Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: New Work
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Ha Yu-ra's sudden request to teach her acting.
This wasn't like a magician asking for soccer lessons.
Her request, from someone who would become one of Korea's GOAT actresses, made me think this was some bizarre nonsense.
However, after watching the footage from the main scene that followed.
Seeing Ha Yu-ra and my daughter's acting, I could somewhat understand.
'Ah... Now that I look at it, she does seem a bit unpolished in places.'
As an actress who had won an excellence award last year, her acting was definitely solid.
But separate from the grand prize she'd win in ten years, right now she was only five years into her career.
She was excellent, but from my perspective with twenty years of experience, I could spot a few areas for improvement.
A subtle imbalance in her diction and breathing.
And some immaturity in interpreting the role and expressing complex emotions.
After picking out those rough points to correct.
I spoke to Yu-ra cautiously.
"I'm not sure if it'll help, but I do have a few things I can share. They're not necessarily the absolute truth, but..."
"Thank you! Then I'll take you up on it."
*
"Good work."
"You all worked hard today. See you tomorrow."
Late at night.
The staff heading home with tired faces.
Despite their exhaustion from the unexpectedly long shoot, no one complained about the situation.
A five-hour shoot.
Excessive overtime for a single 30-second scene.
But at lead actress Ha Yu-ra's strong request.
And with PD Seo Ji-tae and PD Lee Dong-cheol's support.
Plus, as the finale to months of grueling work, the entire crew gave their all to end on a high note.
The result: a completed scene.
PD Lee Dong-cheol nodded in satisfaction. The last scene, even more impactful than the first, wrapped up.
As the crew dispersed and headed home one by one,
Yu-ra bowed politely to the woman in front of her.
"Thank you. And... I'm sorry. You went this far for me, but this is the best I could do."
"No, it was plenty good. See you next time."
"Yes, take care going home. Seon-hwa, you too."
"...Yeah."
With kind words and a gentle smile, Soo-jeong headed straight home.
Seon-hwa's reaction at the end was a bit odd, but Yu-ra chalked it up to fatigue and got into the back seat of the car waiting ahead.
"You're late, miss. Your father was worried."
"Work's always like that. Let's go."
"Yes, miss."
The driver spoke politely.
Yu-ra's face held a heavy solemnity utterly different from moments ago with Seon-hwa.
Sharp yet dazzlingly glamorous.
Her impression was like a fully bloomed rose covered in thorns.
In that moment, gazing silently out the window, she exuded the beauty and untouchable dignity of a noble lady.
As if acting was mere entertainment, and this was her true self—arrogance radiated from her.
However,
separate from her outward appearance, regret still flowed like a river in Yu-ra's heart.
'In the end... I failed.'
After hours of effort, Yu-ra and the Tears of the Queen Consort team had shot something better than the first take.
But it still didn't satisfy her.
The scene itself wasn't bad.
Yet compared to Chae Soo-jeong's, her acting felt sorely lacking.
She wanted to reshoot endlessly if possible, but with the deadline to wrap today, she had to compromise.
And that fact filled her, who craved a perfect finale, with deep regret.
'I wanted to do well. A more... perfect Seo Yu-ha....'
Seo Yu-ha, the protagonist of Tears of the Queen Consort, was her first lead role.
Deeply meaningful personally, yet her inexperience had led to failure in fully embodying it.
The ratings weren't bad but not great either, intensifying her feelings.
'If that person had done it instead of me... they could've expressed it perfectly. The results would've been better for sure.'
Yu-ra's confidence in her acting, held until this morning, now had a huge crack.
But beyond the bruised pride, a corner of her heart held expectation greater than regret.
Tears of the Queen Consort was over, but as an actress, Yu-ra's life was just beginning.
And she had already received an offer for the next project from PD Lee Dong-cheol.
The 'teacher' who shattered her shaky pride.
The one who drew more interest than anyone she'd met.
A work starring Chae Soo-jeong.
That alone was reason enough to accept.
'What acting will she show there? Our angel....'
*
"All done."
"Good, go wash your hands and get ready for kindergarten."
"Okay~"
My daughter sluggishly climbing down from her chair.
Her usual adorable sight brought a warm smile to my face as I picked up the now-empty plate...?
"Seon-hwa. Didn't Mom say you have to eat your carrots?"
"..."
Carrots neatly piled on one side of the plate.
Separated with centrifuge-like precision from the stir-fried potatoes where they hid.
Her dedication to avoiding carrots was impressive, but...
"Daughter."
"...Ah. Seon-hwa has to hurry to kindergarten..."
"That's why you need to eat fast, right? My girl. Mom worked hard to make this. If you don't eat, Mom will be so sad."
"Hiiiing..."
"Here. Ah~"
"...Ah..."
The red bits entering my ultimate bias's grotesquely twisted mouth amid strange groans.
She'd always been a good girl who listened to Mom since young, making parenting relatively easy...
But her picky eating showed no sign of improving, which worried me.
Well, if that's childlike, then it's childlike.
After force-feeding the carrots and sending her to the bathroom,
I finally took the cleanly emptied plate to the sink.
Then.
-Bzzzzt.
"Ah."
My cellphone suddenly rang.
The day for an important call, so I grabbed it immediately.
"Hello?"
-"Hello, this is SKG phone upgrade center..."
"What the."
An annoying call first thing in the morning.
I hung up firmly, finished the dishes, and headed to the bus stop in front of the apartment with my daughter.
"Bye then."
"Have fun."
After seeing her off on the kindergarten bus,
I went straight home and turned on the computer.
Raising a child costs a lot.
The assets right after reincarnation weren't small, but barely enough for living expenses while parenting.
But that amount was more than enough seed money for me to grow into a big tree.
Stocks, crypto, real estate.
In my past life, I'd scraped together knowledge trying to stretch my meager supporting actor pay.
I didn't profit much back then,
but right after possession, I knew everything that would happen for the next twenty years.
As a result, I now had enough funds to be a 'rich unemployed'—the endgame of all professions—but I still kept investing.
To raise our beloved daughter well, I needed every penny more.
At least enough to ensure she thrived without being ignored in that cutthroat entertainment world.
While diligently working for her future today as well.
-Bzzzzt.
"Mm..."
My cellphone rang again.
Hoping this wasn't spam.
Wishing future spam filters would update sooner, I picked up.
And.
"Hello."
-"Hello, this is Seo Ji-tae PD from ZTVC. I've sent the new drama script—please take a look."
The script I'd been waiting for had arrived.
I ended the call and opened the email right away.
And.
"...This."
The script on screen.
Its title shocked me.
This would be my debut in this life.
The Queen Dowager, Sovereign of Deception
PD Lee Dong-cheol's legendary prelude.
The work that became ZTVC's lifeline amid its struggles.
Same fusion historical drama genre as the ending Tears of the Queen Consort,
but while few remembered that one, this had once rocked Korea's drama scene.
And importantly, this drama had one key feature.
The role originally meant for Ha Yu-ra,
and arguably the biggest reason for its fame.
That was...
'The protagonist... is a woman disguised as a man.'