Won was surprised when the second season was announced for Cram School. He hadn’t been shocked by the audience’s reception of the drama since parents and teenagers could enjoy the drama together, but he had felt the finale was finite. It wasn’t often that he was wrong, but he was feeling optimistic about reprising his role, which was a rarity in the industry. He could improve on what he felt he had lacked, and he was selfishly hoping that the new script would be more inclusive of his character, Daehyun.
He had been casted in a supporting role, but there was an opportunity that his role could be upgraded to a lead role. It meant character development and that was something he was looking forward to. The production team had asked the actors for insight on what their character’s stories would lead after the entrance exam. He didn’t have to think too hard about what he wanted for Daehyun, and he confidently sat down when it was his turn to speak in front of the production team without any notes.
“First, I would like to thank you all for the opportunity to continue Daehyun’s story.” He voices out with a faint smile tugging on the corner of his lips. “He was the first character that I got to shoot for a large audience, and I will always be grateful for how at ease I felt playing him. However, I do believe that after taking the entrance exam, I believe that Daehyun would feel more free to express himself and integrate himself further into the group. He was constantly studying, and worrying about the entrance exam, which many of us have felt when we were in his shoes. But he was second in rank, and he had to prove to himself and to his parents that those years of studying and intense focus hadn’t been wasted.”
“I think Daehyun would be one of those students whose goal was to pass the entrance exam with high marks and eventually get into a SKY university, but not actually know what he would want to do his life after graduating.” He pauses for a bit, playing with the ring on his finger while he contemplates how to word the next section of his presentation. “His parents probably expect him to become a doctor or lawyer, but he probably doesn’t feel passionate about any of those options. It’s a lot of commitment, and the freedom he feels after taking the exam is addictive. He wants to spend time with his classmates, and he wants to take part in everything he has been missing. Perhaps, get a girlfriend or... skip school for a day and go to an arcade.”
“He knows that he has to eventually decide on what his major would be, but for the time being he wants to feel and like a teenager.” He says, meeting the gaze of the production team. “...And whether that would get him in trouble would be up to you, but I think the sudden recklessness would be from the intense pressure he felt to succeed like a dam breaking after a year of torrential rain.”
pondering about it with her chin on her palm, knuckles rapping against the table they were leaning on. she pushed a strand of hair away with a puff of air, sighing. “you’re right.” she said less morosely, letting her hand fall on her lap as she adopted a more laid back position. “i’m comfortable with improvisation when im familiar with the character im playing, though you have a fair point there… trying something different, but not out there, would be both challenging but not risky enough you wouldn’t know the outcome.” she commented after some thought, smiling. “you have a good head on your shoulders, mr. won, that’s hot.” she said offhandedly as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
“anyways- it’s been a while since i played a villain, so i feel adjusting back to that character would be a challenge for me itself.” she said as she twirled a hair lock between her fingers. “i think if you own it, and go with the flow, you’d impress people enough to not allow a space for that to happen.” she shrugged. “-but do what makes you comfortable. in any case, i think i’ve set my mind on that at least. Now…” yue continued as she grabbed a piece of paper and began to scribble. “what will you try exactly? i can help you with an opposite of yours type made up character, and you can help me with mine.” she smiled, eyes twinkling. “sounds good?”
If he hadn’t interacted with her before and gotten to know her more, he would have thought she was flirting with him. He never knew what would come out of her mouth, but he knew that she would have him cracking a smile, or at best, laugh out loud in earnest, which was rare for him. She was quite different than him. He couldn’t imagine being that open, and speak with a lack of filter.
“Does your tongue get you in trouble, Yue?” He teases her, lifting his gaze to meet hers, mirroring her smile onto his lips. “Okay, you’re convincing me the more we speak about this idea. I just need a bit more confidence, and some practice.” He hums softly, dropping his gaze to the paper in front of him. “I was thinking of a character that isn’t likable at first glance. Rough around the edges with an even tougher spirit. Someone misunderstood, and being framed for a crime he didn’t commit, but he doesn’t care to prove his innocence since he knows that he won’t be believed either way. What about you?”
comedy also isn’t miso’s favorite when it comes to acting. thankfully, this sitcom isn’t one that dips too much in the ridicule some others can go. for a comeback on screen, it’s a decent project. suffice to say that she’s more nervous than the day she first stepped on stage for future dreams. the survival show made her realize that being an idol isn’t something she truly wished to do. singing and dancing is fun, but she has no real passion for it. this, however, is her true calling. it took her losing the opportunity to act to realize it.
dongwon drags her out of her thoughts as he speaks and she smiles. “then next time, should we expect to act a first meeting together?” she asks, playful.
the young woman didn’t expect him to ask something more personal, but she doesn’t mind. “hmm… i’m happy.” she replied. that’s the general feeling about it. she nods at his second question. “definitely. maybe you can relate,” after all, everybody knows whose son he is. “but sets back then felt like a playground. even if i was on camera, it felt like playing dress up fancily. if i dare so say myself, thank god i had talent in it, because i didn’t realize how serious it was, or what a career was.” she explains. “otherwise… it does feel smaller.” she ends on a lighter note. “and how about you? how does it feel to sorta… follow in the foosteps of your parents?
“Only if there is a slow-motion camera involved...” He chuckles softly, crossing his arms over his chest while he listened to her speak. For someone as composed as Miso, he had expected a more cryptic response, but he was appreciative that she was willing to have a deeper conversation than the usual pleasantries.
He nodded his head, corner of his lips curling upwards into a wide grin when she brought up sets feeling more like playgrounds than an expensive set. “Even now, I don’t feel like the sets are real. We are still playing dress up, and for me, the magic resurfaces when I step onto and disconnect from the tens of pairs of eyes on me.”
“I probably wouldn’t have acted if my parents were hovering.” He confesses, biting on the inside of his cheek. “We do disagree often about the hold the industry has on them, but I can now understand why acting was special to them especially when they were my age. I’m not sure if I inherited their talents, but I think I share the same drive as them. I’m not looking for fame, but I want to rather live in the moment and enjoy a career that I’m passionate about. However, I could go without people comparing to my father... I want them to see Won, and not Kang Dongyun’s son.”
finding herself a partner was relatively easy after she got to know won during the past times they bumped into each other. obviously, prior to getting to know him a bit more personally, she had been aware of his existence however it would be a lie to say that she hadn’t been even the least surprised when she found out they had more in common than she thought. they were both in the acting path, which facilitated things like this from exposing her awkward demeanor. a lot of people had come and gone, and it was reassuring that someone had stuck as long as she had at this point.
yue smiled to herself as she reminisces this, gathering the papers regarding what their potential characters should have; she scanned it over and over, and could not decide of what to interpret- it went without saying, but she tended to overthink things like these despite it being more of an exercise rather than a serious assignment. it was giving her a headache, yue sighed into her palm. “i’m torn whether i want to play something safe and that i would be more comfortable with, or something i’m not too familiar. I mean- i get that this workshop is meant to test our skills, and not necessarily graded or something along those lines but-”
but she still didn’t want to mess up, she did not complete, biting on her lip. irritated at her own unnecessary feelings, she shrugged it off with a roll of her eyes, “-anyways, i can help you with accents if you’d like, i traveled a lot as a kid, so i’m somewhat familiar with how people from other areas of the world sound like.” she offered, changing the subject. “are you thinking of portraying a foreigner?”
won understood her apprehension of commiting to a specific role, but he wanted to try something out of his comfort zone for the sake of it not being a serious assignment for now. the workshop was for experimentation, and he felt like he didn’t need to excel during the workshop, as much as he had to succeed during the interrogation portion that would be held later on. if he could get proper feedback from professionals to help him construct a believable character in advance, he was going to take advantage of workshop days. besides, his attendance was limited due to his supporting role in the sticom.
“i think finding a balance would be better. the safest option would be expected, but it’s something you can connect to more.” he says with a soft hum, flipping through the profile that the actors were asked to fill out. “the interrogation will probably be more improvisation since we’re unsure of the questions the detective will ask. i don’t know how comfortable you are with improvising, but you will have an easier time with a deeper backstory. you can try to do something that isn’t you, but i wouldn’t stray too far.”
“no, i don’t think that it’s smart to try an accent that i’m not as familiar with. the interrogation is two hours.” he sits up straighter in his seat, turning to glance at her with a faint smile. “can you image if i were to stop using the accent fifteen minutes in? in front of students... no one would let me live that down.”
Coming back into the public eye was a slow process for Jiyeon. Baby steps, her father more aptly put it. She assumed auditioning for a small role in LGC’s newest drama ( or more so, sitcom ) would be yet another step in the right direction.
Her introduction to the set was awkward to say the least, hands immediately ushering her toward wardrobe and then into a makeup chair. She was meant to play a role of a woman who felt similar enough to herself to ease into with minimal effort. Few lines, interaction in a fairly dramatic scene. It would be the perfect introduction to acting for her if she so chose to continue.
She settled into the makeup chair, script in hand. Another actor was already being spruced up beside her. His aura was undeniably familiar. Ah, yes. Kang Dongwon, was it? He certainly had the face of a lead role. Sharp profile and charming looks. Without prompt (and to the dismay of her stylist), she reached over to hold out her hand to him.
“We’re supposed to be in the same friend group in the show. That’s kind of exciting, huh?” She paused, bouncing in her seat. “I’m Jiyeon, by the way.”
For the most part, Won had been enjoying the sitcom far more than he would have imagined. Situational comedy wasn't his favorite genre, but what he enjoyed the most was seeing how his character would develop across various weeks. Scripts would change often for the sake of comedy, and he didn’t know what the writers would have him doing until the finalized script reached his hands.
He hadn’t watched the show so far. He was waiting for the show to wrap up to enjoy the enteriety of the show without having to wait for new episodes. He still had to get used to watching himself on screen without cringing, or critically taking apart his acting because that wasn’t healthy.
His scenes were tied to a female lead character portrayed by Jung Miso, which he had grown to admire after working with her several times now. The rest of the cast that he got to interact with were mainly rookie actors like him who he enjoyed interacting with in scenes.He didn’t know what had changed within him, but he felt freer and less critical of himself, which allowed him to show up on set without the weight of dread on his shoulders.
Currently, he sat in the makeup chair, uncapping and capping the highlighter that had smeared yellow marks against his skin. He had noticed the young woman entering the room, catching a glimpse of the script in her hand in the mirror. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips when she turned to him, stretching out his arm to gently grasp a hold of her hand, lightly shaking it.
“Ah, you’re the Jiyeon in the script!” He releases her hand, resting his arm on the armrest of the chair when he faces her properly after the makeup artist finishes touching up his face. “I’m Won, Dongwon. Our characters have a history. ‘Inseperable’ was used to describe them. Is this your first time acting?”
It didn’t seem like Jiyeon was nervous or anxious, but came off as rather excited about her role. “We should go over our lines together. I—” He lifts his gaze to flash a smile at the stylist whose job was being interrupted by their conversation. “...can wait until you’re done.”
He had shied away from shooting videos on the streaming platform, but the theme was one that he felt he could comfortably do on his own especially since the footage would be edited by the company. He hadn’t cooked until he moved out of his parents’ home and after becoming tired of the food from the university, he had decided to start cooking for himself.
>He preferred simple dishes, and sometimes, he would venture out, but he knew people his age were apprehensive to cook. He could easily find a lot of the recipes online that were for multiple servings. He felt cooking for four servings or more was quite wasteful, and adapting a recipe for a single recipe was an art of its own.
“Hello, everyone!” He greets the camera, leaning down to bow at the imaginary audience on the other side. “Welcome to Won’s Kitchen. Roll up your sleeves and grab your favorite warm drink. Today, we will be using autumn’s favorite food—” He leans forward to grab a fruit from the pile in front of him on the counter, and carefully throws it up in the air, catching the fruit with ease. “—the persimmon!”
“During autumn, we have festivals all over the country that focus on the sweet and tangy fruit.” He places the fruit down on the cutting board in front of him.“The persimmons are as versatile as they come. You can make them into jams, teas, use them in salads, and of course, use them to make desserts. If you want an easy recipe with persimmons, I would suggest freezing them for about two hours and scoop the insides with a spoon. It’s a lazy sorbet recipe that will be easy to clean up. You can add sugar, but it’s really not needed if the persimmons are ripe.”
“Now for a recipe that is a bit more involved but still easy to make at home… We will be making a persimmon tart.” He had baked one before arriving at the company to minimize the time needed for the staff to shoot his video. “You will need about 3-4 persimmons, cold butter cut into smaller cubes, apricot jam, or any type of jam that you enjoy to eat, sugar, and puff pastry. For the puff pastry, you can make one from scratch or buy one from the store. My only piece of advice is to let the puff pastry thaw before using it. Otherwise, it would be quite difficult to use.”
He moves the ingredients aside, placing the persimmons in front of him on the cutting board. “I am going to be halving the fruit and cutting crescent moon shaped piece. Remember to curl in your fingers when cutting and be cautious of how you hold the knife.” He explains, showing the correct method he had learned from a friend. “You’re going to set the fruit aside and then, you’re going to sprinkle flour over the cutting board to roll over the puff pastry until it’s thin enough but don’t go overboard. I’m going to create a barrier for the fruit on all four sides of the pastry by rolling them inwards. You can pretend that you are making a frame for the persimmons.”
He starts layering the persimmons on the inside of the puff pastry, before reaching for the sugar to sprinkle on top of it and evenly placing the butter over the persimmons. “I’m going to be baking them for fifteen to twenty minutes at about 180 degrees celsius.” He places the tray in the oven behind him and closes the door.
“When they’re done, you can heat up your jam and brush it over the persimmons.” He reveals the persimmon tart that he had previously baked, cutting a slice and placing it on a plate. “And here… you have it. It looks impressive but easy to make. You can impress anyone or even your stomach. I usually enjoy it with some tea or some vanilla ice cream will pair well with the tart. Let me know in the comments what your favorite jam is, and I’ll see you next time.”
Comedy wouldn’t have been his first choice to star in, but he was so far enjoying his time filming for the family drama. His role was once again a supporting one. However, he was more attached to his character who was aptly named Dongwon. He had more interactions with the other actors, and he was looking forward to how the scene would fit into the overall episode.
“It feels like we’re working backwards.” Won points out with a soft chuckle when the director calls for a fifteen minute break. “First, we’re acting out a breakup and now our new characters are dating.” He had been sitting down for a tutoring scene for what felt like several hours, and he hadn’t done much while he waited for the scene to start shooting.
“How are you feeling now that you’re back on set regularly?” He asks the younger girl with a faint smile on his lips. He felt like that they could both relate on being on a set. The only difference was that Miso was the one that had been working on them for several years. He had just lazied about and played with his parents’ assistants. “Does it feel different than how you remember when you were younger?”
On the first day of the workshop, Won hadn't arrived on time to grabbed a seat in the front row of the room, and instead, he found himself seated on the outside of the middle row. Perfect for an escape, he jokingly whispered under his breath to Yue. He could still listen to the lecture comfortably, and occasionally avoid making eye contact with the instructor since he didn’t want to be chosen at all to help out with demonstrations.
He had run into his fair share of ‘professionals’ that chose him to humiliate him in front of classes during his college years. He was there to be a student, and he felt that he was in a similar position to the rest of the trainees despite who his parents were. He hadn’t received any preferential treatment, and he didn’t want anyone either. If he was going to become an actor, he was going to do it through his own merit and not his parents’ connections.
He glanced down at the form that was handed out by the instructor before the participants of the workshop were split into various groups. At the end of the workshop, each person would have to create their own character with the information had been taught. So far, the class had only been introduced to the main concepts that the workshop was going to focus on but he was excited to learn how to study a character’s psyche outside of the lines on a script.
“Do you have any ideas of what type of character you want to create?” He asks the younger girl, lifting his gaze from the paper in front of him to meet her gaze. “I’m honestly afraid of accents so I might try to push myself out of my comfort zone.”
the news of the yearly concert being held in paris should’ve been a good one, but jun had been counting the days until they would come back home, and to have that period delayed by almost a week left a bitter taste in his mouth. especially since it meant missing dongwon’s birthday. the only silver lining he saw was that won would soon join them in paris. spending time with him prior to the concert turned out the be more difficult than jun expected with their tight schedule. he hadn’t even had time to give won the gift he had bought for him.
his big brother seems to come out of nowhere after he’s done performing with lgcboys. any other day, he would’ve prostested and sulk at his brother’s public display of attention, but this time he chuckles. “you’re hurting me.” he complains playfully at the tight hug while returning it. he’s all smiles when his feet touch the floor again. “yup!” jun confirms. “finally am taller than you.” he adds proudly. just by one centimeter, but it’s a centimeter. “are you ready for later?” he asks his older brother as he starts for the catering area, needing some water, while gesturing for his brother to following him. hopefully, won doesn’t realize his attempt to avoid talking about his own performance.
“And you won’t stop growing for a few years...” He comments with a faint pout on his lips, stepping out of the way to allow for staff members to push a cart through the tight hallway. He probably could have waited for them to be in a more open area, but he had missed his younger brother to the point that public display of affection had occurred without much thought. He follows behind Jun, grabbing a water bottle displayed on the table when they reach the catering area.
“I wouldn’t say that I’m ready,” He says, lifting the water bottle to his lips to take a sip rather than the swigs he usually did. “...but I am excited to see everyone perform on stage together. I have a feeling that it’s going to be quite moving, and maybe chill-inducing?” He wasn’t musically gifted, but he was in awe of the talent that was already under the company, and some had yet to debut. “What did you do during your free time here? I hope you didn’t just practice.”
as the days closed in, she planned to enjoy her day at the top of a building, watching a new day start and in quiet wonderment of where her future was going… it was a bit unexpected that someone seemed to meet ends with her.
“oh.” she blinked as she leaned back from the railing, tucking her hair behind her air. yue crossed her arms, tilting her head in curiosity. “what brings you here? aren’t you korean?” she asked immediately without much of a thought. “The weather is… cold at this hour.
won steps forward to stand beside her, leaning over the railing to glance straight down to the street below. he hadn’t expected anything less than a straightforward question from her. he had been looking forward to running into yue after their run-in at the charity event. he wonders if she showed tact, or was she as direct as she had consistently been with him. he feels tempted to joke around and twist a fictional story as to why he was on the rooftop, but he decides against it.
“do i have ‘lonely korean’ written on my forehead?” he questions, turning to glance over at her with a faint smile on his lips. “i don’t have a close relationship with my parents and my siblings are out of the country. i guess ‘lonely korean’ does fit, huh?” his gaze shifts towards the smart watch on his wrist, screen illuminating to display the time. “the sunset isn’t for another hour, which is when the temperature drops even more.”
“i was thinking of purchasing dinner.” he confesses, turning to face in the direction of the door. “since we’re both lonely, would you like to join me? we can order and eat inside the building.”
Won had come to terms that he would have to spend certain holidays on his own, but he hadn’t known that it would occur right away. His siblings were at the cusp of their new careers, and he was finally focusing on his own career. He found it bittersweet that as close as their ties were, none of them could rely on their parents. So, he was now spending his free time on company grounds while others went home to spend much needed time with their families.
He had enjoyed spending alone time in the dorm for a day, but the silence had become less comforting and he had done everything he could possibly do by himself. There was nothing to clean, and he didn’t feel like cooking for one person. He stepped out of the apartment building on the second day, and while he had hoped that the restaurants in the neighborhood would entice his appetite, he didn’t feel like entering any on his own.
His feet had led him to the company’s building in search for either some company, or a better view of the sunset. He greeted the security guard at the front desk, and pushed the door open to access the staircase instead of taking the elevator. He wasn’t in a rush, and extra steps would help offset the lack of physical activity he had done the day before.
The view on the rooftop caught his eyes first when he walked out of the building. He spotted the female figure near the railing, and he cleared his throat to announce himself, not wanting to frighten them.
“Hey,” He mumbles from a comfortable distance with a faint smile on his lips. “It seems like we had the same idea.”
I just want attention, I don’t want your heart
I am just making sure you are never getting over me
Unpacking done, and other than the manager in the room, there was nothing protecting Kang Dongwon from Daehyung’s full attention.
Right on cue, his stomach growled.
Okay fine, maybe his hunger was also a factor to consider. You cannot harass your ex to the full capacity if you are starving to death from not having eaten on the plane. It wasn’t Daehyung’s fault - he felt sick in most moving vehicles unless he was the one at the wheel. Plane, sadly, was no exception.
“Take me out for food,” he demanded impetuously at his ex, who was likely pretending to not exist. Daehyung didn’t blame him - this really was an awkward situation. “Please?” He flashed a smile, but it was really a threat. ( @lgcwon )
He considered himself a realist. He understood that evading Daehyung would prove to be impossible, but he had somewhat succeeded the past few days. He hadn't seen him during their short break for Chuseok, and airplane etiquette had worked in his favor. As soon as he entered the suite, he claimed his bed for the short trip by throwing his jacket over the covers of his mattress.
He sat down on the floor, opening his suitcase to unveil his clothes meticulously packed in order of planned outfits. Was it necessary? No, but it made him feel like he had some control over the trip. He was debating on whether or not to move his clothes into the closet when the older male spoke up.
He wanted to pretend that he didn’t hear him, and hope that Daehyung got bored of waiting for a response. Instead, he closed his suitcase back up and stood up to grab his jacket from his bed, and the hotel room’s keycard. “Only because you said please.” He mumbles on his way out of the hotel room, turning to meet Daehyung’s gaze for the first time in weeks. “Come on.”
If he couldn’t escape him, he could keep him at a comfortable distance by appeasing him.
His contribution to the family concert had been minuscule when compared to the other trainees, and especially to his siblings. He had been asked to introduced Seoul for the concertgoers, but he wouldn’t know if his video that he shot in Bukchon Hanok Village would be shown in the final cut until the day of the concert. However, his anticipation for the concert had more to do with seeing his siblings shine on stage once again.
He hadn’t seen them in months since their tour had begun. He had to spend his birthday by himself and Chuseok hadn’t been as special as the ones they had spent together in the previous years. He hadn’t known that he would missed them as much as he had during the last two months and a part of him wanted to selfishly keep them by his side.
He was beyond proud that his siblings’ careers were starting off on a high note and he knew that this was only the beginning for them. When his brother’s performance began, he sat on the couch backstage with his arms crossed. A staff had joked that he hadn’t blinked throughout the performance and that he had the demeanor of a manager which made him laugh.
After the performance was done, he stood up to catch his brother in the hallway. He wrapped his arms around the younger boy’s waist, lifting him up in a tight hug. “I couldn’t believe that was you. Where did that confidence come from?” He sets him down gently to not embarrass him further, affectionately squeezing his shoulder. “Are you taller?”
Eight hours ago, Won had been grateful for the opportunity to be on a historical set but the novelty had worn off. The sun was still high up in the sky, taunting him that he still had many more hours to go before he could go home. He had been excited about shooting a scene primarily outdoors, but the summers were hell and he didn’t want to think about shooting in the winter. The two seasons were extreme opposites of each other, but both climates had their own challenges.
However, he wouldn’t complain if the sun was suddenly covered by clouds and snow started falling. He wanted to submerge himself in a cold bath, or stand in front of the air conditioner for about thirty minutes. He was thankful when the director instructed the extras to take a fifteen minute break while he spoke to the lead actors.
He beelined towards the craft area, reaching in one of the coolers for a water bottle and some pieces of ice. He sat down near a shaded area where the scene was being shot. He didn’t want to wander too far, and be late. He hunched forward, resting his arms on his thighs as he pressed the cold water bottle to his cheek.
Sometimes, he felt silly for complaining (to himself) about trivial things. He wanted to be an actor, and that type of career had more inconveniences than moments of fulfillment. The hours for shooting scenes were long, the weather was uncontrollable, and he would have very little influence on the projects he was hired for as an actor.
He couldn’t envision himself being happy just sitting in an office and getting other people rich. He wanted to give this a chance and if it didn’t work, he was privileged enough to have a backup job that he could live comfortably on. But he would rather be miserable on set for a day if that meant he could do something he loved for longer despite how much he complained, or how much energy he had to use to scramble to his feet when he was called back on set.
Therefore, he was hesitant to audition when he heard about the casting call for a family sitcom. He wanted to get out of his comfort zone, and auditioning was the first step to do so. He had zero expectations about landing a lead role, but a supporting role would be his ideal choice to explore a side of him that he wasn’t comfortable with at all.
He didn’t have luck on his side for this audition. Out of the three dialogues, he was asked to read the comedic one, which had him pushing down the embarrassment he felt by the end of the scene when the interview section started.
What is the meaning of family to you?
He had opted to stand in the center of the room instead of sitting down, wanting to get the audition over with as quickly as possible. He felt his cheeks flush with a hint of color when the warmth settled on his skin, biting on the inside of his cheek as he pondered how to answer the question. He could be honest, or play it safe to not anger his parents. “For me, familial ties are much more than just bloodlines. Some of us are lucky to be born into a strong, and close community while others have to form those ties outside of their family because of various circumstances. As I grow older, I’ve come to realize that while I can rely on my family. I’ve created another family that understands me in a different way than what my parents’ perception is of me.” He inhales properly through his nose, corner of his lips tugging upwards into a warm smile. “I guess, family to me would be anyone in my life that I’m comfortable baring my soul to.”
How would you describe your relationship with your family?
“I have a close-knit relationship with my younger siblings.” A smile accompanies his response, lifting his hand to rub the back of the neck. “Sometimes I feel like a pseudo-father who has two ducklings following him around all the time, but I would honestly do everything in my power to protect and support my siblings. They’re growing too fast. I have to come to terms with them not needing me as much. I’m the one missing them now while they’re on tour, and asking them to meet when they’re back in Seoul. I’m probably the clingy one now.”
Which word would you associate family to?
“Complex.” He blurted out with a soft laugh. “Is that too honest? But I would say that word fits my family… We’re close and yet sometimes we don’t see eye to eye. We might think we know what is in each other’s best interest, but that might not actually be the healthiest route for the person. We love deeply, and we hurt deeply. I would say that forgiveness is difficult to ask for when you’ve grown inside such a nuclear type of family.”
What is your strongest family memory?
“I think my earliest family memory would have to be my birthday.” His eyes scan the room, smile widening when he recalls the memory. “I was turning five years old, and I ended up with frosting in my hair because my younger brother wanted me to hold him. I wasn’t happy, but he shared his ice cream with me to make up for it.”
Coasting wasn’t in his family’s vocabulary. His parents had instilled an insurmountable sense of confidence in him. He didn’t need to be the most skilled in the room, but he was the one that was meant to leave the lasting impression. His father had taught him to present himself as someone who was not only capable but had endless room for growth. He had to prove himself worthy of an investment, and his future was seen as a business transaction.
Perhaps, that was the reason why he began to feel resentment towards his parents. He was their son, but his worth seemed to ride on the possibility of him following in their footsteps and making them money. He didn’t get a choice to appear on their reality show, and he didn’t get a choice when they decided he was going to start acting.
He was surprised by how much he loved acting. He thought that he would despise being forced to do something by his parents, but his mentor had a sensitivity that his parents didn’t have. His mentor had given him room to explore, and not demand greatness, or become frustrated if he made a mistake.
Acting allowed him to speak his mind, to be someone else for a moment, and feel emotions that he suppressed daily. He never asked his parents why they enjoyed acting before he cut off contact with them, but he was inclined to believe that his parents enjoyed the freedom it allowed.
So, he knew that his parents would be disappointed with him only seeking a supporting role in his first drama. He was content, and that was what he was going to focus on. He was in charge of his future, and the last thing he wanted was to start hating something he enjoyed enough to make a career out of it.
“Cram School: Episode 1. Scene 4, Take 1.”
He didn’t need to be the best in the room, but he was going to certainly enjoy being in the room with the added bonus of his parents’ expectations not looming over him.
He had certain expectations when he approached the stunt school that morning. He had been buzzing with excitement when the trainees were informed of the possibility of being extras in a historical drama.
The scene would involve fighting choreography, and he had to train on the days that he wasn’t on set. He didn’t have a problem with the rest of his days suddenly be filled by training at the stunt school. He had been growing restless with only having a few lines on the drama, and then barely having anything to do outside of shooting.
One of his career goals was to act in a historical drama, and learning proper fighting techniques was a skill he was planning to use in the future. He walked in with the idea that the first day would be the hardest on his body.
He had been slacking on exercising, and frankly, he knew that fighting choreography required more than just his muscles. It was more of a dance where he had to be aware of his strength and the positioning of his body, while still focusing on the other person and thinking ahead to avoid any injuries.
He wasn’t a dancer, and he had never been drawn to martial arts. He had been a competitive swimmer when he was younger, but that certainly wouldn’t help him with his stunts. He hadn’t expected to end up on the mat more times than he could count. He hadn’t prepared to feel the room spinning, and certainly did not need help to step outside of the building by the instructor for some air.
He hadn’t eaten or hydrated properly. The summer heat wasn’t kind either, and overheating was much easier than he had expected. He sat down on the stairs after pouring some of his water over his head like the instructor suggest, glancing over to the small garden next to the stair railing. He spotted a sunflower, drooping and looking worse for wear.
He knew that feeling.
He reached through the railing, pouring some of his water onto the soil. He will arrived prepared for next class, and not embarrass himself again.
