༺ Karma ༻
“Do you think you can handle it if Bohyung’s role increases significantly?”
Writer Yook asked, staring directly into Yoomyeong’s eyes.
Yoomyeong pondered her true intentions.
‘Increases significantly… Does she mean there could be a change in the second male lead? And by ‘handle,’ she doesn’t seem to be talking about acting…’
Can he memorize more lines?
Can he handle the increased pressure?
Such ‘handling’ was certainly within his capabilities, as writer Yook knew from observing his acting.
Then, this ‘handling’ meant…
“Wouldn’t Director Moon take care of that?”
“…You’re quite sharp,” Yook Mi-young said with a smile.
Even if relations became strained, it would be difficult for TW to do anything about a popular writer and a star producer. However, they could still challenge a rising actor. There was a risk that a suddenly popular new actor might get marked by another entertainment company, which was what the writer Yook was referring to.
“We need to rework the love line. Does your character, Bohyung, have even the slightest romantic feelings for Hana?”
“I acted as if there were none since you didn’t set up Bohyung and Hana in ‘that’ kind of relationship.”
“Right. Then we definitely need to create a turning point…”
“But, writer Yook..”
“Yes?”
Yoomyeong paused before speaking.
“If Bohyung shifts from being a ‘supporting’ character, doesn’t that undermine his original purpose?”
Yook Mi-young sighed softly, surprised by his thoughtfulness.
She had also contemplated this. If Bohyung, originally a supporting character tied to Hana, became a romantic interest, it could become a cliché of a ‘heroine saved by the hero’.
But that was her worry as a writer. So, she responded sternly.
“Yoomyeong, that’s for me to worry about. You should focus on expanding your role. New actors can’t grow without ambition.”
“Yes, I’m sorry.”
“I understand what you’re saying. I’ll ponder over that part, so please just focus on making Bohyung a compelling character.”
“Understood.”
With that, significant changes began sweeping through the script.
*
“What? No reaction at all?”
“Yes. Writer Yook Mi-young was seen at the shooting location. The atmosphere calmed down after that. But she took away all the scripts for episode 10, saying they needed revisions.”
Kyu-seong anxiously bit his nails. According to his plan, he should have received an apology from the writer by now, and a call from the producer to return to the set…
His manager cautiously handed him a USB drive.
“And this arrived anonymously for you… I think you should see it.”
“What is this?”
“Uh… just play it. I need to rush to the restroom, sorry!”
Kyu-seong grumbled as he plugged the USB into the laptop. A video file appeared.
Click—.
The first face on the screen was Baek Seunghyo’s. It was the scene scheduled for the day he boycotted the shoot. How did they proceed without him?
He leaned in, and on the opposite side, dressed as Wolgong, stood…
“That guy… why?!”
Yoomyeong was there, reciting Wolgong’s lines.
Tak tak tak tak—
Tapping his fingers on the desk, he initially scoffed in relief as he saw how Yoomyeong played Wolgong.
But as he watched Wolgong transform back into Tak Gyu-min, his breath caught in his throat.
He was struck with the realization that what Yoomyeong depicted was ‘Tak Gyu-min’ trying his best but lacking in acting skills.
Tak Gyu-min’s habits and speech patterns were evident in Wolgong. It was clear that it wasn’t enough even though he tried his best.
It wasn’t referring to the actor Yoomyeong, but the character Tak Gyu-min.
No one would think the actor was poor after seeing this. It directly contradicted Kyu-seong’s claims, and his face turned red.
‘How dare this newbie mock me…?’
Indeed, it was true.
If only he had reflected on his acting before getting angry. However, he wasn’t that type of person.
He stood up abruptly, boiling with rage, and headed to the manager’s office.
“Manager.”
“Ah, Kyu-seong.”
The manager greeted him warmly.
Kyu-seong was a high revenue-generating actor for TW Entertainment. This was especially true in advertising, which often appealed to teenagers.
Although managing him was a headache due to the high turnover of staff who quit working with him, he was still a valuable asset to the company.
“How did it go?”
“I reported to the president. He said he’ll speak to the KBK director.”
“The people on set seem indifferent to my situation. It’s disappointing.”
“Well… No one even checked in after hearing you had collapsed. I’ll ask him to speak more firmly on your behalf.”
Kyu-seong smiled, finally satisfied.
“And about that new actor, Yoomyeong… he’s really bothersome.”
“Hmm… What can we do about a project he’s already part of?”
“It doesn’t have to be immediate. But there are ways, aren’t there?”
Kyu-seong emphasized, pressing his point.
*
TW was a major company, ranking in the top three agencies in the country, and a subsidiary of a conglomerate.
Yu-seok frowned upon hearing about the incident on set.
“There have always been bad rumors about that guy.”
“That’s true. It’s good for now, but the aftermath… TW tends to play dirty…”
Yu-seok was discussing with the head of the actor management team 1.
Although he personally managed Yoomyeong, the road and styling team was assigned from team one, so Ho-chul reported to the team head, who then approached Yu-seok.
“This could backfire on us if we’re not careful. The writer and producer might be untouchable after this project’s success, but they could cause trouble for Yoomyeong or our other actors later…”
‘That would be inevitable…’
In any other entertainment company, he could have easily resolved it with the cards he held. But TW was the one opponent he was reluctant to confront—a subsidiary of ‘that place.’
His phone vibrated on the desk. He casually opened the app, only to grimace upon seeing the sender’s name.
[Mother]
He checked the blinking new message.
[Is there trouble with TW? The president mentioned a minor issue concerning you. I’ve told them not to interfere with your hobbies. Come and visit sometime.]
Her voice, calm yet snake-like, seemed to echo in his ears.
— It’s just a hobby, right? Don’t get too greedy.
— You’re a smart and good child. I trust you’ll stay within the limit of what I find cute.
Yu-seok shook his head to dispel her voice.
“Director, are you alright?”
“That matter’s resolved now. Don’t worry and go ahead.”
“Uh…? Oh, okay, understood.”
The team head left with a puzzled expression.
Yu-seok pressed his cold hand against his eyes for a long while.
*
Kyu-seong returned to the set, his usual smile absent for the first time.
“I apologize for causing trouble during the shooting. I’m fully recovered now.”
“It’s okay. What can you do about being sick? You’re a bit frail, aren’t you?”
“Yes, a bit…”
‘Don’t worry, we’ll make sure you get plenty of rest from now on.’
PD Bang Hak concealed his irritation and offered him a smile.
“Let’s quickly shoot the urgent movie scenes first.”
“Yes, Director. I’m sorry.”
He bowed at a 90-degree angle, his neck muscles tensing visibly.
It was the image of a star, once at the peak of arrogance, now facing defeat.
He had been summoned by the president the previous day, receiving both a warning against overstepping and several threats. He was also ordered to apologize to the producer and return to the set.
Though he complied due to the unfavorable situation, his pride was visibly hurt, and his face was paler than usual.
Tsk tsk—
The other actors and staff members gave him cold looks.
Even veteran actress Lee Ok-hyung, who was known for her bubbly personality, openly clicked her tongue and turned away.
Yoomyeong was laughing with other actors in a corner and caught Kyu-seong’s eye, prompting him to grind his teeth.
“3, 2, 1—Action!”
“Your Majesty. Our country is barely recovering from the aftermath of the war with Geoncheok Kingdom that ended in June. Our beautiful territory, with harvest just around the corner, will be stained with blood again.”
Kyu-seong struggled to deliver his lines, haunted by the video he had seen the day before.
He wondered who sent it—perhaps the PD? Annoyed and distracted by the vivid memory of that performance, he found it difficult to follow the script.
“Cut— Kyu-seong, it’s not just about acting poorly, it’s about ‘trying your best but failing.’ Again.”
“But I am trying my best—”
Kyu-seong stopped mid-sentence, realizing that the perfect example of that very acting was present there.
Everyone on set had seen that performance and was now comparing it to his.
‘Fuck…’
His face flushed with anger and embarrassment.
“Your Majesty. Our country is barely recovering from the aftermath of the war with Geoncheok Kingdom that ended in June. Our beautiful territory, with harvest just around the corner, will be stained with blood again.”
“Cut— It doesn’t feel like you’re being overshadowed by Kwon Do-jun if you put too much effort in your lines. Again.”
“Cut—”
“Cut— Again.”
“Cut—”
Someone had significantly raised the bar for a successful take in that scene, and due to Director Bang Hak’s unexpectedly long grudge, that day’s shooting became a thorny path for Kyu-seong.
In hindsight, this might have been for the best.
His screen time was noticeably reduced thereafter.
*
A week later.
With the shooting going smoothly again, episode 7 of <Showbiz Studies> aired.
The first half of the episode quickly summarized the main story.
<Previously in Showbiz Studies>
Do-jun discovered Hana secretly practicing acting. Surprised by her talent yet annoyed, he asked what she was doing. Hana candidly told him that she too dreamed of acting and aspired to become an actor like him.
Touched by her sincere confession, he recommended her as a trainee to the company, asking them to audition her but to keep his involvement secret. Hana passed the audition and became an acting trainee.
Her astonishing talent and effort became evident during practice. Gyu-min comforted her as she tirelessly worked day after day. Do-jun witnessed this and was consumed by an inexplicable rage. At the same time, Jun-kyung, seeing Do-jun’s reaction, decided to sabotage Hana by inviting her to an ‘exclusive actors’ year-end party.’
– Showbiz Studies –
– Episode 7 –
“Mimi~”
“Meow~”
“Do I look pretty? I was invited to an important event. This is my best outfit, right?”
“Meow~”
“You can’t believe it? Neither can I. Actress Ryu Jun-kyung approached me. She’s so pretty. She told me, ‘You’re Hana, right? Do-jun mentioned that you’re a talented actor. It’s a casual gathering among friends, so feel free to come.’ Can you believe it?”
“Meow~”
“You don’t believe it, right? I’m skeptical, too. I can trust Ryu Jun-kyung, but that jerk Kwon Do-jun calling me a talented actor? I doubt it. Well, I’m heading out now. Take care of the house.”
As she left her house and walked towards the bus stop, Bohyung suddenly ran out and grabbed her wrist.
“Uh? Bohyung, were you at home? That’s good. Make sure to have dinner with grandma.”
“Hana, do you trust me?”
With his signature soft smile, Bohyung suddenly asked her something unrelated.
“Of course, you’re the person I trust the most after Grandma!”
“Then trust me and come with me for a bit.”
“Uh? But I have an appointment…”
“I won’t make you late.”
Bohyung took Hana to a department store.
From the moment she entered, or rather, when Bohyung drove up in a car that looked extravagantly expensive, she was dumbfounded.
This wasn’t the Bohyung she knew.
“Why are we here…?”
“There’s a dress code for the event you’re attending tonight.”
“But they didn’t mention anything like that…”
“Hana. I’m on your side, right?”
“Of course!”
“Do you think that person is?”
“Um… I’m not sure…”
“Then trust me. I wouldn’t do anything to harm you.”
Effectively silencing her with his words, Bohyung skillfully chose dresses, shoes, and accessories that suited her from the luxury stores.
“Bohyung, you’re broke too! We can’t just return what we wear. That’s wrong…”
“Um… I lied about something… I’ll tell you and accept the scolding tonight. We don’t have time now, so hurry.”
Professional stylists suddenly appeared, doing her hair and makeup.
As Hana was swept up in the whirlwind of activity, her transformation was completed.
“Our Hana looks beautiful.”
Bohyung smiled at her, placing her in front of a mirror.
Stunned, she opened her mouth.
“Is this… me…?”
As if to prove that it was indeed her, the beauty in the mirror gaped foolishly.
“Stand up straight, and keep your eyes confident. What did I tell you?”
“Fancy appearances, business cards, wallets—they’re all just the outer shell. What matters is what’s inside.”
“That’s right. Hana is naturally beautiful, but there’s no reason to be underestimated at a gathering where appearances matter. You have nothing less to offer, both in looks and heart, so be confident and hold your head high.”
“There’s nothing less to offer? But it’s right here.”
She playfully stuck her tongue out.
After tapping her forehead lightly, Bohyung drove her to the party.
The most surprised person to see Hana’s dressed-up appearance wasn’t Ryu Jun-kyung, but Kwon Do-jun.
As episode 7 aired,
The viewers’ forum exploded once again with activity.
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