In This Life, I Will Die As An Actress, Not As A Villainess [EN]: Chapter 108

After everyone resolved to make a fresh start.

“By the way, what’s the next mission…?”

Min So-hyun said quietly, as if already worried.

As soon as she finished speaking, the screen abruptly lit up, as if waiting for that moment.

“Ugh, stop it.”

“Please, no more!”

The team members clutched their heads and screamed.

However, the screen coldly ignored their screams and revealed the current rankings of the participants’ individual scores.

1. Yoon Haneul (91 points)

2. Cha Seunghee (89 points)

3. Do Changhyun (86 points)

4. Kim Minseok (85.5 points)

5. Jang Heeyeon, Myung Yoohyun (84.5)

6. Kim Youngi (84 points)

7. Yoo Hyejin (83.5 points)

8. Min Sohyun (83 points)

9. Lee Hyoseo (82 points)

10. Yang Geon (81 points)

11. Eom Danbi (79 points)

12. Yoo Janghyuk (75.5 points)

13. So Daehwi (75 points)

14. Go Seonho (74 points)

15. Kwak Seonghyuk (71.5 points)

I carefully examined the rankings.

It’s still a shame that we missed Haneul, who took first place overall in the second round.

But everyone’s scores are not bad to pour all their energy into the remaining rounds.

At least everyone up to 10th place is maintaining scores in the 80s.

Now, shall we take a look at the next mission?

The third round mission immediately appeared on the screen.

‘Commencement of Practical Training. Audition for SCBS One-Act Play!!’

“Huh?!”

All the mentees stared at the screen as if their eyes would pop out.

I was also surprised and froze.

Kind explanations flowed through the speaker.

‘From now on, you will be appearing in the winning works of this year’s SCBS drama one-act play contest.’

“Wow, amazing!!”

“Appear in a one-act play? Is a lead role possible?”

“It’s a debut!”

The mentees’ eyes sparkled as they listened to the explanation.

‘The one-act plays to be produced with ‘Be Actors’ are two, and you will be competing for sixteen leading and supporting roles. Therefore, the mission for this third round is an audition for a one-act play. The winning writers of the one-act plays, as well as SCBS internal writers and PDs [Production Directors], will participate as judges. Good luck to everyone.’

As soon as the announcement ended, the mentees fell into a state of excitement.

It was a natural reaction, as they were getting a rare opportunity to debut.

I sat calmly alone and calculated in my head.

SCBS has put some thought into this.

This mission felt like a gamble thrown by the broadcasting station to boost both the audition and the viewership ratings of the one-act play at once.

One-act plays, which focus on discovering new writers, often struggle with viewership ratings, which is a concern for many broadcasting stations.

I bet the person who planned this received a lot of praise.

“So, the 3rd and 4th rounds are linked.”

Do Changhyun repeated the mission in a small voice next to me.

“That’s right.”

Their goal was to debut everyone without any dropouts, and they’re achieving the program’s purpose in an unexpected way.

If that’s the case, there’s no time to sit idly by.

My babies are about to debut.

I rolled up my sleeves and stood up.

* * *

“Hello, everyone. I’m Moon Won-hyung, a special guest lecturer for today.”

The next morning, in the practice room.

The four mentees sat in a row, their eyes sparkling as they looked at the special guest lecturer.

Director Moon smiled awkwardly at the cheers and applause.

“My representative works are , , and . I’m affiliated with NBS [National Broadcasting System], and I got a lot of flak from the director for going to SCBS [Seoul Central Broadcasting System].”

“Oh, really?”

I looked at the director in surprise and asked again.

The director then burst into a hearty laugh.

“Yes, but I came anyway because of my connection with Ms. Saena, with whom I worked on her first project.”

“Wow, a man of loyalty!”

“Awesome!”

Lee Hyoseo and Kim Youngi worked together to boost the director’s spirits.

Then, the director, excited and energized, began a long speech about common mistakes and attitudes that rookie actors make.

About three hours later.

The director, having thoroughly extracted his share of filming with non-stop dad jokes, passed the baton to the next special lecturer.

The next lecturer opened the door and, seeing the numerous cameras, looked at me with a bewildered expression, as if asking what was going on.

It was none other than Director Kang Jung-hwan of .

I was delighted to see his cynical expression after a long time and couldn’t help but smile.

I smiled brightly and introduced the director to the mentees.

“Everyone, this is the director of . He’s famous for his sharp feedback, so make sure to get a lot out of him!”

However, the mentees seemed a little hesitant with this director, as if he were difficult to approach.

Director Kang scanned the atmosphere and scratched his nose.

“…Well, do you have any questions?”

Then, Min Sohyun raised her hand.

“Are you close with our mentor?”

“…No.”

I almost spat out the water I was drinking when I heard that answer.

How can that person be so consistent?

The mentees looked back and forth between the two of us with even more bewildered expressions.

I forced a smile on my face and looked at the director.

“Director, please give our mentees some acting feedback.”

“Ah, yes.”

Lee Hyoseo plucked up her courage and stepped forward as the first runner.

“…I’ve been looking for medicine for a long time and ended up settling down here. I was looking for it to treat my sick brother. It’s been a long time since my brother left, but I can’t quit. Now I have to go too.”

After a short script reading of about two minutes filled with lingering lines.

The director, who had been staring at Lee Hyoseo with sharp eyes, nodded.

“Do rom-coms [romantic comedies].”

“…Pardon?”

“You look and act like you’re meant for rom-coms. Don’t apply for the script you just read. Next.”

Wow.

This isn’t Knee-Drop Guru [a segment from a Korean talk show known for its blunt and insightful commentary], what’s going on?

The director tilted his head and called the next person.

“Director, can you give us more detailed feedback?”

I gritted my teeth and asked, and the director glanced at me.

Only then did the director realize his mistake and cleared his throat.

Then he opened his mouth again.

“Start with what you can do best. Serious stuff doesn’t seem to suit you. I think you’ll do well if you do rom-coms. Start with popular stuff first and then broaden your spectrum.”

Then Lee Hyoseo made an ‘ah’ sound and took the feedback to heart.

“Okay, next. You, the male actor over there?”

Do Changhyun, who had made eye contact with the director, stood up from his seat, slightly stiff.

At that moment, I subtly stepped in to stop him.

“This friend will go later. There will be a personal assignment.”

“…?”

Do Changhyun and the others looked at me with puzzled faces at the same time.

* * *

Inside the break room.

After the trade, I presented Do Changhyun with the personal plan I had been pondering alone.

“Changhyun, you’ll be preparing for auditions focusing on personal assignments from now on. You can postpone script practice and focus all your energy on personal assignments.”

Do Changhyun, after hearing my words, nodded, not knowing what was going on.

“Ah, yes…. But what is the assignment?”

“First, today, write down ten strengths and ten weaknesses of yourself. And get feedback from your team members.”

“…?”

“Tomorrow, write down the type of person you like the most and the type of person you hate the most. And act out those two types and get feedback.”

I continued speaking, unconcerned about Do Changhyun’s dumbfounded expression.

“And most importantly. After finishing your daily routine, look in the practice room mirror and say one thing to praise ‘Do Changhyun who acted’. I’ll check it with a recording camera.”

These were the missions I had stayed up all night thinking about, only thinking about Do Changhyun.

I was at a loss as to how to raise (?) this lamb.

My goal for Do Changhyun was just one thing.

To make sure he never touches drugs again.

To be more precise, ‘to make him stronger.’

“…….”

“Got it?”

Do Changhyun answered like a dejected puppy to my question, which I asked with a raised tone to emphasize.

“Yes.”

“Louder!”

“Yes!”

* * *

A week later, a meeting between the production team and the mentees.

Inside the hall prepared within the studio, the winning writers of the one-act plays, SCBS internal writers, and PDs took their seats in a row.

This meeting was not scheduled, but it was hastily created a few days ago due to the production team’s strong demands.

There was internal opposition to SCBS’s declaration to make a drama by attaching all new people, from the writer to the PD to the actors, from the lead to the supporting roles.

‘Does that make sense? One-act plays are also dramas. We spend money to make them and broadcast them. Why are you taking such a risk?’

‘You’re telling me to pick actors after only one or two auditions? And raw rookies at that? Does that make sense?’

‘I didn’t even watch that audition program!’

…So, the meeting was actually no different from a first audition.

PD Lim Jihoon sat in the center, clicking his pen.

He had just gotten out of being an assistant director and was getting his first chance to direct.

‘They’re running this completely haphazardly.’

The number of roles to be cast from the audition was written on the document.

4 lead roles, 7 supporting roles, 5 minor roles.

Where are they going to get all these people?

Lim Jihoon sighed slightly.

At that moment, the first participant broke the heavy atmosphere and came up on stage and sat down.

“Hello, I’m Min Sohyun.”

Lim Jihoon looked at Min Sohyun’s face as she greeted him calmly.

She was a participant he had put on the list of candidates for the lead role in the one-act play he was directing.

He had watched Min Sohyun’s performance by watching ‘Be Actors’ videos all night.

Lim Jihoon adjusted his posture to concentrate, and Min Sohyun said something that caught his ear.

“I chose the script by writer Park Sangah and PD Lim Jihoon.”

Then, writer Park Sangah, who was sitting next to him, brightened her eyes and immediately threw out a request.

“Could you show me a short performance of Yeonhee from scene 32 to 36?”

“Yes!”

Min Sohyun smiled leisurely and opened the script.

After checking the scene, Min Sohyun put down the script as if she had already memorized the lines.

“Stop letting that person go. Hurt me instead. That person is different from me, they get scarred as soon as you scratch them, and they get hurt as soon as you hit them.”

Lim Jihoon stopped clicking his pen and focused on Min Sohyun’s performance with a frown.

“That person now needs to have a bright love, not a painful one. You’re too dark for that person.”

‘What, she’s even better in person? Did her skills improve in the meantime?’

Lim Jihoon glanced to the side while watching the performance.

Writer Park Sangah was already lost in a trance, staring blankly at Min Sohyun as if she was in a daze.

At that moment, writer Park Sangah seemed to sense his gaze and said quietly.

“Wouldn’t it be nice if that friend played our Dasomi?”

“Yes. But let’s watch until the end. There might be someone who suits her better.”

“Yes. I will.”

Of course, Lim Jihoon’s answer was meant to say not to make a hasty decision, but as the participants’ turns passed one by one, it became clear that Min Sohyun was the best candidate.

The sixteen participants, each showing off their charms, had flawless skills, but there was only one Dasomi.

“Wow, those three are really crazy. They have a bright future ahead of them.”

Meanwhile, regardless of the casting of the work, some talented people elicited admiration from the production team.

Do Changhyun, Yoon Haneul, Cha Seunghee.

Do Changhyun’s atmosphere had changed subtly from what he had seen on the show.

Of course, he was expected to show a rom-com performance, but Do Changhyun was expressing very intense and unusual emotions.

It was an acting that made people blindly fall for it, although the source and origin were unknown.

Lim Jihoon frowned.

‘He’s perfect for noir [a genre of crime film or literature characterized by cynicism and moral ambiguity]. What a waste. Jang PD will try to take Do Changhyun.’

Meanwhile, Yoon Haneul also showed delicate expressiveness as if she had divided it into nano units, and was nominated for the lead role in as many as three of the four works.

After the aces’ outstanding performances, the production team’s sitting posture was leaning forward, unlike at the beginning.

‘We can’t let them be taken away.’

Everyone had the same thought in their heads.

I Will Live as an Actress in This Life