Chapter 22
Holding the steering wheel, Seo Eun-ho stared blankly ahead.
If he had shown that action was his strength and that made him suitable as a guard…
That actor focused instead on the essence of a trustworthy guard character.
Author Ham Eun-young must have recognized that difference.
“It wasn’t just about the details. It was about missing the essence of the guard.”
A feeling of helplessness—he had been outperformed in every way by the other actor.
It was a defeat Seo Eun-ho had never felt before.
He knew this feeling wasn’t simply the disappointment of failing an audition.
Of course, he was angry and frustrated, but on the other hand…
He felt relieved.
“It’s not easy to say these things, but thanks to you, I learned a lot.”
Seo Eun-ho bowed politely.
He was truly grateful to Yeon-hwi, who gave such straightforward feedback.
Feedback this deep was hard to come by, even among close colleagues.
But here it was—from an actor he had just met, who had also auditioned for the same role.
“I’m the one who learned a lot thanks to you, senior.”
Did that actor even realize how much he had given?
Pressing the accelerator in time with the changed signal, Seo Eun-ho bit his lip tightly.
“How can that person be like that?”
The boldness to set aside even his own strengths for the sake of the character’s essence.
The courage to exchange honest feedback and push forward.
Seo Eun-ho grew increasingly curious about the actor named Woo Yeon-hwi.
“I probably said too much. How presumptuous of me to say that to a senior who’s been acting longer than me.”
Whether or not Seo Eun-ho’s thoughts were known, Yeon-hwi was thinking of something else.
A few days after the audition ended,
Inside a café decorated with antique props where the soft sound of piano music flowed,
Seo Eun-ho, crossing his long legs with grace, fiddled with his phone.
“Eun-ho, monitoring, huh?”
His manager cautiously cast a shadow in front of his actor, who had just entered the café.
“You came, hyung?”
“Yeah, I came. Haha.”
A soft but awkward smile appeared on the manager’s lips,
like carefully picking up a broken glass.
“Eun-ho’s going to be really shocked.”
Seo Eun-ho’s rejection.
Neither the manager nor the company had expected this accident.
It wasn’t just because Seo Eun-ho was a promising rising star in the film industry.
Author Ham Eun-young had personally invited Seo Eun-ho to audition, and he prepared diligently without complaint.
“Even if he failed the audition, it was because he lost to a minor role.”
The manager’s eyes trembled slightly as he watched Seo Eun-ho.
For several days now,
Seo Eun-ho had been obsessively digging into the minor actor, Woo Yeon-hwi, who auditioned alongside him.
He might as well have said why they hadn’t properly told him or the company about that actor.
“That actor, Woo Yeon-hwi, is older than me. He’s 27.”
“Oh, really? You’re 26 this year.”
“But it’s strange. From what I saw online and in articles, that actor said it was his first time in front of the camera.”
“‘The King’s Qualification’ is definitely his debut.”
Seo Eun-ho tilted his head in puzzlement at his manager’s words and looked back at his phone.
He was watching a YouTube clip from the historical drama The King’s Qualification.
It was the scene where that actor fell off a cliff.
[The King’s Qualification] “I am your son…” → “Father…” The Assassin’s Last Scene?
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My heart broke at the father’s words… He just wanted to be recognized as a son ㅠㅠ
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When the assassin got stabbed, I thought it wasn’t acting because it was so real.
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When you get a big wound, breathing gets hard and your body shakes uncontrollably. The detail was amazing.
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I missed everything waiting for the mask to come off ㅠㅠ
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The assassin will be fine next week.
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If a minor role falls off a cliff, don’t they quit the show?
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The last father’s line was too harsh. It’s definitely a sign they’re leaving.
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It doesn’t make sense to kick him out now. I just don’t want him to leave.
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Day 1 of opposing the assassin’s departure.
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If the assassin doesn’t come back, I’m pooping in the writer’s yard.
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The prime minister should have acknowledged the son and let him go. The writer messed up this time.
A minor role, not a main character, but a brief scene had gotten good reactions.
The production even uploaded the minor role’s last scene as a YouTube clip, and the related comments kept piling up.
“It’s rare for people to be so sad over a minor character’s death.”
While the audience’s reaction surprised him, Seo Eun-ho’s real question was different.
“Could someone who just debuted shoot a cliff-fall scene so comfortably?”
In the assassin’s face while falling, there was only regret.
No fear of falling existed at all.
Though safety equipment was surely used during filming, and the set probably wasn’t that high,
even a minor sense of fear would surface for any inexperienced actor.
“Even to my eyes, it looks familiar.”
The manager nodded.
Though his answer was just to comfort Seo Eun-ho’s feelings,
the result came out a little differently.
“I’m sure. That person’s a genius. A genius who works incredibly hard.”
“A genius? Eun-ho, that’s…”
“My juniors and seniors have never acted so comfortably on debut. Even at auditions.”
From the guard character he prepared for the audition to the familiar way the assassin acted in front of the camera,
how could this be someone who had just debuted?
Whether the manager noticed Seo Eun-ho’s bewildered expression or not,
Seo Eun-ho’s eyes behind the monitor, replaying the falling assassin, shone sharply.
“Hyung, get me an audition.”
“An audition? That’s for dramas. What about movies?”
“I drew my sword. I might as well slice some radish.”
Ignoring his manager’s reply, Seo Eun-ho left the café.
“Even geniuses put in effort. If I want to win, I have to run even faster.”
Unaware of his manager hastily following,
Seo Eun-ho’s eyes now gleamed sharply.
Two days after the audition for the drama Strong Yutairin,
Zzing—zzzing—
Yeon-hwi, who had just served a drink to a customer, quickly checked his phone.
Though the number starting with 010 was unfamiliar, it was a call he absolutely had to take.
“Sorry, this is a call I must take. Please excuse me for a moment.”
Asking a coworker for understanding, Yeon-hwi hurried to the break room and pressed the call button.
-“Hello, this is the Strong Yutairin production team speaking to Woo Yeon-hwi.”
After a brief greeting, the person on the other side continued.
-“We would like to cast you as a guard.”
“Then the audition result is…?”
-“Congratulations. Filming will start in about a week. Is that possible for you?”
Yeon-hwi was dumbfounded.
Though he had worked hard preparing for his first audition with limited time, he never expected to pass.
The other actor auditioning was also excellent.
He was steadily checking schedules for his next work…
“No need to get excited. Beginner’s luck.”
Having debuted only a month ago,
he didn’t feel that he passed due to his skills.
This was just luck.
To make this luck real, he had to work several times harder.
Still…
“It was my first audition as an actor… I did well.”
He couldn’t help feeling proud.
Calming his heart, Yeon-hwi replied.
“Yes, I’m available.”
-“Ah, then we’ll send you the script. See you at filming.”
After finishing his part-time job,
Yeon-hwi checked his email and found the script waiting.
“Episodes 1 and 2. Not much has changed since the audition.”
Only a scene was added where the lead Kang Ha-da dislikes the guard assigned by his father.
As Yeon-hwi read through the script in a corner of the café,
zzing—zzzing—
[Teacher Jo Soon-yeol]
Yeon-hwi pressed the call button as the vibration on the table rang.
Soon a deep, firm voice filled the phone.
-“Hope I’m not calling too late.”
“No, Teacher. You kindly gave me a ride to the bus stop so I arrived on time. Thank you.”
From the set of The King’s Qualification to Namyangju,
Jo Soon-yeol had given Yeon-hwi a ride to the bus stop, making his travel comfortable.
Though he had already sent a thank-you message, Yeon-hwi thanked him again.
A cough came through the phone.
-“I’m not calling just to say thanks. I heard you auditioned. For a Ham Eun-young work.”
Yeon-hwi was a little surprised.
He knew this industry was small, but the news had already reached Jo Soon-yeol’s ears.
-“Ham is a very demanding writer. If you had told me earlier, I could have given you some advice.”
“Thank you for your kind words alone.”
-“It couldn’t have been easy. The other actor must have been tough too. No need to worry…”
“I just got a call asking me to come next week. Just a moment ago.”
There was a brief silence on the other side.
After a moment—
–cough cough
Did Jo Soon-yeol choke?
The coughing continued over the phone.
“Are you okay, teacher?”
–cough “I’m fine.”
Yeon-hwi worried.
After calming down,
-“I see. Congratulations. Still, it’s a pity. I also had something to discuss.”
“Is there something you want to say?”
-“Someone I know is making a short film for a festival. That person wants to meet you. But I can’t hold you back since you’re filming next week.”
Jo Soon-yeol’s disappointed voice made Yeon-hwi pause.
“I owe a lot to the teacher.”
If he had received help, he had to repay it somehow.
The ballet slippers Jo Soon-yeol lent him to run through the mud.
The ride to the bus stop so he wouldn’t be late.
Though accepting the filming offer was one thing, meeting the person Jo arranged was another he had to do.
“What kind of person is it?”
A few days later, on a weekend,
Yeon-hwi headed to a café located in an alley in Chungmuro.
“Quiet. Comfortable.”
Entering the café, Yeon-hwi looked around and smiled.
Every table had at least one person who looked like a sculpture.
People with unique fashion, far from ordinary.
They were all chatting comfortably without self-consciousness.
“Are you here?”
Going past them deep inside,
Yeon-hwi saw Jo Soon-yeol raising his hand.
He approached the table where Jo Soon-yeol and the man sitting with him were.
“Let me introduce you. This is Shin Yoon-hwan. He’s an assistant director. Shin, how many years have you been directing?”
The assistant director, Shin Yoon-hwan, who smiled warmly as his appearance suggested, extended his hand.
“Thank you for coming. I really enjoyed your drama.”
“No, I only heard briefly from Teacher Jo, but I want to hear properly.”
At Yeon-hwi’s question, Shin Yoon-hwan’s eyes sparkled as he handed over a document envelope.
“This is a work to be submitted to this year’s Busan International Short Film Festival.”
As Yeon-hwi took the script from the envelope,
Shin Yoon-hwan continued meaningfully,
“I want to cast Woo Yeon-hwi as the lead in my debut work.”
At the word ‘lead,’ Yeon-hwi’s eyes twitched.
