I Acted Once, and Now They Call Me a Genius - Chapter 3

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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 3

Seon-woo’s acting from Seon-jun’s perspective could be summarized in one word.

Crazy bastard.

It was truly an overwhelming presence.

As a director, it was a bit uncomfortable that he had reinterpreted the Painter’s ending as he pleased.

But whatever the case, the result that was born from it… honestly, it was satisfying.

Raw acting, but precisely because of that, even more captivating.

But that blank expression, as if he didn’t even know what kind of acting he had done.

Seon-jun held back a sigh and opened his mouth.

“Hyung will only say this once, so listen carefully. I’ve seen kids called geniuses more than once or twice… but none of them had acting at this level from the very beginning.”

“…Uh, um. Hyung, are you praising me right now?”

“Let me ask you one thing. How did you feel while acting?”

Seon-woo closed his mouth for a moment.

That feeling of becoming a completely different person and living in a different world, a different life.

That sensation of vitality abundantly filling his empty life…

How did it feel?

When asked like that, he could only answer this way.

“It was good.”

It was ecstatic.

To the utmost degree, very much so.

* * *

What a thing to witness in a lifetime.

Who would have thought the day would come when he’d be called an acting genius.

He especially didn’t expect to hear those words from Seon-jun.

His feelings were a bit complicated. Happy but also somewhat bewildered.

It couldn’t be helped.

Seon-woo had never once considered the path of an actor in his entire life.

But suddenly being told “You’re a genius, become an actor!” – of course he’d be flustered.

‘It was good though.’

Those various emotions he felt when the Painter’s color dyed him…

Just thinking about it was enough to give him goosebumps.

It had been such an ecstatic experience.

‘Why did I suddenly develop this ability?’

He didn’t know.

In novels or movies, people usually get into car accidents or something before awakening such abilities. But he had no such trigger.

Even after that day, his Color Vision Ability didn’t disappear.

Not only when reading novels or scripts, but even when watching dramas, Seon-woo could read the colors contained in the Acting.

Watching those colors fill the screen was truly an enjoyable experience.

‘Should I become an actor?’

He even entertained such foolish thoughts for a moment.

As a job seeker, it honestly wasn’t a very good phenomenon.

He barely had enough time just sending out resumes and going to interviews, so what would happen if his mind wandered elsewhere?

But he couldn’t help it.

‘…I want to act again.’

He couldn’t forget that sensation from when he acted.

It was like he could finally truly feel what it meant to be alive.

When he watched actors performing on TV, he felt strangely jealous.

For some reason, he felt like he should be there too. Like he should be standing in front of a camera, not a computer.

Seon-jun had also played a part in making him think this way.

Suddenly calling him a genius, asking if he had any thoughts about becoming an actor – hadn’t he stirred him up quite a bit?

The praise was especially tempting because it came from none other than Seon-jun.

It’s not usually easy to get compliments from a sibling, after all.

Anyway, after agonizing alone like this for several weeks.

Seon-jun suddenly burst into his room.

“Hey, take this.”

“…What is this?”

“Prize Money.”

Prize Money? What Prize Money?

Seon-woo first opened the envelope. It was full of 50,000 Won Bills.

Ten, twenty, thirty… two hundred.

Seon-woo’s mouth fell wide open.

“What, what, what? Hyung, are you dying? Why are you suddenly acting like this?”

“You know that contest movie we filmed last time? It won the grand prize. The prize money is ten million won, so you’re satisfied with two million, right?”

Grand prize? Ten million won?

So he’s really giving me this money?

Seon-woo’s eyes instantly softened.

“…You know I’ve always respected you, right hyung?”

“That’s enough. Anyway, thanks to winning the grand prize, the view count exploded too, and the comment reactions are good. There were a lot of positive reviews for both the work and your Acting.”

“Huh? View count?”

Wait a minute.

Why would a contest entry suddenly have view counts… don’t tell me.

“This got posted online too?”

“Did you think it wouldn’t be posted? The submission method itself is uploading to YouTube.”

“Crazy…”

Seon-woo’s complexion turned pale.

Since it was called a contest, he thought it was just the format where you submit to judges and get evaluated.

But it’s posted online too.

That means the general public all saw his Acting too.

“…What kind of reactions are there?”

“See for yourself.”

He was already searching for it diligently.

It wasn’t hard to find. Just searching for 1-minute movie brought it up right at the top.

[2026 One-Minute Film Contest Grand Prize Winner ‘The Best Self-Portrait’]

Views: 320,000

But what is this.

“The view count is 320,000?”

“It went up better because we uploaded it as a short form too.”

“I didn’t get cursed at or anything, did I?”

“You’re the one who said to look.”

Because it’s scary to look at.

But he couldn’t not look either. Seon-woo squeezed his eyes shut and opened the comment section. Then he squinted and carefully read through the comments…

“The reaction is… good?”

The response was better than expected.

dbwndhks93: The future of Korean cinema is bright.

└namoviedirecorbut: Agreed

barleybarley: How can a 1-minute movie have such high quality? Direction, narrative, message, details… nothing is lacking.

└lebang: For real, I was amazed watching it. Especially when the Painter smiled at the end, gave me chills…

carrotman: But does anyone know the actor’s profile? The acting details were insane so I wanted to check out his portfolio but there’s no information…

└maillard: Probably a newcomer or student? But with that face and acting skills, he’ll probably blow up soon lololol

└anonymous: He’s handsome but doesn’t he lack personality?

└maillard: Tsk tsk look at them trying to find fault no matter what

He had scrolled down expecting to find hate comments, but there were only good comments, making his face burn with embarrassment.

Well, it’s not like there were no forced criticisms… but this much was nothing.

Seon-woo continued reading through the comments.

They were all similar content. It was a good movie. And it was good acting.

But why was it so thrilling to read and reread those similar comments?

…A feeling he’d never experienced in his life.

Seon-jun spoke as if to say ‘I told you so.’

“I told you. You have talent.”

“…Still, you never know. Maybe it only looked good to you.”

“I might be the only one who thinks you look ugly, but I’d never be the only one who thinks you look good.”

That was true enough.

Seon-jun crossed his arms and leaned against the door.

Seon-woo looked at Seon-jun with a displeased expression.

What’s this. Why are you suddenly striking a pose.

“So what are you going to do? Don’t you want to try being an actor?”

“That again?”

“Exactly. Why are you making me say the same thing twice?”

“…”

What is this shamelessness.

…It doesn’t feel bad though.

It means he’s evaluating his talent that highly.

It seems Seon-jun truly believes it. That he could succeed if he became an actor.

But,

“It would be ridiculous to just say ‘Yes, I’ll do it’ when suddenly told to become an actor.”

“What’s ridiculous about it? Think simply. If you want to try it, do it. If not, don’t. So what do you think? You seem to be looking at scripts quite often these days.”

Seon-jun looked at Seon-woo.

“Don’t you want to act?”

“…”

Why was that?

Seon-woo couldn’t quite open his mouth.

The time when he became the Painter and acted came to mind.

The time when he was dyed in his color, swimming freely while intoxicated by those emotions.

Even thinking back on it, it was such an enjoyable time.

That’s probably why he had been agonizing over it for the past few weeks.

Right. What was there to hide? Seon-woo wanted to act. From the very moment he first encountered acting, continuously.

But even so, wasn’t this too unplanned?

It’s not like he had dreamed of being an actor since childhood, and now he’s changing his career path because he happened to try acting and it seemed to suit him?

Doesn’t that feel too reckless?

“Think it over carefully. If you’re thinking of doing it, I’ll help you to some extent.”

While he was pondering like that, Seon-jun didn’t wait any longer and left the room.

Seon-woo stared blankly at the door Seon-jun had exited through with a dazed expression.

What? He stirs someone up like that so suddenly and then just leaves?

Well, he did need time.

He really needed to think about it seriously now.

“…Acting.”

Who would have thought the day would come when he’d worry about something like this.

Actor had never once been on his list of future aspirations.

It’s not that he doesn’t want to be an actor.

In fact, to some extent, he’s always admired it. The life of an actor… was colorful in many ways.

It’s just that it feels equally distant.

“…Mmgh.”

Seon-woo replayed his acting performance that was uploaded to YouTube.

It was strange. Even though it was his face, it didn’t look like him.

His face in the mirror always looks so dull… but that person on screen really seems alive.

It’s like he’s radiating every color he possesses.

He knows.

How absurd it is to suddenly say he wants to do acting.

His parents would be shocked if they knew he was having these thoughts.

But despite that, why can’t he shake off this concern?

Seon-woo kept replaying his appearance in the movie.

For minutes, for tens of minutes, until the white noise filling his head finally quieted down.

Then, he got up and headed to Seon-jun’s room.

“I’ll try acting.”

“…”

Seon-jun stared at him quietly.

His eyes seemed to ask if he was really sure.

He doesn’t know.

Actually, nothing has been sorted out.

How much he should challenge himself with acting, what he should do going forward.

Right now, there was only one thing Seon-woo knew for certain.

“I want to do it.”

His appearance while acting in the movie…

It was definitely colorful.

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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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