Two days later.
Director Ko Tae-min’s studio. Conference room.
True to his nickname as a ‘meticulous maestro,’ Director Ko’s studio conference room was quite out of the ordinary.
Especially due to the grand piano prominently placed there.
The production team for “Crescendo,” director Ko Tae-min, representative Kim I-seo, and lastly Sua were all seated.
The atmosphere was naturally awkward.
Sua fidgeted with her hands, which were unnecessarily placed on her knees.
“Even though I’ve made it clear that I decline, you’ve still called me? Ugh, this is uncomfortable.”
It was a situation uncomfortable as if sitting on a bed of needles.
Additionally, she couldn’t understand the current attitude of Ko Tae-min. Kim I-seo had clearly communicated her refusal, yet the director was now looking at Sua with a rather intense gaze.
“Does he hope that I change my mind? Still, I have no intention of doing a Grade 7 work. Of course, I must politely decline.”
It had been easy to reject director Kim Jun-ki as his studio manager, Seo Jae-woo, had come. A simple nod to the manager saying ‘no’ was all it took.
However, the case of director Ko Tae-min was a bit different.
Since Sua had made time for a meeting with Mystic, she felt it was appropriate to maintain some decorum.
“An actor is not merely about perfecting acting skills.”
Continuing image management.
These days, Sua was quite realizing that an actor must form good relationships with those around them. She must evolve into an actor liked by anyone and everyone.
Thus, beginning relationships is as important as forming them. Therefore, the goal of today was to decline while leaving no room for future regrets.
“…Who would’ve thought I’d be thinking this way.”
Truly, a Sua-specific trait.
[Something everyone thinks. Sua’s basic trait.]
The special attribute immediately interjected, saying it was just her doing the basics now, but Sua ignored it. “You, stay quiet. Don’t talk to me.”
At that moment, Ko Tae-min slightly smiled.
“I’ve heard that Sua mentioned her refusal. Could you tell me just a bit about what you disliked? That’s all I need.”
At this point, Kim I-seo’s intuition stirred once.
“It’s not an inquiry. This is rather….”
Doesn’t it sound like an offer to address any discomforts right away? Kim I-seo, with her business intuition raised, spoke.
“Would anything change based on Sua’s response?”
“Yes.”
Ko Tae-min nodded.
“If there are any major dislikes, there’s nothing I can do. This industry works that way, you know? You can’t force something.”
Kim I-seo nodded. So did Sua.
Forced labor might be possible, but acting cannot. One can’t force certain emotions anyway.
Kim I-seo continued.
“If Sua’s dislikes are minor?”
“In that case, I’ll consider making adjustments. I’ll come straight to the point— I like Sua. Whether she’s a rookie or not doesn’t matter. I already had that feeling and set up this appointment.”
“….”
Kim I-seo immediately directed a pleading look at Sua.
Sua understood the meaning easily.
Are you really going to decline when the other side is accommodating you this much? They’re offering to adjust the script; are you really going to turn it down? The expression conveyed such pleading.
On the other hand, Ko Tae-min’s gaze was on Sua.
“Let’s first hear what the main party thinks, shall we?”
After thinking for a moment, Sua spoke.
“Director, about this Kim So-hee character…”
“Kim So-hee? She’s the protagonist of my work.”
“Is the character truly finalized?”
“Finalized? Could you describe what you mean?”
By this point, all the production team members, including director Ko Tae-min, were looking at Sua with more interest than before.
Sua, feeling a bit pressured, opened her mouth.
“I feel it’s insufficient.”
“Insufficient?”
“Yes. I believe the Kim So-hee character lacks key important elements—enough to ruin the work.”
The moment Sua spat out all the clues she had gathered through the special attribute, the surrounding atmosphere grew quietly tumultuous. The production team members made shocked expressions and started whispering among themselves.
Kim I-seo was sweating profusely, her eyes darting nervously. She was worried about what would happen if this situation ended poorly.
Then,
“So, the protagonist of my work is indeed inadequate.”
Director Ko Tae-min spoke those words.
He said it with such force that Sua gripped her knees tightly. She was scared. Had she been too forthright? Should she have expressed it more tactfully? Such worries surged.
However,
“…Sua’s insight is indeed different.”
Ko Tae-min smiled broadly and said that.
“Honestly, I was wondering if such a thing was really possible, but now that I’ve seen it with my own eyes, I can’t deny it anymore.”
“Yes.”
“You’re absolutely correct, Sua.”
Saying this, Ko Tae-min handed over a new script to Sua. It was much thicker than the one she had originally received.
“Take a look at this now, Sua. This is the real one. And….”
Ko Tae-min turned his head towards the production team. Their faces were full of shock.
“Did you guys see that? Now, get out!”
.
.
.
.
.
Conference room.
The production PD, Kim I-seo, and Ko Tae-min remained, a total of three people.
Kim I-seo was the first to tilt her head.
“What exactly just happened…?”
“Just as I said before, Sua hit the nail on the head.”
“Was there truly an issue with the Kim So-hee role?”
“Not so much an issue, but there was an emptiness.”
Ko Tae-min continued speaking.
“The reason So-hee is a piano prodigy is because she suffers from Savant syndrome. She carries the burden of autism.”
“Ah…?”
“But in the script we sent Mystic, that element was missing. She was depicted as just a perfect piano prodigy, and Sua pointed that out clearly.”
Ko Tae-min still seemed astonished, stroking his chin.
“It’s amazing. I’m truly impressed.”
He seemed to have a lot more to say.
“There’s so much to commend, but first, her attitude was different.”
“Attitude?”
“I figured someone like me couldn’t be ignored, yet Sua completely ignored me. There was no attempt to impress me, no sign of second-guessing. She was solely focused on the script.”
“Well, that’s just her personality. I’ve seen a lot of it.”
“That type of attitude might also be a gift from heaven. Or maybe it’s due to her overseas influence? People who come from abroad often don’t read the room as much.”
By that point, Kim I-seo had gathered her thoughts.
“First, thank you for praising Mystic’s actor. But….”
Kim I-seo’s expression became very serious.
“Could I ask why you conducted that test? You could have given us the completed script from the start.”
“Well,”
Ko Tae-min smiled faintly.
“A lot of people were curious.”
“Curious?”
“The curiosity was whether Sua turned down director Kim Jun-ki just out of luck. But thanks to the situation just now, it’s become clear. Luck wasn’t the only factor.”
Did Sua turn down director Kim Jun-ki simply out of luck?
Or did she possess some kind of prescient foresight?
This was a slightly pricking question for Kim I-seo too, because she, too, had certain curiosities about that part.
But now that she thought about it, director Ko Tae-min was right.
Now it was even clearer. Sua wasn’t someone who relied only on luck and had accurately identified the key elements of the script.
However, misunderstanding Kim I-seo’s silence, director Ko Tae-min added a few words.
“Don’t misunderstand. I wasn’t doubting Sua. I was fully on board with her right from the start, and this was ultimately also for Sua’s benefit.”
“Did this test help Sua?”
“Of course.”
Director Ko Tae-min nodded.
“Just because I want to cast a rookie, it doesn’t mean it’ll immediately become reality. Film is a collaborative medium. Even the production team right in front of us exists.”
“That’s true.”
“Therefore, even if I’m interested in Sua, it’s not entirely smooth. People from the production team who haven’t visited the 808 special operations set, or among the personnel, there was a lot of opposition.”
Kim I-seo quietly nodded.
Indeed, that was inevitable.
Since the Special Mobile Unit 808 hadn’t aired yet, for some, Sua was still just a rookie—and an incomplete counterpart for someone like Ko Tae-min. They might think she lacks in stature.
“Sua might have reasons to oppose if she hasn’t been seen yet.”
“Yes. I like using rookies, but most people don’t. They believe you need to mix in top actors to get good results. There’s practical sense in that statement too.”
Ko Tae-min shrugged his shoulders.
“Even worse, the Kim So-hee role already caught the eye of another top actor. They question why we need to use a rookie when a top actor would suffice.”
“Top actor? Can I ask who?”
“Ham Ah-yoon.”
“Ham Ah-yoon!”
Kim I-seo reacted intensely. It was understandable. Ham Ah-yoon was considered almost on the same level as Seo Yeon-joo.
“But,”
Ko Tae-min continued gently.
“Now that everyone has seen Sua’s foresight clearly, it’s given more weight to my opinion. It’s like a staircase has been built for the rookie Sua to join my project.”
“Ah…”
Kim I-seo subtly marveled.
The master is certainly different.
He clearly wanted to cast Sua in this work and arranged this meeting for that very purpose. This was understood now.
It was a story that Kim I-seo couldn’t help but be happy about.
If director Ko Tae-min hadn’t created such an opportunity, the task of persuading those who viewed Sua harshly would have solely fallen on Kim I-seo’s shoulders. In a way, this took a tremendous burden off her shoulders.
Ko Tae-min opened his mouth again.
“So, let’s move to the casting now.”
“Casting…?”
“Yes. Casting. I’ll persuade the production team, and Representative Kim can persuade Sua. That would be perfect.”
Ko Tae-min’s deep-set eyes lit up.
“I would love for Sua to take on the Kim So-hee role.”
