The appearance of Joo Seo-yeon, the hottest rising star of the year.
Naturally, the actors in the audition room couldn't help but stir.
Of course they would.
This audition was, at best, for Director Jo Bang-woo's film.
Even if it had been 10 years ago, that would be one thing, but for a washed-up director on the decline to have such prominent stars gathering for his film—not having doubts would be stranger.
'What the hell is going on?'
'I heard rumors that Park Jung-woo was participating, but just because of that, both Hwang Min-hwa and Joo Seo-yeon are joining? Something's off.'
'Was the script really that good? Well, it was fun, but isn't it just an entertainment film? If anything, it was rather nonsensical...'
The actors each looked at Seo-yeon who had just entered, and at Hwang Min-hwa sitting in a provocative posture.
Seo-yeon also naturally met Hwang Min-hwa's gaze.
With her staring so intently, it would have been stranger if their eyes hadn't met.
'Why is that girl here?'
'So Hwang Min-hwa is here after all.'
Hwang Min-hwa was considerably flustered.
Seo-yeon found it a bit curious, but that was all.
'Hwang Min-hwa originally appeared in Director Jo Bang-woo's film too.'
In her past life, Hwang Min-hwa had been a successful actress.
No, not just successful—she was at a level where the word "blockbuster" unconditionally floated around whenever she appeared.
Films with fewer than 5 million viewers did not exist in her career.
Except for exactly one.
'Director Jo Bang-woo's film.'
A film that barely gathered 1.5 million viewers and was pulled from theaters.
Hwang Min-hwa had erased that film from her career.
As if it had never existed in the first place.
That was possible because, originally, Hwang Min-hwa had not participated as the female lead in that film.
'So, her participating in this audition is a bit unexpected, though.'
As far as she knew, Hwang Min-hwa was originally slated to be the female lead of that film.
However, Hwang Min-hwa herself chose not the female lead, but a supporting role with relatively less screen time.
Naturally, the public also wondered why Hwang Min-hwa appeared as a supporting role rather than the female lead, but the reason became clear soon enough.
'The male lead's atrocious acting. And, it was so obvious that the two leads couldn't use their bodies well and relied on stunt doubles for most of it.'
No matter how much stunt doubles were used for action, there needed to be sections where the actors performed directly to some extent.
Above all, in the case of
So, with the scenes being rather crude and the actors' performances being a mess on top of that... the result was needless to say.
'I don't know if she saw through that and made that choice.'
Rather, thinking that way made Hwang Min-hwa's appearance in that film even more curious.
In interviews, she left brief remarks saying she couldn't refuse because it was for her former teacher, but whether that was true was unknown.
Anyway, since she participated in a supporting role with little screen time, she could quietly remove it from her career.
Rather, since she participated out of loyalty in a failed work, her image only improved.
The director also took his own life, earning her sympathy votes as well.
"It's been a while, Seo-yeon ssi."
"Yes, it's been a while, Hwang Min-hwa sunbae-nim."
After exchanging those words, the two quietly looked at each other.
'Hey, why isn't she greeting properly? A battle of egos?'
'But can Hwang Min-hwa act well in action scenes? Looking at her other movies, it doesn't seem bad.'
Hwang Min-hwa's lips twitched at the sight of Seo-yeon, who was lost in thought without even properly greeting her, a senior.
"Seo-yeon ssi, even so, I'm your senior, so I should at least be greeted first..."
"Huh? If I had to say, aren't I the senior?"
"?"
At Seo-yeon's words, spoken as if genuinely puzzled, Hwang Min-hwa momentarily stopped talking.
Come to think of it, that was true.
Seo-yeon's debut year was surprisingly early.
10 years ago, her appearance as a child actor in
'What? Is she someone who doesn't count child actors?'
As Seo-yeon looked at her as if finding her strange, Hwang Min-hwa soon coughed lightly.
"Oh my, that's right. I made a mistake."
"Not at all."
"Let's do well on our acting today."
Looking at such Seo-yeon, Hwang Min-hwa thought.
'This kid's battle of egos is no joke.'
To counter with that clueless face—she's a master beyond ordinary masters.
Hwang Min-hwa also thought that the emotionless face of Seo-yeon she had encountered before might not have been acting.
Well, having run rampant in the industry to that extent for a year, she couldn't be an ordinary opponent.
'Above all, that girl Jo Seo-hee backing her up.'
Hwang Min-hwa also had friction with Jo Seo-hee.
Putting aside the rumor of being a chaebol family young lady, just as the actress Jo Seo-hee alone, she was overwhelming to face.
A genius actress beloved by numerous veteran actors.
On top of that, Jo Seo-hee had more hit works, so naturally for Hwang Min-hwa, she was like a thorn in the eye in many ways.
'Why did Hwang Min-hwa participate as the female lead this time? Because the male actor changed to Jung-woo sunbae? That's the most plausible reason...'
Seo-yeon lost in thought, and Hwang Min-hwa gazing at such Seo-yeon.
'She really isn't an ordinary opponent.'
'Didn't we come to today's audition for nothing?'
'It's practically going to be a fight between those two.'
Looking at the two, the other actresses couldn't help but turn sullen.
Joo Seo-yeon and Hwang Min-hwa were both actors highly evaluated for their acting skills.
Joo Seo-yeon was the hottest actress of the year, and Hwang Min-hwa was a top actress who had proven herself for years.
Whether in terms of recognition or acting ability, they were at a level where they couldn't compete.
Rather, they were curious.
What exactly was this film that such actors gathered for.
And.
"J-Joo Seo-yeon... the actress?"
Director Jo Bang-woo, who had just heard the news that Seo-yeon entered the audition waiting room, was dumbfounded.
As for Hwang Min-hwa, he had already heard over the phone that she was coming, so he wasn't greatly surprised.
Of course, he didn't know that proud woman would actually come.
Even so, when told she had to audition, he thought she might not come.
'Is it because of Park Jung-woo?'
Director Jo Bang-woo suddenly had that thought and his mouth went bitter.
Because he felt that the trust in a single actor was higher than in himself, the director.
From his standpoint, she was a terribly young actress.
Even if she was the daughter of a great actor, she was ultimately in her early twenties.
Well, a young actor whose every work became a hit could be more trusted than himself.
Director Jo Bang-woo let out a faint sigh.
"Director. But did you not know that Joo Seo-yeon was coming?"
"I didn't hear anything about that. Park Jung-woo said there was an actor who really wanted to participate, so I conveyed it through him..."
Could that have been Joo Seo-yeon? He thought he understood the reason for deliberately keeping it a secret and bringing her.
"If that was the case, he should have told me in advance. Don't tell me, the reason for holding this audition was also all because of Joo Seo-yeon?"
"Yes."
"No, is there really a need to hold an audition?"
"Joo Seo-yeon would think that's the right thing to do."
Above all, this audition had a very symbolic meaning.
An audition for Director Jo Bang-woo's film.
And, the drama where Seo-yeon first appeared.
Because it brought to mind the first drama audition for real acting, not commercials, in Seo-yeon's acting life.
The audition where the arrogant child actor Park Jung-woo first met Seo-yeon.
"Actually, my decision to appear in this film is entirely because of Joo Seo-yeon."
Park Jung-woo smiled gently at Director Jo Bang-woo.
"What?"
"Did you perhaps forget?"
Park Jung-woo calmly spoke to the flustered Jo Bang-woo.
"The first audition where Joo Seo-yeon could become a proper actor was thanks to Director Jo Bang-woo's recommendation."
"...."
"She was just a child actor who had only shot a few commercials. A child actor who appeared a few times in Director Jo Min-tae's CF. The one who brought that child actor before everyone was none other than Director Jo Bang-woo."
"...That was just me giving a little help because she was an actor recommended by my son."
"Yes, both of you gave great help to Joo Seo-yeon."
Park Jung-woo looked at the camera screen showing the audition waiting room and chuckled.
Because the faces of Hwang Min-hwa looking strangely at Seo-yeon, and Seo-yeon lost in other thoughts were captured on screen.
The only actress who could stand so nonchalantly in front of Hwang Min-hwa like that would probably be Seo-yeon.
"Joo Seo-yeon has constantly asked me about news of Director Jo Bang-woo's new film."
"...Why?"
"She said she definitely wants to appear in it."
Park Jung-woo said while looking at the flustered Jo Bang-woo with a calm gaze.
"More than any other film, she wants to prioritize appearing in that film above all else."
He thinks.
Why did Seo-yeon want to appear in Director Jo Bang-woo's film so desperately?
Because she knew the script?
He thought so, but naturally that wouldn't be the case.
Seo-yeon would have appeared even if the script had been a flop.
"...Why?"
"Who knows."
Park Jung-woo smiled.
"Maybe the bond from 10 years ago was that precious to her."
Something like that.
It was the occasion that corrected his arrogant disposition.
At that time, the figure of Princess Yeon-hwa smiling at the young Yoon Seo-il while standing with the sunset behind her remained imprinted like a seal.
That was probably a milestone in many ways.
"Director."
Park Jung-woo spoke to the director who was strangely silent.
"The young child actor you recommended back then has returned like this."
Beyond 10 years of time.
At the most desperate moment.
Like a savior.
---
As it reached 2 PM, all the actors gathered in the waiting room.
The audition began in earnest.
Starting from the first number, groups of three entered the audition room and began performing scenes from the script they had received in advance.
Hwang Min-hwa sat calmly, going over the script she had memorized in her head.
Since Joo Seo-yeon had appeared in this venue, she was determined to win.
'I can't lose to that girl.'
Certainly, Seo-yeon's debut year was earlier.
However, considering the period of activity, Hwang Min-hwa's was overwhelmingly longer.
The career she had built over the years.
The work she had done.
The effort she had put in all this time.
'Genius actress...'
Well, Hwang Min-hwa wasn't stupid enough to not acknowledge that.
She certainly had a petty side to her nature, but she didn't deny her fellow actor's talent.
She didn't look down on her.
Joo Seo-yeon was the real deal.
Sitting calmly right now, quietly closing her eyes, Seo-yeon was like a doll devoid of any tension.
A different atmosphere from usual.
Hwang Min-hwa had also heard it before—that Joo Seo-yeon organizing her emotions before acting begins appears like a doll.
Like an inorganic substance where no emotion could be felt, that's how she looked.
She thought that rumor was simply a baseless rumor, but seeing that figure, she thought it might actually be true.
She had felt it since they first met.
An actor's aura.
Hwang Min-hwa, who had once gone to an overseas film festival because a film she appeared in was coincidentally nominated at an overseas awards ceremony, knew.
The world's renowned actors she saw there.
When she saw them, Hwang Min-hwa had scoffed.
They're just local, aren't they?
If you only consider acting ability, there were plenty of actors inferior to herself.
It was just because of their race, their country, that they couldn't receive recognition.
She thought so, but there was exactly one actor whose aura felt different.
'That white girl.'
What was her name, was it Stella?
Anyway, it was something like that, and the aura she felt when looking at that girl was very similar.
'...Good.'
Hwang Min-hwa checked the content of
First, the character she would be acting this time was a college student named Seo Hye-min whose hobby was climbing.
Climbing is a sport of climbing up and down by holding onto things like rocks attached to a wall.
Originally, Seo Hye-min was a promising genius climbing athlete, but a woman who retired due to a shoulder injury.
Now, she was a college student working a part-time job at a fast-food restaurant.
'So, they'll definitely check athletic ability too.'
Of course, there were no scenes in the script where she acted while climbing.
Simply acting that could show the character.
Park Jung-woo, who took the role of the son of a department store president, a third-generation chaebol, would become her counterpart and act together.
'Seo Hye-min's character is... more girlish than I thought.'
She thought she'd have a lively impression, but that wasn't particularly the case.
She was relatively feminine.
She had some affectation, but also had real substance.
However, a woman with fortitude.
'This type is rather harder to act. Should I emphasize the liveliness? Or...'
And the film had a plot where such a woman overcomes disasters together with the male lead.
Looking at the plot alone, she honestly wondered if it made sense.
Because the content was about an unidentified gas leaking in Seoul, causing deaths.
And, the people who died from that gas even attacked those around them like zombies.
It was also a quasi-zombie film.
What exactly is this film?
Hwang Min-hwa thought so, but since the content was fun, she read it all.
A genuine entertainment film.
A film that was like a challenge for Director Jo Bang-woo.
"Then, numbers 34 to 36, please come in."
At that moment, a staff member's voice was heard.
Hwang Min-hwa, her number was 34.
The moment she confirmed and stood up from her seat—
"...!!"
Instantly, the sound of actors gasping could be heard.
That was because the moment Hwang Min-hwa stood up, Seo-yeon also rose from her seat.
"Hmm."
Seo-yeon also seemed a bit surprised.
Because she didn't expect to audition in the same group as Hwang Min-hwa.
Like that.
"First, Hwang Min-hwa sunbae-nim, please show us the acting you've prepared. The scene is... yes, S# 27 would be good."
The audition began in earnest.
An audition no one had expected.