Lead actors dropping out doesn’t happen all the time, but every few years—no, at least once a year, it does happen.
Most of the time it’s due to health issues or conflicts that arise during discussions, but the real reason is rarely revealed.
Sometimes actors drop out right before the script reading or just before filming, and sometimes even after the press conference or after the show has already started airing.
Of course, when the lead is a famous actor, they rarely back out over just anything, but Ju Taegang isn’t exactly well-regarded among advertisers.
On top of that, since filming hasn’t even begun yet, the possibility that Ju Taegang could be notified of his removal at any moment isn’t zero.
Besides, hasn’t Park Iwon already been lined up as his replacement?
The media was already flooded with articles labeling Ju Taegang as the actor who walked off the project without permission.
And, well, that was true!
It was. What other lead would irresponsibly skip out on the script reading like this jerk?
If the lead really changed to Park Iwon and the drama’s ratings dropped to 0%, Ju Taegang would definitely be dragged back in.
Before my regression, around this time, I was too busy to pay attention, so all I knew was there was talk of a drama hitting 0% ratings—I can’t remember exactly what articles came out or how, but with all my years in this business, I could guess what the headlines must’ve been.
If Ju Taegang’s agency pressured not to mention his name outright…the articles would probably go something like this.
[Controversial Actor Drops Out, Park Iwon Steps In → Who’s Really to Blame for the 0% Ratings?]
They’d probably cobble together nonsense from random broadcast comments too,
[Lead Actor Drops Out, “Honestly, it was annoying. They wouldn’t pay me enough.”]
There’d be news, half-truths and half-lies, about why he dropped out.
“You want to fix me and use me again?”
Ju Taegang was a beat slow to react to my answer.
I nodded.
“Yes. Because you can’t drop out, Senior.”
“I already told the director about my condition. He wants to believe in me, so he’s keeping it secret from everyone else and says he’ll wait till the day before filming, but honestly, wouldn’t it be better to use someone else?”
So even the writer doesn’t know the real situation?
Well… If the actor says he can’t speak, after all.
If this got out, it’d be perfect tabloid fodder.
At this point, you might think, ‘Still, shouldn’t the writer and a few staff members know?’ but…
That’s a very naive thought.
Even if you only told five—no, four—people, word would leak somewhere and end up as an article the next day. That’s the entertainment industry.
And if an actor of Ju Taegang’s caliber can’t even read the script, it’s irresistible bait.
‘Ju Taegang must have expected this kind of backlash.’
Anyway, since he hasn’t officially said he’s giving up yet, it seems he still wants to do the drama.
Should I try convincing him?
“If you quit, Park Iwon is going to be your replacement.”
“Park Iwon?”
At those words, Ju Taegang slumped onto the sofa and gulped down the water I’d given him.
‘That was mine…’
He set the nearly empty bottle on the table and rubbed his chin.
Ju Taegang rolled the name Park Iwon around in his mouth and said,
“Is there any actor at my level I don’t know?”
“No, he’s a singer. A soloist.”
“Oh, that good-looking singer! He’s got good songs, yeah. So Park Iwon is going to play Yoonseong instead of me?”
“Yes.”
Just as I expected.
Ju Taegang sprang to his feet irritably.
– That punk’s taking my place? You think that makes sense, Jeon Yeohu?! He can’t act for crap!!
– Damn network bastards. They’re going to accept that? No, it must be the advertisers, right?
But he didn’t start screaming or rampaging like a gorilla.
‘Oh…’
I felt a little guilty for having thought so little of this guy.
Oh?
Thinking like this…
‘You really have gotten better since you regressed, Jeon Yeohu.’
Ju Taegang calmed himself and said,
“So, is this something Park Iwon wants?”
“Park Iwon?”
“Yes, Park Iwon.”
“Well… I don’t really know whether he’s personally interested or not.”
To be honest, it’s probably half true and half false.
Being thrown into an acting role unprepared would be a burden even for Park Iwon’s side.
He must’ve gotten roasted for his last drama too; taking over for Ju Taegang, he’d get even more hate, not less.
Ju Taegang, looking like he hadn’t washed his hair in days, scratched his head and groaned for several minutes.
Now that I think about it, even after taking so much criticism, Ju Taegang still read the script like that.
Alone. Worn down to a rag.
“Yeah. Haah…”
Would someone like that really say he’s giving up in front of a junior?
Without any pride?
“Jeon Yeohu, you said you wanted to fix me and use me again.”
“Yes.”
Of course not.
“When something breaks, you fix it and use it again. Anything.”
It could’ve been an unpleasant thing to hear, but Ju Taegang just spoke as if it didn’t matter.
“Do you think you can fix me before our first shoot?”
“……”
“If you’re not going to mention dropping out in advance, you really have to fix me.”
I said,
“If we all work together, we’ll manage somehow. I don’t think I can do it alone, anyway.”
“All together?”
“Yes. If you’re going to come back, we should at least do a script reading with the actors. I won’t say any more than that. If you don’t want to, Senior, we won’t do it.”
He hesitated for a moment, then downed the rest of the water as if making up his mind.
‘Again…’
That was my water.
Ju Taegang said,
“Alright, let’s give it a shot.”
“So you’ve decided.”
“Yeah. Gotta go as far as I can. Can’t give up like a loser in front of a junior.”
“Yes. Thank you. Then…”
“…?”
After this long talk with him,
I finally said what I’d been holding back.
“How about washing your hair before you come?”
*****
Ju Taegang’s house was a huge townhouse.
Honestly, you could’ve easily called over ten actors to a house this big, but considering his condition, I only invited two actors I was on good terms with.
“This is Jeong Yunwoo! Senior!”
“Reinforcements are here.”
“One more? I thought it was two.”
Barefoot, Ju Taegang leaned crookedly in the doorway and looked around, so Jeong Yunwoo took out his phone and held it out.
“Han Serang is here, on the phone.”
On the phone screen, Han Serang greeted Ju Taegang, who stared back and forth between the phone and me, looking bewildered.
“We need to be careful about scandals, after all. Han Serang Senior said it’d be more comfortable this way too.”
Well. Ju Taegang ruffled his hair and laughed.
Better safe than sorry.
I didn’t want any of this to affect the other actors, either.
“I picked people I’m also connected with from among those you said you could trust in the cast. It can’t be helped if we want to practice.”
“Alright, then.”
Ju Taegang kicked aside a rolling bottle with his foot to make a spot for Jeong Yunwoo to sit.
Jeong Yunwoo picked up every bottle he found and tossed it in the trash as he moved.
He only told Ju Taegang the kind of easy, pleasant stories one likes to hear.
He really is good at socializing.
“Senior! The view here is amazing! This is the taste of success!”
As Ju Taegang brought out water, I snuck over to reassure him.
“I didn’t tell them much, just said you’ve been living alone at home, feeling so down you lost the courage to even go outside.”
“Isn’t that even worse?”
“Is it? It’s mostly true if you sum it up like that.”
“Is it now.”
Ju Taegang stared at me blankly for a moment, then nudged me with his elbow and muttered,
“Anyway, thanks.”
“You should be grateful.”
Ju Taegang gave a short laugh at my reply.
“You’re supposed to say it’s nothing at times like this.”
“Nope. Be grateful, and pay me back, too.”
“What? Ha, fine. I’ll treat you to beef next time.”
Maybe overhearing us, Jeong Yunwoo strode over, waving Han Serang’s phone, and shouted along,
“Senior? What was that? Buy it for me and Serang, too!”
* * *
With Ju Taegang, all I’d ever shared was three hours’ worth of after-party drinking, a day of conversation at his place, and some text messages, but I could tell he was someone who felt loneliness deeply.
He always sought out crowded places, and could only open up after a drink or two.
People like that often brood when they feel guilty.
He’d managed to endure until now, but after losing his father, he probably didn’t know how to deal with those feelings, and that stress must’ve bled into his acting.
It’s impossible to tell someone like that to talk about their worries and just listen to them.
They don’t want to.
It’s important just to keep reassuring them that there are people who care.
Not just one person, but several.
That’s why having many people close by is important.
Those people are like characters on a screen, helping you see yourself objectively.
“Sigh…I’m sorry.”
On the phone screen, Han Serang closed her script in the car and said,
[No worries, Senior. Should we take a little break?]
“I’m fine. My mouth’s dry from trying to get through everyone’s lines.”
That’s why Han Serang and Jeong Yunwoo’s roles were so important.
Jeong Yunwoo, who’d been at the same table at the after-party.
Han Serang, who could understand from a similar position.
Even Ju Taegang, who claimed to have no friends in the industry, could be helped by them.
Realistically, Han Serang would be the most help, but Jeong Yunwoo’s personality made him the perfect mood maker.
While we ordered dinner, I checked my SNS notifications.
Even though I hadn’t paid much attention since I uploaded my profile picture, my followers had already hit 25,000.
And TAM’s commercial hadn’t even been released yet.
‘Feels like I should post something.’
Just then, the advertiser gave me permission to post about the shoot on SNS since the ad would be released next week, so now was really the time to post something.
[Lee Youngbin: What should we post? Separately, or together? Group photo?]
[Kim Wonyul: A photo together sounds good.]
[Lee Youngbin: I’m fine with that! Group shots are always nice!]
[Lee Youngbin: (photo)(photo)(photo) (roughly 30 of them)]
[Lee Youngbin: Should we pick from these? I like number 14 and 28.]
[Kim Wonyul: I think the 14th is the best!! All three of us look good!!]
[Alright. Let’s go with that.]
With the photo picked, I uploaded a selfie of just me and another with the two of them.
[Next Monday. The TAM official account will release the web drama-style commercial. Please look forward to it and show lots of love. I used the ball heart since it’s trendy these days. Thank you.
#rookieactor #TAM]
After that, I turned off notifications and got back to the Ju Taegang Recovery Project.
Dinner was jajangmyeon.
It was delicious.
Half tangsuyuk, half jjamppong.
I pour the sauce over.
* * *
With only two days left until the first shoot, Ju Taegang’s condition had greatly improved.
“We can’t handle this on our own. Besides, the case from ten years ago is tangled up in this. The evidence might have been tampered with.”
“They should have stored it properly. If they didn’t, that’s their fault. We’re going to use that against them.”
Now he could read his lines properly, though his acting still wasn’t quite what it used to be.
Han Serang closed her script and sincerely advised Ju Taegang that, if it was too much, getting treatment at a hospital wasn’t a bad idea.
[I’ve been to the hospital too. I actually think that’s only natural.]
“Yeah, thanks.”
[Not at all, Senior. I’ve got a commercial shoot so I’ll have to go now.]
“I’ve got theater rehearsal, so I’ll head out too. Senior, stay strong.”
“Thank you both for helping out all week.”
“No, thank you. You could’ve found it annoying, but I’m grateful you joined us.”
“Really.”
Ju Taegang gave a small laugh.
After they left, he brewed two coffees and handed me one as he sank into the sofa.
Since we’d started coming over, he hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol.
The bottles were almost gone, too.
“Do you still see your father?”
I hadn’t talked about this with Jeong Yunwoo or Han Serang, so it was something I could only bring up with Ju Taegang when we were alone.
The media was already publishing articles as if his departure was confirmed.
There were plenty of hate comments, too.
– No wonder his acting’s so bad when he’s got no sense of responsibility.
– What is wrong with this guy? Honestly, if he was going to drag people down, he should’ve announced he was quitting earlyㅠ Only other actors get hurt during the script reading. His responsibility…the worst.
– Was Ju Taegang’s acting always this overrated? lolololololol Let’s admit it when it’s true.
└ I wanna puke when I see ㅈㅌㄱ’s face lol he acts so bad
└ Wait, you’re criticizing Ju Taegang’s acting? lol Stop trying to shift the blame
└ Don’t defend him, you look pathetic
└ Are you Ju Taegang himself? lol
– News is so grim lately. He just lost his dad, can’t people try to be a little considerate…?
└ Is this sick bastard really going to hold on to the lead just for the money? The production team must be so stressed.
– They haven’t even started filming yet, can’t they still replace him? Honestly, casting someone else is doing him a favor.
– I saw Ju Taegang partying at a club lol
└ Is this comment for real?
└ If you spread false rumors, you’ll get fined
└ Why would anyone lie about this? He was buying a big table and drinking a ton lol celebrities have it easy
These comments… I should make sure Ju Taegang never sees them.
“Yeohu.”
“Yes?”
“Should we just stop here?”
Suddenly, Ju Taegang started to say something weak—no, just nonsense.
“Yes?”
This guy’s actually my junior. Can’t I just drag him to set, even if I have to beat him up?
To be honest, the old me would’ve left him behind ages ago.
0% ratings?
So what, just accept it.
It’s not even my fault.
I could just go around calling him crazy behind his back. It wouldn’t be my problem—Ju Taegang would take all the blame. And even a 0% drama will get some viewers if it airs long enough. As long as I do my part, that’s all that matters.
Everything I’ve done for Ju Taegang up till now was all just because it was to my own advantage, dressed up to look like kindness.
As I kept my mouth shut, Ju Taegang kept rambling.
“To be honest, I know it myself. I can’t act like I used to. I still see things that aren’t there. I already went to the hospital behind your backs and tried medication, but nothing worked. In this state, what do I have over Park Iwon? I missed the script reading, filming is close, I can’t act, and my personality’s garbage.”
Oh…
He’s surprisingly good at being honest with himself!
I was almost impressed.
“Yeohu, you did your best.”
“……”
“Just think of it as failing to fix one piece of trash.”