Chapter 19
Chapter 19
As soon as Director Go Jin-seok finished giving his instructions, Baek Seung-chan closed his eyes and immersed himself, picturing the given situation in his mind.
Director Go Jin-seok found his attitude intriguing.
‘This kind of reaction is a first.’
Being asked to divide emotions into numbers usually confused actors.
After all, emotions were something without form.
In fact, in past auditions, most actors would either panic or fall into deep thought.
But Baek Seung-chan was different.
He didn’t hesitate or ask questions—he immediately immersed himself.
‘How will he express it?’
Through the edited footage of “Loser Legend,” he had already confirmed that Baek Seung-chan was a good actor.
What he was curious about now was how he would interpret the directed emotion.
‘By the way, this is fascinating.’
In the video, Baek Seung-chan clearly had the unique aura of an A-list actor.
But from the moment they met until now, he felt completely ordinary.
Just like any other young man his age.
‘His instantaneous immersion must be extraordinary.’
If the acting he saw in the video wasn’t fake, that was the only explanation.
At that moment—
“I’ll start.”
After finishing his immersion, Baek Seung-chan slowly opened his eyes.
The instant he did, the air in the small room changed.
“……”
The aura he had felt through the video filled the room with its presence, and Director Go Jin-seok unconsciously held his breath as he focused.
“Haha……”
With his head slightly lowered, Baek Seung-chan let out a small laugh.
“Hahaha! Hahahahaha!”
Then he raised his head and laughed louder and louder.
He was clearly laughing, yet sorrow could be felt within that laughter.
His reddened eyes and the subtle distortions in his expression carried unmistakable grief.
The short but intense performance came to an end.
Shocked, Director Go Jin-seok stared blankly at Baek Seung-chan.
In truth, he knew better than anyone that emotions couldn’t really be quantified.
Though now a drama director, he had once dreamed of being an actor himself and had even appeared in a few of his own works.
Even so, there was a reason he gave such instructions during auditions.
To see how well an actor could accept a director’s direction.
No matter how skilled an actor was, if they couldn’t follow direction, a director couldn’t create the scene they wanted.
But that didn’t mean he gave instructions without thought.
He had a clear image of the performance in his mind.
And yet, Baek Seung-chan had not only matched that image—
He had surpassed it.
At some point, the imagined character in his mind had disappeared, leaving only Baek Seung-chan in its place.
In all his years in the industry, meeting countless actors, this was the first time he had experienced something like this.
‘This guy is the real deal!’
Director Go Jin-seok knew he couldn’t let him slip away.
“Director?”
“Ah—right.”
He snapped out of it at Baek Seung-chan’s call.
“Is there anything else I should do?”
“No, no! That was more than enough.”
His voice trembled with excitement.
Shock had turned into joy in an instant.
“Then… what about the audition?”
“What do you mean? Of course you passed. Let’s work together.”
Usually, wouldn’t they contact you later?
This audition already felt different from the ones he’d seen in dramas.
But Director Go Jin-seok seemed to be misunderstanding something.
“Director, I’m sorry, but I haven’t decided to join yet.”
Baek Seung-chan hadn’t confirmed his participation.
“Yeah, yeah, let’s do well togeth—wait, what?”
Caught off guard, Director Go Jin-seok blinked in confusion.
For most rookies, getting cast in a drama was the top priority.
This situation was entirely new to him.
“Seung-chan, what do you mean?”
“Exactly what I said. I don’t mind what role it is, but I don’t know the pay yet. I can’t decide blindly.”
For Baek Seung-chan, that was the most important factor.
Being a supporting actor in a high-profile drama was a great opportunity for exposure.
But if it took too long and paid too little, there was no reason to insist on it.
As Kim Sung-ho had said, once “Loser Legend” was released, getting auditions wouldn’t be difficult.
“Ah… the pay is important…”
Director Go Jin-seok nodded.
Acting was still a job—money mattered.
And honestly, he had no choice but to agree.
From the moment he saw that spine-chilling performance, he knew he couldn’t let Baek Seung-chan go.
The balance of power had already shifted—and both of them knew it.
‘Those eyes…’
Swallowing dryly, Director Go Jin-seok felt as if he were standing before a powerful corporate chairman.
“Four million won per episode.”
It was the level of pay given to experienced supporting actors, not rookies.
But to him, it wasn’t excessive at all.
If anything, it was the cheapest he could ever hire Baek Seung-chan for.
“This is the maximum I can offer.”
There wasn’t a single lie in his words.
His instincts told him honesty was the only way.
“……”
He waited nervously for the answer.
If he refused, he was ready to negotiate with the production company.
At that moment, Baek Seung-chan smiled.
“I look forward to working with you.”
Since it was a global OTT drama, he expected decent pay—
But this exceeded expectations.
There was no reason to refuse.
He briefly considered pushing for more, but chose not to, respecting the director’s sincerity.
“Now that we’re on the same boat, shall we talk about the project?”
“Yes.”
They moved to a nearby café and talked for nearly an hour.
Once relaxed, Director Go Jin-seok enthusiastically explained everything.
“Script reading is in a few days. See you then.”
“Yes, understood.”
After parting ways, Baek Seung-chan immediately called Kim Sung-ho.
—Yeah, Seung-chan. What happened?
“ I passed.”
—See? I told you! As long as you audition, you’ll get it!
Hearing the excitement in his voice made Baek Seung-chan smile.
From afar, Director Go Jin-seok shook his head.
“Seriously… which one is the real him?”
The cheerful young man on the phone was completely different from the charismatic presence during acting and negotiations.
“A real genius.”
He had to admit his friend Director Park Tae-ho was right.
At first, he thought calling him a genius was an exaggeration.
But now—
Even “genius” felt insufficient.
Because Baek Seung-chan’s acting carried something beyond talent.
It held the weight of decades of experience.
Even in that short performance, he felt the aura of top actors like Chae Min-sik and Ahn Ki-sung.
“More than a genius… he’s a monster.”
There was no explaining him with talent alone.
“This project is going to be fun.”
It was the most excited he had been for any project.
Dream Entertainment.
An agency that had grown rapidly over the past five years, solidifying its place in the industry.
Its CEO, Ji Pyeong-san, was known as the “Midas touch” for successfully launching the idol groups Kairos and K-Pink.
“Ugh, I’m tired.”
Inside his office, Ji Pyeong-san stretched with a yawn.
He had spent the entire night resolving issues related to Kairos’ overseas concert venue.
“I should get some sleep…”
Though exhausted, the caffeine kept him awake.
“Still… no suitable candidate.”
He looked at the pile of resumes on his desk.
The company was expanding into acting after K-Pink’s Jang Eun-ji succeeded in the drama “Reply 1993.”
They needed a team leader for actors—
Someone experienced, capable, and good at managing actors mentally.
But no one stood out.
“Oh right, I should check Si-woo’s drama.”
His gaze fell on a USB drive.
It contained the edited footage of “Loser Legend.”
“Let’s see how he did.”
He didn’t expect much.
He knew Nam Si-woo’s acting ability.
But—
“Si-woo is this good?”
His eyes widened.
This wasn’t just improvement—
It was transformation.
“Did he use some kind of magic?”
Then—
“Hmm?”
Baek Seung-chan appeared on screen.
“My name is Kang Hyuk.”
With just one line, the atmosphere changed.
“This guy… what is he?”
He couldn’t look away.
It wasn’t just direction—
It was pure presence.
By the end, he had watched the entire thing without pause.
“……”
After a long silence, he picked up his phone and called Nam Si-woo.
During a break at the filming site, Baek Seung-chan sat in a corner reading.
The book was “The Shop of Killers,” the original novel of his new project.
To act perfectly, he needed to understand the character’s story and emotions deeply.
“Seung-chan, are you okay without an agency?”
Kim Sung-ho asked, sitting beside him.
“For now, yes. Once ‘Loser Legend’ is released, offers will come.”
He was calm.
“There’s no way they won’t.”
Kim Sung-ho nodded.
But sooner than expected—
—Hyung, my boss wants to meet you. Want to meet him?
That afternoon, Nam Si-woo contacted him.