Crossing the Desert to Taste an Oasis

Text and Photos by Han Ji-hye (Elly Han)

I applied a face mask and lay down to sleep, preparing for tomorrow's shoot. My husband said beside me, “I can’t believe it. Tomorrow you’re shooting with one of my favorite actresses. Remember? We watched ‘Big Bang Theory’ together all night in Korea. And now you’re going to shoot with that actress in the U.S. Can you believe it? This is a big deal, honey. You’ve made it. Amazing!”

I chuckled and closed my eyes. His sweet words made me feel good. I was excited since it was the day before the shoot, but I didn’t think it was that significant since I had a small role. However, hearing my husband speak so grandly about it made me feel a bit more important. The actress I would be shooting with tomorrow was the lead in a popular TV drama we loved watching back in Korea. At that time, I never imagined I would work with her in the future. Isn’t it the fun of life when things you never even dreamed of happen? Tomorrow, not only would I meet the actress my husband adored, but I would also be working with her, so it felt like I had already had a full night’s sleep.

I headed to the set early in the morning. I had come here a few days earlier for a costume fitting, so it didn’t feel unfamiliar. The large building I was entering, resembling a warehouse, was a set for filming movies and TV shows. From the outside, it looked like a simple box, but once inside, a new world unfolded. There were sets designed to look like real homes, and right next to them was a set resembling a restaurant in New York. Some sets even looked like terrifying prisons. The set where I would be filming today was a recreation of a club. The props and lighting were so well done that you could believe a real club had been brought in to this empty space. As I looked around, a production assistant (PA) ran over to me. They greeted me warmly and, almost apologetically, made sure I had everything I needed, asking if I had eaten breakfast and if I was warm enough. At the door of the room they took me to, my name and the name of my character were prominently displayed. This was my own space to rest or wait during filming. Inside the room were my costume, script, comfortable slippers, and a robe. It felt like I was being treated like I was in a hotel.

The role was tiny, but landing a part through auditions is quite challenging. The process involves a first audition, callbacks, and holds (where you are narrowed down to about three finalists), followed by the director and producer selecting from the final candidates. Whether the role is small or significant, the audition process remains the same. (In fact, larger roles often require an additional callback and camera testing. The audition processes for TV shows and movies differ as well.) However, once you arrive at the set after overcoming all those hurdles, you are treated like royalty. Even though my role was small and the shoot lasted only two days, I could still experience a brief yet exhilarating sense of accomplishment. Being treated like a famous actress washed away all the struggles I had faced. If I can receive such treatment while doing what I love, perhaps it’s only natural to go through tough competition to get here.

I got into costume and finished my makeup. While waiting in my room, the PA called me to go to the set for rehearsal. In theater, rehearsals last for months before a performance, but for a TV show, there’s just one rehearsal for camera and lighting tech right before shooting, and another for blocking with the director. In other words, you need to be ready to shoot as soon as you arrive on set. In TV, everyone’s time is money, so if you don’t pay attention when the director is blocking the scene and giving directions, it can lead to significant mistakes. Especially for smaller roles, the time allotted is limited. So, it’s a tense moment. I want to perform my role well without any mistakes. I greeted the director and the cinematographer, and we blocked the scene. When the camera and lights were ready, I saw her walking toward me from a distance. The actress I had seen on TV. Perhaps she was the one who inspired me to chase my dreams, and she began walking toward me in slow motion. Indeed, Hollywood actresses are different; she seemed to shine as if she had lights attached to her back.

With a goddess-like face, she smiled brightly and greeted me, extending her hand for a handshake. “Nice to meet you. What’s your name?” I instinctively shook her hand with both of mine. “I’m Elly.” “Elly, let’s have fun today!” At that moment, it hit me—my husband’s words from yesterday. Just as she said, we had a great time filming over the next two days. Thankfully, she made me feel so comfortable, which was a relief for someone like me who can be shy. After filming, as we said our goodbyes, I told her, “I just want to say that my husband and I have been fans for a long time. The night before the shoot, he encouraged me by saying that working with his favorite actress meant I had succeeded. Thank you for giving me such a wonderful experience.”

She replied, “Oh my! How can you just leave? We need to take a picture for you to show your husband! Hurry and get your phone. I’ll wait here.” I rushed to my waiting room at what was probably the fastest speed of my life to grab my phone and took a picture with her. Then I returned home and proudly showed it to my husband.

When I showed it to him, he exclaimed, “Wow… she’s really a goddess… she shines!” To which I replied, “Right?! But… what about me?”

For more information about my activities, visit www.imdb.com/name/nm5579181/ or @ellypie0623.

Text and Photos by Han Ji-hye (Elly Han)

After graduating from Sangmyung University with a degree in Theater, I appeared in Korean original musicals such as ‘Music in My Heart,’ ‘While You Were Sleeping,’ ‘Happy Our Young Days,’ and ‘The Wizard of Oz.’

In 2011, after coming to New York to study with my husband, I graduated from the New York Film Academy and began appearing in ads for Amazon and Estée Lauder. I also appeared in TV shows like Netflix’s ‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,’ HBO’s ‘The Deuce,’ and the upcoming HBO release ‘The Flight Attendant’ in 2021. In film, I starred in ‘Till We Meet Again’ and the award-winning short film ‘Cooking with Connie’ by Stavits Allweis. Additionally, I have appeared in various films and am currently focusing on my first Hollywood project, ‘Supercool,’ set to be released in 2021. In 2014, I published a travel essay titled ‘Festival Traveler’ with Minumsa, combining my love for travel and writing.