Chapter 13
“Seo-yeon, don’t be too nervous, okay? You know? The other actors will guide you. So don’t forget to say thank you!”
“Yes.”
The first filming day for The Moon that Hides the Sun was fast approaching.
As the making film was released, the buzz slowly faded, as if it had been a mere illusion.
About a month had passed, and while there were still some greetings happening, the questions coming from others had dwindled.
And today.
Seo-yeon was on her way to the set for the official filming of the drama.
Of course, she was in her mother Sua’s car.
“Seo-yeon, I think we really need to find an agency now, right?”
Gently examining her beautified daughter’s face, Sua carefully broached the subject.
Other mothers and child actors would likely be eager to join an agency.
But for Seo-yeon, it was different.
“If you come to GH Entertainment, we’ll do our best to help you become a wonderful actress. Please contact us!”
“Seo-yeon’s mom! You know us, right? We’re BNL, home to actor Kim Myung-cheol. Being an agency specializing in actors, we’re particularly confident in nurturing talent like Seo-yeon…”
Sua’s hands were already filled with business cards.
Among the pile, there were some agencies and management firms she had heard of.
It was only natural for the calls for Seo-yeon to flood in, given her immense potential as a young actor, model, or even idol.
“But…”
Sua hesitated.
Once they joined an agency, there would be no turning back.
“Maybe it does seem a bit early to dive in.”
Still, she was Seo-yeon’s manager for now.
But once they joined an agency, there would be a manager involved, and Seo-yeon would face a series of schedules, including acting lessons.
Especially since Seo-yeon had recently been in the spotlight, they might even immediately prepare her for various shows and auditions.
“I’ll think about the agency slowly.”
Seo-yeon said this as she slowly opened the car door.
They had just arrived at the filming location.
“I think joining a company right now feels a bit…”
Memories of her past office life suddenly floated into her mind.
Wait, would she really be joining a company at the age of six?
Even if she found acting appealing, it still felt premature.
Seo-yeon needed to be mentally prepared for this.
Truly.
Click!
As soon as Seo-yeon got out of the car, the sound of something snapping photos echoed.
Turning her head, she saw someone, presumably a reporter, pointing a camera at her.
“Ju Seo-yeon! Did you get this audition through director Park Sung-woong’s recommendation? What do you think is the reason you passed the audition instead of acknowledged young actress Jo Seo-hee?”
Taken aback by the rapid-fire questioning from the reporter, Seo-yeon instinctively stepped back.
This was their first time in such a situation, and Seo-yeon and Sua were at a loss for how to react.
They certainly hadn’t expected to encounter a reporter, let alone one with such provocative questions.
“Hey! Who are you? Why are you causing a ruckus on set?!”
Just as they were flustered, someone ran over, shouting loudly.
The reporter promptly freaked out and darted away.
“Geez, what kind of era are we in? Just wait until I find out who you are!”
Panting, the man who had just run over was Heo Jung-soo, the cameraman for The Moon that Hides the Sun.
He took a quick look around before signaling for Seo-yeon and Sua to head inside.
Sua then asked in a small voice, “Um, is it okay for me to go in too?”
“Of course, it’s fine. Seo-yeon doesn’t have an agency yet, so no worries.”
Since Seo-yeon had neither an agency nor a manager, Sua needed to support her to some extent.
In fact, she was essentially acting as Seo-yeon’s manager.
“I guess reporters usually don’t come by the set, so we were a bit caught off guard. If I knew that punk’s name, I wouldn’t invite him for interviews anymore.”
Clicking his tongue, Heo Jung-soo took a quick glance at Seo-yeon.
That kid sure is sharp as a tack, huh?
She seemed flustered, yet she held herself together remarkably well.
I sure hope she keeps this up on set.
Jung-soo was the man who had cast his precious vote for Seo-yeon during the auditions.
While Jo Seo-hee’s acting was undeniably polished, it was Seo-yeon who moved the audience emotionally.
And given that the story revolved around Princess Yeonhwa, the ability to convey feelings was far more crucial than flawless technique.
“You know, no matter what happens during filming, just do your best at acting, and don’t let anyone get you down,” the cameraman said, offering Seo-yeon words of encouragement.
Though well-intentioned, it felt like a considerable burden to Seo-yeon.
Ugh, I’m probably way too unlikable right now.
If she were just a simple six-year-old, she might have brushed it off, but with her past life memories, she could grasp the situation quite clearly.
It was evident that in the eyes of the seasoned actors, Jo Seo-hee was a solid, elite candidate.
While she, on the other hand, was merely a lucky newcomer who fell into this role thanks to director Jo Bang-woo’s recommendation.
Naturally, even if not everyone felt this way, there would likely be some who held a negative opinion of her.
“Director Gong! Seo-yeon has arrived!”
Upon entering the set, all eyes immediately turned to Seo-yeon.
Director Gong merely nodded in greeting, signaling for her to come closer.
A few crew members exchanged words of reassurance, telling her not to be too nervous and offering brief greetings.
That kid…
So, that’s the one who became a hot topic in the recent child auditions.
A cocktail of curiosity and various sentiments flew towards Seo-yeon.
Luckily, there was no hostility among them.
That alone helped to ease Seo-yeon’s mind.
“Seo-yeon, I’ll be watching from behind. So make sure you do well, okay?”
“Yes.”
She first needed to change clothes and get her makeup done.
Guided by the staff, Seo-yeon began thinking about today’s shoot.
Thank goodness Director Gong prefers to shoot the drama in order.
Of course, Seo-yeon had done some research on drama filming.
On set, the cameraman was king.
And the filming styles varied drastically.
Some directors started with the important scenes, while others filmed every possible angle in one location.
Often, they wouldn’t film scenes according to the story’s sequence, adding to the variety.
Among them, Director Gong preferred to film according to the order of the script.
Of course, while there may not seem to be a significant distinction in scene separation,
Well, anyway, Princess Lee Hye-wol’s appearance is only for about three episodes, at most.
That was just a possibility, of course.
If her acting was found to be shaky or problematic, her screen time could also be cut.
In her previous life, Jo Seo-hee had only appeared twice in The Moon that Hides the Sun.
What a massive embarrassment for the daily drama princess known as Jo Seo-hee.
First, I should greet everyone.
Upon arriving on set, what was the very first step?
A greeting, of course.
Seo-yeon finished her prep and happily wandered around the set.
They must be here for the shoot today.
In such scenarios, it was customary to start with the most senior actors.
Seo-yeon immediately made her way to the cast member with the longest acting experience on set.
That would be Jeong Eun-sun, who played Queen Um-hye.
“Hello, I’m Ju Seo-yeon!”
Placing her hands on her waist, she bowed slightly.
With that kind of greeting, most people generally responded warmly to her.
“…Well, nice to meet you.”
However, Jeong Eun-sun’s reaction seemed a bit off.
There was something slightly disapproving about it… or maybe not.
“I heard you did well in the auditions. Your acting was excellent.”
“Oh, yes! Thank you for your kind words!”
“But…”
Eun-sun paused and looked Seo-yeon up and down.
Her expression was unreadable.
Perhaps it was due to her being an actress.
“…No, let’s save that for later during the acting.”
Eun-sun said that and promptly diverted her gaze from Seo-yeon.
Seo-yeon noticed the other actors watching, seeming to gauge Eun-sun’s response.
They were obviously on edge, attentive to the senior actress’s every reaction.
Uh-oh, is this a bad sign?
Considering the scenes they were to shoot today, Eun-sun’s reaction was quite concerning.
If the person she had to sync up with disliked her…
It could become very difficult.
*
“Alright, I trust everyone has become familiar with the script, so today we’ll be filming scenes 1 and 2.”
Clap clap, the director signaled the cast to begin with some brief acting directions.
In historical dramas, it was common to have a large number of extras on set.
Especially when filming scenes set in the palace, there were countless roles to fill.
“We’ll start with the second scene first, so please get ready, and we’ll begin as soon as you’re set.”
At the director’s words, the actors on set quickly scrambled to prepare.
The second scene was easier to film first.
Unlike the first scene, which required a lot of extras, only two characters were needed for the second.
Will it be okay?
What if the teacher doesn’t respond well…?
Well, Director Jeong-eun absolutely adores Jo Seo-hee.
The supporting actors looked at each other while wearing pitying expressions towards Seo-yeon.
When you’re under the thumb of a senior actor, life as an actor can become quite the uphill battle.
No matter how young or junior, it usually remains the same.
“Are you all ready? Cue going in three, two, one!”
At the director’s call, cameras focused intensely on Seo-yeon and Jeong Eun-sun.
On screen was the residence of Queen Um-hye.
In this scene, Princess Yeonhwa, caught sneaking out of the palace, gets scolded by her grandmother.
Seo-yeon closed her eyes and slowly remembered Princess Yeonhwa’s character.
A rebellious princess, Yeonhwa frequently sneaks out to mingle with commoners…
The reason she met Yoon Seo-il outside the palace was all due to this very nature.
Her character was straightforward.
Princess Yeonhwa’s bright personality wouldn’t change significantly until the end of episode three.
“Okay, then… Action!!”
As Director Gong Jeong-tae shouted, the cameras began rolling.
Eun-sun’s character spoke first.
In the serene quarters of Queen Um-hye, Eun-sun’s eyes quietly turned towards Lee Hye-wol.
A simple gaze.
But her rigid posture revealed her character, and her razor-sharp gaze conveyed exactly what kind of mood Queen Um-hye was in.
“I’ve heard it again: you went outside the palace.”
The slight hint of anger in her voice.
Though the line was simple, the gravitas and power of the veteran actress were palpable.
It felt just like the real Queen Um-hye was there.
“This makes five times already! As a princess, you must uphold your dignity and responsibilities! Is running off outside really that enjoyable for you?”
It’s not like all actors dive deep into their emotions while performing.
There are instances of mistakes, and sometimes laughter erupts too.
However, Jeong Eun-sun was different.
She was a master of method acting, possessing emotions deeper than anyone else.
She never flubbed her lines, her diction precise, and her emotions clear.
So naturally, any ordinary actor would feel tremendous pressure just standing in front of her.
Oh no.
The quietly observing Director Gong Jeong-tae frowned slightly.
While he had anticipated this, Jeong Eun-sun was showing no mercy towards Seo-yeon.
She was all in from the start.
Giving her all to the performance.
Of course, that should be the norm… but…
To extract better scenes, all actors need to be genuinely present in the moment.
However, this was Seo-yeon’s very first drama shoot.
Especially since Seo-yeon intended to focus on emotional acting.
Which made facing Jeong Eun-sun’s intensity all the more daunting.
So, everyone waited to see what Seo-yeon would do.
If she could earnestly perform.
Or whether she could even just spit out her lines.
After all, those meeting Jeong Eun-sun for the first time often forgot their lines completely due to her presence.
“The girl just wanted to see the lives of commoners up close.”
But as it turned out, that was a baseless worry as Seo-yeon effortlessly delivered her lines.
An undeniable fear glimmered in her eyes.
And yet, that fear stemmed from Princess Yeonhwa’s emotions directed towards “Queen Um-hye”, not Seo-yeon’s fear of “actress Jeong Eun-sun.”
“Your Majesty, I understand your concerns. However, I, as a member of the royal family, am a worthy princess. A great princess must learn to see beyond the narrow confines of the palace, to see the world.”
This performance by Seo-yeon portrayed a rather precocious and slightly cheeky version of the princess.
During the audition, her portrayal of Princess Yeonhwa had felt a bit more mature.
Yet, here, she perfectly encapsulated the immature eight-year-old essence of Princess Yeonhwa.
There were no signs of her growing anxious in front of Jeong Eun-sun.
Her performance seemed to underline the fact that she had won the audition.
Not a single line was fluffed!
What was astonishing wasn’t just the execution.
Delivering lines in child acting can often be particularly tricky.
Especially in historical dramas filled with complicated dialogues that tend to trip up child actors.
Yet, Seo-yeon managed to speak fluently and without a single mistake.
When Seo-yeon finally came back to reality, the first scene had already come to a close.
Wow!
The staff watching were internally applauding vigorously.
The other actors showed clear signs of surprise.
With performance like this, even the director…
Even if Jeong Eun-sun adored Jo Seo-hee, she would surely have to acknowledge Seo-yeon’s acting.
That’s what they thought.
“Erm.”
Yet, for some reason, Jeong Eun-sun’s face, as she looked at Seo-yeon, had slightly furrowed brows.
Was she dissatisfied with the performance?
No way. Seo-yeon’s acting was the best it could be for a child.
While perhaps it lacked thunderous actions, it was surely superior to Jo Seo-hee’s based on that performance alone.
“Seo-yeon, right?”
After a moment of contemplation, Jeong Eun-sun finally spoke up.
“There’s no emotion in the acting.”
BAM!
That unexpected comment was enough to freeze the lively atmosphere on set.
“You’re not really acting from the heart, are you?”
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