Chapter: 30
What thoughts crossed the mind of Princess Yeonhwa, standing against the sun?
Joo Seoyeon found herself pondering this for days.
As an actor, one should indeed grasp the character they’re portraying.
The emotional depth of method acting ultimately stems from that understanding.
“It’s usually easier to think from the character’s perspective, right?”
When she asked Yoon Jong-hyuk, dressed as Prince Jo Young, that question, his response was just as expected.
“Well, it’s a cliché, but that really is the simplest way. Or you could draw from your personal experiences… but that might be a bit tricky for someone as young as you, Seoyeon.”
Truth is, there’s no definitive right answer in acting.
As he said this, Jong-hyuk affectionately patted Seoyeon on the head.
It seemed he admired how even a young child actor like her was trying to interpret her role in her own way.
“Over-injecting personal thoughts into your character isn’t ideal, though.”
When she subtly inquired with Jeong Eun-sun, the actress replied, “Everything is right there in the script. The character’s description and setup are detailed. Trying to do more than that is generally just ambition. Besides, The Sun Hidden by the Moon is based on an original work.”
Works with a source material often lead to harsher scrutiny from fans regarding character interpretations.
If too much of an actor’s or director’s subjectivity seeps in, it can morph the character into something entirely different.
That’s definitely not the outcome the fans are hoping for.
Nevertheless, the viewers of the drama might be a majority that haven’t read the original.
While the source material might provide a lot of answers, there’s no absolute certainty of being correct.
After all, the reactions from book readers and viewers can differ greatly.
“Of course, there’s a ton of dramas that got slammed for twisting their source material too far.”
Seoyeon thought to herself while nodding in agreement.
Jeong Eun-sun, despite being a method acting specialist, expressed her views that way.
Perhaps, since Seoyeon was a child actor, going beyond the norm was indeed pushing her luck.
‘Who knows.’
Seoyeon had never formally learned acting in the first place.
So, she didn’t shy away from asking questions and wrestling with her thoughts.
She tried thinking from the character’s point of view as Jong-hyuk had suggested, attempting to recall similar experiences as Princess Yeonhwa.
But ironically, nothing came to mind.
Even reflecting on her past life was of no help since she had never really understood emotions then.
Joo Seoyeon was simply too young, and thus didn’t have anything that could really be called experiences.
So, she turned to the original novel.
She wanted to feel what Princess Yeonhwa was going through.
She read the script countless times.
She expressed her emotions in various ways.
Practice.
And more practice.
She had to find out what was right by experimenting herself.
It was exceptionally tough.
Especially for a young girl like her.
For someone who had once been unaware of emotions, this was likely a harsh task.
Yet.
“Seo-il.”
Standing against the sun, Princess Yeonhwa was like the moon.
“I believed you would come here.”
Princess Yeonhwa, Lee Hye-wol, said that with a melancholic smile that starkly contrasted her anger towards Prince Jo Young.
For young Yoon Seo-il, it was an overwhelmingly complex emotion.
Perhaps Lee Hye-wol didn’t fully understand herself, either.
Anger.
Resentment.
Those feelings weren’t just aimed at Prince Jo Young, but also at herself.
“Why?”
To Lee Hye-wol’s emotional outburst, Yoon Seo-il replied, “Why must you leave? Isn’t this wrong?”
Yoon Seo-il spoke out, his lips trembling.
He had so much more he wanted to say.
“Why, of all things!?”
But the young Yoon Seo-il couldn’t voice those thoughts and feelings.
He was still just a child.
The fact that he was the son of the Grand Scholar of Sungkyunkwan felt almost absurd.
His thoughts and emotions were rendered into mere inarticulate whispers.
“Please don’t go, Your Highness. You can’t leave. Please don’t abandon me.”
Ultimately, the only words that slipped out of Seo-il’s mouth were those of a whining child.
He knew it was futile to ask.
Still, the young Yoon Seo-il appealed like that.
Don’t go.
Just like that.
“Seoyeon, are you really okay?”
That scene overlapped with Sua’s concern-filled question.
She had asked if Seoyeon was truly alright several times.
And she could picture Young-bin’s worried face.
Yoon Jong-hyuk began to speak.
If one wishes to understand the character’s emotions, drawing from past experiences is one way to do it.
Fortunately.
Seoyeon found herself in a situation remarkably similar to that of Princess Yeonhwa.
“Actors can express themselves even amidst child roles. After all, an opportunity like this has come your way, right?”
PD Ha Tae-oh was trying to persuade Seoyeon.
Why not try giving it a little more effort?
Child actors have a short shelf life and it can be tough, but that isn’t the case for everyone.
Wasn’t it a waste to not grasp such an opportunity?
He pressed on, asking if anyone else would willingly let go of their dreams after grasping them.
One single work.
One tiny drama.
That was all Seoyeon had done.
And with that, she had achieved an extraordinary level of fame.
It was unlikely she’d get this lucky again.
Thus, PD Ha Tae-oh spoke with earnest intent.
Of course, Seoyeon knew too.
“Seo-il.”
Princess Yeonhwa let out a breath.
Lee Hye-wol closed her eyes.
Joo Seoyeon closed her eyes.
To Seoyeon, emotions were like a beautiful aquarium.
A little fish tank that yearned to resemble the sea.
“We are still young.”
To Seoyeon, emotions were like the sun reflected on the water’s surface.
Shining brightly, yet cloaked in an air of mystery.
“There’s still so much we don’t know.”
The sun reflected on the water looks just like the real thing but is infinitely different.
It’s not warm, and whenever the surface ripples, it wobbles away easily.
“There will certainly be many things we can’t achieve.”
Now, Seoyeon could stroll upon the water’s surface.
She could gaze up at the real sun, not just its reflection.
There were many things she wanted to do.
Sadly, she wasn’t particularly talented.
She couldn’t grasp everything at once.
Remembering her past life.
She felt the rift between her mind and body growing day by day.
Certainly, it would become even more pronounced as she hit puberty.
“But.”
Lee Hye-wol smiled.
Surely, Seoyeon and Princess Yeonhwa were different.
The exiled princess was unlike the Seoyeon who voluntarily chose to leave.
“We are still young, so we have time to learn many things.”
Seoyeon read books to catch a glimpse of Princess Yeonhwa’s emotions.
Anger, resentment.
Those feelings she buried deep upon departing.
The young Lee Hye-wol was blessed with a strong heart.
Perhaps even stronger than Seoyeon’s.
“There will certainly be chances for many things.”
Thus, despite different situations, she would surely say.
“We are still young.”
This isn’t giving up.
It was a declaration that she’d come back.
Since she believed that she could, those words came easily to her lips.
Seoyeon, just like herself.
Thus, at this very moment,
Seoyeon could act.
She could embody the young Lee Hye-wol.
Dipping her feet into the sea and gazing into its depths.
Not the false emotions cast on the surface.
But the deep emotions submerged beneath.
Real acting.
“So I promise.”
Lee Hye-wol’s voice trembled.
With her back turned to the sun.
Becoming the moon that hides the sun.
“I will definitely”
To Yoon Seo-il, and to herself, Lee Hye-wol said, “I will definitely return.”
The lips of Princess Yeonhwa curled into a gentle smile, trembling softly.
Tears streamed down her cheeks.
Lee Hye-wol clutched her chest and let out a breath.
“No matter what happens, I’ll make sure to return.”
And, she smiled at Yoon Seo-il, who was gazing blankly at her.
“Don’t forget, wait for me.”
One step forward, and then another.
Lee Hye-wol reached out a hand to Yoon Seo-il, who stood dumbfounded beneath the sky painted with the hues of the sunset.
“Promise me, okay?”
A hand that symbolized a promise.
“I will not forget.”
The young Yoon Seo-il.
And the young Park Jung-woo snapped out of their daze.
“This is… completely different from the audition…”
It was the first time they had been so captivated by a child actor’s performance.
Forgetting even their lines, they found themselves just staring blankly at the other’s face.
And so, Park Jung-woo.
The only words the young Yoon Seo-il could utter were those simple yet profound words.
“Yes, definitely.”
He merely spoke those words as he linked his pinky with Princess Yeonhwa’s.
A promise as innocent as only a child could make.
Then.
The scene swiftly zoomed out, revealing them both.
The palace nestled beneath the hillside.
The somber face of Dowager Queen Eun-hye.
And finally, Prince Jo Young, seated upon the throne.
Thus.
The third episode of The Sun Hidden by the Moon drew to a close.
*
“Director Ha…”
In KMB’s Drama Department.
After episode three of The Sun Hidden by the Moon ended, a blanket of eerie silence enveloped the room.
No one dared to inquire about the results.
They had avoided the community posts out of sheer trepidation.
“…It’s a hit.”
Only then did all the eyes shift.
To the face of a staff member, trying to stifle a laugh.
The freshly calculated ratings were displayed right in front of him.
It was still just the third episode.
They had all hoped for a hit.
“Oh my God.”
Ha Tae-oh rubbed his eyes.
What was before them were numbers that seemed impossible for the third episode to yield.
*
“Wow…”
Having already watched the footage once, Yoon Jong-hyuk was astonished all over again.
He recalled how Seoyeon had been down for a while after filming that scene.
It truly was an acting that was deeply immersed in emotion.
This was the only kind of performance Seoyeon could deliver right now.
And it was a scene where she pushed her limits to the max.
Sua was watching all this, dabbing her eyes.
“Our daughter worked so hard.”
It was the final role of her child actor days.
Thinking that way, tears flowed from Sua’s eyes unexpectedly.
Looking at her mother like that, Seoyeon smiled brightly.
“It’s okay.”
She meant it.
She had already thought about what to do next.
“First, I should get into a voice acting academy and find an acting school.”
Of course, Seoyeon was blissfully unaware.
While voice acting may be straightforward, how would an acting school take her in?
Though she felt a twinge of sadness, the anticipation outweighed it.
“Sunbae-nim.”
From a bit further away, Yoon Jong-hyuk addressed her.
“Which way do you lean? Towards it being a waste? Or towards thinking it’s justified?”
“Well…”
Park Seon-woong murmured, glancing between Seoyeon and her mother, Sua.
Popularity is like a spark.
It can flicker out at any moment, and if you don’t keep your eye on it, it can extinguish quickly.
So, the majority rush forward with all their might as soon as a spark is lit.
Until it’s nothing but smoking cinders, mere remnants left behind.
“To say it’s not a waste would be a lie.”
Anyone would wish to grasp an opportunity when it arises.
How many people could really let such an opportunity slip away so easily?
Naturally, they both understood Seoyeon had her own circumstances.
That sharp girl wouldn’t make this choice without real considerations.
She must have reached this decision after much thought.
However, once people grasp something, they rarely let it go.
Thus, Park Seon-woong remarked.
“But occasionally, there are those who time itself cannot diminish.”
Stars, not just embers.
Those who shine eternally in the same spot.
“I believe that girl is one of those.”
And the world calls such individuals stars.
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