Chapter 4
Chapter 4
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: More Than the Daughter, the Mother
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“Uh… Mom, are you okay?”
“Yeah. I’m fine.”
“Are you really okay? You won’t cry anymore?”
“Yeah. I won’t cry. Thank you for worrying about me, my daughter.”
On the way home.
Seon-hwa gripping my hand, which was still lightly trembling, with her small, tender hand.
Seeing our good child worrying if something had happened to her mother, a gentle smile formed on my lips.
It had been quite a while.
Immersing myself this deeply in a role.
Especially performing a female role—not as a man—in front of others, formally rather than just practice. This was practically the first time.
The acting technique called method acting, aligning myself completely with the role.
If I hadn’t adapted to living as a woman over those seven years,
And hadn’t honed my skills alone to keep my edge sharp, I couldn’t have pulled it off.
The aftermath was intensely lingering. Even after an hour, the emotional residue still made my heart race.
The full-effort performance I could give at this point.
Just from the shift in the room’s atmosphere, I knew my acting had landed to some degree.
However.
‘Even so, this level would only stand out among beginners… Objectively, it’s not that impressive.’
My self-evaluation stopped right there.
Though it wasn’t recorded, so I hadn’t seen it myself,
From my past life’s experience, I could easily guess that professionals wouldn’t find my acting particularly special.
Having spent nearly twenty years as a perennial supporting actor, this was an undeniable truth.
But even so, among puppies, a wolf is king.
A pro’s (past life) performance among mothers without even basic acting skills was bound to stand out.
As a result, it was a resounding success. At this moment, my limited abilities had fully done their job.
It was practically bullying, but I’d won through acting anyway.
Satisfied with that fact alone,
Seeing my daughter’s happily excited face brought pure joy,
I shook off the lingering emotions and stepped into the subway.
Thinking that tonight’s dinner should be the curry Seon-hwa loves.
That’s when it happened.
-Vrrr~
“Mom, phone.”
“Huh?”
The cellphone suddenly rang.
The number was unfamiliar, but I could easily guess where it was from.
“Hello?”
-“Hello, this is Lee Dong-cheol, the PD in charge of ZTVC dramas. You’re Chae Seon-hwa’s mother, correct?”
“Yes, that’s right. What’s this about?”
The moment I heard “PD,” a smile automatically spread across my lips.
Not just anyone, but the PD calling personally meant what he’d say was already a foregone conclusion.
They wouldn’t call directly just to reject.
With victory confirmed, I waited, heart pounding, for the acceptance notice.
But.
-“Um… if it’s not too much trouble, could you come back to the station now? I have a proposal—no, a request—I really need to make to you personally.”
“Yes? Oh, yes, I understand. I’ll see you shortly.”
“Request” was a bit different from what I’d expected.
But I could tell it involved some kind of contract.
Basically, come seal the deal since you passed.
With an excited heart, I returned to the station lobby.
Unlike our first visit, there were hardly any outsiders, giving it a slightly quiet feel. There stood the group from the audition: two men spanning young to middle-aged, and a woman in a suit who looked about my age or a bit younger.
“Pardon the delay. I meant to tell you earlier, but there were too many eyes around, so I contacted you late. Come this way first.”
The man guiding us to an inner office.
Slim build, sharp features. Seeing his face up close, past life memories let me recall who he was.
‘Lee Dong-cheol PD. Who’d have thought I’d encounter a future master here.’
Different station meant little personal overlap, but from memories of his works, I knew exactly what he’d become.
Lee Dong-cheol PD.
Later called the king of dramas.
The man who transformed the struggling mid-tier station ZTVC into a drama powerhouse.
Dramas he touched averaged nearly 20% ratings. Actors lined up to work with him.
And such a man had personally called me… no, precisely our daughter… and even come to greet us. It filled my heart with deep joy.
‘Well, someone of his caliber would naturally spot Seon-hwa’s genius.’
It was Lee Dong-cheol PD, after all.
Of course, he hadn’t yet earned his “king” reputation, but a man like him would have seen something in our daughter’s acting that ordinary people miss.
And as if confirming my hunch, Lee Dong-cheol PD glanced at me cautiously before speaking carefully.
“I watched your acting just now. It was truly astonishing. I never expected to see something that impressive here.”
“Thank you for the kind words, PD.”
Honestly, my acting was standard pro level—nothing special to praise.
The audition target was our daughter from the start.
So his surprise had to come from recognizing our young daughter’s talent as an actress.
Plea had godlike singing, but her acting was solid too, so this reaction was only natural.
Though the performance was just a role that clicked, nailing a role is a key acting skill.
For child actors, where spotting talent is tough, this was a solid gauge of hidden potential.
As I thought that, Lee Dong-cheol PD spoke with an even more serious expression.
“Then, since you’re busy, let’s get to the point. Have you ever considered debuting as an actress?”
“Debut meaning not just this minor role, but a formal contract?”
“Exactly. Ideally as the lead… for the lead actress in our next production.”
“Yes? L-lead role?”
I’d expected maybe an exclusive contract with the station or an agency at most.
Such a huge offer left me flustered.
“Lead role… I haven’t even debuted formally. Can you really offer that?”
“We’re preparing a new drama soon, but internal issues have made casting difficult.”
“Especially finding a lead who fits the role. But your acting just now seems perfect.”
The two PDs spoke with real desperation.
Come to think of it, ZTVC had hit a string of scandals around this time.
Mass food poisoning incident, deputy director sexual harassment allegations, and probably some unreported messes.
Even accounting for that, those two words from the PD’s mouth hit me hard.
Lead role.
Two letters I’d never touched in twenty years of acting in my past life.
Not a moving prop extra or supporting role,
But the protagonist—the heart of the work.
Of course, as a child role, it’d be the protagonist’s childhood in the first 2-3 episodes. But a lead credit from the start?
Hearing it, joy mixed with a touch of bitterness.
‘Debut straight to lead. Our daughter really is a genius. Unlike her talentless mom…’
What parent hates their child’s success?
But on the flip side, watching her snag in one go what I’d sweated twenty years for without reaching… it felt a bit hollow.
Another proof that mortal toil can’t beat genius flair.
Setting aside my personal feelings, I started seriously weighing the offer.
I wanted her to become an idol, but grabbing this unexpected jackpot wasn’t a bad idea.
We’d entered just for the “senior” title, but actor route now, pivot to idol later? Solid build.
Just one issue.
“What do you think, Seon-hwa? Want to do acting?”
“Um… Seon-hwa…”
Ultimately, our daughter’s choice mattered most.
I’d pushed for this as “experience,” but I didn’t want to force a full acting career.
Her aptitude across both lives leaned more singer than actor anyway.
But.
“?!... Uh… I think there’s a misunderstanding.”
“Yes? Misunderstanding…?”
“Ahem, sorry. We spoke out of order. Let me start over.”
Lee Dong-cheol PD looked flustered.
To my puzzled gaze, he composed himself and spoke seriously again.
“Your daughter’s great too… but Mother, have you considered acting? On those terms, as the lead in our next work.”
“...Yes?”