The Face Genius Actor

Episode 042 

With all anxiety factors removed, the filming of “I Will Cast Love” was quickly completed up to episode 12.

Finally, the first broadcast date for “I Will Cast Love” was announced.

It was next week.

As expected, “I Will Cast Love” was receiving hot reactions even before its broadcast.

It was natural since Park Jun and Jung Se-hee were the main leads.

The dramas “The Night is Dark and the Morning is Bright” and “Escort,” in which the main leads had respectively starred, were the best dramas of the year until just a few months ago.

Many people were still clamoring for second seasons of both dramas.

Moreover, the fact that “I Will Cast Love” was a work by writer Kim Hee-soo, who always presented well-made dramas, contributed to the good response.

Kim Hee-soo’s name had high credibility among viewers.

It had the power to make people think that at least while watching the drama, their time wouldn’t be wasted.

This could be seen from the high rankings of Kim Hee-soo’s finished dramas on various OTT sites.

As the first broadcast date approached, the reactions in online communities grew hotter.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that everyone was talking about “I Will Cast Love.”

[Community comments discussing the drama’s cast, writer, and director]

What was unexpected was that there was quite a bit of talk about me in the communities.

I thought it would be difficult for my name to be mentioned before the drama aired because there were so many other issues, but it was surprising.

Of course, there was more interest in the main and supporting leads than in me.

There was also a fair amount of talk about writer Kim Hee-soo and director Kang Han-sung.

But I was also receiving considerable attention.

Among the lead lineup, Lee Joo-yeon had the least discussion.

It was natural since she was just transitioning to dramas and starting her full-fledged activities.

Anyway, “I Will Cast Love” was causing a big stir even before its broadcast.

The majority opinion was that it was the most anticipated work of the latter half of the year.

In the broadcasting industry, there was already talk that “I Will Cast Love” would do well.

The talk was so active that the production company and broadcasting station hardly needed to do any separate promotion.

But that didn’t mean they weren’t doing any promotional activities at all.

They were steadily releasing press materials and uploading teaser videos on YouTube.

The teaser video surpassed 1 million views in just a few days and exceeded 3,000 comments.

As the situation unfolded like this, the people involved in “I Will Cast Love” seemed to feel pressured.

There was a strange tension on set.

‘Getting attention before the broadcast was a good thing, but… if it doesn’t meet expectations, disappointment and criticism will come.’

It wasn’t just the atmosphere.

Director Kang Han-sung was frequently talking with writer Kim Hee-soo.

Just by looking at their expressions, I could tell what kind of conversations were taking place.

I sat in a quiet corner of the set, watching this scene, and casually asked Seo Myung-hee:

“I’m not very familiar, but… it’s not common for this kind of tension to be felt on set, right?”

Seo Myung-hee took a sip of coffee, put down her cup, and answered:

“That’s right. It’s something I haven’t experienced many times either. But it’s good that it doesn’t feel like we’re being overly weighed down by the pressure.”

As Seo Myung-hee said, the atmosphere on set wasn’t bad.

Even in this tense situation, it felt like everyone was enthusiastically proceeding with the filming.

Certainly, this kind of atmosphere wasn’t formed due to something bad.

Although it was burdensome, from the standpoint of needing viewers’ interest, this was rather a happy thing.

It was much better than racking our brains because we weren’t catching enough attention.

Also, the fact that the main leads’ acting skills, which had been the biggest concern, were shining through and improving the atmosphere on set was helping.

Writer Kim Hee-soo also seemed to be maintaining her mental state like someone who had a sore tooth pulled out, and was diligently writing the script.

Of course, in the midst of this, she seemed to feel anxious from time to time, increasingly bothering director Kang Han-sung.

‘It’ll be fine. Writers usually have a harder time as they go towards the end.’

While each writer had different tendencies, they generally found the latter part of the work difficult.

Especially for comic, healing dramas centered on characters like Kim Hee-soo’s, the ending was even more difficult.

This was because there weren’t many suitable events to tie everything up in conclusion.

Therefore, as writer Kim Hee-soo, she couldn’t help but have concerns.

But I had no doubt that writer Kim Hee-soo would do well.

This was because she was someone who had met deadlines in even more difficult situations before the regression.

The completed “I Will Cast Love” received praise as a masterpiece.

As expected, Director Kang Han-sung finished his call with writer Kim Hee-soo with a bright expression.

As I was watching this and letting out a sigh of relief, Seo Myung-hee spoke to me.

“By the way, today is the day when the conflict between the Kim Won-young and Im Hee-joo couple explodes, right?”

“Yes. That scene we’ve been practicing for days. I heard they’re filming it this evening. I’m a bit nervous.”

“Since Si-joon put a lot of effort into practicing, I’m sure there will be good results. Don’t worry too much.”

“Thank you for the encouragement. Please rest well today, teacher.”

Seo Myung-hee had stayed behind briefly to have coffee with me after finishing her filming.

Even on days without filming, she was conducting classes, but we were having conversations like this whenever time allowed.

I was very grateful for this.

Just having Seo Myung-hee encourage me like this gave me strength.

Fortunately, Seo Myung-hee seemed to enjoy our conversations as well.

‘She said it was nice to be able to talk comfortably with me…. And that there were things to learn….’

I wondered if that was really true, but if Seo Myung-hee thought so, I was glad.

“Alright. We’ll start filming now.”

In the meantime, evening had finally come, and it was my and Lee Joo-yeon’s turn.

Because scene 11 of episode 13 was an important scene, Director Kang Han-sung was directing the filming himself.

***

Under a streetlight with a yellow light on.

I wait for noona Hee-joo, leaning my back against the railing.

Various thoughts flash through my mind.

How did our relationship become so tangled?

Is it because I’m still young?

Can’t we just keep loving like this?

As my thoughts deepen.

I hear footsteps of someone approaching from afar.

I knew who the footsteps belonged to just by the sound, but I don’t raise my head.

“You fool. Why are you here?”

I slowly raise my head and look at noona Hee-joo.

There’s a look of pity in noona Hee-joo’s eyes.

I know it’s pity, but somehow it feels like criticism, and I don’t like it.

I feel a slight pain in one side of my chest.

Noona Hee-joo is always like this.

She said she liked my unadorned self, but occasionally treated me like a child.

I hated that so much and asked her several times not to look at me with those eyes.

But noona Hee-joo has forgotten my request and is looking at me with those eyes again.

Noona Hee-joo’s brown eyes pierce the most painful part of my heart.

That’s the part that contains the reason why I love noona Hee-joo.

“That’s right. Why am I here? I could have just called you.”

“…”

“But still… I had to come like this. I had to wait. If you didn’t come for a long time, I would have thought, ‘It’s okay today. Today will pass.’ And I would have felt relieved.”

“Won-young.”

“But you came?”

“I’m sorry.”

“…”

“I approached you first and shook you. Even though I’m busy. Even though I’m in a hurry to move forward. Unnecessarily you… Unnecessarily like this…”

“The transit card. The one you picked up for me when we first met. It’s something you can keep using if you just don’t lose it, right? I guess I thought our relationship could be like that.”

“…”

“Don’t be sorry. Let’s just pretend I lost the transit card that day anyway.”

“I’m sorry… Really…”

“Take care, noona.”

I peel myself off the railing and walk away with my back turned.

Noona once said my back looks the most grown-up.

So even though I wanted to sit down and cry right away, I keep walking without looking back.

But noona’s voice stops me in my tracks.

“…Won-young.”

I stop walking.

Yes, noona.

Tell me you still love me.

Tell me we can keep loving each other like we used to, without thinking about marriage.

We’re a couple who can love without getting married, right?

It’s a fateful love, right?

I mutter these words in my heart for a brief moment with my back turned.

But the words that come out of noona’s mouth are too far from my wishes.

“I’ll give you money. Take a taxi. The buses have stopped running.”

It really is over.

I take heavy steps again, like a wounded soldier.

My cheeks are wet.

It seems I’ve shed tears without realizing it.

I’m really glad noona didn’t see my tears.

***

Just as I felt that my emotions as Kim Won-young had reached their peak.

“Cut! Okay!”

Director Kang Han-sung gave the okay sign.