The reason I knew Sim Cheong-seok was somewhat similar to how I knew Pyo Jiwoo.

An accident that was widely reported in the news.

I had only seen his face as a small thumbnail in the news, so I couldn't immediately remember him.

"The incident happened approximately a year from now."

It was an accident that occurred during drama filming.

A fall accident.

He reportedly slipped at the filming site and tumbled down a gorge.

Initially, it was labeled a simple accident, but it was later revealed to be caused by power abuse from a senior actor.

The actor had insisted on continuing the scene even though the stuntman had not yet arrived.

"Power abuse by an actor."

It was indeed a controversial issue.

I was lucky never to have experienced such power abuse during my time as a child actor.

However, I've heard that child actors are often in positions vulnerable to power abuse from other actors or staff.

‘I was lucky.’

Unlike me, Sim Cheong-seok wasn't so fortunate.

Perhaps some felt bitter that he had transitioned from the theater to a major OTT drama, or maybe they felt inferior to his talent.

Because of this, there was talk in the National Assembly about introducing a law against actors’ abuse of power, often referred to as the "Sim Cheong-seok Law."

"Why are you looking at me like that? I mean, sir?"
"Huh?"
"You're looking at me like I'm about to die."

Sim Cheong-seok said this with a rather displeased expression.

Oops, had I been looking at him like that unintentionally?

"But why does he talk like that?"

Was he uncomfortable using honorifics with someone younger than him?

It seemed like speaking in that way would make conversations difficult.

"You can speak informally with me. It's fine."
"Oh, really?"

As soon as I told him he could drop the honorifics, Sim Cheong-seok did so immediately, which made me roll my eyes.

I didn’t mind, but still, how should I put it...

‘Does he know that I'm his senior?’

He didn’t seem like the kind of junior that seniors would appreciate.

Not that I had any intention of flaunting my seniority.

...Really.

"But it wasn’t like I was looking at you for any special reason."
"Hmm."

Though his appearance was sharp, his tone was not.

His speech was slow, and his movements weren't particularly quick.

He seemed like someone who would have a hard time if he was bullied.

"Let's get started if you're ready."

Cheong-seok seemed to lose interest in me as he looked around.

At this point, everyone involved in the play was seated around the table.

Script Reading.

Whether for a drama or a play, it is the foundation of any performance involving a script.

It's not just about reciting lines and performing scenes. It's a process where you review pronunciation and sentences to see if they fit you.

"In the previous drama, I went through it lightly."

Was it because I was a child actor?

As I pondered this, I noticed that everyone had a different style of script in their hands.

They were all edited to suit each actor's style.

I just had the original.

I felt there was nothing to tweak, so I held on to the one I had received initially.

"Seoyeon, is this your first time doing a script reading for a play?"
"Yes."

As I sat quietly reviewing the script, Lee Hye-jin, playing the role of Song Min-seo, cautiously spoke to me.

"The first reading usually takes quite a while. It might end late. Is that okay?"
"Yes, I’ve already informed my family."

Even if it wasn't okay, it was something I had to do.

If I said I was leaving because it was late, I’d likely be leaving with my role too.

"Then, as I mentioned earlier, let's have Seoyeon and Cheong-seok start first."

I wondered why it was us two, but upon reflection, it was obvious.

The other two pairs of actors had already worked together in previous productions.

Since all the actors in our parts were new, our 'first' reading was the only real first one.

"Then, shouldn't I be starting with Lee Hye-jin, who plays Song Min-seo?"

I had this question, but they probably wanted to check something specific.

I vaguely thought that as I opened the script.

The introduction of Act 2, where Bae Seong-hak and Hong Jeong-hee first meet.

"Let’s begin."

With Sim Cheong-seok's words, everyone turned their attention to the two of us.

Sim Cheong-seok and Joo Seoyeon.

The pair likely to draw the most attention in this script reading.

"A rising star in the troupe and a child prodigy."

Both had distinct characteristics.

Kim Cheong-un glanced at Sim Cheong-seok.

To be honest, when Jo Do-yul recommended him, he wondered if he was in his right mind.

He definitely had talent, but he was a wild horse.

An actor with strong personal color and stubbornness.

For Seoyeon, who was new to theater, he was quite a daunting figure.

Especially in script readings like this, if Seoyeon couldn’t match his rhythm, Sim Cheong-seok would point it out repeatedly.

In fact, some actors avoided him due to his personality.

“Ah! Ms. Hong Jeong-hee. Nice to meet you. You attend every performance, right? You look familiar.”

The conversation at Bae Seong-hak’s fan meeting.

That dialogue marks the first interaction between Bae Seong-hak and Hong Jeong-hee in the play.

The sharp impression disappeared, leaving only the refreshing handsome man.

Even without expressive acting, his voice was distinctly colored.

"Ah, hello. I'm Ho-Ho-Hong Jeong-hee."

Seoyeon, too, wasn't easy to deal with.

She showed why she had beaten Pyo Jiwoo in the audition.

Even just through voice acting, her emotions were vividly felt.

Her articulation was excellent.

A brief exclamation of admiration escaped everyone.

"Hmm."

However, Sim Cheong-seok frowned, looking displeased.

"Aren’t you stuttering too much?"

It was a voice so cold that it could intimidate any actor.

Of course, that wasn't his intention.

His tone was just like that; he was genuinely curious.

"If she was articulate, she wouldn't have been chatting away with Song Min-seo."
"That’s different."
"No, it's right. The script says she speaks while avoiding eye contact, so I think it’s better to act as if she’s trembling without meeting his gaze."

But Seoyeon didn’t back down.

She had her own strong opinions about such things.

As a child actor, she was serious about character interpretation to the extent of rewriting scripts.

Even if the reason for that was trivial.

Anyway, in response to Sim Cheong-seok's critique, Seoyeon decided to reciprocate.

"Your acting is too refreshing."
"……."
"It doesn't suit the character."

Sim Cheong-seok’s eyebrows twitched at her words.

He probably hadn’t expected his acting to be criticized.

"Delivering in this tone helps the audience understand better. You wouldn’t know this with your lack of experience."

Oh, experience.

Seoyeon twisted her lips slightly, maintaining her expressionless face.

"Experience? When did you debut, Sim Cheong-seok?"
"……Debut date?"
"For reference, I debuted ten years ago."
"……."
"So, who’s lacking experience?"

Being on a break or being new to theater.

Meaningful rebuttals were not entertained.

"My acting career spans ten years."

Seoyeon puffed out her chest proudly.

"Let’s continue."
"……Fine."

He squinted at Seoyeon for a moment.

A face that seemed to say, ‘Let’s see what you've got.’

And that was exactly what Seoyeon wanted too.

The script reading became quite intense after that.

It wasn’t a half-hearted battle of wits like before.

They discussed each scene and revised the script together.

The typical duration of a script reading is two to three times the length of the play.

In other words, three to five hours is standard.

However, the script reading ended at midnight.

A full eight hours had passed.

"...I apologize for being too heated."
"No, no. It's okay, Seoyeon."

Naturally, the script reading wasn’t just Seoyeon and Sim Cheong-seok.

There were other actors too, which took up more time.

Of course, Seoyeon and Sim Cheong-seok did consume the most time.

"She’s the real deal."

Kim Cheong-un admired Seoyeon, who was now cautiously glancing around.

Despite it being her first script reading, she seemed very familiar with it.

Well, she had done it during drama shoots, so perhaps it was just her first for theater.

"This is certainly worth the production team’s attention."

In fact, even if Seoyeon's performance was a bit inferior to Pyo Jiwoo's, she would still have been cast.

The child actor from "The Moon That Hid the Sun."

Having her make a comeback after ten years through theater is an unmatched promotional opportunity.

*‘A comeback work’ is a premium title available only once.

Though its impact may not reach broadcast levels, it certainly elevates the theater scene.

"She didn’t falter against Sim Cheong-seok either."

I was already looking forward to the actual performance.

Sim Cheong-seok was a tremendously talented actor as well.

There’s a variety show called "Looking at the Past, Memories!"

It's a program that reenacts old popular shows or dramas.

Usually, it's targeted at teenagers who don’t know about those past events.

They often visit schools to reenact classic drama scenes.

Sometimes, they let students directly perform scenes from once-popular variety shows.

"Last time was a variety show segment, so is it a drama this time? Or should we do both?"
"……."
"Why aren’t you saying anything?"

Jeong Min-jae, the chief producer of the variety show, spoke to the junior PD, Park Geon.

"Well, I was just wondering how much longer we have until the show ends."
"……Oh."

The previous viewership rating was about 6 percent.

Barely clinging to life.

It’s on the verge of ending, so if the rating drops slightly, it will be over.

At best, this season would be the last.

"They said viewer-participation shows are popular..."
"It seems it's because the target is students."
"Hmm."

PD Jeong Min-jae sighed.

Initially, he thought reenacting once-popular shows or dramas with lively student performances would be fun.

In fact, the pilot program received good responses.

But in reality?

Only a 6 percent viewership rating.

"Well, it’s unrealistic to expect a proper reenactment."

It works out if the high school has a drama club.

Otherwise, it’s 20 minutes of dreadful acting.

Still, it’s funny in its way, which is how they maintain the 6 percent.

"Let’s get a guest actor."
"A guest?"
"Wouldn't it motivate the kids to have a real actor perform with them? And maybe the acting will be more bearable too?"

It wasn’t a bad idea for something said in frustration.

It would be perfect to have an actor who appeared in the drama they were reenacting as a guest.

PD Jeong Min-jae’s thoughts were quick.

"We need to choose the actor first, not the drama. Do you know any good actors for our show?"
"I do."

Then, a staff member raised their hand.

It was the staff member who always ordered soup alone while the others ordered stir-fried pork for lunch.

"Hmm, if you know someone..."
"Actor Park Jeong-woo."
"What?"

PD Jeong Min-jae wondered if he had heard correctly.

Who did they say?

"My father's distant relative's friend’s son once worked with actor Park Jeong-woo. That's how I know him."
"Is he really someone you can contact? Sounds like just an acquaintance."
"Of course. We were texting just recently."

He showed a chat where he had spoken with Park Jeong-woo.

‘Wow. This might actually work.’

Park Jeong-woo is one of the hottest actors right now.

At the age of 20, he broke away from his father’s shadow and became independent.

His handsome face has garnered a huge following of older female fans.

"If we get Park Jeong-woo, we’ll have a drama."
"The biggest hit among Park Jeong-woo's past dramas is 'The Moon That Hid the Sun,' right?"

It looked promising.

If it works out, it might be a lifeline for the program.

"Does the high school we’re visiting have a drama club?"
"Yes, they do. And it's quite famous."
"Perfect."

PD Jeong Min-jae smiled broadly and searched for the high school they would visit on his smartphone.

Yeonhwa High School.

The school where Seoyeon and Jiyeon were currently studying.