The Actor Gallery's Forbidden Treasure
I lay on the bed, pressing both hands against my eyes. ‘What the hell did I just turn down again!’
The best actor management agency in South Korea. I had rejected Cheongram Entertainment’s contract.
‘Four thousand…’
I let out a groan and smacked my forehead with a loud slap.
One hour ago. That crazy bastard Kim Doyun. What had Director Go Yun-hui said? That there wouldn’t be conditions like this next time.
“Haha…”
I’d turned down a lead role, and I’d turned down Cheongram’s offer.
At this point, wasn’t I just a professional refuser?
‘Still, what can’t be helped can’t be helped.’
The terms Cheongram had offered me were undeniably excellent. For a rookie, it was an unprecedented level of treatment.
‘It really was good.’
Honestly, I had been thrilled. After twenty years of obscurity, it was the first time I’d ever received a contract like that. My heart had even raced.
“Ah, wait. It wasn’t the first time.”
I had received a ten-million-won contract before. Of course, I had been the one paying it.
‘They said they’d take good care of me if I just gave them ten million…’
When I later found out it was a scam, I had wailed in despair.
‘In that sense, Cheongram’s offer was ridiculously sweet.’
But I still couldn’t join Cheongram. No, to be precise, joining any agency wasn’t the right answer.
Ten million viewers. Just like Director Go Yun-hui’s reaction, that number carried immense weight.
That was exactly why this opportunity to meet those monstrous actors was so precious.
More than anyone else, I wanted to reach that position first.
‘To achieve an extraordinary result, you have to walk an extraordinary path.’
I needed to operate without being tied down by the existing system or any company.
‘Unless there’s a place that gives actors full authority and lets them freely choose whatever project they want.’
If such a place existed, knowing the future as I did would give me an incredible advantage in selecting works…
‘But there’s no way they’d do that for a rookie.’
Therefore, working as a freelancer was the best option for now.
Of course, I hadn’t refused—no, postponed—the offer without any thought.
The corner of my mouth lifted as I pulled out my phone and opened my contacts.
Yes, yes. From now on, Baek Hyeon-jin could never, under any circumstances, escape from the palm of my hand.
He had nearly ruined my first scene, after all. He needed to pay the price for that.
Baek Hyeon-jin’s debut film.
The Secret Was There.
Despite being a low-budget indie film, it had drawn two million viewers purely through word of mouth after release.
It was the monumental debut work that would cause a sensation in the Korean film industry—Director Baek Hyeon-jin’s first masterpiece.
‘Alright. I’m drawing the big picture.’
The time when Director Baek Hyeon-jin would complete that script was still two years away.
I just had to wait until then.
“My goal is ten million viewers, after all.”
Someday, I wanted to show that scene to my mother.
At that thought, a smile unconsciously formed on my lips.
‘If that happens, maybe I can finally escape being treated like a newbie in the Actor Gallery.’
…Probably not?
When I thought about how the people in the Actor Gallery treated me, that didn’t seem to be the real issue.
Ugh…
That reminded me of the gallery. After the broadcast ended, I had been dragged away by Lee Se-rin and Director Go Yun-hui of Cheongram, so I hadn’t had a chance to check the reactions.
I wondered what the gallery’s response had been.
‘They’re probably going to scold me.’
From my perspective, I had acted to save Lee Se-rin, but in the Actor Gallery—where the Technique faction dominated—disobeying the director’s instructions was probably seen as completely absurd.
On top of that, because I had dozed off from exhaustion, I hadn’t even left a proper greeting in the gallery.
‘That’s just bad manners.’
The moment I opened the gallery with that thought in mind—
- Watched the newbie’s acting and gave a tech review, upvote lol (51)
- So our newbie didn’t abandon technique after all (11)
- The newbie who united method and technique (39)
- The newbie who couldn’t let go of the taste of technique
- The monstrous rookie who satisfied both the Method Division and the Technique Division... 💀
- The three-time Laska Award winner Drac gave the newbie lessons and is now shaking in fear of getting crushed himself, upvote lololol (111)
The gallery’s reaction was slightly different from what I had expected, and I was a little taken aback.
‘Technique?’
I had thought I was completely immersed in Sang-cheol. But they were calling it technique?
Feeling puzzled, I clicked on one of the posts.
With the newbie here, the gallery feels so harmonious. The newbie who made both the Method Division and Technique Division go wild, upvote lol
[I was worried the newbie would completely turn into a method actor. Glad that’s not the case. As expected, the essence of acting is technique lol]
└[?? Bullshit. The newbie was pure method itself.]
[ShrimpTempura: Monster, monster. I’m truly proud to see that you haven’t completely fallen into the grasp of that wicked and filthy method faction]
└[?? Didn’t this guy say last time that method was the only real acting?]
└[He just loves causing chaos lolololol]
‘Technique, huh.’
As usual, I skipped past the users stirring up trouble between the method and technique factions and found the answer in the post at the very bottom, written by Runna-nim.
Writer: Runna
If you want to give advice or feedback on our Actor Gallery’s treasure, Monster’s live broadcast performance, please write it here for easy viewing. Since our Monster trusts the Actor Gallery users and seeks their help, we shouldn’t play around, right?
[As warm as ever, Par-ttak…]
[Runna, my eyes…]
[Runna: Even while Monster was immersed in method acting, he instinctively tried to use the lighting, right?]
└[Dracula: Method boy. Using technique was unavoidable. It came from the level of instinct. But even so, it was still method.]
[But it seemed like the newbie’s technique is so ingrained in his body that it came out without him realizing. As expected, the newbie is a tech reviewer lololololol]
└[No way? I talked to the newbie and he said he loves method?]
[PsychiatristActor: Whether by coincidence or not, the lighting stimulated the triggered trauma and caused hyperventilation—how did the newbie know that? Anyway, his response was excellent.]
└[Ah, the Actor Gallery’s Hua Tuo!]
[MariIsAPrincess: You did well. It wasn’t bad, commoner.]
└[? Weren’t you a method fan?]
└[MariIsAPrincess: I simply thought this commoner’s acting was good. Either side is fine.]
└[Why do you only like the newbie? Like me too, Mari(not)IsAPrincess(not) 0pt(correct) ah…]
└[MariIsAPrincess: W̶h̶a̶t̶ t̶h̶e̶ h̶e̶l̶l̶!!!]
Everyone was talking about the moment I had blocked the lighting.
‘So it looked like technique from their perspective.’
The Actor Gallery had viewed my direction favorably. Without realizing it, I seemed to have brought about a harmony between the gallery’s technique and method factions.
Everyone was speaking kindly, so my mood was starting to improve—
└[But we can’t say anything bad about the newbie, can we?]
└[That’s true…]
└[Yeah, that’s right…]
└[If the newbie doesn’t come back, it’s your fault]
└[Huh? But why isn’t the newbie coming back for real?]
└[Why isn’t he coming back?]
└[Has the newbie ever been gone this long?]
└[I’m getting scared. Stop it.]
└[This is turning into a horror story]
Starting with ShrimpTempura’s comment, a wave of regret posts about my absence began.
- Found the old-nick who dissed the newbie. Execution squad incoming (11)
- Is this for real???? (21)
- Where did our newbie go!!!!! (11)
- Monster, please come back (32)
- Drac, I’m not suspecting you or anything, but did you throw a fit because the newbie used technique? (33)
- Monster, is the reason you’re not coming back because Drac is harassing you? (22)
Has the newbie ever stayed away from the gallery this long?
[What the hell is that supposed to mean]
[I’m so scared]
[Why is this real? Newbie, why aren’t you here?]
[MariIsAPrincess: W-what do you mean? He’s probably just busy. This is why commoners are so… It’s only been 4 hours, 23 minutes, and 33 seconds, you kn—!!]
└[????]
└[We’re screwed, this guy’s hands are shaking?]
└[This is a huge problem]
It’s because you guys keep lowering the gallery’s average with all your method this and technique that.
[Is that really it?]
└[LongTakeMonster: I’ll embrace you with a long take. Please come back, newbie.]
└[Isn’t he not coming back because he saw this guy using long takes to hit on actresses?]
[I’m sorry, newbie. I’ll speak nicely from now on, so please come back.]
Seeing the scene, I was momentarily at a loss for words.
‘It’s always WWE in here.’
That was probably it. Probably.
With that thought, I quickly wrote a post.
Writer: Monster Rookie
Thanks to all the teachers in the Actor Gallery, I was able to finish the live broadcast successfully. From now on, I want to learn both method and technique from all of you. Please continue to take good care of me.
It was a polite post written with genuine sincerity. Explosive replies flooded in shortly after.
[Newbie, newbie… If you’re going to be late, just tell us next time]
└[No, just report your every move from now on]
└[Stalker much? But that actually makes sense, yeah]
Just how much did they cherish me? My heart felt so warm!
I was feeling good after reading Runna’s comment.
└[Huh? 100 points? That has to be a lie…]
└[Let’s just say it’s 100 points today even if it’s a lie. I’m too scared.]
…? I’m remembering that username.
└[Upvote if this is Mari(not)IsAPrincess(not) whose hand tremors mysteriously disappeared lolololol]
Haha. If nothing else, Princess-nim’s inner thoughts were completely transparent, which was quite nice.
Just as a pleasant warmth was filling my heart, I was about to leave the gallery when one post turned red and floated to the top.
‘Actor Gallery’s ultra-popular post?’
Title: Was the Actor Gallery always like this? Because of one newbie…….
My heart sank for a moment as I clicked on the post.
[Upvote]
[Upvote]
[Upvote]
[The one who plays with my heart…]
└[The one who seems to be deliberately building up anticipation and then not showing up…]
└[For real, what a tempting one…]
[Ah, the Actor Gallery’s forbidden treasure]
└[The treasure of the Actor Gallery]
└[The baby of the Actor Gallery]
└[Real recognize real, upvote]
Tears welled up in my eyes. Not that I was actually crying, of course. But that was the feeling!
Where else would I ever receive this kind of forbidden-jewel treatment? This was the Actor Gallery, where monsters gathered.
I was the Actor Gallery’s newbie, the Actor Gallery’s treasure, the Actor Gallery’s forbidden jewel!
Ah! Just that alone filled me with pride. Their baby! Kim Doyun!
And so, I had earned myself one proud new nickname.