Chapter 185
I Will Live as an Actor Episode 185,
a month ago.
“It’s love… … .”
Min Soo-jin, writer of the drama ‘The Mermaid Prince’, scratched her hair.
Her appearance was no different from that of a homeless person, and the room where she wrote was also the same.
Leftover delivery food is piled up here and there like a mountain, and empty bottles of caffeinated beverages are lined up in rows on the table.
“Eunyoung, what on earth do you think love is?”
Min Soo-jin asked Choi Eun-young, an assistant writer who helps her with her writing.
“Well, are you going to stick with black hair until it turns into a root?”
“No, not those cliche comments. Let’s not say no. “What kind of answer am I going to get from you, who has lived alone all your life?”
“This is real!”
Assistant writer Choi Eun-young also looked no different from Min Su-jin. She was Min Su-jin’s long-time colleague. They were so-called ‘alonggigi’ who worked together as writers at SBC’s entertainment department and worked together until they left the company.
The reason why Min Su-jin was so worried was simple.
“The story line is complete, but I can’t think of any amazing lines.”
I was in the middle of writing the last episode. The storyline, or framework, was complete, but I couldn’t think of any flesh to fill the framework.
I was already deleting the lines and rewriting them several times.
“It’s not a resignation, it’s that if we keep doing this, we’ll break down. It’s going to break down. How many times have you been fixing it? It’s not even a writing machine. But is the Little Mermaid Prince really popular?”
“You saw the ratings, right?”
“Yes, I know because the broadcasting station notifies me every time, but I have to feel it with my own skin. Sujin, think about it. Since I came in as your assistant writer, I can count on one hand the number of times I have left this room. You definitely said something when you brought me here. You said you would work 5 days a week! But what is this? It’s Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Friday, Friday. “I can’t even remember the last time I went to my house!”
Min Su-jin cleared her throat. This is because he did not know why Choi Eun-young was so angry.
That’s because since ‘The Little Mermaid’ began airing, the number of times the two have left the writing room can be counted on one’s fingers. How awesome would it be to send the script by fax or quick mail?
“Why wouldn’t I want to let you go! Look, I got a call from PD Kim again. “Give me the script for the last episode!”
Min Su-jin raised the phone and shouted. Everything was at an all stop ahead of the final episode filming. Since it was impossible to film without a script, it was only natural for the producer to criticize the film.
“Ugh-!”
Min Su-jin sighed deeply and covered her oily face with her long fingers.
Not only did the viewership rating for the first episode exceed 20%, but the viewership ratings continued to soar as each episode continued.
This may be the first time in the history of Korean dramas that a writer from the entertainment department transformed into a writer from the drama department and achieved this level of success as a debut work. but.
‘It’s heavy.’
As expectations grew, the responsibility weighing on my shoulders also became heavier. It was then.
“Anyway, there are quite a few recorded episodes left for the main broadcast, so there is plenty of time. How about going on a trip at least once to clear your head? Or you can ask Jang Young-guk as well, since he is the main character, you know how he feels, right?”
“what?”
“Let’s go on a trip.”
“no! “Not that, behind!”
“What do you want me to ask Mr. Jang Young-guk? Hey, that’s what I said because you were so confused.”
Choi Eun-young waved her hand because it was just something she had said, but the three letters of the name Jang Yeong-guk were already engraved in Min Su-jin’s mind. She stood up, covering her messy hair with a hat.
“Hey, where are you going!”
“leading!”
Choi Eun-young muttered to herself as she saw Min Su-jin leaving the writing room immediately after finishing speaking.
“Are you going alone?”
* * *
Yeongdo, Busan.
There was tension in the air at the filming site, which had a clear view of the silvery waves of South Port. Because it was the last scene to be filmed.
At the filming site, not only the existing filming team staff but also writer Min Su-jin were present.
“Scene number 60, The Little Mermaid Prince’s Love!”
With the sound of a slate being struck, everyone’s attention was focused on the filming site.
The filming location was the cliff where England jumped off to save Yeonsu. The old pine trees were dancing and swaying in the sea breeze.
“Father, I cannot save you.”
Lee Su (UK) stood at the edge of the cliff and looked down at the sea.
Deep in the sea, where silver waves roll, there must be the Dragon Palace where you were born and raised.
It was Isu who went to the land under orders from his father, who was the Dragon King.
-Why can’t I get it?
It felt like my father’s voice was piercing my ears through the sea breeze. Lee Soo looked at the sea and chanted.
“This is the woman I love.”
In Lee Soo’s mind, the days he spent with Han Myo-jeong were flashing by. From my first meeting with her, to the extraordinary things I experienced while living on land, to her smile and warm kiss.
“How could I kill the woman I love with my own hands?”
-You mean you couldn’t even do that for your father? You are a sea person and that child is a land person. Something that can never be achieved.
“Even if it is a love that cannot come true, if it remains in my memory forever, I will be satisfied with that.”
-Even if you give up the child, you can send someone else to catch the child.
The waves pound the cliffs fiercely, as if expressing the Dragon King’s anger. Lee Soo elaborated as he looked at the white foam scattering.
“My father said so. Our clan has mysterious abilities that others cannot. I heard that those who are given the protection of mermaids in exchange for their lives can live their whole lives safely.”
-Are you sure you’re willing to throw your life away for just one person from the mainland? Aren’t you embarrassed as the prince of the mermaid clan?
The waves hit the cliff more fiercely. The old pine trees dance once again in the sea breeze.
Only one person comes to mind in Lee Soo’s mind. The woman who taught the word love to herself, who was born and raised in the Dragon Palace deep under the sea for her entire life.
“father.”
Lee Soo elaborated as he looked down the deep cliff.
“I want to spend this life for her. I loved her until the day I died and I will never forget her. “What shame would there be in giving up one’s life for love?”
A mermaid dies after only looking at one woman throughout her life.
“I have no regrets.”
The mermaid prince takes his own life. He spits out his last words with blood running down the corner of his mouth.
“For her, I could die a hundred times, a thousand times…”
A seagull crossing the sky was looking down at the Mermaid Prince, who was collapsing on his own at the edge of the cliff. Only mournful cries seem to sing for him.
Time passes and seasons change.
The warm summer isn’t that long. From the season filled with bleakness to the endlessly cold winter.
It is correct to say that the past time passes in the blink of an eye, as if it were a lie. It seemed like Han Myo-jeong (Yeonsu) had a dream of a midsummer day.
Han Myo-jeong stood at the edge of the cliff where Isu disappeared and looked down at the sea. Nosong, who watched everything from one place, sobs for her.
“complete.”
There was a tomb waiting for him at the appointed location. But it doesn’t appear. Even if countless times pass, even if time passes.
At that moment, the sea breeze blows by her bedside. With a warmth as warm as his lips.
* * *
“Mr. England’s last line.”
Writer Min Su-jin elaborated while sipping a glass of soju.
“It was very good. When I actually listened to it, it really caught my eye. The fact that his heart was tickling was a great expression of Lee Soo. But what I’m curious about is, can you die a hundred times, a thousand times, for the person you really love?”
It was a company dinner held together after filming the last episode.
Considering the drama’s viewership ratings, it would not have been strange to rent a hotel buffet, but the place for the dinner was actually an old pot restaurant located in Namhang.
The reason was simple. How many company dinners did you have while filming? I guess I wanted to do the last part at a pot restaurant close to the filming location to feel the afterglow of the drama.
“If it’s someone you love, it’s possible.”
“oh.”
Producer Kim Woo-hyung, who was having a drink next to him, exclaimed in admiration.
In fact, it was true that I was very anxious when I received the final script.
That’s because it’s a sad ending that isn’t often used in dramas these days. Min Su-jin spoke as if she had read his thoughts.
“Actually, when I first thought about the sad ending, I was very worried. I wonder how viewers will receive it. “I’m worried that the broadcasting station will be flooded with complaints after the last episode ends.”
It’s not wrong. In fact, all dramas that had sad endings in the past had to suffer from complaints from viewers.
How could there even be a popular drama that brought back a dead character and extended the broadcast?
“But I had a hunch after watching the filming scene today. I said, ‘Oh, this is fine.’ You intuitively expressed all the longing for love, sadness, regret, and waiting. A promise to love her even if the separation that will come someday. “I really liked it.”
“If Yeonsu had seen the filming scene today, she would have been very excited.”
“Producer Kim, you think so too, right? I was like that too. If Yeonsu had no schedule and had been filming today, I would have immediately fallen in love with Yeongguk. Even when the scandal article came out, I hoped it was true. Because they are such a great pair. Everyone, right?”
It was Min Su-jin who still didn’t know that Yeon-soo and England were meeting. The others just burst out laughing at Min Soo-jin’s question.
Min Soo-jin, who didn’t really understand the meaning, looked at Kim Woo-hyung with a puzzled gaze.
“Why is everyone laughing? Producer Kim, is there something that only I don’t know?”
“Um, that’s… … .”
Kim Woo-hyung showed a troubled expression and glanced at England. After all, they were already a famous couple among the staff, but it was a difficult topic for Kim Woo-hyung to talk about.
England looked at Min Su-jin with a faint smile. Min Soo-jin asked, ‘What is it?’ and assistant writer Choi Eun-young, who was sitting next to her, also looked at England with curious eyes.
“Actually, author Min.”
It was then.
“England!”
A familiar figure runs into the pot house in a huff. It was Lee Bong-chun, a man with such good looks that one could say he was a bear rather than a human.
“brother?”
England looked at Lee Bong-chun with a puzzled gaze.
Now that Lee Bong-chun has also been promoted to director, he doesn’t come to the site often. It was safe to say that he spent most of his time at his agency in Seoul.
It may be strange to come to Busan so suddenly, but Lee Bong-chun’s sweaty expression is unusual.
“Why aren’t you answering the phone? “There’s a big problem in Seoul now!”
“What’s going on? “Take a breather and talk.”
Lee Bong-chun hurriedly wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve and looked around.
As it was a place for a company dinner, there were many other staff members. Lee Bong-chun, conscious of the gaze of those around him, approaches England’s ear and speaks in a low voice.
“This time around the dating rumor, there is even a photo that cannot be removed. “The agency is currently blocking the article.”
Britain thought something was about to explode. Lee Bong-chun was constantly saying something to England in a low voice. In most cases, the answer is that they will try to block the photos somehow and that they are unfounded.
But England shook his head as if he had been waiting and spoke firmly. This was because I had already made an appointment with training.
If dating rumors break out again,
“Please prepare for a press conference.”
He said he would come forward in person.