Chapter: 38
In the thick silence.
The gazes of everyone began to shift slightly.
In this odd atmosphere, a high school girl seemed to stand out.
Her long black hair contrasted sharply with her pale skin.
At first, one might think she was just another kid relying solely on looks to get through auditions.
But…
Who is she? She seems experienced…
What is she doing right now? Is she acting?
The calm baseline expression on her face conveyed something deeper.
Usually, when talking about “bad acting,” it refers to that robotic performance with no expression changes.
However, subtle shifts in her impassive demeanor transformed her into a “natural, understated performance.”
A slight difference reveals a significant change.
Naturally, this behavior was characteristic of veteran actors, making it quite an odd sight for a high school girl.
She’s definitely experienced.
Being a high school student, it’s quite possible she’s a former child actor who worked somewhere.
If she had participated in smaller dramas, one might overlook it.
But…
The other actors kept their guard up around this girl but felt a strange sense of relief.
Because her acting was clearly different from theatrical performances.
Clunk.
Just then, the closed door swung open with a bang.
All eyes shifted.
Even Joo Seoyeon, who was preparing her act calmly, turned towards the sound.
At the entrance of the waiting room filled with actors stood a woman, gasping for air as she grasped the doorknob.
She had wavy brown hair and droopy eyes.
Her height was modest, and she had a slim figure.
She looked like she was just a little over twenty.
What stood out the most was her pale complexion.
She certainly had an oddly striking appearance for an actress.
Who is she?
Is that Ji-won?
Her outfit was as peculiar as Seoyeon’s school uniform.
One could only wonder if a fashion terrorist tried to dress like that.
With her haphazardly thrown on jeans and checked shirt, she looked like a male engineering student.
Today, whether her outfit suited her role or not was beside the point.
A strange sense of discomfort crept up as I observed her attire.
That must be her.
Seoyeon narrowed her eyes as she watched the woman stagger into the room.
The woman seemed unconcerned with the curious glances around her and went to sit in a suitably vacant spot.
She had no script in hand.
Just empty-handed.
At a glance, she looked like someone who had stumbled into the wrong audition.
“Um, this is the audition room.”
One actor, perhaps in disbelief, tried to talk to her, and her eyes slowly turned towards him.
A flicker—a moment that caused the speaking actor to recoil slightly.
There was an aura about her that was far from ordinary.
“I know,” she replied curtly.
It was a stiff response.
No further explanation was provided, but it was hard to find the words to continue.
‘…That’s true, I guess.’
She resembled someone from the news.
The role of the play Seoyeon was auditioning for belonged to that woman.
And she had made quite the buzz by getting cast in a movie through that play.
Pyo Ji-woo.
She could have been a star.
A fan with the worst talents.
The adversary Seoyeon had to outshine this time.
*
“What do you think? Any interesting candidates?”
Jo Do-yul, the director of the play, turned to the other judges while asking.
Among the panel, there were Do-yul, the assistant director, stage managers, and two actors participating in the play.
“Of course, it’s Lee Min-hee’s script, so it’s really popular.”
“Right? It’s already a proven script.”
“Eyes Closed” was a play that had been a massive hit in Daehangno three years ago.
This time around, they had reassembled a fresh cast and crew for it, ensuring its commercial viability.
“The role of Hong Jeong-hee is quite important.”
“Absolutely. She’s the character that flips the vibe of the entire play.”
The story revolves around the male lead, idol Bae Seong-hak, and a hearing-impaired woman, Song Min-seo. Essentially, it’s a romance with no dire situations.
While minor incidents happen, the pivotal character who changes the game is none other than Hong Jeong-hee.
“If we don’t cast Hong Jeong-hee properly, the entire stage will crumble.”
“Right? But playing a villain is no easy task…”
“The nuance of that darkness needs to shine through. If it feels forced, it will lose all impact, you know? But if done right, this role can leave quite an impression.”
That’s why it’s such a sought-after role among actors.
There’s not a lot of dialogue, but the character’s presence is significant.
Thus, they had a whopping 500 applicants.
Only one-tenth made it to this second round.
“Anyone stand out? How about Bae Yeong-hyun?”
“Oh, yes, she’s a solid actor. Her skills are proven. A hard worker too; it seems she only recently stepped onto the stage.”
The judges chimed in with names of actors they were interested in.
Then someone mentioned a rather peculiar name.
“Joo Seoyeon… Did you check her profile?”
“Oh.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Of course, they had; it was quite the unexpected reveal.
“Ten years ago, she was a hit as a child actor. I never thought I’d see her here.”
“I was shocked too! I actually watched that drama; back then, I thought she was incredible and even applauded her!”
“Really? I haven’t seen The Sun Hidden by the Moon.”
“What? How could you not see that?”
“I was busy watching The Action King…”
“Wow, what a rare breed; I didn’t expect to see a fellow Action King viewer here.”
“Yeah, that’s harsh.”
Those who confirmed Seoyeon‘s profile mumbled such sentiments.
In her role as Princess Yeonhwa in The Sun Hidden by the Moon, she showcased peak acting skills for a child actor.
She even won a youth actor award that year.
Achieving the highest career point one could reach as a child actor in just one year.
Then suddenly, she vanished for ten years, that’s Joo Seoyeon.
“Why return to theater?”
“Many actors often come back through theater. Some use it as a stepping stone to return to films or dramas…”
Though they said that, their expressions remained ambiguous.
Seoyeon.
Considering her buzz, she was truly a big fish.
“Does she fit the play?”
“Well, looks aside, uh… ultimately, her experience is just that single drama shoot. She likely has zero theater experience.”
“Didn’t she know that acting in plays and dramas are different?”
“She might be a bit young too. If she’s just a high schooler, she can easily cover it with makeup.”
This was only a possibility because Seoyeon was female.
Generally, women finish their growth in their mid to late teens.
That’s why there’s not much difference between adult actresses.
What a conundrum.
“It’d be a loss to let her go, but it also feels like something’s off about her…”
They didn’t speak it outright, but it was understandable to wonder how well a child actor returning after ten years might perform. Her acting as Princess Yeonhwa had impressed everyone, but that was child acting.
Now they were comparing her against adult actors.
Lack of experience, and her first performance in ten years left one to question if she’d even perform at the level of the past Princess Yeonhwa.
There was no denying that the free performance video she displayed had no shortcomings.
Thus, she had passed the first round with unanimous agreement.
However, stage acting and watching acting in videos could vastly differ.
“I actually have someone I think stands out even more than Joo Seoyeon.”
“Oh, I think I know who you mean.”
Each of them exchanged quick looks, speaking out the name almost simultaneously.
“Is it Pyo Ji-woo?”
The raw performance from the free audition video seen in the first round was truly shocking.
It was raw, yet it fit perfectly for the role of Hong Jeong-hee.
“I personally hope this actress gets the role of Hong Jeong-hee this time. What do you think, Min Seo-ho?”
“Uh?”
“I mean, in this ‘Eyes Closed’, she would be intricately intertwined with Song Min-seo for different reasons, wouldn’t she?”
“Oh, true.”
Seo-ho said this while glancing at his phone.
Of course, he wasn’t doing anything inappropriate.
He was just looking to revisit the free performance video submitted by Pyo Ji-woo for the first round of auditions.
Strange.
The moment he viewed that, Seo-ho scrunched his brows.
I feel like I’ve seen her somewhere before.
Could she possibly be someone he met at a club?
He shook his head at the thought.
“I think she might be a little off for this role. But of course, we need to see it to know for sure.”
“Really? Well, yes, seeing it in person is most appropriate.”
Jo Do-yul glanced at his watch.
It was time for the auditions to start.
The villain role that would hold the show’s appeal, the audition for Hong Jeong-hee.
*
At seven in the evening.
The auditions kicked off in earnest for the late dinner hour.
Seoyeon slowly rolled her eyes around, surveying her surroundings.
The tense atmosphere was nothing compared to her experiences as a child actor.
Back then, the only competitive atmosphere came from parental rivalries.
But the people here were all sincere.
They were here to survive in the industry and pursue their passion.
Naturally, the energy couldn’t help but be different.
These auditions definitely feel different from the ones I had experienced before.
Seoyeon thought as she calmly closed her eyes.
The audition would have five participants enter the set at a time.
In other words, she had to perform in front of others.
If she hadn’t experienced the auditions for The Sun Hidden by the Moon, she might have been flustered.
Though it was a decade ago.
Calm.
It surely feels familiar.
The other actors stole glances at Seoyeon.
To those who frequently auditioned, such circumstances were old hat.
But wasn’t Seoyeon still just a high school student?
Her lack of nerves could only be a sign of extensive experience.
Or perhaps she was just naturally cool under pressure.
Either way, both traits are vital as an actor.
Who could she be?
Everyone was beside themselves with curiosity regarding Seoyeon.
“Next up, Shin Hae-eun, Hwang Yeong-hee, and…”
The next actor’s names were called out for the auditions.
“Joo Seoyeon.”
Slowly, that name caught Seoyeon’s attention.
Joo Seoyeon.
The moment she heard the name, a few actors reacted.
“Joo Seoyeon? She’s not that child actress, is she?”
“No way.”
“But she looks and sounds just like…”
The Sun Hidden by the Moon was a blockbuster drama that once ruled for a year.
In terms of child actors, Joo Seoyeon was practically unmatched in terms of viewership ratings.
While most actors were still quite young when The Sun Hidden by the Moon aired, those performances remained memorably impressive.
“And next, Pyo Ji-woo.”
Following Seoyeon, Pyo Ji-woo was also called into the audition room.
With a face that seemed to declare ‘I don’t care about anything’, she rose from her seat.
Perhaps overshadowed by Seoyeon, fewer people seemed to pay attention to her.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Jo Do-yul, the director for this Eyes Closed.”
As Seoyeon stepped into the audition room, eight judges awaited her.
Seoyeon spotted Min Seo-ho, the actor playing the male lead, Bae Seong-hak.
That’s the one.
The figure who had stirred up all sorts of trouble.
He would soon understand Bae Seong-hak’s feelings better than anyone.
And.
Seoyeon’s gaze shifted sideways.
To the woman who entered the audition room alongside her.
Pyo Ji-woo.
“Alright, then let’s see who should go first…”
The judges’ gazes shifted.
Those gazes predominantly pointed to two individuals.
Joo Seoyeon and Pyo Ji-woo.
“Joo Seoyeon please come forward.”
The first to perform, the pressure of being first weighed heavily.
That’s true not only for auditions but for anything, really.
Ten years ago, the genius child actor.
The dazzling appearance caught the eye.
But could she show the same level of acting skills as she did in the past?
The judges quietly watched, awaiting the unveiling.
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