LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 86
A while back, Jo Seo-hee discovered the true essence of the film.
Having been active since her child actor days, Jo Seo-hee had quite an extensive network.
Part of it was due to veteran actress Jeong Eun-seon’s fondness for her, but Jo Seo-hee was also quite attentive to her connections.
“The acting world ultimately comes down to appearances.”
So, it’s better to foster good relationships as much as possible.
She’d thought this way since childhood, and it hadn’t changed much as she grew.
Director Baek Min had a rather long history with Jo Seo-hee.
In her childhood, he was introduced to her by Jeong Eun-seon.
And as she grew a bit older, she appeared in a film called “Emergency Co-Operation.”
“Gyeongseong, my lady?”
At first, she thought of it as just a strangely titled movie.
The background was set during the Japanese occupation era.
She wondered if it was related to the independence movement.
“This could help improve my image.”
Jo Seo-hee thought while sipping her warm Americano.
Despite her sharp impression, Jo Seo-hee faced a fair amount of negative public opinion.
People said she was a bully, that she seemed a bit too bold.
Regardless, those widespread opinions made it quite a pleasant surprise.
“I’d love to play a role that dies heroically.”
If she could garner some emotional appeal, it would feel quite rewarding.
Plus, “It’s an advantageous opportunity to showcase my acting skills.”
Joo Seo-yeon.
Jo Seo-hee remembered the girl who suggested Baek Min’s film.
Though the memory of her childhood self remained, she had grown into an outstanding actress.
Having only participated in a single film so far, Jo Seo-hee recognized her potential.
She still remembered the helplessness she’d felt in her youth.
Seeing Seo-yeon competing with adult actors remained clear in her mind.
“This time will be different.”
She was no longer a child actor.
Though she wasn’t old, she was living in the realm of adult actors.
“This is a gay film.”
“Pfft!!!”
But with those words from Director Baek Min, Jo Seo-hee spit out her coffee.
What on earth did he mean at such a determined moment?
“I, I think I must’ve misheard you, Director.”
“Nope, you heard it correctly.”
Laughing, Baek Min wore Jo Seo-hee’s Americano as a fashion statement.
“Ah, oh! I’m, I’m so sorry. Here’s a handkerchief…”
“It’s fine.”
Baek Min’s bright smile was just like any other day.
A young director in his mid-thirties.
However, his talent was regarded as one of the most promising among young directors.
From Jo Seo-hee’s perspective, he was a precious connection.
“I absolutely want to cast you as the lead in this film. There’s no other actress your age who’s as remarkable.”
“W-well, I appreciate that evaluation, but…”
Baek Min held Jo Seo-hee in high regard.
First, her looks were exceptional, and her acting surpassed her peers.
Her thorough self-management was unparalleled.
He declared that no actress her age could achieve this level.
Thus, he was determined to cast Jo Seo-hee as the lead in Gyeongseong Young Lady.
“And also, the Seo-yeon you highly praised…? I look forward to seeing her acting, too.”
Baek Min hadn’t seen The Moon That Hid the Sun nor any plays.
So, he hadn’t properly witnessed Seo-yeon’s performance, but he knew Jo Seo-hee had been attentive to her since childhood.
Since Seo-yeon recently stirred up some buzz, he was mindful of her in many ways.
“You’ll come with her next time, right? You said she’s your friend.”
“Ah. Yes, yes. F-friends, right.”
With trembling lips, Jo Seo-hee barely managed to smile.
Her facial muscles, trained from acting, thankfully performed their duties accurately.
“I’ll definitely come with you, Director!”
“I’ll look forward to that.”
Under the bright smile of Director Baek Min, Jo Seo-hee merely nodded helplessly.
And so, today.
“W-well, that’s how it is.”
“Ah, it is a gay film?”
“Right…”
Upon Jo Seo-hee’s words, Seo-yeon tilted her head, puzzled.
“Is that something to be shaky about?”
These days, such themes are standard in various creative works.
Even forced inclusions sometimes lead to a dip in quality, attracting criticism.
“Actors shouldn’t be picky about roles.”
That was Seo-yeon’s fundamental mindset.
If there were something she disliked, it would be romantic roles.
However, she realized she would have to do it eventually.
“Certainly, Gyeongseong Young Lady seems like it will be quite a burdensome film.”
For the record, the actress Seo-yeon remembered from Gyeongseong Young Lady was not Jo Seo-hee.
Originally, it wasn’t a film with a hefty budget, and no actresses had been funded with that romantic keyword.
So, three unknown actresses landed the lead roles.
Those three actresses became the stars of the piece… and it was a greater success than expected.
With an audience of 4 million.
Moreover, it was nominated for the Academy Award, and numerous international awards.
Many of them won, and it received substantial media coverage.
“Afterward, the actresses from that film ventured into OTT dramas.”
Though they didn’t particularly participate in subsequent hits, the initial buzz in foreign circles was significant.
“Those ladies are in a new drama!”
They didn’t achieve particularly stellar ratings, but it was notable.
“Hey, why so quiet?”
“I was just thinking a bit.”
Seo-yeon responded nonchalantly, but Jo Seo-hee huddled herself tight.
No wonder, Seo-yeon’s voice was typically calm, lacking emotional expression.
Upon a brief listen, it might resemble someone feeling unwell or sounding angry.
“If you don’t like it, feel free to decline.”
“I don’t dislike it.”
“Hmm?”
Jo Seo-hee was taken aback by the unexpected reply.
She had assumed Seo-yeon would turn it down immediately.
“Just, I’ll think about it a bit.”
“Okay…”
Hearing that, Jo Seo-hee thought, “Ah, as expected.”
“Sounds like she might hang around to politely refuse.”
For the record, Seo-yeon was not one to gently decline.
In fact, she believed Gyeongseong Young Lady was an excellent opportunity.
“It’s one of the few films where I can boost my international profile.”
Gyeongseong Young Lady had indeed generated buzz in overseas communities.
Back when the OTT market hadn’t taken off, awareness for Korean actors was almost nonexistent.
Naturally, there were reasons why Korean films and dramas would eventually get exported, but that would be several years down the line.
“What a fantastic opportunity…”
The reason Seo-yeon had not committed decisively to Jo Seo-hee’s proposal wasn’t due to the film’s LGBTQ theme.
It was simply pure anxiety—could she perform well?
Most importantly, in terms of acting.
“Regardless of the role, if I’m alongside Jo Seo-hee, my chance of prominence is high.”
Gyeongseong Young Lady would have three leading roles.
A ‘daughter of a distinguished family in Japan’, a ‘rival lady’,
and finally, ‘the lady’s maid.’
Seo-yeon was unsure which role she might take.
But all three would likely require some romantic acting.
Having never done such scenes, Seo-yeon felt candidly insecure.
“…Dream Future.”
“Ah, yes. I heard you’re in that.”
“I’ll give it a try there, then let you know.”
Dream Future would also require some romantic scenes.
However, since Joo Ha-rin’s role had fewer interactions and was a character experiencing unrequited love, the emotional overlap was comparatively less.
Even so, as it continues with the different characters rather than the male lead, Kim Si-hwan, it couldn’t be deemed entirely absent.
So, it’d be good to give it a try and gauge her feelings.
“It’s too good of an opportunity to throw away just because I might not succeed.”
Even setting aside the fact that it was Jo Seo-hee’s offer as a dear friend, it remained a significant opportunity, so she couldn’t simply refuse out of fear.
“Alright. I’ll let you know before the year is up.”
“Sure.”
Upon hearing Seo-yeon’s response, Jo Seo-hee appeared somewhat relieved, greeting her warmly.
After ending the call with Jo Seo-hee,
“What on earth was that about?”
A perplexed Lee Ji-yeon questioned.
She must have overheard the conversation, being so close by.
I scrutinized Ji-yeon from head to toe.
“Hmmm…”
Ji-yeon had only appeared in cable dramas thus far.
Adding to that, Jo Seo-hee’s proposal for Gyeongseong Young Lady.
“Clearly, there were no candidates back then, so unknown actresses were cast.”
It’s likely that by the time Ji-yeon heard about this next year, there wouldn’t be any established actors involved.
In other words, a fantastic opportunity for Ji-yeon.
“Ji-yeon, are you thinking of auditioning for a movie?”
“What?”
Seo-yeon’s words left Ji-yeon momentarily flustered.
*
“Sun-ah, have you finished the article?”
“Ah, yes. It’ll be up soon.”
Han Sun-ah answered her senior with a smile before exhaling deeply.
Recently, the tendency for articles to primarily focus on internet news had resulted in much more work.
There had been many instances when reporters garnered collective ire for posting articles without proper research.
“Wait, The Chaser?”
“Oh, do you know it?”
“I do~. That’s the film that the GH Group invested in recently. There’s no worry about low audience numbers.”
Hearing her senior’s comment, Han Sun-ah smiled.
As Seo-yeon’s number one fan, just hearing that boosted her spirits.
“But what about Joo Seo-yeon? Hmm, do we really need to write an article about her? Didn’t tons come out already?”
“Ah, it’s not an article for immediate release. I plan to do it by the time the second or third PV is out.”
The article Han Sun-ah prepared aimed to highlight the developmental journey of Joo Seo-yeon and what she would present in The Chaser.
Essentially, it was about properly introducing an actress unfamiliar to the public.
“That’s vague. Writing that is less likely to attract views, right?”
“Too sensational articles are…”
“Eh, why care about that? It’s we who are getting overly concerned.”
The media organization Han Sun-ah belonged to, ‘Seonyang Media’, was relatively mild.
Still, that restraint meant they had less recognition compared to companies unleashing more provocative articles.
“Well, Sun-ah, I trust you’ll do well.”
“Yes, yes. Don’t worry about me.”
After cautioning her while walking away, her senior sighed.
Any article about Seo-yeon was split between fandom and a measure of faith.
“She’ll definitely blow up.”
Once The Chaser released.
Moreover, there was recent evidence she had auditioned for a drama.
Han Sun-ah planned to gather information on that front.
Precisely, what transpired during the audition?
Joo Seo-yeon’s new role?
And that role was…
“I’m Joo Seo-yeon playing Joo Ha-rin. Nice to meet you all.”
Seo-yeon bowed to the actresses watching her.
The first meeting for Dream Future.
A gathering of the successful auditioned actresses.
It took place under the lead of cinematographer Kim Pil-seok.
It was not a script reading, but merely a chance to build relationships.
“You’re all young actresses, right? Your ages are all quite similar.”
In a relatively jovial manner, Kim Pil-seok said, laughing heartily.
Mostly in their early twenties.
The youngest among them was in her late teens.
Among them, Seo-yeon stood out as the distinctly youngest at seventeen.
Aside from the two leads, Kim Si-hwan and Song So-ha, the four other key roles each showcased their personalities.
They brimmed with confidence, having found success at such a young age.
One prominent example was.
“Wow, Seo-yeon! You’re still in high school, right? Can I talk to you casually?”
With piercings in his ears, the flamboyant blonde guy, Ma Yeon-woo, was the most prominent example.
His manner made the others’ expressions contort.
Given he was from the most significant fandom, they all refrained from openly scolding him.
“Not great, huh?”
Seo-yeon thought, barely nodding.
The young actors.
Looking at them, they all had the potential to become hugely successful.
There was no good reason to ruin the atmosphere.
“I need to stabilize the dynamics here.”
Despite struggling with social interactions at school, she believed she could handle this.
As she contemplated and nodded,
“…She’s thinking something strange again.”
Park Jung-woo sighed.
Anticipating the gathering might turn into a tiring ordeal.