I Acted Once, and Now They Call Me a Genius - Chapter 244

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 244
“When’s he going to come out…….”
In front of the TV.
Da-sol stared at the screen with reverent focus.
The program she was watching was the OBS Acting Grand Prize.
And the reason she was glued to it was obvious enough.
‘Our Seon-woo is finally going to win an award!’
She was here to witness Seon-woo’s first awards moment.
Every time Da-yeon bragged about Cha Do-young’s Cannes win, Da-sol had secretly felt envious. True, the OBS Acting Grand Prize didn’t carry the same weight as Cannes…….
‘But this is how you start climbing up!’
Step by step, rung by rung—who knew? Maybe one day he’d take home the Grand Prize itself, and Cannes, even the Oscar. Da-sol indulged herself in these hopeful fantasies.
But beyond the question of winning, watching her actor at an awards ceremony was genuinely thrilling.
Actors didn’t get dressed to the nines very often, so witnessing them in full formal wear was a rare treat for a fan like her.
“I can’t wait…….”
Da-sol was already melting into her seat.
Da-yeon, watching her, smiled knowingly.
“You’re excited?”
“Of course. Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for this?”
Da-sol clenched her fists.
“If the schedule had worked out, Seon-woo could’ve done the YBC Acting Awards too…….”
“Yeah, that’s a shame. But next year—or wait, is it this year? Anyway, by the next awards ceremony, he should at least be nominated. I’ve even heard he could take home the Grand Prize.”
“I just want him to win something today.”
“He should at least get the Newcomer Award, shouldn’t he?”
“……Or maybe even the Supporting Actor Award?”
“Oh my, such lofty ambitions.”
“But he acted so well!”
Da-sol’s voice caught with emotion.
“Honestly, if Seon-woo doesn’t win, who should? If someone else gets it…… well, I guess they’d deserve it, but no, forget it. Anyway, Seon-woo has to win!”
“Oh, Seon-woo’s coming on.”
“……!”
At Da-yeon’s words, Da-sol inhaled sharply and fixed her eyes on the screen.
This year’s OBS Awards had a concept where actors rode in vans to the Red Carpet and made their entrance. And they all entered in pairs.
The broadcast displayed two names: ‘Kim Seon-woo, Na Min-hee.’ Just as expected, they were paired together for the entrance.
And when the door opened…….
‘Huh?’
Da-sol blinked.
Seon-woo stood frozen, his eyes locked with the camera. It was time to step out of the van, but he couldn’t move.
He was paralyzed.
Anyone could see he was overwhelmed in that instant. But he couldn’t just stand there—and then, finally, Seon-woo began to move.
He helped Min-hee arrange her dress as she exited, escorting her forward.
It looked quite polished and elegant on the surface…….
“……They both look totally tense, don’t they?”
“Yeah.”
Da-sol nodded.
They were visibly nervous. Their expressions were stiff, and their movements had a stilted, robotic quality—their bodies weren’t listening to them.
Da-sol let out a soft laugh.
It was endearing. Since she usually only saw Seon-woo looking like a genius or a monster, seeing him like this felt oddly human and relatable.
And…….
“But seriously, both their visuals are insane.”
Their appearances were absolutely gorgeous.
Since neither of them usually wore much makeup, seeing them fully polished like this was certainly…….
“I can’t stop gushing.”
“……stunning.”
She felt envious of Min-hee too.
If only she could go somewhere like that on Seon-woo’s arm…….
‘No, I’d literally die from nerves.’
Quickly assessing her limits, Da-sol pulled up the live chat.
The two wooden puppets walked across the Red Carpet and vanished from sight, and the internet immediately exploded.
eyesonyou: Min-hee is insane why is she so beautiful;
FaceJunkie: Seon-woo looks totally different when he’s actually styled. Wait, why has he been stuck in grimy roles this whole time?
bravis: lol but like what’s with them being so frozen ㅋㅋㅋㅋ I was genuinely worried they’d trip
SweetPotatoTaffy: ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ so cute for real
Overall, the reaction was positive. You might expect some criticism about why they looked so stiff, but people were being kind about it.
ajfie: but is Seon-woo winning an award today?
sj97: he has to ㅋㅋㅋㅋ the Red Zone cast tore it up
KimQuokka: probably gets at least the Newcomer Award ㅇㅇ
And people were very interested in whether Seon-woo would win.
Most everyone seemed to expect the Newcomer Award.
Da-sol clenched her fists.
“I hope he wins.”
“Hehe, why’s an award so important?”
“……unnie, you were bouncing off the walls when Cha Do-young won Cannes.”
“Hehehehehe, why, are you jealous?”
Honestly, she was jealous.
But Da-sol tilted her chin up stubbornly.
“It’s fine. Seon-woo’s going to win something today anyway!”
But that confidence didn’t last long.
Moments later, when the Newcomer Award was announced……contrary to everyone’s expectations,
—The Male Newcomer Award goes to…… Yu Jae-ho, from the film ‘A Life You Live Only Once’!
Seon-woo’s name was not called.
Da-sol’s expression hardened. Now the only award Seon-woo could possibly win was…… Supporting Actor.
That was a much higher bar than the Newcomer Award.
‘……Will he get it?’
Awards weren’t supposed to be a big deal, but she still wanted to see Seon-woo’s hard work pay off. He probably wanted to win too.
Da-sol pressed her hands together.
Please, let Seon-woo have this moment.
Please.
* * *
While Da-sol was wringing her hands, Seon-woo wasn’t particularly worried about whether he’d win.
And for good reason…….
“……My heart’s still racing.”
“Mine too.”
The shock from walking the Red Carpet hadn’t worn off yet.
Though “shock” was more accurate than “emotion.” That sensation of all those eyes fixed solely on him—it was something Seon-woo had never experienced in his life.
Watching Seon-woo and Min-hee, Seo Ryeong let out an amused laugh.
“You two are first-timers at an awards show, huh?”
“Yes. I didn’t think it would be that hard, but being here in person is different…….”
“Right?”
Seo Ryeong shrugged.
“I was pretty scared the first time too. The dress alone felt like it didn’t fit right, and the energy in this place is just…… it’s not normal, you know?”
Seo Ryeong was right.
It was only because the Red Zone cast was sitting together at one table that things felt manageable. If they’d been scattered among unfamiliar actors……the atmosphere would have felt suffocating.
There was no help for it. Every single person had struck a pose and entered combat mode, so even sitting still, the pressure emanating from all around was overwhelming.
But what had impressed Seon-woo most of all……was the cameras.
‘……I’ve never seen this many cameras before.’
Seon-woo was used to working on film sets with dozens of cameras, but the scale of this awards show was on an entirely different level.
Between the broadcasting station’s internal cameras and the photographers’ cameras, hundreds of them were trained on him……the pressure was real.
But it wasn’t just pressure he felt.
‘It feels…… like I’m being praised.’
It was a strange sensation.
Everyone was simply watching him, yet from their gaze he drew an inexplicable strength. Even though that attention didn’t necessarily mean they all supported him.
Maybe just being here was meaningful enough in itself.
This awards ceremony venue…… had seemed so vivid and colorful to him. To step foot in a place he’d once thought would be forever beyond his reach—how could he not be satisfied?
So,
“I thought you’d at least win the Newcomer Award.”
At Seong Do-won’s slightly disappointed tone, Seon-woo could smile without effort.
“Just being invited here is honor enough for me.”
“You need to have more faith in yourself.”
Seong Do-won regarded Seon-woo with a cool gaze.
“Don’t be too hard on yourself.”
“……Ha, thank you.”
It was rare for Seong Do-won to speak so gently. He seemed to have taken it to heart that Seon-woo had missed the Newcomer Award.
But Seon-woo, in this moment, was actually relieved.
‘……If I’d gone on that stage, I definitely would’ve stammered.’
He was half-certain of this.
Right now, with no cameras on him, he’d managed to calm down a bit. But if he’d had to accept an award and step up to that podium……he’d have been twice as nervous as he was on the Red Carpet.
‘During acting I don’t get nervous, so I thought maybe I had a gift for the stage…….’
Apparently that wasn’t the case.
And then,
—The Female Newcomer Award goes to…… from the hit drama, who played that fresh young doctor in the Red Zone…… actress Na Min-hee!
“Huh, oh…….”
Min-hee finally secured the Newcomer Award she’d been so anxious about.
And immediately she seemed to have trouble breathing, rising with a pallid face and moving stiffly toward the stage.
Seon-woo applauded while thinking to himself.
‘……She’s radiant.’
It hit him anew.
Awards ceremonies had always been controversial about their significance, but ultimately, receiving an award was truly a glorious and gratifying moment for an actor.
It couldn’t be otherwise.
Even as Min-hee stood there pale and walking awkwardly like a robot……she shone with such brilliance in this moment.
He could feel it.
She would never forget this moment as long as she lived.
It would become the most radiant and beautiful moment of her life, and the strength she would draw from to keep living.
Perhaps it would become the very ‘pillar’ that Seong Jun-il had spoken of.
—Hello. I’m, I’m Na Min-hee.
The moment Min-hee stepped up to the microphone, she failed spectacularly at the very ‘no stammering’ she’d emphasized so much. But even that was lovely to watch. Every moment of this felt precious and beautiful.
On the other hand, there was a pang of envy.
Because this moment, standing on that podium—that was truly a tremendous honor.
—I, I’m so honored to be here…… and, um, going forward, I’ll work hard…….
‘……Or not?’
Min-hee looked like she was about to cry any second, her eyes glimmering with unshed tears.
Seon-woo sighed quietly. It was actually a relief. He probably wouldn’t do much better up there himself.
—L-last, I’d like to thank everyone at Cheongseong. Thank you and I love you all……!
Min-hee finished her remarks by giving thanks to Cheongseong one final time, then came back down.
She clearly wanted to escape as fast as possible—running back at nearly full speed, which drew fresh laughter from the crowd.
And when she finally returned to the table,
“……I bombed.”
Min-hee was half-dazed.
Seon-woo smiled faintly at the sight of her.
“At least you didn’t cry.”
“……I stammered my heart out though.”
“Congratulations, senior.”
“Thanks.”
Min-hee exhaled deeply. Then, as the reality of her earlier stumbles dawned on her, she cradled her head in her hands.
Seo Ryeong couldn’t contain her laughter.
“Min-hee, you were actually adorable.”
“……Senior, I seriously want to crawl into a hole.”
Min-hee set the trophy down on the table with a melancholy expression.
Seon-woo glanced at the trophy. It looked heavier than he’d expected.
It was just a hunk of metal, but the meaning it carried gave it that weight. The heaviness of a single person’s most brilliant moment, compressed into one object.
‘……I’m envious.’
If he was being honest, he was.
It would be a lie to say he wasn’t disappointed. Even though he knew he would’ve stammered if he’d gone up on that stage, watching his colleague win right beside him made him swallow hard. But that was where it ended.
Just being here, just the sensation he’d felt walking the Red Carpet—he’d already received more than enough in return.
That was when,
Seo Ryeong grinned at Seon-woo.
“If you take home Supporting Actor too, it’d be perfect.”
“……No, Supporting Actor is too much of a reach.”
And Seon-woo shook his head immediately.
Even though Seon-woo had given a decent performance in the Red Zone……he didn’t think he was strong enough to compete for Supporting Actor.
It was extremely rare for someone to win Supporting Actor in their debut year.
Even Park Du-ho had only been mentioned as a Newcomer Award candidate—the Supporting Actor Award hadn’t even come up.
Since nominees were usually given some advance notice of their chances…… the odds of Seon-woo winning Supporting Actor were basically zero.
It was disappointing, but honestly, he was relieved. Watching Min-hee freeze up made it even clearer. Seon-woo probably wouldn’t have handled it much better.
So,
—Next, we’ll be announcing the Supporting Actor Award. The Male Supporting Actor Award winner this year is…….
When the Supporting Actor announcement came, Seon-woo wasn’t particularly nervous.
He knew his name wouldn’t be called, so there was no reason to be tense.
—Kim Seon-woo, from the Red Zone!
So when his name was announced, Seon-woo felt nothing at first.
Red Zone? That’s the same name as our drama. Kim Seon-woo? That’s my name too.
Those were the only thoughts filling his head. So he just kept clapping mindlessly……until he noticed something was wrong.
Everyone was staring at him.
Not just Min-hee, Do-won, and Seo Ryeong at his table……but every actor around them.
“……Oh.”
In that instant, Seon-woo’s heart, which had found peace,
began to pound wildly all over again.

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