novelraw Chapter 95 : Taking Care of Your Own Screen Time
Chapter 95 : Taking Care of Your Own Screen Time
Chapter 95 - Taking Care of Your Own Screen Time
The filming set of the HBS fusion historical drama, ‘Unshakeable Dynasty’.
As Baek Hyeon-woo stepped in with Kim So-yeong, the staff and actors welcomed them.
“Oh my, my student has arrived.”
In particular, ‘National Actor’ Lee Dong-jae welcomed Kim So-yeong with a bright smile.
Although Lee Dong-jae had shown a strict side to Kim So-yeong during the first filming, he had been treating her kindly ever since she got the hang of acting.
“And our Team Leader Baek, too!”
Lee Dong-jae welcomed Baek Hyeon-woo in a friendly manner as well.
Lee Dong-jae was so captivated by Baek Hyeon-woo that he even uploaded a photo taken with him on SNS last week.
“Team Leader Baek, I heard you knocked down a culprit who appeared at the event venue with self-defense martial arts this time?”
“I didn't knock him down... I just subdued him by pressing a pressure point.”
“A pressure point! You’re completely a martial arts master.”
“It’s not martial arts, just anatomically...”
“This makes me think you could appear in our drama? Don't you think so, Writer-nim?”
At that, a man with glasses who was listening nearby raised his head.
It was Writer Seonu Hyeok, who wrote the script for this ‘Unshakeable Dynasty’, and was one of the people who strongly supported Kim So-yeong at the audition.
“Indeed. Do you have any thoughts on appearing as an assassin affiliated with Milgeom?”
“You’re joking, right?”
“I’m not joking?”
Seonu Hyeok pushed up his glasses frame with his finger and looked at Baek Hyeon-woo.
“Team Leader Baek, you are tall and have a good physique. If we dress you in a Milgeom outfit and stand you next to So-yeong-ssi, I think it wouldn't be bad.”
“I’m not an actor, so I couldn't possibly...”
“Didn't you have acting experience?”
“I don't. Why does that talk keep...”
As Baek Hyeon-woo denied it, Lee Dong-jae, who was next to him, placed a hand on Baek Hyeon-woo’s shoulder.
“Yes, everyone has a past they don't want to reveal. Let's all stop mentioning the past, Writer-nim.”
“Yes, let's do that.”
“……”
Absurdly, a rumor was circulating on this set that Baek Hyeon-woo was a former actor.
The very person who spread such a false rumor was Lee Dong-jae.
He misunderstood after seeing Baek Hyeon-woo improve Kim So-yeong’s acting at once.
Baek Hyeon-woo had tried to explain somehow all this time, but every time he did, Lee Dong-jae would take an attitude of ‘Yeah, yeah, let’s just say that’s the case,’ so the misunderstanding wasn't resolved.
‘Even at the hospital, elderly people wouldn't easily change what they believed...’
As Baek Hyeon-woo shook his head from side to side, Kim So-yeong chuckled from the side.
“How about really trying to appear once? You never know, you might have unexpected talent?”
“Don't tease me, So-yeong-ah.”
“I’m not teasing; I’m speaking seriously?”
“……”
Suddenly looking around, Lee Dong-jae and Seonu Hyeok were also looking at Baek Hyeon-woo with serious eyes.
“Team Leader Baek, then how about starting as an extra?”
“Right, I will talk to the PD-nim.”
“I am not appearing...”
It was already burdensome appearing in the news constantly, but to appear in a drama on top of that?
Absolutely not.
“I’ll just get cursed at on the internet for being a manager who doesn't know his place and acts up.”
A manager must fulfill their duty as a manager.
When he appeared on the variety program last time, he went strictly as Newstarz's manager. He had absolutely no intention of appearing on TV in a role other than a manager.
“Hmm, that's a shame.”
“Indeed.”
Lee Dong-jae and Seonu Hyeok expressed their regret, but it couldn't be helped.
Before long, filming began in earnest, and Kim So-yeong, having finished her makeup and costuming, waited for her turn.
“By the way, So-yeong-ah.”
During the waiting time, Baek Hyeon-woo asked Kim So-yeong a question.
“Are you interested in composition?”
“Composition?”
“Actually, I want to include the members' self-composed songs in the next Newstarz album.”
“Ah, really?”
Kim So-yeong answered cautiously after thinking for a moment.
“It’s not that I have absolutely no interest, but right now, just juggling acting activities is overwhelming enough. I think doing composition on top of that would be a bit difficult.”
“Okay, I understand.”
In fact, it was an expected answer.
Currently, Kim So-yeong is the busiest among the members due to her drama appearance.
Baek Hyeon-woo had no intention of forcing Kim So-yeong to learn composition as well.
“What did the others say? Was there anyone who wanted to do it?”
“Actually, I asked you first.”
“Ah, I see.”
Kim So-yeong nodded.
“Na-eun probably won't want to do it.”
“Really?”
“Since she said she wants to improve her singing skills more before the next new song comes out, she'll probably want to do vocal training rather than studying composition.”
Did she have some thoughts after taking on the role of joint main vocal in ‘The Idol’ last time?
Seo Na-eun’s position is main dancer, but there’s no harm in her vocal skills improving.
If that’s what she thinks, it would be best to respect it.
“Understood. I'll check with Na-eun first, and then I'll have to ask the younger ones.”
“Yes, please do.”
As they conversed, it soon became time to film the scene Kim So-yeong was in.
“Then I'll get going now.”
“Right, do a good job.”
Ever since Baek Hyeon-woo corrected her movements last time, Kim So-yeong seemed to have grasped something on her own.
Since then, she had been showing good acting on her own without Baek Hyeon-woo having to intervene.
However...
“Hey there. Aren't you trying too hard to make only yourself stand out?”
In the middle of filming, the opposing actor raised an objection to Kim So-yeong's acting.
It was Lee Ha-eun, an actress in her late twenties who was praised for her charming, upturned eyes.
She took on the female lead role in this drama, and was in a hostile relationship with Wolhwa, played by Kim So-yeong.
“You seem to have forgotten who the female lead is; stop trying to show off like that.”
“Sunbae-nim, I didn't mean to...”
“Did you forget we had an overlap last time, too?”
“……”
“Being caught in a double” refers to a situation where an actor blocks another actor, making them invisible in the shot.
It happens when a novice actor fails to properly grasp the camera's position or gets too immersed in their acting, ending up blocking another actor.
On music show stages, too, members often overlapped with each other.
However, there was no need to worry much about that. After all, both the cameras and the members are constantly moving.
So Kim So-yeong tended to lack awareness regarding this aspect.
‘It can’t be helped since she still lacks acting experience. However...’
The “double” incident happened during the last filming.
At that time, Kim So-yeong failed to properly grasp the camera's position and blocked Lee Ha-eun, resulting in an NG.
Still, from the second take onwards, she acted properly without blocking anyone.
Yet, Lee Ha-eun kept using that to pick on Kim So-yeong.
“Come on, don't fight, and let's try to coordinate well again. So-yeong-ssi, let's tone down your acting a bit compared to before. Since this is a scene where the female lead needs to stand out more.”
“Yes, PD-nim...”
Eventually, the PD stepped in to mediate, but Baek Hyeon-woo found it hard to accept.
Blocking Lee Ha-eun was undeniably Kim So-yeong's mistake, but this didn't seem to be that kind of case.
If Lee Ha-eun is being overshadowed because Kim So-yeong's acting stands out too much, isn't that ultimately because Lee Ha-eun's acting isn't impressive enough?
He wanted to ask Lee Dong-jae what he really thought, but Lee Dong-jae happened to be away from his seat.
“Standby... Cue!”
This time, Kim So-yeong consciously adjusted her acting.
Thanks to that, Lee Ha-eun stood out more by comparison, but Kim So-yeong's impression weakened just as much.
Perhaps in the drama, they have to make the female lead Lee Ha-eun stand out more, but from the perspective of Baek Hyeon-woo, Kim So-yeong's manager, it wasn't a very pleasing situation.
“Oh my, they’re already filming.”
Just then, Lee Dong-jae sauntered over.
However, watching Kim So-yeong and Lee Ha-eun acting, he frowned.
“Why are they doing it like that?”
“Pardon?”
“So-yeong’s acting has become too small. It looks lackluster like that.”
Hearing Lee Dong-jae's assessment, Baek Hyeon-woo immediately explained the situation.
“Lee Ha-eun-ssi said that she, the female lead, was being overshadowed because of So-yeong. So the PD ordered So-yeong to tone down her acting a bit.”
“The PD said that?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm...”
Lee Dong-jae stroked his chin.
If it were a scene he was appearing in, it might be different, but he couldn't raise an objection to the PD's decision in a scene where only other actors were appearing.
“If she calls herself an actor, she should be thinking about overpowering her opponent with her own acting. This is a bit disappointing.”
“Couldn't you put in a word, Sir?”
“That would be overstepping my authority. I could say something if we were appearing together, but how can I intervene when they are acting amongst themselves?”
“……”
General Choi Young, played by Lee Dong-jae, does not directly encounter the protagonists in the early part of the drama.
So it could be said that Lee Dong-jae had no opportunity to say anything.
“Then what should So-yeong do?”
“Hoho, I can’t exactly give pointers on that level. However...”
Saying that, Lee Dong-jae clasped his hands behind his back.
“You have to secure your own screen time yourself. Whether it’s a drama or a variety show, it’s always like that.”
“……”
“Isn't the idol world like that too?”
He was right.
She shouldn't yield just because Lee Ha-eun was a senior; she had to fight for the scenes where she could stand out.
The female lead’s presence might weaken because of that, but that wouldn't be Kim So-yeong’s fault, but Lee Ha-eun’s.
Because it was her own fault for failing to deliver a performance that outshone Kim So-yeong.
“Cut! Good!”
One scene was finished.
Kim So-yeong’s acting was suppressed as desired, but Lee Ha-eun’s expression wasn't very good.
“Why is she acting like that? Is there something else she doesn't like?”
“……”
Lee Dong-jae tilted his head.
However, Baek Hyeon-woo kept his mouth shut and observed Lee Ha-eun closely.
“Sir, Ha-eun-ssi seems to...”
Just then, their eyes met.
Then Lee Ha-eun approached Baek Hyeon-woo.
Limping slightly.
“You there, you said you were Team Leader Baek Hyeon-woo, right?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
“I heard you’re good at massages or something like that; can you massage my leg?”
Seeing her speak with her arms crossed and a haughty attitude, Lee Dong-jae wore a dumbfounded expression.
“So-yeong-ssi, I can borrow your manager, right?”
“Lee Ha-eun Sunbae-nim, that’s...”
Kim So-yeong, who had come over to Baek Hyeon-woo’s side, looked troubled.
But Baek Hyeon-woo spoke before Kim So-yeong could say anything more.
“Understood. I'll take a look for you.”
“Hyeon-woo oppa, there’s no need to...”
“It’s okay.”
After saying that to Kim So-yeong who was trying to stop him, Baek Hyeon-woo pointed to a nearby folding chair.
“Please sit there, take off your shoes and socks, and roll up your pants.”
“Okay.”
Lee Ha-eun sat on the chair and exposed her right leg.
Baek Hyeon-woo knelt on one knee in front of her and examined the leg.
“Actually, I think I sprained it a bit earlier. While doing the action scene.”
“It appears so.”
“……”
Kim So-yeong bit her lip watching the two of them.
Baek Hyeon-woo, her manager, was kneeling and attending to another celebrity... and one who was bullying her, at that.
Watching that sight, Kim So-yeong felt like her insides were churning.
Even seeing a beloved lover hugging another woman wouldn't make her feel like this.
“Hyeon-woo oppa...”
A sense of displeasure she had never felt before in her life.
Just as Kim So-yeong, unable to endure it, was about to speak up.
Baek Hyeon-woo suddenly threw out a question.
“Lee Ha-eun-ssi, you used to be an idol trainee in the past, right?”
Lee Ha-eun’s expression twisted.
“Why bring that up? That was ten years ago.”
It is common for aspiring actors to pass through the idol industry.
In the past, broadcasting stations selected young actors through open recruitment, but with the abolition of that system, entertainment agencies took the initiative in selecting rookie actors.
However, entertainment agencies tended to make kids with outstanding looks start as idol trainees first.
Because advancing into the acting world after passing through the idol route has merits in various ways compared to making them act from the beginning.
Thus, among actors with outstanding looks, there were quite a few who were former idols or former idol trainees.
Lee Ha-eun was also a case where she started in the idol industry and successfully transitioned to become an actress.
“I was just verifying.”
“……”
Lee Ha-eun openly displayed her displeasure and glared at Kim So-yeong.
“So-yeong-ssi, your manager is quite annoying. I guess your company doesn't train its managers properly?”
“Sunbae-nim...”
I can't take this anymore.
Just as Kim So-yeong thought, ‘Acting senior or whatever, I don't care,’ and was about to snap back.
“Lee Ha-eun-ssi, I don't think this will work.”
“What?”
Baek Hyeon-woo, who had been massaging Lee Ha-eun’s leg, stood up.
“Do not film any action scenes for a while.”
“What did you say?”
In front of Lee Ha-eun, who was staring at him with dumbfounded eyes, Baek Hyeon-woo spoke calmly.
“I think we need to speak to the writer and ask him to reduce your screen time.”
“……!”
Everyone gasped at Baek Hyeon-woo’s shocking remark.
“What did you just say? Ask to reduce my screen time?”
Lee Ha-eun screamed with a demonic expression.