Script Reading (2)
『Hey! Kim Sky, is that any way to speak to your mother?』
『Who are you to call your unnie by her name like that? Are you crazy?』
『Yeah, I'm crazy! Yell at Mom again, and I'll rip out every hair on your head, unnie or not!』
Yoo-Jin's trembling voice was filled with vivid resentment and anger. Her authentic delivery of emotions sent chills down my spine. Expressing a character's feelings through just a few lines is no easy task, yet Yoo-Jin did it effortlessly from her seat.
At that moment, all eyes in the script reading room turned toward Yoo-Jin. It was just a script reading, but Yoo-Jin was so immersed in her performance as if it were the actual shoot.
As Yoo-Jin matched Ju Yung-In's powerful acting, Ju Yung-In's brows furrowed more and more. She tried to dominate the entire room with her powerful performance but did not expect Yoo-Jin to match her performance.
Ju Yung-In started her lines again with a strong tone.
『Don't meddle in my affairs and mind your own business! I saw your grades and they were pathetic. So what makes you think you can butt in, Ms. Know-it-all?』
『And what about you, unnie? Is doing well academically all that matters? Have you ever used that smart brain of yours to think? Do you even realize how hard Mom struggles to pay for your college tuition?』
As with any sibling rivalry, the exchange between Yoo-Jin and Ju Yung-In's lines was sharp and intense. If they had been seated closer, they might have even been at each other's throats. Everyone in the script reading room watched the intense acting duel between the two with bated breath, as if witnessing a tightrope walk over a cliff, and gulped.
After about three minutes of intense performance, surprisingly, it was Ju Yung-In who first began to falter in her lines.
『Tha-that's... wait, let me start again. I got my lines mixed up.』
Ju Yung-In stumbled over her words, forgetting her next line. This marked the end of the exhilarating showdown. Ju Yung-In fiercely glanced at Yoo-Jin for a moment before reopening her script reluctantly.
The tension that had tightly wound the script reading session finally unraveled. At that moment, Jung Sam-Ryong decided to give the actors a break. "Phew, it's getting too heated for the first day. Let's take a short break. Anyone who needs the washroom, feel free to go now."
Jung Sam-Ryong deliberately stood up and made some noise with his chair. Only then did every staff let out a sigh of relief. "
"I feel suffocated just watching them."
"Why are they putting so much effort into script reading? They are making other actors feel bad for not memorizing the script."
"Yikes. Is this a script reading or an actual shoot?"
"Camera crew, please stay back after the session. We need to redo the plan for the camera route and setting!"
As the tension in the room loosened, the actors relaxed a bit and looked relieved. Yoo-Jin also belatedly reopened her script and checked her lines.
A thrill ran through me when I witnessed Yoo-Jin's potential, clearly on par with Ju Yung-In's—and I wasn't the only one who had witnessed this.
***
Kang Soo-Hoon, clearly pleased with the heated atmosphere, made an announcement with a flushed face.
"Great job, everyone! That's all for today. The next script reading is on the 22nd. See you next week."
Despite the script reading lasting for two hours straight, time seemed to fly by due to the tense atmosphere.
Clap clap clap!
The staff's applause filled the room.
"Thank you for your hard work, everyone."
"Wow, time flew by! Just reading the script felt more entertaining than an actual drama."
"Are we heading towards a 30% viewership rating with this, or what?"
"Oh my goodness. It was so intense, I couldn't even breathe."
Jung Sam-Ryong called the main directing team over and praised them for the excellent start. Meanwhile, the actors began mingling with one another.
"Miss Yung-In. Let's take it easy, will you? My heart was pounding in fear of making a mistake."
"I'm sorry. I just got carried away because I know how good you are, sunbae-nim.."
"Haha, is that so? And here I thought you were challenging me."
"Me? Challenge you? Never..."
After the script reading session ended, Ju Yung-In went around bowing her head to the sunbae actors to praise them. She approached Jung Beon-Gyu and Lee Sa-Rang, who played the role of her parents, saying that she fell in love with their acting. Her social skills were just as impressive as her acting, though they were strictly reserved for those who could benefit her.
In contrast, the actors and staff approached Yoo-Jin first, thanks to the impact of her strong performance against Ju Yung-In.
"Miss Yoo-Jin, that was impressive!"
"Did you actually memorize the whole script?"
"Such an attitude is needed in a rookie. Bravo!"
"Take it easy. What are we supposed to do if you don't look at the script?"
Yoo-Jin quickly reverted to her cheerful self after the performance. Her transition from role to reality was astonishingly quick. Even seasoned actors struggled with this, but Yoo-Jin, a mere rookie, handled it effortlessly.
I recalled veteran actress Choi Soo-Hee, known to be the best actress in South Korea, mentioning how difficult it is to return to herself after immersing in the role.
This made me wonder if we had yet to see the full extent of Yoo-Jin's talent even in my past life. I couldn't help but tremble at the thought that I had caught a glimpse of the potential of actress Jung Yoo-Jin.
"I'm sorry, sunbae-nim! I'll make sure to read the script next time!"
When Yoo-Jin humbly apologized, everyone responded warmly.
"Hey, Are you teasing me right now because I didn't memorize the script?"
"N-no, not at all!"
"Haha, I'm just kidding. Do as you wish, with or without script."
"Don't worry about Choi sunbae. She always jokes around like this anyway. Let's do well together, okay?"
"Yes, sunbae-nim!"
The mood was heartwarming. However, it wasn't time to relax yet. Knowing the drama's success, I was also aware of the male actors' notorious reputations for womanizing.
Not surprisingly, one of them approached Yoo-Jin.
"Miss Yoo-Jin, not only is your acting great but your voice is really nice too. I've always envied people with good voices."