chapter 14
14. Can I show you right away?
The title written in the script is ‘Pygmalion reverse effect’
Although it is based on a webtoon, contents such as ‘Pygmalion reverse effect virtual casting’ and ‘Pygmalion reverse effect synchro rate actor’ spread like memes like a trend on the Internet, and the drama finally expanded.
Recently, various drama works based on webtoons were broadcast on TVM, JTBQ, OCM, etc., causing a new box office sensation.
The reason why dramas based on webtoons have recently been in the limelight is that the box office has been verified to some extent through webtoons. It was easy to draw.
When it comes to dramatization of a webtoon, it is common for an adaptation writer or script writer to reconstruct it into a drama script based on the original work.
However, ‘Pygmalion Adverse Effects’ is a little peculiar, the original author, Park Jung-ah, signed a contract with the production company, Pick Ocean, to write the script for the drama.
In the first place, writer Park Jung-ah majored in creative writing, and had a strong desire to dramatize ‘Pygmalion’s reverse effect’, which could be called her masterpiece, by maximizing the feeling of the original.
Even when I signed a contract with Pick Ocean, I followed the PD’s opinion as much as possible regarding directing, but the contract stipulated that I should have the right to decide on character casting first.
The Pick Ocean side also decided to respect the opinion of writer Park Jung-ah regarding that part, and the contract went smoothly afterwards.
That’s how Park Jung-ah started casting the main characters of ‘Pygmalion’.
Although he is a popular webtoon writer, he was a rookie with no recognition as a drama writer, and the production cost was not high, and the broadcasting station was on the comprehensive TVM side, so casting actors with so-called high ransoms was unreasonable.
Therefore, it was the best situation to cast actors who came from idols with recognition, but whose acting was verified but did not have recognition.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that his own work, ‘Pygmalion Adverse Effects’, is actually a drama in which the male and female protagonists lead each other.
Of course, the supporting actors also play the role of licorice and invigorate the drama, but in the end, the success or failure of the drama was the male lead Si-chang and the female lead Na-yeon.
Writer Park Jung-ah had someone in mind beforehand for the role of Nayeon.
It was Jeong Seol-ah, the leader of the female idol group ‘Jasper’.
The first time Park Jung-ah saw Jung Seol-ah was really coincidental.
There was a time when I was invited to the Pohang Webtoon Festival to give a lecture and a fan signing event, and it was Jasper who came as a singer for the celebration.
There, when he first saw Jeong Seol-ah, he was surprised to think that Na-yeon, the female lead of the webtoon ‘Pygrimalion Reverse Effect’ she was drawing, had just jumped out of the picture. There was even a time when I joked about it to my acquaintances.
“I’m a heroine, but what do you do with Namju … Ah, no one doesn’t come to mind. What kind of actor would have done something like sculpture…”
In fact, it was difficult for Park Jung-ah to find an actor with the conditions she wanted, and she thinks that one of the most important points of this drama is the scene where the male lead sculpts himself.
Park Jung-ah did not like that this important scene went through the double. How thrilled it was to see the long take of the male lead actually missing the female lead and engrossed in the sculpture without even realizing that his white shirt was wet with sweat.
In fact, it was also a killing point that could captivate women’s hearts in this drama.
However, even though there are countless male actors across the country, how many of them are capable of sculpting at a high level?
“Should I just select an actor who fits my image and train them for a month or two… I don’t know. How much will it grow in a month or two!!!! Oh I don’t know I should watch variety shows.”
Tired of worrying about casting the male lead all day, Park Jung-ah turned on Byeoldabang Star, which she usually watched often, to cool her head.
“Listen to the treasure special? Who is it?”
While watching the three actors who came out to promote the movie ‘In the Name of the Devil’, Park Jung-ah saw Kyu-ha making a piece and spit out the apple she was eating and shouted.
“Uh… Eureka!!!! found!”
***
That’s how Kyu-ha, team leader Han Jeong-hee, producer Jeong Yeon-hee from Pick Ocean, and writer Park Jung-ah gathered for a casting meeting.
“Hello, this is Stellar Entertainment’s team leader Han Jeong-hee.”
“hello. I am actor Song Kyu-ha.”
“hello! My name is Jeong Yeon-hee, PD who was in charge of producing at Pick Ocean.”
“Nice to meet you. I am a writer Park Jeong-ah.”
After a brief statement to each other, author Park Jung-ah went straight to the main point.
“As I briefly said over the phone, I would like to cast actor Song Kyu-ha for the role of Sichang in the drama ‘Pygmalion’s reverse effect’. Personally, I think it suits you very well.”
“First of all, I would like to thank you for your interest in our actor Song Kyu-ha. I also read the script sent in advance with actor Song Kyu-ha, and we were reviewing it positively because the content was interesting and the characters were good.”
In fact, the atmosphere of the meeting flowed amicably, and when the casting was almost confirmed, writer Park Jeong-ah took something out of her bag and put it on the desk.
“Writer, is this…?”
“In fact, the biggest reason I decided to cast Kyu-ha was the way she was sculpting at Star Dabang Star. The most important scene in our work is also the scene where the man longs for the female lead and puts all his energy into carving it. As a result, an actor’s sculpting skills are important.”
Park Jung-ah turned her head to Kyu-ha and continued the conversation.
“Of course, the skills she showed at Byeoldabang Star are enough, but I wanted to see Kyu-ha’s sculpting skills with my own eyes, so I prepared this without any rudeness.”
“No matter how much writers ask for things that weren’t even talked about beforehand…”
Team leader Han Jeong-hee expressed disapproval, but Gyu-ha smiled lightly and held up the carving knife and eraser without any agitation.
“Can I show you right away?”
***
donatello
He is regarded as one of the most representative sculptors of the Renaissance era, and was also a person whom Kyu-ha shared his life through dreams.
Born in Florence, Italy, the birthplace of the Renaissance, Donatello was a master who inspired many sculptors including Michelangelo.
Since childhood, Donatello worked in a workshop and sculpted decorations for the cathedral, but because he was so poor, he used his sculpting skills on the streets to earn pocket money by selling sculptures.
To Kyuha, who lived the life of Donatello, this level of sculpture was not even a matter of fact.
“Let’s do it a little better this time.”
The sculptures shown in Byeoldabang Star were set at the level of when he grabbed a carving knife in the early days of Donatello, and this time, as it was an important position in determining his next work, he decided to take the sculpture a little seriously.
“Then let’s begin.”
Gyu-ha thought about what to engrave for a while, and then held up the carving knife with sparkling eyes as if he had decided.
“No, what speed…”
square square
Every time Kyu-ha’s hand moved, pieces of the eraser fell off, and the rectangular eraser quickly began to change into a certain shape.
Kyuha’s sword skills were swift, concise, and sophisticated.
In less than 10 minutes, the eraser in his hand was quickly created as a work of art.
“Wow…”
Team leader Han Jeong-hee also looked at Kyu-ha with surprised eyes, as if he hadn’t expected Kyu-ha to have this level of skill.
The sculpture completed by Gyuha was the first smiling face of Nayeon, the female lead, in the male lead Sichang, which is considered one of the most famous scenes in the ‘Pygmalion reverse effect’ webtoon.
Park Jung-ah was surprised and moved by her sculpting skills beyond her expectations.
“Wow… this is really… beyond my expectations? Please take good care of the role of Sichang in the future. Mr. Kyuha.”
“Yes. I will do my best to play the role of Sichang.”
That’s how Kyu-ha’s casting was confirmed on the spot, and a few days later, an internet article confirming the casting of ‘Pygmalion’s reverse effect’ was reported.
***
Jesper debuted as a 4-member female idol group around the time when girl groups were pouring in, enough to be called the Spring and Autumn Age of Warring States.
If the trend of girl groups at the time was a cute and lovely image, Jasper threw a win with maturity and singing ability.
However, with the release of the regular 1st album, they tried to raise awareness by appearing on various music shows, but the 1st album activities ended with lower grades than expected.
The agency poured all of the company’s resources into Jasper with the feeling that this was the last time, and fortunately, the second album received a good response, raising awareness by appearing on various music and entertainment programs.
However, as the ambitious third album failed, the company fell into trouble again, and in the current situation where younger and prettier girl groups are pouring out, all the members felt that their lifespan as idols was about to end.
Seol-ah, Ji-yu, Yun-hyang, and Ryo-sa, members of Jasper, had a serious conversation about their careers, and it was said that each of them would advance into the field they wanted to pursue.
Seolah, the leader, has been acting in places such as music videos and web dramas, appealing her desire for acting from the beginning of her debut to the company.
Then, in an instant, Jeong Seol-ah was overjoyed when she heard the news that she was being cast for a drama from her agency.
Afterwards, after meeting with writer Park Jeong-ah, casting for the role of Na-yeon was confirmed.
Jeong Seol-ah was thrilled to be the lead actor in the drama ‘Pygmalion’s reverse effect.
It was because it was his first lead role and the original webtoon was also a work he enjoyed.
All of this was like a dream, and in order not to miss this opportunity, Jeong Seol-ah devoted herself to practicing by reading the script several times a day.
At that time, Jiyu, the youngest, came to Jeong Seol-ah in a hurry with her cell phone.
“Did you see my sister’s article? The role of her sister has been decided!!”
“What? who···. who?”
“I’m also the first person to see it… Song Kyu-Ha is a movie star.”
Jeong Seol-ah immediately looked for information about Song Kyu-ha on the Internet, and also looked for videos of him appearing in two works, ‘Blood Palace’ and ‘In the Name of the Devil’, and even a video of him appearing in Byeoldabang Star.
“ah! It’s him! But you only played extremely scary roles..? It seems like a completely different character from Sichang, but does it fit well..? ah! I don’t know. You’ll see! Let’s do mine well.”
Jeong Seol-ah turned her attention to the script again and started practicing for the script reading in two weeks.
***
love song
Mid-gyeol pondered all day on what lyrics to put on the sheet music for the love song that Kyu-ha had given him.
The overall melody of the love song is so melancholy and full of longing for someone, so I had to write the lyrics according to the atmosphere, but if I put in the lyrics that were too standard and stereotyped, it could be unfashionable.
However, if you add too trendy lyrics, it gives an unbalanced feeling to the song, so it was not common to write lyrics with a feeling somewhere in the middle.
“Ha… It’s really difficult… The song is really good, but the lyrics just don’t come out… Should I do it out of longing for my ex-lover… Longing for my family…? Desperate for unrequited love..? I don’t know!!”
Midgeoreum sat down at the table of her agency’s practice room, messed up her hair, then frowned again and glared at the white paper while holding a pen, but nothing came out.
The youngest Choi Seon-ah, who was watching such a midwinter, tilted her head and said.
“Does it have to be longing for a specific person, sister? When you hear it, it could be a family member, a lover, or someone you have a crush on, isn’t it?”
flash
At the words of Choi Seon-ah, Midgeoreum looked blankly into the air, then cheered and embraced the youngest, Choi Seon-ah.
“Aww!! yes right! You don’t have to be specific! Target doesn’t matter! You’re a genius, Sunah~~! side by side.”
“Ugh, why are you doing this so grossly~~!! I want to go.”
Soon after, Choi Seon-ah left the practice room, and in the practice room, which became quiet again, only the sound of a pen rustling in the middle of winter lingered.