episode_0003
by admin“Have you ever accidentally killed someone?”
A single phrase from writer Lee Geum-suk.
A golden hand. The questions from a writer whose every work is a hit carry a different weight. The interview room was bound to fall silent for a moment.
“Why?”
Soo-ah replied reflexively.
It was a kind of defense mechanism. Because it didn’t seem like the other person was going to say something nice, it was the kind of answer that instinctively popped out due to anxiety.
“Oh, just asking.”
However, as if all of Soo-ah’s anxious expectations were wrong, writer Lee Geum-suk showed an unexpected reaction.
She quietly adjusted her glasses.
Even with a faint smile.
“Just a bit surprising.”
Surprising?
Ah, it’s understandable to be surprised.
Suddenly choking and coughing as if being strangled, wielding an imaginary sword, responding to guests while staring into empty space, and finally crouching down and trembling…
…It would be surprising. Maybe even awe-inspiring.
Just as Soo-ah’s face was burning up.
“Hahaha!”
One of the men sitting next to writer Lee Geum-suk burst out laughing.
How much exercise did he do? The man himself felt like a giant boulder. Is he even in this industry?
“Soo-ah-ssi, we’re just asking comfortably. I hope you don’t answer so defensively.”
“…?”
Defensively? Me?
I’m so scared of you guys that I’m trembling!
“Don’t misunderstand. I also answered comfortably.”
“I know that too. You don’t seem nervous at all. We’ve never had a participant like this before, it’s quite unique. Anyway, I would appreciate it if you could soften your defensiveness a bit.”
No, that’s not what I meant by comfortable. I just meant that I’m approaching this with a polite attitude. Why…
“Okay.”
Then the muscular man gave a healthy-looking smile.
“Since I started exercising, I haven’t been intimidated by anything, but Soo-ah-ssi’s mask is a bit unique. It has a presence that makes you pause.”
“…Yes.”
That’s when it happened.
“Your name is Lee Soo-ah, right?”
This time, a woman chimed in.
Huh? Was there another woman on the judging panel?
One of the five judges is writer Lee Geum-suk, three are men I don’t know at all, and this woman is….
‘…Huh? Seo Yeon-joo!’
Soo-ah unknowingly furrowed her brow. At the same time, a post she had seen before flashed through her mind.
[Special Judge Seo Yeon-joo appointed]
No way, that was actually true?
But even looking again, it’s definitely Seo Yeon-joo.
It’s impossible to mistake one of South Korea’s leading actresses, Soo-ah was simply in awe of her appearance, which seemed like a work of art, possessing a different style from the others.
Skin as white as blank paper, a face that seemed smaller than a fist, her hair reaching down to her waist neatly arranged with a hairband. She deserved to be called the epitome of purity.
It was an opportunity for Soo-ah’s shame to amplify once more.
‘In front of Seo Yeon-joo…. What have I done….’
Soo-ah thought. If I received a harsh word from such a beautiful actress, my heart might break.
It was then that Seo Yeon-joo lifted a piece of paper. After scanning it, it looked familiar. It was a sheet of paper printed with Soo-ah’s application.
“The self-introduction section is completely empty. What exactly do you do? Where have you been and what have you been doing instead of acting?”
Soo-ah unknowingly swallowed hard.
The reason why the self-introduction section is empty? Because I applied with the feeling of just checking if acting is my aptitude. There was no reason to write anything.
Besides, Soo-ah didn’t have any specs that she could proudly show to others in the first place. You have to have something to write, right….
After thinking for a while, she quickly came to a conclusion.
Let’s not utter any lies. At least I should be honest.
“Soccer, basketball, golf, swimming…. I’ve done all sorts of things. I think I’ve tried almost everything except acting.”
Soo-ah spoke earnestly. It was as if she was confessing her sins like a criminal, but there was no helping it.
The other person is Seo Yeon-joo, after all. One of the faces representing South Korea. How could I answer carelessly?
But.
“Um…?”
“….”
A thick bewilderment settled on the faces of the five judges. Their eyes widened several times or their eyebrows twitched. It was certain.
Everyone is bewildered. Very much so.
“So, for acting…. You mastered all of that…?”
“…?”
Soo-ah unknowingly narrowed her brows.
What nonsense is that? Are you crazy?
She barely swallowed the words she almost blurted out. If you misunderstand it like that, I’ll suffocate and die.
In basketball, my nose bled because my face collided with the ball when I couldn’t catch a pass, and in soccer, I almost twisted my ankle. In mixed martial arts, I couldn’t breathe right after getting hit in the stomach once, so I quit right away….
…Um, but it’s too embarrassing to explain everything.
“Just, simply hobbies?”
“Hobbies…? Then what about acting?”
Seo Yeon-joo stared at Soo-ah intently. Her wide-eyed expression was like watching a scene from a movie.
“…Could it be that acting is just a hobby too?”
“Well, it’s similar.”
It was the best answer Soo-ah could give.
What if I answered that I acted with all my might, and they suddenly gave me a terrible evaluation? Then I would be much more miserable, right?
That wouldn’t do. Soo-ah intended to play it safe.
“A hobby…. This level of skill as a hobby…. Ha…?”
Seo Yeon-joo sipped water from her tumbler as if her throat was parched.
“Wait, never mind the other stuff. There’s something I really want to ask.”
It was then that another man chimed in.
‘…Is he someone who only works all day?’
A baseball cap pulled low, a scraggly beard, and unkempt clothes…. Sorry for saying this out of the blue, but he reminded me of a homeless person.
“I’m only going to ask one thing. Soo-ah-ssi, just one thing.”
Other things? What kind of things?
I hope it’s not too difficult of a question.
Just as Soo-ah’s head tilted slightly.
“What on earth were you thinking?”
“Pardon?”
“You must have thought of various things, such as the location, lines, and characters, even when looking at a script of only one line. I want to hear everything. Very, very detailed.”
“…Everything?”
This is difficult. Very difficult.
“….”
Soo-ah glanced sideways.
[‘Acting Time’ deactivated]
…I think you should ask this guy?
Soo-ah had simply recreated what she had experienced. But she couldn’t just say everything as it was.
She needed some time because she couldn’t immediately think of a plausible excuse to make up. How should I put it?
But the shabby man didn’t give her any room at all. With sparkling eyes, he seemed to be full of curiosity about Soo-ah.
“Hahaha…. Did I ask something too difficult?”
“Ah, it’s not that.”
“It’s a question I’ve asked other participants as well. I hope you don’t misunderstand that I’m only grilling Soo-ah-ssi.”
“I don’t misunderstand. It’s just that I’m taking some time to think.”
“Now that I think about it, it’s strange. Why am I explaining this in such detail to Soo-ah-ssi? It’s very peculiar.”
“….”
After that, Soo-ah remained silent for a long time. It was because no matter how much time she spent, she couldn’t think of anything to say.
How much time had passed?
The judges also held their breath and waited for Soo-ah’s answer.
“…Honestly, I wasn’t thinking much.”
In the end, the most honest thing to say.
After saying that, she fled the interview room as if running away.
◈◈◈◈◈
After Soo-ah left, the interview room was in a rush.
“No…. Did I hear correctly?”
Seo Yeon-joo’s tone is bewildered. Taking off the hairband that was on her neatly styled hair was close to being shocked.
“That’s a hobby? Honestly, we all know it’s a lie. I know because I’ve acted before too. You can’t reach this level with a hobby.”
PD Son Ji-woong, who was listening from the side, nodded. His wide-eyed expression was no different from Seo Yeon-joo’s.
“Her impression is so strong. I thought it would be virtually impossible for her to act scared. But she did it as if to prove me wrong.”
“She herself said that she did it without thinking much, so does that mean she has a natural talent? This is crazy.”
“…Where on earth was she and what was she doing before she appeared now?”
The man who was mistaken for a boulder by Soo-ah, Choi Hee-won PD, who is all muscle, looked at Soo-ah’s self-introduction section once again. However, all he saw was blank space.
Her self-introduction is empty, and her career is empty.
It was truly dumbfounding.
“There’s no way she can be a rookie…. This is really….”
“She said she’s experienced various things. In my opinion, it’s more than that. It’s like she’s experienced all sorts of lives.”
The judges expressed their surprise without exaggeration.
After a long time, after their surprised hearts had calmed down somewhat, Seo Yeon-joo put her hairband back on and said.
“Of course, she’ll pass, right?”
“Of course. From the start, this temporary meeting was started because we needed time to admire her. We already decided to pass her.”
Lee Soo-ah.
Today’s first unanimous passer.
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