Page 2 of Public Image, Private Heart (K-Drama Love Story #1)

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Ji-yong

I settled into the worn chair (a prop); my script clutched in my hand as the makeup artist dabbed at my face with a powder brush, expertly concealing any imperfections. The writer hovered beside us, discussing last-minute changes to the dialogue and scene flow.

This was it, our first day of filming.

“Ji-yong, try not to move too much,” the makeup artist chided gently, her focus never leaving my face.

“Sorry,” I murmured, my thoughts drifting towards the other actors and crew members scurrying about. There was something exhilarating about the organized chaos of a film set, each person playing their part to create something beautiful, something worth watching.

I quickly turned my head as Yumi, my co-star and on-screen love interest, arrived.

She greeted everyone with a polite but nervous “Hello” and a small bow.

Though she looked sweet and cute, she was brimming with nervous energy, which only added to her charm.

I was thrilled that she had been chosen for the role of Hwa-young, a delicate yet fierce princess—one that seemed like it was made for her.

Even though this was her first leading role on television, she had been working in the industry for years, mainly in theater productions. I remembered attending one of her plays and being blown away by her performance; she truly was a talented actress.

She had a natural beauty that seemed to beam from her flawless complexion, full lips, almond-shaped eyes, and petite stature.

Standing beside me without heels, she barely reached my jawline.

There was something intriguing about her, something special that piqued my curiosity.

I couldn’t help but wonder if shy and introverted people were like onions—lots of layers to peel back—and I had a sneaky suspicion that Yumi was hiding some delightful surprises.

As she made her way towards me, a smile instinctively appeared on my lips.

It was a mix of greetings and playful teasing—all meant to ease her nerves.

She held onto her tumbler with coffee (judging from the aroma) with one hand, while clutching her script tightly in the other.

Her eyes were focused on the pages as she repeated her lines quietly.

“Hey!” I greeted her cheerfully, breaking her concentration. She looked up, surprise evident in her widened eyes. “What are you reading that’s so interesting?” I teased her with a smirk, gesturing towards the script in her hand.

She shot me a playful glare (at least, I hoped it was playful), but didn’t retaliate. Instead, she muttered, “I don’t know whose brilliant idea it was to shoot the third scene from the fourth episode on our first day of filming.”

Unfortunately, an assistant PD overheard her and chimed in, “It was my idea. With the snow today, we couldn’t waste the opportunity to shoot this outdoor scene.”

We all knew it was a bit “unfortunate” that, in the third scene of the fourth episode, we had to kiss under the snow—despite it being our first day working together.

We’d only had a quick ice-breaking session with the cast a few days earlier, followed by our table reading, and now we were expected to lock lips right off the bat.

I shrugged it off as just another day at work. Being an actor could be quite comical at times, getting paid to kiss an attractive co-star who is practically a stranger. Not exactly the worst job, if I do say so myself.

“See, looks like we don’t have to work too hard on remembering our lines for that scene,” I teased her, winking mischievously. Her cheeks flushed and a hint of red appeared on her pale skin. She tried to give me a stern look, failing miserably because she still looked adorable and tiny.

We moved outside to find the full crew bustling with activity. Some were setting up lighting equipment, others were adjusting bounce boards to reflect the light, and microphones were suspended on poles, ready for action.

“Let’s get started. Ji-yong, Yumi, can you two rehearse the kiss scene?

Remember to position yourselves so that your faces are visible during.

.. well, during the kiss,” the director said nonchalantly as she adjusted some cables on the camera.

It was as if we were being asked to do a simple task for school instead of locking lips on camera.

Yumi’s expression resembled someone who had just been summoned to the dentist’s office, her eyes searching for help from her manager. She swallowed hard and set down her tumbler and script.

“Rehearse?” she squeaked in panic.

I nodded. “Yes, what’s the issue?”

She gave me an exasperated look and whispered, “I didn’t realize we needed to rehearse for this kind of... scene. This is my first time doing something like this.”

“Kissing?” I asked with surprise. We were both in our thirties, so it was hard to believe she had never kissed anyone before.

She shook her head in frustration, as if it should have been obvious. “No, I mean filming a kissing scene in front of a camera.”

I nodded in sympathy as I move in closer, while keep maintaining a professional distance as I whispered, “Don’t worry too much about it.

It’s just another day on the job. Just focus on your acting and follow my lead.

.. alright?” I comforted her, before adding, “Although, I could smell coffee on your breath.”

She looked panicked once again and nearly sprinted to her manager for a mint.

“I was just joking, you know how I love coffee.” I grinned, unable to resist the temptation to tease her.

As I spoke, I inched closer to her, bringing my face within a few centimeters of hers.

She appeared taken aback by my sudden proximity.

Carefully mindful of the camera’s placement, I tilted my head slightly to the right and then to the left.

I gestured towards her, seeking permission with my eyes before gently placing my hand on her shoulder to guide her movements during the staging and blocking rehearsal.

Once she signaled me to proceed, I adjusted my hand placement, striving to achieve the perfect positioning for the scene. I could feel her breath gently brushing against my face.

“OK, I think this angle will work.” I told her. “Want to give it a try?”

She appeared uneasy, but still gave me a slight nod before asking hesitantly, “Um, excuse me, but the script just says that Hwa-young is surprised when Hyun-woo suddenly kisses her. It doesn’t mention how long we should kiss for.”

I couldn’t hold back my snort, and I could hear the director and some of the crew snickering as well. Did she really expect the script to provide every detail? Like it’s a step-by-step guide? It’s our job as actors to breathe life into these moments with our skills, obviously.

“The PD will let us know if it’s a good take or not,” I explained between stifled giggles.

“Oh, OK. So we might have to do several takes?”

“Sure. Not just for the duration of the kiss, but also for the type of kiss, our body and hand positions, camera angle, lighting, and makeup... If we need to redo it, we’ll retake the scene.” I clarified patiently, feeling a twinge of guilt for finding her panicked expression so amusing.

“What exactly do you mean by ‘type of kiss’?” She nervously played with her fingers.

“You know, like if it’s supposed to be a quick peck or a passionate kiss, or if we should really go for it, or if I’m supposed to do all the work while you just stand there in surprise.” I explained all the details and added in a whisper with a subtle wink, “But definitely no tongue involved.”

She blushed again and stayed silent before I leaned in close again and asked her, “Are you ready?”

Whenever people asked how I could resist developing feelings for my attractive co-workers, these were the main reasons: the setup on a shooting set was the opposite of romantic.

The bright lights cast harsh shadows on our faces as we stood awkwardly close to each other, trying to convey passion and desire while fully aware of the dozens of production crew watching our every move.

I could feel Yumi’s hand rested on my waist with a gentle pressure, but it felt more like a choreographed dance than a genuine embrace.

A romantic scene in a drama was nothing more than an act, carefully constructed and rehearsed.

We had to get everything just right—from the angle of our heads to the placement of our hands—all for the camera’s sake.

And when things weren’t perfect, we had to reshoot, sometimes more than 10 times.

I remember one particular kissing scene in the past where my jaw ended up hurting from the repeated takes with different co-star. It was somewhat funny, but mostly exhausting. In this industry, everything was fabricated and scripted, even something as intimate as a kiss or a steamy bed scene.

The powdery snow delicately brushed my cheeks as I studied Yumi’s face once more, lifting my eyebrows in silent confirmation that she was prepared for our kiss.

“Action!” the PD called out.

With a slight nod from her, I leaned in, being mindful to be gentle since it was her first time filming a kissing scene.

Her lips were cold, like two slabs of butter. I reached out and gently squeezed her arms, hoping to thaw her frozen nerves. As our lips met, she let out a soft gasp, parting them slightly, which gave me the green light to subtly deepen the kiss.

A tingling sensation spread across my skin, a curious blend of goosebumps and a mild electric shock, fizzing through my stomach and upper body.

Strange. I had never felt this way before. Was it the snow?

Even after we pulled apart, the lingering tingle of her frosty kiss remained.

Feeling a bit lightheaded, my vision gradually cleared enough to see her face. “Are you alright?” I asked, my voice laced with concern.

She nodded and touched her lips with her thumb. Strangely, that small gesture sent another jolt through my stomach.

The director and crew watched us closely and commented, “You two are doing great! Let’s practice a few more times before shooting the scene for real.”

“What? Can’t we just film it now?” Yumi croaked out. A part of me felt a twinge of disappointment; did she not enjoy our practice?

The director shrugged, “I think we can try from a different angle. But keep the same energy, it’s perfect. And make sure Hwa-young looks surprised by the kiss and doesn’t kiss Hyun-woo back.”

We made a second attempt, but it was quickly interrupted by the PD. “Yumi, try to respond more like you did in the first take. Don’t kiss him back as much.”

I couldn’t help but smile widely, feeling oddly pleased that she couldn’t resist kissing me back. Yumi looked like she might faint from nervousness. I placed my hand on her lower back to support her.

“We can do this, let’s aim to nail it in one take,” I said, trying to boost her confidence. “It’s chilly out here, let’s wrap this up and head inside.”

Unexpectedly, she took hold of my hands and rubbed them gently for a moment. With a shy smile, she tilted her head and asked, “There. Does that help warm you up?”

Perhaps it was just my sense of the moment, but this simple gesture seemed more intimate than any of the kissing scenes we had rehearsed. And for once, I was the one blushing.