Looking back, it wasn't a particularly impressive scene.
Princess Yeonhwa simply turned around slowly at the boy's call.
It was merely that one action.
'Acting.'
Planning producer Ha Tae-o naturally thought of that word.
Acting is not simply reciting lines.
It is every action that expresses emotion.
From facial expressions to the look in one's eyes.
Even the movement of the body.
All of that is expressed through the act of acting.
"So, you were looking for me."
The full dialogue hadn't even begun yet.
However, everyone held their breath at the sheer presence of Princess Yeonhwa as she quietly turned around.
Princess Yeonhwa leaving the palace for a distant place.
Those who played her expressed that emotion with grief.
And Jo Seo-hee poured out her emotions, successfully bringing tears to her eyes.
But the Princess Yeonhwa before them did not cry.
Grief.
Of course it was felt.
But beyond that, anger appeared in those eyes.
I thought Princess Yeonhwa's eyes, already red like the sunset, had grown a shade deeper.
Anger that could not be buried by grief.
Herself, fleeing alone from the civil unrest, and its mastermind.
Anger against everything was vividly contained within.
Young Yun Seo-il, facing it head-on, couldn't continue speaking.
His mind simply went blank.
He needed to say his lines next. He had memorized all the prepared dialogue.
Only such thoughts swirled in his mind.
"Why do you remain silent?"
Normally, it should have ended there.
But Princess Yeonhwa's lips opened as she looked at the silent boy.
"Or perhaps you find even words too precious to waste on someone like me."
This was close to venting her anger.
It was venting anger at the boy who had called out to Princess Yeonhwa, who was swallowing her grief alone.
"...Hiccup."
At that blade-like voice, a hiccup eventually escaped from young Yun Seo-il's mouth.
Looking closely, tears even welled up in his eyes.
It truly felt like having royalty right before his eyes.
Daring to speak here felt like committing a grave sin.
"C-cut! Cut! That's enough. The acting is sufficient at that level!"
Thanks to that, the fierce atmosphere vanished like a lie at the shout of filming director Gong Jung-tae of Taesumdal, who had come to his senses.
Princess Yeonhwa, who had just been before everyone, had changed into Seoyeon, blinking blankly.
However, no one could mock Seoyeon's attitude like before.
'...Didn't they say she was a parachute?'
Is that a parachute?
More like airborne troops.
The faces of the child actors who were aiming for the role of Princess Yeonhwa filled with dejection.
Because they didn't know there would be another child who could pull off such acting after Jo Seo-hee.
'That's impossible.'
Among the astonished crowd, the most surprised one was, without a doubt, Jo Seo-hee, who had been laughing confidently.
'They said she only shot a commercial.'
Is that the skill of someone who only shot a commercial?
It was frustrating, truly frustrating, but the scene just now was an interpretation that even Jo Seo-hee dared not think of.
'No, that's the wrong answer. The script clearly stated a Princess Yeonhwa who sheds tears from a grief-stricken heart.'
The acting the script demanded was shedding tears toward Yun Seo-il and receiving comfort from him.
However, Seoyeon's acting just now felt more chilling than sorrowful.
Therefore, it was the wrong acting.
Jo Seo-hee desperately tried to think so.
"...I've heard that child actors these days are scary with their acting."
"That recommendation was worth receiving."
"I don't know about other things, but the emotional delivery is really impressive, right? It's much better than most actors."
Ha Tae-o glanced at Jo Min-tae, who had visited the filming set.
The CF director who was said to be the son of Jo Bang-woo.
'Is it luck? Or does he have a good eye?'
The judges of the audition, without exception, reflected on Seoyeon's acting just now.
'At first, she was definitely looking at the sunset.'
'Since she was staring straight at the sun, her eyes were too dazzled to open properly.'
'Then she turned around at Yun Seo-il's call...'
Needless to say, the sun was overhead.
There was still a long time left before the sunset.
But looking at Seoyeon's acting, it felt as if the sunset was right in front.
It evoked the image of the moon standing with its back to the light.
"But, that was a line that wasn't in the script."
"It was an ad-lib. Though it was incredibly natural."
"The emotional acting was also a bit different from what the script demanded. How was it for you, Director Gong?"
The opinion of Director Gong, who was directing the filming, was important.
Because he was the one leading the direction and acting of this drama.
"The acting was really good... but honestly, a sensitive director wouldn't like it. Too much clear subjectivity went into the acting."
"That's true. This is honestly the first time I've seen a child actor like this. Usually, they just do as they're told."
"Yes, that's right. That's how it should be..."
Interpreting and acting out the script in one's own way is usually something experienced actors do.
But Seoyeon naturally accomplished that at a young age.
Is this talent?
"Ah, wait. Could it be that she acted according to the original work?"
Then, someone brought that up.
The original work.
Come to think of it, this Taesumdal was a drama based on a novel.
"In the original work, Princess Yeonhwa gets angry at Yun Seo-il. She vents her anger, caught up in self-pity and rage."
But the drama's Princess Yeonhwa emphasized more static aspects rather than such fierce traits.
Because that way, Yun Seo-il's presence would come alive in this scene.
"...If she read the original work, it might not be the wrong acting."
"Hmm."
Of course, setting that aside, it was sufficiently good acting.
Natural ad-lib.
Even deep emotional acting.
The problem was that it was different from the acting the script demanded.
"Compared to Jo Seo-hee..."
The princess of the daily drama.
The title everyone used to call Jo Seo-hee.
A title praising her talent, believing without a doubt that she would become a great actress in the future.
"Actually, if we're just looking at the acting, it's hard to compare."
"The emotional delivery is leagues apart. In terms of skill... Jo Seo-hee was certainly amazing too. No, she had many better parts as well."
Looking at acting alone, Jo Seo-hee is an honor student.
An honor student who scored perfect marks in everything.
But Seoyeon was like a wild horse.
Acting accompanied by her own interpretation and natural ad-libs.
This could become a mess if the counterpart couldn't properly receive it.
Like just now, when the counterpart couldn't utter a single word.
'The role of Yun Seo-il is easy...'
'Who would have thought we'd be stuck on the role of Lee Hye-wol.'
After briefly conflicted, they soon looked up and observed each other.
"Well, first of all, this isn't the only prepared scene, so let's watch everything and decide."
"Yes. There's no need to be hasty."
They conversed like that and decided to continue the audition.
The role would be decided in a meeting later anyway.
But they already knew.
Who the child actress to play Princess Yeonhwa, Lee Hye-wol, would be.
***
'Did I overdo it?'
I couldn't forget the intense reaction I felt when I finished acting and looked at everyone.
Crossing my arms and thinking about that moment, my body flinched for no reason.
Because I was worried I might have accumulated a dark history-level scene.
If there was a blanket in front of me, I would have definitely kicked it right away.
"Miss Seoyeon."
While thinking such thoughts as I left the audition room, Jo Min-tae spoke up.
"I was really surprised by your acting today."
"Yes?"
"Honestly, I was worried since it's your first drama, but rather, this side is your natural calling. I truly thought Princess Yeonhwa was really right in front of me."
Is this lip service?
No, looking at his expression, he seems sincere.
'Thank goodness.'
I thought I might have overdone it and accumulated a dark history, but it seemed to have been received fairly well.
As I let out a sigh of relief, Mom, who had been equally quiet, grabbed my hand tightly.
"I was really surprised too. You know I watch historical dramas often. Even compared to the child actors in those, Seoyeon's acting wasn't lacking at all. No, I think it was much better."
"Is that so?"
"Of course! Our daughter really is a genius!"
Perhaps because she couldn't speak up at the audition due to being conscious of others, Sua hugged me tightly and said that.
'A-air.'
As I struggled against the heavy fat covering my face.
Jo Min-tae calmly continued speaking.
"Later, if the opportunity arises and I end up directing a drama or a film. I would really like Miss Seoyeon to play the lead in my first work."
"Me?"
"Of course. But by then, Miss Seoyeon will probably have become a great actor that one would hardly dare to even speak to."
He said that and laughed with a low voice.
"Ah, no. If the opportunity comes, I'll definitely do it."
"Oh, really? No backing out later."
"Of course. It's a promise."
I replied like that, raised my arm high, and extended my thumb from my clenched fist.
Then, as if stamping a seal, we pressed our thumbs together and ended what seemed like a playful contract.
"Sometimes Miss Seoyeon, you really seem like a boy. These actions are so refreshing."
"I-is that so?"
I flinched for a moment at being told I was like a boy.
Of course I'd seem like a boy. My past life was male.
My actions have changed a lot, but my mind hasn't changed much yet.
'Ahem, anyway.'
Jo Min-tae probably thought this contract was a joke, but I was quite serious.
'If it's Director Jo Min-tae's first work, it's "The Thief".'
It was an entertainment movie for killing time.
A refreshing action movie by a genius director!
Something roughly along those lines for promotion.
If he puts me in as the lead, I would only be grateful.
How many actors rose to fame with that.
Wasn't it the movie that sent Kim Jung-ha, who was on a high flight at the time, all the way to space?
'Ah, but I also have to do VTuber activities.'
I couldn't even bring myself to use appearing in a ten-million movie as stream material.
Saying I appeared as an extra would be underwhelming.
Saying I appeared as the lead would obviously make it easy to identify who I was.
Red pill!
This was the part I had to be most careful about as a VTuber.
'Well, whatever.'
I'll think about that when the time comes.
Today's acting was still somewhat satisfying to me.
My own acting, completely different from when I did the commercial.
The moment I became another me.
Just like a VTuber.
'I hope I get the part.'
Of course, that probably won't happen.
Jo Seo-hee acted amazingly well.
The reason I threw a risky move was because I was overwhelmed by Jo Seo-hee's acting.
A gamble I put forward thinking I could never win if I acted by the book.
I don't know if that went over well with the judges.
'Still, I really want it.'
Like that, a week later.
The results of the Taesumdal audition were announced.
Publicly, through a making-of video.