Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Results.
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Where exactly did things go wrong?
Waiting while replaying the audition in my head.
"Jeong Gyeowol, come on in."
"Ah, yes."
From experience, being called into the audition room twice usually meant the acting was ambiguous enough that they wanted another look.
It was often because the performance didn't match the applied role, so they considered a different one, or the acting was lacking but clicked perfectly with the character.
But in my case, neither seemed to apply.
My acting was solid enough, and I fit the character like a glove.
What the hell was it? Was there some flaw in my performance I didn't know about?
I opened the door and stepped in. Screenwriter Bae Jongwook looked excited somewhere, Director Kim Chi-seung wore a troubled expression.
I could see the casting director nodding.
"Congratulations."
"...Pardon? Uh... thank you?"
As I passed through the door, the assistant director sitting behind the camera suddenly offered congratulations out of nowhere.
At this point, only an idiot wouldn't catch on.
Jeong Gyeowol here—if I can't read the room, I'm dead meat.
'I passed.'
The audition room had a slightly flushed atmosphere.
Screenwriter Bae smiling at me.
The assistant director who congratulated me.
It was certain. I was convinced.
Naturally, the corners of my mouth twitched up.
'Finally... my acting paid off.'
Director Kim Chi-seung seemed cautious, like he was pondering what to say.
I could tell from his demeanor that he didn't want to let me go.
-Should we use her?
-Nah, just cut her.
-Kids at her level are a dime a dozen. Go with someone with a better face.
I'd always been just another discardable card, one they wanted to toss.
Now, I'd become the indispensable one they absolutely had to keep.
It felt like all twelve years of hardship were repaid in an instant.
"Jeong Gyeowol, no agency, right?"
"Yes."
"Tsk, then sign with us here first."
"...Pardon?"
It was the same at Atelier... Everyone seemed desperate to lock in contracts fast.
After the audition performance, the staff reviews the camera footage or their scores and discusses.
Once they decide on passing, they notify, then contact the agency to proceed with the contract.
This can take days if quick, months if not. If it drags to months, it's basically a failed contact.
Passing an audition doesn't guarantee filming the movie.
Production issues or the actor's circumstances can make it fall through.
In those cases, it's like backups—the next best candidates get the slot.
Anyway, getting the pass notification and signing the contract on the same day was something I'd never seen in twelve years of audition-hopping in my past life.
Atelier's CEO Kim Seulgi didn't want to lose me and hated the haggling business of weighing options.
Maybe Director Kim Chi-seung was similar, but suddenly a weird thought hit me.
Wait a minute...
'It has to be Jeong Gyeowol.'
'Jeong Gyeowol's acting was the best.'
'Can't imagine Kim Hayul as anyone but Jeong Gyeowol.'
No, maybe it wasn't that... maybe no one else was willing to play Kim Hayul.
Kim Hayul maintains a consistently stoic expression while putting the protagonist through hell.
In the process, she smirks at Lee Ji-an, who resembles her.
I'm convinced audiences who don't connect with Kim Hayul's backstory will find her utterly obnoxious.
She might come off worse than a typical villain.
Villains at least give catharsis when the hero beats them.
Kim Hayul just torments from start to finish and vanishes.
On top of that, she needs subtle acting to reveal emotions despite the blank face, and her action scenes rival the protagonist Lee Ji-an's.
Per Screenwriter Bae's script, she's even younger than Lee Ji-an.
It's a burden, and even if someone could pull it off, the issue remains.
Would a young, pretty actress capable of that level risk jumping into a gamble with a floundering director and eccentric screenwriter?
This means I didn't pass purely on acting skill or perfect character fit.
My mood suddenly soured...
"...You didn't just audition as a test, right? You actually want to do it?"
"Ah! No, that's not it! I want to act in it!"
I jumped at Director Kim Chi-seung's question and answered hurriedly.
I nearly became the type who wastes everyone's time just to see how far I could push it.
"Haha, good then! Assistant director! Get the contract quick."
"Ah, yes!"
The assistant director who'd been fiddling with the camera bolted up and rushed off somewhere, returning with the contract.
"Ah... Do you need legal advice by any chance? Thinking about it, this is your first time in the industry. You might not know contracts well, so maybe delay a bit to make sure..."
"No, it's fine. Let me just check it once."
"...Y-you sure?"
Just like at Atelier, I meticulously checked for unfair clauses.
This looked like industry standard...
Job secured.
One clause was blank.
"Ah, look at Article 20, Paragraph 1: it ends with '[Party A and Party B are obligated to faithfully fulfill the terms of this contract.]' Could we tweak just this part? Something like '[In case of changed circumstances requiring adjustments to wages, term, or other working conditions during the contract period, the contract may be amended by mutual agreement of Party A and Party B.]' That should do it."
The government provides standard labor contract templates... but in film, custom ones circulate without such clauses.
Not always designed to screw actors... just old templates patched up over time, missing bits.
It was a tiny detail easy to overlook, but I'd been burned before.
Signed without it once, then got jerked around as the contract changed at Party A's whim, turning into a slave performer.
Couldn't even sue. Industry's too small, and blacklisting someone like me is nothing.
Not that I distrusted Director Kim Chi-seung or Screenwriter Bae.
Better safe than sorry.
But I'd zeroed in on an unexpectedly minute detail.
"...Um... are your parents in the industry by any chance...?"
"No, no connection at all."
A industry newbie fresh out of school catching a detail even the director missed was suspicious.
I scrambled for an excuse.
Then I remembered Nutube, always with me committing the crime of killing time.
"Well, um, Nutube has super detailed videos on this stuff. I studied from those."
"Ah... Nutube... yeah, it really has everything."
Nutube is god. Nutube is invincible.
When words fail, Nutube saves the day.
Hahaha. We locked eyes and shared an awkward laugh.
It wasn't really a mistake, but the director acted like it was his fault, looking sheepish.
I felt a needless pang of guilt inside.
Second life felt like cheating in a fair game all by myself.
Anyway, as of today, I'd joined the movie Nomen as Kim Hayul.
"Jeong Gyeowol, looking forward to working with you."
"Same here. I'll do my absolute best not to drag the film down."
"That's why... it might be tough, but it's essential for the movie."
...Like a con artist revealing their true colors right after the deal.
Director Kim Chi-seung leaned in close, eyes sparkling.
No way they wanted to add a kiss scene or bed scene.
Kissing... a guy...
No matter how much it's acting... with a man?
As an actor, I couldn't avoid it forever.
If truly needed for the story, I was prepared even for bed scenes.
But forced bed scenes or melodrama? I'd dodge if possible.
That subconscious thought might've made Kim Hayul more appealing.
"We'll cover action school with the budget. I'd love if you could do the action scenes without a stunt double as much as possible."
"... "
"Too hard? We'll try as far as you can, use doubles only where necessary..."
"No, of course I have to!"
I wondered what he'd say, but it was the most obvious thing.
Jeong Gyeowol here—the woman who can deliver true manly action.
What do they call girls like me?
Army-vet high school girl? Something like that... anyway.
Crank-in in about two months.
Had to shape up by then.
Suddenly craving a visit to the hidden master of Banpo Hangang Park, Doctor Master.
Trainers often overtrain and ruin bodies, or mistake whining for real limits and stop too soon.
Our Doctor Master knows my physical limits exactly and pushes right to them.
Training with her lasted just a day... not even half a day.
But plenty to grasp her true value.
With her, I could become an action rookie star in two months, no doubt.
Too bad, no contact info.
Went to Banpo Hangang Park often since, but never saw her again.
She was like a legendary Pokémon.
'But all I do is change clothes and work out.'
A month already as female Jeong Gyeowol.
My life was just fittings and workouts.