episode_0016

“That wasn’t the acting I wanted.”

Director Kim Si-woon, sitting in front, spoke expressionlessly.

I met him with my mom, but after greeting him, he didn’t even look at my mom.

When meeting with a guardian, you at least do some self-promotion, but Director Kim Si-woon gets straight to the point.

Thanks to that, my mother became a barley sack that I just greeted and left behind.

“Is this a bustling kindergarten?”

“Yeah.”

“Then why did you ask me to meet you? If you didn’t like my acting.”

I became a little prickly because he kept the matter so brief.

“It’s not that the kids didn’t act in the show, it’s not that you didn’t act.”

A question mark appeared above my mother and my head at the same time.

This is a fart.

“Can you explain it a little more easily?”

“Look at the audition.”

He looks like a father sending his son to the brink of death while frowning under his clasped hands.

No, I told you to put it more simply. Why are you bringing up the audition topic?

“I don’t like it.”

“Why?”

“Is it normal to suddenly ask me to audition without even telling me what movie it is?”

“I see? Then I’ll tell you what movie it is, so promise me you’ll audition first.”

This guy is fighting with a kindergartener.

“I… Please tell me what kind of audition it is, as Hajin said. I saw the movie you made, but it was all stabbing and cutting. I wouldn’t be happy if my son was in a movie like that.”

It was five years later that director Kim Si-woon produced a popular blockbuster.

If you look at his filmography now, there are only horror and thriller films.

“This time, it’s rated 15 and above, so it won’t be too harsh. The early scenes and flashbacks with child actors are mild, so don’t worry.”

I cut off my mother’s words with an answer that wasn’t even like this and turned my head towards me.

“I’ll give you 3 reasons why you should audition specifically for me.”

“There are 3?”

“It will increase more later.”

what?

He’s a very unsophisticated person, except for making good movies.

“First, I got a chance to show my acting skills. The old man doesn’t ask just anyone to act.”

Now that he’s gotten some attention, his mind is already that of a master.

But I know that’s not an empty promise.

Among the actors picked by director Kim Si-woon, not a single one was mentioned for their acting skills.

“Second, you have to show your acting to the producer. I’m sure about you, but the producer isn’t.”

“Isn’t that a good thing, Director?”

“I want to pick you, so let’s persuade the producers together. I haven’t seen your real acting, so I’m not sure either, so I’m asking you to show it together this time.”

This connects to the first reason.

It looks like it was split to increase the number.

“The last reason… This is the most important one, I made a bet on your acting.”

“Are you sure?”

“A bet?”

Who the hell would bet on something like that?

I never said I would do it.

“I wrote the script with actor Choi Min-ho in mind… .”

Director Kim Si-woon usually writes the script after deciding on the actors in advance.

So there are a few actors who have appeared in more than three or four films, so-called personas.

In order to secure actor Choi Min-ho, the synopsis and part of the script were sent to his agency.

But a child actor from the same agency said he wanted to play the role of a child.

“I would criticize any child actor, but Hong Jeong-woo is going to do it.”

He then explained how great of an actor Hong Jeong-woo is.

Hong Jeong-woo is the youngest son of Hong Kyung-il, a famous actor who dominated an era.

Considering the influence of Hong Kyung-il, who is also a film producer, it is absolutely impossible to ignore.

‘Wait a minute, Hong Jeong-woo is… 10 years old this year.’

He has been acting for five years already, having appeared in dramas and movies since he was five years old.

He is a person who dominated Chungmuro as a top actor in his 30s before his return.

“But who am I? I’m not a director who gives roles to people who are pressured by fame.”

“So you declined?”

“At first, I did. But they didn’t give up.”

He said he had a child actor in mind and asked me to audition with him.

[If that kid acts better than me, I’ll give up cleanly.]

“This is not a public audition. It’s a private audition for you and Hong Jeong-woo only.”

“But why did you decide on your own without telling me?”

“I’m talking about it now. Don’t worry about the order being changed.”

Why doesn’t the order matter?

“No matter what, an audition out of the blue?”

“If you feel uncomfortable with the word audition, think of it as a duel between Jungwoo and me. If you refuse to do a duel when asked to do it, you’re not a man.”

“Do you want to see a 6 year old and a 10 year old fight, Director?”

“I want to see it because it’s acting. It’s not like I’m fighting with a sword.”

My mother grabbed my hand and got up from her seat with a look on her face that said she couldn’t stand it any longer.

“I don’t know how good the director is at making movies, but I don’t like the way he makes decisions without listening to Hajin’s opinion. I don’t want to send my son to a movie made by someone like that. I’ll get up first.”

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen my mom angry.

Well, Director Kim was really self-willed.

.

.

.

“So you got mad at the director and stormed out?”

“You’re ignoring us too much. If you’re going to audition, you should have told us in advance.”

My dad said with an amused expression.

“Don’t do that, give me your number. I’ll talk to you.”

“Why are we meeting? You’re a strange person who only knows his own movies.”

“Director Kim Si-woon, I think. I really enjoyed his movies. Even if Ha-jin doesn’t appear, let’s talk about it.”

Mom reluctantly handed over her business card.

Dad called Director Kim and made an appointment for Saturday afternoon.

Saturday night —

Dingdong~

“No, what kind of alcohol is this… Oh my, Director.”

I woke up because it was noisy outside.

I opened the door slightly and saw my father and director Kim Si-woon stretched out in front of the entrance.

“Hyungnim, Hajin is really… Hehe, I told you to make a movie. He’s a kid who draws properly.”

“Don’t worry, little brother. I’ll make sure you get out.”

Two people who are drunk are talking about my appearance as if they are brothers.

The mother is watching this scene with a dumbfounded expression.

The next day —

Director Kim Si-woon, who had been upset over his mother’s special buckwheat noodle soup, formally apologized for being rude.

Then he explained in detail about the film he was planning and asked me to audition.

My father became Director Kim Si-woon’s ally.

My mom passed the ball to me with a troubled expression.

“How about you, Hajin? Do you want to audition?”

Of course, my answer is obvious.

*****

Since it was a private audition and there was plenty of time, they sent me a synopsis and part of the script in advance, saying they wanted to see a longer performance.

It was a horror movie with a pianist who could see ghosts as the main character.

The role given to me is the doppelganger of the protagonist’s childhood and flashback scenes.

The synopsis only included character descriptions, background, and early story.

It seems like they intentionally wrote only the beginning part because there would be an awkward twist if it was made public.

“They said that if you’re a rookie, you have to do it every time you come to an audition. So work hard.”

“Who said that?”

“Mom.”

“Your mom said that, so why don’t you audition?”

“I’ve been acting since I was 3, so I’m not a rookie.”

I’ve been learning for three years already.

“You don’t have to audition because they’ll just let you appear.”

There is a lot of pride in his voice.

The image of the villainess, Eugene, looking down with her arms crossed and haughtily looking down came to mind.

“And my mom told me to definitely go to Director Kim Si-woon’s audition.”

If it weren’t for director Kim Si-woon, I wouldn’t have gone through such a reckless audition.

Although he is a director who has had many flops due to his hit films in every genre, he has an outstanding ability to judge actors.

Among the personas he worked with in many works, there was no one who did not hear the words, “national actor,” “ten million actor,” and “master of acting.”

“This time, it’s a private audition with only 2 people, so I don’t think I’ll have to wait as long as before.”

“2 people? Who are they?”

“Hong Jeong-woo.”

“… … .”

Suddenly the conversation stopped.

“Why?”

“I think Hajin is a really good actor. But, um… Jungwoo oppa is also a really good actor.”

Which is better, ‘very’ or ‘extremely’?

“So does that mean I’m better or is Jungwoo hyung better?”

“… Hajin, you do better.”

The answer didn’t come right away.

He chose me because of what he said, but it also means that Hong Jeong-woo’s acting skills are not bad.

I don’t know about his child actor days, but the adult actor I remember, Hong Jung-woo, was an actor with a wide spectrum, showing completely different acting in each work.

In particular, his acting, which expresses emotions through only his eyes and facial expressions without any dialogue, is unparalleled.

‘Of course, when I’m not there after I regress.’

I admit that I was inferior in my past life, but now I am not inferior at all.

He has an attractive mask, excellent voice, and acting skills that can even utilize the tremors of his facial wrinkles, an acting spectrum that can transform him into any role, and he is confident that he will not lose to anyone.

After hanging up the phone, I opened the script I received from director Kim Si-woon.

This is the scene where the young protagonist sees a ghost for the first time while playing the piano.

You have to express a variety of emotions in succession, starting with confusion at not being able to figure out the situation, to fear, and then curiosity at seeing an unknown entity.

But the script was a little strange.

A typical script includes the scene number followed by the location and time, and a brief description of the situation before the character’s lines.

So that the actor can look at the fingerprints, think about the scene, and write his lines.

‘There are no fingerprints.’

There is only an ambassador.

This means that you should look at the dialogue, imagine what the situation is, and then figure out how to handle eye contact, move, and even do facial expressions.

Director Kim Si-woon assumes that my acting is at a similar level to Hong Jeong-woo’s, and wants to see how I interpret the script and act.

‘So this is how you manipulate an actor.’

Don’t just do what’s in the script, but interpret and study even just one line of dialogue yourself and give it your own color and tone.

I guess I understand why they don’t just let just anyone act.

Because it is that difficult to keep up.

‘I guess you’re expecting a lot from a 6-year-old… You did well. I’ll make it all happen.’