Aaquarium and Sea (2)

 Joo Seoyeon, seven years old... with just a week to go.

 

The drama was preparing to shoot a new scene.

 

'We can't delay it any longer.'

 

The staff thought as they glanced at Seoyeon. She seemed perfectly fine, standing there quietly, but considering what had happened during the shoot two weeks ago, they were noticeably cautious.

 

Especially since it was none other than veteran actress Jeong Eun-seon who had pointed it out.

 

'She hasn't mentioned it, has she?'

 

Seoyeon felt a bit puzzled as she noticed the staff sneaking glances at her. While the atmosphere of consideration was comforting, she wondered if it was okay.

 

The conversation between Suah, Director Gong Jung-tae, and Jeong Eun-seon had been kept confidential. As a result, Jeong Eun-seon became the actress who had criticized a six-year-old child actor without reason.

 

Or at least, that's what the staff speculated. They believed the reason was that Seoyeon had been cast as Princess Yeonhwa instead of Jo Seo-hee.

 

Therefore, the other staff and actors couldn't help but worry about the upcoming scenes involving Seoyeon and Jeong Eun-seon. The person most concerned was Director Gong Jung-tae.

 

'Most of the remaining shoots involve Seoyeon.'

 

Moreover, there were quite a few. Princess Yeonhwa, the role Seoyeon played, was the lead in the drama.

 

Young Princess Yeonhwa appeared in just three episodes. While that might seem like a small number, the number of shooting sessions required was considerable.

 

For a typical 16-episode drama, there are roughly 100 shooting sessions. Thus, shooting three episodes would take about six sessions per episode.

 

'That's assuming everything goes smoothly.'

 

Seoyeon would need around 20 shooting sessions. So far, she had only completed one.

 

There were still nineteen sessions left to shoot. Even with breaks for other scenes, it was bound to be challenging.

 

"Mrs. Suah, will she be alright?"

 

"......"

 

Suah looked at Seoyeon energetically stretching a little distance away from the set. She seemed utterly unaffected, almost to the point where it felt strange to worry.

 

No, was she really unaffected?

 

It seemed odd to worry when Seoyeon looked completely fine.

 

"I think she's... okay?"

 

"Hmm."

 

"Honestly, I don't know."

 

Although Seoyeon was her daughter, Suah thought she was a peculiar child. She rarely cried as a baby and never asked to do anything herself. Even her acting career had started because of Suah's suggestion.

 

But this time was different.

 

"This time, Seoyeon said she wanted to do it herself."

 

Seeing her daughter confidently say she wanted to act was cute, but it also worried Suah as a mother. She was grateful that Director Gong Jung-tae was so considerate of Seoyeon.

 

"Don't worry too much. You've already done a lot for her. Thank you."

 

It was rare for a director to take such care of a child actor. Usually, managing the actor's well-being was the actor's responsibility.

 

"Well, talented actors benefit the director too."

 

Although there were concerns, Gong Jung-tae believed in Seoyeon's talent. Jeong Eun-seon herself acknowledged Seoyeon's true potential. Seoyeon carried a vast emotional ocean in her small chest.

 

Gong Jung-tae was no novice director. He had hit works and had seen many actors.

 

Some shone like stars, just like Seoyeon now.

 

'Director Cho Bang-woo didn't notice her talent for nothing.'

 

As he thought about this, he noticed the set was almost ready.

 

"Alright, today we'll be filming the scene where young Yoon Seoil and young Lee Hye-wol meet."

 

Gong Jung-tae began guiding the young actors who would carry the future of Korean entertainment through the scene. He explained how they should act and portray the scene in detail.

 

And so, the filming began.

 

***

 

Young Yoon Seoil's role.

 

Park Jung-woo found the girl in front of him quite interesting.

 

'She doesn't seem nervous.'

 

Park Jung-woo was the only son of renowned actor Park Sun-woong. He was ten years old but had been acting for five years, making him a seasoned child actor.

 

Even the princess of daily dramas, Jo Seo-hee, was just another child actor compared to him. No child actor his age had a more impressive career than Park Jung-woo.

 

To Park Jung-woo, Seoyeon had been an intriguing kid from the start. During the audition and even now.

 

"Okay, let's roll. ...Action!!"

 

With Gong Jung-tae's shout, the filming began. The young actors, Yoon Seoil and Lee Hye-wol, performed their scene under everyone's watchful eyes.

 

The meeting between Yoon Seoil, the son of the Sungkyunkwan Daehak, and Lee Hye-wol, who had sneaked out of the palace.

 

"Your Highness, are you not Princess Yeonhwa?"

 

"I-I think you have the wrong person!"

 

Young Yoon Seoil's serious demeanor and young Lee Hye-wol's fleeing, even biting her tongue mid-sentence, felt completely natural.

 

Gong Jung-tae reviewed the script.

 

'She stutters out of surprise,' it said.

 

Although it matched the script, it felt more naturally interpreted.

 

'As I felt during the audition.'

 

It seemed like Seoyeon was interpreting the script in her own way.

 

This interpretation felt like another of Seoyeon's talents, different from emotional acting.

 

'Moreover.'

 

Gong Jung-tae quietly watched the performance.

 

Their acting was flawless. The lines, gestures, and movements perfectly embodied young Yoon Seoil and Princess Yeonhwa. The staff watched in a trance.

 

The actors chuckled softly, impressed by the budding talent.

 

'The range of emotions has lessened a bit, hasn't it?'

 

The feeling of Princess Yeonhwa was less intense than in the audition and the scene with Jeong Eun-seon.

 

If deep emotional acting is like diving deep into water, this felt more like lightly kicking the surface.

 

'The funny thing is, it suits the scene better.'

 

Whether it was intentional or not, it was a highly accurate interpretation.

 

Princess Yeonhwa, having snuck out of the palace, was now acting like a commoner. Hence, it was natural for her actions and speech to be somewhat awkward or emotionally inconsistent.

 

Just like Seoyeon was now.

 

"Cut! Both of you did great! Perfect."

 

With Gong Jung-tae's shout, the young actors finally relaxed. Especially Park Jung-woo, who looked at Seoyeon with genuine admiration.

 

'She's become more natural.'

 

Her previous performance had some awkwardness, but now it felt much more refined. Park Jung-woo had reviewed Lee Hye-wol's script.

 

Honestly, he thought it was challenging, but Seoyeon matched him perfectly.

 

"You're amazing."

 

"Huh?"

 

Wiping the sweat from her forehead, Seoyeon felt a bit embarrassed by Park Jung-woo's compliment.

 

'Getting praised by a ten-year-old.'

 

Well, my acting is essentially pulled from my past life, so I guess it makes sense that I'm good. But honestly, I was a bit shaky this time, and it seems that made it come off more naturally.

 

'It's harder to aim for an ambiguous performance than a perfect imitation.'

 

It was a new realization. Seoyeon's emotional acting always aimed for perfection, trying to perfectly mimic real emotions. Lowering that standard to an ambiguous, uncanny valley level was more challenging than expected.

 

She reflected on her earlier assumption that it would be simple.

 

'The future promising actor is different indeed.'

 

The child actors who acted with Park Jung-woo had their presence overshadowed. Of course, Seoyeon didn't want to be overshadowed.

 

No, she couldn't afford to be. He's genuinely ten years old, after all.

 

While Seoyeon was burning with determination, Park Jung-woo looked at her curiously.

 

"What were we doing at that age?"

 

"Well, we were co-stars, weren't we? Cheers."

 

To the other actors, they just seemed like monstrous child actors. Especially Seoyeon, who hadn't even been acting for a year.

 

It was her first drama shoot. Her talent was almost unbelievable.

 

Even with past life memories.

 

Seoyeon, unaware of this, didn't realize the extent of her abilities.

 

"Alright, let's continue with the next scene!"

 

After a short break, Director Gong Jung-tae's voice rang out. It was noticeably lighter than before.

 

The staff knew why.

 

'Today's shoot will finish quickly.'

 

Everyone loves an early finish.

 

***

 

"How was today's shoot, my girl?"

 

As soon as Joo Young-bin got home, he knocked on his daughter's room.

 

When he entered, he found her sitting seriously with the robot toy and BiniPing doll he had bought her earlier.

 

"...What are you doing?"

 

"I'm thinking."

 

"About what?"

 

"Who's stronger, BiniPing or Toobot."

 

Young-bin found himself contemplating too. Who was stronger between a boy's anime character and a girl's anime character? It was a serious topic he'd never considered before.

 

'She's such a unique kid sometimes.'

 

She seemed uninterested in girly toys, but she played well with them when given. Yet, she naturally tossed robot toys into the cart while shopping.

 

She even decorated her robot toys with a professional touch.

 

"Well, I'm glad nothing special happened."

 

Anyway, Young-bin was relieved his daughter seemed fine. Recently, his wife, Suah, had been worried about various things.

 

"Don't play too late."

 

"Okay."

 

With that, Young-bin closed the door. Seoyeon glanced at it and then fell back onto her bed.

 

'Hmm, I don't know.'

 

It wasn't about who was stronger between BiniPing and Toobot.

 

'Real emotional acting.'

 

Whether she could do it or not, she thought

 

 she probably could. The question was how far she could go and if she could control it.

 

This was where actress Jeong Eun-seon was correct.

 

Although she had confidence in mimicking emotions, going beyond was an unknown territory.

 

Facing her own emotions was unfamiliar to her. It might even harm her fragile child psyche.

 

The TS body is invincible, but hormones and mental health might be different. It wouldn't hurt to be cautious.

 

"Hmm."

 

Seoyeon picked up the script she had placed next to her. There were scene numbers marked in red.

 

'There are two scenes that require genuine emotional acting.'

 

Scene numbers S#24 and S#32.

 

These were the ones she wanted to act out sincerely.

 

These scenes were none other than the climax of young Lee Hye-wol.