Chapter 28
– Child actors these days are killing it!
It was the day after the second episode of “The Sun Hiding Behind the Moon” aired.
Two newly premiered dramas, KMB’s “The Sun Hiding Behind the Moon” and MDC’s “King of Action,” were both meticulously crafted by their respective networks.
Naturally, they garnered a lot of attention, especially since they aired at the same time, adding a layer of excitement.
– Our Jung Woo is incredibleㅠㅠㅠ
– Just shut up
– Park Jung-woo is carrying because of his dad, but what’s up with Princess Yeon-hwa?
– All those lucky auditioners have disappeared, LOL
– Honestly, it was awesome.
– It wasn’t just child acting; it’s like they’re on their second life or something.
Thus aired the second episode,
With “King of Action’s” flashy production and the lead actress’s shocking exposure.
The exceptional action shown was evident from the drama’s title.
The scenes were too cool to be shown in just the second episode.
So we thought the winner of episode two would surely be “King of Action,” but…
– Honestly, Yoon Jong-hyuk was the one carrying it.
– Facts.
– His performance as the villain was just insane.
– The scene where he confronts Princess Yeon-hwa was mind-blowing.
– The direction was on point too.
– My cousin works on set, and they said Princess Yeon-hwa’s red eyes weren’t CGI.
– Are you serious?
– So you’re saying they put light bulbs in her eyes?
– Hmm…
At the end of episode two,
The climax of “The Sun Hiding Behind the Moon” determined the outcome.
The scene where the young Prince Jo Young met Princess Yeon-hwa.
Yoon Jong-hyuk, an accomplished actor with a solid career, was known as a master of villain roles.
His presence was just immense, literally bringing Prince Jo Young to life.
And then, Princess Yeon-hwa’s performance, which confronted his act directly, left everyone breathless.
For a moment, her acting was so intense that it overshadowed even the presence of Prince Jo Young.
At that moment, viewers recalled an interview with actor Yoon Jong-hyuk on an online media outlet.
“Oh, you mean the young actors I worked with this time?”
He smiled broadly at the reporter’s question.
“Jung-woo was a given. He’s Park Sun-woong’s son, right? You really see how some people are born with a silver spoon in acting. Thinking about my childhood… whew…”
Park Jung-woo, the child playing Young Seo-il, was already a proven young actor, and everyone nodded in understanding.
However, the one everyone was really curious about was Joo Seo-yeon, the actress playing Princess Yeon-hwa.
She was praised highly by actor Kang Seong-chan during the teaser event.
“Seo-yeon? Wow, has the news already spread? The second episode hasn’t even aired yet, right?”
The reporter nodded.
Yet, Yoon Jong-hyuk wiped the smile from his face and spoke seriously.
“To be honest, I don’t like judging people merely by their talent.”
He seemed lost in thought.
“Honestly, it’s raw talent. It feels like she just started acting not long ago. But, you see, there’s this thing called light.”
Light.
Often referring to a spark of brilliance.
“When people call celebrities ‘stars,’ ‘superstars,’ the likes, this time, I felt it for real. Ah, this really shows that talent exists.”
Yoon Jong-hyuk thought to himself about Seo-yeon’s powerful weapon: her emotional acting.
Even Jeong Eun-sun, an actress known for her methods, was stunned by Seo-yeon’s robust talent.
But beyond that, this girl had a shining quality.
Just a gut feeling.
Yoon Jong-hyuk, who had been in the industry for years, felt for the first time, “Ah, this child is meant to be here in some way.”
“If a celebrity is a star, that child is a little star. Everyone will see her shines in this drama. Still small and young, but her twinkling light is extraordinary.”
A genius child actor.
Though Yoon Jong-hyuk didn’t explicitly say it, everyone present understood.
A little celestial light.
This was a term denoting the qualities of a star.
And what was that little star doing?
“Nice to meet you. I am Hwang Jeong-soo, the head of KMB’s drama department.”
She was discussing her future with her parents.
*
Anyone who has been in the broadcasting industry likely feels something.
That instinct of “This kid is going to succeed!”
Hwang Jeong-soo, head of the drama department, felt the same way.
He had a hint of this when he reviewed the footage.
But seeing the actual broadcast was a whole other level.
The explosive start of “The Sun Hiding Behind the Moon.”
Particularly, it was a miraculous rescue for KMB, which had been in a drought of successful dramas.
Just a few days before, everyone was out celebrating, drinking to their hearts’ content.
Hwang Jeong-soo needed to meet this young star immediately.
“The broadcasting station is in an uproar. Everyone wants to meet Seo-yeon.”
Some skeptics thought it was just a passing flash of fame.
However, if it was a flash, one should make the most of it now.
Everyone, from variety show producers to drama directors, is on a quest to figure out how to contact Seo-yeon.
Of course, Hwang Jeong-soo had deep connections with PD Ha Tae-o, so it was just a matter of a phone call for him.
“They even suggested hastily adding a few extra episodes for the child actors.”
At this, Seo-yeon’s parents, sitting across looking tense,
Jo Young-bin and Min Soo-a, became stiff with anxiety.
Seo-yeon likely wouldn’t be available to film for a while.
A quick glance at her daughter showed Seo-yeon sipping her drink without a care.
“Don’t worry; it’s okay. PD Ha Tae-o here firmly opposed it.”
Hwang Jeong-soo glanced at PD Ha Tae-o sitting next to him as he spoke.
“Yeah. Thanks to that, it was indeed a challenge. Though the child actor part was exceptional, if we squeeze in two episodes, it would undoubtedly break down. That content isn’t even in the original story.”
“Exactly. I thought it was okay to add, but…”
Hwang Jeong-soo coughed lightly.
“Anyway, you probably guessed why I arranged this meeting.”
At that, Soo-a nudged Jo Young-bin with her elbow.
Her nudging was a subtle call for him to stop awkwardly smiling and actually say something.
“Ah, yes, of course.”
With years of work experience, Young-bin had a general idea of why Hwang Jeong-soo called this meeting.
“It’s about Seo-yeon’s… activities, right?”
“Exactly. As I mentioned, she’s been receiving a lot of attention in various ways.”
Hwang Jeong-soo took a sip of the water on the table and continued.
“I believe she’s still without an agency, but if there aren’t any special planned activities, I have a few KMB variety shows and dramas I’d recommend.”
In fact, variety shows had nothing to do with Hwang Jeong-soo himself.
However, since the variety department chief had asked him to mention it, he brought it up on the spot.
For a child actor, this could be like a flower path.
She captured the attention of the broadcasting station.
And her talent had shone brightly in front of everyone.
So, Seo-yeon, who came to this meeting without an agency, could essentially be called a Cinderella.
“Hmm.”
However, Jo Young-bin and Min Soo-a had peculiar expressions.
They looked both pleased and awkward at the same time.
The couple exchanged glances for a fleeting moment, leaving Hwang Jeong-soo and Ha Tae-o confused.
“Actually, we’ve consulted a lot with our daughter about this.”
With Seo-yeon’s surge in recognition through “The Sun Hiding Behind the Moon,” they felt they could no longer continue without an agency.
Young-bin paused, searching for the right words.
Then, he looked at his daughter.
“Seo-yeon, would it be okay if Dad steps in to speak for you?”
“Yes.”
Seo-yeon replied matter-of-factly.
Her calm demeanor left them wondering what was going through her mind, but she believed it was the right thing to do.
And frankly, her parents felt the same way.
“Then let’s discuss Seo-yeon’s future activities.”
With that, Young-bin began to speak.
Hwang Jeong-soo and Ha Tae-o could only gasp in shock.
*
“Aah, what a pity.”
After the meeting ended, Hwang Jeong-soo sighed while sipping his bitter coffee.
Next to him, PD Ha Tae-o couldn’t help but chuckle at his superior’s demeanor.
“I think it’s for the best.”
“Hmm, well, it’s common for child actors.”
Still, it was a bold decision.
Ha Tae-o sighed.
Honestly, it felt unfortunate, but considering the talent he had seen… perhaps this was better.
Having witnessed many child actors go astray after gaining excessive attention at a young age.
A little celestial light.
Those who trusted their shine too much often burned out, extinguishing that light in the process.
“Hm, it might seem lengthy, but… perhaps it’ll seem short in retrospect.”
“But didn’t you promise? You’d definitely do the next project with KMB.”
“That’s good, but I probably won’t be here at that time.”
How long would it take for that child to return?
It surely wouldn’t be too long.
But it wouldn’t be short either. Hwang Jeong-soo felt a twinge of regret about that.
“When the time comes, maybe you’ll be in my position.”
“No way.”
“Why not? Where could you find someone like you?”
Particularly with Ha Tae-o’s star rising further due to “The Sun Hiding Behind the Moon.”
Hwang Jeong-soo genuinely believed it was likely.
“Well, anyway.”
Hwang Jeong-soo said that with a smile.
“Once this news gets out, it’s going to be chaotic.”
And with his words,
The airing of episode three of “The Sun Hiding Behind the Moon” was just a day away.
“Joo Seo-yeon.”
The child actress from “The Sun Hiding Behind the Moon.”
Park Jung-woo called out to Seo-yeon who was sitting alone, staring in a daze.
“Are you really going to be here when it starts?”
His blunt remark made Seo-yeon’s face show a hint of awkwardness.
“What is going on?”
Today was the day episode three of “The Sun Hiding Behind the Moon” was airing.
Originally, she planned to watch it with her parents after coming back from kindergarten.
It was episode three, where Seo-yeon was set to deliver an even more amazing performance than episode two.
But then, she received an unexpected call from actor Yoon Jong-hyuk that morning.
“I heard from PD Ha Tae-o. It’s a bit unfortunate, but… what do you think about meeting up with Seo-yeon?”
Upon receiving that call, Soo-a panicked and answered “yes, yes!” without thinking much.
Thus, they found themselves gathered at actor Park Sun-woong’s penthouse.
While it was thoughtful of actor Yoon Jong-hyuk, for Soo-a, it put her in a bit of a bind.
“Oh wow, Ms. Seo-yeon’s mom, you’re really pretty! You should be in showbiz!”
“Yeah, yes.”
As the flustered Soo-a turned cold, she saw Park Jung-woo’s mother, Shin Jeong-hwa, excessively complimenting her.
The crowd of celebs was simply too overwhelming for Soo-a to handle.
Soo-a felt the familiar urge to resent her husband for disappearing at such moments.
“Poor thing.”
Seo-yeon observed her mom’s discomfort and nodded slowly.
“…I’ll go.”
“You… no, wait, never mind.”
Seo-yeon replied to Jung-woo and took a small sip of her drink.
Jung-woo seemed to have much to say, but he merely nodded and walked off.
Watching his retreating figure, Seo-yeon let out a faint sigh.
“The honorifics issue… still haven’t sorted that out.”
Truth be told, Seo-yeon found it hardest to interact with Jung-woo among those around her.
After all, he was ten years old.
Three years older than her, which made the honorifics quite tricky.
For example, calling him “oppa” wasn’t an easy feat.
“Mmm…”
That was indeed a particularly challenging honorific for Seo-yeon to manage.
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