A Genius Director Who Dominates OTT Platforms - Chapter 22

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Genius Director Who Dominates OTT

Episode 22

It was a completely out-of-the-blue statement.

I broke Jae-yeon and Jae-hyeok hyung’s mental state?

“What? Me?”

-You know if Jae-yeon hears this, he’ll try to kill you, right? He still has nightmares sometimes. Long nightmares about going into the Training Room with you.

“Come on, that’s got to be a joke.”

-The room at the end of the second floor, right? The one where only one speaker worked.

“…I don’t remember doing anything though?”

-I’ll have to tell Seo Jae-yeon when he gets back from London.

I was about to chuckle at President Yun’s joke, but then felt uneasy.

Somehow I had a gut feeling that I shouldn’t pass this on to Seo Jae-yeon.

-Still, the kids are really grateful. They say they learned to act properly thanks to you.

“No, I really only remember practicing together with them.”

-Right. Use that same attitude to drill Eum Seong-hyeon or whatever his name is.

“Should I really do that?”

-Want me to tell you something interesting? You know the training team leader used to hate you, right?

I know.

He was the person who hated me second only to Director Jang.

-But you hold back your words when you see rookie acting, right? The team leader dumped that actor on the junior instructors.

“Really? Why?”

-You usually become more talkative the more you expect from someone. Seo Jae-yeon was fed up with that relentless nagging. The team leader also had you as his standard.

I couldn’t agree with calling it nagging…

But it was true that when there was an actor I had expectations for, I had a lot I wanted to say.

The opposite case was natural too.

-So? Don’t you have anything you want to say to Eum Seong-hyeon? Or do you have something but you’re holding back?

* * *

When Eum Seong-hyeon opened the Dormitory door and entered, the Agent Secret members who had been chattering noisily shut their mouths.

It had been like this ever since he was cast in Accomplice.

CE Dohyeon-u had tried to get him a new dormitory, but Eum Seong-hyeon had refused.

He didn’t know the reason himself.

Leaving this hellish dormitory had been his wish for the past few years, but when it actually became reality, he shook his head.

Still, what had changed from before was that the members couldn’t treat Eum Seong-hyeon carelessly anymore.

There had been a threat from Dohyeon-u.

If they caused physical or mental harm to an actor who had signed a contract with Tivic, they would have to compensate for all the resulting damages.

M2M, which had met a golden opportunity to recover their investment, was also actively cooperating.

But recently, people led by Tune had started to mess with Eum Seong-hyeon.

It wasn’t direct attacks like before.

“Do you really trust that guy Dohyeon-u? You really think he’s making you an actor with no ulterior motives?”

The tone itself was gentle.

“It’s probably a sponsorship offer, right? I hear there are a lot of male sponsors in the entertainment industry these days. Look into it carefully.”

But the intention was obvious.

“Isn’t it burdensome? Being the lead? Really, billions of won come and go based on your acting alone?”

They wanted Eum Seong-hyeon to fail.

If Eum Seong-hyeon succeeded, the relative sense of deprivation they’d feel would be enormous.

So Eum Seong-hyeon ignored their words.

But there was one thing he couldn’t ignore.

“Doesn’t it feel bad? A grown adult relying on someone else’s pity?”

Pity.

This was something even Eum Seong-hyeon couldn’t turn away from.

Was I really the best choice?

Or was pity involved?

During the past three months, he had been able to ignore these thoughts while diligently preparing for his role.

But the moment the first location shoot ended, he realized he could no longer ignore it.

He had shown the most inadequate performance on the filming set.

‘Can I really do this well? Maybe now, when filming hasn’t progressed much yet…’

Eum Seong-hyeon was startled by the thought that followed.

If he backed out here, nothing would remain, yet he was having such thoughts?

But the habitualized giving up and resignation didn’t fall away easily.

It was when Eum Seong-hyeon was lying on the cheap bed, lost in thoughts he couldn’t shake off.

Bzzzz-

-Seong-hyeon. Come out to the front of the dormitory right now.

A call came from Dohyeon-u.

“Right now?”

He hurriedly grabbed his jacket and went out, where he saw the CE with a stern expression.

* * *

Thanks to President Yun, I realized.

That I had been pitying Eum Seong-hyeon.

Of course, there was no pity in the casting logic itself.

My supernatural ability had shown me the best outcome, and I believed Eum Seong-hyeon could reach that level.

But my actions afterward had no standards.

It was time to correct that.

“Seong-hyeon. I’m on my way back from talking with the director.”

“What kind of talk…?”

“About how your acting was the most disappointing over the past three days.”

I could feel Eum Seong-hyeon flinch in surprise.

“…I’m sorry.”

“I’m the overall director of this project, and I have a final goal to achieve for a good work. I also have the duty to find solutions if it seems we can’t reach that goal.”

“I understand.”

“To fulfill that duty, I think I need to apologize first. I’m sorry. I was pitying you, Seong-hyeon.”

“…!”

“Thinking about it, I think I knew there were many potential problems. Practice has the luxury of repetition until you’re immersed, but filming doesn’t.”

But what made me ignore that was my own pity.

“So let’s redefine our situation. There are no emotions now. Only results.”

“…”

“Your acting didn’t meet the expectations I had set.”

We’re professionals, and professionals have proper duties they must bear.

Depriving him of even the chance to overcome that weight would actually be the path to ruining Eum Seong-hyeon.

“Do you agree with my opinion? If you think there were no problems, feel free to appeal as much as you want.”

“No. I also think there were problems with my acting.”

“Then how will you solve it?”

Eum Seong-hyeon hesitated, not knowing what answer to give.

But…

I knew the answer.

“Eum Seong-hyeon. When I offered to get you a dormitory, you refused, right?”

“Yes.”

“Why did you do that?”

“I felt like I shouldn’t cause more trouble.”

“Trouble? It’s not even my money anyway. You think Tivic can’t get a studio apartment for the lead actor?”

“Still, it felt like it would be some kind of bothersome work…”

“He might not have been completely free of such feelings. But is that really all there was to it?”

No.

That’s not why Eum Seong-hyeon rejected my proposal.

“That’s Hyeon-tae’s way.”

“Pardon?”

“Hyeon-tae won’t run away. If he runs from the dormitory, it would be admitting that he was weak.”

Looking back now, Eum Seong-hyeon was already deeply immersed in Hyeon-tae.

Natural talent.

A role suitable for immersion.

A schedule completely devoid of external stimulation.

It was because these three elements had come together.

But at the same time, Eum Seong-hyeon was unconsciously afraid of deep immersion.

The need for self-actualization is the highest level of human desire.

But Eum Seong-hyeon had never ‘actualized’ his ‘self.’

He was someone who had achieved nothing as an idol, as an adult man, or as a person.

But if he let go of me, what could possibly serve as a reference point to constitute the person called Eum Seong-hyeon?

Nothing.

And this world calls it mental illness when one cannot accurately distinguish and recognize ‘self’ from ‘outside.’

This was the true nature of his fear.

Even though I could have fully recognized this, I turned away with eyes clouded by sympathy.

“You might not understand what I just said. But this much is certain. Accomplice is the first self that the actor Eum Seong-hyeon will achieve and actualize.”

“…”

“I guarantee you, if Accomplice fails, you’ll never be able to set foot in this industry again.”

“Wh-why?”

“Because everyone will look to you as the reason for the failure.”

This would be even more true if the supporting actors received praise for their excellent performances.

In such a situation, no director would cast Eum Seong-hyeon in a leading or supporting role, and he couldn’t go from protagonist to minor roles.

Regardless of Eum Seong-hyeon’s will, casting managers who care about the atmosphere on set would make it so.

“So you’re standing at the edge of a cliff right now.”

I looked into Eum Seong-hyeon’s eyes and asked.

“What do you think Hyeon-tae would do in this situation?”

* * *

Among the Agent Secret members, the only one—no, now the only one with a schedule—Tune woke up to the sound of his alarm.

“Ah, fuck…”

Other celebrities have managers who wake them up and prepare everything for them, but not this fucking M2M.

He had to set his own alarm, wake up and wash himself, and only then would his lazy-ass manager sluggishly appear.

‘Fuck, this contract needs to end soon.’

Coming out to the living room in a foul mood, Tune was startled.

Eum Seong-hyeon had been sitting there quietly since dawn.

But even though he had come out, Eum Seong-hyeon didn’t even glance his way.

‘Acting all high and mighty when he’s got nothing…’

Honestly, it was fucking annoying.

It annoyed him that this bastard might succeed, and it annoyed him that he might slander him with lies after succeeding.

Was it because it was early dawn and he was half-asleep?

As if forgetting the caution he’d shown recently, Tune opened his mouth.

“Hey, fuck. Someone came out and you don’t even say hello?”

That’s when it happened.

The moment Eum Seong-hyeon turned to look at him, goosebumps broke out all over.

He didn’t say anything or make any gestures.

He just looked at him, but…

“Wh-what?”

There was someone else there.

Not the Eum Seong-hyeon he’d known for 10 years, but something else wearing only his shell.

It was ridiculous, but he suddenly thought that maybe some ghost had possessed him.

At that moment, Eum Seong-hyeon’s voice pierced his ears.

“Be careful.”

“Wh-what?”

“It’s been 10 years. It’s time for things to change.”

It was Eum Seong-hyeon’s voice, but it wasn’t something Eum Seong-hyeon had said.

Definitely, definitely a different being.

Tune froze stiff as he watched Eum Seong-hyeon enter the restroom.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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