This is how I became an actor. On the day of the second audition.
“Miss Sua, how about this role?”
At Choi Hee-won PD’s suggestion, writer Lee Geum-sook shook her head.
“It doesn’t suit her. How many times do I have to tell you?”
“Miss Lee, please hear me out.”
“I already know what you’re going to say. Isn’t it that given Sua’s age and gender, this role suits her best?”
“Yes, precisely.”
“You’re right, but it won’t work. That role needs someone who looks a little pitiful.”
The gap in opinions wasn’t narrowing. Choi Hee-won crossed his arms.
“Didn’t you plan to cast Sua in the next project too? All the other roles at the moment are male actors.”
“I’ll adjust the script if I have to. We can’t just assign any role because we’re in a hurry. You know that, right?”
Finally, Choi Hee-won nodded.
“Hmm, you’re not wrong. Since it’s the second audition today, let’s see how Sua acts and decide after that.”
Only then did Lee Geum-sook smile faintly.
“To be honest, I wanted to cancel the audition and offer her the drama directly, but I’m curious to see what kind of performance she’ll give in the second round. That’s why I couldn’t say anything. Sorry to Sua.”
“Agreed. But I think this way isn’t bad either. We haven’t yet decided which role to offer her, but watching her might give us an idea.”
“Exactly!”
Though they weren’t that close, the two seemed to forget that fact and kept chatting endlessly. The reason was, of course, Sua Lee. The monstrous participant who appeared like a shooting star.
While the two kept talking nonstop,
“Hey, did you really follow through?”
Seo Yeon-joo addressed Kim Sun-il.
“I don’t lie.”
“So? What do you think about the participants? I don’t see anyone who stands out to me. Is this because of Sua? Everything seems so ordinary after her.”
“Seo Yeon-joo.”
Kim Sun-il called her name chilly.
“For an actor, being good at acting goes without saying.”
“Didn’t you just admit, with that statement, that Sua is good at acting? You idiot.”
Ignoring Seo Yeon-joo’s exasperated sigh, Kim Sun-il quietly recollected the scene he watched on TV yesterday.
Vividness. Heart-wrenching. Mastery.
“Yeah. She did well with the acting.”
Kim Sun-il decided to give credit where it was due.
“So what’s the problem then?”
“Being good at acting isn’t enough.”
Just that his standards were a bit more numerous and strict.
Had Kim Sun-il been one of the judges for “This is how I became an actor,” he would have clapped without hesitation. Among all the participants, Sua Lee stood out distinctly.
However,
This was about choosing someone to collaborate on a drama with. Isn’t it natural for his standards to be strict?
Seo Yeon-joo frowned.
“So what else is needed?”
“The eye for scripts. The attitude towards scripts.”
Kim Sun-il caressed the second audition script.
“First of all, this second round script? It’s garbage.”
“What can we do? PD Son Ji-woong specializes in entertainment shows. This script is a mission-based one, it has to be provocative.”
“I know exactly. That’s why I call it garbage.”
Second audition script. A scene involving torture.
Kim Sun-il could already see several videos in his mind.
– (5 million views!) Reactions to 000’s torture!
– Goosebumps every time, 000’s torture acting!
Mission-based scripts. Clips made for MyTube that are provocative but lack any real distinction.
Disgusting. Revolting.
His obsession wasn’t limited to hygiene. In fact, he reacted more strongly when it came to acting.
Creating a drama involves acting, not flashy, provocative acting just for the views.
They’re inevitably different. He abhors it.
Seo Yeon-joo shook her head as if she was tired.
“Tired, tired. What kind of attitude is needed?”
“At least not the attitude of doing it enthusiastically without any thought.”
The future masterpiece that Kim Sun-il hoped for from Lee Geum-sook’s next project didn’t need an actor who just ‘showed up and did their best.’
Does the actor have a clear target role in mind?
Do they understand the key points of the script?
Is their grasp of the relationship with other characters secure?
The acting ability must be extraordinary, and only top-tier actors capable of truly appreciating the script in this manner are desirable. Only then can masterpieces be born.
So today, Kim Sun-il would thoroughly investigate everything.
How does Sua Lee react to the second script?
Does she have the courage to say a script is bad if that’s the case?
Does she have conviction in her acting?
Does she understand the worth of Lee Geum-sook’s script?
Right then,
“Ah…! I’m really sorry!”
The door slammed open, and PD Son Ji-woong rushed into the judge’s waiting room, his face ready to burst into tears.
“Contestant Sua Lee isn’t coming! No matter how much we call, she isn’t coming!”
Everyone reacted instantly; no one needed much time to be shocked. Without exception, they all jumped up from their seats.
“Is she voluntarily withdrawing?”
“No, what does that mean?”
“It’s…!”
PD Son Ji-woong explained, his voice trembling.
“Sua Lee doesn’t like the second script! She says she refuses!”
In the midst of everyone’s shock,
“…”
Kim Sun-il’s eyes widened at this turn of events.
◈◈◈◈◈
Meanwhile, at Sua’s apartment.
[ LET’S LIVE PRODIGIOUSLY! ]
Sua stuck a large printed paper on the wall. The bonus had unlocked. Thus began the second act of her life!
“I’m going to live productively! Productively!”
Sitting in front of her computer with determination, Sua suddenly remembered the call with PD Son Ji-woong.
– Excuse me? No, I’m just kidding.
– Miss Sua, your abilities are nothing short of impressive, right?
– That’s not the issue.
– Please reconsider, Miss Sua.
– It’s a great opportunity for you, Miss Sua.
– Miss Sua…!
– I’m sorry.
Even though her last call with PD Son Ji-woong ended rather harshly, Sua didn’t feel the slightest regret.
“Seriously, I almost got myself into something bad there…”
No, she was rather relieved and grateful. They wanted her to experience some ridiculous torture? Why on earth would she?
Of course, PD Son Ji-woong’s words had some merit.
– It’s a great opportunity for you, Miss Sua.
That’s right. Making a name through auditions would be good indeed. But to ask if there’s nothing for her other than that chair? That’s not true either.
“Ho ho, I have my third bonus.”
So, this power given only to Sua by the world should be used to carefully build her own filmography.
And as a result, at this moment,
“This one, no. This one too, no. Oh? Is this one good?”
It was like filling up a shopping cart at a mart. She was going through the notices online, looking for actors, and filtering through them.
[Hyungyeong University is looking for actors for their project]
[Audition notice for actors in a short film (Salt)]
[Casting for actors in a web drama at a university hospital]
[Casting for actors in ‘Crosswalk’ (tentative title)]
Of course, she couldn’t blindly jump onto every opportunity. She only examined the ones where scripts were attached. How could she afford to miss the chance to gauge the potential before it happened?
“And, before experiencing the script, I must always check visually.”
Sua emphasized to herself as if to brainwash herself.
It would be terrible to recklessly jump into something and end up being tortured. She carefully checked every downloaded script.
After a while,
Sua ended up applying to exactly two options.
(Application) [Energy Drink Commercial Actor Casting]
First, this one—there was a script for a beverage commercial, and it was a solid 2nd-rank rating after experiencing it.
(Application) [Short Historical Film ‘Sword’]
This was also 2nd rank. She applied immediately.
“Phew…”
It was thrilling, knowing this was the start. Sua decided to trust her bonus and herself. After all, if she doesn’t believe in herself, she can do nothing.
Actually, compared to before, she felt much more confident.
“Should I call it increased experience? Feels like it’s grown a bit.”
Headaches, shakes, uncontrollable emotions… The residual effects that used to follow after experiencing the scripts were gradually weakening. This was a huge relief for Sua.
Moreover…
She recalled random lines from the script she had just experienced.
“Your sword is heavy. Who could possibly hold it?”
She nodded in affirmation after speaking the words, with a short exclamation.
“Wow.”
All the lines were fully memorized. Sua once again recognized that the bonus was indeed no trivial matter.
“Hehe.”
She continued searching for casting announcements.
This was more fun and enjoyable than she thought.
Experiencing the scripts.
And imagining her future while making the applications.
For the first time, a purpose had appeared in Sua’s once bleak life, and she placed a small expectation in herself.
◈◈◈◈◈
A little later, she received a call from an unknown number.
“…Uh, unknown number.”
Sua unwittingly furrowed her eyebrows.
Soccer, basketball, pilates… Having experimented with various fields to find her true calling, Sua was naturally wary of calls from unknown numbers.
Calls from the workplace she’d quit, or the sports club she’d already left… Nothing was appealing. Now that she had also exited from the audition, there was no need to answer every phone call.
She lightly ignored the first call.
However,
-♩♪♬
-♩♪♬
-♩♪♬
Since it kept ringing, she eventually had to pick up. Most scams and spam calls don’t persist like this.
“Uh. This is Kim Sun-il.”
The first thing out of the mouth was this, in a low voice.
After a brief silence, Sua hung up the call, deciding it wasn’t someone she recognized no matter how she reviewed it.
-♩♪♬
But it kept ringing again.
“Hello. Is this Miss Lee Sua?”
“Who is this?”
A voice that knew her? She tilted her head, wondering who it could be.
“It’s me, actor Kim Sun-il.”
An irritated voice. Sua felt equally irritated.
“I don’t know you.”
“Whaaat?”
As she was about to disconnect thinking it was a nuisance call,
“Take some time at least. Hundred thousand won for transportation?”
“No?”
What is this? Some kind of scam?
