An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 169

169. Opportunity Like Destiny (1)

Film director James sighed deeply, his brow furrowed in frustration.

“Haa… Chico, what happened with that audition I mentioned?”

At his words, Chico opened the tablet PC and handed it to him.

“Here are the audition videos of 19 actors.”

As soon as Chico finished speaking, James pursed his lips, his expression focused, and clicked the play button.

The video featured Korean actors performing in English.

James’ expression gradually darkened as he watched.

“No, next.”

At his curt command, Chico quickly switched the file to another actor.

As soon as the next actor’s performance began, James frowned.

“This actor’s tone doesn’t match the role at all. Next!”

“Yes.”

They repeated the same pattern for about an hour.

James let out a long sigh.

“Haa… Next…”

He exhaled as if he had already given up, beyond anger.

At his words, Chico stopped switching files and looked at James.

“That’s the end.”

“What?”

“You’ve seen all 19 audition files. Shall I play them again from the beginning?”

At Chico’s words, James waved his hand dismissively.

“No, are there no talented actors in Korea who can act well?”

“I thought they were pretty good, but maybe because it’s English and not Korean, they’re a bit worse than expected.”

“Not a bit. How can there be so little talent? Haa…”

Chico closed the tablet PC at his words.

James looked at him and asked.

“Nineteen is all there is?”

Chico answered, scrolling through the screen.

“No. We sent audition offers to 20 people, and 19 of them sent audition files.”

“Then what about the other one?”

“One person declined, saying they couldn’t adjust their schedule.”

“What?”

James asked, surprised.

“I asked again, but they politely refused.”

Several months ago.

It was the Hollywood audition offer that had come to Jin Hee-sung.

At that time, Jin Hee-sung felt that he still had plenty of room to grow in Korea.

He expressed his intention to focus on domestic projects.

Accordingly, WG Entertainment politely rejected the audition offer on his behalf.

It was to give a definite answer to the Hollywood side, which had asked several times.

“So what schedule does that actor have?”

At James’ words, Chico opened his mouth, looking at the data he had found.

“I heard they are currently filming a drama.”

“What country’s drama? Don’t tell me… are they filming a drama by director Jeffrey?” [Jeffrey is likely a reference to a famous Hollywood director.]

James frowned and mentioned the famous Hollywood director.

“No. I heard they are filming a drama in Korea.”

“What? A K-drama?” [K-drama refers to Korean dramas, which are very popular internationally.]

He was filled with disappointment and anger at the same time.

“They rejected this audition for a mere K-drama?”

Chico nodded.

“Other Korean actors are going crazy trying to break into Hollywood. What kind of actor is that? Let’s see their face.”

Chico handed him Jin Hee-sung’s profile.

Then he quickly pushed Jin Hee-sung’s profile back to Chico.

“Forget it.”

James’ tone and expression were annoyed.

Knowing his personality, Chico quickly pulled out Plan B.

“James, how about this?”

“What is it?”

Chico played a video again and handed it to him, saying.

“This is a video taken at a performance hall in New York a few months ago. There’s a video of a Korean who was there as an audience member giving an impromptu performance, and it caused a sensation. Take a look.”

James stroked his chin and focused on the video.

The video showed Jin Hee-sung giving an impromptu police performance after being pulled from the audience during his trip to New York.

It was a short video, but its impact was quite strong.

James played the video that ended quickly over and over again.

“Wow! Who is this? Did you find out?”

“I’m finding out now. What do you think?”

“This is amazing!”

James’ eyes sparkled.

At that moment.

“Wait a minute…!”

“Yes?”

“Isn’t this the actor who rejected the audition earlier? Give me that actor’s profile again.”

The video was paused.

He zoomed in on the video and compared the profile picture with the face in the video.

“That’s right. I couldn’t recognize them because all Asians look similar, but it’s definitely the same person. Even the small mole under the eye here.”

At his words, Chico approached him and compared the video with the profile.

“You’re right. It’s definitely this actor, Hee-sung.”

James made a tsk sound and tapped Jin Hee-sung’s profile with his hand.

“Hey… I wonder if we can ask for a casting call again?”

“Well, since they’ve already refused twice…”

“Haa, their acting is amazing. They’re exactly the kind of actor I’ve been looking for.”

James repeated the same words, still looking at Jin Hee-sung with a greedy eye, as if he was still disappointed by the rejection.

Chico shrugged, looking at James.

“Then shall we ask one more time, just one last time?”

“No. We have our pride too. Let it go.”

“Ah….”

“Well, it’s not like that’s the only Asian who can act well.”

James said loudly.

But unlike his words, his eyes were glued to Jin Hee-sung in the video.

“There are many viewers in Korea who love Hollywood, so I wanted to attract some viewers, but it can’t be helped.”

“Then shall we turn the auditions to other countries altogether?”

James nodded at Chico’s suggestion.

“Yeah, how about Japan or China?”

“I think Japan would be better.”

“Good. Find out if there are any Japanese-American actors first.”

Chico snapped his fingers as if he had a good idea and answered.

“There’s a promising newcomer who just debuted, would you like to see their audition tape first?”

“Oh, show it to me first.”

***

“Thank you for your hard work, everyone.”

Jin Hee-sung and the staff looked at each other and exchanged greetings.

Song Yu-na bowed her head to them.

“Thank you for your efforts.”

Then, without a moment’s hesitation, she hurried to her manager, Chief Manager Choi.

“Yu-na, you’re going straight back to the hotel again today, right?”

At his words, Song Yu-na spat out words in an annoyed tone.

“Then where else would I go? There’s nothing to do around here by myself.”

“I was just asking in case. Sorry, I’ll take you straight to the hotel.”

“Okay.”

Song Yu-na leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes tightly.

Chief Manager Choi glanced at her through the rearview mirror and swallowed the words he was about to say.

After a few minutes, the car stopped in front of the hotel lobby.

“Yu-na, we’re here.”

Chief Manager Choi carefully woke up Song Yu-na and quickly opened his mouth before she got out.

“You don’t have any schedule tomorrow morning, and it starts in the afternoon, so you can rest well and come out.”

“Okay.”

“I’m going to park and go up, so go to the hotel and rest first.”

“Okay.”

Chief Manager Choi pressed the door open button.

As Song Yu-na got out of the car, he called out to her again.

“If you’re bored in your room or need anything, call me. I’m near your room anyway.”

“No. I have something to do in the evening too.”

Song Yu-na put on her haughty demeanor again and headed into the hotel.

Several hours later.

Song Yu-na, who had been lazing around in the hotel with nothing to do, jumped up from her seat out of boredom.

“Haa… I really have nothing to do.”

The script she had been reading several times was worn out with fingerprints all over it.

It seemed she had practiced the script countless times.

Song Yu-na sighed, looking out the window.

At that moment.

“That’s right. The cocktail bar!”

She smirked, the corners of her lips turning up at the thought that came to her mind.

“I don’t have a shoot tomorrow morning, Jin Hee-sung… will he come to the cocktail bar again today?”

Her face was filled with excitement.

Song Yu-na put on her coat and smiled.

“I want to go and talk to Jin Hee-sung….”

She quickly grabbed her cell phone and burst out of the hotel room door.

***

“Hey, what are you going to do today?”

Park Cheol-min asked Kim Min-gyu.

“Shall we go bowling?”

“Again?”

“There’s nothing else to do around here besides bowling. Or do you have something else in mind?”

At Kim Min-gyu’s words, Park Cheol-min hesitated for a moment and then shook his head.

“I guess there’s only a bowling alley around here….”

At that time, Son Seong-jin, who had approached them, joined the conversation.

“Yeah, let’s ask the other extras and go bowling together.”

“Okay.”

“Who should we ask?”

“Anyway, the extras come here when they’re done. The filming will be over soon, so let’s ask them when they come.”

***

“Hee-sung, you worked hard again today.”

Chief Manager Kim came to me after the filming and massaged my shoulders.

“No, you worked hard too, hyung [Hyung is a Korean term used by males to address older brothers or close older male friends].”

“What hard work. Oh, remember you don’t have a shoot tomorrow morning, right?”

“That’s right.”

He explained to me again.

“We’re starting with outdoor shooting tomorrow, and they said let’s do it in the afternoon when it’s sunny. Rest well today, wake up slowly tomorrow, and come out.”

“Ooh, that’s good.”

At my words, Chief Manager Kim raised his eyebrows and asked.

“Then what are you going to do this evening? Aren’t you bored at the hotel?”

At his words, I smiled.

“I’m bored, but I spent time practicing the script and monitoring my performance.”

“Weren’t you bored the evening before last when there was no filming? There’s nothing to do there.”

“I went to the cocktail bar in the hotel that day. It was nice.”

It was the day I was at the cocktail bar with Song Yu-na.

Of course, there was no time to be bored.

At that time, Chief Manager Kim’s cell phone rang.

“Hee-sung, wait a minute. I’ll take a company call.”

“Okay, take your time.”

I naturally moved to the bench.

On the way, I saw the extras gathered together again.

Kim Min-gyu, who I had been keeping an eye on, was also there.

I glanced at him, and Kim Min-gyu and the other extras next to him suddenly started whispering.

Then they quickly ran to me.

“Sunbaenim [Sunbaenim is a Korean term used to address senior colleagues or those with more experience], you worked hard today.”

I bowed my head to them, who greeted me politely.

“Yes, you actors worked hard too.”

I finished greeting them and started to walk away.

At that time, I faintly heard their voices from behind.

“Hey, what’s wrong with that? Let’s ask just in case.”

“Yeah, wouldn’t it be an honor for us to do it together?”

“Then, you do it.”

A bickering sound.

I tilted my head.

After a few seconds, they approached me again at a fast pace.

“Um… Sunbaenim.”

“Yes?”

Park Cheol-min nudged Kim Min-gyu’s arm.

Kim Min-gyu avoided my eyes and carefully continued.

“If you don’t have any plans this evening, would you like to go bowling with us?”

As soon as he finished speaking, the extras next to him looked at me with sparkling eyes.

I blinked my eyes repeatedly and looked at them alternately.

Kim Min-gyu scratched his head and said again.

“Ah, I’m sorry. We just wanted to spend time with you, Sunbaenim… If it was rude….”

Before he could finish speaking, I opened my mouth.

“Is it okay for me to go with you?”

At my words, they all nodded their heads vigorously as if they had planned it.

“Of course!”

“Sunbaenim, can you really go with us?”

At their words, I smiled and shook my head.

“Okay. Shall we go right away?”