In This Life, I Will Die As An Actress, Not As A Villainess [EN]: Chapter 11

“Director, I heard rumors that there’s a woman at the company. Are you going to disgrace the family by not even managing your fiancé properly?”

A luxurious living room, dominated by a large chandelier.

Ji-an and her stepmother were seated on a cream-colored sofa, each with a glass of wine.

In reality, sharing wine was always just an elegant pretense… a prelude to conflict.

It was Ji-an’s turn to parry her stepmother’s pointed remarks.

“You know how female employees tend to exaggerate things. He’s not that kind of person.”

“You really like him, don’t you?”

Ji-an’s expression tightened slightly at the question.

“It’s not my place to interfere with that. But as a woman, let me give you some advice. In this industry, allowing yourself to fall in love is just creating a weakness that will be exploited.”

Ji-an took a deliberate sip of wine, offering no response.

“Don’t you have a lot to protect right now? And now you’re adding a man to the equation. Can you really handle all of that?”

Ji-an smiled coolly at those words.

She met her stepmother’s gaze directly and said, “Why can’t I? And don’t cross the line, Mother.”

Ji-an’s pronunciation of the word ‘mother’ carried a strange emphasis, a subtle challenge.

Her stepmother scoffed, setting down her wine glass with a sharp click.

As her stepmother ascended the stairs towards her room, Ji-an placed her own wine glass down, her hand trembling slightly.

After a moment, driven by a surge of anger, she snatched the glass up again and hurled it against the wall.

“Shin Se-ra…. Shin Se-ra!!”

The glass shattered, scattering thin shards across the carpet.

A single tear escaped Ji-an’s eye, landing on one of the glittering fragments.

* * *

“Cut! Okay! Ms. Sae-na, good.”

“Let’s get another take from the side.”

As soon as the director gave his approval, the director of photography began adjusting the equipment, preparing to capture the next angle.

“Director of Photography, the side is too dark because of the chandelier’s lighting.”

“I’ll add another light over here.”

“Yes! Bringing it now!”

Following the lighting director’s instructions, the crew moved with practiced efficiency.

The art department staff quickly cleaned up the broken glass.

The makeup team rushed over to dab away my tear tracks and begin touching up my makeup.

Haa….

A sigh of exhaustion escaped me involuntarily.

I was already filming this scene for the third time, each from a different perspective.

Many things had changed in the revised script that the writer had sent over.

There were numerous scenes I was filming for the first time, unlike what I had filmed in my previous life, and Yoo Ji-an’s emotions had become far more complex and nuanced.

‘The weakness of Yoo Ji-an that Ms. Sae-na found… it was more profound than I initially imagined.’

These were the writer’s parting words when handing over the new script.

An overwhelming compliment that left me feeling both thrilled and intimidated.

Since the first shoot, I could feel the staff and director’s increased trust in my abilities.

However, the hardest part is… moments like this.

Repeating and recapturing raw emotions over and over again to extract the perfect shot was never an easy task, whether in the past or the present.

“Ms. Sae-na, shall we take a break?”

Just then, the director approached, his tone considerate.

“No, Director. I’m afraid my emotions will dissipate if I rest.”

When I declined with a careful smile, the director nodded understandingly and quietly stepped back.

“Setting is complete. We’ll just film the scene of throwing the wine glass and crying. Last one-!”

The director of photography shouted, his voice ringing with renewed energy.

While I was recomposing myself…

Senior actress Jung Soo-hyang, who played the role of my stepmother, approached me.

“Director, I’ll act with her, so please only focus on capturing Sae-na’s crying scene. You’ll get a great shot of the rookie.”

“Ah, senior… thank you so much.”

She was willingly offering her support, sensing that it might be difficult for me, a junior actress, to capture the raw emotion alone.

I bowed my head deeply in gratitude.

“No, I’ve been watching you, and you’re doing so well. It’s giving me goosebumps, honestly. We have to capitalize on this.”

“Yes, Ms. Sae-na. This wasn’t originally a big scene, so I was going to skip over it, but the number of takes has increased because of you.”

The director of photography chimed in, his voice enthusiastic.

“Our Ms. Sae-na throws that glass so convincingly.”

“Are you going to land a liquor commercial after this?”

Other staff members added their voices, each offering a word of encouragement.

“Thank you, everyone. I’ll try to hit a home run this time too!”

I replied with a loud, playful tone, matching their energy.

The set was quickly filled with laughter.

The tense, exhausted atmosphere that had been hanging in the air dissipated almost instantly.

The director clapped his hands twice.

“Okay. Okay, Sae-na, get your emotions back. Let’s go.”

“Let’s move on to the second scene!”

I recomposed myself at the staff’s shout.

The second scene involved a war of nerves between Yoo Ji-an and her uncle, providing viewers with crucial information about her family history and dynamics.

It was a scene that I had breezed through easily during the initial script reading.

At that moment, the director added another comment.

“Ms. Sae-na, just do whatever you want.”

At that moment, the surrounding staff exchanged surprised glances.

I was also taken aback and looked at the director, questioning.

The senior actors, who were relaxing in simple chairs, laughed in amusement and threw playful remarks.

“Director, aren’t you being a little too biased towards the rookie?”

The director simply smiled at their teasing.

“She’s good. Let’s go.”

I bowed my head in acknowledgement.

“I’ll do my best!”

Okay, where… shall we really begin now?

“Ready, action!”

* * *

“Continue your love affair at your fiancé’s company. That would be better for both of us.”

“Uncle, you should just keep eating the crumbs that fall from the table. You have a small bowl, so you need to protect what little is in it.”

“What?”

The tense exchange between Park Hoon, who had both age and imposing size on his side, and Han Sae-na, who was much younger and seemingly more vulnerable, played out on the monitor.

The director shook his head slightly, a corner of his mouth lifting in a satisfied smile as he watched the scene unfold.

‘It’s exactly the picture I wanted, surprisingly. A war of nerves where the two seem to be evenly matched, but Yoo Ji-an ultimately overwhelms with a subtle, almost imperceptible advantage….’

Yoo Ji-an’s venomous remarks continued to flow with a vivid and captivating intensity.

“It’s easy to climb up the rope, but you’ll learn the hard way how difficult it is to stay on that rope until the end.”

“Cut! Okay!”

The director’s approving shout echoed across the set.

Then Han Sae-na turned to Director Moon and asked, “Director, how was my pacing just now? Should we try it a little stronger?”

“No, Ms. Sae-na, it was perfect.”

“Thank you. Then I’ll be on standby now! Thank you for your hard work, everyone!”

As she headed towards the waiting room, all the staff members gave Han Sae-na a high-five, offering their congratulations and support.

Even the rookie’s confidence in immediately asking the director for feedback after filming was impressive.

There was nothing to criticize, nothing to adjust.

Director Moon had been in the industry for nearly 20 years, and the number of times he had witnessed a filming being so completely led by the actor could be counted on one hand.

“It’s amazing the more I see it.”

“Yes?”

The youngest member of the crew, who was moving the monitor next to him, looked at the director with a puzzled expression.

“What ‘yes’? What are you doing? Move the monitor quickly, you rascal. We have a lot less time in front of us now, so let’s try to go home early.”

“Wow! That’s exciting!”

The director gulped down cold water, bracing himself to push through the remaining filming with renewed vigor.

Han Sae-na.

Whether she’s a dragon emerging from humble beginnings [a metaphor for someone unexpectedly talented] or just a fleeting will-o’-the-wisp [a deceptive or misleading phenomenon],

Director Moon was genuinely curious to find out.

* * *

A few days later.

As usual, the filming of Flat Shoes was progressing smoothly.

Director Moon visited the broadcasting station early in the morning due to a sudden summons.

Inside the Deputy Director’s office.

“So… the decision has been made that Flat Shoes will fill that empty time slot.”

Director Moon, who was sipping the coffee he had been offered, choked on his words at the deputy director’s announcement.

The two employees sitting on the opposite side shifted uncomfortably, watching Director Moon’s reaction with apprehension.

“I’m sorry, Director Moon.”

Director Moon couldn’t mask his displeasure and stared blankly ahead.

“What is….”

The deputy director continued to explain.

“As you know, it hasn’t been long since we launched the broadcasting station. We’re still in the process of establishing a stable system, and things are a bit chaotic internally. I’m truly sorry.”

Another drama had been prematurely cancelled due to abysmal viewership ratings, and the internal meeting had resulted in the decision to fill that time slot with Flat Shoes.

The rationale was that rather than enduring the low viewership ratings that plagued the comprehensive channel’s opening, it was better to eliminate the underperforming shows from the outset.

And this was the notification.

“Hyung [an honorific used between close male friends or older brothers], this isn’t right.”

Director Moon, unable to contain his frustration, raised his voice.

The employees who were listening in were startled and widened their eyes.

“Hey, Won-hyung [Director Moon’s given name]. I’m really sorry.”

Eventually, the deputy director, seeing Director Moon’s anger, began to plead.

Director Moon rubbed the back of his neck in frustration.

“Does this even make sense? We’ve only filmed 3 episodes so far.”

“Hey, I’m having a hard time too. I can’t sleep either, whether I’m the deputy director or not.”

“That’s your problem. Ha, I completely backed the wrong horse.”

In the meantime, the employees were sweating profusely, their anxiety growing with each passing moment.

Deputy Director Hwang Si-hyung had attended the same film academy as Moon Won-hyung 20 years prior.

The two had been working in the industry for years, experiencing both successes and setbacks together.

One day, Hwang Si-hyung had left his directing career and entered the broadcasting industry.

And a few years later, news of the comprehensive channel’s launch had spread, and Director Moon had received a call from Hwang Si-hyung.

He had said that he had become the deputy director and wanted to work on a drama together.

“That’s why the seniors always say not to get on the first boat, no matter where you go. I should have listened to them.”

Director Moon sighed deeply.

After a moment, he began to laugh humorlessly.

“Hehe, hehehe…. Funny, huh? Pretty funny.”

“I’ll definitely make it up to you with a generous bonus. Huh?”

The deputy director said pleadingly.

Director Moon placed the coffee on the table, his appetite completely gone.

A moment of silence hung in the air.

“Ahem.”

The deputy director cleared his throat and adopted a more serious expression.

“I trust only Director Moon, I really do.”

A final attempt to solidify their bond.

“You’re not a deputy director, you’re just a gangster, ha…. So when does the broadcast start?”

“Next week.”

The employee closed his eyes tightly as he delivered the news.

“Hey! Hwang Si-hyung!!!”

Director Moon’s enraged voice echoed loudly throughout the office.

* * *

The next day, on the Flat Shoes set.

“Why is it like this today? What’s the problem all of a sudden!”

Several days into filming….

Director Moon’s angry shouts reverberated across the set.

The target of his criticism was bowing his head in shame.

“Are you out of your mind? Did you even memorize the script? How many hours have we lost now because of you?”

The atmosphere on the set turned icy, as if a sudden cold front had swept through.