In This Life, I Want an Oscar, Not a Husband - Chapter 11

—————

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

—————

This life, I choose The Oscars over a husband.
Chapter 11

The photograph captured a woman standing on the street in short shorts, something—candy or a cigarette—between her lips, her mouth painted in vivid crimson lipstick.
Her short, blazing red hair was striking, yet it could not overshadow the delicate architecture of her face.
Studded boots paired with fishnet stockings completed the look.
Every element of her styling was excessive, and yet all eyes were drawn inevitably to her face.
A face beautiful as a porcelain doll, yet bearing an unmistakable defiant edge.
Her pale complexion appeared innocent at first glance, but her expression was sharp as a cat’s, her gaze luminous as a wounded wolf’s.
The moment Heo Kyung-hoe saw that photograph, the words of the LP Enter casting manager he’d shared drinks with yesterday flooded back into his mind.

“You know MillionX’s new song is coming out, right? We need a female lead for the music video, but the director insists on casting a newcomer. I’ve been searching everywhere—even among models—and I can’t find anyone. I’m absolutely losing my mind, Director. We need someone who looks young but has that rebellious edge… Where do you find that these days? With this whole pure and innocent trend, plastic surgeons are just churning out girls with wide eyes who look like they’d blow away in the wind.”

“Her acting is impressive too, by the way. I brought a rough cut. Would you like to watch it first before deciding whether to audition her?”
“No! No!”
Heo Kyung-hoe jumped to his feet immediately, his voice sharp.
“I want to see it right now! You can show me today?!”
Manager Jang chuckled, as if she’d expected exactly this reaction.
There was no way Heo Kyung-hoe would miss the appeal that she had recognized.
After all, he was once called the director with “the eagle’s eye.”
She shrugged with a knowing smile.
“That’s why I told her to come by this evening.”

* * *

I gazed up at the Naru Stage building and felt a slight jolt of surprise.
Naru Stage was located here?
An old building on the outskirts of Seoul.
For a company with only about ten employees, it wasn’t bad, but I couldn’t help being astonished when I remembered that in my previous life, Naru Stage’s headquarters had been situated in the heart of Gangnam Cheongdam-dong.
In the future, Naru Stage would become a place every actor dreamed of joining—a paradise for rookie performers.
But now—
“Ah, I came for an audition.”
“An audition?”
An employee in a shabby sweatshirt and jeans paused mid-task of moving office supplies and tilted his head in confusion.
The current Naru Stage office had no gleaming lobby, no reception desk.
Just a worn-out office space where five or six administrative staff worked—nothing more than a small business operation.
“Oh, you’re Manager Jang’s guest. Please head to the director’s office.”
Just then, an employee who had been affixing receipts poked his head out slightly.
“The director’s office?”
“Yes, it’s that way.”
The employee finished his answer and hurriedly returned to affixing receipts.
But would a rookie like me already be meeting the director?
It was unexpected that Manager Jang had contacted me so quickly in the first place.
I received the audition offer and sent my profile photos via the company’s official email.
The concept of my profile photos was a rebellious high-teen protagonist.
I needed to express a face that carried inner wounds while still maintaining a youthful, innocent appearance.
The reason was—

[Would you like to search for the music video produced by Director Min Se-ye in 20XX?]

This was the time when Director Min Se-ye was actively shooting idol music videos.
Because he had been searching through models to find the female lead for his music video, I had received an offer in my previous life as well.
However, since he hadn’t properly explained the concept of that music video, I had sent an ordinary profile and was rejected—a memory I still carried.
‘He didn’t even explain exactly why I was rejected.’
I wasn’t even clear on what the project was.
It was because Director Min Se-ye had shot so many music videos back then.
But what I was certain of was that a few years later, Min Se-ye would debut in the film industry.
He, who had already been a music video director with excellent mise-en-scène, surpassed the break-even point with his first film through refined visual aesthetics.
After that, he became a successful director praised for having “every frame look like a painting.”
In other words, he was a connection I couldn’t afford to miss.
And there was one more thing.

[Director Min Se-ye produced three music videos in 20XX.

-Pink Bunny’s 【Freeze】
A refreshing summer song set against a beach backdrop….(See more details)

-SUE’s 【Into Time】
A fantastical story befitting its mysterious lyrics….(See more details)

-MillionX 【You Say It’s Not Love】
The boy group MillionX’s first sensual R&B track….(See more details)

Now that I have access to search, I can understand it clearly.
What kind of face Min Se-ye wanted.

[In the music video for 【You Say It’s Not Love】, the female protagonist meets this man and that man, yet never tells any of them that she loves them—she’s a bad woman. MillionX gets hurt and suffers in turn because of this woman, yet they can’t forget her.]

…This is a typical femme fatale concept, isn’t it?
Now that I’ve read the description, the music video comes to mind.
How could I forget it?
It’s a MillionX music video, after all.
Even in an era when idol groups’ overseas expansion wasn’t yet active, MillionX was already touring internationally.
Just the fact that an actress appeared in such a boy group’s music video sparked fury among fans, but all the members form romantic storylines with that actress?
‘Perfect for stirring up controversy.’
I remember how a rookie actress back then appeared in this music video and received all kinds of hate.
But I’m different.
No—I have to be different.
I have the acting ability to make even this role likable.
Naru Stage is a small company, but since the representative has been in this industry for so long, they would naturally have heard that ‘Director Min Se-ye is having difficulty casting the female lead for the music video.’
In other words, if I capture Min Se-ye’s attention, Naru Stage will simply follow along.
So I immediately contacted Kang Ye-reum.

“I need to take some audition photos. Could I borrow some clothes from you?”
“Clothes?”

Kang Ye-reum, who had drunk the night before and was suffering from a hangover, turned her head to look at me while lying face-down on the bed.
Then, half a beat late, her eyes widened and she sat up.

“What kind of clothes do you want to wear?”

Kang Ye-reum, a costume design major, had always been genuinely passionate about fashion.
Her wardrobe overflowed with clothes, and her skills were so refined that she’d been photographed at Seoul Fashion Week since high school.
On top of that, she possessed the remarkable talent to transform cheap ready-made garments into sophisticated pieces through clever alterations.

“A hot girl who looks like she’d appear in a teen movie? But with some hidden emotional wounds.”

What kind of outfit could express something like that?
My deliberation proved pointless as Kang Ye-reum immediately offered her answer.

“Dress like Matilda. Wear a printed crop top as if you’re still in childhood clothes, then mismatch it with high-heeled boots and fishnet stockings. It showcases the character’s essence—someone carrying childhood wounds intact.”

The moment I heard those words, the image crystallized in my mind.
The original music video featured the female lead in a sexy concept, which prevented me from grasping the image immediately, but this approach would create an entirely different character while still captivating Director Min Se-ye’s attention.

“Wow… How do you even think of things like this?”
“I always approach getting dressed this way—by establishing a concept first. Anyway, what audition are you preparing for?”
“I’m not sure if I’ll even get the audition, but… I really want to try out for the Million X music video.”
“What? Million X?”

Right. I’d momentarily forgotten.
That Kang Ye-reum was an enormous fan of Million X back then.
Thanks to her enthusiasm, she contacted all her friends from the costume design program and had me try on dozens of outfits.
This was the final result.
“To be honest, I sent your photos to the music video director without permission. He was absolutely thrilled. I was hoping we could discuss a contract with our company while you’re auditioning for the music video.”
I’d just secured a spot in the Million X music video audition.
‘Perfect!’
I smiled inwardly.

—————

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

—————