The Genius Actor Who Brings Misfortune

Translator: Marctempest
Editor: Rynfinity

Chapter: 50

[Title: Did anyone watch MBN’s “Zelkova Tree” yesterday?]

I turned it on without thinking, and the hour just flew by ㅠㅠㅠㅠ

I kept thinking about it this morning, so I immediately watched the rerun… The lingering effect is incredible…

All the child actors did well. From the second episode, it seems like adult actors will appear, but I wish the kids would stay a bit longer ㅠㅠ

―They say the adults and child actors will take turns appearing! Maybe until the fourth episode?

└Oh, really? Thank goodness ㅠㅠ

―It didn’t seem historically accurate, but it was really funㅋㅋㅋㅋ As expected, the combination of Kim Min-seok and Han Ji-hye is reliable.

―But wasn’t there some controversy about this? It seemed pretty noisy; was it this one?

└Yeah, this is the one ㅇㅇ There was controversy related to the audition and acting skills.

└Who was the actor involved in the acting skills controversy?

└The kid who played Yu-hyeon.

└????? That kid acted the best though???

└That’s why the whole community is flipping out;;

[Title: But seriously, Lee Yeon-jae’s acting was insaneㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]

Posts that were criticizing him are disappearing in real-time. If I had criticized and watched yesterday’s episode, I would feel so embarrassed…

―But why do people criticize without even watching… He did well even just from the trailers.

└Same here;; When he suddenly joined Woo-yeon, I was like, huh? But it wasn’t to the extent of criticism.

―Go check out the top post now. Someone did a comparative analysis of his smile from the Tail and the Zelkova Tree.

[Title: [Scroll Warning] Comparative Analysis of Lee Yeon-jae’s Smiling Acting in Tail vs. Zelkova Tree]

[First, before writing this post, I want to clarify that I’m a third-year acting student.

I was diligently watching dramas for an assignment when Zelkova Tree shocked me yesterday, prompting me to write this post.

As the title suggests, the reason I was shocked is because of child actor Lee Yeon-jae, known for his yellow hat.

(Tail_Smile 1)

(Tail_Smile 2_Slow Motion)

(Tail_Smile 3_Eyes)

First, let’s look at the smile from the trailer.

You can see that his eyelashes start trembling first, and then the corners of his mouth lift comfortably.

But you need to look at the eyes here. The muscles around his jaw and mouth are relaxed, but his eyes have tension.

So, in this scene, the character Lee Yeon-jae plays is a boy who “smiles out of habit.”

Even though the man suddenly gets annoyed and he feels intimidated, he naturally tries to lighten the mood by smiling.

He smiles brightly, but his eyes stay fixed on the other person, giving off a very sensitive and perceptive vibe.

(Zelkova Tree_Smile 1)

(Zelkova Tree_Smile 2_Slow Motion)

(Zelkova Tree_Smile 3_Eyes)

This is from yesterday’s broadcast of Zelkova Tree. See the difference? It’s impressive no matter how many times I watch it.

It’s very difficult to make the same person’s smile look different unless there’s a change in makeup or angle.

But just by watching the smile in Zelkova Tree, anyone can tell that he’s a completely different person from the boy who smiles in the trailers.

If you look closely at his eyes, there’s a subtle difference. Doesn’t it look less natural than in the trailer? That’s because the muscles around his eyes are tense.

So you immediately feel that this character hasn’t smiled like this often.

Yet, there’s so much affection in his eyes. The clumsy expression combines with his breathing and vocalization to create the boy who’s smiling for the first time in front of someone he likes.

I have to admit, I felt quite deflated when I heard Lee Yeon-jae joined Woo-yeon Entertainment.

I thought, of course, he got in easily because of his good looks.

But after watching yesterday’s episode, I realized it was my own inferiority complex.

Just by comparing these scenes, you can see how much that young actor must have practiced.

Unless he’s a born genius, such acting can only come from countless repetitions and analyses.

There were too many posts criticizing Lee Yeon-jae recently, and I secretly criticized him in my mind too, so I felt guilty and wrote this post.

I hope he continues to show even better acting. Among child actors these days, he’s the one I’m most looking forward to.]

―Wow, the effort… I acknowledge it. Let’s upvote this post.

―It’s natural to feel deflated. Inferiority is a natural human emotion. Admitting it isn’t easy, but it’s admirable. You’ll do well too.

└I’m the author; thank you.

―Wow, comparing them like this makes him look like a different person…ㄷㄷㄷ

―It’s amazing because both are everyday smiling scenes. It’s interesting that such a difference stands out in such ordinary acting, not in some extreme emotional scene.

└The preview for episode 2 seems to have emotional scenes

└I hope today’s episode airs soon ㅠㅠ His smiling was great, but I’m looking forward to seeing him cry…

―For those who watched Zelkova Tree, watch the production announcement video tooㅋㅋㅋㅋ Seriously, he looks like a different kid.

ListenToMeYouWillBeHappy @The_fortune_tellerㆍ21 hours ago

I told you. I told you!!! This actor is on the rise, so hold onto your stocks!!!! I already predicted in the Genesis 21 chapter something-or-other page that he’d be something special ㄷㄷ It’s confirmed since yesterday. A face genius is likely to be a genius in other fields too…

YeonjaeDay @yeonjae_dayㆍ3 hours ago

I’m so proud… I thought I would die of frustration, but now that all the malicious comments have disappeared, I feel so peaceful ㅠㅠ Have you realized now, you fools! This is the spicy taste of Lee Yeon-jae, whom Lee Jung-hyun calls a genius actor!!

LookingForNewSonAccount @Big_Family_momㆍ4 hours ago

I found my child while watching the drama yesterday. A child born from my heart. I only feel sorry for reaching out late, but I plan to support him in every way so he can walk the flower path. Is there anyone who would like to co-parent with me? Applications are accepted via retweet. For reference, he does not resemble me in appearance.^^

* * *

The first episode of “The Burning Butterfly under the Zelkova Tree” recorded an average viewership rating of 8.7%, and the second episode recorded an average viewership rating of 11.6%.

At its peak, it even exceeded 13%.

It was hard to surpass a 10% viewership rating for dramas, even the big hits, except for weekend dramas with a fixed viewership.

The main reason was the widespread use of OTT services, but what stood out was that Zelkova Tree was uploaded to its contracted OTT service a day after it aired.

In other words, there was no reason to watch the live broadcast, yet it achieved such crazy viewership ratings.

It was comparable to “Tail: Tracing the Trace,” the most talked-about drama this year, and no drama since had broken its record.

And at the center of it was Lee Yeon-jae.

He was the hottest topic that no one could argue against.

Lee Yeon-jae, who left a strong impression on the viewers by saying, “I’m really glad you’re here,” would be talked about for a long time.

Before the lingering feeling even faded, the scene in the preview for episode 2 gave another shock.

The sight of Yu-hyeon crying among colorful flowers was so beautiful that it stood out by itself.

Right after the drama ended, SNS and communities went crazy, and new posts were updated like a flood without the need for separate articles.

The PTN post that previously declared a star was born was filled with comments like “Pilgrimage to the Holy Land.”

Even on the largest video sites at home and abroad, videos with Lee Yeon-jae’s photo as the thumbnail popped up like mushrooms after the rain.

[18 Things We Didn’t Know About Lee Yeon-jae]

[The Burning Butterfly under the Zelkova Tree “I’m really glad you’re here” Line Repeated for 1 Hour]

[⌈Playlist⌋ You Were My First Love.]

Judging by the amount of footage alone, he couldn’t be considered the main character, but his impact was greater than the main characters.

There were still comments saying he lived an easy life because of his handsome face.

But there were very few people who agreed with such comments, as rare as the squid in squid rice sold at kimbap shops. Almost none.

The production team of Zelkova Tree, who were more panicked by the unexpected response, had no choice but to smile awkwardly.

According to the original plan, Lee Yeon-jae would only appear until the beginning of episode 4.

And they weren’t foolish enough to stick to that plan.

They deleted the edited versions they had already made and went into re-editing, increasing Lee Yeon-jae’s screen time to the middle of episode 6 with more meticulous editing.

Considering it was a 14-episode drama, it was hard to believe such a rich screen time for a supporting child actor.

[“How could you do this without consulting me!”]

One day, people fell for Yu-hyeon, who raised his voice without realizing he was angry.

[“……I know I’m far short of your expectations.”]

One day, they fell for Yu-hyeon, who barely pulled down his sorrowful feelings and spoke.

With each episode, the charm of Yu-hyeon, enhanced by Lee Yeon-jae’s acting, kept increasing endlessly.

And Kim Seok-jun’s acting, who took over the baton, also received favorable reviews.

Though his intense gaze had been deemed burdensome for a romance drama male lead, this time he was praised for his improved acting skills.

Han Se-young, Sung Lee-jun, Lee Seong-hye, Jang In-ho, all received tremendous attention.

These days, when everyone, from the cast, directors, writers, broadcasters, to investors, was smiling happily.

Among them, Lee Yeon-jae, receiving the hottest attention, had a troubled expression.

* * *

“Sorry, but could you give me your autograph?”

“I don’t have an autograph. Would just writing my name be okay?”

“Yes! Just write it here! Just ten times!”

“…….”

Barely hiding my reluctance, I opened the notebook the unknown kid handed me.

I wrote my name ten times and handed it back, and the kid, looking thrilled, quickly disappeared.

Why would they need ten, I mumbled, and Noh Bi-hyuk answered, “It’s obvious. They probably plan to sell them online.”

“……Are there people who buy that?”

“People who like you that much would buy it. Haha, as expected, genius actors are different~, right?”

Noh Bi-hyuk chuckled, putting his arm around my shoulder as usual.

The photographer had once said my left shoulder seemed slightly lower than my right. Now I was sure. It was because of him.

“Yeon-jae, could you come to the teacher’s office for a moment?”

While I was walking down the hallway, half-draped over him because it was too bothersome to push him off, the homeroom teacher called me.

Leaving Noh Bi-hyuk behind, I followed the teacher.

As soon as I entered the teacher’s office, I felt the hot stares sticking to my face.

It was the part I was trying the hardest to get used to these days.

‘I didn’t expect the teachers to be staring too.’

Yesterday, episode 6 of “The Burning Butterfly under the Zelkova Tree” aired.

Even though I didn’t appear anymore, the kids’ stares had become more intense.

No wonder the orphanage teachers were going wild too.

When I visited the orphanage last weekend, Teacher Lee Si-hyun had looked at me very awkwardly.

She didn’t approach me and stood far away.

Are we feeling distant again? That’s possible. While I was quietly thinking alone, other teachers told me.

They said she was excited since yesterday about being able to see “Yu-hyeon.” They said she couldn’t believe it, so that’s why she was acting like that. I was so dumbfounded that I couldn’t manage my expression.

The other teachers teased her, saying she should hurry and ask for my autograph before it’s too late.

When I handed her a piece of paper with my name quietly written on it, she took it with a flushed face.

“Don’t forget to submit the documents I mentioned before. Okay?”

“Yes, I will.”

The homeroom teacher explained again about the art school application documents we had discussed before.

Why again? I wondered, but obediently nodded. The teacher hesitated with a lingering expression.

“Um, Yeon-jae….”

“Yes.”

“Could you give me your autograph here?”

“…….”

Why is everyone acting like this?