My Own Korean Drama
Chapter 2 - The First Step

Leaves start to brown,

The leaves fell to the ground, and,

The air is getting cold, though,

Autumn.

The Korean autumn air is friendlier in my opinion, probably because it's still early autumn. I was picked up by one of Grandma's officers. The journey from the airport to Grandma's residence was long enough to the point that I fell asleep. Actually Grandma doesn't live in Daegu. Grandma lives in the Nonsan area, so it took me a long time to get there. I woke up when the car entered the yard. It's very green here. As I descended, my sense of smell was greeted by the refreshing smell of mint leaves. Grandma walked slowly towards me.

“Halmoni!” then I hugged Grandma. I use Korean when I talk to Grandma. It wasn't that Grandma couldn't speak English, it was just that Korean made me feel closer.

“My grandchildren are all grown up now! Halmoni is so happy you finally visited this old man,” Grandma said as she hugged my waist into the house. Grandma's house isn't like my family's luxury home in London. This is a simple Korean-style house but very comfortable. Grandma came out to the back of the house and then entered again accompanied by her employees who brought a small table filled with food. This is what I like about Korea, they serve food.

“Jal meokkesseumnida,” I said with a smile. I let Grandma take food first and then I started eating. I looked at Grandma who was eating voraciously. Just a simple sight like this was able to reissue my smile which had rarely appeared. I never felt the warmth of a mother. I grew up without a mother figure, and it was very painful.

One full moon later.

Not much happened. I live life like any other rural girl. I don't really know if Grandma's place belongs to the countryside or not because I only spend time on the strawberry plantation otherwise I would watch the drama using my laptop. I rarely have a life like this. Before becoming a bodyguard in the Walsh family I was just a student who was too diligent about the task. After being a bodyguard I was too diligent to keep my boss's trust so I almost never had time to see the dramas that turned out to be so much fun. These stories feel very real, except for the superpower that is in some dramas.

For a month I didn't touch the outside world at all but strangely I really enjoyed it. I even cut my own hair. Now my hair is just shoulder plus it's light brown. No, I didn't color it into light brown. My natural hair is indeed light brown, yesterday's black hair is the result of coloring.

Today my grandmother told me to join her employees in selling crops in the market. This is going to be new to me. I was too excited for that, even I woke up at four in the morning. I'm wearing a brown sweater that I mix with loose gray pants. I combed my natural light brown hair that only touched my shoulders. Grandma was ready with her food when I left the room.

“Use this so you don't get cold,” Grandma said as she hung a mustard yellow scarf around my neck. I smiled and hugged Grandma.

“Thank you, Halmoni,” I said then took off the hug. Grandma's officer turned on the horn quietly. He must be ready. I walked out of the house. That employee was the one who picked me up yesterday at the airport. It seems like she is Grandma's confidant.

From one market to another, one seller to another. Not only did I see them, I also brought these strawberry-filled containers. Grandma's employee didn't leave immediately after giving the strawberries away. They usually talk for a few moments before saying goodbye. That's when I'm going to take a walk around the market, looking at the goods traded in the market.

I was looking at an orange when someone touched my shoulder. He's not Grandma's officer. She's a woman in her early thirties I guess. From his appearance, he must be an office worker. It is quite strange to see office workers in the market. The woman bowed in greeting while introducing herself. Lee Su Ryeon from Purple Entertainment. Even this woman gave her business card. I looked at him without saying anything.

“You can come to the audition in Daegu, or if the audition period has passed, you can come to our headquarters in Seoul, you just need to hand this business card to the receptionist, you can,” said then smiled.

“What is this scam?” I asked unconsciously.

“Ah, of course not, you can be sure,” replied this woman as soon as possible. The woman immediately nodded. I stared at the little paper for a while then put it in my pants pocket. My feet stepped towards the officer Grandma was in. It turned out that this market was the last one so after this we would go straight back home.

“By the way I don't know your name yet,” I said opening the conversation as the car started to run.

“My name is Lee Ji Hyun,” employee Grandma introduced herself,

“It's nice to meet you, Lee Ji Hyun-ssi,”.

“Call Ji Hyun,” the door.

“But Grandma said you're older than me,” I said it's bad to grant her request.

“I think our age is not too far away,” the answer again a little clumsy.

“Alright, Ji Hyun,” I said in the end. The conversation continued like most conversations after the introduction. Ji Hyun was born, and grew up in Daegu. Her parents died when she was little so she ended up in an orphanage until she entered High School. The orphanage was so underfunded that she had to leave the orphanage, and thankfully Grandma happily accepted it at home. After graduating from high school, he finally got a scholarship in London. He had just returned from London, he said he owed Grandma so much that this is where he is now.

Grandma was in the garden when I got home. I immediately went into the house to change clothes. The name card of the agency guy fell down as I tidied up my clothes. I took it and looked at it for a moment. I imagined what would happen if I came to the audition.

Grandma smiled warmly as I approached her. I picked up scissors to cut strawberries, helped Grandma cut the fruits that were ready for harvest.

“How was your trip?” Ask Grandma while harvesting.

“You want to stay in town?” Ask Grandma who made my hand stop for a moment. I looked down at the ground. Grandma chuckled lightly.

“Go away, you can visit Grandma once in a while,” Grandma said still cutting the fruits. I looked at Grandma half in disbelief. As if a sign from the sky that I should indeed audition, I smiled broadly and continued harvesting.

A week later, I went to Seoul. I now live in the bathroom to save money. My parents are rich, Grandma doesn't mind giving me pocket money either but I want to live independently, and also I live alone, I think this place is more than enough. I stood up from the bed after putting on my shoes. I took the yellow scarf that Grandma gave me the other day.

The air outside was colder than before. I stared at the building in front of me. It's not a big building even I think they're still contracted. I went inside. It's strange to see this building so quiet. I approached the receptionist, as the woman said, I handed her the business card. The receptionist directly contacted the inside. After a while of waiting, the woman who met me the other day came out. I bowed in a sign of respect. This woman led me into a room.

This room is entirely white with one of the walls in the form of a mirror. There are three cameras in the room. It's a really exhausting process. First they told me to sing and then dance. I have never done those two things before so I just want to sing the Indonesian song Aquila ever sung. I forgot the title but the lyrics are like this.

Finally, I finally found it

The face that changed my world

Make myself really mean it

No stop chasing his charms

I'll give you the best

Tuk proved his love for him

She's She's the love I've been waiting for

He He is He, complete my life

He is He is, love that can afford

Accompanying me coloring my life

She She She...

(She She Is, Afghan, 2010)

I'm sure there's the next lyrics but I forgot so I quit. After singing it they asked me to repeat the ref part once again in a higher tone. I don't know if my tone is right or not. After I stopped singing they talked for a while before telling me to dance. Someone lit a very foreign song in my ear. I had no choice but to move my body with origin. I imitated some of the movements I saw from the internet.

After that I was left to rest somewhere else for maybe 20 minutes. This time my name was called by a different person. I was led to a different room. Not much different, there are three more cameras. This time I was just asked to smile. It was just a smile but I didn't understand what it was for all this time. Maybe I should smile for 30 minutes. Facing forward, facing right, left, it seemed like I was spinning repeatedly.

I didn't know that auditions take all day. I'm so tired. It's five o'clock in the afternoon. I walked down the Han River. This place is pretty crowded. Some of them are with a partner, friend, or family. It's pretty fun to see other people. I looked at a voice. There were five men who seemed to be my age. I'm no stranger to them, my head trying to remember where we met. Maybe it's just my feelings. I continued my steps to the nearest bus stop. I have to get home before nightfall.

I never thought that life in Seoul was this heavy. I can't apply for any job because I don't have a college degree. A high school graduate can only work part-time. I have always lived in such a luxurious house that I do not know what is happening to this world. I opened my savings book. Seventy million won. I don't know when this money will run out. If I manage to get into Purple Entertainment, at least I won't have to worry about primary needs.

I woke up with a phone that was ringing so hard this morning. Who called so early. I fumbled over the nightstand looking for my phone. My eyes were not yet fully opened as I raised the call.

“Yeoboseyo?” I said while rubbing my eyes.

“Is this really Keuristina Mekeunji-ssi's phone?” Ask the guy across there. My name is very strange when it is pronounced in Korean.

“True, this is Chris,” I replied.

“I'm Lee Su Ryeon of Purple Entertainment. I'd like to inform you that you are accepted to be a trainee at Purple Entertainment, I hope you can come today to sign a contract with our company,”. My brain has been digesting his words for a long time. Wait for. Lee Su - Ryeon. Purple Entertainment Trainee. Holy hooch! My eyes opened wide.

When I had chosen to enter this industry, I was completely determined to devote all my energy. I don't have any skills in this field. I also don't know what made them accept me to join their company. But this is the first, and best, step I've made.

In most of the dramas I watch, the main character takes a good first step so as to lead them to success even though the journey is far from easy. I understand how important the first step is. When we are very sure to take that first step, the journey as difficult as anything will feel lighter because our subconscious knows what we are fighting for. So, this is it. My first step.