I Acted Once, and Now They Call Me a Genius - Chapter 9

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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 9

Cheongseong’s auditions are always conducted as open auditions that the troupe members can watch.

Thanks to that, the audience seats of Cheongsong Theater were now packed with Cheongseong’s troupe members. They had come to watch.

They hadn’t come to see who would become Seung-do.

If that were the reason, this many wouldn’t have gathered.

They had all gathered because they were curious about the acting of the newcomer who had applied for the audition.

‘The newcomer must be quite nervous.’

Eun-seok inwardly clicked his tongue as he looked at the troupe members filling the audience seats.

Rumors about Kim Seon-woo had already spread widely throughout Cheongseong.

An acting genius with no acting experience.

He hadn’t seen it directly, but apparently he had shown quite profound acting during the initiation when he first joined the troupe. Something about not being pushed back against Seo Jin-wook.

Honestly, he didn’t quite believe it.

He wondered how well a kid with no acting experience could possibly act.

‘No. I need to watch without prejudice.’

Eun-seok shook his head.

If he had just come to watch like the others, it would have been fine.

But today he was here not as a spectator, but as a judge.

He had originally played the role of Seung-do, and he was one of the most experienced members in Cheongseong, so there was no one more suitable to be a judge.

Excluding him… well.

“Hello, Do-young sunbae!”

“Oh, Do-young oppa!”

Cha Do-young. That was about it.

Do-young nodded to the greeting troupe members and walked over.

The judges’ seats were in the front row.

Eun-seok smiled awkwardly as he watched Do-young sit down one seat away from him.

“Oh, hey, Do-young. Welcome.”

“….”

“Are you still angry…?”

“Let’s focus on the judging.”

“Uh, uh…”

Eun-seok hung his head with a dejected expression.

Ever since announcing the news that he would have to quit the performance because of the movie, Do-young had been in that state the whole time.

Actually, he had expected it. Do-young had never liked people who pushed the theater troupe to second priority for various reasons since way back.

Ten million director or whatever, he must have felt betrayed by Eun-seok who suddenly abandoned the theater troupe schedule because of a movie.

‘I did do wrong though.’

Even if he had ten mouths, there was nothing to say.

Eun-seok watched Do-young’s mood.

He wanted to apologize, but it seemed like apologizing would make him even angrier, so he couldn’t easily open his mouth, when…

“What, quite a lot of people came!”

Ji-hwan appeared.

He looked at the troupe members filling the audience seats and laughed as if it was absurd. Seeing the Director like that, Eun-seok hurriedly waved his hand.

“Director! Welcome!”

“What. Why are you welcoming me so warmly for once?”

While Ji-hwan chuckled, Eun-seok only rolled his eyes to point at Do-young.

Understanding the situation, Ji-hwan casually sat between Do-young and Eun-seok.

And pretended not to know while being playful.

“Ahem, but… why are there so many kids here? We’re only picking one role at most.”

“They’re more interested in the side dish than the talent.”

“Side dish?”

“Yes. Kim Seon-woo? That guy.”

“Ah, everyone still doesn’t trust Seon-woo, I guess?”

“Well, rather than that, they just seem curious…”

Eun-seok trailed off and casually asked.

“How is that guy? Is he okay?”

“Hm? Eun-seok, you haven’t seen Seon-woo act yet?”

“No. I just heard rumors. I haven’t even seen his face yet. But I heard this guy has no acting experience, is it okay for him to audition?”

“That’s because you haven’t seen him.”

It was Do-young who answered that.

“If you had seen him act, you wouldn’t be able to say that.”

Eun-seok’s eyebrows rose.

It was surprising enough that Do-young had dropped his sulking and given him an answer… but that evaluation was even more surprising.

Do-young was quite harsh when it came to evaluating acting.

“…Now that you put it that way, I’m really getting excited.”

“Just don’t get your hopes up too much. Like you said, he’s still a rookie.”

Ji-hwan said this as a precaution, but his eyes were gleaming.

Ji-hwan still vividly remembered the time when he was teaching Seon-woo. During that short week, not only did he absorb all of Ji-hwan’s acting knowledge…

‘That expressiveness.’

Seon-woo’s expressiveness was unparalleled.

A monster who could immerse himself faster and deeper than most method actors.

Moreover,

‘He’s surprisingly cautious.’

Seon-woo isn’t reckless.

And he doesn’t needlessly overestimate himself either.

The fact that such a Seon-woo applied for this audition meant he was confident he could handle it properly.

Of course, Eun-seok, who didn’t know Seon-woo well, still had a puzzled expression.

An expression that said he couldn’t imagine it at all.

It wasn’t just Eun-seok. The other troupe members in the audience seats also had expressions with question marks floating above them regarding Seon-woo.

Even if he was called a genius or whatever, they wondered if he could already handle a significant supporting role.

In the midst of all this,

“I’m Seo Jin-wook. I’ll begin acting.”

It made things even more so when Seo Jin-wook came out as his scene partner.

Whatever else could be said, everyone agreed that Seo Jin-wook’s acting ability was good.

“…I’m going to kill someone.”

Seo Jin-wook’s acting was certainly clean.

Those empty eyes that contained nothing, and that murderous expression that looked like he’d stab someone to death at any moment.

His sharp features actually became an advantage at times like this.

‘That bastard really can act well.’

Eun-seok also acknowledged what needed to be acknowledged.

Seo Jin-wook’s acting was at a level that could be showcased anywhere, not just within Cheongseong.

“I’m going to kill the person who killed my family. What punishment will you give for this sin?”

This must be the reason why he, who was constantly the subject of gossip, still remained at Cheongseong.

In any case, thanks to this, the question marks that arose in people’s eyes could only grow larger.

Could Seon-woo really overcome that acting?

Well, he did put up a good fight against Seo Jin-wook last time. But could such luck happen again against that acting, which came out with teeth properly gritted?

“Hello, I’m Kim Seon-woo.”

Could his acting really turn all these question marks into exclamation marks?

‘Oh, he’s handsome!’

Well, at least one exclamation mark did pop up in Eun-seok’s mind for a moment.

This was the first time he had properly looked at Seon-woo.

White skin with delicate features. Should I call it a tofu-like face? So his impression was a bit hazy, but even considering that, he was quite handsome.

‘If only he can act, he’d have the face to be given lead roles?’

If his acting ability was really as good as the rumors here… it would certainly help with selling tickets too.

If he did well, it seemed like he could secure quite a solid fanbase.

But for Seung-do, the most important thing wasn’t the face.

It was the acting.

“Can you start acting right away?”

Ji-hwan asked, looking at Seon-woo.

Seon-woo calmly nodded his head.

“Yes. Shall we begin?”

“Yeah. Start right away when you’re ready.”

“Yes.”

At those words, Seon-woo immediately closed his eyes and began his immersion.

He didn’t show any particular signs of nervousness.

The moment Eun-seok saw Seon-woo’s face, which was just calm, and his eyes lit up with interest,

“…I intend to kill someone.”

Seon-woo’s acting began.

And in that instant, Eun-seok felt as if the air around them had completely changed.

Humidity, temperature, scent… it felt like all of those things had changed in a single moment.

Seon-woo’s stage presence.

That presence had instantly taken control of the surroundings, creating the feeling that the very air had changed.

‘…Oh?’

Eun-seok’s eyes widened.

He had thought there might be something special when Do-young vouched for him… but what was this? This ominous atmosphere.

His gaze was instantly captivated.

He found himself becoming immersed in this scene.

“I’m going to kill the person who killed my family. What punishment will you give for this sin?”

Gazing into empty space, Seon-woo slowly continued his acting.

It was surprisingly intense acting. The desperate feelings of a man who could think of nothing but revenge… were clearly contained in every word he chewed out through his voice.

Even though no scenes of raised voices had appeared yet, just looking into those empty eyes gave him goosebumps on his arms.

But that wasn’t all.

“How will you… punish me?”

‘…Huh?’

Eun-seok’s eyes widened.

It wasn’t just Eun-seok. Ji-hwan, Do-young… and everyone watching this scene from the audience seats let out gasps.

What kind of character was Seung-do?

Seung-do was a character who had lost everything and was racing toward destruction.

Therefore, his confession was also a question thrown at the priest. How dare you call what I’m about to do a sin.

No, I don’t think so.

Such a declaration of war.

But…

Look at that Seung-do’s eyes.

Look at those pain-filled eyes that seemed ready to shed tears at any moment.

Those eyes were as if…

‘…He’s pleading?’

What?

Do-young wondered. And immediately got his answer.

Seon-woo’s Seung-do wanted the Priest to stop him.

He wanted him to say stop, that he would impose a tremendous punishment. He was praying to be freed from this endless fall.

The declaration that I will commit a sin… was essentially a plea to stop me.

It was an interpretation he’d never seen before.

But it didn’t feel strange at all. Rather, it felt so natural that he wondered why no one had ever acted Seung-do this way before.

Do-young wasn’t the only one who understood what Seon-woo had expressed.

Eun-seok and Ji-hwan also understood it, and their eyes grew serious.

Ji-hwan inwardly let out a hollow laugh.

‘…Was I about to kick this kid out?’

Ji-hwan was certain.

It was a certainty he hadn’t felt in a long time since he first met Do-young. This kid was something special. Definitely… someone who would make it to the big leagues someday.

The acting was over.

Seon-woo still had a somewhat dazed look in his eyes, as if he was still caught up in the afterglow of the performance he had just given.

Finally, Eun-seok couldn’t hold back and spoke up.

“…Seon-woo? What the hell was that? How did you come up with this interpretation of Seung-do?”

He couldn’t even hide his excitement.

He couldn’t help it. As someone who had been acting as Seung-do himself… he never imagined he would see this kind of Seung-do.

But Seon-woo’s response was remarkable.

“If I were Seung-do, I think that’s what I would have done. I think I would have wanted someone to stop me.”

To summarize, it was ‘I just felt like that’s how it would be.’

Eun-seok clicked his tongue. He brought it this far with just intuition?

Fine, let’s say the analysis itself could somehow be done. But incorporating that analyzed character into acting was a separate matter entirely.

Yet despite coming up with such a new interpretation, Seon-woo had acted it out skillfully, as if he had been observing this character for years.

He never thought he would feel this way again after seeing Do-young, but this was…

‘He’s a monster.’

The corners of Eun-seok’s mouth trembled.

Hey, what the hell is that kid doing?

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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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