The Script-Eating Actor – Chapter 3

Ch 3

Being a rookie actor is lonely.

Unlike idols, who are numerous, and who dream of debuting with the help of their agencies, rookie actors rely more on their individual abilities to seize the needle-in-a-haystack audition opportunities.

Of course, there are special “opportunities” where one top star is promoted through “package deals,” and as a condition, one or two rookie actors are inserted into projects, but even that requires the right image and catching the director’s eye.

This time, our company, L&K, managed to get Song Mun-gyo cast as Lee Woo-jin, the protagonist of , and secured three more roles. One significant supporting male role and one recurring minor role each for a male and a female.

However, within the company, there were already certain individuals who were more or less decided upon, and I was completely excluded from that. No one even suggested that I audition for .

That’s because I haven’t yet given the company any confidence in my abilities.

But, things are going to change a bit from now on.

“Team Leader, are you busy?”

“Huh? Jae-hee, what’s up?”

Park Chan-ik.

He’s the team leader of Management Team 1 and the mother hen of L&K’s actor team, in charge of the schedules of the hottest actors in the company these days, including Song Mun-gyo and Im Ju-won.

Of course, Park Chan-ik also secured the roles for the upcoming mini-series .

“It’s about .”

“Huh? Why is that?”

“I heard there are three open rookie roles… has the casting been finalized?”

In other words, I need Team Leader Park Chan-ik’s recommendation to audition in front of the director.

“Why? Are you interested too?”

“Yes.”

Team Leader Park Chan-ik is very fair when it comes to work. If you want an opportunity, he tends to give it regardless of recognition. But he expressed some concern.

“The director is the one who does the audition, so it’s not my business, but… Mun-gyo is the lead in that drama, are you sure you’ll be okay?”

Song Mun-gyo and I are peers who went through our unknown days together. He was telling me in advance that if we were to work together, it would inevitably become uncomfortable for me.

But, I nodded.

“I don’t mind.”

“Hmm, the date is a bit tight, it’s the day after tomorrow? Have you read the script?”

“I have.”

“You’re proactive, I like that. Which role are you interested in?”

“I want to apply for the role of ‘Kim Do-hoon’.”

In , there are two male protagonists. Lee Woo-jin and Kim Gang-hyeok. Lee Woo-jin is the main lead, and Kim Gang-hyeok is a kind of sub-lead ━ the ‘Kim Do-hoon’ role I mentioned is a significant supporting role, a high school classmate of the male leads, who is another axis of the story.

“Kim Do-hoon?”

Team Leader Park Chan-ik’s eyes narrowed slightly. He’s fair when it comes to giving opportunities, but he’s also a very realistic person.

His eyes were telling me.

‘Don’t be greedy.’

That’s how lacking my abilities are in the company’s eyes.

No, actually, I haven’t had the opportunity to show my abilities, but I didn’t bother bringing that up.

Park Chan-ik said seriously.

“Of course, Jae-hee, it’s a strength that you have a lot of passion for acting, good looks, and a distinct image. But, your weaknesses are also clear. You know that, right?”

“…..”

“That role is a recurring role that appears in all 16 episodes. There’s a considerable amount of dialogue, and the character also has a love line. Wouldn’t that be a bit much for you? How about auditioning for a different role to get used to the camera?”

“Please, just let me audition.”

I said it with as much desperation as I could muster.

“I want to challenge myself, thinking it might be my last chance.”

It was the truth. Of course, the time I’ve spent pouring my heart into acting wasn’t something I could just throw away like an old rag, but if I fail even though I have the ability to absorb 100% of the script.

That would mean that my talent for acting is that lacking. It’s like putting myself in a do-or-die situation.

“I’m confident I’ll prepare really hard.”

Team Leader Park Chan-ik stared at me for a moment, then nodded.

“Okay, fine. If that’s what you want.”

Permission was granted.

Of course, it’s just permission to be put in the audition.

“Thank you.”

“Okay, work hard. It’s a big opportunity. Work hard and try to grab it.”

I was about to get up from my seat. But I turned my head at the voice I heard from the side.

“Jae-hee Hyung, are you auditioning for too?”

“Huh?”

It was Im Ju-won, who’s been in the industry for two years.

“Oh, Ju-won. Did you already finish filming?”

Unlike when he was talking to me, Team Leader Park Chan-ik’s voice even went up a few octaves. But Im Ju-won said it as if it were nothing.

“Yeah. It was a simple one.”

A charming actor with a small stature, but a cute face that seems to monopolize the love of older women, and fair skin.

Im Ju-won, the rising rookie star that L&K is pushing the most these days, was playing a big role as a cash cow for the company. If he goes to an audition, he makes sure to leave a strong impression on the staff and get cast. In just two years of activity, there were even rumors that he would soon be making his debut as a lead.

My position is very different from his, as I can’t even count how many auditions I’ve messed up.

Im Ju-won asked me.

“Are you auditioning for the Kim Do-hoon role in ?”

“Huh? Yeah.”

“I’m auditioning for that too. For the Kim Do-hoon role. So we’ll be competing? Let’s do our best.”

And he smiled charmingly and offered a handshake. I took his hand and nodded.

“Sure.”

But I know.

How much of a jerk this bastard is.

He’s smiling slyly at the corners of his mouth, so Team Leader Park Chan-ik can’t see it.

It was as if he was sneering, ‘You?’

This is that kind of world.

A world where if you don’t have the skills, seniority and juniority don’t matter.

A cold world where if you have a good image and act well, you can surpass seniors who have been in the industry for 10 or 20 years, and no one can say anything.

“Jae-hee, you’ll have to be a bit nervous? Hehehe. Anyway, you two, have a good, friendly competition.”

Team Leader Park Chan-ik said, patting me and Im Ju-won on the shoulders.

Okay.

I know very well how I look to my juniors, spending every day in the office and practice room without any filming.

But things are a little different now.

The lines from the first episode of Youth Train are so ingrained in my head that I can recite them with my eyes closed, and even if I were asked to move as Kim Do-hoon, I can come up with various movements, capturing all the details.

I gave the coolest smile I could as a senior.

“Let’s do our best.”

Yeah, let’s give it a try.

*

The number of people auditioning for , including me, was seven rookie actors, both male and female.

Among them, Im Ju-won is a kind of ‘celebrity’.

Im Ju-won often appeared in supporting roles in KTN’s weekend and daily dramas, and he has built relationships with directors and assistant directors, so he gets offers without having to audition separately.

From my perspective, it would have been good if he had just continued doing daily dramas on KTN, but since he wanted to do a mini-series, he unintentionally became my competitor.

“Hyung, did you prepare a lot?”

“Huh? Just, you know.”

“Ah, Hyung, you must have been happy to have a lot of time to prepare. I couldn’t even read the script properly because of the daily filming.”

“….”

Oh, really?

This envious bastard. In the end, he’s just bragging about how busy he is.

Today is the audition.

After finishing our makeup at a salon in Cheongdam-dong, we ate a simple lunch of kimbap that the road manager had bought and arrived at SBC at 2 PM.

The drama department was on the 5th floor, and when we got up to the 5th floor, the hallway was full of rookie actors from other agencies who had come for the audition.

Jo Seul-hye, a female rookie actor, said with her mouth wide open.

“Are all of these our competitors?”

“No. They’re doing auditions for other roles too.”

As we stood there blankly for a moment, the road manager made a phone call, and soon Team Leader Park Chan-ik and the casting director walked out.

The casting director looked at us and said to Team Leader Park Chan-ik.

“Are those the guys?”

“Yes.”

“They all look good. Okay, go in there and wait for a bit.”

Following the casting director’s guidance, I and all the L&K rookie actors entered the waiting room labeled ‘Small Meeting Room’.

Team Leader Park Chan-ik, who had arrived at SBC earlier, called us together.

“You all look pretty with your makeup done? Don’t be nervous. Okay, there’s something I need to tell you.”

Everyone’s eyes were fixed on Team Leader Park Chan-ik. Team Leader Park Chan-ik was holding several stacks of paper.

“Look at this from now on.”

The papers contained lines from the minor roles of , including the Kim Do-hoon role.

“What is this?”

“It’s designated acting.”

At the words “designated acting,” Jo Seul-hye asked, slightly flustered.

“Are we not doing free acting?”

“Yeah. The audition started from the morning, but it’s been delayed more than expected, so we’re skipping the free acting and only looking at the designated lines.”

“What?”

“They’ve been doing auditions since 9 AM this morning. The director hasn’t even had lunch and is just doing auditions. We have to understand.”

But Jo Seul-hye looked a bit uneasy, as she had prepared a lot for the free acting.

“Ah, but still. I prepared so much for the free acting. I really want to do this.”

The lines were from episodes 1 to 4 of . Perhaps because they were the lines of supporting and minor roles, there wasn’t a lot of dialogue. But since they were lines exchanged with another person, it was necessary to understand the other person’s lines as well.

Im Ju-won also seemed a bit flustered, biting his lip and asking Team Leader Park Chan-ik.

“Do we have to memorize all of this?”

“You don’t have to memorize it, you can do it while looking at it. I always tell rookies this, but don’t ruin your acting by memorizing it poorly. It’s better to do it properly while looking at it.”

Jo Seul-hye and the other rookie actors hurriedly grabbed the papers and started concentrating.

But soon, an uneasy sigh escaped from them.

“This is really troublesome.”

“But what is this situation?”

Many actors had only briefly read the first episode’s script, and hadn’t even read the second episode. This is, in a way, natural. How many actors would read and analyze all four books of the script when they don’t even know if they’ll get cast?

On the other hand, I.

“….”

I focused only on mind control, calmly recalling the lines that were so clear in my head that they felt ingrained.

The lines and situations are all in my head.

If I don’t get nervous, I can do well.

At that moment, the door opened, and the casting director entered with the FD.

“Chan-ik, let’s start. First… Jo Seul-hye?”

The audition had begun.