I Acted Once, and Now They Call Me a Genius - Chapter 249

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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 249
From the OBC Acting Grand Prize to the re-contract, and finally to the Theater Grand Championship… Seon-woo had been swept up in a cascade of events recently.
His life had suddenly become so much fuller.
‘Truth is, it’s all work-related anyway……’
His personal life hadn’t really changed much, if he was being honest.
And Seon-woo felt a peculiar sense of mission about it. He wanted to fill his everyday life with richness too, no matter what it took.
It was in that context that—
“Thank you for your hard work!”
“Everyone did great!”
At last, the coronation scene filming for Yeokjeok had wrapped.
It was the final shoot of Part One. That long, endless journey had finally come to an end. Of course, there were still preview screenings and other commitments ahead… but those wouldn’t happen for at least another six months.
‘……It feels a bit sad somehow.’
Seon-woo looked down at the ceremonial robes he wore.
Soon he would have to say goodbye to Yi Bang-won for a while.
It was a feeling he got every time a project ended.
The moment he thought that playing this character was over, he felt like he was parting ways with an old friend.
The mental image of Yi Bang-won had transformed from something he could simply admire as beautiful into something unbearably poignant… yet despite that, Seon-woo felt a deep sense of loss.
Because he loved Yi Bang-won.
‘But there’s still Part Two.’
That was the reason Seon-woo could bear the loss he felt now.
And this sense of loss, naturally, wasn’t unique to Seon-woo. At the wrap party, actors flushed with drink were waxing passionate about their opinions.
Though those passionate opinions happened to be—
“No, Jeong Do-jeon wasn’t acting out of personal ambition at all!”
“A man without selfish motives topples all of Goryeo? He wanted the title of founder of Joseon because he coveted it!”
“What’s so great about a mere title! Jeong Do-jeon loved this country! But because the country was so rotten, he thought it better to tear out that flesh and build anew!”
“What does that even mean? People are all the same anyway. Not all the aristocratic families of Goryeo were ground down—most of them became the gentry of Joseon! That’s essentially just changing the name, isn’t it!”
“Just changing the name!”
……It was a Joseon-era version of political debate, in any case.
At least there was no discussion of contemporary politics—Seon-woo supposed he should be grateful for that. He watched Jeong In-gi and Seong Jun-il going head-to-head, but then quietly looked away. He didn’t want to get caught in the middle and be crushed like a shrimp.
But his screen presence was far too strong to hide that easily.
Jeong In-gi soon turned his head and singled Seon-woo out.
“Seon-woo! Our clever elite Seon-woo. Come here. No, this fellow keeps saying Jeong Do-jeon did it for selfish reasons, that he founded Joseon out of ambition for glory! What do you think?”
“……From Yi Bang-won’s perspective, it’s hard to think Jeong Do-jeon was motivated purely by goodwill. There is ambition there, I’d say.”
“See? That’s our Seon-woo!”
“No, what do you mean ‘that’s our’! I’m telling you there’s no ambition!”
Seong Jun-il, delighted by Seon-woo’s response, shook his head along with his spoon, while Jeong In-gi, seeing this, exploded all over again.
He wanted to stay neutral if possible, but he couldn’t help it. He was still deeply immersed in Yi Bang-won. He did have respect for Jeong Do-jeon, but…… he still couldn’t quite see him as a paragon of justice.
“Look, look! How are you with me? We’ve been together since our trainee days! You’re my kid!”
……But he had no idea why it had to escalate like this.
“……What are you saying. In the end, you died by his hand anyway!”
And he had no idea why it would lead here either.
Dangerous. Seon-woo rolled his eyes, looking for any possible escape route. And that was when—
“Ah, seniors. I’m going to borrow our Seon-woo for a moment.”
Yu Si-hun grinned and led Seon-woo away.
Once he’d caught his breath, Seon-woo immediately thanked Yu Si-hun.
“Thanks, senior. I was starting to get scared anyway.”
“I could tell. So, how was it? Now that you’ve wrapped your first film?”
“……It was great, honestly. Film.”
Seon-woo found himself smiling despite himself.
“Since each scene requires different effort and care… there’s definitely a different kind of fun compared to drama.”
“Especially since this is a Seo Tae-rok production. Usually, film shoots don’t put in this kind of effort for every single scene. Don’t let your expectations get too high.”
“……That might be hard. Mine are already too high.”
“You’re in trouble then.”
Yu Si-hun chuckled.
He lit a cigarette and turned to Seon-woo.
“You got an offer too, didn’t you?”
“……What kind of offer?”
“Cheongseong’s doing the Theater Grand Championship. I figured they’d approach you too. Or did they?”
“Ah…… Yeah, they did.”
“Are you going to do it?”
“Yeah. For now, anyway. But……”
Seon-woo looked at Yu Si-hun with a puzzled expression.
He hadn’t expected Yu Si-hun to know about it. Maybe through Wilde? he wondered……
“I’ll see you there soon. I’m doing it too. With the National Theater Company.”
“……Senior, you came from a theater troupe?”
Seon-woo’s face showed genuine surprise.
He clearly remembered just how utterly deranged Yu Si-hun’s acting had been when he played King Woo. He remembered how much he’d regretted that madness not coming through fully on camera.
When it came to characters full of madness, Yu Si-hun was someone who radiated an energy unlike anyone else—something truly tremendous.
On a theater stage, he’d be the most terrifying opponent to face.
Yu Si-hun nodded while grinning.
“Yeah. Our troupe’s been sharpening our teeth too. I hear quite a few seniors are grumbling about being outshined by Cheongseong lately.”
“……Everyone’s going to compete?”
“Of course. This is a chance to claim the title of the nation’s best theater troupe. Who would turn that down?”
Yu Si-hun shrugged.
“And even the sticklers who said they wouldn’t do broadcast acting anymore—they’re all saying they’ll participate. Since we’re competing in theater, not broadcast acting, they figure it doesn’t count.”
That logic actually made sense.
Their plays would air, yes, but ultimately what they performed was genuine theater.
For actors who moved based on their love for theater…… there was no real reason to hesitate about participating.
“It won’t be easy.”
“Well, no. We’re talking about people who’ve spent decades honing their craft in theaters alone. Not just our troupe either. Every troupe out there is sharpening their teeth right now.”
“…….”
Seon-woo thought about it.
It really might be a much harder fight than they’d anticipated.
Theater had barely had any real opportunity to make its case to the public.
But now, thanks to PD Im Yeong-do, the door had opened again. Naturally, countless people would be coming with teeth bared.
Seon-woo felt both excitement and tension at once.
What kind of acting would they show? And what kind of acting would he need to show against them?
It was a moment when he found a reason to grow again.
‘……I really want to go to acting school now.’
Some might say he was already doing well enough—what more was there to learn? That sort of thing was for aspiring actors, wasn’t it?
But Seon-woo believed there was no end to learning.
And at the same time, he believed that only those who kept learning could survive to the end.
Even someone like Kwon Seong-min still said he didn’t fully understand acting…… and maintained that attitude of wanting to learn more.
So how could he presume he’d learned everything?
As a result, the moment the party ended and Seon-woo got home, he began searching for information about acting schools again. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to find what he was looking for.
Not because the information didn’t exist.
“What are you doing?”
Seon-jun stood in the doorway. Seon-woo glanced at him and answered.
“Looking into acting schools.”
“Acting school? ……Industrious fellow. Going to school again? Aren’t you sick of it?”
“Why would school be tiresome? If anything, it’s the most comfortable place for me.”
“……Well, you’re not wrong, but……”
Seon-jun came in and sat on Seon-woo’s bed. Seon-woo regarded him with half-lidded eyes.
“……Aren’t those the pants you wear outside?”
“Nope. Don’t take me for a barbarian.”
He’s a bit of a barbarian, though, isn’t he?
Seon-woo thought as much privately, but didn’t say it out loud. His brother had become slightly more human with age, but as he’d just said, there was still something of a savage beast lurking inside him.
“But what’s going on? This late at night?”
“Heh heh.”
Seon-jun laughed proudly.
He looked like he had something to boast about.
Soon he held out a bundle of papers to Seon-woo.
“Look at this.”
“……What is it?”
“A script.”
“Yours?”
“Whose else would it be? It’s the project I’m doing next. The script’s done, so take a look.”
Instead of answering, Seon-woo turned his attention to the script.
The title was quite provocative: “How to Kill Your Wife.” Seon-woo tilted his head.
“What is this? A thriller?”
“No, I’d call it more of a melodrama.”
“……With that title?”
“That’s exactly the point.”
Seon-woo didn’t trust him.
There was no way something sweet like a melodrama lived in that head of his. Seon-woo opened the script.
“Fine. I’ll read it.”
“Right now?”
“Isn’t that what you wanted?”
“Good. I raised one brother right, at least.”
Raised, my foot.
……But Seon-woo found himself thinking—in a way, since they’d come this far through “The Best Self-Portrait,” it wasn’t unreasonable for his brother to boast that he’d raised him.
It was a terrible reality.
‘I raised you,’ he heard his brother say, and he could only nod and agree.
“……What? Why did your expression suddenly get so gloomy?”
“Oh, it’s nothing. I’ll read the script here… you’ll stay, right?”
“Geez, no way. Take your time, younger brother. Oh, and make sure to come find me in person and express your admiration out loud—don’t just KakaoTalk me!”
Seon-jun rattled off his instructions shamelessly and vanished.
Seon-woo watched his disappearing back with exasperation, then sighed and opened the script. He was beginning to think he really had no connection with acting school in any form.
And then, a short while later—
“……This is really making me feel awful.”
With a face that looked ready to cry at any moment, Seon-woo pressed his forehead in his palm.
He couldn’t help it. As he read the script, he kept having the same thought over and over—something he’d always known but never quite wanted to admit. A deeply inconvenient truth.
“It’s so damn good.”
His brother was……
a genius.

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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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