The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol - Chapter 82

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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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82

“Ho-yoon, don’t panic! Don’t be nervous! Just do what you normally do and they’ll look favorably on you! H-hey, do you need a sedative?”

All the way to the Audition Waiting Room, I caught glimpses of my Manager fretting beside me. He probably needed that sedative more than I did.
The moment I stepped into the waiting room, I felt the eyes of aspiring actors sweep up and down my frame. Then came that sticky, mocking gaze. The kind that screamed, “Oh my, an idol has graced us with their presence?”

‘I wonder what drama will unfold today.’

I felt a spark of anticipation as I turned to my Manager.

“Manager, my throat’s a bit dry. Could you grab me some water?”
“Of course!!”

My Manager seated me in a corner and bolted out in a flurry. The water was obviously just an excuse. I simply wanted him gone.
From the moment I entered the waiting room until now, I’d felt those prickling stares from all around. Clearly, these were people who recognized my face. A few who didn’t know who I was glanced over and moved on, but those who’d caught on that I was an idol threw back hostile looks.
On top of that, this audition was for a work by the renowned writer Kim Sook-hee. As aspiring actors or newly emerging talents, they naturally wouldn’t want me cutting into their slice of the pie.

I quietly opened the script in front of me.
In the scripts for episodes one and two that I’d received, Lee Jung-hoon’s scenes weren’t particularly numerous. At most, just moments where he clashed with the protagonist over every little thing.

“Hmm.”

It didn’t matter much since I’d already seen all the scenes anyway.
I continued rustling through the pages of the script.

“Hello?”

Just as I was absorbed in the script without much thought, a voice rang out as if meant for my ears alone.

“You’re Seo Ho-yoon, right?”

‘Well, well, quick on the uptake.’

Only then did I lift my head and glance at the seat beside me. A man with a fairly neat impression was smiling at me, but irritation and contempt were plainly displayed in his eyes.
I felt like I’d seen him somewhere before.

“I’m Lee Kang-seok, an actor.”
“Yes. I’m Seo Ho-yoon.”
“You’ve been doing well lately… Now you’re challenging acting too?”

On the surface, it was nothing special, but there was something subtly irritating about it. Especially in a waiting room where such prickling gazes pierced through.

Ding!

[Why is the entertainment industry always like this?? Do they really need to stir up trouble every single day??]

Why? I find it amusing.
The System Window was venting frustration on my behalf again today. I raised an eyebrow at it.
Lee Kang-seok… I had a memory of seeing his face before coming here. We’d never worked together, but I’d heard rumors about him a few times.

‘The scheming type.’

It had been quite a while since I’d encountered territorial behavior from someone in the same industry. I smiled subtly.

“Would you like me to take a look at your acting? It seems like you might need some practice before the audition….”
“Oh~.”
“Ah, I won’t have time to coach you before this audition. How about you contact me sometime? I don’t think we’ll see each other here again….”
“Oh… wow, that could be the case~.”

Since I had no need or intention of passing this audition anyway, I answered halfheartedly and let everything that followed go in one ear and out the other.
Well, actually I did listen, but I pretended not to.
As a result, Lee Kang-seok’s face grew quite irritated.

Ding!

[Master of subtle provocation…]

“…Well, Lee Kang-seok.”

I glanced at him. Since I’d spent the boring time entertainingly thanks to him, I clenched my fist lightly in genuine encouragement.
It was a fighting pose.

“Fighting. I hope you do well in the audition. I’m rooting for you to pass.”
=I’m getting eliminated in the first round.
“…??”

Lee Kang-seok stared blankly at me, having forgotten even to mock me, when a staff member opened the audition venue door first. Behind him, I saw the actor who had just gone in come out.

“Seo Ho-yoon, please come in.”
“Yes.”

I stood up and gave him a slight smile as he remained awkwardly frozen.
The staff member, having unintentionally drawn everyone’s attention to me and the surrounding atmosphere, shook his head and pushed me into the audition venue.
Inside, five people sat in a neat horizontal line behind a long table.
A director, an assistant director, another assistant director, the rest appeared to be studio staff, and one was a writer.

“Hello, Seo Ho-yoon.”

Kim Sook-hee, the writer.
The person who wrote the script for Please Camera and created the character Lee Jung-hoon.

“Hello.”

I greeted them and walked to the center.

“I’m Seo Ho-yoon.”

***

‘He’s here…!!’

The three production staff members had disliked Seo Ho-yoon from the start. The writer who had been actively expressing favor toward Seo Ho-yoon from the beginning and the staff member who brought in an idol to boost ratings even slightly seemed unconcerned. Director Yu sighed.

‘So an active idol is coming to my directorial career after all…!!’

Seo Ho-yoon kept his eyes lowered and waited quietly. The face with stage makeup removed, which I had occasionally seen through the screen, was cleaner than expected, and the sharply raised eyes were so distinct they had a quality that made people tense. However, the director decided not to be intimidated and to cause trouble.

“Ah, you’re from The Dun, right? I’ve been watching Shining Star diligently.”
=Why did such an idol come here?
“Really? Thank you so much.”
=Ha lol

Before the audition began, there was a light exchange of tension. The Studio staff member led the proceedings, while Director Yu casually fluttered through the script, muttering to himself.

“I’m not sure if you’ve read the script, but you must be busy.”
“Director.”

The Assistant Director tried to stop him urgently from beside, but the director had already made up his mind to be difficult. The director’s words made the atmosphere in the audition venue tense, but Seo Ho-yoon answered without any reaction, as if nothing was wrong.

“Yes, I’ve read it.”
“Very well then, let’s begin.”

As the Studio staff member finished speaking, Seo Ho-yoon set the script down on the floor. At this, the Studio staff member picked up the microphone again.

“You’re not using the script?”
“I’ve memorized it.”

‘Sigh, where did they pick this one up from, another drama?’

I didn’t actually dislike people who appealed to themselves like this. If they were diligent, at least they wouldn’t cancel filming.
However, if that person was an Idol, the situation was different.
I simply disliked everything from head to toe.
After so long, I finally had leads I liked—Min Ji-heon and Yoo Ji-a—and a brilliant script, but I couldn’t let an Idol ruin it.
Honestly, at first I wasn’t particularly fond of Yoo Ji-a either. It wasn’t that I disliked her, but she too was a singer-turned-actress.
Then I completely reversed my opinion of Yoo Ji-a because of an independent film she appeared in as a supporting actress a few years ago. It was a low-budget film directed by a rookie director, so for various reasons it couldn’t be released for a long time. Finally, last year it was shown in only a few theaters on a small scale. Yet it received such acclaim that it was even invited to prestigious international film awards. In particular, film critics unanimously praised Yoo Ji-a.
Even now, the image of Yoo Ji-a standing on the semi-basement stairs with clear, bright eyes, gazing at the dawn breaking, remained vivid in my mind.

‘That was really… wow, incredible.’

Yoo Ji-a, the empress of romantic comedies with her cute and lovable image firmly embedded in people’s minds, appeared in that film as a character swept up in desperate poverty, dragged through so many misfortunes that one could say her life was tragic, yet she never let go of hope until the very end. She completely overturned public perception. And at the same time, she completely captured my heart.
Everyone acknowledged Director Yu’s abilities. But he was equally stubborn, held strong preconceptions and prejudices, and had unwavering convictions about acting.
He was the type who couldn’t accept what he didn’t approve of. No matter how minor a supporting role might be.

‘Ugh… ratings really are my nemesis, my absolute nemesis.’

The director clicked his tongue.
Originally, the character Lee Jung-hoon that Seo Ho-yoon was auditioning for was set as 33 years old—someone who had collected every “genius” title imaginable and became famous as a genius PD.
Yet here they were, putting a 23-year-old Idol who had debuted just over a year ago—or rather, if we’re talking about Seo Ho-yoon specifically, only a few months—as a candidate for that role.
Acting that didn’t match his experience level, unrefined and lacking depth, could easily come across as ridiculous.

‘No matter how much Min Ji-heon shows up, how pathetic would we look? This is infuriating!’

“Let’s start from here.”
“Yes, thank you for your time.”

PD Lee Jung-hoon’s entrance scene at the Broadcasting Station showed the protagonist Yoo Jung-hwa greeting him enthusiastically, only for him to respond halfheartedly while conversing with another staff member.
A part that powerfully revealed Lee Jung-hoon’s rude character setting.
The Assistant Director slowly read Yoo Jung-hwa’s lines from beside him.

“Hello, Senior Lee Jung-hoon!”

Seo Ho-yoon slowly turned his head. Until that moment, Director Yu had kept his eyes fixed on the script. The Assistant Director read the lines as if reciting from a textbook.

“I saw you on the rooftop earlier! I’m Yoo Jung-hwa, who joined through the new recruit recruitment! I watched ‘Become a Chef,’ which you directed as assistant director, very diligently.”
“Ah, yes. That person who’s good at workplace life.”
“Ah, haha….”

The voice.
In that instant, the Director lifted his head.
The Assistant Director, who had been tilting his head slightly, continued by taking on even the minor character’s lines.

“Have we decided on our filming location?”
“Ah, no. We haven’t decided yet.”
“…Still haven’t picked one?”

‘What is this… the diction is good.’

It was neither too heavy nor too light. Sharp yet saturated with the fatigue unique to broadcasting stations—that voice you always hear around you.
Seo Ho-yoon’s pupils drifted through the air as if gazing at a non-existent person before him, then fell.

“What have you been doing all this time, then?”
“Well, the thing is, the last location’s budget didn’t work out as expected… so we need to look for more options.”
“Wow~.”

Seo Ho-yoon smiled faintly.

“This is the first time I’ve seen someone milk their paycheck like this.”
“…!!”
“How much time has passed, and you still haven’t selected a location, plus a budget shortage? Why are you telling me this now?”

In that moment, the writer’s eyes caught the Lee Jung-hoon he had envisioned passing through exactly as intended. Seo Ho-yoon cracked his neck sharply and faithfully recreated Lee Jung-hoon’s outrageous behavior from the script.

“Th-huh, g-gah….”

As a result, even the Assistant Director in front of me was genuinely startled.

“I’m sorry!”
“It’s… not my fault… no, it is! Yes! That’s my fault too!”
“Ugh, ugh-aaaah…!! P-please stop…!”

Repeating the same words over and over.

‘Incredible…!’

For the writer, this was truly an emotional moment. The character they had created was breathing and living right before their eyes…!!
The minor character’s lines—delivered while crying and fleeing—flowed from the Assistant Director’s mouth with remarkable vitality.
After finishing his performance, Seo Ho-yoon cursed under his breath, then exhaled deeply, his eyes weary.

“You there, your name was Yoo Jung-hwa, right….”
“Y-yes, yes!!”
“It’s rare to pass the New Recruit Recruitment. You seem quite talented. Well then.”
“I-I still lack experience, but if you’ll entrust me with the work, I’m confident I can do my best.”
“…Pardon?”

Seo Ho-yoon, who had been speaking listlessly, suddenly lifted his head. Yoo Jung-hwa’s line continued obliviously and cheerfully.

“Starting today, I’ll be working under this PD!!”
“…Excuse me??”

Seo Ho-yoon alternated his gaze between the Assistant Director and the empty space beside him (presumably where Yoo Jung-hwa was), looking bewildered as his mouth opened and closed several times before he pressed it shut.
The setup was that Director Kook, who had a poor relationship with PD Lee Jung-hoon, had deliberately assigned the lowest-performing recruit as a staff addition to make things difficult for him.
Director Yu, watching Lee Jung-hoon’s performance unfold more naturally than expected, found himself completely absorbed in his acting.

The script ended here….
Normally, it would have stopped there.

“This is driving me crazy, seriously….”

But Seo Ho-yoon didn’t end with the script—he went further. As if he couldn’t stop, as if he were truly immersed in the role.

That wasn’t actually the case.
It was simply that the frustrating memory had begun to surface, creeping back in.

“So this is how you tease someone, huh.”
“Pardon??”

Seo Ho-yoon clicked his tongue and began rummaging through the inside pocket of his jacket with slightly urgent gestures before stopping abruptly and withdrawing his hand.
Seeming somewhat irritated, Seo Ho-yoon exhaled a sigh and ran his hand through his hair, then broke into a radiant smile.
Because of that, everyone forgot that PD Lee Jung-hoon was human garbage and their gazes were drawn to him as if enchanted.

“Ms. Yoo Jung-hwa, junior.”
“Yes, yes?!”
“Would you like me to buy you some coffee downstairs? What do you prefer?”
“Coffee?”
“Yes. The expensive kind. It’s a rare opportunity, after all.”

‘Cof… fee?’

“…Ah, yes! Seo Ho-yoon, that’s a wrap!”

The Assistant Director who had been smiling prettily while suppressing curses—no, Seo Ho-yoon turned his body directly forward at the cue signaling the end of the scene and bowed his head respectfully. At that moment, writer Kim Sook-hee raised her hand.

“Lee Jung… no, Seo Ho-yoon.”
“Yes.”

After bowing respectfully, the figure standing before her was definitely Idol Seo Ho-yoon. Yet why did Lee Jung-hoon seem like the more fitting vessel?
Director Yu exhaled the breath she had been holding, sensing the strange disconnect. Meanwhile, the writer smiled brightly and posed her question.

“What were you looking for inside your jacket just now?”

It was an action not in the script. Writer Kim Sook-hee was intensely curious about what had prompted Seo Ho-yoon to perform that gesture.
To that question, Seo Ho-yoon answered with complete composure, as if it were the most natural thing.

“Cigarettes.”
“…Yes?”

Everyone was momentarily stunned by a word they never expected to hear from an idol. Regaining her composure, the writer asked again.

“Of course, PD Lee Jung-hoon has a smoker setting in his character profile. But why were you looking for cigarettes just now?”

Seo Ho-yoon stared at the writer for a moment, then rolled his eyes slightly in discomfort before finally blurting out his answer.

“…I was frustrated.”
“Why?”
“Work is piling up like crazy, but the new person isn’t someone who can be thrown directly into the field….”
….
“We’re already short-staffed… and I’m thinking the Human Resources Team must be insane for actually sending someone just because Director Kook told them to… I figured it would be better for Yoo Jung-hwa to be placed in the relatively peaceful weekday morning variety show team instead of this chaotic survival show… and that made me want to smoke.”

Could this really be an answer coming from a 23-year-old idol…?

“But then why did you hold back?”
“I thought about it and realized I was at the broadcasting station, so I held it in…. If Director Kook had been right there, I probably would’ve lit up. Just so you know.”

‘Is this guy insane?’

The director stared at him with wide, astonished eyes at how perfectly his answer fit together, as if rehearsed.
No, setting aside these meticulous details, what was with that genuine irritation in his tone…?

The director asked again, bewildered.

“Then why did you offer to buy coffee?”
“Huh? Ah….”

Seo Ho-yoon rubbed the back of his neck.

“Once they’re hooked, I figure if I treat them well, they won’t be able to escape….”
….
“If you don’t do at least that for new hires, they bolt right away….”

The truth was, to chain down new recruits—or rather, new slaves—the first month required buying them plenty of delicious food and treating them exceptionally well. Once they grew comfortable with the work and you felt secure, you’d criticize them with a smile and kind words in a way that blurred the line between praise and insult. And once they were truly acclimated, you’d calmly and quietly grind them down with facts. Raising your voice was amateur hour.

‘Good grief.’

The writer suppressed a laugh and directed the next scene.

“Episode 1, Scene 26—the meeting with the lead, Min Seung-tae.”
“Got it.”

After that, Seo Ho-yoon continued to perform brilliantly.
His delivery was casual and natural, yet his precise diction possessed a captivating charm.
But most of all, that expression.
His face bore the unmistakable look of someone desperate to leave—’I want to get home already, damn it, but since no one else is doing this, I guess I’ll just finish this and go’—and it radiated the seasoned aura of a true veteran, someone who’d weathered the corporate world to its maximum level.

‘Impressive.’

The Director let out a small exclamation of admiration. The fact that someone without workplace experience could pull off such an expression meant, conversely, that his observational skills were exceptional.
It was truly a magnificent misunderstanding.
The Director watched Seo Ho-yoon’s performance with full concentration. Just as the Assistant Director beside him was about to call out the same scene he’d given the previous audition participants….

“Episode 2, Scene 7, the serious confrontation between Yoo Jung-hwa and PD Lee Jung-hoon….”
“Wait.”
“…Yes?”

The Director stopped him. Seo Ho-yoon, who had been standing still, gave a slight twitch of his eyebrows.

“Forget our script. Let’s do a freestyle performance instead.”

It was the Director’s last-ditch effort.
The Director ground his teeth internally, smiling to himself.
No matter how thoroughly Seo Ho-yoon had prepared, there was no way he could perfectly replicate PD Lee Jung-hoon’s despicable track record—the drinking, smoking, cursing, threats, and coercion.

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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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