Bedroom Genius Actor - Chapter 40

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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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Episode 40

“First, I’d like to express my sincere gratitude to all the reporters and industry professionals who took time out of their busy schedules to attend today’s preview screening.”

Unlike Kim Ji-hu who hadn’t been able to utter a single word until now, he was speaking smoothly.

‘It worked…!’

‘Was this the right answer?’

Choi Tae-geon and Baek Do-kyung looked at Kim Ji-hu with surprised expressions.

Regardless, Kim Ji-hu continued his acting.

“This ‘My Little House’ is… a work that holds deep meaning for me as well. Unlike my previous work ‘Trauma’, I was able to try different kinds of acting and experience various things…”

He had memorized the entire script, so he didn’t make any mistakes in his lines.

If it were someone else, they might say there was no need to go that far, but since it was Kim Ji-hu, this approach seemed better.

With his self-introduction somewhat finished, it was now time for the reporters to ask questions.

Choi Tae-geon cleared his throat and spoke.

“Ahem, I’m an entertainment reporter. In this work, you worked with actors Yun Se-ra and Park Seong-min. Were there any difficult aspects?”

This part wasn’t written in the script; they had just roughly prepared some expected questions.

After throwing out the question, Choi Tae-geon looked at Kim Ji-hu.

“…”

“…?”

“…”

“Ji-hu?”

Kim Ji-hu was maintaining a relaxed smile and grinning brightly, but he couldn’t say a word.

‘Don’t tell me…’

That was right.

Kim Ji-hu could answer accurately for parts that were set in the script, but for parts that weren’t, he couldn’t answer just like before.

Of course, his expression maintained a perfect appearance as if it were in the script.

Choi Tae-geon, hoping he was wrong, threw out another question.

“Then… what was the most impressive scene in this work? Or maybe a scene that was difficult to act in…”

“…”

“Ji-hu…?”

Even when Choi Tae-geon asked questions, Kim Ji-hu just kept grinning brightly.

It felt as if he was frozen in that expression.

Baek Do-kyung looked at Kim Ji-hu and quietly said.

“Ji-hu… if you’re struggling so much you feel like dying, please nod your head.”

Nod nod.

“…”

Kim Ji-hu, who had returned to his usual expression, spoke quietly.

“I did practice at home by myself… but when I try to answer questions, my mind goes completely blank… I memorized all the answers too, but my mouth won’t move properly.”

“So you really can only work with a script.”

“Yes…”

“…”

Faced with a situation they’d never seen before, Choi Tae-geon and Baek Do-kyung clicked their tongues.

Of course, it was definitely better than before, but ultimately the most important thing at a preview screening was answering reporters’ questions.

There were still problems remaining.

“Should we write out the questions in script form too?”

“That would be meaningless. How could we know what questions the reporters will ask?”

“That’s true. If the order changes, it would become meaningless.”

Kim Ji-hu watched the two discussing and thought.

‘So that’s why his clothes were so disheveled…’

When he was practicing alone, it felt ambiguous, but now he seemed to understand clearly.

When synchronizing with other mannequins, it felt like becoming the role itself, but now it felt like a half-baked feeling of only wearing the role’s outer appearance.

‘The script itself was a half-baked script too… This can’t be helped.’

But he couldn’t ask Choi Tae-geon to bring a perfect script either.

‘Should I try synchronizing with a character from a completely different work…’

However, he only thought about it briefly before shaking his head.

The reason was that when synchronizing with other works, he couldn’t know what actions he might take.

At least when synchronized with this script, even if perfect behavior was impossible, control was possible.

And how much trouble had he gone through because of not being able to control himself?

Although there were parts that worked out well thanks to that, since he didn’t know what kind of trouble he might cause, he planned to restrain himself as much as possible.

Then Choi Tae-geon, as if he had a good idea, spoke to Kim Ji-hu with a bright expression.

“How about creating multiple scripts and responding according to the situation?”

“Multiple… scripts?”

“Yes, we’d make several scripts so you can respond to various questions. Wouldn’t that work better for you?”

“Would you be able to make all of those…?”

He wondered if Choi Tae-geon, whose main job wasn’t even as a writer, could manage that, and he was also worried about him suffering because of himself.

So Choi Tae-geon smiled as if it was no problem.

“Yes, the questions that come up at preview screenings are pretty similar anyway, so I think I can make them quickly. If you’re okay with it, I’ll start making them right away.”

Kim Ji-hu thought for a moment at those words. Then he answered.

“Then please do that.”

He wondered if making multiple scripts would really allow him to answer all questions, but thinking about how he had immediately acted out an impromptu script change during the ‘My Little House’ filming, it seemed possible.

Baek Do-kyung, who had been watching, summarized the situation.

“Then let’s meet again in a few days. Tae-geon, please bear with the hard work.”

“Understood!”

Kim Ji-hu was a bit worried, but soon gathered his thoughts.

‘Tae-geon and the others are all making efforts, so I should do my best too…!’

***

After all the interview training was finished, it was the day of the ‘My Little House’ preview screening.

“Ji-hu, just do it like you practiced. Don’t be too nervous.”

“Yesss…”

Kim Ji-hu answered with a somewhat deflated sound.

Choi Tae-geon looked at Kim Ji-hu and worried.

‘He’s trembling like a newborn lamb…’

Kim Ji-hu was nervous to a pitiful degree. But there was nothing more he could do for him.

Only the real thing remained now.

‘Still, he did almost perfectly during practice. As long as no sudden unexpected situations arise, it should be fine.’

And so the preview screening began.

The preview screening order was like this.

After screening the movie, they would hold a press conference.

Most questions would go to director Moon I-hyun and the lead actors Yun Se-ra and Park Seong-min, but the microphone would definitely come to Kim Ji-hu as well.

Answering well at that time was the most important part.

For now, Kim Ji-hu quietly entered the movie theater, and Choi Tae-geon sat behind him.

As time passed, more and more people entered.

Today there were many industry professionals and reporters, but there were also some general audience members.

“Oh… it’s Yun Se-ra.”

“Kim Ji-hu and Park Seong-min are there too…!”

At the general audience’s reactions, Yun Se-ra and Park Seong-min casually waved their hands, and Kim Ji-hu watched their actions and thought.

‘Should I, should I do it too?’

Since they were waving on both sides of him, he thought he should do it too.

Eventually Kim Ji-hu smiled and waved at the entering audience.

With his awkward actions and stiff expression as he waved, Kim Ji-hu looked somewhat sinister and gave off a gloomy feeling.

“…Is he in a bad mood today?”

“Maybe it’s because the movie theater is dark… his expression looks quite dark.”

“….”

Kim Ji-hu, hearing the audience’s words, mentally tore at his hair.

‘I should have just stayed quieeeeet… If I had stayed quiet, at least half would have been fine…’

Of course, it was too late to regret it now.

So Yun Se-ra, who was beside him, said.

“It, it’s okay! You did well! Even if they say that, everyone probably likes it… maybe…”

“….”

The ‘maybe’ at the end hurt even more.

Anyway, all the audience members, reporters, and industry people entered and the movie began.

-I know you’re having a hard time, but do you have to act that way even to people trying to help you.

-People trying to help? What could you possibly help me with.

And slowly the highlight scene began.

Kim Ji-hu watched it and let out a small gasp of admiration.

‘I thought it was a pretty good scene, but watching it in the movie theater feels different again…’

Kim Ji-hu had already watched the entire edited movie, but this was his first time seeing it in a theater.

He thought it was good when watching the edited version, but it seemed even better watching it in the theater.

Plus, seeing his own face on the movie theater screen gave him such a strange feeling.

He forgot about being nervous earlier and was getting absorbed in the movie.

Of course, that time didn’t last very long, and the movie was ending.

“It’s more interesting than I thought?”

“Right. It seems actor Kim Ji-hu can handle this kind of character too. I thought he’d go with a similar character since the ‘Trauma’ character was so strong.”

A smile formed on Kim Ji-hu’s face at the sounds he heard.

Although he had started acting because of the system, he had worked hard and practiced, and hearing that people viewed it favorably made him feel proud.

“Hello. I’m director Moon I-hyun. Did everyone enjoy the movie?”

While he was lost in those lingering feelings, director Moon I-hyun came out on stage to greet everyone.

So Kim Ji-hu snapped out of his reverie and reality hit him.

‘Ah… now I have to do the stage greeting…’

Kim Ji-hu swallowed dry saliva and soon closed his eyes.

He needed to start acting soon. If he didn’t want to greet everyone with that awkward smile like before, he had to synchronize quickly.

When Kim Ji-hu opened his eyes again, he was already wearing the bright smile he had shown during practice.

‘He must be starting now.’

Having helped with practice from the side, Yun Se-ra could immediately notice Kim Ji-hu’s change.

“Then let me introduce our actors. First, actor Park Seong-min who plays Kim Tae-su. And actress Yun Se-ra who plays Na Min-hui.”

Yun Se-ra and Park Seong-min, befitting lead actors, stood up first and went to the stage. The two smiled brightly and waved their hands at the audience’s applause.

Director Moon I-hyun watched their behavior on stage and continued speaking.

“And actor Kim Ji-hu who plays Park Hae-jun.”

Kim Ji-hu stood up from his seat with those words.

And unlike his usual awkward smile, he looked at everyone with a bright laugh.

Normally he would have walked to the stage stiffly, but today was different.

Natural hand movements. And perfect steps. His usual slouched posture was nowhere to be found, and he was showing the perfect image of an actor with his shoulders back.

‘Th, thank goodness…’

Choi Tae-geon had worried about what to do if he was too nervous to show his proper self, but fortunately Kim Ji-hu was showing a perfect appearance.

“First, I’d like to express my sincere gratitude to the reporters and industry people who came to today’s preview screening despite your busy schedules.”

He also finished the stage greeting too perfectly.

Choi Tae-geon let out a sigh of relief, but he didn’t let his guard down knowing there was still one more hurdle remaining.

‘The stage greeting went well anyway. The Q&A coming up later is the problem.’

Fortunately, as expected, most of the questions were directed at director Moon I-hyun, Yun Se-ra, and Park Seong-min.

But after that.

“Hello. I’m reporter Oh Ju-byeong from Injoy Movie. I’d like to ask actor Kim Ji-hu a question.”

Finally a question came to Kim Ji-hu.

Kim Ji-hu calmly grabbed the microphone and nodded with a smile.

“Yes, please ask your question.”

“Your character changed a lot while filming this movie, and I’m curious how you handled it.”

That question was one they had prepared for in advance.

Kim Ji-hu could answer immediately.

“The ‘Trauma’ character was so strong that I thought a lot about how to handle it. So…”

Kim Ji-hu answered perfectly just as he had practiced.

Choi Tae-geon clenched his fists tightly.

‘He did it!’

And after that, several more questions came.

“The most difficult part while filming the movie was…”

“With actress Yun Se-ra and actor Park Seong-min…”

Those questions were all within expectations too. Since they were questions Choi Tae-geon had prepared, Kim Ji-hu answered them all.

So he thought they could finish the interview safely.

But.

“When I watched the movie, this highlight scene was very impressive, so could you tell us what you were thinking when you acted in that scene?”

At that question, Choi Tae-geon’s heart sank.

‘That, that’s an unexpected question…?’

Choi Tae-geon had made scripts for most common clichéd questions.

But he hadn’t anticipated that question. Plus, that question was about the work’s internals, asking about acting details.

Unless he was a reporter himself, it was a question Choi Tae-geon couldn’t have predicted.

Choi Tae-geon immediately looked at Kim Ji-hu.

Kim Ji-hu was wearing the same bright smile as before. However, it seemed frozen like when he made mistakes.

He had answered smoothly until now, but this time his characteristic buffering had kicked in.

‘Th, this is bad…’

Choi Tae-geon panicked and looked around as if he had to do something. Should he run out right now and cause some accident, or should he raise his hand to cut off the question?

“Actor Kim Ji-hu?”

When Kim Ji-hu didn’t give any answer, the reporter called Kim Ji-hu’s name as if urging him.

And then.

“….”

Kim Ji-hu brought the microphone toward his mouth.

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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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