episode_0018

Episode 1 average viewership rating 4.1%.

Higher than average, but still lacking to be considered a hit.

If there is no regret, it would be a lie.

But even the work that couldn’t achieve this was a stepping stone.

As a manager, a somewhat respectable report card that can be proud of.

They lit the fire of ambition.

It was a decent start, but even towards the end, there was no escape from being just decent.

The production team and actors were determined to create a better work.

The writer burned the midnight oil for a better script.

The production team checked the sets and studied the camera angles for a more perfect direction.

The actors did the same.

They spared no effort to deliver better performances.

The set became hotter every day.

“My Manager”

Episode 2 viewership rating 4.6%

Episode 3 viewership rating 5.2%

The work progressed steadily, albeit slowly.

And in the midst of it all.

Seo Eisu.

“Cut! Let’s do it again.”

“Actor Seo Eisu. Still making a lot of mistakes.”

“Is it really worse these days? In the past, even if it was clumsy, there was a certain realism that couldn’t be explained. Like, it came out tearing the script.”

“That part has become faint.”

“What’s going on? A slump?”

“Or… as Actor Yoo Haneul said, maybe the foundation is showing.”

He was going through hardships.

Being criticized by the male lead Kang Seongwoo.

After feeling the need to do ‘acting’ rather than play, he received guidance from Gil Hye-yeon.

But Seo Eisu still couldn’t grasp the acting.

“…Cut. Let’s take a 10-minute break.”

Director Jo Gil-san, who was tired of the continuous NGs, announced a break.

Then he approached Seo Eisu.

“Ugh! Am I going to get scolded?”

Seo Eisu unknowingly flinched.

Having seen the production team or actors who were scolded by the director for making mistakes on set, he felt like he might be the target of that scolding this time.

“Actor Seo Eisu.”

However, contrary to expectations, Jo Gil-san’s tone was calm.

It was even somewhat warm.

“I’m not scolding you, so relax.”

He said.

“Acting. Trying to grasp it is difficult, right?”

“Well… I feel a bit like that.”

“That’s normal. I cast Seo Eisu expecting him to struggle, so relax. Don’t feel burdened and try to do it comfortably. Take a break for a bit, take care of your mental state.”

Jo Gil-san smiled as if he knew everything.

He cast her knowing all about her acting skills, and also gave her the lacking parts as homework.

Seo Eisu didn’t know.

For a rookie actor, especially one who was a beginner in acting, this working environment was like a dream.

He cherished Seo Eisu’s talent.

And thus, it was born out of Jo Gil-san’s ambition and kindness to let her take her first step in his work with that talent.

However, despite such kindness, Seo Eisu was engulfed in frustrating emotions.

“It’s difficult.”

There was no sign of the situation improving at all.

In fact, it was natural for it to be difficult.

What Seo Eisu was trying to do now was to mix acting while doing Yoohee.

Creating detailed realism and immersion of the character through Yoohee.

And controlling that character according to the shooting through acting.

That was Seo Eisu’s goal.

But even though some time had passed since setting the goal, there was no improvement.

Instead, clumsy control often broke the immersion of Yoohee.

Recent criticisms on set towards her…

That is, the decrease in one of the biggest advantages, the realism of the character, was directly related to this.

As the situation reached this point.

A sense of discouragement began to creep in.

“Shin Ji-hoo….”

“What?”

“I’m not enjoying filming these days as much as before.”

“…Well. It’s inevitable since good results aren’t coming. Nothing we can do about it.”

During the break in filming,

Seo Yisoo poured out her melancholy thoughts.

In fact, it was an important issue for Seo Yisoo.

Coming to a strange planet and willingly accepting the even stranger title of an actor was greatly influenced by the fact that she enjoyed filming.

“I used to prefer filming without being conscious of acting.”

Filming was always enjoyable for her.

There was no corner of hesitation or difficulty in leaving behind her past life.

The power of the Dragon connected to the Akashic Records, where the information of the world is recorded, automatically shaped a realistic personality, and Seo Yisoo could simply let that virtual personality flourish without any hesitation.

Then, people would praise her for her performance.

“Since I started acting, it’s been like this. Difficult and challenging.”

However, when she tried to mix acting into the equation, the situation changed.

“Recently, when filming, people make unpleasant expressions. It’s really unbearable to just watch.”

Acting was an unknown territory for her.

There was much more she didn’t know than she did.

To deliver a good performance, she needed to contemplate, and despite her efforts and dedication, the results were worse than before.

“The more I try, the worse the results seem to be…”

Human will is not as strong as one might think.

Even for Dragons, there is no significant difference.

Their minds were not as resilient as their bodies.

A limited mind can be exposed by just a few failures.

Seo Yisoo had been plunged into loneliness for a thousand years, and that’s why it was even more difficult for her to bear.

Seo Yisoo felt a sense of doubt.

“Acting… I don’t know if I can enjoy filming more than before.”

In her doubt, she felt a frustrating sense of defeat.

“Honestly, now, I just feel like I can’t do it. It seems impossible. Shin Jihu, tell me. Can I really do this?”

“Well…”

Shin Jihu didn’t know the details of her situation.

He only understood that she was struggling to acquire proper acting skills without relying solely on her talent.

“…”

Shin Jihu didn’t know everything about Seo Yisoo.

He only knew a very small part.

Therefore, what he could say was limited to that partial knowledge.

But…

“Hey, Seo Yisoo.”

“Yes?”

In fact, people’s words are always like that.

“I mean, I don’t really know much about acting… so I can’t give you advice that would be helpful.”

No one knows everything and speaks.

Everyone speaks with partial knowledge, ignorant of the rest.

Yet, people can communicate with each other through words, because knowledge and ignorance are surprisingly unimportant in words.

“But still, I’m your manager.”

Shin Jihu looked straight at Seo Yisoo.

He made sure his gaze met her eyes as he spoke.

“I don’t know if you’ll achieve your goals in this project or not. Honestly, I don’t really care. Even if you don’t succeed this time, I’ll still be your manager. I’ll find you the next project.”

So, if you don’t succeed this time, there’s always the next time.

Shin Jihu said.

Without knowing the details of Seo Yisoo’s situation.

“…”

All words ultimately stem from ignorance.

Yet people can still communicate through words.

The reason is that words carry emotions before knowledge and ignorance.

Seo Yisoo felt Shin Jihu’s emotions.

His concern, empathy, kindness, and… emotions that were hard to put into words.

“So, whether you succeed or not, I just hope you don’t stress yourself out too much. Take it easy. Just do your best.”

Seo Yisoo looked at her manager who said that.

She felt his emotions.

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. That’s right.”

They had a conversation.

They exchanged words.

In many cases, words may seem powerless.

Words alone cannot change the situation.

However, words carry emotions.

Sometimes, emotions can interact with each other.

“Okay. I understand. I got it.”

Seo Eisu replied, even though she didn’t know.

She didn’t know, but she felt like she did.

“Actress Seo Eisu, we’re ready to start filming!”

Just as the break time was over, the assistant director found Seo Eisu.

“Shin Jihu. I’ll be back.”

“Sure. I’ll be watching.”

As Seo Eisu turned back to the set, there was no longer the same fatigue and shadow looming over her.

She had regained her strength and focus.

She ignited her passion once again to “act” with fervor.

“Cut! Let’s do it again.”

Of course, acting skills don’t improve just with determination.

She couldn’t learn acting skills she didn’t know.

The situation remained the same.

It didn’t matter.

Seo Eisu faced failure head-on on set without fear.

The NGs continued.

Today and tomorrow.

Maybe even after that.

The on-set evaluation of Seo Eisu was gradually declining.

It was partly due to her consecutive NGs.

“Look at that. She barely got the OK sign, but you can tell from the director’s expression that she was rushed and had to call it. Talented? Come on. Are there actors without talent?”

Yu Haneul was also manipulating public opinion behind Seo Eisu.

Yu Haneul tried to make the on-set evaluation of Seo Eisu hit rock bottom.

To prevent any other opportunities for Seo Eisu after this project.

“If you’re a beginner in acting, you should go to an academy. What’s the point of doing a drama that doesn’t suit your caliber? Isn’t that right?”

Yu Haneul glared at Seo Eisu with disdain.

Despite what she said, Seo Eisu’s talent was evident to her.

‘I will never let someone like her rise.’

She exuded twisted malice towards talent endlessly.

Gill Hye-yeon was also included in that malice.

‘Dare to defy me? She’ll have to do something after this project ends.’

She had the connections to bury at least one rising star she didn’t like.

She refrained from acting now to avoid any negative impact on the project, but once it was over, she planned to ask those who admired her to spread scandals.

‘But… strangely, the chairman hasn’t been answering my calls lately. Is he busy?’

No matter how sinister Yu Haneul’s thoughts were,

Seo Eisu continued to work harder for her acting.

She still had consecutive NGs, but

She was starting to feel something little by little.

“If I just do a little more… then maybe I’ll understand.”

A feeling that something was within reach.

A sensation that something was about to come to mind.

In those feelings,

“Isu.”

“Hmm? Oh, did you call me? Uh…”

“Do you want to call me unnie?”

“Well, I’m trying…”

“Whatever. Anyway, it’s time for the climax now.”

“Climax?”

“Yes. The climax of the character Cha Yeon-soo.”

The filming for the climax of the character Cha Yeon-soo’s narrative was about to begin.