“Cloud-Cleaving Moonlight” is scheduled to air on Friday and Saturday as a weekend drama.
At the same time, it is also the ambitious work of KBC’s drama department, which has been experiencing stagnation for three years now.
For the sake of the KBC drama department’s staff, “Cloud-Cleaving Moonlight” must absolutely succeed.
Therefore, instead of creating a completely new story, they chose to adapt a novel that had gained immense popularity a few years ago.
Producing a drama based on a novel that has already proven its entertainment value seems to be a safer and more certain path.
However, KBC’s desperation did not stop at the script planning stage.
They enlisted the skills of the talented director Jin Kyu-seong and even granted him some authority typically reserved for the casting director.
Thus, the casting audition for the female lead role of Yeom Wol was conducted with a multitude of swordplay scenes.
The core of the character Yeom Wol that Jin Kyu-seong envisioned was precisely the charisma of a female warrior.
“To expect to see both mask and swordplay acting is somewhat greedy, isn’t it? It might be better to utilize stunts—”
“The action scenes performed by the lead actor will definitely generate buzz. And if you’re going to catch a rabbit, wouldn’t it be better to catch two rather than one?”
No compromises or negotiations regarding the audition took place afterward.
Consequently, the audition proceeded just as Jin Kyu-seong planned.
By utilizing part of the set being constructed, the audition already differed qualitatively from other auditions.
The appearance of the audition space exuded a level of completion that would make one believe it was actual filming.
Nonetheless, the reason this scene was called an audition and not a shoot was straightforward.
It was because the stunt actors employed for the audition had to consider the actress playing Yeom Wol as much as possible.
The only thing provided to the actresses vying for Yeom Wol’s role was the script.
They were not given the opportunity to practice with the stunt actors in advance.
This was something Jin Kyu-seong was well aware of as well.
“Please focus solely on portraying Yeom Wol. Since you are all veteran stunt performers, I’m sure you will coordinate well.”
He had already indicated that he wouldn’t mind the type of swordplay acting, as long as it fit the image of Yeom Wol.
He planned to stop any acting that was deemed subpar.
Of course, there were a few actresses that Jin Kyu-seong had his eye on.
The ‘appearance’ that would suit the cross-dressing female Yeom Wol could be discerned even before the audition began.
Ha Eun was also among Jin Kyu-seong’s list of candidates.
Ha Eun’s sharp gaze and toned body truly embodied the form of a warrior.
However, the fact that she was still only 18 lingered in his mind.
Competing against adult actors who had already experienced action acting would surely be no easy feat for Ha Eun.
Critically, most of the acting Ha Eun had shown so far had been static performances lacking any significant movement.
While Jin Kyu-seong acknowledged her immersion, whether such focus would translate into anything beyond static acting was still uncertain.
‘…What a pity. The costume and makeup really suit her well.’
He felt regret over Ha Eun’s slight struggle with the lightweight sword specially prepared for the actresses’ wrists.
Struggling even to lift that light sword meant that Ha Eun’s swordplay acting would likewise be lacking in quality.
Finally, the casting audition for Yeom Wol began shortly after.
The first actress stepped forth one by one for the Yeom Wol audition.
As various styles of acting unfolded in sequence, the very moment the swordplay of the actress before Ha Eun ended disappointingly due to a minor slip-up,
“Then, let’s begin. …Cue!”
As soon as Ha Eun arrived in the center of the set, which would one day become the “Eastern Palace,” she signaled the start.
At that moment, a flicker.
‘…Huh? The atmosphere… something’s…’
Ha Eun’s gaze.
Her expression.
Everything became suddenly cold.
No, it seemed empty.
The slight tension she had felt until just a moment ago vanished in an instant.
It felt as if she were looking at a scarecrow rather than a person.
The emotions, atmosphere, and presence that a person should possess were nonexistent.
Then, just a few seconds later.
Flicker.
– A shiver.
“…Huh.”
The emotions that had vanished abruptly.
The atmosphere.
The presence.
With a subtly altered gaze compared to before, it began to swell slowly.
Thus, everything that had just been completely emptied was slowly filling anew from the very bottom.
Eventually, what appeared in the center of the Eastern Palace was a person who was sharper and enraged.
“This is where? How dare you…”
The tip of the sword, which had been parallel to the ground, slowly descended and eventually touched the stone floor of the Eastern Palace.
With that, the steps began to shift.
The sound of the sword scraping against the floor.
The sharp sound produced from the collision of stone and metal.
The unmistakable sound itself indicating Yeom Wol’s position.
“…How long will you hide in your hole, you little rats who don’t even know your place.”
This transformed into a form that coexisted with confidence and ferocity, conveyed to all the assassins hidden in the Eastern Palace.
New shadows loomed around Yeom Wol immediately thereafter.
Faced only with hostile gazes.
Ultimately, the voice of an assassin who had been saying that surrendering would spare their lives came through, sounding as menacing as ever.
However, Yeom Wol, paying no heed to the assassin’s threats, scoffed and even smirked.
As the assassins finally realized they had no choice but to clash with Yeom Wol, one by one they drew their swords.
-Thud!
Illuminated by the moonlight, Yeom Wol’s shadow charged straight ahead.
At some point, the tip of the sword had lifted again.
Following this, the straight strike crashed down violently on the upper left of the nearest assassin.
Simultaneously, with a quick change of stance, she executed an upward strike toward another assassin right behind her.
Without a moment’s respite to catch her breath, Yeom Wol swiftly turned her body to the side and robustly parried the sword that was thrusting at her neck.
Just then, the sword was split exactly in two and flew far away, silencing the assassin.
Yet, the sharp tip of Yeom Wol’s sword did not cease and ended the assassin’s life in one blow.
And then, the lifeless body collapsed.
With the body fallen, she charged forth with lethal intent toward the last remaining assassin.
-Thunk!
From above to below.
From the side to the top.
Diving toward the heart and then quickly redirecting to the chin.
Yeom Wol’s ever-changing sword strikes created fierce echoes all around.
The assassin, desperately dodging or countering Yeom Wol’s blade by mere inches afterward.
The tightly closed mouth and distorted expression conveyed the sense of crisis he felt.
Droplets of sweat that had been forming on the assassin’s forehead served as elements to amplify the urgency of the scene, creating a more vivid atmosphere.
‘…As expected, they are veteran stunts. Their expressions are on point.’
Perhaps because he hadn’t set any particular limitations on the swordplay acting.
The continuous exchanges gripped the spectators, making them sweat in their palms.
An unpredictable array of irregularities.
The sound of swords clashing was so painfully realistic that no one noticed.
Thus, it seemed that the duel, which was even more realistic than reality itself, rushed toward its climax.
-Krang—!
Seizing the fleeting moment when the assassin’s breath faltered, Yeom Wol charged forward.
The shadow of the man, gradually being forced back while their blades met.
Finally, the assassin’s body came crashing against the wall of the Eastern Palace.
Almost simultaneously, Yeom Wol’s sword flew toward the assassin’s carotid artery.
The blade poised to cleave the assassin’s neck halted just before it touched.
The assassin, barely releasing the breath he’d been holding, trembled, his eyes wide.
And then, what came from Yeom Wol toward that assassin was:
“…Tell those who sent you.”
Yeom Wol’s final line.
“This I, who has turned my back on my destiny, stand guard by your side.”
Wet hair, stretched long over sharp eyes.
Through them emerged eyes filled with animosity.
The voice was equally razor-sharp.
Having poured out his hostility multiple times, it seemed that it was not fully resolved but rather had intensified.
Soon, the serious and ferocious gaze slowly withdrew from the front assassin.
Baffled, Jin Kyu-seong called out, signaling the end of Ha Eun’s performance with an “OK” sign.
Among the other actors who had been watching Ha Eun’s performance, there were no tranquil expressions to be found.
This was because no one could execute as vivid a duel as Ha Eun had.
However, a slightly unsettling feeling lingered in the actors’ minds.
Setting aside Ha Eun’s exceptional performance, the acting of the stunt performers who responded to her was also vastly different from what the other actors had experienced.
How should I put it, the performances seemed more real, with a depth unheard of.
“Ha Eun.”
“Yes?”
“Have you, uh… ever taken lessons in period drama swordplay or something?”
The half-curious, half-skeptical question from Jin Kyu-seong.
To which Ha Eun honestly replied that she had attended an action school for just under a month.
However, even having attended an action school, this was Ha Eun’s first time coordinating with the stunt performers playing assassins.
‘It’s settled.’
The conclusion remained unchanged that among the many actresses who applied for the role of Yeom Wol, Ha Eun suited the role the best.
The praise or commendation regarding the stunt actor who had been sweating profusely came from Jin Kyu-seong right afterward.
“Indeed, veterans are veterans. I’ve reassessed you, Kwon Jun.”
However, just minutes before, Kwon Jun, who had given his all to respond to Ha Eun’s swordplay, could think solely about Ha Eun’s sword.
For some reason, one staff member’s face had turned pale, and as soon as Ha Eun’s performance ended, he hurriedly took away the sword, preventing a detailed check.
But he was certain of one thing—that the lightweight swords other actresses had wielded were of a different caliber than Ha Eun’s heftier sword.
Of course, Kwon Jun had also tried to stop Ha Eun’s performance at one point.
Yes, he had ‘attempted’ to.
He couldn’t even open his mouth swiftly, thinking that if he relaxed for even a moment, an irreversible incident would occur.
‘…That was a life or death experience…’
Kwon Jun had been a stunt performer for quite some time.
However, he had never experienced this bone-chilling performance.
He tried to calm his startled heart by gulping down cold water, acting unlike his usual self.
At the moment when everyone in the Yeom Wol casting audition was occupied for various reasons,
‘I wonder if I can borrow that sword from earlier?’
Ha Eun, the source of all the complexity, was focused solely on the unexpected physical workout that the previous swordplay had given her.
She merely thought it might feel like working out with heavy dumbbells.
