Descent Of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 647

Choi Yeon-ha composed herself.

‘Okay, time to get to work.’

She might stir things up, but she doesn’t do it without thinking. If she loses her temper and causes a scene, she needs to clean up the mess properly.

She acted like everything was fine in front of Han Eun-sol, but Choi Yeon-ha was well aware that she had caused trouble.

Of course, even if she went back to that moment, she would act the same way.

Still, she had to fix things, didn’t she?

She had lost her temper once, so it was her turn to give in this time.

“You’re here?”

Choi Yeon-ha pushed the makeup artist aside, stood up, and bowed her head.

The director’s gaze pierced Choi Yeon-ha sharply.

“So, are you feeling any better?”

“Yes.”

Choi Yeon-ha answered cleanly, and the director’s eyes narrowed.

He didn’t seem to like the answer. Well, what answer would satisfy him right now? He seemed ready to get angry even if Choi Yeon-ha just breathed.

“So, you were feeling well enough to cause such a fuss?”

“I’m sorry.”

Choi Yeon-ha didn’t make any excuses.

Even if there was a valid reason, there was a time to present it and a time not to. Now was the latter. If she made a flimsy excuse, it would only provoke him.

“So, you’re planning to film today?”

“Of course.”

The director still looked displeased. But Choi Yeon-ha wasn’t too worried.

‘He can’t replace me now.’

Two-thirds of the filming was done. And how many scenes did Choi Yeon-ha appear in? If they cut her now, they would have to reshoot all those parts.

Then the filming wouldn’t be finished this year. Even if Choi Yeon-ha continued filming as is, it would take more than a month. How could they possibly start filming all over again?

But she couldn’t be too stiff-necked either.

‘Do you think this is the first time I’ve dealt with something like this?’

Choi Yeon-ha had been eating and sleeping on film sets since she was a teenager. Her filming experience was on par with any veteran actor.

Having filmed so much, how could she not have had trouble with directors?

People who create their own works are all different from ordinary people. Working with them is no easy task.

Choi Yeon-ha wouldn’t have been a pushover from the start. She had gone through her share of obscurity and hardship. That experience was helping her now.

More than giving the impression of remorse, she needed to show a firm intention that ‘I respect your authority, and I have no intention of infringing on your rights.’

“I’m sorry. I’ll work hard.”

“Tsk.”

The director clicked his tongue as Choi Yeon-ha took a low stance.

“Let’s see how well you do.”

Kang Jin-ho quietly watched the scene and then spoke.

“What happened?”

“I lost my temper and caused a scene.”

“It’s a common occurrence, but the problem is that this isn’t Korea. And that director isn’t easy to deal with.”

Kang Jin-ho tilted his head at Han Eun-sol’s words.

“Considering that, she’s being very submissive?”

“Being an actor isn’t just about acting well. Filming pushes people to the extreme of stress. If filming gets delayed, you don’t know when it will end, and even if you try hard, you just have to wait if you don’t have a scene. It’s not easy to just wait while trying to get into the right emotion for the next scene. That’s why everyone is so sensitive. It’s hard to be an actor without social skills.”

“Hmm…”

Kang Jin-ho nodded quietly. He felt like he had seen a new side of Choi Yeon-ha.

‘No, is that not it?’

Come to think of it, Choi Yeon-ha changed her style from time to time. The way she treated him was completely different from the way she treated the children at the orphanage.

“So, is it resolved?”

“Who knows?”

Han Eun-sol shrugged.

“If a director decides to mess with an actor, they can do it endlessly. There isn’t a director without a temper, and there isn’t one who hasn’t learned how to break in an actor. We’ll have to see how it plays out.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded quietly.

‘How can they mess with someone during filming?’

He found out soon enough.

“Cut!”

The director’s sharp voice echoed.

“That’s not it! More intensely!”

“Yes.”

“Let’s go without mistakes! Without mistakes!”

“I’m sorry.”

“Choi Yeon-ha, I’m sorry. Can we do another take?”

“…Yes.”

Choi Yeon-ha’s lips were pale. Even though it wasn’t a cold day.

Han Eun-sol, who was watching the filming, bit his lip slightly.

“That bastard…”

He had said that if a director decided to mess with an actor, they could do it endlessly. But even Han Eun-sol hadn’t imagined they would do it this way.

“Let’s go again, again!”

As soon as he finished speaking, Choi Yeon-ha went into the makeshift dressing room. The makeup artists followed her into the dressing room. Choi Yeon-ha came out after changing into new clothes and replacing the crown on her head.

Behind her, the staff with hair dryers came out with the clothes Choi Yeon-ha had taken off and started drying them.

“Okay, let’s go without mistakes. Pour it more intensely!”

“Yes!”

“Get in position. Go!”

The actor in front of Choi Yeon-ha, with a fierce expression, lifted a jar full of water and poured it on Choi Yeon-ha.

Splash!

The cold water soaked Choi Yeon-ha’s entire body.

Choi Yeon-ha looked at the person who had poured water on her with a bewildered expression.

“Cut!”

The director threw the script he was holding onto the floor and jumped up from his seat.

“Hey!”

“Yes!”

“Don’t you know what ‘pour it intensely’ means? Can’t you understand what I’m saying?”

“I’m sorry.”

“You have to tilt it like this and then pour it forward. You can’t get the feeling with just pouring it like that! Do you understand?”

“…Yes.”

The director, who had been yelling at the supporting actor, sighed and looked at Choi Yeon-ha.

“Let’s do it one more time. I’m sorry.”

“…It’s okay.”

Choi Yeon-ha bit her lip tightly.

‘Bastard.’

It was subtle.

If he had criticized Choi Yeon-ha’s acting and gotten angry, everyone would have thought the director was being unreasonable. Then he wouldn’t be able to ignore the opinions of others. But now, the director was criticizing the acting of another actor, not Choi Yeon-ha.

There were several factors.

The prop used in the water-pouring scene had changed from a teacup to a jar, and that jar was too heavy for the older actress playing the empress to hold.

So, there were bound to be NGs [No Good takes].

He was creating a situation where perfection was impossible and then demanding perfection. But at first glance, it would seem like a perfectionist director was trying to film a perfect scene.

Of course, the damage was falling squarely on Choi Yeon-ha.

‘I guess my body is okay.’

If it had been the Choi Yeon-ha from yesterday, she might have fainted by now. Where did those crazy people get the water? It was so cold that she felt like she was freezing to death in the middle of this hot summer.

She kept changing her clothes, but with the repeated reshoots, there was no way she could change her underwear. The only thing that changed into dry clothes was the large court dress she wore on the outside. The clothes underneath were soaked and dripping with water.

Choi Yeon-ha turned her head and looked at the director.

The director gave her a warm smile.

“It’s easy to film because Choi Yeon-ha is acting so passionately. Let’s do a little more. This is an important scene.”

“Yes, let’s do it.”

Choi Yeon-ha gritted her teeth.

She knew she was being messed with. But if it was related to filming, she had to endure it. If she couldn’t handle it and backed down here, this filming would really be over. All the blame would fall on Choi Yeon-ha, and that bastard would use the media to criticize Korean actors.

“Please change your clothes.”

As she headed to the dressing room, Choi Yeon-ha glanced at Kang Jin-ho.

‘I shouldn’t have brought him.’

She didn’t want to show him this side of her. She wanted to show him how hard she worked, but she had no interest in showing him such a pitiful side of herself.

It was a relief that her face was covered by a mask and sunglasses. She didn’t have the confidence to look at Kang Jin-ho’s face right now. Choi Yeon-ha lowered her head and went into the dressing room.

Kang Jin-ho, who had been quietly watching the scene, spoke.

“So, you’re saying that Choi Yeon-ha did something wrong yesterday?”

“…She did, actually.”

“And that’s why she’s going through this now?”

“Yes.”

“Then let me ask you one thing…”

“Yes?”

Han Eun-sol straightened up slightly. Kang Jin-ho’s voice was low and calm.

‘Why is it so eerie?’

For some reason, he felt a chill.

“Is the punishment she’s receiving now appropriate for what happened yesterday?”

There was no inflection in his voice.

Han Eun-sol, hearing Kang Jin-ho’s question, let out a deep sigh.

“It’s harsh. It’s very harsh. I didn’t think he would go this far either.”

He didn’t know how many times she had been hit with that cold water. The filming had started around noon, and now the sun was about to set. She had been getting drenched like that all day long.

‘There won’t be any health problems, but…’

It was fortunate that it was summer. If it had been winter, it would have been a disaster. But what about the humiliation Choi Yeon-ha was feeling right now?

“…That bastard, really.”

Han Eun-sol gritted his teeth as he looked at the director.

At that moment, Choi Yeon-ha finished her makeup and came back to the set.

“Do it properly this time! Do you understand?”

“Yes, Director!”

“Again! Action!”

As always, water was poured on Choi Yeon-ha’s face. And that wasn’t all.

Thud!

The jar that had fallen from the supporting actor’s hand rolled right next to Choi Yeon-ha’s foot. If the angle had been slightly off, it could have been a major accident.

Even in the midst of that, Choi Yeon-ha didn’t panic. As if this scene had been pre-planned, she flinched, looked slightly surprised, and then showed a natural, bewildered expression.

It was such a natural scene that everyone watching was impressed.

“Cut!”

The director got up from his seat, looking annoyed.

“How could you drop it there! It could have been an accident!”

“I’m sorry.”

“Again! Let’s go again, again!”

The assistant director, sensing that the situation was getting worse, spoke up.

“Director, but the scene came out pretty well?”

“Are you the director?”

“…Of course, you’re the director. But the sun is almost down, so if you’re not going to reshoot tomorrow, you should start wrapping up.”

“Is that so?”

The director shouted at Choi Yeon-ha.

“Choi Yeon-ha!”

“Yes.”

“It looks like the sun is going down. We can’t film anymore today.”

“Yes. It can’t be helped.”

Choi Yeon-ha let out a sigh of relief. She would have to reshoot this scene tomorrow, but it was a relief that they were stopping here. She was really at her limit now.

“So, about that…”

The director had a subtle smile on his face.

“Since this scene doesn’t really need to be filmed during the day, let’s change the background to evening and continue filming. I think it would look better at night. What do you think?”

Choi Yeon-ha bit her lip and glared at the director.

“You said you would work hard?”

Choi Yeon-ha clenched her fist at the director’s taunt.

‘Okay, let’s see who wins.’

“Sounds good. Let’s continue then.”

“That’s the spirit, Choi Yeon-ha.”

The director laughed loudly and sat down. The staff’s faces showed their dissatisfaction, but no one dared to protest to the director.

But there was one person here who wasn’t a staff member.

Han Eun-sol felt the person sitting next to him get up from his seat.

“Huh?”

Then, before Han Eun-sol could even grab him, he quickly walked forward.

“Ah, no…”