An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 27

Episode 27 #7 – If It’s a Hindrance (4)

The day the first episode of “Clockmaker and Ballerina” airs.

Kim Team Leader came to my house again to watch the show together. This was different from the last one-act play. This wasn’t a short, one-hour special, but a 16-episode series.

Without any snacks, Kim Team Leader and I sat in front of the TV with solemn hearts. I needed to see my acting in the first episode and quickly provide feedback for the next scene we’d shoot.

“Hyung [older brother or close male friend], the commercial is almost over,” Kim Team Leader said. He was sitting right next to me, but I was so nervous that I almost shouted at him.

“I know. It starts after one more commercial.”

I knew that the scene I appeared in wouldn’t be the first one, but my heart started pounding anyway. Kim Team Leader smirked and said, “Our Jin Hee-sung actor’s first mini-series is really starting!”

As soon as it started, I fell into the drama with Kim Team Leader as if we were watching the story for the first time. We frowned, immersed in the actors’ performances. We got angry and fully enjoyed the drama.

After a few minutes, the scene where I was acting finally appeared.

-Kim Dae-han, why are you here!

The clockmaker shouted at me in the play.

-I thought you told me to be here….

The expression on my face on TV was very sullen, and my eyes drooped sadly. At the same time, my expression watching it was the same. Kim Team Leader smiled, as if satisfied with my first scene. After a few lines were exchanged, and the scene moved on, Kim Team Leader finally spoke.

“Wow, the first scene came out so well?”

“That’s a relief.”

We immediately opened our cell phones and searched for ‘Clockmaker and Ballerina’ to check the real-time reactions. If we checked after the drama was over, there wouldn’t be much talk about my role as a supporting actor. As expected, real-time reactions to the scene I had just appeared in were pouring in.

-The clockmaker is so clueless, lol [laughing out loud].

-Well, even back then, you had to do whatever the boss told you to do.

-It’s the same now as it was then, that clockmaker’s expression of not wanting to work, lol.

-Why is he so good at acting innocent? lol.

Kim Team Leader and I laughed while watching the real-time reactions. Not long after, my scene came out again—the scene where I worked with Song Yu-na. As the scene of me staring blankly at Song Yu-na came on TV, real-time reactions started to rise rapidly.

-Wasn’t he the clueless clockmaker from before? He’s fallen for Song Yu-na.

-Well, lol, wouldn’t it be strange not to fall for Song Yu-na’s face there?

-Why is Song Yu-na so pretty even in that era?

-That guy’s reaction is genuine, genuine, lol.

-No, think about it. If you get yelled at by the boss all day and then see Song Yu-na’s face, I’d be healed too, lol.

-Why is Song Yu-na so pretty?

The amount of my screen time in the first episode was small, but this was pretty good for a start. Besides, the real-time reactions on the internet weren’t bad either.

…I think I acted well?

I smirked as I watched the preview for the next episode.

***

“Cut, okay!”

With Director Bae’s sign, the camera light went off.

“We’ll take a 30-minute break before going to the next scene.”

“Yes.”

Director Bae got up from his seat and moved away. Song Yu-na walked to the set to wait for her next turn. The figures of Jin Hee-sung and Park Min-joon were visible in the distance. She watched them talking even after the acting was over. Song Yu-na moved closer, listening to their continuous conversation as if they were still acting.

“Hee-sung, how can you act like that there?”

“Huh?”

“What’s going on?”

At that moment, the assistant director approached them, and Park Min-joon answered the assistant director.

“Assistant Director, I think Hee-sung hasn’t had much experience with filming yet.”

“Why, what’s wrong?”

“Hee-sung doesn’t know the composition well. I think it’s right for me to come to this side in the next scene we shoot.”

The assistant director raised his eyebrows and listened to Park Min-joon’s story.

“It’s not really important, but if that’s what Min-joon thinks, you can do it that way.”

“Yes, Hee-sung doesn’t know well, so I’m going to teach him a little.”

He nodded and looked at Jin Hee-sung. “That’s right. You said you two are friends, right?”

Jin Hee-sung forced a smile at the assistant director’s words and replied, “Yes, that’s right.”

Park Min-joon shook his head and said to Jin Hee-sung, “Hee-sung, I’m telling you because we’re friends. You should move on your own in scenes like this.”

The assistant director patted Park Min-joon on the shoulder and left. Jin Hee-sung nodded blankly with a vacant expression. He listened without answering because several staff members were watching. Anyway, Park Min-joon had more experience than Jin Hee-sung, so he pretended to listen appropriately.

“Yu-na.”

Choi Team Leader approached her with a blanket. Song Yu-na turned around and gestured to Choi Team Leader.

“No. Let’s go to the car for a while.”

“Why, what’s wrong?” Choi Team Leader asked with a worried tone, looking at Song Yu-na’s expression.

“No, nothing’s wrong.” She frowned and asked Choi Team Leader, “Oppa [older brother or close male friend]. But what’s wrong with him just taking it?”

“Who?”

Choi Team Leader turned around and looked at Park Min-joon and Jin Hee-sung.

“Ah… they said they’re friends?”

She snorted at Choi Team Leader’s words. “Is that a friend?”

Park Min-joon was still unilaterally pouring out words to Jin Hee-sung. Seeing that, Choi Team Leader quietly shook his head. Song Yu-na, who had no idea what Jin Hee-sung was thinking, shuddered with disgust and said.

“I hate guys like that the most. Not saying a word and just listening.”

“It’s the set. Maybe he’s listening because he’s embarrassed since they’re friends?”

“I don’t know. That guy who looks like a chestnut… I already didn’t like him, but I hate him even more now.”

Song Yu-na took out the blanket draped over her shoulder with one hand as if brushing it off.

“Oppa, why did you bring someone like that?”

He smiled awkwardly as he received the blanket that Song Yu-na pushed away as if throwing it.

“I turned on the heater in the car. Let’s go in.”

“But Oppa, you said you’re going to film in the countryside soon, right?”

Choi Team Leader smiled as the topic of conversation changed and opened his mouth. “Yeah, I’ll be gone for about a week.”

“A week?” Song Yu-na raised her eyes and sighed. “Ugh, I heard it’s in the mountains, so we can’t even go to a hotel.”

Choi Team Leader replied to her with a playful expression. “Don’t worry. I told them to get you a single room.”

Despite his words, Song Yu-na replied with an annoyed tone. “Is a single room the problem? I don’t like the mountains….”

As she crossed her arms and got into the car, Choi Team Leader quickly opened his mouth. “Then should I ask them to change it a bit?”

“What should I change? An actor has to follow the script, how can I do whatever I want?”

Even though she was annoyed, Song Yu-na had a strong sense of professionalism about her job. Before Choi Team Leader could speak again, she said first, “Oppa, please take good care of what I need there.”

“…Okay.”

“My hair treatment and essence, and aroma oil serum. You can’t leave any of them out.”

“Of course. I’ve packed them separately.”

She swept her hair back and said, “I use a curling iron every day, so my hair is in terrible condition right now. Look at how damaged my hair is.”

She shrugged her shoulders and immediately opened the script. “Oppa, Director Bae said we’re taking a break, so I’m going to look at the script.”

“Okay, then I’ll be in the front.”

***

“No, who told you to dance like that!”

Song Yu-na’s annoyed expression was so perfect that it was hard to tell whether it was acting or real.

“I’ll try again,” Go Ah-hyun said, crestfallen at Song Yu-na’s words.

“Ah-reum, it’s not a problem that will be solved by doing it again, is it?”

I admired Song Yu-na’s acting. It seemed like no one could follow Song Yu-na’s annoyed acting. Maybe you have to be born with something like that?

“Okay!”

As Director Bae gave the sign, Song Yu-na bowed her head. “Thank you for your hard work.”

“Yes, Yu-na, your acting was so good just now.”

She smiled brightly at Director Bae, then immediately followed Choi Team Leader to her car. I watched Song Yu-na get into the car and asked Kim Team Leader, who was standing next to me, “Hyung, by the way, doesn’t Song Yu-na usually come out of the car even on set?”

He nodded as if it were natural. “Yeah, she’s always in the car except when it’s her role.”

“That’s unique. Doesn’t she feel stuffy?”

Kim Team Leader smirked and replied, “She’s a top star, so it’s possible to only come out when greeting and acting.”

I muttered in a small voice, “She’s so different from Choi Seo-bin.”

Choi Seo-bin was always outside, even though he was such a famous top star. Rather, it seemed like I had never seen him in the car. He was always watching someone else’s acting, even when it wasn’t his turn. Choi Seo-bin and Song Yu-na’s styles were completely opposite.

The only thing they had in common was that they were both so good at acting. Is acting well just a talent? No, I know very well that you can’t succeed in this industry with talent alone. Talent and effort—these two things must be perfectly achieved to reach the top.

Well… How much effort would Song Yu-na put in behind the scenes?

I quickly shook my head and opened the script. I have to work twice or three times harder than now to be on the same line as them.

***

I took a deep breath and walked to the set—the scene I was looking forward to, a scene full of tension. It’s the scene where I act with Choi Seo-bin. It’s not the first time I’ve exchanged lines with Choi Seo-bin, but my heart always pounded when I went to act with him. Is it because he’s an actor I want to learn a lot from?

And Park Min-joon also appears in this scene. It was the first time the three of us were working together. I reviewed the lines again to avoid making any NGs [no good takes/mistakes] because I was acting with Park Min-joon. I always try not to make NGs in any scene, but I especially didn’t want to in front of Park Min-joon.

“Okay, let’s go right away. Ready, action!”

The moment Director Bae’s shoot sign fell, I closed my eyes and opened them, instantly immersing myself. Choi Seo-bin’s eyes also changed, and he started walking towards me and Park Min-joon.

“Hey!” The corners of his mouth were twisted. I distorted my face at his expression.

“What?”

Park Min-joon and I loosened our wrists and approached him.

“Are you talking to us right now?” A cold air as if a fist would fly out at any moment. Choi Seo-bin said to Park Min-joon with a cold expression, “You, there. What did you say behind my back earlier?”

At his words, Park Min-joon trembled and slowly closed his eyes—a face full of anger. Before Park Min-joon could open his mouth, he took a breath to suppress his anger. Choi Seo-bin turned his head and looked at me and immediately shouted, “Don’t just stand there, you. Tell me, what did he say behind my back!”

It was Choi Seo-bin’s ad-lib [improvisation]. It was clearly an ad-lib that hadn’t been discussed before the shoot. Choi Seo-bin asks Park Min-joon, and he answers, and the scene should end, but Choi Seo-bin asked me a question.

Wait a minute… Does it seem like he deliberately passed the line to me? Now that Choi Seo-bin has spoon-fed me, can I kick the table over [seize the opportunity and excel]!

Park Min-joon swallowed and flinched. Leaving the embarrassed guy behind, I opened my mouth to say the line.