Many things have changed.
First of all, my house.
“…You? Really?”
“Where do you get off pointing fingers?”
“No, that’s not the issue.”
“Well, what is the issue?”
“You saw Elder Yoon, Senior Seo-eun, Senior Lion, and even Brother Yoo-shin, right?”
“I did see them.”
“And Sister Yoo-a too?”
“…Yeah, I guess so.”
“What about autographs?”
“Are you making a joke about something serious?”
My mom and her daughter, who still haven’t fully regained their senses, are acting as expected. Recalling the first broadcast when she mocked and compared me to Elder Yoon, I expected her to reflect for a moment, but she continues to chatter incessantly. It seems my mistake was judging this beast by human standards—it was far more shameless than I imagined.
“Seriously. It really was our son.”
“Yes, it turned out that way.”
“No, you should have told us.”
“There was a confidentiality clause. Revealing it would have incurred a penalty fee.”
“Ah, I see, that makes sense.”
Father was equally surprised. However, he subtly glared at me, indicating he disapproved of keeping the secret from the family. Hmm, this is troublesome. He’s such a sensitive person.
Ultimately, I convinced Father by talking about the penalty fee. Understanding the harsh realities of society, Father nodded as soon as the penalty fee was mentioned. That’s settled then. I was worried because he’s so sensitive, but things turned out better than expected.
“Seriously. Our son… an actor? Contact him right away… Yeah, it’s me. Yes, it’s our son. Come on, believe me. If you can’t, turn on the internet.”
Then there’s Mother, confused and fussing. It’s been so long since I’ve seen her like this—it’s quite refreshing. Unlike Father, who is emotional, Mother tends to be quite cynical. But it seems even she couldn’t handle the event of her son being on TV.
More impressive than the antics of my family, however, is certainly the show’s ratings. After the event, they soared by about 4%. Clearly, this is largely thanks to Elder Yoon—me. The interest in a young actor in his 20s playing a 70-year-old role has drawn people to the channel, who eagerly anticipate Elder Yoon’s appearances. The video of the script reading, where everyone was fooled, has fueled even more curiosity.
And many still wonder how a 20-something actor could pull this off. They say the acting isn’t something a young actor could achieve.
Especially in the makeup department, rumors have gone so far as to claim SBC went crazy and hired a Hollywood makeup team. Indeed, it’s probably best to avoid the use of facial prosthetics. Somehow, if used on broadcasts, it feels like trouble keeps coming up.
Of course, not all the reactions are positive. Some say the acting is nothing special and that they were simply deceived by the makeup. There’s even a conspiracy theory suggesting that someone else played Elder Yoon and it’s being misrepresented. And some dismiss the entire thing without any consideration of the effort.
But really, it doesn’t matter. Regardless of what they say, the show’s ratings have skyrocketed, and so has my value.
“Wow, I was totally fooled! I thought you were a senior actor.”
“Haha, I apologize.”
“No need to apologize—it was pretty refreshing.”
“So, how did you manage that acting? Is this your debut?”
“Yes, Senior.”
“That’s impressive.”
The veteran actors on set were quite favorable. Playing a 70-year-old at 20 was pretty fresh for them, too. True, the script reading that fooled everyone might have been a bit annoying, but with the boost to ratings thanks to my unexpected bombshell, everyone seemed to let it slide. After all, whether leading or supporting, actors in dramas are sensitive to ratings.
Additionally, the actors here are mostly in a different league than me, so there’s no real conflict. They have nothing to gain by being hostile, as our roles don’t overlap.
Speaking of which, I wonder if it was intentional, but the veteran actors in this drama are all such gentle people. It’s strange to have an odd atmosphere on set when the two young leads are just keeping each other in check. If someone had handled the tension well and kept the center, this highly-rated drama set would not be like this. Therefore, there’s no reason why these actors would criticize or exclude me.
“What, right… Junior Baek Siu?”
“Haha, hello.”
“Are you really 23 years old?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“This is interesting. I look forward to working with you. Your acting was truly excellent.”
“Thank you, Senior. I also look forward to working with you.”
One of the lead actors, Lion, seemed genuinely amused by the situation. He burst out laughing, exclaiming he had been totally fooled. He didn’t appear to have any ill will—his character doesn’t seem that bad after all.
“…”
Ji Seo-eun, as always, simply stared silently without saying much. I didn’t expect any reaction from her anyway.
“Seriously, you guys try everything, don’t you?”
And lastly, Jo Yoo-shin, who started a conflict right away.
“Yes, thank you, Senior.”
“…It wasn’t a compliment.”
While it didn’t particularly bother me…
However, the person reacting most intensely is Writer Min.
“The reactions are better than expected.”
“Yes, it’s fortunate.”
“So, I expanded Elder Yoon’s scenes a little.”
“…Again?”
She immediately revised the script and expanded my scenes. While this is the charm of drama, the way she jumped on the opportunity makes me suspect she’s up to something. What exactly is Writer Min planning?
“What’s this scene?”
“What do you mean? Just that. There’s Yoon Seo-eun’s storyline. They need a top-tier actor, but couldn’t secure one, so I pivoted so that Elder Yoon will help resolve it.”
“Ah…”
“How about it? Is this scene possible?”
“It’s possible, but is this romantic?”
“Sort of. We need to show the softer side to keep the audience relaxed too. The counter-role is played by Actress Kang Ji-woo.”
Unbelievably, the romantic storyline of a 70-year-old elder.
Of course, Elder Yoon’s character has something similar in the setting. He was in a romantic relationship with a beautiful middle-aged actress, right?
She tweaked it a bit—turning him into a stylish, older gentleman being pursued by a beautiful middle-aged actress.
“Actor Baek, you can’t act the way you did with Se-eun. This time, you need to really show proper romantic eyes—not youthful romance but mature, passionate adult romance. I trust you, Actor Baek.”
“This is more old age than middle age…but, that aside, isn’t this asking too much from a new actor…”
“So, should we cut this scene?”
“No, that’s not it…”
Even though the protagonist’s storyline is bleak and rough, why resort to a senior citizen’s romance to lighten the mood? From my perspective, showing diverse acting isn’t necessarily bad, but I can’t shake the feeling that the director and the writer are throwing everything out there. Is this the skill of a star writer and director? I don’t understand what’s happening.
In any case, I must now activate a sincere mode that would make all the top stars of the Moonlit Pavilion faint.
“Oh my, what a surprise! Your makeup is truly incredible—it’s unbelievable you’re in your 20s with this look.”
“Haha, hello, Senior. I look forward to working with you.”
“Actually, I should be asking for your help. Playing romance with someone in their 20s…how long has it been? I was slightly worried about this, but with this look, I think we’ll be able to convey real emotion.”
My hastily secured counterpart for this scene is veteran actress Kang Ji-woo.
She was once a famous actress known for her beauty and remains an enchanting middle-aged actress through meticulous management.
Normally, a big-name actress like her wouldn’t be rushed in easily.
She agreed to this role out of her connection with PD Yoo and curiosity. Given the runaway success of the drama, and the absurd situation of a young man in his 20s playing a 70-year-old engaged in a romance with someone in their 40s, she wanted to see it firsthand.
Plus, it’s been a while since she’s done romance with someone in their 20s.
She was also pleased that, despite being technically 70, Elder Yoon’s visual appeal makes him a suitable romantic lead.
“Coming right up. Scene 9-12-1.”
—This time, I owe you one.
—What? Teacher, are we strangers? And didn’t you say you’re my granddaughter? That’s what Secretary Kim told me.
—That guy…
—Hey, don’t give Secretary Kim a hard time. You know, I can’t help it when I get tough.
—Ah, right. So, what do you get out of this?
—Um… Teacher’s love?
—Ah, Ji-woo.
—No idea. Then I’ll go meet your granddaughter and try to score.
“OK!”
In this scene, capturing Elder Yoon’s emotions is crucial.
Yoon cherishes Ji-woo but reluctantly pushes her away.
The scene captures Yoon’s internal turmoil between the two feelings, emphasizing his affection for Ji-woo.
It’s a performance that, even for me, requires going all-in.
After a heartfelt performance, it seemed that Senior Kang Ji-woo was quite satisfied.
She teased me with a playful reproach, her cheeks still flushed with the lingering traces of emotion.
“Young one, does your charm extend to us older women too?”
“Senior, you’re still in your prime.”
“Come on, all the flattery in the world won’t make you my type.”
What I said wasn’t mere flattery.
It was easier to evoke emotions while acting with veteran actresses like Kang Ji-woo rather than actresses of my own age, like Ji Seo-eun.
Moreover, Kang Ji-woo has always been meticulous in her self-care, making her look much younger than her age.
With such a talented partner, even difficult scenes aren’t impossible.
“Great, exactly the atmosphere I wanted. Both of you did an excellent job.”
PD Yoo also seemed satisfied, so I think we created a pretty impressive scene.
Although it was somewhat surprising that a romance storyline was added to Elder Yoon’s character, with achievements like this, it seems reasonable to expect good results.
I’m curious to see what the audience will think of this scene.
*
It seems PD Yoo didn’t call on Kang Ji-woo just for this role.
With her arrival, the conflict between Lion and Jo Yoo-shin visibly decreased.
Especially noteworthy was that Jo Yoo-shin, who had subtly caused discomfort to other actors, completely shut down. A pleasant outcome, indeed.
Kang Ji-woo is a tough veteran actress who has overcome all sorts of biases since her debut. No matter how much Jo Yoo-shin tries, he can’t help but crumble under her steely gaze.
Even though the company may back him, actors have their own world.
Of course, this is only superficial, but it’s more than enough.
After the drama ends, it doesn’t matter what they do.
“Seriously, what’s your deal with the writer? Why is there a romance storyline in a 70-year-old role?”
The atmosphere on set definitely improved thanks to Kang Ji-woo, but personally, things are getting awkward.
As if channeling his frustration at not being able to check Lion, he frequently calls me over to vent nonsense.
Given that I’m not just his junior but younger in age, he seems to regard me as easy prey.
Initially, I shrugged it off.
Living a long time in a world where people jump to conclusions makes it strange when someone talks straightforwardly.
Almost harmless, even refreshing.
But repeating this process several times grows tiring.
“And Kang Senior is also subtly favoring you. A newbie actor acting all high and mighty while hoping for lucky breaks. If you continue this way, you could be knocked out in one punch.”
Ah, that’s right, there’s Senior Kang as well.
It’s about time for her to bow out since her role, which was more like a guest appearance, wasn’t extensive.
Then this guy will probably ruin the atmosphere again once she’s gone.
Clearly, some action is required.
“Huh? What’s wrong? Oh…”
I judged that staying silent wasn’t the best option and delivered a new religion punch to his chest.
