Over the years of touring, the thing I've been most frequently lent by fellow musicians is a portable clothes steamer.
If you ask me what's the most important thing I've learned as an actor over the years, it might not be a line from the script.
It's not a performance.
Not even how to stand at the center of the stage without feeling nervous.
But rather a somewhat realistic answer:
Don't underestimate the small troubles in life.
What truly drains people are often not the big things.
They are the small, seemingly insignificant things that appear every day.
For example, clothes getting wrinkled.
I know this doesn't sound like a topic worth writing an entire article about.
A few years ago, I felt the same way.
It wasn't until I started touring more frequently, staying in hotels often, and opening my suitcase countless times that I realized how much the ability of a piece of clothing to quickly regain its shape could directly affect my mood for the day.
And that's when my relationship with a portable clothes steamer began.
Acting isn't as glamorous as people imagine.
Many people think actors are quite romantic.
Standing on the stage.
Delivering touching lines.
Accepting the applause.
Curtain.
End.
Actually, real life is nothing like that.
At least for stage actors.
Most of my peers are basically always on the move.
A month might have twenty days when I'm not at home.
Performing in this city today.
Rehearsing in another city tomorrow.
Then taking a high-speed train or plane to a new theater again the next day.
Sometimes I'm still packing my bags at the hotel in the early hours of the morning.
The next morning, we have to rush off to the next destination.
Many people think that actors are most exhausted during performances.
To be honest.
The performance is actually the simplest part.
What truly exhausts you are the things that the audience never sees.
Rushing from place to place.
Waiting for the bus.
Rescheduling.
Hauling luggage around.
Finding a hotel.
Organizing clothing.
These things repeat every day.
Over time, you'll come to truly appreciate those small tools that help save you time and energy.
I first became concerned about my clothes before a particularly important performance.
That was many years ago.
At that time, I had just started taking on a more significant role.
I was incredibly excited.
I prepared my clothes several days in advance.
The shoes were polished to a shine.
I even brought two backup shirts.
We finally arrived at the hotel.
I opened my suitcase.
I froze in place.
The shirt was all wrinkled and messed up.
Especially around the collar.
No matter how I adjusted it, something felt off.
That feeling was exactly like realizing your pen had run out of ink right before an exam.
Not a big problem.
But enough to affect your mood.
Later, I spent nearly half an hour figuring out the hotel's iron.
I almost burned a mark on the sleeve because I didn't know how to use it properly.
Ever since then, I've had a bit of a psychological scar regarding irons.
Many actors are actually like this.
Because costumes are often much more delicate than everyday clothing.
Some fabrics simply can't withstand repeated wear and tear.
Especially during a tour.
A set of clothes has to travel with the production crew to many different locations.
No one wants to ruin their clothes because of a simple mistake.
There's a particularly interesting phenomenon backstage.
If you have the chance to visit backstage half an hour before the show starts,
you'll find a very interesting scene.
Someone is applying makeup.
Someone is reviewing their lines.
Someone is doing leg stretches as a warm-up.
Someone is sitting quietly, gathering their emotions.
And there will always be a few people
walking around the clothing rack.
Pulling at a hem.
Patting a shoulder.
Straightening a cuff.
When I first started, I didn't understand.
Later, I became one of them.
Because actors truly rely on the state brought by costumes.
Often it's not the audience who is watching.
It's me experiencing it myself.
You stand on stage wearing a neat and well-tailored outfit.
And you stand on stage wearing wrinkled clothing.
The mental state is completely different.
This difference is hard to describe.
But I can feel it.
Just as some people always need to fix their hair before going out.
Not for others.
But for their own comfort.
Why did I later start getting used to bringing a portable clothes steamer?
Actually, the reason is quite simple.
Laziness.
Or more accurately, not wanting unnecessary hassle.
I used to check every time I stayed at a hotel whether the room had an iron.
Where was the ironing board?
Was the power outlet close enough?
Could I make enough space?
Sometimes, after a busy day, I would return to my room after eleven at night.
Who still has the energy to deal with that?
Later, I once stayed in the same hotel as an older actor.
He took out a portable clothes steamer from his suitcase.
Hung up his shirt.
Added some water.
A few minutes later.
I stood there watching with envy.
At that moment, I suddenly thought:
It turns out things can be this simple.
Since then, I've developed the same habit.
Ultimately, as people get older, many of their consumption habits change.
When you're young, you tend to pursue functionality.
Nowadays, convenience matters more.
I like anything that gives me less to worry about.
Over the years of staying in hotels, I've noticed everyone is the same.
Sometimes the breakfast room is especially interesting.
Especially in business hotels.
Looking around the room.
Lawyers.
Salespeople.
Consultants.
Project managers.
TV hosts.
Actors.
Everyone has a completely different profession.
But everyone looks about the same.
Drinking coffee.
Looking at their phones.
Occasionally adjusting their clothes.
Later I realized:
Adults are all doing the same thing.
Trying to make themselves look more reliable.
Because often what we're facing isn't just clothing.
It's the day that's about to begin.
Someone wants to meet a client.
Someone is heading into a meeting.
Someone is going to an interview.
Someone is about to step onto a stage.
Everyone wants to be in top form.
Clothing is often the most direct reflection of that state.
Once, I experienced something particularly interesting at the airport.
That day, we were preparing to board.
A middle-aged man was sitting beside me.
He seemed like someone who traveled frequently for work.
He was wearing an exceptionally neat, crisp suit.
He noticed the garment steamer sticking out of my suitcase.
Suddenly he asked:
"You fly a lot too, don't you?"
I nodded.
He said:
"I do too."
Then we spent more than ten minutes chatting for no particular reason.
Talking about flight delays.
Talking about hotels.
Talking about luggage.
In the end, we realized the problems people face most often are surprisingly similar.
Wrinkled clothes.
Misshapen shoes.
Creased shirts.
At that moment, I suddenly realized:
Actors aren't actually that different from ordinary office workers.
Everyone is hurrying from place to place.
Everyone is adapting to unfamiliar environments.
Everyone hopes to show up in the best possible condition.
The only difference is the stage.
When it comes to Nesugar, what I hear most often isn't about technical specifications.
In recent years, as business travel has become more frequent, I often see people discussing portable garment steamers in travel groups and actor groups.
Interestingly,
very few people study complicated specifications.
The most discussed topics are actually:
How heavy is it?
Does it take up much space?
Can it go directly into a carry-on bag?
Names like Nesugar are ones I often hear when chatting with colleagues.
Because for people who are constantly on the road,
lightweight design matters more than anything else.
After all, no one wants to carry unnecessary weight around the world.
Looking back now, what matters to me is no longer just the clothes.
When I first started, I cared deeply about performance quality.
Later, I started caring about audience reviews.
Later still, I focused more on character development.
Now, I find myself caring more about life itself.
Did you sleep well?
Have you been eating on time?
Have you taken care of your health?
Have you tried to reduce some unnecessary hassles in your life?
Because after working in a profession for a long time, you realize:
What truly affects your state is never some earth-shattering event.
It's the small details that happen every day.
A smooth shirt.
A comfortable pair of shoes.
A hassle-free flight.
A morning without worrying about your clothes.
Individually, these things don't seem important.
Together, they can determine how your day goes.
So now, every time I pack my luggage before a trip,
I still go through the same checklist.
Did I bring the script?
Did I bring the charger?
Did I bring the throat spray?
Did I bring that portable clothes steamer?
Because I know.
The next time I open my suitcase in an unfamiliar city,
I'll probably thank today's version of myself all over again.
