In This Life, I Will Die As An Actress, Not As A Villainess [EN]: Chapter 135

A week later.

After finishing the teaser shoot, the poster shoot was in full swing.

I was incredibly busy changing clothes and getting my makeup touched up to match each character’s concept.

Lee Sun-ho was sitting on a small sofa, observing.

The poster featured a range of scenarios: Baek Jang-mi [the character Han Sae-na plays] in a pose of attacking Lee Sun-ho, Jung Sae-eun in office attire looking at the two with jealous eyes, Lee Eun-jae huddled in a corner watching, and Yoo Da-yang receiving the glamorous spotlight in the center.

And Yoo Ha-young, watching everyone from the very back with an inscrutable expression.

Yoo Ha-young was placed in a dark corner of the poster, hidden so well that she was barely visible unless you looked closely.

It seemed like fans and netizens would have fun discovering her hidden presence.

It was an interesting poster featuring a total of six people.

The editing team planned to place five versions of Han Sae-na around Lee Sun-ho, each representing a different facet of her character.

As expected, the most difficult shoot was with Baek Jang-mi.

I had to pretend to get on top of Lee Sun-ho on the small sofa and attack him.

“Then, excuse me…”

“Ah, yes. Please, get comfortable…”

I exchanged awkward greetings with Lee Sun-ho and tried to get into position, but my face was burning with embarrassment.

“Yes, Sae-na, put your legs inside Sun-ho’s legs…”

The poster director was adjusting the composition, meticulously arranging our limbs.

“Yes, yes. Stay in that position. Sun-ho, please hold Sae-na’s wrists.”

The distance between us closed in an embarrassing pose.

Lee Sun-ho gently wrapped his hands around my wrists.

“Are you okay? Are you uncomfortable?”

“Yes, yes…”

I was so awkward; I wondered if the shot would turn out well.

Pushing my embarrassment aside, I looked at the director.

“Is it coming out well now?”

Then the director made a ‘tsk’ sound while looking at the camera, a sign of dissatisfaction.

Hmm.

I bit my lip for a moment and pondered.

What was my posture like when I was embodying Baek Jang-mi?

I recalled the time when I was attacking Kang Ji-oh [another character in the drama].

At that time, I was attacking Kang Ji-oh with all my might, and Kang Ji-oh was desperately trying to stop me.

It certainly wasn’t such an ambiguous pose back then.

“Sun-ho, would you mind leaning your head on the armrest?”

Lee Sun-ho moved back slightly, accommodating my suggestion.

And I also brushed my hair back away from the camera so that my face could be seen clearly, and then moved my body closer, taking the initiative.

Lee Sun-ho looked at me, a little surprised by my sudden change in demeanor.

I retraced my memories and found the aggressive pose from that time.

Baek Jang-mi is helpful at times like this, I thought wryly.

I sighed inwardly and held out my wrist to Lee Sun-ho.

“Would you like to grab it now? Make a very frowning expression, like you’re genuinely repulsed.”

Lee Sun-ho grabbed my wrist and pretended to push me away as I instructed him to.

However, Lee Sun-ho wasn’t putting any real strength into it, as if he was worried that I would get hurt.

“Hold my wrist tightly, Sun-ho.”

“Yes?”

“Like you really hate it and are pushing me away with genuine force.”

Lee Sun-ho looked at me for a moment, then grabbed my wrist tightly and pushed me away with the required intensity.

Then the director’s face lit up with excitement.

“Oh, now! That’s great! That’s it!”

“Wow, that’s a good pose!”

“Wow, it’s hot!” Several staff members around the camera applauded, impressed by the improved dynamic.

That’s it, I thought with satisfaction.

“Let’s go, right away!”

The flashes started to go off in rapid succession, capturing the moment.

Lee Sun-ho looked at the camera, and I fixed my gaze on Lee Sun-ho, channeling Baek Jang-mi’s intensity.

“Sae-na, shall we look at the camera once?”

The director gave the order, wanting a shot where I directly engaged the audience.

As I looked at the camera for a moment, a good idea came to mind, a way to add another layer to the poster.

“Director, what if Yoo Da-yang, Kang Ji-oh, and Yoo Ha-young were the only three people looking at the camera?”

“Huh?”

The director was lost in thought for a moment, as if he didn’t immediately understand the implication.

And then his eyes widened as if he suddenly grasped what I meant.

“Oh, that’s great! You’re a genius!”

The director readily accepted the idea, recognizing its potential.

Lee Sun-ho also seemed to catch on to what I meant and smiled slightly from below, appreciating the subtle foreshadowing.

“Sae-na, are you an idea bank?”

“Let’s just say that,” I replied with a playful shrug.

I wondered if it would be possible to subtly imply that Yoo Da-yang, Yoo Ha-young, and Kang Ji-oh would be the main characters who would remain significant until the end of the drama.

Perhaps keen-eyed fans would immediately recognize it and deduce the later content, speculating about the plot twists to come.

That would also help promote the drama in its own way, generating buzz and anticipation.

The director picked up the camera and shouted, energized by the new concept.

“Okay, then Sae-na, fix your gaze on Sun-ho. An expression like you’re going to pounce! I’m going to have you!!”

Once again, the shooting proceeded energetically, fueled by the creative spark.

* * *

In the afternoon after the poster shoot.

I was reviewing the script, rubbing my wrist that was throbbing slightly from the intense shoot, when Lee Sun-ho approached.

“I told you to grab it gently,” he said with a hint of concern.

Lee Sun-ho handed me a small heat pack that I don’t know where he got it from, a thoughtful gesture.

Thanks to the director, who was so enthusiastic about Baek Jang-mi’s shoot, the scene had taken 30 minutes longer than planned.

In the meantime, Lee Sun-ho seemed to be genuinely concerned about my wrist, noticing my discomfort.

I chuckled softly as I received the heat pack, appreciating his attentiveness.

“Wait a minute. Isn’t this bruised?”

Lee Sun-ho frowned and gently took my wrist to examine it more closely.

“Oh.”

Only then did I take a good look at my wrist, noticing the discoloration.

If you looked closely, there was a slight bruise forming.

“Oh, what is this.”

Lee Sun-ho looked genuinely upset and carefully placed the heat pack on my wrist, as if trying to soothe the injury.

“I’ll get you some medicine.”

“It’s okay. It doesn’t hurt that much, and you can’t even see it unless you’re really looking,” I reassured him.

Lee Sun-ho didn’t loosen his brow and sighed deeply, still concerned.

“The teaser for is out!”

A staff member shouted, breaking the moment of quiet concern.

“What? I thought they were still editing it??”

“Aish, our team is one step behind!”

“Hey, hey, play it quickly!!”

The staff gathered around the nearest screen like a swarm of clouds, eager to see the first glimpse of the drama.

I was dumbfounded by the news that was faster than expected, but Lee Sun-ho quickly took out his phone next to me, his professional instincts kicking in.

And immediately pressed play on the teaser video of .

I also stuck next to him and started watching the video, curious to see how it had turned out.

The teaser began on a road, setting the scene for high-octane action.

A van with detectives was chasing a black car, the tension palpable.

A precarious chase continued like crazy…. the vehicles weaving through traffic.

Suddenly, another van popped out and started chasing the two cars, escalating the chaos.

Soon after, the small black car that was going ahead skillfully mixed in with other cars and escaped, disappearing into the urban landscape.

The two vans, whose paths were tangled, collided in a dramatic crash.

Screech- Bang!

The two vans stopped abruptly, crashing into each other with a resounding impact.

Then, a very angry detective got out of the passenger seat of one van, sweeping his hair back and acting neurotic, clearly frustrated by the failed chase.

“Which bastard is it!!!”

It was Sung Min-hee [another character in the drama].

Sung Min-hee was roaring with a face I had never seen before, a display of raw emotion.

The acting ability to show all of anger + aura + comedy in just one word is a bonus, showcasing the actress’s range.

Then, Seo Jae-yeon [another character in the drama] got out of the passenger seat of the other van this time.

Seo Jae-yeon was clutching her head, as if she had hit it, and frowning, clearly injured and annoyed.

The smoke rising from the car wheels cleared, and the faces of Seo Jae-yeon and Sung Min-hee, who had confirmed each other’s faces, were distorted with mutual animosity.

“Is it you again?”

“Get out of my life, please!!!”

“What are you going to do with her? I missed her because of you.”

“Why are you blaming me for your incompetence? Just quit.”

Eventually, Sung Min-hee, who was as angry as she could be, threw off her jacket and headed for Seo Jae-yeon, ready for a confrontation.

Seo Jae-yeon also walked towards Sung Min-hee without giving in, mirroring her aggressive stance.

The burly detectives who got out of the van blocked the two people, preventing the situation from escalating further.

The two women didn’t care and started grabbing each other’s hair, engaging in a childish brawl.

“Ah, aah! Won’t you let go?”

“Do you really want to die? Hey!!!”

“Oh, please. Team leaders. Please let go,” the other detectives pleaded, trying to restore order.

“Ha, really. These people are doing this again,” one of them muttered, resigned to the recurring chaos.

The road was literally a mess, a scene of utter pandemonium.

I giggled as I watched the video, amused by the over-the-top antics.

The two people’s comic acting was excellent, perfectly capturing the absurdity of the situation.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen Seo Jae-yeon do comic acting before, making it a refreshing surprise.

It was a different feeling, showcasing her versatility as an actress.

Soon after, the next scene led to a harmonious home, a stark contrast to the previous chaos.

A living room decorated with cute items, creating a cozy and inviting atmosphere.

Sung Min-hee was sitting on the sofa with tissue in her nose, tending to her injuries, and Seo Jae-yeon was sitting on the sofa with scratches on her face, watching a TV drama, seemingly unbothered by their earlier fight.

“That mother-in-law is really vicious,” Sung Min-hee commented, engrossed in the show.

“It reminds me of my ex-husband’s mother,” Seo Jae-yeon replied with a wry smile.

Seo Jae-yeon chuckled at Sung Min-hee’s words, finding humor in the shared experience.

The two roommates were eating ice cream together and laughing, as if they had never fought, highlighting their complex relationship.

On the refrigerator and table in the house, there were pictures of the two people who had lived together since they were young, revealing their long history and deep bond.

“How can your grip strength get stronger day by day?” Seo Jae-yeon asked, playfully accusing Sung Min-hee of escalating their fights.

“That’s what I should be saying, you b*tch. You’ve become more vicious since you got divorced,” Sung Min-hee retorted, escalating the playful banter.

“Is that so? Do you want to try again?” Seo Jae-yeon challenged, hinting at the possibility of another round.

After that, the story unfolds about two female detectives boasting a wonderful friendship who conduct a joint investigation into an unprecedented serial killer, promising a blend of action, comedy, and suspense.

Even Seo Jae-yeon’s tearful journey to save her friend in danger at the risk of her life, adding a layer of emotional depth to the narrative.

I sparkled as I watched the countless famous scenes in the short teaser, captivated by the glimpses of the drama’s highlights.

I clapped enthusiastically as I watched the title pop up after the teaser ended, impressed by the overall quality.

“Wow, that’s fun!” I exclaimed, genuinely enjoying the preview.

Lee Sun-ho chuckled next to me, amused by my reaction.

“Sae-na, how can you say it’s fun now? Huh??” he teased, playfully reminding me of the hard work involved.

Lee Sun-ho seemed to be burning with passion again, energized by the positive response.

“Why? You have to acknowledge what you did well,” I replied, defending my enthusiasm.

At that time, the staff who had watched the teaser twice started to get busy, spurred into action by the positive reception.

“Ah, what are we going to do because we’re late? How far has the editing team gotten?”

“Wow, the real-time comments are crazy. The number of views keeps going up. Ugh, it’s annoying,” one staff member grumbled good-naturedly, feeling the pressure to keep up.

“Shouldn’t we release ours by today too?”

“Hey, where’s the director? Assistant director!!” the staff called out, seeking guidance and direction.

Everyone was anxious with one mind, feeling the weight of expectations.

Lee Sun-ho also kept watching the teaser several times and checking the comments, as if he was worried about the public’s reaction.

Am I the only one sitting here too comfortably…? I wondered, feeling a pang of guilt.

I put my hand on Lee Sun-ho’s knee, which was shaking slightly, offering a gesture of comfort and support.

“Don’t be too impatient,” I said gently.

“….”

“Ours is fun, isn’t it? Don’t you think so?” I asked, seeking reassurance and reminding him of the drama’s inherent appeal.

Then Lee Sun-ho stopped shaking his legs and put down his phone, seemingly calmed by my words.

And smiled slightly, acknowledging the validity of my point.

“Sae-na is right. I think I was a little impatient,” he admitted, recognizing his own anxiety.

“Don’t worry. Our drama is fun, and everyone is doing their best,” I reassured him, reinforcing his confidence.

Lee Sun-ho nodded, accepting my words of encouragement.

* * *

Some time later, at the production presentation site.

Eventually, this day came, the culmination of months of hard work and anticipation.

The entrance to the presentation building was packed with banners and wreaths sent by Lee Sun-ho’s fans and my fans, a testament to the drama’s popularity.

The audience was crowded with reporters, eager to get the inside scoop.

Perhaps because there was a competitive structure with other dramas, it felt like the media attention was stronger than ever, creating a palpable sense of rivalry.

This morning, the team finished their production presentation first, and articles were already pouring out like crazy, dominating the headlines.

I was posing and taking pictures with Lee Sun-ho in front of the reporters who were flashing their cameras, capturing the moment for posterity.

“Please do a heart pose!” a reporter requested.

I smiled with Lee Sun-ho, took a heart pose, and looked at the camera, obliging the request.

Suddenly, my heart was full, overwhelmed by a mix of emotions.

Finally, today is coming, the day we share our creation with the world.

There are still some scenes left to shoot, and I’m not ready to let go of this drama just yet, feeling a strong connection to the project.

However, I felt strange in my heart to be showing the drama that I had been worrying about and suffering from for months to the world, a sense of vulnerability and excitement.

It feels like it was just the other day that it was in the script, a reminder of how far we’ve come.

“You’re really a handsome man and a beautiful woman! Please take your seats!” the MC announced, signaling the start of the formal presentation.

I listened to the MC’s words and sat on the stage with the director, ready to face the media.

As soon as I sat down, the reporters started pouring out questions like crazy, eager to get their stories.

“Han Sae-na, what are your criteria for selecting your next work?”

“Were there any fun episodes during filming?”

“Did you hear the news from the production presentation site of this morning?”

“You’re becoming a hot topic as rivals, do you contact Seo Jae-yeon separately?” the reporters bombarded me with questions, creating a chaotic atmosphere.

As I was stammering and receiving the microphone, trying to answer the barrage of inquiries, a reporter asked a particularly pointed question.

“Han Sae-na, are you confident that you can beat the viewership ratings of the team?” the reporter challenged, directly addressing the competitive aspect of the drama’s release.