Chapter: 100
—
“First, have you seen the revised script?”
The newly appointed main writer of the drama, Min Se-hee, said this while observing Joo Seoyeon’s reaction.
She was worried that Joo Seoyeon might not like the changes she made, so she was somewhat on edge.
“Yes, it was alright.”
“Whew, thank goodness. Honestly, I don’t think I’m skilled enough to be the main writer yet…”
“Oh, come on, Writer Min.”
“Ah, s-sorry!”
Director Kim Pil-seok gave Min Se-hee a knowing look.
He implied that it’s not exactly a great idea for a writer to lack confidence in their own work.
“That kind of talk disrespects our viewers who watch the drama. It’s also disrespectful to the actors who have to perform based on your script. And not to forget, it disrespects me as well.”
“Yes…”
Min Se-hee looked a bit deflated after that.
Seoyeon tried to recall if Min Se-hee had worked on any notable projects in her past life.
‘Not that I can remember.’
Her memory contained a vast array of visual media and creative works she had consumed to hone her emotions in her previous life, which included information about games and the entertainment industry.
While what she had once loved was slowly fading away from her mind, she could still bring them back clearly, like retrieving a book from a library, whenever she wanted.
In that sense, Min Se-hee clearly seemed to be someone who hadn’t gained substantial fame in her past life.
‘But if Park Jung-woo recommended her, she must have some talent.’
Intrigued by the thought, Seoyeon observed Min Se-hee’s unconfident demeanor, starting to understand why she might feel that way.
“Um, um. To start with, the previous writer, Im Jin-ha, was unfortunately let go for unpleasant reasons, but the script itself was quite clever.”
“Really?”
Was it?
To be honest, from an acting perspective, there were certainly parts of Im Jin-ha’s script that felt utterly ridiculous.
Of course, having watched dramas before, she wasn’t really surprised.
“Honestly, aside from the overreaching changes made to Jo Ha-rin’s character, the distribution among the character roles felt very natural. However, that forced alteration led to some cracks…”
Min Se-hee pointed at the newly revised scripts.
“I figured it would be best to revert this as much as possible while emphasizing Jo Ha-rin’s charm, you know? The increase in screen time isn’t drastic, so I aimed to elevate the love line with Park Min-yul.”
Recalling her earlier conversation with Park Jung-woo, Min Se-hee thought about how he had urged her to convey her ideas.
“There’s no need to force a love line when showcasing charm. Was there a specific reason you insisted on inserting one here?”
“Uh, really? It’s just… this was something that should have been included from the beginning. This is merely returning to the way it was… Is it somehow strange?”
“Oh, not strange by any means. It’s just that… well, actors sometimes have their strengths and weaknesses, you see. They may not be ready yet.”
Or perhaps, there might be an even better direction to take.
Park Jung-woo had some awareness of that but chose not to share it with Min Se-hee.
Surely Seoyeon would have some insight too.
“It might be beneficial to consider the actors’ opinions.”
“But it’s a tight script, so I don’t know if we can make further changes.”
“Don’t worry too much about it; I trust you’ll handle it well.”
Park Jung-woo said with a smile, and Min Se-hee nodded unintentionally.
After all, when faced with someone who looked that good, it was hard not to go along with their suggestions.
“Ahem. So, I have a few parts of the dialogue and scenes I want to tweak.”
“Sure.”
Seoyeon took the newly revised script that Min Se-hee presented.
It seemed to be a hurriedly crafted script.
It was raw, just the way it was.
Upon confirming that, she thought,
‘Huh?’
Seoyeon’s eyes widened slightly.
“I’ve made the dialogue more straightforward.”
The relationship between Jo Ha-rin and Park Min-yul had become more casual.
They could be mistaken for close friends or colleagues.
“But as you can see, this part is where Jo Ha-rin’s charm is showcased—it’s a duet with Park Min-yul.”
It demonstrated how they were heading towards the stage for the finals.
A defining moment that would decide who makes it to the top ten.
The mission, cruelly enough, was to be a mixed-gender duet.
The theme revolved around showcasing idol songs with both dance and singing.
“Before heading to the stage, Park Min-yul expresses his hidden feelings for Jo Ha-rin, and she visibly wavers.”
To be honest, Seoyeon had thought it was a pretty good scene when she read the original script.
Of course, that was before Jo Ha-rin’s significance was diminished.
After that, Park Min-yul naturally ended up feeling a bit lost, creating a somewhat awkward state.
Originally, Park Min-yul and Jo Ha-rin had a coupling relationship.
“Yeah, so forcing a love line might just confuse things rather than add clarity. What do you think, Seoyeon?”
At Min Se-hee’s comment, Seoyeon nodded.
However.
“But it doesn’t seem like the overall plot has changed much?”
In other words, had only the relationship between Park Min-yul, played by Ma Yeon-woo, and Jo Ha-rin, played by Seoyeon, shifted?
In the original revised script, the love line had been emphasized.
Realistically, it felt like they had just returned to square one with this change.
“No, Jo Ha-rin ends up failing at the audition here. As you know, singing is her weak point.”
This was the reason Jo Ha-rin’s significance faded after the eighth episode.
It was because she failed during the audition in episode eight.
Having said that, Min Se-hee hesitated for a moment.
“Jo Ha-rin isn’t going to fail.”
“Excuse me?”
“And, Seoyeon, what kind of portrayal do you think would be appropriate for her relationship with Park Min-yul?”
At Min Se-hee’s question, Seoyeon’s eyes blinked in surprise.
Typically, actors perform appropriately according to the script, and personal opinions are rarely integrated.
While it isn’t entirely unheard of for an actor to influence the script, such instances often lead to controversy.
‘This is completely wild…’
Seoyeon thought while quietly observing Director Kim Pil-seok, who seemed to be encouraging.
Did he truly think it was viable to replace the script so close to filming time?
Or was it possible to modify the newly changed script right away for a redo?
In either scenario, it displayed a writer’s ability to fully shine.
Given that the plot had already changed, could they realistically achieve all that?
With such a hurried timeline?
And could a drama made in such haste retain any semblance of quality?
‘But…’
Seoyeon contemplated.
Park Min-yul and Jo Ha-rin.
The revised script clearly regained Jo Ha-rin’s original significance.
Within that, there was undoubtedly a love line with Park Min-yul.
Yet, experiencing that in the climax might dampen the impact of it.
Moreover, Jo Ha-rin being the one to triumph in the audition is pivotal.
The revamped plot involved…
‘And the love line.’
There could be no omission of the love line.
Certainly, from the start, Dream Future had aimed to couple the six main characters together.
It would be absurd for Seoyeon to refuse to portray love due to her discomfort, especially when that could lower the overall quality of the drama.
She was an actor, after all.
And now, she possessed her pride regarding that role.
Although she might dislike it, she wouldn’t compromise the quality of the work.
‘But, quite apart from my dislike, the question remains whether I can truly pull it off.’
She skimmed through the script.
Quickly glancing at the dialogues while recalling Jo Ha-rin’s parts from her past life in order.
The scenes, comparing to the dialogues from before.
Just like when she previously reflected on Lee Ji-yeon’s performance during her first CF shoot.
One scene after another,
And the emotions derived from those moments.
What Seoyeon could not do and what she could do.
“…Seoyeon?”
Min Se-hee observed Seoyeon, who was silently gazing at the script.
And suddenly—
“Rolling! Camera, action!”
With the staff’s shout, Ma Yeon-woo moved forward with heavy footsteps.
Of course,
‘This is terrifying…’
It felt like Chae Seo-ah, no, Seoyeon had an endless list of challenging moments ahead with Ma Yeon-woo.
The vivid imagery of Chae Seo-ah still resonated strongly in her mind.
The other members of Just X teased Ma Yeon-woo for being a coward, but he felt wronged.
Did they even understand the pressure he faced by confronting her on set?
‘And now the script is changed so that I’m the one falling short.’
Of course, Ma Yeon-woo had been unaffected by it.
Yet, the manager was the one truly upset.
Wouldn’t this mean Park Min-yul’s significance would die off?
Yet, of course, Director Kim Pil-seok and Min Se-hee vowed they’d ensure no one would be at a disadvantage later on.
‘Realistically, I could just step back from this.’
He just felt worn out.
Acting seemed a bit premature for him still.
With that thought, Ma Yeon-woo rose to the set to film the final audition scene.
The set looked a lot like the stages he was accustomed to seeing on music shows.
A place he truly regarded as familiar.
As he stood lost in thought,
“What’s up?”
“!!”
Someone suddenly slapped his shoulder as they walked past.
Turning in the direction, he saw Joo Seoyeon spinning around with a grin.
“We’re filming, right?”
“Oh, uh.”
The atmosphere felt strangely different from usual.
‘What’s going on?’
Her expression seemed unchanged,
Still maintaining that signature blank stare.
Her eyes held a hint of red.
But the vibe was oddly uplifting.
Excited, some might say.
Like an athlete warming up before a big game.
“Just do your best on stage.”
“Well, that’s…”
Doing his best was something he always did.
It was just the feedback that came back as “bad acting” that had him worried.
When he responded hesitantly,
“Aren’t you a senior?”
Joo Seoyeon beamed widely, showing her white teeth with a bright smile.
“What?”
“As an idol.”
Seeing her shine so brightly was a rare sight.
Only then did Ma Yeon-woo realize what she meant.
In this performance, he didn’t need to act as Park Min-yul.
Given the moment, it was an audition part where they were singing and dancing.
“…That’s true.”
Although not bragging, it was one area he felt quite confident in.
*
“Today is crucial for us.”
The 1.35 million subscriber YouTuber, Han Bong-sik, ranted as he awaited the airing of Dream Future episode 7.
Having gotten well-known from The Chaser and the character of Joo Seoyeon, he was now also live-streaming his commentary on Dream Future.
“Do you know how Joo Seoyeon gained popularity with The Chaser? That’s why there’s so much fuss about increasing her parts.”
— If so, won’t the plot get weird if they force it?
— Even if it gets weird, it should be extended!
— The fact is Dream Future was already unusual to begin with!
— True that.
In any case, expectations regarding the drama Dream Future were quite low.
Yet, it undeniably had an irresistible charm that kept drawing viewers in.
“Alright, today’s the final audition showdown with Jo Ha-rin and Park Min-yul. Considering how things have gone, it seems Jo Ha-rin’s going to lose, right?”
Han Bong-sik rambled on while waiting for the episode of Dream Future to start.
He speculated about the audition results and how Dream Future could bounce back.
Well, it was mostly unprofessional chatter.
“Ah, it’s starting.”
Han Bong-sik hoped that Jo Ha-rin’s screen time would increase, and there would be some watch-worthy scenes featured on the broadcast.
‘No matter how great Joo Seoyeon is, it’s unreasonable for her to save a sinking ship like Dream Future.’
But hey, it’s human nature to feel hopeful.
The seventh episode began, with Ma Yeon-woo and Joo Seoyeon, along with Park Min-yul and Jo Ha-rin, appearing on-screen.
Initially, there wasn’t anything remarkable happening.
It was the standard Dream Future setup.
However, something felt slightly off as the first ten minutes unfolded.
“What should I do?”
Jo Ha-rin’s long-absent solo part had finally made its reappearance.
For the first time, she expressed her feelings instead of blending in with other members.
Jo Ha-rin had just begun to discern the emotions Park Min-yul had for her.
Those feelings mirrored what she once felt for Kim Si-hwan.
An emotion too overwhelming for a village girl who had once known nothing of love.
Though she had forsaken those feelings for Song So-ha, Park Min-yul was now harboring them for her.
“What should I do…”
Jo Ha-rin’s whispered musings were heard like soft murmurs.
Her sense of embarrassment was palpable.
The unfamiliarity of feelings she didn’t understand.
A youthful innocence conveyed through her performance seeped through the screen.
It naturally drew the viewers in, marking the moment they began to stop and invest in Dream Future.
—
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