Chapter 87: Between Drama and Film (1)
Chapter 87: Between Drama and Film (1)
To put it simply, it was only recently that Jo Seo-hee learned the true nature of the film.
Having been active since her days as a child star, Jo Seo-hee had a wide range of connections. Part of it was because the veteran actress Jung Eun-seon doted on her, but it was also because Seo-hee herself put a great deal of effort into maintaining her network.
‘In the acting world, you always end up seeing the same faces.’
Therefore, it was best to stay on everyone's good side. She had believed this since she was young, and that conviction hadn't changed much now that she was an adult.
Director Baek Min, in particular, was someone Jo Seo-hee had known for quite a long time. They were first introduced by Jung Eun-seon when she was a child, and later, after she’d grown up a bit, she had appeared in his film Emergency Cooperation.
"Gyeongseong Lady?"
At first, she simply thought it was a film with a peculiar title. Set during the Japanese colonial period, she assumed it was a typical movie about the independence movement.
‘It might help improve my image.’
Jo Seo-hee sipped her hot Americano as she pondered. Because of her sharp features, she often faced negative public opinion. People whispered that she looked like a former school bully or a brat who had grown up too fast.
Since such rumors were quite prevalent, this seemed like a welcome opportunity.
‘It would be great if it’s a role where I die heroically.’
If she could milk the emotional scenes for all they were worth, it wouldn't be a bad move at all. Furthermore...
‘It’s a good chance to prove my acting skills.’
Ju Seo-yeon.
Jo Seo-hee thought of the girl she had recommended for Director Baek Min’s film. Though the image of her childhood remained, she had grown into a magnificent actress. She had only filmed one movie so far, but Jo Seo-hee knew—Seo-yeon had the potential to rise to the top in no time.
She still hadn't forgotten the sense of helplessness she felt as a child. The sight of Seo-yeon competing with adult actors, not just other children, was still vivid in her mind.
‘This time will be different.’
She was no longer a child actor. Though she was still young, she lived in the world of adult actors now.
"The thing is, this is a lesbian film."
"Pfft—!!!"
At Director Baek Min’s words, Jo Seo-hee accidentally sprayed her coffee. In the very moment she was hardening her resolve, what on earth was he talking about?
"I-I think I misheard you just now, Director."
"Nope. You heard me right."
Director Baek Min laughed, even as he was drenched in the Americano Seo-hee had just spat out.
"Oh! I-I’m so sorry! Here, a handkerchief..."
"It’s fine."
Director Baek Min’s bright smile was the same as always. A young director in his mid-thirties, his talent was already being hailed as the most promising among his peers. To Jo Seo-hee, he was an incredibly valuable connection.
"I really want to cast you as the lead for this film, Seo-hee. There’s no other actress your age as talented as you."
"I... I’m truly grateful for the praise, but..."
Director Baek Min held Jo Seo-hee in high regard. First, there was her outstanding beauty, and then there was her acting ability, which he considered the best among her peers. Not to mention her thorough self-management. He was certain that no other actress in Jo Seo-hee’s age group could match her.
That was why he was determined to have her as the lead in Gyeongseong Lady.
"And that Ju Seo-yeon you spoke so highly of... I’ll have to see her act first, but I’m looking forward to it."
Director Baek Min hadn't seen Taesumdal, nor had he seen her plays. Thus, he hadn't properly seen Seo-yeon act, but he knew about the actress Jo Seo-hee had been fixated on since childhood. She had been making headlines recently, so he was keeping an eye on her in many ways.
"Will you bring her with you next time? You said you were friends."
"Ah. Yes, yes. We’re... friends."
Jo Seo-hee managed a smile with trembling lips. Fortunately, her facial muscles, trained through years of acting, performed their duty exactly as intended.
"I’ll make sure to bring her, Director."
"I’ll be waiting."
At Director Baek Min’s beaming smile, Jo Seo-hee could only nod helplessly.
*
And so, today.
"So... that’s how it is."
"Ah, I see. It’s a lesbian film."
"Right..."
At Seo-hee’s words, Seo-yeon tilted her head curiously.
‘Is that something to say while trembling like that?’
Lately, those kinds of themes were common in all sorts of creative works. Sometimes they were even forced in, leading to a drop in quality and subsequent criticism, but still.
‘It’s not good for an actor to be too picky about roles.’
That was Seo-yeon’s basic mindset. If there was one thing she felt hesitant about, it was romantic acting. However, she was aware that she would have to do it eventually.
‘To be sure, Gyeongseong Lady is a film that could feel burdensome.’
For the record, the actress Seo-yeon remembered from Gyeongseong Lady wasn't Jo Seo-hee. In the first place, it wasn't a big-budget film, and no established actresses had applied because of the same-sex theme.
As a result, three unknown actresses were cast as the leads... and the film became an unexpected mega-hit.
Four million viewers.
Not only was it nominated for an Academy Award, but it also appeared as a nominee at various international film festivals. It won so many awards that it dominated the news for a long time.
‘Afterward, the actresses who appeared in that film used it as a stepping stone to enter OTT dramas.’
Of course, they didn't exactly participate in any major hits after that, but they were quite the hot topic abroad initially. People would say, "A new drama featuring those ladies!" It was just that the results didn't quite live up to the expectations.
"Um, why are you so quiet?"
"Ah, I was just thinking."
Seo-yeon answered nonchalantly, but Jo Seo-hee shrank back. It was because Seo-yeon’s voice was naturally calm and didn't reveal much emotion. To a casual listener, she could sound displeased or even angry.
"If you don't like it, it’s okay to refuse."
"It’s not that I don't like it."
"Huh?"
Jo Seo-hee was taken aback by the unexpected answer. She had assumed Seo-yeon would refuse.
"However, I’ll need to think about it for a bit."
"Oh... okay."
At those words, Seo-hee thought, Ah, I knew it. She assumed Seo-yeon was giving her a polite rejection.
In truth, Seo-yeon wasn't trying to be indirect. On the contrary, she thought Gyeongseong Lady was a fantastic opportunity.
‘It’s one of the few films that can raise my international profile right now.’
Gyeongseong Lady was a film that had even become a topic of conversation in overseas internet communities. Back when the OTT market wasn't as active, international awareness of Korean actors was almost non-existent. Of course, Korean films and dramas would eventually be exported for various reasons and their recognition would skyrocket, but that was at least a few years away.
‘It’s a great opportunity, but...’
The reason Seo-yeon couldn't give Jo Seo-hee a definitive answer wasn't because the film dealt with a same-sex romance. It was purely because she wondered, Can I do a good job? She was worried about her acting.
‘I don’t know which role it is, but if I’m appearing alongside Jo Seo-hee, there’s a high chance it’s a significant part.’
There were three leads in Gyeongseong Lady. The 'Lady of a prestigious Japanese family,' her 'rival lady,' and finally, the 'Lady’s maid.'
Seo-yeon didn't know which role she would be offered. However, all three required some level of romantic acting. Having never done a romance before, Seo-yeon honestly lacked confidence.
"...Dream Future."
"Ah, right. I heard you were appearing in that."
"I’ll try it out there first and then let you know."
Dream Future definitely included romance. However, the role of Jo Ha-rin had very little of it, and as a character with an unrequited crush, there were relatively few scenes of reciprocal emotional exchange. Still, since she ends up with a character other than the male lead, Kim Si-hwan, at the end, it wasn't as if there was none at all.
So, she thought it would be good to try it there first and see how it felt.
‘It’s too good an opportunity to throw away just because I’m worried I might be bad at it.’
Setting aside the fact that the offer came from her "so-called friend" Jo Seo-hee, it really was a great opportunity, so she couldn't just refuse out of intimidation.
"Alright. There’s still time, so just let me know by the end of the year."
"Okay."
Seo-yeon’s response seemed to put Jo Seo-hee at ease, and she said goodbye in a refreshed voice. After Seo-yeon hung up the phone...
"What on earth was that about?"
Lee Ji-yeon was standing there with a strange look on her face. Since she had been right next to her, she must have overheard the conversation.
I looked Lee Ji-yeon up and down.
‘Hmm.’
Lee Ji-yeon’s only credits so far were cable dramas. And then there was Gyeongseong Lady, which Jo Seo-hee had just proposed.
‘Since there were no applicants, unknown actors were cast.’
There was a high probability that no proper actors would be found until "next year," as Jo Seo-hee had mentioned. In other words, it was a golden opportunity for Ji-yeon.
"Lee Ji-yeon, are you interested in auditioning for a movie?"
"Wh-what?"
At Seo-yeon’s question, Lee Ji-yeon couldn't help but look uncharacteristically flustered.
*
"Seon-ah, did you finish the article?"
"Ah, yes. It’ll be up soon."
Han Seon-ah replied to her senior with a smile and then let out a sigh. Lately, as news had shifted primarily toward internet articles, there was a lot of work to do. She often found herself being criticized along with other reporters who posted articles without proper research.
"Hm? The Chaser?"
"Ah, yes. Do you know it?"
"Of course I do. That’s the movie GH Group invested in this time. You won't have to worry about low audience numbers."
Han Seon-ah smiled at the senior reporter’s words. As Seo-yeon’s number one fan, just hearing things like that made her feel good.
"But Ju Seo-yeon? Hmm, is there a need to write an article specifically about her? Haven't there been plenty of articles about Actress Ju Seo-yeon already?"
"Oh, it’s not an article to be posted immediately. I’m planning to release it when the second or third PV comes out."
The article Han Seon-ah had prepared was one that covered everything from Ju Seo-yeon’s growth as an actress to what kind of performance she would show in The Chaser. It was essentially an article designed to properly introduce Ju Seo-yeon, who was still a bit of a stranger to the general public.
"It’s a bit iffy. If you write stuff like that, it doesn't... what do they call it these days? Draw 'aggro' as much."
"I’m not a fan of overly sensational articles..."
"Aiyoo, why worry about that? If anything, we don't worry about that enough."
Sunyang Media, where Han Seon-ah worked, was relatively moderate. But because it was moderate, its recognition was lower compared to outlets that churned out sensationalist clickbait.
"Well, you do your job well, Seon-ah, so I trust you."
"Yes, yes. You don't need to worry."
Han Seon-ah sighed as her senior gave that warning and walked away. Her articles about Seo-yeon were half fan-driven and half based on conviction.
‘It’s definitely going to blow up.’
With The Chaser.
Furthermore, she recently found evidence that Seo-yeon had auditioned for a drama. Han Seon-ah intended to move to find more information about that—exactly what happened at the audition, and the new role Ju Seo-yeon had chosen.
And that role was...
"I’m Ju Seo-yeon, playing the role of Jo Ha-rin. I look forward to working with you."
Seo-yeon bowed to the actors looking at her. It was the first meeting for Dream Future. It was a gathering where the actors who had passed the auditions came together. The meeting was led by the cinematographer, Kim Pil-seok. It wasn't for a script reading, but simply to build rapport.
"We’re all young actors, right? Everyone’s around the same age."
Director Kim Pil-seok, who had a relatively boisterous personality, said with a hearty laugh. Most were in their early twenties, with the younger ones in their late teens. Among them, seventeen-year-old Seo-yeon was by far the youngest.
Aside from the male lead, Kim Si-hwan, and the female lead, Song So-ha, the four main supporting actors were each showing off their individuality. Being young and having achieved success at an early age, they were overflowing with confidence.
A prime example of that was...
"Wow, Seo-yeon. You’re still in high school, right? Mind if I speak casually?"
With a piercing in his ear and flashy blonde hair, Ma Yeon-woo was the embodiment of that confidence. At his words, the faces of the other four contorted. They only refrained from speaking out because Ma Yeon-woo had the largest fandom.
‘This isn't good.’
Seo-yeon gave a slight nod as she observed them. Young actors. And looking at their faces, they were all destined for great success in the future. There was no point in ruining their relationships.
‘I, with my social skills...’
She decided she should be the one to hold the center. Although she struggled a bit with school life, wasn't she top-tier when it came to professional social life?
As Seo-yeon nodded to herself with that thought...
‘...She’s thinking something strange again.’
Park Jung-woo let out a sigh, anticipating that this would be an exhausting gathering in more ways than one.