In This Life, I Want an Oscar, Not a Husband - Chapter 39

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

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This life, I choose The Oscars over a husband.
Chapter 39

“Sigh… So you won’t work together on the next project?”
Maeng Hye-seung looked at Park Seo-woo with eyes full of regret.
“I need to head to Director Park Chang-sung’s film set for a while.”
“Director Park Chang-sung’s film? Wow… that’s impressive.”
Park Seo-woo gazed at Maeng Hye-seung, whose face was brimming with envy.
Her face was utterly ordinary, but her acting ability was certainly something one could trust and rely on.
Park Seo-woo believed that if she continued steadily making YouTube productions like this, she would soon become a familiar face in dramas and the film industry.
At the same time, he understood that Maeng Hye-seung was someone who would never abandon acting.
That’s why her eyes gleamed so brightly as she yearned to continue working with him.
But right now, Park Seo-woo’s interest was solely on Ha Eun-rae.

“Why do you specifically have to be an assistant director? The pay isn’t even that great.”

In truth, there was no need for him to serve as assistant director on Park Chang-sung’s film.
Because of the YouTube videos, he had already received various collaboration offers, both large and small.
Of course, most were proposals for commercial videos, but building a career from such opportunities was certainly a viable path to debut.
But—
He wanted to make films.
And he wanted to capture Ha Eun-rae in his own film as quickly as possible.
No, right now he wanted to witness his own ‘perfect world’.
Because only by watching her could he complete a more perfect scenario.
Lim Se-gu, who knew that Park Seo-woo had decided to turn down all lucrative work to become an assistant director, spoke with a subtle expression.
“But what about school? Isn’t S University strict about grade management? What does your father say?”
Father.

“I don’t consider you my son. But you are my blood. I’ll provide what I can, so just live quietly.”

He briefly recalled his father’s face, then erased it from his mind.
The father that Lim Se-gu knew was not that man.
“Father has always supported whatever path I choose.”
“S University?”
Maeng Hye-seung’s eyes widened as she looked at Park Seo-woo.
“Director, you graduated from S University? You must have been incredibly studious.”
“I was fortunate.”
At the word “fortunate,” Maeng Hye-seung’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Seeing that look, Park Seo-woo added:
“I had a good memory.”
“That’s a relief. You almost had bad luck.”
“….”
Lim Se-gu thought he was someone with plenty of gaps in his social skills, but Maeng Hye-seung spoke up.
“So, would you like to visit another S University with me?”
“Another S University?”
“Yes. This one.”
On the phone screen Maeng Hye-seung held out was the logo of a Seoul school famous for its arts college, along with a poster bearing these words:

[Fashion Show: Costume Design Department Graduation Collection]

“My friend is modeling there. And I have some exclusive information for you?”
Maeng Hye-seung said with a grin.
“Eun-rae is also modeling there. She agreed to wear a friend’s piece? That’s huge. I’m so curious I want to go see it.”
As she said this, Maeng Hye-seung watched Park Seo-woo’s expression change.
Just as she thought.
She had noticed that throughout filming, he couldn’t take his eyes off Ha Eun-rae on the other side of the camera.
No matter how important the lead actress was to the production, that gaze was truly relentless.
The way his eyes followed every twitch of Ha Eun-rae’s brows, every tremor of her lips, every strand of her hair—as if he wanted to capture it all on camera.
So it was impossible not to know.
That Park Seo-woo was in love with Ha Eun-rae.
Whether there was a romantic undertone to it, or if it was simply artistic affection for her as a muse—she couldn’t tell.
Either way, what mattered was that Maeng Hye-seung needed to insert herself into the relationship between these two.
Even though she always appeared bright and sociable like a friendly puppy, Maeng Hye-seung was an actress.
An actress prepared to deploy whatever was necessary to survive in this industry.
Park Seo-woo would undoubtedly become a tremendous director.
And Ha Eun-rae?
‘She’s already becoming an incredible actress.’
Maeng Hye-seung recalled how her follower count on StarGram had been steadily climbing ever since she posted a photo with Ha Eun-rae.
She felt a slight pang of guilt for having used Ha Eun-rae to boost her own recognition—

“Instead, I’d like to call you Hye-seung!”

Hmm….

[Ha Eun-rae: Hye-seung, thank you for your hard work on set. Please feel free to speak comfortably with me from now on. I followed you on StarGram too.^^]

…It did sting a bit.
‘Well, when the time comes for me to help Eun-rae, I won’t hesitate!’
Maeng Hye-seung clenched her fist with that thought.
In this industry, wasn’t the best approach for everyone to succeed and lift each other up?

* * *

After filming the drama Purgatory, I had my first break in over a week in a long time.
The filming with Do Eun-hee was brief but intense.
‘Her acting was terrifying….’
The drama Purgatory.
A Netflix series dealing with events that unfold in Purgatory—that ‘liminal space where those who go neither to heaven nor hell reside’.
Do Eun-hee appeared as a detective hunting down the dead in that Purgatory.
Her natural charisma, which she had always displayed in her performances, completely exploded in this series.
‘No wonder the turtleneck and suit Do Eun-hee wore became a fashion trend.’
That’s how thoroughly Do Eun-hee dominated this series.
Naturally, when acting opposite me, Do Eun-hee displayed fierce concentration.
Even though the actor was being replaced and we were shooting the same scene twice, she paid no mind to such confusion whatsoever.

“Yeah. So it connects like this, right? Okay.”
Not only did she demonstrate professionalism by perfectly coordinating with specific scenes that couldn’t be reshot.
She delivered a two-page monologue without a single NG, as if she’d completely absorbed the entire script.
And she commanded presence with nothing but the intensity of her gaze.
“…Thank you for your hard work.”
Honestly, even after the scene ended, I was too intimidated to approach her easily.
“I’m truly grateful. I learned so much from you.”
I realized that being able to carry a production as the lead protagonist well into your mid-forties—that’s what it takes.
Do Eun-hee smiled faintly at my words and spoke.
“Actor Ha—or, would it be okay if I called you Eun-rae?”
“Of course. Senior.”
“Thank you.”
The fact that someone at her level didn’t have a pretentious bone in her body felt almost unfair.
That’s when I was thinking that.
“Later, ask the Director to show you a comparison of my acting from before and now. Then you’ll understand.”
“Understand what…?”
“Who you should really be thanking.”
“Pardon?”
“You think I acted well? I didn’t. Acting isn’t something you do alone.”
Acting isn’t something you do alone….
“When you were acting, the staff couldn’t even breathe. Neither could I.”
“…!”
“The person you should thank is me. Before this, I never imagined the character ‘Yoon’ would be like this.”
Do Eun-hee looked at me intently, as if fascinated, and asked.
“Are you perhaps on your second life as an actress?”
What is this uncanny sense of timing?
“Just kidding. Right, we were supposed to follow each other back. You didn’t send a follow request?”
“Me?!”
Ha Eun-rae, are you insane?!
“I asked my manager to film a few of our scenes together, and if we follow each other back, would it be okay if I post some photos from the set?”
“Of course!”
I answered urgently, and Do Eun-hee found me so endearing that she gently brushed my cheek.
As I watched her leave the set with such cool composure, I couldn’t help but admire her.
I need to become like that too.
It felt like I’d just gained another life goal.

And there was one more important matter.
‘They asked if I could do a promotional shoot for Purgatory together on a YouTube Variety Show.’
A YouTube Variety Show!
A promotional shoot!
Until now, I’d only shown the actress Ha Eun-rae, but on a variety show, I’d have to reveal the real me.
What I showed during the making film wasn’t really the ‘real’ me—
‘Just a broken version of myself.’
I couldn’t afford to break again.
With that thought, I steeled myself as much as I could.
And of course, my body needed the same preparation.
I took care of my skin for the first time in a while and worked out with Hong Jong-ho.

“One minute’s up. Alright, set three.”

He looked so excited.

“Oppa… seriously, just thirty more seconds of rest.”
“Don’t breathe, Eun-rae.”
“What?”
“Muscle loss comes from breathing.”
“You’re really…”

Human?
I was too exhausted to even finish the thought.
Still, a week of dedicated training had paid off.
“Wow—look at that fit. Are you an actress? You’re a model!”
Hearing Kang Ye-reum’s excited exclamation, I let out a soft laugh.
That’s right.
Today was Kang Ye-reum’s graduation fashion show.

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

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