Chapter 125: ‘Peerless Joseon’ Script Reading
After the Korean Folk Village theme park event ended, time flew by quickly.
The actors were putting in tremendous effort to fully embody their assigned roles.
“But why are you all in my office?”
“Because it’s easier to talk to you?”
Kim Si-woo had now firmly established himself as a cheat code.
“Sigh… I have to write the script, you know?”
“Again?”
“Again? I’m a writer… And besides, bringing Actor Choi Seung-yong and Actor Jung Pil-gyu with you…”
Behind Shim Ji-young, Choi Seung-yong and Jung Pil-gyu awkwardly scratched their heads.
“Well, Ji-young sunbae-nim told us to come…”
“Me too…”
No matter how successful they were, they couldn’t refuse the words of Shim Ji-young, an even more successful senior actress.
And what she said had piqued their curiosity as actors.
Shim Ji-young had called them and told them that studying their roles with Kim Si-woo would help them act even better than they currently did.
When she even verified it with other actors, they decided to follow her.
“You guys said you wanted to come later too, but now you’re just blaming me… Anyway, thanks for today.”
“Sigh… Fine. It’ll be good for me if the film turns out well. Let’s start with lunch. How about sweet-and-sour pork today?”
“Sounds good. I’ll buy.”
Shim Ji-young called her manager and treated everyone at Siwoo Film to lunch.
After a light meal, Kim Si-woo began seriously discussing things with Shim Ji-young, Choi Seung-yong, and Jung Pil-gyu.
“So, what are you curious about?”
“I… I mean, I get that the jimil nain assists the grand prince. But does she have to go this far? If it were me, I’d think just following moderately would be better. That’s what I thought.”
“You have to think of it as her being raised alongside him since childhood. Noona, you’re asking even though you already know, right?”
“Hehe… Caught me?”
Having worked on multiple projects with Kim Si-woo, imagining beyond the script had become part of the process for Shim Ji-young, so she didn’t really need his help much anymore.
“See? This guy thinks about detailed settings even for supporting roles while writing the script. Ask him anything you don’t understand.”
“That’s amazing.”
Jung Pil-gyu looked at Kim Si-woo with wonder, and Choi Seung-yong also wore a slightly surprised expression.
“Of course, I have the characters in mind as I wrote the script, but in the end, it’s the actors who bring them to life, so you don’t have to pay too much attention to what I say. Just take it as reference…”
Even as Kim Si-woo spoke, Choi Seung-yong and Jung Pil-gyu, who had come for advice, didn’t avert their eyes and quickly flipped through their scripts to find the parts they had marked as confusing.
“Ah…”
Thus began Kim Si-woo’s era of suffering.
After that day, Jung Pil-gyu visited less often, but lead actors like Choi Seung-yong frequently dropped by the office.
Upon hearing the news, Kim Ji-hyun and Park Jun-ho did the same.
“Damn… Anyone would think this is the actors’ agency.”
In reality, the actors visited Siwoo Film’s office more often than their own agencies.
Time passed, and finally, the day of the script reading arrived.
Kim Si-woo started getting excited at the thought that he could escape them as soon as the reading ended.
‘Once I go to Japan, I’ll be able to catch my breath for a while.’
The people gathered at the script reading site greeted each other warmly.
Even before it started, the film was already receiving tremendous attention.
The atmosphere couldn’t be anything but great.
There were no actors or directors who mistreated the staff.
“Hello. I am Park Se-yong, the director of this film.”
Once everyone had gathered, Park Se-yong picked up the microphone first and greeted them.
“In fact, the person who made this gathering possible is my senior and Korea’s greatest film director, Park Woong-deok. I don’t know if I can make this film as wonderful as he would have, but I will do my absolute best to create at least a film that won’t embarrass him. Thank you.”
The crowd applauded Park Se-yong’s introduction, and soon the next person took the microphone.
The next person was Kim Si-woo, who had become famous enough to speak right after the director.
“Hello. I’m writer Kim Si-woo. Uh… please take care of me. Ah… and don’t fight. That’s all.”
After Kim Si-woo’s somewhat odd introduction, starting with Choi Seung-yong, the actors’ and staff’s introductions continued.
Once everyone’s introductions were over, the actors opened their scripts, and along with Park Se-yong and the staff, they focused on Choi Seung-yong, who would deliver the first line.
Everyone held their breath, and a moment later, only Choi Seung-yong’s lines began to echo.
The script reading proceeded smoothly.
Each actor immersed themselves in their roles, drawing out genuine emotions.
It was just reading lines from the script, yet the staff found themselves instantly captivated.
During every break, praise for the actors never stopped, and everyone realized something.
As long as they properly captured the actors’ performances, the film would be a success.
By the time the script reading safely concluded, the atmosphere was far better than when it had started.
“Great work, everyone.”
“Yes, great work.”
People passed by, exchanging greetings with one another, and Kim Si-woo was among them.
“Are you going to the company dinner tonight?”
“Yeah… I guess I should?”
Kim Si-woo was a little tired, but he decided to join for the sake of team bonding.
Arriving at the dinner venue sandwiched between Shim Ji-young and Kim Ji-hyun, Kim Si-woo headed toward the table with Choi Seung-yong, Jung Pil-gyu, Park Se-yong, Lee Ok-ja, and Park Seung-hwan.
“Uh… hold on a second. Da-on.”
“Yes!”
“You’re going to eat here with So-yul and Soo-hyuk?”
“Yes!”
“Alright, then eat well, and we’ll head home together later. You too, Soo-hyuk.”
“Okay, Si-woo hyung.”
“Then, please take care of them.”
Kim Si-woo bowed his head to Park So-yul’s mother as he asked.
She quickly waved her hands.
“Oh no, not at all. I’m the one who should be asking you to take good care of our So-yul.”
Park So-yul’s mother knew how much influence Kim Si-woo had in the industry. If looking after her daughter’s friends could help So-yul catch his eye, she was more than willing.
Relieved of his worries about Kim Da-on and Hong Soo-hyuk, Kim Si-woo returned to his seat.
“Here, have a drink.”
The moment he sat down, Lee Ok-ja offered him alcohol.
“Ah… I have to drive later, so I’ll stick to cola for now. Or I’ll take them all at once during the second round.”
“Don’t forget you said that.”
Lee Ok-ja glared sharply at Kim Si-woo.
“By the way, that kid’s name used to be Ok-ja too?”
“Ah… yes.”
The great actress Lee Ok-ja glanced at little Kim Da-on as she asked.
“But why did you change it?”
“Uh… well…”
For a moment, Kim Si-woo almost said it was because Kim Da-on herself hated it, but he quickly changed his reason to avoid any unnecessary sparks.
“It’s because a name that fits current trends would be better for her career.”
“Hmm… is that so? What a shame.”
Lee Ok-ja seemed genuinely disappointed that a child sharing her name had changed it.
He couldn’t possibly say it was because she got teased at school or that it sounded like an old-fashioned name.
“Alright, then—to ‘Peerless Joseon’!”
“To it!”
Kim Si-woo drank cola while the others had alcohol, passing the time.
The meat was premium beef, no less.
Glancing secretly at Kim Da-on and Hong Soo-hyuk, he saw them eagerly devouring the beef.
“They eat well. I should buy them some Hanwoo next time.”
“Hanwoo? Ah… for Da-on?”
“Yeah. I just feel a bit concerned about her.”
“Isn’t it because she looks like you?”
“Huh?”
“How do I put it… especially the eyes. They say when eyes resemble each other, you feel a connection.”
Even Shim Ji-young had now joined the many people saying Kim Da-on resembled him.
‘At this rate, is she really my long-lost little sister?’
As Kim Si-woo entertained reasonable suspicions, Kim Ji-hyun spoke to him.
“Writer-nim, how was I today?”
“Huh? Well… as always, you were great.”
“We were both complete rookies when we first met, remember?”
“Haha… Yeah, thinking back, I sometimes wonder what was wrong with my head. A rookie writer personally picking actors all by himself…”
“That’s how I became such a famous actress now. It’s all thanks to you, Writer-nim.”
“Ji-hyun-ssi would’ve succeeded no matter what.”
As the two chatted warmly, Shim Ji-young, feeling displeased, cut in.
“Then what about me?”
“No, seriously, don’t you ever get tired of asking that every time?”
Shim Ji-young was taken aback by the completely different reaction from what Kim Ji-hyun got.
“Huh?”
“You asked yesterday, the day before that, and a week ago too—coming to my office constantly asking how your acting was. I mean, how many times do I have to say you’re great? Honestly, I have nothing else to say.”
Kim Si-woo always felt awkward whenever Shim Ji-young asked about her acting.
At first, he gave her a few pointers, but by their third meeting, there was nothing left to critique.
When she delivered literally perfect acting and asked for feedback, all he could say was that it was good.
Once or twice was fine, but when she kept coming and asking, even Kim Si-woo couldn’t help but get annoyed.
Surprised by his reaction, Shim Ji-young shrank back.
Seeing that, Kim Si-woo realized he had been too harsh and quickly tried to smooth things over.
“No, I didn’t mean it like that…”
“Forget it. The writer is discriminating against actors…”
The staff, Park Se-yong, and the other actors at the table were dumbfounded.
If anything, it was Shim Ji-young who treated Kim Si-woo differently from everyone else.
Any other writer would have fainted hearing such words.
“Noona, that’s not it—it’s just that when you keep asking about your already perfect acting, he’s telling you to have more confidence…”
“But why do you answer Kim Ji-hyun gently and get annoyed with me?”
“Well, Ji-hyun-ssi asked after a long time.”
“Ah… so because I see you often, it’s okay to get annoyed with me?”
“No, that’s not—why do you twist my words like that…”
“Wrap me a ssam.”
“Yes.”
Kim Si-woo hurriedly wrapped a lettuce wrap and put it in Shim Ji-young’s mouth.
“Now this is a fine sight for a senior actress. Whining to the writer in front of your senior and junior colleagues…”
At Kim Ji-hyun’s jab, Shim Ji-young swallowed the ssam she had been chewing in one gulp.
“Oh yeah? I thought someone who got here purely by luck wouldn’t know about that.”
“Haha, I do have pretty good luck.”
Watching Shim Ji-young and Kim Ji-hyun bicker, Park Se-yong looked toward the veteran actors Lee Ok-ja and Park Seung-hwan, but they slowly averted their eyes.
“People grow through fighting. Us old folks should just eat our meat.”
“Exactly, Seung-hwan oppa.”
When even the veteran actors who could have stopped them ignored his gaze, Park Se-yong turned to Choi Seung-yong next, only for Choi Seung-yong to retort as if asking if he had a death wish.
“Please… someone stop them.”
Despite Park Se-yong’s desperate plea, no one stepped forward.
It was obvious what kind of sparks would fly if they got involved.
“Sigh…”
Except for Kim Si-woo.
Letting out a sigh, Kim Si-woo hardened his expression.
“Ji-hyun-ssi, apologize quickly. I was wrong to Ji-young noona. And noona, you apologize to Ji-hyun-ssi too. You know no one gets this far just on luck. You’ve seen her acting right beside you—do you really think that kind of performance is possible with only luck?”
At Kim Si-woo’s cold mediation, Kim Ji-hyun apologized to Shim Ji-young first.
“Sunbae-nim, I’m sorry. I got carried away with the alcohol.”
“No, I got carried away with the alcohol too. Sorry.”
They apologized to each other and shook hands.
Just when it seemed the fight would end well, whispers reignited the flames.
“But honestly, if you hadn’t met him, you probably couldn’t have acted that well.”
“And honestly, you act pretty immature for your age.”
Shim Ji-young and Kim Ji-hyun whispered simultaneously to Kim Si-woo in the middle while shaking hands.
And because they overheard each other’s whispers, the fight started again.
“What? Immature for my age?”
“You couldn’t act if you hadn’t met Writer-nim?”
‘Ah… I want to go to Japan.’
All Kim Si-woo wanted right now was to escape this scene.
**************
TL Note:
This novel is now translated and finished at Chapter 176
If you’d like to continue right away, the remaining 51 chapters are available on My Patreon Premium tier, along with extra chapters from my other 5 ongoing translated novels.
There’s also a Plus tier with 47 advance chapters, updated at 7 chapters per week.
Link: https://www.patreon.com/cw/Vritratls
For this novel specifically, check the collection under “Genius Writer”
**************