In This Life, I Want an Oscar, Not a Husband - Chapter 80
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
This life, I choose The Oscars over a husband.
Chapter 80
And Kim Do-woon’s transgression reached Park Chang-sung’s ears without delay.
“I cannot continue working with Producer Kim, Director.”
Park Chang-sung viewed his films as a ship of which he was the captain.
And so, despite his somewhat autocratic and sensitive nature, he regarded the crew members aboard that vessel as beings he was obligated to protect.
Park Seo-woo understood this about him.
He knew Park Chang-sung would never tolerate the production company’s producer laying hands on one of his own.
“I will not overlook this matter.”
“I’m terribly sorry. Our Producer Kim had too much to drink….”
The director from Bee Entertainment arrived at Park Chang-sung’s door the very next morning, his expression utterly grave, ready to apologize.
Naturally, Kim Do-woon—now ashen-faced—accompanied him.
“I apologize….”
“No, Producer Kim. Your apology isn’t for me—it’s for the assistant director standing right here. Do you not even remember who you struck?”
At Park Chang-sung’s words, Kim Do-woon’s face darkened.
Park Seo-woo fixed him with an unwavering gaze.
“…I apologize, Assistant Director.”
“Ha…. That’s enough. Even if the assistant director forgives you, I don’t. I’m sorry, but Director—if you insist on continuing with Producer Kim, I cannot proceed with this film. I’ll pay the penalty and work elsewhere.”
“D-Director…! This matter between me and Park Seo-woo—I mean, the Assistant Director—was merely a trivial….”
Kim Do-woon’s face went pale.
Yet the director placed a firm hand on Kim Do-woon’s shoulder.
“Yes. Of course, it makes no sense for the assistant director and Producer Kim to work together under these circumstances. We’ll introduce a new producer shortly. Our company representative also heard about this and wishes to apologize in person.”
At those words, Kim Do-woon’s expression darkened further.
Park Seo-woo knew Kim Do-woon’s father well—that man, as he called him.
He was a born entrepreneur with a keen eye for content.
There was no way such a man would pass up a heavyweight director like Park Chang-sung just to give his incompetent youngest son a single opportunity.
Not after the amount of money already invested in developing this project.
If word of this leaked outside, Bee Entertainment’s reputation in the industry would plummet.
If a scandal about a producer’s abuse of power spread to the public?
‘Even the stock price could be affected.’
Park Seo-woo had calculated all of this before acting.
And within that calculation lay Park Chang-sung’s sense of responsibility as a director.
The problem was—
‘Is that about to surface now?’
Park Chang-sung wore every emotion on his face whenever even the smallest detail didn’t align with his vision.
And right now, Kang Ye-ji was ruining those very details that mattered to him.
But if Park Chang-sung snapped at the actress in a moment like this, it would only poison the atmosphere on set.
Park Seo-woo noticed Park Chang-sung’s sensitivity reaching a fever pitch and immediately approached him.
“Director.”
“Hmm?”
“The props team is asking if you could select some items for the window.”
By nature, Park Chang-sung couldn’t overlook even the smallest details.
“Ah… really?”
Seeing Park Chang-sung’s discomfort, Park Seo-woo added quietly:
“I’ll have a word with Kang Ye-ji about her makeup.”
Park Chang-sung was momentarily taken aback.
Had this man read his thoughts so completely?
Could he have sensed his emotional state and intervened out of concern for the set’s atmosphere?
‘That can’t be it.’
If someone this young could think that far ahead…
‘That’s actually unsettling.’
He nodded in agreement.
Either way, having a first assistant director relay sensitive makeup notes to an actress was preferable.
He himself was the type who never considered an actress’s feelings.
But then it happened.
“Hello, hello. Yes, hello everyone.”
Ha Eun-rae approached from a distance, greeting the staff as she came.
Since it was an afternoon scene, she could have arrived later, but had she come early on purpose?
Park Chang-sung was puzzled by this.
Ha Eun-rae greeted him as well.
“Hello, Director.”
And when Ha Eun-rae lifted her head, her face was utterly plain and unadorned.
No, it wasn’t merely plain.
Her skin and lips were slightly rough.
And her hair looked completely lifeless.
“Oh, Eun-rae. Did you pull an all-nighter last night?”
At Park Chang-sung’s question, Ha Eun-rae’s eyes widened.
“No. This is makeup.”
“Huh?”
Makeup… intentionally done like that?
“Well, it’s a disaster situation, right? Even if she’s been at home, she wouldn’t have been able to properly care for her hair or skin.”
“So you deliberately did your makeup like that?”
“Haha. If I didn’t do makeup, this feeling wouldn’t come across.”
Ha Eun-rae watched Park Chang-sung’s surprised face and let out an inward laugh.
It was definitely Hong Soo-ah’s influence.
Hong Soo-ah had said that ‘a bare face without makeup would never feel like this.’
On a film set where even the lighting was meticulously calculated, if she just appeared with a bare face—
“It wouldn’t feel like a bare face at all; she’d just lose her presence entirely. But with makeup done like this, it gives off that bare-faced feeling while still looking fresh and beautiful.”
Such confident words from someone still just an assistant.
So that’s what it meant to have conviction in one’s craft.
Ha Eun-rae understood why Hong Soo-ah would later achieve great success.
Of course, the current Hong Soo-ah was still only an assistant, so she seemed quite surprised to have been specifically requested.
“But… am I really going to be your dedicated makeup artist?”
“Yes. You did such excellent work on my makeup before.”
“Ah… I’m happy about it, but… are you sure it’s alright?”
Indeed, the merit of knowing the future was truly worthwhile.
‘That’ Hong Soo-ah could be acquired at a bargain price.
Thanks to this, I’d secured Hong Soo-ah’s schedule before anyone else could.
Considering that Hong Soo-ah valued loyalty, there was a high probability she would become my dedicated actress even if her reputation took a hit in the future.
It was precisely when Ha Eun-rae was feeling satisfied with such thoughts.
The expressions of Park Chang-sung, Park Seo-woo, and Kang Ye-ji standing beside him became peculiar.
Ha Eun-rae nodded to Park Seo-woo, and reluctantly greeted Kang Ye-ji as well.
“Hello, Ye-ji.”
“Oh… yes, well.”
Ha Eun-rae didn’t notice that Kang Ye-ji’s makeup was somewhat excessive.
She was already lost in thoughts about the script.
However, the moment Kang Ye-ji saw Ha Eun-rae’s makeup and Park Chang-sung’s expression, she understood.
‘I’ve been pushed aside again.’
No, even worse—affection dripped from Park Chang-sung’s eyes as he looked at Ha Eun-rae.
“You came early to check the film set atmosphere? With an actress like Eun-rae, directors must have it easy.”
“Ha ha. I’m just lacking, so I try to work harder.”
‘That cunning woman.’
Kang Ye-ji had been irritated by Ha Eun-rae ever since she’d lost that music video role to her.
It felt as though her career had gone awry from that moment on.
If she had taken that position instead of Ha Eun-rae, perhaps she would be in Ha Eun-rae’s place now.
That was when it happened.
Park Seo-woo approached Kang Ye-ji and spoke.
“Actress. Would it be possible to touch up your makeup? Our Makeup Team has been thinking about a concept for your makeup.”
He’d phrased it diplomatically, but the conclusion was clear: ‘Get it fixed.’
Kang Ye-ji furrowed her brow as she looked at Park Seo-woo, whose lips were still split.
Normally she would have wanted to ignore a mere student assistant director, but the previous incident had made it clear to Kang Ye-ji that Park Chang-sung took care of his people terribly well.
So what could she do, even if she was upset?
She had no choice in the matter.
“Yes. We should adjust it to match the concept. Should we do it now?”
Kang Ye-ji asked brightly with a forced smile.
After all, being younger and more spirited than Ha Eun-rae was her strength.
She couldn’t afford to lose that advantage.
“I’d appreciate that.”
Park Seo-woo gazed at Kang Ye-ji’s profile as she glanced at Ha Eun-rae, smiling gently.
He had clearly read the hostility in her eyes.
Hostility born of not knowing one’s place.
Yet all such hostility would become meaningless before Ha Eun-rae’s acting.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————