CHAPTER 135

On Set (1)

It has been three days since the crank-in of Blue Sky.

Today marked the start of filming episode two, featuring Yoo-Jin's first appearance. As I waited for Yoo-Jin while she was getting her makeup touched up by the stylist, I checked out the entertainment news articles that were filling the web.

[Blue Sky Begins Filming!]

[The Fearless Rookie Writer Kim Soll-Ip of Blue Sky Aims to Surpass Her Mentor, Writer Lee Ji-Yeon.]

[The Heroine of The Human Stories, Jung Yoo-Jin. Will She Be the Heroine in Blue Sky Too?]

[Jung Yoo-Jin, Overcoming Pain with a Bright Smile. Pledges to Repay the Excessive Love from Viewers with Good Acting.]

Most articles were favorable towards Blue Sky and Yoo-Jin. But as expected, Jang Moon-Ki had a different style.

[Shocking! Jung Yoo-Jin: "Miso, actually..."]

[Exclusive. Jung Yoo-Jin. The Person She Loves the Most is...]

[Sensational Report. Jung Yoo-Jin. The Secret Location of her Mole...]

[Ranked No.1 for Best School Uniform Looks Among Korean Actresses!!]

Jang Moon-Ki had mastered the art of creating attention-grabbing headlines to draw the netizens' interest. Thanks to him, Yoo-Jin was currently topping the live search rankings. Fortunately, most comments on the articles were criticizing Jang Moon-Ki, not Yoo-Jin.

(Comments)

-Wow, Reporter Jang Moon-Ki, you've really outdone yourself. A master of clickbait.

-A real fisherman of people.

-Jung Yoo-Jin's favorite person being Miso is an article? I got hooked by the title but there's nothing interesting here.

-Miso, actually... your mom is an actress? Are you kidding me?

-I agree that she looks best in school uniforms.

-A mole on the sole of her foot is a secret? Really?

-Another big catch. Today's fishing is a hit. Flap flap.

-Lol. What was he thinking with these titles?

"Jang Moon-Ki. Just as I had expected, you're the best at clickbait titles."

Admiring Jang Moon-Ki's clickbait prowess, I turned my attention back to the filming location.

The child actors who filled the set yesterday were all gone and cannot be used as an excuse for the viewership ratings for the upcoming broadcasts.

Kang Soo-Hoon fiddled with his dry lips with a nervous expression."Miss Yung-In, I'm counting on you."

"Yes, Mr. Kang. I'll do my best."

After Kang Soo-Hoon checked the readiness of the production staff, he grabbed the megaphone. "Alright, then. Scene thirteen. Ready~ Action!"

Ju Yung-In, dressed in a school uniform and carrying a bag, started acting. She played the role of Kim Sky, the eldest daughter at Sky Pork Ribs who had a unique taste of never eating meat despite her family running a barbecue restaurant. She was a bit selfish but intelligent and was recognized for her academic prowess.

When the shoot began, Ju Yung-In transformed into Kim Sky, full of the unique angsty characteristic of a high school girl. As Ju Yung-In continued her performance, the staff's faces started showing signs of amazement.

And when Lee Sa-Rang joined in the acting, their astonishment turned into admiration.

The renowned actress Lee Sa-Rang was recently known for playing mother and mother-in-law roles, but in her youth, she was a popular main lead just like Ju Yung-In. Famous for her bold ad-libs that never disrupted the main narrative, she was considered a genius actress.

As Lee Sa-Rang performed the mother's role with her solid acting foundation from her child actress years, sighs of relief were heard around the set.

Kang Soo-Hoon grabbed the megaphone with a thrilled look on his face. "Cut! Miss Yung-In, Mrs. Sa-Rang. Great work, both of you."

As the first scene with only adult actors wrapped up, a loud round of applause echoed among the staff.

Despite Ju Yung-In's personality, her acting was beyond reproach.

I called Yoo-Jin who was engrossed in reading her script while sitting on the standby chair. "Yoo-Jin, it's almost your turn. Get ready."

Yoo-Jin, dressed in a school uniform, merely nodded without taking her eyes off the script. "Just a moment. I'm a bit nervous."

"Just do as usual. And it's okay even if it doesn't go well. I'll find you a better role if needed."

Yoo-Jin playfully responded to my lighthearted joke. "Ah, really. If I fail, will it be your fault?"

"Yeah, yeah."

However, I didn't really think she would fail. We did a fist bump for encouragement.

Then, Yoo-Jin asked again, "But don't you think you're trusting me too much?"

"A talent agent should definitely trust their actress."

"This time, I'm truly moved. Watch me, I'll do my best."

That was when it happened.

"Miss Jung Yoo-Jin, please get ready!"

Yoo-Jin stood up when Assistant Director Yang Soon-Ho called her over.

"You got this. I'm rooting for you!"

Yoo-Jin's performance was in no way inferior to Ju Yung-In's. Her character, Twilight, the second daughter, was clumsy and flawed but loved by everyone for her cheerful nature and helpfulness at home. Her only grievance in life was that her parents' attention seemed solely focused on her older sister, Sky.

As Yoo-Jin's performance, mixed with laughter and tears, unfolded, the staff's expressions brightened even more. Her acting skills were clearly on par with Ju Yung-In's.

"Cut~ Okay! Miss Yoo-Jin, please keep it up like this. Okay?"

"Thank you!"

The cinematographer, Lee Seong-Hwan, especially praised the way Yoo-Jin appeared on camera.

"Her young age really suits the high school student role. Her expressions are different from the other actors. How many years has it been since you graduated?"

"It's been four years."

Lee Sung-Hwan was surprised. "What? It's been that long?"

"Haha. Thank you for thinking I look young."

Lee Seong-Hwan chuckled, saying Yoo-Jin's acting reminded him of his own daughter.

"Does your daughter give you a hard time too? Like me?"

Yoo-Jin's playful comment made Lee Seong-Hwan sigh deeply before fiddling with his camera. "My daughter... she's a good kid."

His joke made all the staff burst into laughter.

After the shoot, Yoo-Jin continued to engage in a friendly chat with the staff. Watching Yoo-Jin blend in effortlessly with everyone around her, Ju Yung-In frowned once more perhaps because she felt a tinge of jealousy.

'Don't blame others. It's your personality that's the issue.'

Yoo-Jin let out a deep sigh when she came back to her chair.

"Sigh, as expected. I still feel like I'm not getting the hang of it."

'What? If that's her level when she thinks she's not getting the hang of it, how much better could she possibly get?'

"From my perspective, you did very well."

"That's because you're on my side, oppa. It's different in reality, you know?"

It seemed beyond my ability to judge. But I knew I could still help with some things. Just as important as managing her filmography was giving her mental support.

"Don't worry too much. You did great. And for the next scene with Mrs. Lee Sa-Rang, just think of it as a learning experience. Relax your shoulders."

Just then, Assistant Director Jung Mi-Sun hurried over.

"Miss Yoo-Jin, quickly change your outfit and get ready for the next scene please."

"Okay! Let's go!"

I followed Yoo-Jin with a blanket as she went to get changed. Exiting the changing room, Yoo-Jin transformed into a part-timer at Sky Pork Ribs.

Because the scene involved grilling pork ribs using charcoal, smoky air filled the set.

"Be careful when changing the charcoal, Mr. Beom-Gyu. You might get burned if it breaks."

"Don't worry. I've been handling charcoal since I was a kid. It's been a while. This is kind of nostalgic."