Chapter 22: Preparing for Broadcast (2)
Chapter 22: Preparing for Broadcast (2)
"I'm bored."
Was it because I had been so busy with drama filming and everything else for a while?
Since returning from kindergarten, I had spent most of my time just lounging around.
Acting was also banned for the time being.
To be precise, I was in the middle of discussing this matter with Mom in various ways.
"Of all things, you had to hurt your hand..."
I had picked up various scratches and bruises while acting, and during the actual filming, blood had even dripped from my hand.
Mom must have been very upset seeing me like that.
So, she gave me this instruction:
"No intense emotional acting for a while. You're not allowed to practice, either."
She meant I should wait until I was a bit older.
Since I was a child actor, they didn't expect that much from me anyway, and the acting I had shown so far was already at an incredible level.
"Hmuuuuu..."
I went limp and leaned my body against the giant Ppiniping doll I had bought recently.
One advantage of a child's body is that it looks perfectly natural to climb onto a massive doll and wiggle around while hugging it.
If it had been my body from my previous life, it would have been a horrifying and bizarre sight, but I'm fine now.
Seven-year-old Ju Seo-yeon is very cute!
So, I felt not a single shred of shame.
Anyway.
'Maybe I should try learning acting more properly.'
Actually, there were many things I wanted to do.
What I felt during this drama shoot was that I was still lacking in many ways.
I had forgotten because everyone was busy clapping and calling me amazing, but I was constantly criticized for my lack of technical skills.
The only reason it wasn't obvious was that Lee Hye-wol’s status was a princess, so she didn't require particularly diverse acting.
If it had been a daily soap opera where I had to face a wide variety of situations, my flaws would have been exposed immediately.
"And my vocalization..."
As I thought that far, Lee Ji-yeon suddenly came to mind.
Eunha Entertainment, the agency Lee Ji-yeon belongs to.
I couldn't remember exactly, but it was a place that had been involved in various controversies.
They called themselves an entertainment company, but in reality, Eunha Entertainment was an agency.
Of course, being an agency isn't inherently bad.
In fact, there were many convenient aspects to it. An agency's main job is to connect actors with various dramas or commercials and manage them.
'Generally, actors or child actors belong to professional management companies...'
However, in the case of child actors, they sometimes seek out agencies instead of professional management companies.
Since they are still young, their career paths might change as they grow, and stopping activities could lead to disputes with a management company.
Agencies are convenient in that regard, but they aren't always a bed of roses.
There are bad people everywhere, after all.
'I think it was embezzlement.'
That was why Eunha Entertainment became a problem.
I recall they took the appearance fees of actors who filmed advertisements or CFs and just vanished... or something like that.
Of course, I wasn't entirely sure.
The important thing was that even if Eunha Entertainment seemed normal now, it wouldn't be long before they embezzled their actors' income and went into hiding.
The reason I thought of this when considering "vocalization" was that the issue came to light because of a project where child actors participated as voice actors for a certain animated movie.
It caused a stir because they used child actors instead of professional voice actors.
On top of that, they didn't even pay the child actors the fees they received, so the internet was in an absolute uproar.
Controversy over belittling voice actors.
Controversy over exploiting child actors and non-payment of fees.
In the midst of that storm of controversy, Eunha Entertainment vanished into thin air.
"Mmm..."
But child actors as voice actors?
How many child actors are even at Eunha Entertainment besides Lee Ji-yeon?
Probably not many.
And there would be even fewer children who would take on every single job thrown their way.
"No way."
Lee Ji-yeon, were you the one at the center of that controversy?
*
"My beautiful daughter! Producer Ha called..."
Sua, who had just heard the news over the phone, opened the door to Seo-yeon's room, where she expected her to be resting.
There, she saw Seo-yeon sprawled over a Ppiniping doll like a sloth.
It was a rare sight to see her daughter, who was always doing something, being so lazy.
No, she's only seven, so is it even fair to call it lazy?
"What is it, Mom?"
"Oh, right. Producer Ha contacted me."
Since this matter wasn't related to acting, Sua readily shared the news she had received today with Seo-yeon.
And that was...
"Are you talking about... drama promotion?"
「Yes, yes, that's right. As you know, the making-of video became a huge topic, didn't it?」
It hadn't just become a topic; it had nearly doubled the viewership ratings for Entertainment Live Broadcast.
Thanks to that, Seo-yeon's recognition had risen considerably among child actors.
Of course, she couldn't be compared to the likes of Jo Seo-hee yet, but it felt like only a matter of time.
「As you know, the highlights of episodes 2 and 3 turned out so well, didn't they?」
"Yes, even I, who doesn't know much about acting, thought so."
「Right? Plus, Seo-yeon's appearance is so striking that I thought she'd be perfect for promotion.」
So, he intended to make an impression on the public in advance.
The drama itself was about halfway through filming.
In other words, it was scheduled to start airing in three months.
Therefore, he had to set the promotional schedule well in advance.
Producer Ha Tae-oh shared those details with Sua.
「I really want Seo-yeon to attend.」
"Is it a must?"
「Yes. I think Seo-yeon's presence in this drama will be significant. Even with just three episodes.」
Ha Tae-oh recalled the footage he had seen a few days ago.
Two scenes.
Two types of acting with completely opposite emotions that Seo-yeon had performed.
That intensity was still vivid in his mind.
'That child doesn't just have talent.'
Actress Jung Eun-seon had said it later.
She said it wasn't acting done purely through talent.
Looking at the wound on her hand, it was clear she had practiced immensely to portray that scene.
'Good grief, what am I supposed to do when a genius even puts in the effort?'
He felt that way, but Ha Tae-oh's face only held a fresh smile.
After all, that genius was their genius, so how could he not feel reassured?
「Oh, and the promotion isn't anything too grand. It's similar to a pre-teaser event for the drama to be presented to the public.」
Of course, he didn't intend to force her.
He planned to proceed only on the premise that Seo-yeon wanted to do it.
Well, that's what he said, anyway.
Ha Tae-oh gently coaxed Sua, asking her to please get Seo-yeon to participate.
And as a result.
Sua was now relaying Ha Tae-oh's words to Seo-yeon.
"A pre-teaser event...?"
"Yeah, yeah. I heard Actress Ha Ye-seo, who plays the 'grown-up Lee Hye-wol,' will be there too!"
Ha Ye-seo. She was the undisputed lead playing the adult Lee Hye-wol.
She was an actress who was undeniably beautiful and took pride in her pure, innocent image.
'Actress Ha Ye-seo, and Kang Seong-chan, who plays the adult Yoon Seo-il.'
And two supporting actors, plus Seo-yeon, would be participating in the event together.
The location was in front of the Vegabox at Coex.
'But why me?'
If they were going to promote with a child actor, wouldn't Park Jung-woo be a better choice than her?
She had her doubts, but they must have had their reasons.
And honestly.
'Up until episode 3, my acting is better.'
Seo-yeon crossed her arms and nodded her head with a "hmm."
Yes, this was a simple fact.
It was true that Seo-yeon dominated the acting in episodes 2 and 3 of Taesumdal.
Mhm, mhm, indeed.
"But, is there an appearance fee or something if I participate in that event?"
"Huh? Oh, yes. They said they'd take good care of you."
"Then I'll do it."
Seeing her daughter coolly agree the moment money was mentioned, Sua felt a very complicated emotion.
She wondered if she had made her daughter live so frugally that she felt she lacked money.
Or perhaps, since the people she associated with were all so flashy, she was trying to keep up.
In many ways, it was the complicated heart of a novice mother.
"Oh, Mom."
"Yes?"
"Um, there's one thing I want to ask for..."
As she said that, Seo-yeon squirmed.
A hesitant attitude, as if wondering if it was okay to speak.
This was a side of her daughter Sua had never seen before!
Her daughter, who had been mature since she was a baby, had only asked Sua for favors a handful of times.
Even then, most of them were trivial matters.
She had said a few things regarding this acting job, but nothing she would call a "favor."
Back then, most of what Sua did was just stand by and watch.
"Yes, Seo-yeon. Mommy will help you!"
"Really?"
"Yes!"
So, Sua answered readily, burning with motivation.
She had no idea what kind of request her daughter was about to make.
*
"Phew, look at all these people."
"Well, isn't this normal when Kang Seong-chan and Ha Ye-seo are coming for an event?"
Entertainment reporter Lee Byeong-hun muttered as he fiddled with his camera.
With so many people around, he was worried it might get bumped and broken.
"The reporters are definitely interested. Look, it's not just the crowds; the place is crawling with reporters too."
"It's going to be really hard to get an interview with Kang Seong-chan."
Most of the reporters gathered here were likely there to interview the drama's leads, Kang Seong-chan or Ha Ye-seo.
Despite the flashy reveal with the making-of video, the actors hadn't made any separate promotional appearances since then.
This was the first time.
That's why securing an interview with the leads was more important to the reporters than anything else.
As they were talking, a shrill scream erupted from the crowd, and a gap wide enough for a few people to pass through was formed.
"Ah, there they come. Wow~. As expected, he carries clothes so well that even a Hanbok looks just..."
Kang Seong-chan, who played Yoon Seo-il.
That radiant face and fresh smile.
Plus, his intellectual eyes were a perfect match for the appearance of Yoon Seo-il in the story.
And what about Ha Ye-seo, who played Lee Hye-wol?
Her pure appearance was that of a heavenly princess.
Since she was effectively the protagonist of Taesumdal, the success of this drama largely depended on her acting.
'And let's see...'
Wondering who else had arrived, Lee Byeong-hun checked the list of actors participating in today's event.
They were actors worth targeting for the supporting cast if he failed to get an interview with the leads.
'But this doesn't quite have the right flavor.'
Is there something better?
Just as he thought that, he saw a small girl walking while holding the hand of the actress playing Lee Hye-wol's nanny.
The person who had created a sensation in the making-of film.
It was Ju Seo-yeon, the child actor for the young Lee Hye-wol.
'She came too?'
Lee Byeong-hun raised his camera and snapped a photo of Ju Seo-yeon as she walked.
He had been interested in the child for a while.
'Huh?'
Then, Lee Byeong-hun suddenly realized that he was the only one who had just taken a photo of Seo-yeon.
It was because all the other reporters were busy photographing Kang Seong-chan and Ha Ye-seo.
Because she had gathered so much attention, the reporters eventually started snapping photos of Seo-yeon one after another.
But it was lacking compared to Kang Seong-chan or Ha Ye-seo.
It was only natural.
Seo-yeon wasn't a famous child actor to begin with, and she was only scheduled to appear for three episodes.
Right now, Seo-yeon was just a normal child actor with a bit of buzz.
For now, that was all she was known as.