the legendary actor, Lee Sang-soo.
How on earth?
'She just does things like that as if it’s nothing.'
To Jo Seo-hee, Seo-yeon was a fascinating existence.
It had been that way since they were children. She would calmly deliver performances that no child actor should be capable of, and with just one drama, she left a mark so significant that people still talked about it.
'And despite such a performance, she vanished without a trace.'
Jo Seo-hee grumbled inwardly as she sat through her classes at school.
Seo-hee’s shock when Seo-yeon disappeared had been that great. Seo-yeon’s final performance… it was the kind of starlight-like acting she had yearned for.
Just like the performances her mother used to give.
*
When Seo-yeon arrived at the filming site, she could sense a slightly restless atmosphere.
Curious, she drifted closer.
"Gah!! Good lord!"
"?"
A staff member jumped in fright as Seo-yeon approached silently. They hadn't heard a single footstep, nor had they felt even a hint of her presence.
'Did she learn something in Japan? Like how to be a ninja?'
Seeing the staff member’s reaction, Seo-yeon gave them a sharp look. Even if she had approached quietly, wasn't that reaction a bit much? Was that how one should react to seeing an actress?
"Ah, I-I'm sorry. There’s just a lot going on."
"A lot going on?"
"Yes, the actor Kang Seo-hyuk came to see Director Baek Min."
Kang Seo-hyuk.
One of the veteran actors representing South Korea. Why was he here?
"Apparently, the filming location for his new movie is nearby. Our schedules overlapped, so to speak."
"Ah."
The current location was a filming set in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province. It was a representative site that almost every drama set in the Japanese colonial era passed through. Therefore, it was entirely possible for filming schedules to overlap.
'But knowing Director Baek Min, I don't think he would have scheduled things to overlap.'
With that thought, Seo-yeon entered the set and saw Director Baek Min and Kang Seo-hyuk talking. However, with so many staff members around, it was difficult to get close.
Seo-yeon focused her hearing as much as possible and eavesdropped on their conversation from a distance.
"I heard you were filming nearby, so I stopped by to say hello."
"It seems your new project is also set during the Japanese occupation, Mr. Kang."
"Haha, it just turned out that way. Quite a coincidence, isn't it?"
The conversation between the two wasn't particularly sharp. However, considering their respective positions, it was a bizarre scene.
Kang Seo-hyuk, who had unilaterally dropped out of the movie, and Director Baek Min, who was now meeting him.
Of course, Kang Seo-hyuk hadn't caused a scene when he left. He had simply pulled out along with other actors right before filming began. While that was a problem in itself, it wasn't unheard of, making it difficult to criticize him too harshly.
'More than anything, it seems Kang Seo-hyuk came today to apologize for what happened then.'
It seemed he had already sent apologies several times. Regardless, it wasn't good to have a bad reputation in the industry.
However, Kang Seo-hyuk probably hadn't expected Director Baek Min to accept his apology so nonchalantly.
In fact…
'He’s meeting me this calmly?'
Kang Seo-hyuk was a seasoned actor. He had expected Director Baek Min to be difficult about meeting him. Baek Min was known for his meticulous personality, and that was exactly why Kang had initially agreed to join the film.
He had only left because another project offered excessively good terms.
'But it couldn't be helped. The pay was more than double.'
The investors were much larger, and the scale of the film was incomparable to Gyeongseong Lady. In the case of Gyeongseong Lady, the setting was mostly just the two ladies' mansion and these streets.
To be honest, it was closer to a low-budget film. There was no need for heavy CGI; it was a movie focused entirely on the actors.
'Since I took the core cast with me… Director Baek Min should be quite furious.'
So, his reason for visiting today was ostensibly to offer a proper apology. Even to all the actors gathered there.
Even if the filming schedules hadn't overlapped, Kang Seo-hyuk would have visited the set at least once. He had a reputation to manage. And he was likely curious about how Gyeongseong Lady was filming so smoothly despite his departure.
'Who on earth took my role, Goto Isamu?'
He scanned the set, but he didn't see any suitable actors. Kang Seo-hyuk was famous for his wide network in the entertainment industry. None of the veteran actors he knew had mentioned taking the role of Goto Isamu.
'It seems they had no choice but to cast someone insignificant.'
If a great actor had taken the spot, the investors would have promoted it heavily. The fact that they were quiet meant the actor wasn't anyone worth boasting about.
As he was thinking that…
"You don't need to feel too sorry. Everything has been resolved quite well, one way or another."
"…I'm glad to hear that."
"Well, we have to get back to filming…"
"Ah, my apologies."
After finishing the conversation, Kang Seo-hyuk bowed to Director Baek Min and began to leave the set.
In the process, he ran into Seo-yeon.
'Han Seo-yeon?'
He recalled she was one of the main cast members of Gyeongseong Lady.
'The rising star.'
Seo-yeon was quite famous even among actors. It was only natural. An actress who didn't know failure. There was even a joke that any failing project would be revived if Seo-yeon joined it.
In reality, she was leaving that kind of footprint. Her achievements were so absurdly great that rumors even circulated that they were exaggerated or partially fabricated.
Consequently, she had many enemies who were jealous of her. Of course, a wise person would try to make her an ally at any cost.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Kang Seo-hyuk. I've heard a lot about you from Jung Eun-seon."
He greeted Seo-yeon with a smile. His mouth smiled, but his eyes did not. Given the rumors he’d heard, Seo-yeon wasn't exactly a welcome presence to him.
'Our movie’s release date overlaps with Gyeongseong Lady.'
In other words, they were destined to fight over the audience. Of course, Kang Seo-hyuk never imagined he would lose.
It was only natural. First, there was the genre appeal. Kang Seo-hyuk was in an anti-Japanese drama, a genre that usually guaranteed at least 5 million viewers in Korea, and the scale was incomparable to Gyeongseong Lady.
On the other hand, Gyeongseong Lady only used the Japanese colonial era as a backdrop without emphasizing those patriotic elements. Above all, it was a movie with homoerotic themes. It wouldn't have a large audience.
However…
'The fact that this girl is involved bothers me.'
It had only been a year. In an actor's life, it was a mere blink of an eye, but the impact she had made in that time was too great to be dismissed as just one year.
And the problem was that Han Seo-yeon wasn't the only one in this movie.
"Hello, Mr. Kang."
A woman stepped between Seo-yeon and Kang Seo-hyuk. Having just arrived at the set, Jo Seo-hee looked at him with a bright smile. Her posture was almost as if she were shielding Seo-yeon from him.
"Hello, Miss Seo-hee. It’s been a long time."
The young Jo Seo-hee reflected in his eyes. Had it been ten years since they last met at her mother’s funeral? Although she had been active for nearly a decade, this was the first time they had met on set.
"I'm relieved to see you looking healthy."
"…Thank you."
"Your mother would be pleased. She has a daughter who has carried on her legacy."
At those words, Jo Seo-hee’s eyes narrowed before she quickly flashed another smile.
"Thank you for your concern."
"Well then, I have filming to get to as well."
With that, Kang Seo-hyuk turned and slowly walked away from the set.
Han Seo-yeon and Jo Seo-hee. Effectively, the future of actresses.
'There’s something unsettling about this.'
Kang Seo-hyuk thought as he left the set. On his way out, he noticed a massive van parked nearby.
'Is that the van Jo Seo-hee arrived in?'
He felt a flicker of doubt. For some reason, it weighed on his mind.
"Hmph."
Jo Seo-hee snorted and looked toward where Kang Seo-hyuk had disappeared with a sneer.
"Apology, my foot."
She could guess why Kang Seo-hyuk had come. He was likely bothered by the fact that Gyeongseong Lady had started filming much faster than expected.
As Seo-hee glared at the spot where Kang Seo-hyuk had been with a furrowed brow, Seo-yeon found the words she had just heard strangely lingering.
'Carried on her legacy?'
Seo-yeon had never specifically asked about Jo Seo-hee’s family. Jo Seo-hee herself hadn't brought it up either. But Kang Seo-hyuk’s words just now were quite significant.
"Kang Seo-hyuk… that fellow has always been like that."
As Seo-yeon was thinking, she heard a familiar voice. She turned her head.
"Ah, hello, Mr. Lee Sang-soo."
Seo-yeon bowed deeply. Lee Sang-soo was standing there in casual clothes.
"I was preparing for the shoot, but I hid away because of him. Goodness, why was he trying so hard to snoop?"
While the internal cast was one thing, there was no benefit in letting an outsider like Kang Seo-hyuk know too much.
"Anyway."
Lee Sang-soo smiled at Seo-yeon.
"Today is my first shoot with you, Miss Seo-yeon."
Seo-yeon nodded at his smile, which seemed full of anticipation.
Today was the day to film the parts with Seo-yeon and Seo-hee, as well as Seo-yeon and Lee Sang-soo. Since Seo-yeon had a tight schedule, the plan was to film as many of her scenes as possible whenever the opportunity arose.
"I'm looking forward to it."
Lee Sang-soo said, looking at Seo-yeon with serious eyes. After all, the biggest reason he had returned to the film industry was to act directly with her.
"Of course."
At his words, Seo-yeon gave a bright smile. As if telling him he could count on it.
And so.
As the briefly stirred set settled down…
The filming began in earnest.