I’m an Unknown Actress, But Everyone Knows Me - Chapter 182

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Episode 182

– Part 2 –

Gi Juye held the script in her hand. The acting trainer assigned by her agency had analyzed Yeonhuijae perfectly.

“Juye, you need to make your strength in Japanese dialogue completely your own. A bit more like a young lady’s speech.”

In front of Gi Juye lay a neatly printed script. The interpretations checked by her acting trainer were organized like answer sheets.

‘If nothing else, I can speak like a native Japanese person…!’

During her idol activities, Gi Juye’s Japanese conversation skills improved at an alarming rate. Even during local variety show appearances, Gi Juye carried the members throughout.

‘It’s incomparable to just memorizing a few lines in a short period and mumbling them.’

Yeonhuijae in was a character who was poor at Korean. Not only did Japanese need to be interspersed throughout, but there were scenes where entire conversations were in Japanese, requiring a high level of conversational ability.

A serious drama. Moreover, in a weighty work, if one couldn’t properly handle Japanese, it would surely become a laughingstock.

Therefore, there was a calculation that the audition would mainly check Japanese language proficiency. She had meticulously prepared even the intonation, which was difficult to master in a short time.

‘First love is mine!’

Gi Juye looked at the script with eyes filled with confidence. Han Yeoreum would use acting ability as her weapon, but this time, that precious acting ability would become poison.

Gi Juye already knew perfectly what kind of Yeonhuijae ‘the production company wanted.’

* * *

Director Ja was famous for being self-centered. Although there were many eccentrics among directors, Director Ja maintained such a solid position at the top that he had an equally solid perspective.

‘Like a racehorse that only looks ahead and charges forward, but immediately notices when even one detail collapses.’

The power to successfully lead a long, epic drama series.

‘It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that comes from Director Ja’s self-centered genius.’

Director Ja, who shows the lives of appearing characters in three dimensions rather than cross-sections, is no ordinary person.

“So give me a hint at least. What kind of image should I show to make Director Ja push me even harder?”

“Even more than now? You’re already being pushed plenty hard.”

This was Dokgo Min’s studio without Dokgo Min. Myeong Jeha and I met to discuss the audition.

“Did you finish analyzing the Yeonhuijae character?”

“I did. Look at my script. See all these Post-it notes!”

I spread open the script. The script with colorful Post-it notes stuck here and there looked like a Yeonhuijae reference book to anyone who saw it.

Myeong Jeha turned through the script I handed him page by page with his pale, straight fingers.

“How is it?”

I’d felt this before, but Myeong Jeha’s script reading speed was extraordinary. His gaze, which had been skimming through, was quickly withdrawn. An ambiguous smile lingered at the corner of his mouth.

“To say you’ve finished the analysis, well…”

“Tell me about Director Ja. Please? The audition is in a week, elder.”

When I rubbed my hands together, Myeong Jeha burst into laughter. Myeong Jeha, who had been sitting comfortably like he was at home while drinking warm tea, crossed his legs.

Then he lifted his chin up as if recalling Director Ja. His gaze turned toward the ceiling.

“Director Ja’s brain never rests. He’s the type who’s always thinking about something. Simply put.”

As expected of the elder. He’d definitely worked with Director Ja several times. Just one decisive hint would be enough.

“Think of it as having multiple monitors running in his head. Like a large shopping mall’s CCTV.”

It meant roughly sixteen screens were constantly playing in his brain without rest. Myeong Jeha silently placed his half-finished tea on the table.

“First, fix your walking. Even though it doesn’t show, he’s an incredibly meticulous person, so he takes in every little detail.”

Myeong Jeha said with a smile. Suddenly pointing out my posture.

“What’s wrong with my walking?”

Myeong Jeha came closer. Ah, such a nice fragrance… Today’s department store scent is also excellent. While I briefly savored the scent, Myeong Jeha pointed behind me with his finger.

“Walk over there and come back.”

That much was nothing. I got up from the sofa where we’d been sitting side by side and walked toward where Myeong Jeha pointed. I walked softly without making noise. Like a precious young lady.

Then I turned around and headed back to the starting point. Myeong Jeha’s hand now held a cell phone.

“Haha. You say you’ve finished character analysis.”

There was a recording end sound, as if he’d been filming a video. Myeong Jeha showed me the video he’d taken.

“This isn’t Yeonhuijae’s walk. This is Seoryeong’s walk.”

Looking at me walking with normal strides, Myeong Jeha spoke sharply.

“Why does Yeonhuijae wearing a kimono have the same stride as Seoryeong who wore hanbok?”

“…”

I hadn’t thought that far. I thought I’d walked while being mindful of the character, but it seemed insufficient in Myeong Jeha’s eyes.

‘…Stride.’

I’d put everything into calculation – how Huijae speaks, intonation, voice projection, expressions, basic posture – yet I made such a mistake.

“Don’t put your center of gravity on your heels. You need to walk without even making a sound. Even if your calves tense up, distribute the weight that would go to your soles.”

But it seemed like there was something more. It didn’t seem like simply a walking problem.

‘I feel like what Myeong Jeha is saying is only a part of it.’

What exactly am I missing?

“From the moment you enter the audition hall, you need to think of all the eyes around you as CCTVs. It’s not just Director Ja watching you on multiple monitors, Yeoreum.”

Myeong Jeha tapped his shoulder with one hand.

“Starting with how you stand. The strength is gone here. Keep it straight.”

Myeong Jeha, who lifted his wrist to check his watch, got up from the sofa. Then he casually tossed out a comment.

“Director Ja is a relaxed person before filming starts. He’s sharp as a knife once crank-in begins, but until then he’s fine.”

One week remaining. Within that time, I had to properly figure out what I was missing.

“That Director Ja, he likes being caught off guard.”

One shot that catches Director Ja off guard.

‘What could that be.’

While I stood there pondering, Myeong Jeha left the studio. The mechanical sound of the door lock closing was cold.

I took the script in my hand again and opened it from the first page. Though I’d seen it countless times and could memorize all the stage directions, I wasn’t bored at all.

With the thought that I would definitely embed my name, Han Yeoreum, here, I peeled off all the attached Post-it notes.

“From the beginning.”

Let’s try again. For Yeonhuijae. For Rio. For eternal first love.

I spun around once in place. Think. Think.

“Starting with walking again.”

I tensed all my body muscles as if tightening them. To walk again with Yeonhuijae’s gait, not Seoryeong’s.

“Whew…”

I took a deep breath. To give my body the feeling of tying a kimono’s obi tightly. How would Huijae walk? What kind of world would she step into? Huijae is, Huijae is…

“Ah.”

That’s when it happened. Suddenly my stomach started hurting. It was because of the abdominal pressure from putting so much force into my muscles.

The moment I frowned from the pain was brief.

“…”

A sharp realization struck like lightning.

“…Found it.”

Now I finally felt like I understood Huijae.

The place where all the insufficient interpretations collapsed. All the worlds of Huijae I had imagined crumbled, and a new world was created above them.

One shot that catches him off guard. A sharp weapon was now in my grasp.

* * *

Airports have a certain symbolism. They are stages and battlefields that prove a celebrity’s brand power.

Ji Haebeom proved this by drawing not only reporters but countless crowds.

“Ji Haebeom!”

“Wow! Ji Haebeom!”

“Oppa, please look at me just once! Oppa!”

Incheon Airport was teeming with countless people. Through them, Ji Haebeom, whom everyone had been waiting for, revealed himself.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————