JGA CH37

Chapter 37: The Film Audition

“Director Baek Se-won sent me an audition invitation?”

Qi Huai was very surprised when he received the call from Assistant Yoo. He hadn’t expected the opportunity to come knocking on his door before he had even figured out how to approach Baek Se-won.

“Director Baek contacted Woosan Entertainment and sent an audition invitation. Any suitable candidates can be sent to audition, but only Actor Qi received a targeted invitation. Apparently, he saw the recently aired mini-series. Actor Qi is a new face, with excellent acting skills and temperament, so Director Baek wanted to invite you to audition. They didn’t specify which role to audition for; they will consider the actor’s own preferences. You can look at the information first.”

The information was sent to Qi Huai’s email. He opened it and glanced through it, finding that he had three roles to choose from: Yuan Jae-seok, a new police officer under the male lead; Song Hyun, a young journalist who helps the male lead investigate the truth; and Son Ik-han, an important subordinate of the leader of an illegal organization.

Each of these three roles had significant screen time, proving that Director Baek Se-won held him in high regard, offering him three major opportunities right off the bat.

[That’s great, Host Oppa! Getting a role in this film is a sure thing! Or we could just push Baek Soo-kyung out of the role of Song Hyun, so he won’t have a chance to get to know Kim Min-kyung and Eun Chul-woo.]

Qi Huai didn’t speak.

The System had a point. It would be great if he could do that, but he didn’t think it was likely.

First, he had a rough idea why Director Baek Se-won had sent him the character description for the journalist, Song Hyun. In the recently aired episodes of the mini-series, he had many scenes in a lab where he appeared pale and fragile, giving him a scholarly and sickly feel.

Poor health was one of Song Hyun’s character traits.

But the problem was, this film had a lot of chase and fight scenes. At nearly 1.9 meters tall, if he played the gentle and sickly Song Hyun, it would definitely break the audience’s immersion.

Once the director actually met him at the audition, the probability of him being chosen to play Song Hyun was too low.

Rather than starving himself to compete for a role that clearly wasn’t for him, it would be better to focus on the other two roles.

Besides, he would rather have Baek Soo-kyung in the cast, where he could keep an eye on him, than let him roam free where he couldn’t see him.

The risk was too great.

Eun Chul-woo wasn’t on set 24/7.

For the next few days, Qi Huai immersed himself in studying the character materials. In the known original comic plot, it was never mentioned who would play the new police officer, Yuan Jae-seok, but from the film’s plot, a rookie actor was indeed more suitable.

The character Yuan Jae-seok had the air of a newborn calf just out of an ivory tower. He was young, handsome, well-educated, from a happy family, fearless, and righteous… he even had the traits of a somewhat impulsive and kind-hearted greenhorn. Many positive words could be used to describe him.

He went from looking down on the male lead, Seo Sang-hyuk, for being a degenerate, to discovering his secret investigation into the illegal organization. In order to help the male lead achieve his goal, he took the initiative to step into the darkness, becoming an undercover agent, and finally sacrificed himself for the plan.

He was a martyr who gave his life for justice, a white moonlight¹ figure that would leave the audience with a sense of regret, and a character that would attract many fans.

The other character, Son Ik-han, was the complete opposite.

He was dealt a bad hand from birth, grew up with thugs, and survived by stealing. Until one time, he was unlucky enough to steal from a member of the illegal organization and was nearly beaten to death.

A teenage wolf cub who gambled with his life to survive, he didn’t want to go to hell alone. He nearly bit through the gang member’s carotid artery. This viciousness reached the ears of the gang leader, who immediately burst out laughing and adopted him.

Son Ik-han was ruthless, a thorough villain who had killed many police officers, but he was willing to die for the boss who had raised him.

Yuan Jae-seok and Son Ik-han, one who died for justice and the other for family and loyalty, were both very compelling characters. Qi Huai was unsure which one suited him better.

To increase his chances of success, he could only prepare for both.

Qi Huai diligently wrote long character biographies, did in-depth research on the historical background of the story, and some of the social events of that time. He transcribed useful news and profiles, searched for interview footage from that era, and studied the mannerisms, movements, and speech patterns of these people…

Time passed. In order to let Qi Huai focus on preparing for the audition, Assistant Yoo and the new Assistant Xiao rarely disturbed him. But Qi Huai couldn’t help but think of Yoon Nam-hyuk.

Since they had parted ways at the restroom, they had hardly contacted each other. No activity on KKT, no phone calls. Even when Assistant Yoo sent messages, he no longer used the phrase “The president said.”

Qi Huai fiddled with his phone for a long time and decided to send Yoon Nam-hyuk a message: 「Been busy lately?」

Yoon Nam-hyuk was staring blankly at his phone when he received the message. He had a hundred ways to find out what Qi Huai was up to, but none of them were satisfying enough for someone who had had a more intimate encounter with him.

However, when Qi Huai actually sent a message, Yoon Nam-hyuk was flustered and didn’t know how to reply.

「Qi Huai: Been busy lately?」

Yoon Nam-hyuk stared at the message. To be honest, he didn’t like this kind of “Are you there?” type of question.

If he said “busy,” what if Qi Huai, who originally wanted to chat or ask him out to dinner, didn’t reply?

If he said “not busy,” what if Qi Huai asked him, “Then why haven’t you contacted me lately?” What then?

Yoon Nam-hyuk hesitated and agonized. The second hand on the clock was about to complete a full circle. He started thinking again.

He hadn’t replied immediately, so it probably wouldn’t seem like he was waiting for the other to message him. But if he replied too late, would he be misunderstood as not valuing the other’s message?

Aish… so annoying.

Can’t I just have a professional team to help me make decisions, like with acquisitions and investments? It would be even better if the assistant team could come up with a few different response options for me.

Yoon Nam-hyuk’s pale, thin lips were pressed into a straight line. Just then, Qi Huai sent several more messages.

「Qi Huai: Are you angry?」
「Qi Huai: Because I wanted to kiss you in the restroom?」
「Qi Huai: The setting wasn’t great. Did you find it offensive?」

Yoon Nam-hyuk’s eyes widened as he watched the messages pop up one after another. His ears burned, his mouth dry. He was about to reply with a “shut up” when another message popped up.

「Qi Huai: I didn’t mean anything by it. I just wanted to kiss you at that moment, didn’t think too much about it. I’ll be more mindful of the setting next time. But you closed your eyes then, so I thought you agreed.」

Who closed their eyes!!!

Shibal!

Did he close his eyes then???

Slander!

Absolute slander!

He couldn’t have closed his eyes!

Yoon Nam-hyuk shot up from his seat and paced back and forth in his office, his face flushed. He tugged at his shirt collar, feeling hot and bothered, trying to recall if he had closed his eyes or not.

He also regretted not replying with “busy” right away, which would have saved him from this barrage of messages—

「Qi Huai: Do you like me?」

Shibal—!

Yoon Nam-hyuk threw his phone.

The new Samsung foldable phone landed on the sofa like a discarded brick and tumbled twice.

Yoon Nam-hyuk’s entire face was red, like a cooked shrimp.

This guy!

Aish! What nonsense!

“Yoo Ji-hoon!” Yoon Nam-hyuk shouted.

Assistant Yoo came running. “Ne, President. What can I do for you?”

Yoon Nam-hyuk spun around, his back to Assistant Yoo, covering his burning face, and pointed frantically at his phone. “Th-that guy Qi Huai, isn’t he preparing for an audition? Why is he so free! Tell him, if he sends me any more weird messages, I’m confiscating his phone!”

“?” Assistant Yoo looked at the phone on the sofa, then at his boss’s long, fair, and unusually expressive hands, completely failing to understand why he had to be the one to relay this message.

“Yes, President. I’ll call Actor Qi right now.”

Say less, do more. More salary.

And so, Qi Huai didn’t get a reply from Yoon Nam-hyuk, but instead received a call from Assistant Yoo.

Assistant Yoo still had his robotic demeanor. Even the harshest words, when regurgitated from his mouth, had a machine-translated quality.

“Actor Qi?” Assistant Yoo said flatly. “I’m sorry, the president is busy with work and doesn’t have time to reply to you at the moment. If you have any urgent matters or work-related questions, you can contact me first. If it’s a non-urgent personal matter, I suggest you prioritize your audition work. Also…”

Assistant Yoo paused. “The president’s exact words were, if you send him any more weird messages, he’ll confiscate your phone!”

I’m dying of curiosity. I want to snatch the president’s phone so bad.

“Got it.”

Qi Huai laughed out loud.

They politely hung up. Qi Huai continued to prepare his audition materials, while Assistant Yoo dutifully reported back.

Yoon Nam-hyuk stared at his phone, which indeed remained silent, feeling a mix of regret and relief. His expression had returned to normal, still the same cold, princely demeanor. He glanced at Assistant Yoo with his dark eyes.

“What did he say?”

Assistant Yoo replied, “Actor Qi said he got it.”

“…”

The air was still.

Assistant Yoo’s heart tightened.

Yoon Nam-hyuk instantly bristled. “Ha! Got it? Just ‘got it’? Only those two words?”

“…Uh, yes.” Assistant Yoo’s mind raced as he quickly added, “And he laughed.”

Laughed?

Yoon Nam-hyuk frowned. “What kind of laugh?”

Assistant Yoo tried to imitate it but couldn’t, so he just summarized, “A happy laugh. Actor Qi seemed to be in a good mood.”

“Is that so?” Yoon Nam-hyuk was skeptical.

Assistant Yoo was very certain. “Ne!”

Yoon Nam-hyuk nodded. “You can go now.”

Assistant Yoo respectfully closed the door, thinking, It’s a pity you can’t have a one-man protest march. Otherwise, I would fight to the bloody end!

---

And so, Qi Huai spent his days modeling for Choo Min-young’s clothing brand and his nights at home studying the audition script and character settings.

Time flew by, and in a flash, it was the day of the audition designated by Director Baek Se-won.

On that day, many actors came to audition. More than half were from the two industry giants, Woosan Entertainment and RC Entertainment. The rest were from smaller companies or were individual actors.

The audition was held at RC Entertainment’s film and art park. The various colored small buildings gathered together had a very artistic feel. The brick walls were even spray-painted with posters of classic films and had themed sculptures, making the new artists visiting for the first time exclaim in wonder.

The auditioning artists from Woosan Entertainment were led by Manager Byo Yoon-jung. Surprisingly, RC Entertainment’s group was led by Chairman Eun Chul-woo himself.

The handsome man in a suit had a sunny smile, his tanned skin from sunbathing very charming. He greeted Manager Byo with a smile, his gaze sweeping over Qi Huai, Baek Soo-kyung, and the other auditioning artists.

“Woosan has brought so many outstanding rookies. RC has a lot of competition. Looks like Director Baek will have a headache this time.”

Eun Chul-woo was busy and only stayed for a minute or two, but his friendly and easy-going manner left a good impression on many of the Woosan artists.

Everyone whispered among themselves.

“He’s a different style from President Yoon.”

“I heard he’s from a wealthy British family. Very gentlemanly, not like the Korean chaebols who get angry at the drop of a hat.”

“Hmm? Is he also of mixed race, like Actor Qi?”

“Apparently he’s an adopted son, but the British tycoon has passed away, and Chairman Eun inherited the entire fortune!”

“Wow… no wonder RC Entertainment was so extravagant when it was first established. It became an industry leader in just a few years. It still comes down to this,” he said, rubbing his fingertips together. “Pounds sterling.”

Manager Byo Yoon-jung whispered to Qi Huai, “I heard that the main investor for this film is RC Entertainment, and Director Baek has a very deep personal relationship with Eun Chul-woo, besides their professional collaboration. He’s probably not just here today to bring the rookies. He might also be involved in the casting.”

Qi Huai nodded at her words. He thought to himself, No wonder Baek Soo-kyung gets entangled with Eun Chul-woo in the original comic. So this film has such a deep connection with Attack Dog Number Five.

The audition venue was large, divided into a waiting area and an audition area.

The waiting area was just that, a waiting area, somewhat like an airport departure lounge. Actors from various companies sat here, resting, memorizing their lines, and waiting for their numbers to be called.

The audition area was like a small theater. Actors could go directly onto the stage from backstage. The director, screenwriter, and other judges sat in the audience.

Due to the lighting and distance, it was difficult for the actors to see the expressions of the people below the stage. Therefore, they had to rely entirely on their own perception and couldn’t read the room at all.

The artists from RC Entertainment auditioned first. Although the people from other entertainment companies were dissatisfied, it was their own investment, and the director was a friend of Chairman Eun, so everyone could only be envious.

When it was Woosan Entertainment’s turn to audition, the artists from smaller companies and the individual actors also cast envious glances. After all, a long-standing industry giant like Woosan wasn’t a place where just any artist could get in. Woosan had always only wanted the best and the elite.

Bathed in such admiring gazes, Baek Soo-kyung couldn’t help but feel a surge of immense pride.

Although Choi Min-jun didn’t have time to help me much, he thought, at least he was the one who led me into this top company.

Seok-jin sunbae and Manager Tae Sang-won helped me get this audition opportunity. I’ve been preparing diligently for a long time. I have to land an important role.

Baek Soo-kyung had a premonition that this would be a great opportunity, a ladder to true fame.

“Soo-kyung? Soo-kyung?”

“Hmm?” Baek Soo-kyung snapped back to reality.

Seol Tae-rim was perplexed. “I’ve called you several times, Soo-kyung. What are you thinking about?”

Baek Soo-kyung gave a gentle smile. “Nothing, just memorizing my lines in my head. I was a little too focused, so I didn’t hear you.”

After speaking, Baek Soo-kyung shuffled closer to Qi Huai. Since the nightclub incident, Baek Soo-kyung no longer liked to hang out with Seol Tae-rim and Shim Se-bin.

Before, he had thought the two were lively and good at reading the room, able to make him laugh. But after that day, Baek Soo-kyung suddenly felt that these “friends” who only knew how to sweet-talk were unreliable. If something really happened to him, these two would definitely not come to his rescue, and they wouldn’t even call the police…

“Wow, you’re so diligent…” Seol Tae-rim clicked his tongue, his eyes full of admiration. “I’m still not very confident. Can rookie artists like us, who just joined the company, really get a role in Director Baek Se-won’s film? This is Director Baek’s film! I can’t believe I even have this opportunity.”

If nothing else, Seol Tae-rim and Shim Se-bin were incredibly lucky. In order to blur the relationship between Baek Soo-kyung and Park Seok-jin, Tae Sang-won had deliberately signed these two blockheads who looked more like they had connections than Baek Soo-kyung.

Whenever he found a new resource for Baek Soo-kyung, he would give a similar one to these two. As a result, they went around proclaiming that Woosan Entertainment didn’t look at skill and treated everyone equally, that it was the fairest entertainment company in the industry, with absolutely zero corruption.

“As long as you work hard, there’s definitely a chance. Director Baek chooses people based on skill, not seniority,” Baek Soo-kyung said, frowning slightly, not liking Seol Tae-rim’s pessimistic tone.

Seol Tae-rim was hesitant. “Really? Then why did the people from RC Entertainment audition first? Shouldn’t the audition numbers be randomized? All that talk about not looking at connections and only at skill, isn’t that just what the media says to make them look good?”

“No matter what, let’s just prepare well first. That way, we won’t waste the opportunity,” Baek Soo-kyung said.

The time of artists from RC and Woosan is so valuable. Wouldn’t randomizing the numbers and making them wait with these small-time artists be a waste of money? Baek Soo-kyung suddenly felt that chatting with Seol Tae-rim was also a waste of time and money, and immediately decided not to engage with him anymore.

He had to devote all his time to acting. Only people of the caliber of Seok-jin sunbae and Manager Tae were his real friends.

Yes, and Qi Huai.

Baek Soo-kyung turned his head and asked Qi Huai, “Have you decided which role you’re going to audition for? Or are you going to audition for several?”

Since the nightclub incident, Baek Soo-kyung had re-established contact with Qi Huai. For the sake of the mission, Qi Huai naturally wouldn’t refuse, but he no longer saw Baek Soo-kyung as a child.

“I’ll audition for several. We’ll see which one I get in the end,” Qi Huai said.

“What a coincidence, I was thinking the same thing!” Baek Soo-kyung was a little happy. “But I’m worried that doing so might seem too opportunistic, giving the director the impression that the actor doesn’t love the role. —Ah, so you’re just here to audition for a job to make money, you don’t have any love for the character, anything will do. Will the director think that?”

In his heart, Baek Soo-kyung believed that actors were people too, and they had to eat. What job wasn’t for money, but for love? But he felt it wouldn’t be good to say that directly, afraid of being looked down on by the director, afraid of it damaging his reputation if it got out.

“I don’t care what the director thinks,” Qi Huai smiled. “The director is choosing an actor, not a moral paragon. Being sincere isn’t a bad thing.”

He really wanted to tell Baek Soo-kyung that there was no shame in having desires. It was the actions taken to conceal those desires that would become a shackle that was hard to break free from.

Baek Soo-kyung was stunned.

Manager Byo Yoon-jung, who was standing nearby, interjected, “Don’t worry. I can’t say for other directors, but Director Baek won’t think that way. He studied abroad when he was young, and he also experienced a difficult period of being suppressed and unacknowledged after returning to Korea. He has directed all kinds of films, even many commercial films to please the market for box office success. But a good story is a good story. Acclaimed and popular, a good story doesn’t have to go against the public’s taste. He is someone who has suffered and been short on money. He won’t look down on people who have a desire for money.”

Manager Byo was a woman with a very cold and stern appearance. Her eyes were sharp and penetrating, as if she could see right through Baek Soo-kyung.

Baek Soo-kyung was inexplicably a little afraid of her, even grateful that he hadn’t chosen this cold and direct manager to be in charge of him.

“Qi Huai from Woosan Entertainment, please get ready in the audition area.”

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¹White moonlight (白月光): A Chinese internet slang term for an unattainable or idealized person from one’s past, often a first love or an unrequited crush.