The notion that someone would meddle with a drama featuring their own artist left me at a loss for words.
Especially considering it showed a complete disregard for the future of the talent under their management.
It roughly came down to this:
While the singer is at the peak of their career, they would exploit them as much as possible.
Unless, of course, there was another reason—why would anyone sabotage a project that could be a turning point for the artist?
However, this was beyond what I could control.
For the drama production to halt due to the core member irresponsibly leaving, there would need to be some catastrophic event, like an unforeseen scandal or the sudden bankruptcy of the production company.
Frankly, even if I knew what that event was, as a single actor, there is nothing I could do about it, so it’s meaningless to dwell on it.
Therefore, I handed this issue over to the agency.
I informed Team Leader Seo through the manager. If any problems arise, the company will handle it. If the company can’t resolve it, then no one can, and it’s best to let go gracefully.
“My job isn’t that.”
Since external matters regarding the work can be handled by the company, I decided to focus on other things.
Honestly, I have no idea why that woman isn’t considering exiting the entertainment world.
Could it be that the agency president has some leverage over her, like a compromising video?
Something akin to a naked video.
But then, the funny thing is, she’s not the type to be restrained by such trivialities.
She’d rather self-destruct than be dragged around by someone holding her secrets. If anything, it might make more sense if someone close to her is involved instead.
In fact, there was a somewhat similar situation in the Martial Forest.
“I suppose I need to look into this a bit more.”
Ultimately, I needed to find out her real reasons, but our relationship wasn’t close enough for that.
Actually, to be precise, we don’t really know each other that well—yet.
So, I needed to get a bit closer to her.
The good news was that most of her shoots overlapped with mine.
Our characters were co-lead roles, and there was a romance arc as well.
It seemed like most of the other cast members had a negative vibe with her, so inevitably, I would get more time with her.
When actors delve deeply into their roles, the emotions of the character often influence the actor, which wasn’t a rare phenomenon. I needed to carefully observe her through this process to understand her true thoughts.
*
The young actress Wolhee finished her morning shoot.
What was remarkable about this child was her poise in front of the camera—it was her first time acting, and yet she didn’t show any signs of nervousness or hesitation.
Her acting was commendable enough that she received praise from the director, Yang Yuli, and even the senior actress Kang Ji-woo.
Though low expectations are typical for child actors, the overwhelming praise she received indicated she was far from ordinary.
Additionally, unlike most child actors, after finishing her scenes, she chose to stay on set to observe the performances of other actors.
When asked if she wasn’t tired, she replied that there was still so much to learn that she didn’t have time for fatigue.
It was truly an exceptional case, especially considering most child actors prefer to leave the set after their scenes.
Seeing her tiny frame quietly moving around the location, carefully observing everything, made her rather endearing, and it seemed to lighten the atmosphere of the set.
What a fascinating child.
She had already garnered recognition from the director and fellow actors for her acting, and received validation from the dance specialist Luna as well.
Not only did she contribute to the set’s atmosphere, but her talent and potential exceeded our expectations.
Perhaps this project would mark the emergence of a legendary child actor.
If she continues to develop well, she could grow into an exceptional actress like Heavenly Yuah.
As the morning shoot concluded, other actors started to gather on the set.
The afternoon schedule mainly involved Wolhee and Lee Myung’s scenes, but Violet and Bison Choi’s entries into Joseon were scheduled for late evening shoots, as well as Nam Seok-joo’s escape to Pyongan Province.
It was curious that they were already on set despite the evening shoot, but since the schedule had been confirmed, arriving early wouldn’t cause any problems.
Of course, the reason they were here so early was likely due to curiosity about Luna’s performance.
“Alright, let’s begin.”
With all the key actors present, the scene where Lee Myung meets Wolhee at the brothel was underway.
In the storyline timeline, Lee Myung was about to start his search in the mine, and he and Wolhee had already developed a connection.
Planning to rescue Wolhee from the brothel after completing his current mission, this meeting could be seen as a kind of date between the two.
Though, Wolhee’s situation differed slightly because she had initially approached Lee Myung with an ulterior motive, only to genuinely fall for him, causing an unexpected dilemma.
“Oh…”
The highlight of this scene was when Wolhee danced exclusively for Lee Myung.
With Luna choreographing, her moves left the audience breathless.
Although sexy dances weren’t exactly of this era, the base was still inspired by traditional “fan dance.”
Adding subtle wave movements made it look extraordinarily refined.
Additionally, her outfit complemented the performance perfectly.
Her short silk dress with a Chinese-inspired flair featured semi-transparent chiffon extensions, which created a see-through effect.
As expected of a top dancer-star with four years of experience, she fully utilized the advantages of the costume.
With every fluid movement, her porcelain thighs and smooth legs subtly came into view.
The feeling when her legs moved inside or outside the semi-transparent fabric was strikingly enchanting.
At this moment, everyone seemed to forget old grievances, fully absorbed in genuine admiration.
I too was amazed.
The fan dance using two fans was a specialty of Yeon-i (Wolyeon, Hao Moonzhu), which brought back a flood of memories.
Legend had it that even high-ranking officials fell speechless when she began her dance.
She certainly had an air that captivated regardless of the setting.
Still, there was one flaw…
“Cut. Let’s pause for a moment.”
Director Bang, who had been concentrating, suddenly called for a halt.
He gathered myself, Luna, and Yang Yuli to review the footage and discuss his thoughts.
Although the visuals were beautiful, something seemed to be missing.
This dissatisfaction wasn’t just Director Bang’s—writer Yang Yuli, and the actors involved in the scene, including myself and Luna, all felt a certain incompleteness.
“Feels a bit hollow, doesn’t it?”
“Exactly. Even though the dancing scene alone could become a legend…”
“It could be even better if we added something.”
“But what exactly is missing?”
While Luna’s performance alone was enough to create a legendary GIF, there was indeed a gap when looking at the entire scene.
It was only because her dance was so overwhelming that the flaw wasn’t immediately obvious—another actor wouldn’t have gotten away with it.
Still, no one could exactly pinpoint where the problem lay.
Her dance had such an overwhelming presence, leading to this unexpected dilemma.
“Perhaps it’s because of Lee Myung.”
“Lee Myung?”
“See how he’s just sitting there, smiling, and watching Wolhee’s dance. We need to remember that Wolhee isn’t just any geisha but the geisha he has feelings for. He’s making her look more like a paid performer, which is affecting the romance. Especially in a two-shot scene.”
“So, we need to show more of the lovers dynamic.”
“Exactly. If this were their first meeting, it would be understandable, but given the current state in the story, his response should reflect a deeper connection.”
We hadn’t noticed this issue while reading the script, but once the scene came to life, something felt off.
Maybe it was because I had a similar experience.
When Yeon-i danced for me, I didn’t just sit there watching.
If this scene solely focused on Wolhee, it might not have been an issue, but since this is a two-shot scene between her and Lee Myung, it felt incomplete.
“We have two options. Either we shoot this as a Wolhee solo scene or have Lee Myung…”
“Engage with her somehow.”
“Could they dance together?”
“…Dance together with Luna? That might ruin the entire picture.”
Since the root cause was identified, it was time to fix the problem.
We couldn’t shoot Wolhee’s scenes without including Lee Myung, so the decision was clear—Lee Myung had to interact more effectively.
Yang Yuli had suggested dancing together, which made me uncomfortable.
Even for me, that was pushing it.
“What about an instrument? Does Siwoo know how to play one?”
“Yes, I do, a bit.”
After some thought, I offered the idea of adding an instrument.
If Lee Myung played live music while Wolhee danced, that would create a harmonious atmosphere between the two.
When I suggested using an instrument, Director Bang immediately approved.
It seemed he’d been pondering the same idea.
“Are you suggesting something common like a guitar?”
“…Do I look that ignorant?”
Yang Yuli was slightly skeptical.
She must have considered the idea but found the lack of suitable instruments frustrating.
The only viable options would involve traditional instruments like hand chimes, with post-production sound.
The problem was that unfamiliar traditional instruments were tricky to play convincingly on camera.
Any noticeable errors could ruin the footage, and without previous practice, it would be nearly impossible at this stage.
“What about a seven-string zither?”
“A seven-string zither?”
“Do you know how to play one, actor?”
“Yes, a bit.”
“…Oh.”
The mention of an ordinary guitar was met with the better suggestion of a seven-string zither.
Despite being practically obsolete in this period of Joseon, such historical authenticity was easily overlooked.
Who would quibble over the use of a zither in a period drama featuring steam engines?
“…I’ll find one, somehow.”
Upon learning that a scene with Lee Myung playing the zither and Wolhee dancing in harmony was in the works, Director Bang mobilized his network to source one.
The combination was clearly destined to work.
