“Thank you all for your hard work!”
As soon as my last line ended, Director Cheon stood up from his seat and shouted.
Clap clap-
The actors’ applause filled the script reading room.
I also stood up from my seat and clapped along.
“Thank you for your efforts.”
Director Cheon addressed the many actors.
“During today’s script reading, I stopped frequently and said quite a few unpleasant things. But I hope you don’t take it too personally, as it’s all for the sake of the work.”
The actors responded with smiles.
It was natural for the director to give feedback and constructive criticism to the actors.
It wasn’t because he disliked the actors, but to create a perfect piece together.
Since the director is the one who directs for the sake of the work’s perfection, it was also natural to follow his words.
Director Cheon smiled and continued.
“It would be great if everyone could immerse themselves a bit more in their roles and act.”
“Yes!”
We answered in unison, as if singing in chorus.
He raised his head, pointed to the next room, and said.
“I think we’ll meet again at the crank-in [the start of filming], so we’ll hold a sacrificial rite today. Did everyone hear?”
Director Cheon’s gaze turned to me, and I nodded in response.
“Yes, I heard about it.”
“Yes, then please tidy up for a moment and move the location next door.”
Director Cheon bowed his head first and headed to the next room where the sacrificial table was set up.
I organized the script and slowly got up from my seat with the other actors.
The sacrificial table set up in the next room.
It wasn’t fancy or abundant, but it seemed to have everything it needed.
From the pig’s head placed on the table to several kinds of fruit.
And even the ‘Turntable’ script.
The actors were lined up as if in a queue.
Director Cheon was the first to approach the sacrificial table and took out the envelope he had prepared.
“Please let our Turntable be successful. I will film with all my heart and soul.”
He bowed deeply as he said that.
I also took out an envelope containing the bills I had prepared in advance.
Like that, several tens of minutes passed.
Before long, it was gradually getting dark outside.
It had been a long script reading, so the sun had already set.
Soon it was dinner time, but there was no company dinner scheduled separately.
We simply picked up and ate the food placed on the sacrificial table.
The actors who would continue the work together exchanged greetings and continued the conversation.
“As expected, it’s Hee-sung. I knew you were good at acting, but after working with you, you’re amazing?”
Actor Park Hee-jae, who had over 20 years of experience in the entertainment industry, gave me a thumbs up.
At his words, I bowed my head and replied.
“Ah, senior. You flatter me. I am honored to be able to work with you on this opportunity.”
“Haha, I’m the one who’s honored. Let’s do well in the future.”
“Yes, please take good care of me. And please speak comfortably, senior.”
He laughed heartily and patted me on the shoulder.
“Then shall I?”
“Yes, of course.”
Just as I was exchanging simple conversations and continuing the conversation.
The WG Entertainment actors approached me.
“Senior.”
I had never had a long conversation with them before.
I had never worked with them on a project either.
I had only exchanged greetings when I encountered them at the company.
I greeted them for the first time at the script reading room a few hours ago.
“Senior, your acting was really amazing today.”
“Wow, that’s right. I really respect you.”
I responded to their compliments with a faint smile.
Then, I revealed sincere advice to them.
“Everyone worked hard today. And we are actors who trust and work with Director Cheon. So, make sure to remember and practice the feedback you received today.”
“Yes, I will keep that in mind.”
There was something I wanted to ask them.
Whether they were really cast because of me.
I had vaguely heard the story in the bathroom, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask them.
I didn’t even know if there was anyone among them who knew the exact facts.
I was hesitant to speak, wondering if I was unnecessarily creating conflict.
Lee Hoon-bin put his right hand on his forehead, saluted, and said to me.
“Senior Hee-sung, I will be loyal from now on!”
A playful voice and flattering tone.
It wasn’t that his words made me feel bad, but I was curious about the reason.
The reason why he was showing me this attitude.
I tilted my head with a blank face.
“Yes? What loyalty?”
Then, Lee Hoon-bin glanced around, checking that no one was there.
He pulled the WG Entertainment actors next to him and said to me.
“We are here because of you, senior. We will serve you with all our loyalty from now on!”
“What is that….”
Before I could finish my words, Shin Na-ri smiled brightly and said to me.
“Senior has paved the way for us in our company, right? Thanks to you, we were able to come this far.”
I gave her an awkward smile at her words.
“We will also do our best not to bring shame to WG Entertainment. Thank you, senior.”
They bowed their heads to me, expressing their gratitude one by one.
There were actors who gave off the nuance that they were cast because of me.
But since there were also actors who didn’t.
I couldn’t be sure, but I still couldn’t shake this uncomfortable feeling.
I had to confirm it to get rid of this *jjipjjipham* [찝찝함 – a Korean word for feeling uneasy or찝찝함].
The purpose of their casting.
Whether they were cast because they were good at acting and matched the role.
If not… whether it was really an inevitable casting because of me.
If the reason was the latter, it would have been a real ‘miscasting’.
Several tens of minutes later.
“Then I’ll see you at the crank-in. Everyone worked hard today.”
As the meeting wrapped up and people started to leave one by one.
Manager Kim also approached me.
“Hee-sung, you worked hard.”
He picked up the bag placed next to me.
“Senior, we’ll be going now.”
The juniors from WG Entertainment came up to me and bowed.
“Okay, see you next time.”
“Yes, thank you so much!”
At the end of their greetings, there was still an expression of ‘gratitude’.
But I was getting more and more uncomfortable with that gratitude.
“Hee-sung, let’s go now too.”
Manager Kim pointed to the door with his chin.
I grabbed Manager Kim’s arm and said.
“Hyung [older brother/male friend], I’m sorry, but can you go to the car first?”
“Why, what’s wrong?”
“I’m going to talk to the director about something.”
At my words, Manager Kim nodded nonchalantly.
He had met Director Cheon a few times before.
It wasn’t strange for the lead actor and director to have a conversation.
“Okay. Then I’ll be in the parking lot, so call me when you’re done talking.”
“Okay, I will.”
Manager Kim left the building first.
I headed to Director Cheon, who was visible in the distance.
* * *
Script reading room.
Director Cheon and I, who had returned to this bustling place, sat facing each other.
“You must have been tired from today’s script reading, but what do you want to say….”
Director Cheon raised his eyebrows and asked me.
His tone and expression still seemed to distance himself from me.
He was smiling at me, but it wasn’t the kind smile he always showed me.
His gaze, which was somehow awkward and unfamiliar, seemed to make me feel uncomfortable.
“There’s something I wanted to ask.”
At my words, Director Cheon nodded and looked at the script in front of him.
“But Hee-sung’s acting is good, so there’s nothing to give feedback on?”
I covered the script he was looking at with my hand.
“Not about acting, but about casting.”
At my words, his pupils shook slightly.
“What… what do you mean….”
I raised my head, looked into Director Cheon’s eyes, and asked.
“When you were casting, did you happen to be influenced by WG Entertainment?”
At my words, Director Cheon frowned.
It wasn’t that he was upset and his expression was distorted, but it was an expression that he didn’t understand my words.
Looking at him, I continued to speak.
“I was surprised when I came to the script reading today. I was surprised to see so many WG Entertainment actors cast.”
When I finished speaking, Director Cheon hesitated to answer for a moment.
Then, he seemed to be contemplating, avoiding my gaze.
Looking at Director Cheon, I carefully asked.
“I was wondering if something happened in the meantime that I didn’t know about. Was there any involvement from the company that I didn’t know about during the casting stage?”
At my question, Director Cheon sighed deeply.
He seemed to be hesitating, stammering.
At that sight, I pulled the chair forward and said to Director Cheon.
“Director, please tell me what happened. I’m asking you this because I feel uneasy about something too.”
Director Cheon sighed several times in a row after that.
Soon, he raised his head, looked at me, and began to speak.
“Actually, after deciding to cast Hee-sung as the lead role, I got a call from WG Entertainment….”
Director Cheon confided in me the story he had been agonizing over.
I listened to his story without any answers or reactions.
His answer continued for a long time.
As I listened to the story, my face couldn’t help but become more and more distorted.
Because the WG Entertainment actors were also cast because of my lead role casting.
Of course, if their abilities were outstanding and Director Cheon also wanted them, there would be no problem.
I could tell from today’s script reading.
That the roles they were assigned were not the casting that Director Cheon wanted.
“…so I had no choice but to be influenced by the recruitment.”
After hearing the whole story, it was natural that I felt uncomfortable.
I was furious, but I couldn’t express this anger to Director Cheon.
This was an internal matter of WG Entertainment.
Rather, the attitude I had to show Director Cheon was ‘apology’.
“I’m sorry, Director.”
At my words, he waved his hand and replied.
“No, it seems like it was done without Hee-sung’s knowledge.”
He then showed an awkward smile, as if he had just realized that I was not involved in this casting.
“That’s true, but I’ll talk to the company again and tell you.”
Director Cheon hesitated for a moment, but soon shook his head.
“No. Anyway, the casting is all done, and we even finished the script reading today. Let’s just finish it off nicely.”
“But still….”
Director Cheon smiled as if he was really okay.
“Besides, they belong to WG Entertainment, so isn’t it a reliable entertainment company. I gave all the feedback today, and the actors will take care of it.”
Even with his words, my anger towards the company did not subside.
The actors showed a *moseup* [Korean word for ‘appearance’ or ‘demeanor’] that didn’t suit the roles so much that they received feedback several times during today’s script reading.
It was visible that Director Cheon was also feeling uncomfortable with that attitude.
This wasn’t simply a matter of the company recommending actors.
The problem was that they were forcibly inserted into roles that didn’t fit.
I swallowed hard and tried to calm my anger.
“I’m also serious about this work, Director. It’s a work that I really want to do well, and I don’t think we should continue to experience the same situation as today while filming in the future.”
At my words, he nodded.
It seemed that he felt the same way as me.
No, he must have had a more uncomfortable feeling than me.
“I’m saying this because I’m not comfortable. Can I contact you again before the crank-in?”
At my words, Director Cheon bit his lip and shook his head.
* * *
As soon as I got in the car, Manager Kim looked at me with a serious face.
“Hee-sung, what’s wrong? Did something happen with the director?”
He seemed to have noticed right away that my expression wasn’t good.
“No, I’m just a little tired.”
Manager Kim clicked his tongue and asked worriedly.
“You looked fine earlier…. Then I’ll leave right away, get some rest when you get home.”
“Okay.”
The car started right away.
I closed my eyes and organized my thoughts.
I was in a state of rising anger, so I tried to calm this mind.
If I continued like this, emotions would come before rational judgment.
But I couldn’t just let it go like this.
I opened my eyes wide and raised my body that was leaning.
“Hyung.”
At my call, Manager Kim opened his mouth as if he had been waiting for me.
“Yeah, what is it. Tell me.”
“Instead of going home, I think I should go to the company.”