An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 7

7. #2 – Unexpected (3)

“Wow, Hee-sung, your acting!”

“I know, right! Where did you learn to act so well?”

As soon as the scene ended, the extras gathered around me.

They showered me with compliments.

“Thank you for the kind words.”

“Earlier, not only us, but the directors and staff were also gaping and admiring your performance.”

“That’s right. WG Entertainment might actually give Hee-sung a business card.”

“That’s a shame, but it’s probably difficult.”

At the sound of that wet blanket [someone who spoils the fun], I turned my head to see the extra who always approached me first shaking his head and speaking.

“I don’t know what happened, but he already left the set.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes, but did something happen between you and that actor, Park Min-joon, from WG Entertainment?”

At his words, the other extras, including me, focused our attention.

“Why, what happened?”

“Well, he didn’t leave even after his scene was over, so I thought he might be close to Hee-sung and was going to have coffee with you, but in the middle of Hee-sung’s acting, he suddenly rushed to his car. Then he drove off right away, without even saying goodbye.”

At his words, everyone turned their gaze to me, but I just shrugged and gestured that I didn’t know.

Just then, a voice cut through our conversation.

“That’s a wrap! Good work, everyone.”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“Thank you for your efforts today.”

It seemed the filming was over.

With today, my filming was truly over.

Yesterday, Director Kim gave me another role after seeing my acting, but today the role of the royal guard died, so there was no way to continue.

Since it was the last day, I approached Director Kim to thank him.

“Director, thank you for your hard work today.”

“Oh! Hee-sung, you worked hard too. Your acting was excellent today.”

On the first day, he didn’t even know my name, so I was proud that the director remembered my name, even as an extra.

“No, I am grateful that you even gave me a role.”

“Let’s work together again if we have the chance.”

“I would be honored if I had another chance to work with you, Director!”

He shook my hand and said,

“We’re holding auditions for the next project, so be sure to submit your application.”

“Yes.”

I nodded, holding his hand.

Seoul, where I had been driving non-stop for several hours.

The bus stopped in front of the PBC [Public Broadcasting Corporation] broadcasting station again today.

After saying goodbye to the staff and actors, I headed home.

The dreamlike two days of filming were completely over.

Now I would have to audition again, wait for the results, and go back to my convenience store job.

I had to return to the daily routine of waiting for audition results.

It was a regrettable reality, but I gained something big from this drama shoot.

I got rid of my camera shyness.

And as a result, my acting was recognized.

When I acted yesterday, I felt good after receiving praise, but I also felt a bit dazed.

I wasn’t used to being praised because I had always been scolded in front of the camera.

But after being recognized for my acting twice in a row, I felt confident.

Is my acting finally shining?

It felt like I was being rewarded for not giving up and practicing.

Yes.

If I keep moving forward little by little like this, wouldn’t I be able to get recognition for myself?

I need to practice and study harder.

I opened my phone and checked the calendar.

Because my scenes from yesterday and today’s filming would finally be broadcast on TV next week.

Monitoring is the best study I can’t miss.

Let’s study, study!

I immediately went to the actor’s cafe and checked the list of new audition scripts.

I can’t stay stuck in the daily routine of working at a convenience store forever.

***

Pure white wallpaper and bookshelves filling the wall.

The bookshelves were packed with books and scripts.

A place where not a single word or breath could be heard, only silence.

The only sound coming from this large space was one thing.

Tap tap.

The sound of keyboard keys being struck incessantly.

A woman sat there looking haggard and gaunt, not knowing when she had washed or eaten.

She pushed up her glasses, staring at the monitor as if she would be sucked into it, and typed on the keyboard.

Beep beep beep beep!

“Ah, geez, you scared me!”

She was startled by the loud alarm sound in this quiet place and sat up straight.

Then, after turning off the alarm on her phone, she got up and headed to the sofa.

Click.

She picked up the remote control and quickly turned on the TV.

-The Flower Blooming in the Hwang Dynasty will be broadcast shortly.

“Hello? Oh, I have to watch the drama now. Yeah, I have to monitor it. Okay, I’ll watch it and call you.”

She opened the refrigerator, grabbed a drink while holding her phone, and the drama started at just the right moment.

It was content she had created, but the actors’ performances and the director’s direction always gave it a new feeling every time she watched it.

She leaned forward, seemingly intrigued, and focused on the drama.

‘Oh, this drama is going to be more successful than expected?’

As she became more and more immersed in the drama, she began to scribble something with a pen and paper in one hand.

She was writing feedback while monitoring.

Then, at some point, her hand stopped.

-Princess, this is no longer possible. You must flee immediately.

-But… aren’t there soldiers in front?

-There are not enough soldiers. I must protect you with my life. Quickly… Who is it!

She put the paper and pen on the table, adjusted her glasses, and focused even more, as if she would fall into the TV screen.

-Princess, you must preserve your body at all costs. That is for the sake of this country and for the sake of the people. Please….

She flinched at the royal guard’s line.

She was watching the actor perform the script she had written, but she seemed startled by the performance.

At the moment of crisis, she swallowed hard.

-Protect the princess!

-No! You promised to always protect me!

Clang! Clang!

-Ugh….

Looking at the royal guard on the monitor, she frowned with a deeply absorbed gaze.

Then, she gasped for breath, which she had been holding without realizing it because she was so focused.

‘Oh… who is that guy? He has character?’

Buzz.

Just then, her phone rang.

“Hello? Oh, did you see it? The royal guard, I mean. He was so full of a sense of duty, like a real Joseon Dynasty [Korean kingdom from 1392 to 1897] princess’s royal guard… Yeah, the actor who gets stabbed in the middle! His immersion was no joke! He was good, wasn’t he?”

She took a sip of the drink in front of her and continued.

“That’s the spirit of a soldier I was talking about! Ah, hang on. I have a good idea. It might be fun to save him? Yeah, I’ll call you back.”

She hung up the phone and turned off the TV.

And in an instant, she was back in front of the computer.

‘Yes, this is what I was thinking!’

As if it were a manuscript she had been planning to write from the beginning, her hands began to tap on the keyboard like playing the piano.

That’s how the lights in her house stayed on until morning.

Along with the sound of the keyboard tapping.

***

Beep.

“That’ll be 5,600 won. Do you need a bag?”

“Then how am I supposed to carry all this?”

I had a lot to say, but I held it in.

‘Yes, please,’ is all it takes….

There are so many twisted people like this.

“Here’s my card.”

“Hurry up. Why are you so slow?”

“Sir…”

The customer snatched the card from my hand and already left the convenience store.

He’s so impatient.

But what can I do?

What I’ve learned from working at a convenience store for a long time is how not to waste emotions in conversations with customers.

Just listen with one ear and let it out with the other.

Because if I take all these words to heart, I’m the one who ends up getting hurt.

As soon as the customer left, I picked up my phone and played the video I had been watching.

-Protect the princess!

A video clip from the drama that aired a few days ago.

I watched the part where I appeared over and over again.

Now I even knew when my hair fluttered at a certain minute and second of the video.

Every time I watched the video, I couldn’t express how proud I felt.

The scene I appeared in wasn’t just an extra disappearing with one line.

It was overwhelming that I had several lines, and I even appeared in two scenes.

It was the first time I had appeared so much.

Of course, it was a very small role compared to other supporting actors, but isn’t this how I grow?

Whenever I watched that performance, as if I had possessed the Joseon Dynasty royal guard, I was even impressed with myself.

When I was actually acting, I even felt like I had been possessed.

There were also occasional comments about the royal guard.

Joy and pride were only temporary.

I have to prepare for a new audition.

Because I know that the only way I can escape this place and succeed is through ‘acting’.

I will work hard and try again today.

All I can do to succeed while doing what I want is to work hard.

I took out the script I had placed on the chair.

The script papers I found in the actor’s cafe.

Which role would be the most suitable for me to express?

Buzz.

Just then, my phone rang.

[Caller: Casting Director.]

It was a call from the casting director of the ‘Hwang Flower’ drama.

Hwang Flower should still be filming….

Why would he be calling me?

I quickly pressed the receive button.

“Hello?”

-Oh, Hee-sung. Is it a good time to talk?

“Yes, of course. How have you been?”

-Yeah, are you doing well, Hee-sung?

“Thanks to you, I’m doing well. Aren’t you filming the Hwang Flower drama?”

-That’s right. It looks like filming will be a bit long today. By the way, Hee-sung, did you watch the drama?

“Of course. I’m watching it again right now. Haha.”

-Wow, your acting is really good. I knew it from the audition back then!

“Haha, thank you so much. I was able to film Hwang Flower well thanks to you.”

-What do you mean thanks to me… Hee-sung, are you busy next week?

“Next week?”

-Yeah, the writer seems to have a good impression of you.

“Yes? What do you mean by that….”

-Your lines have increased a bit. It looks like we’ll have to film next week?

At his words, I jumped up from my seat.

“Huh? But I already died from being stabbed in the last scene.”

-Ah… Fortunately, it went straight to the next scene after being stabbed, so the writer said let’s go with a dramatic revival. This time, an episode featuring the royal guard has been added. They increased the role after seeing your acting.”

“…Really?”

My heart started beating like crazy.

My acting brought back the role of a minor character that didn’t have much to it.

This was the first time this had happened.

It was something I had never heard or seen around me.

My voice trembled, and even the hand holding the phone began to shake.

-How is it, is your schedule okay? You’ll have to take off 3 days next week, is that possible?

“Yes, I’ll try to take it off. No, I’ll definitely take it off!”

-Haha, okay. Then let’s see you next week.”

“Yes, thank you!”

-Give your thanks to the writer later.

“Yes, sir.”