NOVEL NEXT Chapter 252
“What sin did I commit in my past life?”
The actress Kim Si-yu, sandwiched between Hwang Min-hwa and Joo Seo-yeon, made a tearful face. Her number was 35. She was perfectly wedged between number 34, Hwang Min-hwa, and number 36, Joo Seo-yeon. How could this happen?
She was an actress who was treated quite coldly by her agency. Even for this audition, she came just to gain experience and add at least one line to her non-existent career.
“Why would such top-tier actresses come out for Director Jo Bang-woo’s movie?”
Honestly, it was just absurd. Neither her agency nor she herself had high expectations for this movie. Just some audition experience. If she got lucky and passed, that would be fine. If not, so what? Right now, it was important for her to show her face in any movie.
At least she would get a contract fee if she appeared. That was her mindset. But the actresses in front of her felt different.
Hwang Min-hwa had a strong presence. Some said she looked like a walking luxury brand. That description fit her perfectly. Even standing still, she exuded a high-class vibe. Facing her, the pressure she naturally emitted made it hard to breathe.
“And then, Joo Seo-yeon.”
The actress who turned the year upside down. A genius child actor returning after 10 years. Honestly, seeing her up close, she was unrealistically beautiful. It felt almost disrespectful to categorize her in the same group as other actresses. Seo-yeon was a calm and lovely girl.
She didn’t have the same haughty elegance as Hwang Min-hwa, but there was something about her that made it impossible to look away. Was it immersion? It wasn’t just because of her beauty. Even before seeing her face, your gaze naturally drifted toward her.
“Acting among these actresses?”
Of course, Kim Si-yu couldn’t help but feel like crying. Would she even be able to deliver her lines properly?
“The scene is S#27.”
The judges sat in a row. Among them, Director Jo Bang-woo spoke in a low voice. The once robust-looking director now appeared gaunt and haggard. But strangely, his eyes seemed to shine. Why?
“You all probably didn’t bring your scripts separately, so I assume you’ve memorized the scenes.”
He gestured to actor Park Jung-woo sitting next to him. This scene required acting alongside Park Jung-woo.
“S#27 is right after the disaster. An unidentified terrorist attacks a research lab in Gangnam, causing a gas leak.”
At that moment, the female lead Shin Seo-yun and the male lead Ha Hyun-jin coincidentally run into each other while delivering to a hotel. They get trapped in the hotel upon hearing the disaster alarm.
The beginning of the disaster and the movie. It’s a scene where the female lead’s decisiveness shines in a desperate situation.
“Then, Actress Hwang Min-hwa.”
The first to start was number 34, Hwang Min-hwa. She slowly walked up and stood in front of Park Jung-woo.
“Clearly, she’s not an ordinary kid.”
The son of a great actor, that title had followed him since childhood. He had lived up to that reputation. So, from Hwang Min-hwa’s perspective, Park Jung-woo was a desirable figure. Her goal was to join his agency someday. But not now. Hwang Min-hwa took a deep breath.
“Everyone, hurry upstairs!! Quickly!!”
The high-class vibe she had just moments ago disappeared instantly. The dramatic change gave Kim Si-yu, the 35th actress watching, goosebumps.
Is this the acting of a top actress? She’s a completely different person now!
Hwang Min-hwa, who had a model-like presence, now felt like a part-time worker. The judges’ eyes lit up at her transformation.
As expected of her. Despite a relatively disappointing performance this year, she still mobilized over 5 million viewers in <Utopia>. There was no doubt about Hwang Min-hwa’s skills.
“What is it?”
At Hwang Min-hwa’s words, Park Jung-woo—no, now the male lead Ha Hyun-jin—snapped back.
“What do you mean, what?! There’s breaking news! Look, look! Hurry, this!!”
“Don’t shove your phone in my face.”
“Is that important right now?! Hey!!”
The two were originally college classmates. They had once been friends in the university climbing club. Unlike Shin Seo-yun, who seriously pursued climbing as an athlete, Ha Hyun-jin only did it as a hobby. Of course, he was serious about climbing, but he couldn’t aim to be a professional due to family obligations.
Still, they had promised to compete together, but Ha Hyun-jin broke that promise unilaterally. Shin Seo-yun, who competed alone, achieved good results but retired due to overtraining.
Now, though she had recovered, she had lost the confidence to pursue being an athlete.
“What on earth is happening in the middle of Gangnam? I know it’s nice to see you after so long, but this is crossing the line…….”
As he spoke, Ha Hyun-jin’s pupils dilated. His startled face, then his gaze shifted to his pocket.
The series of actions was so natural that Kim Si-yu didn’t realize it was acting. But.
“Look! Your phone is ringing right now!! Don’t you hear it? Look!! There’s news of a gas leak in the middle of Gangnam!!”
Hwang Min-hwa immediately recognized what kind of acting it was. It wasn’t just memorizing the script; her speed was impressive.
Pushing her phone aggressively, Ha Hyun-jin pushed her away with a flustered expression. Their voices rose as they exchanged dialogue.
Watching this, Director Jo Bang-woo exchanged glances with the casting director next to him. They were probably thinking the same thing.
“The acting is heavy.”
“It shows how serious the situation is. Clearly, their acting alone makes you feel how dire the situation is.”
Hwang Min-hwa’s acting was incredible. Just her frantic voice and expression alone showed the audience how big the disaster was. The tension.
Even the actress behind her was immersed in the scene, not just watching the acting. Naturally, the atmosphere of the scene became heavy, drawing the audience in.
“The work is in its early stages. So, immersing the audience is crucial.”
In that aspect, Hwang Min-hwa’s acting was excellent. She was completely different from the awkward rookie who first acted in his film.
That clumsy newcomer had now become an actress who could lead a scene. At the same time, Director Jo Bang-woo glanced at Seo-yeon.
How would Seo-yeon react to this acting? Would she panic? Or would she be fired up with competitive spirit?
“…….”
But Seo-yeon was neither. She just looked at Hwang Min-hwa with a calm gaze.
It was impossible to tell what she was thinking.
“Great job. That was excellent acting.”
“Thank you.”
“We’ll give our evaluations after watching the other actors’ performances.”
At Director Jo Bang-woo’s words, Hwang Min-hwa nodded and looked at the other two actresses. The frozen 35th actress, Kim Si-yu, and the calm 36th actress, Joo Seo-yeon.
‘I don’t like it.’
Seo-yeon, sitting with an indifferent expression, was hard to read. It was as if she refused to show any emotion.
Or maybe she was purely immersed in her role.
“Actress Kim Si-yu, your acting was also good.”
“Th-thank you.”
Soon, Kim Si-yu’s acting was over. It was just average. Honestly, after watching Hwang Min-hwa’s performance, it felt lacking.
That was probably the case for all the judges present.
“Compared to Hwang Min-hwa, it’s inevitable.”
It was just bad luck. Kim Si-yu thought so.
She was so nervous that she ended up acting like a robot. The judges tried to manage their expressions, but their lips twitched.
But what could she do? She was following an actress like Hwang Min-hwa.
Watching such acting and then trying to perform herself, it was inevitable to be influenced.
“Then, Actress Joo Seo-yeon.”
Director Jo Bang-woo calmly watched Seo-yeon step forward. A reunion after 10 years.
An actress who came solely to appear in his movie. Personally, he wanted to decide the role right then. But the investor was sitting among the judges. More importantly, a director shouldn’t decide a role based solely on emotion.
He had to choose the actor who best fit the role.
“Please begin.”
Director Jo Bang-woo thought. Ironically, he was the one more nervous.
No matter how much Seo-yen had grown. Even if she was a genius actress.
Hwang Min-hwa is no easy opponent. She is, without a doubt, a top actress. For young Seo-yeon, she was an overwhelmingly formidable adversary. “…Let’s think,” Seo-yeon thought, feeling the gaze of the judges. She looked at Park Jung-woo, who was also watching her with a cold, calculating stare. Was it actor Park Jung-woo, or was he already immersed in his character, ‘Ha Hyun-jin’?
“Hwang Min-hwa focused on the disaster aspect of this movie,” Seo-yeon realized. That’s why her acting felt heavy, emphasizing how dangerous the situation was. “The female lead is tough and lively,” Seo-yeon thought. Her role as a part-time worker fit perfectly. It was a common template for female leads, but it couldn’t have been more appropriate. Being ‘safe’ meant there were few flaws. Hwang Min-hwa’s acting transformed what could have been ordinary into something intense.
“E-everyone, we need to g-go up… right? Quickly!” Seo-yeon, or rather, the female lead Shin Seo-yun, stuttered. Seo-yeon thought to herself, “This character’s name is similar to mine.” “What is it?” she said, but the atmosphere was completely different. Seo-yeon’s Seo-yun was full of doubt, a bit clueless but with an instinctive sense of something. The contrast was oddly comical. The way she flinched at Ha Hyun-jin’s question was amusing. Her sidelong glances were funny too, a mix of awkwardness and discomfort.
“W-why are you talking like that? Look! The news is on!” “Sure, there’s a disaster warning, but what does that have to do with going up?” “Hey! You ran away before, but now you’re asking why we should run?!” “What? Are you done talking?!” Seo-yeon’s Seo-yun was more lighthearted than heavy, focusing more on the relationships between characters than the disaster itself. Her attitude hinted at something deeper.
“During the acting, she doesn’t make eye contact with Ha Hyun-jin. When their eyes meet, she stutters. It feels like there’s something between them.” Park Jung-woo noticed this too, and his tone was different from when he acted with Hwang Min-hwa. Back then, his voice was heavy, his expression stiff. Now, his face was more exaggerated, his eyes constantly moving.
“It feels like a sitcom,” the casting director muttered. It was a tone you wouldn’t see in a typical disaster movie. “It seems like Joo Seo-yeon has really caught on,” someone said. Director Jo Bang-woo watched Seo-yeon’s performance. Unlike Hwang Min-hwa, Seo-yeon lacked toughness, coming off more girlish. “It’s like the reaction of a woman who runs into her first love while delivering food,” he thought. Yes, that’s the kind of acting she was doing.
Ha Hyun-jin was handsome, talented, and from a wealthy family. If they had been in the same college club, Shin Seo-yun would naturally have feelings for him. They were even supposed to compete in a tournament together. But while Hwang Min-hwa focused on the disaster, Seo-yeon focused on the relationship between the characters. That’s why the disaster felt lighter.
“…Seo-yeon, I didn’t think she was used to this kind of acting when I saw her in <Dream Future>,” someone remarked. But now, she was perfectly portraying the awkwardness and emotions of a woman with a crush. Even Park Jung-woo was surprised. “Was she always this good at romantic acting?” he wondered. It wasn’t obvious, but the nuances in her dialogue and gaze kept hinting at it. It was fun. Watching Shin Seo-yun, you naturally felt those emotions.
“Well done,” Director Jo Bang-woo nodded after watching Seo-yeon’s performance. As Seo-yeon bowed and returned to her seat, the judges whispered among themselves. “…This isn’t easy,” one said. “If we focus on the disaster, Hwang Min-hwa’s acting might be better.” “But in terms of immersion and fun, Joo Seo-yeon…”
And <Seoul Escape> wasn’t a heavy movie. The script might confuse you, but it clearly had romantic elements, just like Seo-yeon’s acting. A disaster movie you could watch lightly. That was Director Jo Bang-woo’s vision for <Seoul Escape>. But if he demanded such acting… “Hwang Min-hwa could do it too,” he thought. Of course, she couldn’t match Seo-yeon’s freshness, but even so, Seo-yeon’s acting was clearly superior.
Hwang Min-hwa knew this too, crossing her arms and frowning. The character’s color. In terms of the actor’s color, Seo-yeon’s performance was much better. But it was hard to let go of Hwang Min-hwa, given her career. Seo-yeon was clearly the most active actress this year, but Hwang Min-hwa’s career couldn’t be ignored.
“Let’s test their physical abilities too,” the casting director suggested. “Huh?” “There’s a climbing scene, right? If they’re not good at it…” Park Jung-woo hesitated. ‘Should I stop this?’ He knew what Seo-yeon was capable of. ‘She should be excited… or not?’ When the physical test was mentioned, Seo-yeon’s ears twitched. She seemed oddly uncomfortable, while Hwang Min-hwa looked confident.
“Sure, physical ability is important for this role. I’m prepared,” Hwang Min-hwa said with a bright smile. Seo-yeon looked awkward. ‘Huh? Is she not confident?’ Hwang Min-hwa noticed Seo-yeon’s discomfort. ‘She was flying around on variety shows… Was that all staged?’ Hwang Min-hwa raised her hand and suggested, “Why don’t we make it a game? Like, who can climb to the top first? Winning or losing isn’t important, but it could be motivating. And it saves time.”
“Hmm,” the judges considered. There was a wall prepared for the climbing test, big enough for three actresses to climb simultaneously. ‘If we have them climb one by one, it’ll take too long.’ ‘If it’s a competition, the winner clearly has better physical ability.’ It was an easy way to determine superiority. The judges couldn’t suggest it, but if the actress proposed it, there was no reason to refuse.
‘Is she sane?’ Park Jung-woo looked at Hwang Min-hwa in disbelief. The problem wasn’t the suggestion itself, but the fact that she was challenging Seo-yeon. “Joo Seo-yeon seemed pretty confident in variety shows. I’m confident too,” Hwang Min-hwa said. “Is that so?” Seo-yeon replied, still looking awkward. Hwang Min-hwa was sure now. ‘She’s not confident in physical activities, unlike in variety shows!’
“Wait,” Park Jung-woo quickly intervened, whispering to Hwang Min-hwa, “Hwang Min-hwa, Joo Seo-yeon is actually quite good at physical activities. Have you not seen her variety shows?” “I have. But it’s variety, right?” “What?” “Like piercing coconuts with her fingers or dodging paintballs. You have to take that with a grain of salt.” “…” “Next, she’ll fight a bear. The PDs are going too far, giving her that kind of image.” “…”
Park Jung-woo had nothing to say to Hwang Min-hwa, who was laughing awkwardly.