What should an actor do if they cannot fully immerse themselves in a role?
Acting is a comprehensive art form that requires a balance of appearance, inner depth, and skill to deliver a convincing performance. It’s never about mastering just one aspect; it’s about synthesizing all these elements to bring a character to life.

However, failing to understand a character is a significant weakness.

"Alright, everyone! It's our first day of filming. Let’s stay relaxed and go through this step by step!" Director Kim Il-soo spoke in a casual tone, but internally, he was uneasy. He, too, had heard about the restructuring of the drama department.

If we don’t succeed here, things could look very bad for us.

It could become a setback for Heaven’s Garden, or worse, impact his own career. Determined, he knew that this drama needed to be executed with precision.

After all, KMB wasn't the only network out there.

"Today's scene focuses on the story surrounding Lee Yu-ju’s arrival at 'Heaven’s Garden,' so our young actors need to give it their all."

The story begins with the perspectives of the adults. They discuss Lee Yu-ju and what they hope to gain from her. Their schemes and ambitions will soon entangle the younger characters.

“Although Lee Yu-ju is the main character, the other students need to play their parts well too.”

In some ways, it was similar to Dream Future, where each role carried a weight almost equivalent to a leading character.

Of course, this time, unlike Dream Future, the focus wasn’t spread too thin. The main focus was on three characters: Lee Yu-ju, Lee Min-hyuk, the eldest son of the Lee Hyuk-soo family, and Gil Soo-jin, the family matriarch.

Today’s shoot was for the first episode. Naturally, the flow needed to pull viewers into these three key characters and their dynamics.

It’ll be fine. Everything’s under control, thought Kim Hyun-seok, who played Lee Min-hyuk. Though confident in his acting, he couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous. It was only natural to feel the pressure.

Taking a deep breath, he glanced at the other actors. Today, there were more young actors on set than usual, which made sense since the scene was set at school, Lee Yu-ju’s introduction scene.

I heard she doesn’t get nervous easily.
Kim Hyun-seok briefly observed Seoyeon. She seemed oddly composed compared to the other young actors, who were visibly tense. This calmness unnerved him, but he couldn’t say anything. After all, the small coin tucked in his pocket reminded him of his own performance anxiety.

“Alright, let’s get started,” the director called out.

The hum of the cameras gearing up filled the room, and the atmosphere on set began to heighten. As they prepared to shoot, writer Min Se-hee clasped her hands tightly together, as if in prayer.

Please let it come out the way I envisioned it.

Sometimes, the way a scene played out on screen didn’t align with how it was written in the script. When that happened, it wasn’t the actors’ fault—it was the writer's. Min Se-hee feared that her writing might not translate as she had hoped. Everyone had praised the script, even director Kim Il-soo had expressed confidence, but she still couldn’t shake her anxiety.

"You have to stay strong," Park Jung-woo often told her.

Even though the script wasn’t fully completed yet, she found herself faltering on the first day. We have to film at least four episodes before airing starts…

“Action!”

With the director’s shout and the sound of the clapperboard, filming officially began.

Heaven’s Garden was a gated community where the wealthy resided, a picturesque setting with well-manicured families who appeared harmonious and well-off. They frequently gathered, exchanging information and solidifying their social connections. But beneath the surface, they were always sizing each other up, fostering hidden rivalries.

Gil Soo-jin, the matriarch of the Lee family, is introduced through this backdrop of polite but competitive social interactions. And when the scene shifts to a more private setting, Gil Soo-jin’s voice drops to a cool, measured tone.

“I’ve heard something interesting.”

Her husband, Lee Hyuk-soo, turned to her, silent but attentive.

“Lee Yu-ju.”

“Who’s that?”

“The younger sister of last year’s top student at Baekyeon Medical School.”

Her husband raised an eyebrow, impressed. “How did you get that name?”

“Their father is an admissions coordinator. He couldn’t stop boasting about it.”

As soon as the words admissions coordinator were spoken, Lee Hyuk-soo’s eyes narrowed. He had an inkling of what was coming.

“Ah, I remember that guy. Wasn’t he at the event you attended recently?”

“Yes. I thought he was past his prime, but it seems he’s pulled off quite the surprise.”

The eldest son had entered Baekyeon Medical School as the top student, a remarkable feat that revived the coordinator’s reputation. For a parent, it was the perfect advertisement. Even though they hadn’t had the financial resources to back him fully, the results spoke for themselves.

“The parents at that event were all dying to know how he did it. He couldn’t stop bragging about his children.”

Apparently, their daughter was about to enter Taeyang High School, and the father claimed she was just as capable as her brother, fully prepared to follow the same path.

“The portfolio of the top student at Baekyeon Medical School, meticulously studied and absorbed.”

“Can she really do that?”

“Well, her brother did it flawlessly.”

Their son had been the model student: perfect grades, acing every bonus point, volunteering, even serving as student council president. All of this culminated in his top score at Baekyeon Medical School.

“I’ve told Min-seo to befriend her. As a girl, she’ll need every advantage.”

Gil Soo-jin knew that if her daughter lacked in certain areas, it was her job to make up for it through connections.

“If your daughter has weaknesses, you need to design her path for her, don’t you?”

They needed to secure Lee Yu-ju, no matter the social standing of her family. For Gil Soo-jin, her children came first.

The scene then shifts to the school.

“Lee Yu-ju, huh?”

A young man, Lee Min-hyuk, muttered to himself as he surveyed the students attending the entrance ceremony. He was the eldest son of the Lee family, and his twin sister, Min-seo, stood beside him, also scanning the crowd.

“We don’t even have a photo. How are we supposed to find her?” Min-seo grumbled.

Unlike her brother, Min-seo had been tasked with befriending Yu-ju, but how could she get close to someone she couldn’t even recognize?

“She’s supposed to stand out.”
“Is that even possible? Why should we care about some admissions coordinator’s kid? Their parents failed, didn’t they?”
“They failed, but their son became the top student at Baekyeon Medical School. So, not a failure anymore.”
“Well, yeah. But I don’t even care about med school…” she trailed off when her brother shot her a sharp look.

Min-seo flinched under his gaze. Unlike Min-hyuk, who excelled academically, Min-seo struggled in many areas, which made their mother even more concerned.

“Do you want to fail in life, Min-seo?”
“What do you mean by kid?” she pouted.

Min-hyuk found his twin sister childish. Why entertain dreams of doing something else when success was practically guaranteed? It was a luxury to even consider deviating from the path their parents had paved.

“All you have to do is befriend her. She’ll spill everything about herself since she comes from a lower-class family.”

“They’re not that poor, right?”
“Rumor has it they had to sell their house.”

“Then how did she get into Taeyang High School?”
“On her grades.”

Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of another group of students at the entrance ceremony. A low murmur spread through the crowd.

“What’s going on?”

They followed the curious gaze of the other students, their eyes landing on a girl dressed in black.

At a glance, she was unmistakable.

Not just because of her appearance, but because of her aura. Like darkness swallowing light, the girl exuded a presence that was hard to ignore.

Ah.

In that moment, Min-hyuk—and more accurately, actor Kim Hyun-seok—was stunned. He had a line to deliver, but the words wouldn’t come.

Even Min-seo, who was supposed to complain, fell silent. The entire group of students surrounding them had their attention captured, not just by the newcomer’s appearance, but by her sheer force of presence.

Anyone watching this scene would recognize it instantly: That’s the lead.

Her eyes met theirs, and for a moment, Lee Yu-ju’s expression shifted. Her eyes narrowed, and a crooked smile formed on her lips.

It was a smirk—dripping with contempt.

That disdain hit Kim Hyun-seok like an arrow, piercing straight through him.

“Aren’t you going to say your line?”

“Huh?”

The smirked question snapped him out of his daze, but the line he was supposed to deliver had evaporated from his mind.

“Cut! Cut! We’ll do it again. Everyone reset!” Director Kim Il-soo’s voice rang out, bringing the cast back to reality.

The actors, having been spellbound, let out the breaths they’d been holding.

Is she really a high schooler?
I heard she’s supposed to be really nice, but…
Maybe she’s actually a troublemaker?

The crew whispered among themselves, watching Seoyeon, whose face remained locked in that twisted expression, her eyes still radiating a cold, predatory aura.

It was a completely different vibe from the script reading.

What’s going on with her?
Is this what they call method acting?

No one dared to voice their thoughts aloud. They were too intimidated, having been completely dominated by her presence in the scene.

Seoyeon, for her part, felt their discomfort.

Stay focused. Keep in character.

Lee Yu-ju was a character so different from herself that it was hard to immerse fully. But Seoyeon thought back to something her class president, Gil Da-hyun, had told her during their study session.

“If you can’t understand it, just memorize the process. You’ve got a great memory, Seoyeon. If you can memorize the formula, eventually, it’ll become second nature.”

Seoyeon had done something similar before.

When she first decided to return to acting, she had taken on the role of stalker Hong Jeong-hee in a stage play. Back then, she couldn’t fully grasp the character’s emotions, so she had mimicked another actress, Park Ji-woo, and combined that with her own style to create her version of Hong Jeong-hee.

This is the same.

She didn’t need to overthink it. She just needed to absorb the emotions she had studied, and this time, she had done just that. She had watched movies and dramas with characters similar to Yu-ju, imprinting their performances into her mind. By the time she arrived on set, she had locked herself into Yu-ju’s persona.

With sharp eyes and a twisted smile, the disdain she exuded crushed the spirits of the other actors.

Kim Hyun-seok gritted his teeth. He knew how poorly that last take had gone.

I probably didn’t even register on camera.

In that scene with Seoyeon, the other actors must have been practically invisible. Anyone watching would only have seen Lee Yu-ju’s overwhelming presence. It was a shocking debut for the character.

And there were even NGs.

Kim Hyun-seok bit down on his lower lip, feeling like nothing more than the useless coin in his pocket.

Seoyeon’s gaze seemed to taunt him: Is that all you’ve got?

It wasn’t until several hours later that the scene was finally completed. Kim Hyun-seok had caused a few too many NGs along the way.

That night, after returning home from filming, Seoyeon lay in bed.

I went too far.

She cringed, remembering how she had practically showered the entire set with disdain and contempt. It had been the right performance, but now that she was out of character, the memory embarrassed her.

Especially the part with Kim Hyun-seok. He had fumbled several times, visibly shaking during the NGs, and every time, Seoyeon had sneered at him. The memory of her mocking smirks made her squirm under her blankets.

Ugh!

She kicked her blanket repeatedly in frustration.

“Sweetie, what happened to your blanket?”
“It… It tore.”
“Oh, did it really?”
“Yes… Yes, it did.”

As she stuffed the torn filling back into her comforter, Seoyeon’s face flushed red with embarrassment.

As filming for the first episode of Heaven’s Garden continued, there was a short break before the next Hyper Action Star shoot. For once, Seoyeon had a rare free day in her schedule.

“An interview?”
「Yes, does it fit with your schedule?」

The call was from Cha Na-hee, regarding Dream Future.

「Dream Future is going to be aired in Japan soon, so they’re setting up some interviews.」

Though Seoyeon wouldn’t be directly speaking with Japanese reporters, it was still a notable event.

「It’s going to be more of a casual fan-interaction type of interview.」
“I’m fine with that.”
「Great! Oh, by the way…」

Was there something else? Seoyeon perked up.

「There’s a PD I know who’s interested in you. They produce variety shows.」

Variety shows? Seoyeon’s interest was piqued. She enjoyed variety show appearances because they were usually fun and active, offering her a chance to learn new things.

「Do you like reality shows?」

The question made Seoyeon freeze.