I’m an Unknown Actress, But Everyone Knows Me - Chapter 40
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 40
So Yesol. She doesn’t boast explosive ratings or buzz, but she’s a director famous for so-called ‘healing dramas.’ Thanks to her delicate direction and warm dialogue, she has a solid fanbase.
“Script book sales were always bestsellers.”
With this work, it seemed like I could properly shed Pi Chaewon’s image.
I took a deep breath before opening the scenario.
Planning intent, log line, writing team, production team, synopsis, storyline, characters. I’ll grasp everything within today.
“Do Gyeoul…”
Let me catch up as quickly as possible.
I’ll never walk. I have to run like crazy, run, and run again. My goal wasn’t just to surpass Do Gyeoul.
“The roles Do Gyeoul took on.”
This time, I’ll take them all back. Because they were originally mine.
* * *
[MBS single-episode drama begins when Jeong Yeondu, a ‘K-eldest daughter’ who has responsibilities everywhere she goes, moves to the countryside.
Because she’s too good at work, she ends up handling all the odd jobs wherever she goes. She was class president when young, student council president in college, and even after joining a company, the calls for ‘that Jeong Yeondu’ never stop. She can’t ignore it due to her personality, and life is just frustrating.
When her hobby of writing web novels as stress relief becomes a huge hit, Jeong Yeondu moves to the countryside without hesitation.
To a place where no one knows me, and I know no one.
But what’s this? In the village she moved to, she’s forced to take on the role of village head…
A drama of empathy and encouragement dedicated to modern people whose shoulders ache under the weight of responsibility.]
This was the MBS Drama Center located in Ilsan. So Yesol carefully checked the paper with the planning intent written on it again at the lobby entrance.
“Phew… I’m excited…”
The drama everyone in the broadcasting industry was talking about was undoubtedly . The final episode’s view count was currently reaching 6 million.
“Soon… they say they’re adding subtitles… If that happens, ten million views would be possible…”
Ten million views on Intube. That was an unprecedented milestone.
“Does this even make sense! Does it make sense-!!!”
The MBS Drama Center Director clutched the back of his neck and collapsed. And for good reason – on the day ‘s final episode was uploaded, MBS’s drama airing at the same time hit its lowest ratings.
‘…There was no comparison.’
No matter how much viral marketing and PPL they did, it was useless. The public wasn’t curious about articles pushed through advertising. It was a humiliating defeat.
‘All the focus was on one place…’
So Yesol thought of Pi Chaewon. The scene where Pi Chaewon, who had lifeless dead fish eyes, sparkled and cried on the rooftop at sunset was etched in her heart.
“I really… want to see her as Jeong Yeondu too…”
They say if you see one thing, you know ten. The moment she saw that scene, So Yesol’s Jeong Yeondu was decided. She didn’t even feel like holding auditions. She wanted to call her straight to the Drama Center and have her do a script reading. Without any other actors. Only Han Yeoreum.
That’s when it happened.
“Excuse me… Are you Director So Yesol?”
The door opened, and Han Yeoreum, whom she’d been waiting for, entered.
* * *
‘First time at the Drama Center…’
I tried my best not to show my nervousness while following Director So.
The hallway was gleaming. People who knew Director So greeted her as they passed by, and I bobbed my head in greeting from behind. Director So stopped at a meeting room and opened the door.
“Oh~. Nice to meet you! I’m Hwang Minseong, in charge of planning for !”
“Hello. Thank you for calling me. I’m Han Yeoreum!”
The planning PD who had been waiting offered refreshments he’d prepared in advance. There were only three people in the meeting room: me, Director So, and PD Hwang.
‘A female lead one-tool drama!’
Being a healing drama, most of the characters were middle-aged to elderly. I was the only young actor.
‘Thanks to that, it’ll be easy to cover up the image.’
I can’t keep being called Pi Chaewon. Fortunately, the next work was with Director So Yesol.
So Yesol. Her works tend to attract many so-called ‘core fans.’ Simply put, people who suffer and suffer and suffer again while watching dramas. People who analyze works while rewatching them to the point they’re burned into their brains.
‘Though this is also a double-edged sword.’
Director So’s works shine brightest when character analysis is done properly, but are most easily criticized as flat when not.
Scenes that might pass by at first glance inevitably catch the eyes of people who watch the same footage a hundred times.
‘That’s why I’m confident.’
Whenever times were tough, I’d rewatch Director So’s dramas countless times. I read and memorized the script books until they were tattered. Perhaps all that time was for this very moment.
I checked Director So’s stats. As expected, her analysis and delivery were high.
“The programming meeting hasn’t happened yet, but think of it as around November. We’ll be doing location shooting in the provinces, the location is Chungnam… Filming will start next month, so we need to coordinate schedules…”
This was my first provincial location shoot, so I thought I’d need to ask Myeong Jeha later about how it works.
After finishing her explanation, Director So looked at me and said.
“Right. Congratulations on signing the movie contract.”
“Wow… Thank you. It’s amazing that you know about that.”
“Where are there secrets here… Once you hear something, it spreads like wildfire…”
I really feel it anew. The industry is way too small. Director So and PD Hwang, who had turned off their tablet PC screen, began bringing up things they wanted to ask me.
“After reading the script… how was it?”
“I thought viewers would relate to it a lot while watching. Especially the part at the very end, ‘No one’s looking for me.'”
“Hey, that part’s good! It matches perfectly with our title too. Right? Then Yeoreum, could you do a reading of the dialogue from the beginning?”
I turned to the part PD Hwang pointed out. It was dialogue from when she first decided to move to the countryside.
“Hoo…”
I took a deep breath.
It was different from Pi Chaewon’s short sigh. It was a long breath mixed with feelings of being fed up, tired, and both relieved and frustrated when thinking you’d never see something again.
“I’m going. To a place where no~body cares about me, and I don’t care about any~body either.”
Director So and PD Hwang quietly exchanged glances. As expected. It was worth properly reading the scenario.
‘I spent days just analyzing the character for this.’
I too sometimes wanted to throw everything away and run away like Jeong Yeondu.
The feeling that no matter how hard you try, you haven’t built up anything. I know it better than anyone.
“Such a voice worn down by life’s hardships…”
“This is so real!!! How can a twenty-year-old do this?”
“Thank you.”
Because I’ve really been worn down. I’m experienced.
Director So quickly flipped through the script. It was dialogue from the middle part.
“No-. Really, I’m telling you. There’s absolutely no reason for me to become village head. Don’t recommend me, just run yourself. I’ll vote for you. The previous village head can continue too. It’s the age of living to a hundred, so do they all have to step down just because they’re old? Huh?”
“Could you… do it once more? With the emotion of being really annoyed in the middle but unable to do anything about it.”
Good. I should mix in the emotion from when I finally finished my night shift at the convenience store, but the manager called saying the morning shift person quit without notice, asking if I could work fourteen-hour shifts for a week.
“No-. Really. I’m telling you. Hah… There’s absolutely no reason for me to become village head. None! What! So! Ever!”
When I performed acting that only someone experienced could do, Director So covered her mouth.
We continued with script reading for a long time after that. Though it wasn’t an official script reading, Director So, myself, and PD Hwang all approached it seriously.
“Yeoreum, we can definitely… do well together.”
“Let’s make a good work! Fighting!!!”
I left the Drama Center with their farewell.
The sun had already set. Under the black night, the Drama Center building sparkled brightly. The lights that wouldn’t go out were brilliant.
* * *
“I’m not seeing this wrong, am I?”
“…Center Director.”
“Why is Pi Chaewon at our broadcasting station?!”
And inside that bright drama center, a shout mixed with shock was echoing throughout.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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