episode_0274

【 Mutube Music Charts 】

【 Weekly Popular Songs 】

1. [ Enchant Again ─ Lee Sua ]

2. [ whistle plash ─ plumpa ]

3. [ If I Overcome Sleepiness ─ Kkoma ]

One more chance for enhancement. Sua’s ‘Sung Si-hyun Theme Song’, Enchant Again, filled with madness, proudly took first place. Already a great achievement.

This fervor was slowly becoming more than just a Korean thing.

[ ‘Alien Game’ confidently seizes #1 on Korean Nexflix… Finally launching in Japan. Will it be successful? ]

[ Enchant Again Japanese Version released on Oricon Chart. ]

◈◈◈◈◈

The next day. Hyunhwa Arts High School.

It was already late at night.

The actors and staff were already reaching their physical limits, but the camera was still rolling. And the actors, framed within the viewfinder, were moving with all their might.

『Wait a minute!』

『Hmm?』

『Can I ask you something?』

One woman urgently stopped the judges.

Someone who couldn’t accept the results of the competition.

It was Kim Yun-kyung (Yang Ha-rin), Sohee’s stepsister.

『Sohee, why did she get eliminated?』

Just as Yang Ha-rin began her full-fledged acting.

“Cut, cut, cut…”

A weak voice came from the megaphone on the other side. It was the voice of Go Tae-min, the director of ‘Crescendo from Tomorrow’.

“Ha-rin-ssi, it feels like you’re not focusing on the role? You were fine in the other scenes, so why is this scene the only one like this? Let’s try again in 10 minutes.”

Then, sighs burst out from everywhere.

It couldn’t be helped. They’d already attempted to film this scene over 20 times. Even after renting Hyunhwa Arts High School again and changing the dates, there was no progress.

Among the actors who started taking a break around this time.

“…I’ve never been blocked like this before, so why am I suddenly stuck here? I want to finish this quickly.”

Unsurprisingly, good words didn’t come out.

‘Crescendo from Tomorrow’ wasn’t a project made by gathering people with plenty of free time. Everyone was at a decent level, so if filming was delayed, the losses were immense.

At that moment, someone cautiously opened their mouth.

“Did we cast the wrong person?”

A fact that no one dared to say out loud. Soon, someone awkwardly laughed and replied.

“Hey, other scenes were filmed without a problem, right? We’ll figure it out today, though.”

Words protecting Yang Ha-rin.

But that actually created a backlash.

The people who had been silently enduring until now began to reveal their inner thoughts one by one. That’s how the atmosphere was.

“She wasn’t a skilled person from the start, right? She’s not a pure-blooded actor, she started as an idol and then switched careers later, right?”

“That’s right. At first, she was getting attention as someone who could win a rookie award, but that completely fell apart when Sua-ssi appeared. I don’t think she even has an agency now, right?”

“It feels like she doesn’t have any impact.”

“I don’t know if her personality is that great either.”

The atmosphere turned in an instant. Not a single good thing came out about Yang Ha-rin.

“Does anyone else know about Ha-rin-ssi’s past?”

“Probably not. She doesn’t really mingle with the people on set. It’s okay for Sua-ssi to not get along with others because she’s good at acting, but if you can’t act and don’t communicate, what are you even doing? It’s annoying.”

And on the other side.

“…”

Yang Ha-rin was listening to all those stories with a heavy heart. It wasn’t that she intended to listen, but conversely, even if she didn’t want to, she could still hear them. Because it was about her.

Besides, she didn’t really have anything to refute.

Even Yang Ha-rin herself thought that her personality was prickly, and it was true that she was causing trouble because of acting issues.

Just as Yang Ha-rin was deep in complicated thoughts.

Director Go Tae-min quietly called Yang Ha-rin.

“Ha-rin-ssi, let’s talk separately for a moment.”

“Ah, yes.”

Yang Ha-rin staggered as she followed him.

. . . . .

“Ha-rin-ssi, we don’t have time.”

A classroom in Hyunhwa Arts High School.

Those were the first words Go Tae-min threw at Yang Ha-rin.

“‘Crescendo from Tomorrow’ is a project composed only of mid-level or higher actors. Everyone’s schedules are incredibly tight, and the impact is very big every time it’s delayed. In fact, Ha-rin-ssi probably knows this fact well, right?”

“…Yes.”

“Okay. Then I’ll ask you another question.”

Go Tae-min nodded and continued.

“What do you think is the problem with constantly getting NGs in the current scene?”

“That’s…”

“This is an important problem. If you know the cause for sure, you can fix it, but if you don’t even know the cause yourself, you’ll just keep repeating NGs like today.”

Yang Ha-rin nodded with difficulty.

“…I know the problem with getting NGs.”

“Can I ask what it is?”

“…”

Yang Ha-rin pursed her lips and didn’t really say anything, and Go Tae-min sighed at that sight.

“Okay, fine. You don’t have to tell me. Everyone has secrets. Then Ha-rin-ssi, let’s do this.”

“Yes?”

“I’ll give you exactly 3 days. I won’t ask or question what’s going on, but solve the problem within that time. This is the most considerate decision I can make as someone who doesn’t know what circumstances Ha-rin-ssi is in.”

“…I understand.”

The conversation with Director Go Tae-min ended quickly, and Yang Ha-rin was left alone in the classroom, sighing several times.

‘The reason why I can’t immerse myself in this scene?’

Yang Ha-rin thought of two reasons.

First of all, this was clear just by taking out her phone.

[ Sender: CT Entertainment CEO ]

▶ I heard you’re filming a project?

▶ What a shame, I have a lot of things.

▶ (Some edited video)

▶ I’ll cling to you in any way

▶ Send me 40 million won first if you want to talk.

That CT Entertainment was still clinging to Yang Ha-rin. In other words, Yang Ha-rin wasn’t in a mental state to fully focus on the project right now.

And secondly.

‘What does it even feel like to be sincere for someone? I have no idea. I can’t act.’

Kim Yun-kyung (Yang Ha-rin) sincerely arguing for Kim So-hee (Lee Sua), Yang Ha-rin couldn’t understand the emotional line of this scene.

She’s lived a prickly life. Of course, she doesn’t know what it feels like to be sincere for others.

It was a problem on a different level from simply ‘not being able to empathize’. Really, it was literally like she didn’t know what the scene was about.

As a result, she couldn’t tell Director Go Tae-min about either of these. One was a very personal matter, and the other was revealing a flaw as an actress.

‘3 days? You’re giving me 3 days? What am I supposed to do?’

Yang Ha-rin tore at her hair in frustration.

Honestly, the period wasn’t the problem right now. In this state, she couldn’t solve it even if she was given 3 months, not 3 days.

“…”

Yang Ha-rin suddenly felt afraid.

It wasn’t just the problem of being afraid of being harassed by the CT Entertainment CEO. To be exact, she was afraid of the karma she had accumulated over the years.

It’s a life that she thinks she’s lived in a prickly way.

Whenever Yang Ha-rin tries to go out into the sun, won’t those dark things grab her ankles and pull her back down?

The CT Entertainment CEO is just the beginning, and if she shakes that off, won’t another person pull Yang Ha-rin down? Won’t that happen infinitely and eventually bury her in the shadows?

…Isn’t it her destiny to be in the shadows after all?

Has she already eliminated all the possibilities of making her future shine? To put it simply, isn’t everything just too late now?

“…”

Yang Ha-rin quietly took out a hand mirror and looked at it.

The face reflected in it was clearly terrified.

◈◈◈◈◈

Director Go Tae-min, who returned to the set, was also worried a lot. A sigh came out on its own.

“Hmm, it needs to go well.”

But, at that moment when he muttered.

─♩♪♬

His cell phone suddenly rang.

Director Go Tae-min was very surprised after checking the caller.

The other party was none other than Director Lee Chang-wan.

‘Director Lee Chang-wan is someone who’s aiming for the Venice Film Festival beyond Korea, right? Why is he calling all of a sudden?’

A question arose, but it wasn’t a call he couldn’t avoid anyway. Go Tae-min put his phone to his ear.

“Hello. Director Lee Chang-wan?”

“Director Go, it’s been a while since I contacted you. Is the filming of ‘Crescendo from Tomorrow’ going well?”

“Like all projects, it’s a headache. More importantly, what’s going on? Why are you calling me?”

“Ah, good, shall we discuss the main point first?”

Director Lee Chang-wan continued.

“What’s Lee Sua’s acting like in person?”

“…Are you talking about Sua-ssi?”

Go Tae-min immediately realized Director Lee Chang-wan’s intention.

He’s thinking of taking Sua to the Venice Film Festival. There’s no way he would suddenly ask how Lee Sua’s acting is as a greeting, right?

Fortunately, Go Tae-min was always someone who wished for Sua’s success. He said.

“Sua-ssi is an actress who wouldn’t be lacking anywhere. Even the great Director Lee Chang-wan would just admire her if he encountered Sua-ssi.”

“…Is it to that extent? I hate exaggeration.”

“I’m not the type to exaggerate. I’ll only tell you the truth, Director Lee Chang-wan.”

Director Go Tae-min smiled and continued.

“Think of it as exactly three times what I just said.”