Chapter 208

Filming set of *Gyeongseong Yeong-nyeo*.

Amid the rather chaotic atmosphere, the actors who arrived at the set were surprised by the unusually large number of staff present.

Moreover, the costumes were somehow unfamiliar.

Overhearing snippets of conversation revealed that it wasn’t Korean.

Japanese?

Upon hearing this, everyone exchanged glances.

“Ah, now that I think about it…”

It was mentioned that Japanese officials would also be attending. It was for filming promotional content for *Gyeongseong Yeong-nyeo*.

“Amazing. Director Baek Min’s films have always been highly regarded overseas, but…”

“Isn’t this the first time in Japan? I’ve heard there are hardly any films from Japan that show interest in foreign works.”

“Well, Japan has a clear preference for their own style.”

Indeed, the Japanese film industry, at least judged by numbers, appears to be quite large.

However, the actual number of moviegoers in Japan is not particularly high. Despite a steady release of films, most do not generate significant revenue.

Perhaps because of this, importing foreign films into Japan often lags behind. It’s no surprise that animation films tend to fare better at the box office than live-action films in Japan.

In fact, if you look at the all-time top-grossing films in Japan, 6 of the top 10 are animations, with only one live-action film making the list.

“Why is a place like Japan interested in Korean films…?”

The staff and actors were equally puzzled. It seemed even stranger given that it was due to one particular actor.

“It’s because she’s going to be a great actor. The expectations from Japan are high.”

“…”

“She might as well be the protagonist, Yuina.”

That was a rather cynical remark. Upon hearing it, Seohui Jo’s body trembled slightly, and Sooyeon Jiyeon quickly averted her gaze.

‘She’s irritated.’

Jiyeon moved aside, startled by the sharp tone in Yeon’s voice. Despite the biting tone, Sooyeon understood that it wasn’t serious; it was more like a tantrum.

She seemed angry, but not maliciously so. It was as if an uncontrolled outburst, one you might assume would result in a slap if you only heard her words.

Of course, the irritation had less to do with Japan’s interest and more with the prior day’s activities.

“Did you buy that wobbly jelly yesterday too?”

“Hmph. No, I bought it this morning at the convenience store.”

Yi-yeon glanced at the jelly held by Seohui Jo. It was rather cheap-looking, considering it was just taken out of a luxury bag.

“…I’ll eat some.”

She said it with a war-like crunching sound, which resonated in everyone’s ears like an auditory hallucination.

Watching this, Seohui approached Sooyeon and whispered.

“I’ve never seen her act like this. Does she do this often?”

“…Kind of.”

“A subtle observation, huh?”

Indeed, subtle. In truth, Yi-yeon was magnanimous, brushing off minor incidents with a laugh.

However, it seemed she wasn’t completely over yesterday’s events when Seohui and Sooyeon spent time alone together.

“You came back from being together too.”

“Yeah?”

“Although it was partly my mistake for forgetting the call when you were about to enter the movie theater.”

The phone had rung right before the movie started, but it was understandably forgotten due to the exciting content of the film.

It turned out later that Seohui had just called out of boredom, inviting Sooyeon to have fun. However, the reply came only late at night due to Sooyeon’s oversight.

“…Is that why she’s irritated?”

“I did reply later.”

“Ah, okay?”

Seohui looked like she had more to say but stopped herself. And so did Sooyeon, realizing the initial avoidance was due to guilt over her mistake.

“But what can be done now that she’s irritated?”

Such trivial matters seemed unimaginable to Sooyeon, who had a very open heart. People do miss calls sometimes, right?

“…Ahem.”

She’d better buy her something nice later. With that thought, she settled back to wait.

“Everyone came early today, huh?”

Director Baek Min, who had finished the basic preparations, glanced around at the other actors. He didn’t forget to direct his attention first to Seohui Jo and Yi-yeon.

By the way, while there were scenes for me to film today, in my case it was a scene that had already been shown during the script reading.

“Seoyeon, you can act as you did in the previous script reading. And the same applies to Yi-yeon.”

“Yes.”

“You need to perform exactly as you did during the reading, including the ad-libs.”

At this, I almost blurted out an “Eek.”

‘No, that’s…’

The ad-lib he was referring to was surely the one where Seoyeon’s finger was bitten. While the scene turned out visually compelling, Seoyeon was genuinely startled—not from pain, but from the subtle sensation.

‘Unfortunately…’

Even in yesterday’s scene with Seohui, there was a similar moment: a finger bitten followed by a rather explicit continuation. And Seoyeon, whose memory was vivid, recalled it all clearly.

‘Surely, this movie wasn’t something I watched in my previous life?’

Videos from his previous life were embedded in his mind with a clarity akin to a playback loop. But his memories of this life tended to fade unless they were vivid, like yesterday’s film, whose imagery was so indelible that it seemed he might have seen it in a past life.

“Hmph, I’ll bite you nice and hard.”

Yi-yeon was grinding her teeth, muttering audibly. Of course, the bite wouldn’t leave any marks on Seoyeon’s skin—TS skin was invincible, immune to any injury, tailored more for beauty.

But it was sensitive enough to the point of being too receptive.

This might be connected to his physical abilities…

‘What an itchy feeling.’

Seoyeon nodded slightly. Nonetheless, he was an actor. Filming was no mere child’s play. Seoyeon believed that the performance Director Baek Min asked for was the most appropriate for the scene.

‘I mustn’t falter.’

Inhaling deeply, Seoyeon slowly gathered his emotions. Though his romantic scenes still needed improvement, today’s acting didn’t require such elements.

***

“The atmosphere on the Korean set is warm~.”

“There are many people. It would be nice if Japan had a similar vibe.”

Employees from YHJ Broadcasting Station in Japan conversed while checking their cameras. They had secured filming permits and would have their content reviewed after filming by the Korean staff to check if any problematic scenes existed.

“Today, Sooyeon’s acting part is short.”

“Apparently, among the trio, her appearances are the least frequent.”

“Ah~, Is this the Taisho era? Yes, it’s quite a sensitive era.”

“The setting is somewhat concerning, but luckily there’s nothing too contentious in this film.”

Given that the backdrop of the film was during the Japanese imperial era, the Japanese side was naturally cautious.

“Even so, the looks of the three leading actresses… wow.”

“Hmm, they’re all beautiful. Among them, Sooyeon stands out. Their beauty transcends the ordinary, almost like an aura or presence.”

“The other female actress also isn’t bad. Jo Seohui? She’s supposed to be the most successful actress in Korea. I think I’ve seen her in movies shown in Japan.”

“Looking closer… yes. They’ve been shown in Japan, though the performance was somewhat underwhelming.”

“Probably due to the fact that it’s a foreign film, and a South Korean one at that.”

While chatting, the employees noticed Jo Seohui and paused.

“She resembles Tomie~.”

“Ho ho ho. Oh, I was about to say that. The resemblance to that manga character is uncanny.”

“Why do people always say she looks like Tomie from mangas?”

While conversing, the crew aimed their cameras at the three leading actresses, signaling that filming had officially commenced.

“Ah, are only parts of the movie’s content allowed to be filmed?”

“Mostly, it’s okay, except for a few restricted scenes.”

“Ah, this is serious. I heard that Joo Sooyeon sometimes has shoots without any NG calls.”

“Really? That’s impressive. Such a talented actor.”

The Japanese crew moved their cameras, preparing for the shoot, expecting the footage to fall short of expectations.

“Alright, that’s all for now. Next… let’s delay Seohui’s and Yi-yeon’s scenes for a bit. Let’s begin with the scene between Sooyeon and Yi-yeon. This bit is shorter and looks like it’ll wrap up quickly.”

Today’s filming backdrop happened to be the mansion where ‘Kasugayama Yuina’ from the story mainly appeared: the ‘Kasugayama residence.’

In the story, Amanabi Michiko visited the residence for other reasons. Meanwhile, Yeon Seonye carefully concealed her connection with Michiko and Yuina.

However, before shooting that scene.

“Scene S#17 from the previous script reading will proceed. Please prepare the weights (plates).”

Previously, Sooyeon wore standard modern attire. But today, Sooyeon’s appearance was entirely different.

Yuina, compared to Michiko, was more traditional—a Japanese young lady who favored wearing kimonos unlike Michiko, who opted for Western-style clothing. Specifically, Yuina loved kimonos adorned with red butterfly motifs.

There she stood, holding a fan, clothed in a black kimono with vivid red butterfly prints, resembling a stunning painting.

Sure enough, a small murmur of “Oh~” escaped the Japanese side.

Cameras quickly moved into position.

“Are we also filming this part?”

“Huh? Oh, we haven’t been filming so far, but we’ll start now.”

With the Japanese staff filming, the Korean side felt compelled to do the same. Attention turned even more towards the actors, who felt the added pressure.

‘How tense must the main leads be?’

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Yi-yeon took a deep breath, standing where she was directed.

‘Not just me…’

Seoyeon, sitting calmly at the designated spot, seemed unaffected by the tension—her stillness almost eerie.

‘She’s so beautiful it borders on overwhelming.’

Her pale complexion, and the fact that the character ‘Yuina’ often dressed in lavish kimonos, yet now wore kimono of a serene style, made this strikingly different.

The black base with red butterfly patterns created a rather heavy impression, but it matched exceptionally well with Seoyeon’s white skin, black hair, and crimson eyes.

Perhaps, sacrifices were made in terms of specific traits to ensure the most suitable costume for the actor. On the other hand, Yi-yeon’s character, Yeon Seonye, remained modest.

Any sharp features in her looks were softened by makeup. Even her expressions appeared slightly dull.

She didn’t want her appearance to overshadow her acting.

‘He must not be nervous.’

Amid the movements of the plates and murmurs from other staff members, the director nodded, signaling readiness.

Seoyeon never appeared nervous during filming, and Yi-yeon had never personally witnessed him calling NG.

Seoyeon was consistently almost perfect in acting terms.

‘I need to deliver even more intensity than before.’

In the script reading, Yuina’s presence seemed stronger this time—this was something the school uniform could not convey at that moment.

Within the storyline, Yuina was the blatant villain in contrast to Goto Isamu who appeared as a neutral character early on.

‘Anyone watching this would believe it.’

Ii-yeon wasn’t the only one who felt this way. Many of the other staff members agreed.

“Alright, let’s begin.”

With a composed statement from Director Baek Min, the cue signal was given. Breathing evenly, focusing ahead, meeting the red gaze coming his way.

“You’ve arrived, the mongrel Isumu brought.”

Her voice was akin to singing, causing goosebumps with its resonance.

Yi-yeon unintentionally swallowed, but managed it naturally, fitting the role.

‘Pull yourself together.’

Straightening her thoughts, she continued with the lines.

“Yes, Miss. My name is Yeon Seonye.”

“Why have you addressed me in Korean when I may not understand?”

“But, first at least….”

“Judging merely by this, can she really do her job properly, hum?”

She tapped her smoking pipe rhythmically while speaking, an act so regal that it immediately made Yeon Seonye appear insignificant in comparison.

The haughty, dismissive gaze wasn’t missed by Seohui, who observed silently from her position. It made her recall the upper-class parties she had attended while preparing for *Sky Garden*. This was exactly how she translated their airs into the acting.

“Indeed, you will be blessed with a lifetime of wealth and ease.”

The scene continued into the part from the script reading session.

“Dear, why so silent? If you’re just a stray mongrel, wag your tail dutifully at your master’s command.”

A voice even stickier and heavier.

The hand not holding the pipe brushed her chin and lips.

‘This is it.’

Ii-yeon, deeply immersed in the role, instinctively bit Seoyeon’s finger.

‘….’

In the past, she made a slight squeak, but this time, an even smaller moan escaped.

On examination, Seoyeon’s arched eyebrows and slightly wrinkled forehead, along with subtly biting her lower lip, flushed cheeks, and gently rubbing her bitten finger with her thumb, made her appear as though the lady had suffered a profound disgrace.

What was there to say?

It suited her rather well, didn’t it?

But wasn’t that contrary to the initial acting direction?

“Ahem, let’s try again.”

Of course, the NG call was given. Yi-yeon was taken aback.

No, surely not…

Could it be? Of all people, Joo Sooyeon calling an NG.

But there was nothing to be done.

After all…

“Joo Sooyeon, why is your acting so provocative?”

At that, Seoyeon gave Yi-yeon a wry look. Naturally, Yi-yeon was baffled.

‘Why are you glaring at me? You made the mistake.’

Similarly, Yi-yeon scoffed at Seoyeon’s reaction, making Seoyeon feel wronged.

Well, if that was the acting direction, what else could she have done? Given that she knew what came next…

‘You’re just overly focused on your finger because of that.’

Seoyeon glanced accusingly at Seohui out of the corner of her eye. It was all because Seohui showed her that movie yesterday.

Certainly, for an actress whose career had never known such embarrassing NGs before, this was unprecedented.

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