The Chaebol Family’s Youngest Daughter Doesn’t Hide Her Acting Skills - Chapter 48

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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 48

 

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Finally, the first filming day for 【Sanshin-nim’s Blessing】.

 

Perhaps due to the packed filming schedule, the set was bustling without a moment to breathe.

 

Staff members were coming and going everywhere, and all sorts of noise mixed together, from the sounds of setting up cameras to checking lighting.

 

Of course, I was just as busy. I put on the prepared costume and went through makeup at lightning speed.

 

The first scene we were filming today was where the female protagonist So Ji-min eats dinner with her friends and walks around the playground like a conveyor belt sushi restaurant, complaining about the history subject that requires a lot of memorization.

 

To match that scene, I wore gym pants and tied my hair up simply. I also added the detail of tying the gym jacket around my waist.

 

Under my eyes, I applied dark makeup like dark circles to express a high school student worn out by exams.

 

Both So Ji-min and Yeon Doyeon were students, but they felt different. Of course, I had felt this while studying the script, but seeing the different looks with my own eyes made it really hit home.

 

If Yeon Doyeon had a pure and mysterious atmosphere, So Ji-min was… really like a lively high school student who was honest in expressing her emotions.

 

As I was practicing So Ji-min-like expressions while looking in the mirror, I heard a familiar voice from behind me.

 

“You’re not nervous because outsiders are coming, are you?”

 

Oh, right.

 

Today wasn’t just the first day of filming, but also the day when people from Gyeonggi Tourism Business were coming for an inspection. An important day where Writer Choi Gi-yeong asked the leads to deliver proper acting.

 

Why am I more concerned about this voice than that right now? It’s familiar, but it’s a voice that shouldn’t be on set…

 

I looked away from the mirror and turned my head toward the source of the voice. Then.

 

“Uh…!”

 

There was Writer Choi Gi-jeong.

 

Surely 【Sanshin-nim’s Blessing】 was Writer Choi Gi-yeong’s work. Why was her sister here instead of Writer Choi Gi-yeong…

 

When I looked at her with questioning eyes, Writer Choi Gi-jeong spoke.

 

“I said we’d meet soon, didn’t I, Sae-i?”

 

“Ah, so that’s what you meant…!”

 

After the final filming of 【Your Blue Name】 ended, at the dinner gathering, Writer Choi Gi-jeong had definitely pointed at Dojehyeon and me and said we’d see each other soon.

 

Who would have thought she meant we’d meet on this set.

 

“Then are you two writing the work together? At the reading, only Writer Choi Gi-yeong was…”

 

“Hmm, it’s not co-writing. More like an assistant writer who’s more than an assistant?”

 

If she’s an assistant writer, then she’s an assistant writer, but what’s an assistant writer who’s more than an assistant? When I still looked at her with a confused expression, Writer Choi Gi-jeong laughed and continued.

 

“I was dying of curiosity about your acting, Sae-i. My Doyeon and my sister’s Ji-min have completely different characters.”

 

“So you came to see me?”

 

“You could say that. Also to see Jehyeon. My sister gave permission, and I happened to be resting after finishing Your Blue Name.”

 

Writer Choi Gi-jeong spoke lightly, but I was extremely nervous at her words.

 

The fact that Writer Choi Gi-jeong, who along with her sister is called the queen of the drama writing world, came to see my acting even though it wasn’t her own work was burdensome enough.

 

“Sae-i, we’re going to start filming soon~”

 

As soon as our conversation was roughly finished, the staff called for me.

 

As I headed to the filming spot and looked around the set, there were more outsiders than I had expected. People in suits. Anyone could tell they were officials from the tourism business team.

 

And…

 

“My sister didn’t annoyingly interfere while you were getting into character, did she?”

 

“Not at all. It’s an honor that you came…”

 

Even Writer Choi Gi-yeong had arrived on set.

 

Usually writers don’t come to the set. Even though it was a single episode with a script that was already completely finished, she didn’t need to come.

 

‘Could it be that she came because of the tourism business team officials?’

 

Sure enough.

 

“…Sae-i, you know, right? Let’s show them with our skills.”

 

Writer Choi Gi-yeong, who had come close, whispered in my ear. She meant let’s show the officials who were dissatisfied with using a rookie actor as the lead.

 

‘She’s really conscious of it.’

 

Thanks to Writer Choi Gi-yeong being in battle mode, I also swallowed nervously and psyched myself up.

 

After a light camera rehearsal ended and I took my position, the cue signal announcing the start of acting preparation soon dropped.

 

In that moment, I steadied my breathing and muttered to myself.

 

‘Let’s show them.’

 

Because convincing acting would be more certain than a hundred words.

 

The scene to act was short, but it required tension control. It couldn’t look excessive. So Ji-min was currently tired because of the exam schedule.

 

A student who hated exams and whose hobby was sticking that month’s lunch menu on her school desk.

 

A teenager who felt a bit good on days when she had highlighted items on the menu, and got irritated for no reason on days when nothing was highlighted.

 

“Ready, action!”

 

…Preparation was complete. So Ji-min was perfected within me.

 

“Ah, why is mushroom sweet and sour pork on the dinner menu too?”

 

Now it was time to show my own Ji-min to the people who doubted me.

 

***

 

“…Cut!”

 

As Sae-i finished her lines, the set fell into momentary silence.

 

Soon after, the staff began moving busily again for the next scene.

 

The tourism business team officials who had been quietly watching the monitor exchanged glances. The team leader was the first to speak.

 

“…What was that?”

 

His expression was dumbfounded. His cheeks rose as if he had seen something incredible. It was the same for the team members.

 

“No, what did I just see?”

 

“…Acting?”

 

“Do you think I wouldn’t know that, you fool?”

 

When the team leader grimaced at the youngest member’s comment, another team member who had been just listening crossed his arms and nodded.

 

“She’s pretty good.”

 

“Not just pretty good, you fool.”

 

Before she started acting, she had definitely seemed like a well-behaved rookie actor, but as soon as filming began, she became a different person. Even someone who knew nothing about acting could feel the changed atmosphere.

 

“It doesn’t seem like Choi Gi-yeong was being stubborn for no reason.”

 

The team leader suddenly whistled as if he had struck it rich. He spoke in an excited voice.

 

“I thought it was a complete miss because of lack of recognition, but she’s overwhelming with skill.”

 

“Honestly, I was really worried because she’s a rookie.”

 

“It seems like it was unnecessary worry, apparently.”

 

“Right…”

 

While the team members were whispering with faces that still couldn’t believe it.

 

“Are you all watching well?”

 

“Oh, when did you get here…”

 

“Were you talking behind someone’s back?”

 

“No, no! How could we!”

 

Choi Gi-yeong, who had suddenly approached the tourism business team, smiled gently.

 

“How was it? That kid’s acting.”

 

Choi Gi-yeong gestured toward Sae-i with her chin. As if she already knew without hearing an answer, she added.

 

“I told you, right? Once you see the acting in person, you can’t complain.”

 

Choi Gi-yeong traced back Sae-i’s afterimage. When you see the acting of an actor who brings characters to life rather than just imitating them, you feel refreshed. Ju Sae-i had exceptional talent in that regard.

 

‘This isn’t something you can learn from someone teaching you.’

 

Acting is directly connected to innate sense. The structure differs in depth depending on how developed one’s sense for analyzing and embodying characters is.

 

In that regard, in Choi Gi-yeong’s eyes, Ju Sae-i was… a genius whose market value would rise overwhelmingly with each work she accumulated.

 

‘It’s fortunate that Gi-jeong discovered her first.’

 

As actors gain experience, the characters they mainly play tend to become fixed.

 

For example, an actor who became known to the public as a villainess mainly gets cast as villainesses, and an actor who played tearful, fragile characters only gets cast in such roles.

 

How fortunate it was that my sister and I could try different characters with Ju Sae-i during this period when her character type wasn’t established yet.

 

‘I really want to snatch her up and keep her for ourselves…’

 

While there had been actors who made her feel regretful when other writers used them, Ju Sae-i was definitely the first to make her feel so jealous her eyes could roll back.

 

On the other hand, she was also curious about Sae-i’s acting in other writers’ works.

 

‘Should I introduce her to Haeri too?’

 

Yun Haeri. A close friend of the Choi sisters and another drama queen.

 

Come to think of it, Yun Haeri had also mentioned she was preparing for a new project. She seemed to be under a lot of pressure since her previous drama was such a huge hit.

 

‘Yun Haeri and Ju Sae-i.’

 

Choi Gi-yeong grinned to herself as she plotted something in her mind. It seemed like she’d be able to create quite an entertaining spectacle soon.

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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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