An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 128

128. Episode 24 – The Two-Faced Woman (5)

A variety of dishes were laid out before us, but no one dared to eat freely.

It was an hour before the first episode aired.

Everyone was on edge, waiting for the moment the episode would be broadcast.

“Sigh… I don’t think I can eat until the broadcast is over.”

The assistant director said with a faint smile, and I nodded in agreement.

Then, Director Song stood up and shouted to the cast and crew,

“Everything will be fine, so don’t worry too much, fill your bellies, and watch comfortably!”

Despite telling us to relax, Director Song seemed the most nervous.

We shouted in unison at his words, “Yes!”

It was a more nerve-wracking premiere than any other drama.

Because it was a drama that garnered a lot of attention, along with concerns and worries.

With anxiousness and anticipation, we alternated between looking at the food and the clock, passing the time.

As time passed,

The dining hall became so quiet that even the sound of chewing or the clinking of chopsticks couldn’t be heard.

We were all glued to the TV, watching the drama.

Some were monitoring real-time viewer reactions.

But everyone was holding their breath, focusing on the drama.

The drama, which delved into love, betrayal, affairs, and passionate entanglements, was so captivating that you couldn’t take your eyes off it for a second.

Even though we already knew the story, we watched each scene with surprised expressions.

“Wow, that acting was really good.”

“I agree. Once the drama ends, Heeseong is going to get a huge reaction, right? Haha.”

Conversations about the acting broke out from time to time.

And the main topic was me, who played the role of the adulterous man in the drama.

“You act so well that I almost punched you without realizing it, because it felt like you were really having an affair.”

A staff member who had become friendly with me came over and said with a laugh.

“Haha, is that a compliment?”

I joked, lightening the mood on set.

“If the drama becomes famous, you won’t be able to walk around outside anymore, will you?”

Director Song chuckled at my words.

“Of course. When you go to a restaurant, you might not even get service, let alone be treated poorly. Hehe.”

“Oh, Director. I’m in big trouble now.”

The tense atmosphere in the dining hall had become amicable, and as I looked at the large clock on the wall, we were already heading towards the end of the first episode.

After a few minutes,

As the drama came to an end with the final scene, the dining hall was filled with loud applause.

Clap, clap, clap-.

Applause erupted, and we finally raised our first glasses at the dinner.

“It turned out better than I thought, so let’s continue filming hard like this in the future.”

“Yes!”

“For the success of the ‘Temptation of the Other Woman’ drama!”

At Director Song’s shout, we yelled loud enough to shake the restaurant.

“Cheers!”

After emptying our glasses, the dining hall became lively.

And the topic of every table was about the drama.

“Wow, isn’t it really fun?”

“I know, right? These kinds of passionate melodramas are so stimulating that you can’t take your eyes off them.”

As I was marveling at the drama’s story and the actors’ performances,

Director Song, who was looking anxious, caught my eye.

After emptying his first glass, he was making a phone call somewhere.

The way he bit his lip looked uneasy.

And soon, a smile spread across his face.

I knew it instantly.

The viewership ratings were good.

Viewership ratings that couldn’t be immediately known through the internet.

That’s why Director Song must have confirmed the ratings after talking to the broadcasting station.

The fact that a smile appeared on his face meant that the viewership ratings were as good as he had expected.

I was still fixedly staring at him.

Soon, Director Song filled his glass to the brim and stood up.

“Ahem, ahem.”

At his sound, we stopped our conversations and paid attention to him.

“I just checked, and our viewership rating is 14%.”

“Wow!”

“Really?”

14% for the first episode.

It was quite a high number.

Especially in an era where it’s hard to exceed 10% for the first episode.

This is because there are existing viewers of dramas airing at the same time, making it difficult for them to switch to a new drama.

Dramas from other broadcasting stations were already past the midpoint.

Even in the midst of that, a 14% viewership rating for the first episode was an enormous number.

Director Song’s face was already flushed red.

He couldn’t hide his excitement and shouted, expressing it as it was.

“Let’s work even harder and aim for the highest viewership rating!”

At Director Song’s words, we downed our glasses.

I shrugged my shoulders and curved my lips into a long smile.

Although only the first episode had been aired,

I reaffirmed my determination with the viewership ratings that seemed to prove that my choice was not wrong.

If the end is to be more magnificent than the beginning, my efforts are more important than anything else.

***

“Cut, okay!”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

I bowed and left the set after finishing the greetings.

As soon as I got into the car, Manager Kim handed me a drink and said,

“Heeseong, are you tired?”

“No, I’m okay. But we finished early today.”

I closed my eyes and stretched my body as I answered.

When I checked the time, it was already 1 a.m.

The darkness outside the window was so dark that it was completely black.

“We have an outdoor shoot tomorrow, but they said it’s going to rain in the morning, so we decided to start late.”

“So, I can come out late tomorrow?”

“Yeah, you can go home, get some sleep, and then come out.”

I leaned back in my seat at his words.

I raised my body as I suddenly thought of something and asked him,

“Hyung [older brother/male friend], what day is it today?”

“Today is Tuesday. No, it’s past 12, so it’s Wednesday. Why?”

“Then the 4th episode must have aired earlier.”

At my words, Manager Kim raised the corners of his lips through the rearview mirror and said.

“Yeah, I already checked. The response is good this week too.”

“What about the viewership ratings?”

“I don’t know about today’s yet, but yesterday’s 3rd episode exceeded 16%.”

At his words, I immediately perked up my tired body.

14% for the first broadcast.

And 15.8% for the second episode in an instant.

The 3rd episode was 16% as Manager Kim said, and I was filled with anticipation that the viewership ratings for the 4th episode, which had just ended, would also rise.

It was a difficult and exhausting shoot, but the thought that the drama was being successfully loved filled my heart.

The car started towards home as it was.

But I didn’t close my eyes and hurriedly opened my cell phone.

It hadn’t been even two hours since the broadcast ended.

I quickly looked at the viewers’ reactions.

As expected, the bulletin board was filled with posts.

-Ah, Tuesday is already over. When will I wait until Monday?

└I’m overcoming my Monday blues because of this dramaㅋㅋ [Kekeke – Korean equivalent of ‘lol’]

└I agree. It’s Monday, and I don’t want to go to work, but I’m waiting for Monday because I want to watch this. It’s ironic.

-I really hated Jin Heeseong at first for doing a drama about adultery, but I admit that he has an eye for choosing dramas.

-Wow, the acting today was amazing.

└I know, right? Because he acts so well, I get even more angry watching it. It feels like my husband is really cheating on me.

└Isn’t your husband’s face Jin Heeseong? If it were me, I wouldn’t let him out of the house because I’d be so anxious.

└That’s right. How can you let your husband, who is Jin Heeseong, out? I can never let him out of the houseㅋㅋ

-I’m a true fan of Jin Heeseong, but he plays the role so well that I really hate him. What should I do?

-Jin Heeseong acts so well that I’m angryㅡㅡ

-Heeseong oppa [term of endearment for older brother/male figure from a female], isn’t it crazy how you can pull off such a role with such an innocent face?

Instead of sleeping, I read each and every comment.

I gained strength from those comments all the way home.

Instead of resting, I picked up the script for the next day’s shoot.

To meet the fans’ expectations, practice was more important than sleep right now.

And I started reviewing the lines I had memorized.

***

“Heeseong, did you see the reaction to yesterday’s broadcast?”

Director Song asked as he approached me with a bright face.

“Yes, the reaction was very good. The viewership ratings are also good.”

He patted me on the shoulder at my words and replied.

“It’s because your acting is good, what else.”

“Oh, no. It’s because you filmed me well, Director, that I look good.”

Director Song laughed heartily and walked to the set with me.

“Heeseong is good at acting and good at socializing. What can’t you do? Haha.”

The shoot started in a friendly atmosphere.

“Hello.”

Shin Minyoung, who was on set, greeted Director Song.

I also bowed to her next to him.

She also greeted me with her eyes without saying anything.

But a cold atmosphere lingered between Shin Minyoung and me.

Director Song looked back and forth between us at the coldness and asked.

“What’s wrong? Did something happen between you two?”

As soon as he finished speaking, Shin Minyoung shrugged her shoulders and replied.

“No. Nothing happened.”

Then, she turned around and started preparing for the shoot.

I didn’t want to try to resolve this situation with her.

Her actions towards me in the tent were intentional to anyone who saw them.

But the desire to demand an apology from her, who kept denying it, disappeared.

And I had no desire to approach her first and resolve things with her.

Rather, I was surprised and harmed by her reversal of behavior, with whom I had built up friendship until now.

There were also no inconvenient elements in filming.

Because these personal feelings did not affect my acting.

And Shin Minyoung also immediately immersed herself in the role when the camera turned and approached me with a bright face.

We acted like that as a business.

Even when we first became friends, our personal friendship didn’t show in our acting.

So, this situation and relationship weren’t that uncomfortable.

It’s just that we, who were called the Three Musketeers, disappeared.

As the filming became increasingly busy, even that leisurely waiting time disappeared.

“Ready, action!”

As soon as the filming started, Shin Minyoung and I, as expected, looked at each other with more affectionate faces than anyone else and continued acting.

After a long time of filming.

“Cut, okay.”

The scene was finished with Director Song’s sign.

“Let’s take a break and start the next scene.”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

I bowed and walked out of the set.

At that time.

“Heeseong sunbae [senior colleague]!”

Seo Inwoo called out to me as if he had been waiting for me.

“Oh, Inwoo. What about the filming?”

“I’m on standby all day today. I have a shoot in the evening.”

“Oh my, it’s going to be a tough day for you today.”

Seo Inwoo followed me and replied.

“What about you, sunbae?”

“I have to wait a long time now, so I’m going to rest in the car.”

“Then can I talk to you for a moment?”

It was a slightly different reaction from Seo Inwoo than usual.

I frowned at his sudden request to take some time and talk, as he was always chattering.

“What’s wrong? Is something wrong?”

When I asked him with a worried face, Seo Inwoo shook his head with his mouth tightly shut.

“No, it’s not a serious matter….”

“This itself is serious, isn’t it?”

I quickly moved my steps to the car.

As soon as I checked Seo Inwoo, who had boarded the car with me, I closed the door and looked around.

No one in the car.

I asked him with an equally serious face.

“Why, what is it? What’s wrong?”

“Hmm… I was wondering how to say this, but I wanted to tell sunbae first.”

I swallowed hard as I looked at Seo Inwoo, who was stalling.

And as I nodded with strength in my eyes, Seo Inwoo took a deep breath and avoided my eyes.

“Sunbae, I actually… I have a girlfriend I’ve been seeing for a while.”

At Seo Inwoo’s words, my tension was completely relieved.

“What, why are you making such a big deal out of it….”

Before I could finish speaking, he opened his mouth again.

“It’s Minyoung.”