I spent the week scouring the internet, trying to decide which project and which role to audition for next.
It was around that time that Jung Yunwoo texted me.
He said he’d landed a new audition and sent me a link, but I already knew about the drama.
If memory served, Jung Yunwoo hadn’t appeared in this drama before—seemed the future had changed.
The role was a supporting lead, apparently with more screen time than his current project.
This drama did pretty well, so it would definitely be a boost for Jung Yunwoo’s career.
‘I should decide what to shoot next soon. Which audition should I try for?’
Before establishing themselves, actors often work as models for commercials, magazines, or online shopping malls.
Some actors have shot to stardom from commercials as ordinary people, snagging supporting or even leading roles overnight.
The fact that this happens so often proves that the entertainment industry relies as much on luck and talent as it does on effort.
‘Maybe I should do one more commercial.’
Now that I’d received the Reverse Quest, I really had to solidify my position as an actor.
Since it was rare for new actors to develop a passionate fandom, the priority was to show my best performances to as many people as possible.
While I was mulling this over, Director Park Min-tae called me out of the blue.
“Yes, Director.”
[Hey, Yeohu~.]
A few days ago, Director had decided to address me more informally.
[What are you up to?]
“I’ve been looking at audition announcements. I figured it’s about time I try out for something new.”
My answer seemed to brighten Park Min-tae’s voice.
[Oh, yeah? Well, there’s an audition for a drama being directed by someone I know. Want to give it a try?]
“A drama?”
Was there a drama casting around this time?
[I think it’d suit you. I’ll tell you more in person.]
“Understood. Today?”
[Today’s a bit tough… How about tomorrow? 4 p.m., at the cafe where we first met. Sound good?]
“Yes, see you then.”
*****
“Alright,” Park Min-tae said, hanging up the phone.
Sitting across from him, Director Woo Hyunsik, swirling his whiskey, nudged him and asked, “Who was that?”
Park Min-tae puffed out his chest as if bragging about his own child.
“There’s a kid I’m pushing these days. Letting me handle casting for this drama was a brilliant decision.”
“You’re recommending someone?”
“Yeah, but it’s not the role you gave me. There’s a separate, private audition for another part.”
“Hmm. If I’m the one seeing them directly, your recommendation won’t mean much. You know how picky I am.”
Park Min-tae tapped his chest with confidence.
“Just wait and see. If you’re not impressed, don’t cast them.”
“Who is this, that you’re so eager to recommend?”
Like a man unburdening a grudge, Park Min-tae spilled all the recent happenings. Woo Hyunsik seemed interested for a moment, then smirked.
“All rookies are ‘rising stars’ at first. Most never get past that.”
“No, you’ll see once you watch them act. You’ll be like, ‘Whoa, is this what talent looks like?’”
Park Min-tae’s eyes sparkled as he stared up at the ceiling light.
Woo Hyunsik leaned back, slightly unnerved by the manic look.
Still, curiosity got the better of him, and he asked, “You talk like you’re his dad. Has he done anything I’d know?”
“Besides the auditions, there’s nothing recent to show you… Oh! That TAM commercial, you know it?”
“Yeah, those ads are funny. Is there a new one?”
“Yep. He was the lead in the latest one. I think it’s already past 7 million views.”
“The commercial?”
TAM ads usually peaked at about a million views.
“Really?” Woo Hyunsik stroked his chin, saying he’d watch it when he got home, then downed his whiskey.
“By the way, did I leave a review for the movie you released two years ago? I don’t think I did.”
“Come on, hyung. Do I really have to?”
“Do it right now. What kind of younger brother doesn’t do at least that?”
“Fine. Got a message you want?”
“Write, ‘A master returns to Korean cinema~,’ something like that.”
“Alright, alright.”
After the drinking session, Woo Hyunsik searched for the TAM commercial, just like he’d said.
‘He’s really good-looking, huh?’
Ever heard the saying that someone’s face is a plot device?
No matter how absurd the story, a face like that makes it believable.
The moment Woo Hyunsik saw Jeon Yeohu’s face, he understood why Park Min-tae said this guy was perfect for the audition.
Since he was already on the video platform, Woo Hyunsik habitually searched for another video—a really old acting practice clip that barely had a hundred views at first.
Oddly, the actor’s face wasn’t shown; he started and ended the performance with his back to the camera.
And the lines…
They sounded like a play, but no matter how much he searched, he couldn’t find which one.
No “Let’s begin” or any intro—he just started.
Watching someone act without knowing the story or characters is a challenge, even if they’re good.
But despite the youthful, high-pitched voice—one that hadn’t even gone through puberty—the emotions were overwhelming.
[…And I think my story ends here. If you ask if I have any regrets, I can say it confidently. I regret every choice I made!]
Judging by his back, he wasn’t old.
Filmed nearly a decade ago—he must be an adult now.
As for acting… surely he hadn’t given up?
[I regret that I couldn’t defy my father, afraid of retribution. I regret believing everything my brother said, trapped by my own nature, fearing his revenge.]
If I don’t meet you as a director, I’ll probably regret it too.
Aren’t artists said to always carry a muse in their heart?
Director Woo Hyunsik was deeply involved in both directing and scripting this drama—he even did most of the adaptation himself—and the character who inspired one of the roles was this very boy.
Someone who seemed fine on the outside, but was rotting inside.
If he ever got to see this boy act in person, he’d recognize him at a glance.
And when that happened, that role would have to go to him.
*****
“Is this it?”
The moment I sat down, Park Min-tae skipped the pleasantries and shoved a script at me.
It was an audition script, stapled at the corner.
“Woo Hyunsik’s comeback drama. It’ll premiere on a new overseas OTT platform. I know everyone wants to go to the big networks, but all the best roles there are already cast with famous actors. Out of all the parts open for audition—rookies or veterans—this is the best offer right now.”
As soon as we became friendly, Park Min-tae started using informal speech with me. He was right—this was the ‘best’ offer I could get right now.
Remembering everything before I returned wasn’t possible, nor could I recall every project, but I knew this drama.
Woo Hyunsik’s first drama in five years.
Thanks to this show, that platform was able to establish itself within two months.
Title: .
It was a horror-comedy about a female protagonist who can see ghosts, joining the exorcism department at a large corporation.
It wasn’t primarily a romance, but two famous actors led the show.
But just as popular as the leads was a supporting role—the very one Park Min-tae was recommending to me now.
The woman-crazy bastard, Jung Chanyul.
Jung Chanyul was an assistant manager at the protagonist’s company, and the chairman’s grandson.
With his good looks and wealth, women swarmed around him—he didn’t chase after those who left or stop new ones from approaching, the classic Casanova.
Yet he never dated two women at once. If he fell for someone new, he’d dump his current girlfriend immediately—a rather unique sense of ‘morality.’
The woman who caught his eye upon joining was, of course, the female lead. But ever since he started following her around, he kept seeing virgin ghosts at the office.
Trying to act cool, but haunted by ghosts, he couldn’t approach women comfortably. As things got worse, he eventually asked the main character for help.
After the male and female leads exorcised the ghost tormenting him, Jung Chanyul started tagging along and eventually became their ally, turning into an impossible-to-hate character by the end of .
‘And he even had a solid romance arc with the female lead.’
Since the character needed to be hard to dislike—even in a romance—the actor’s looks were a major factor for Jung Chanyul’s casting.
“See here? The character sheet says, ‘exceptionally handsome.’ Among people I know, you’re the only one that good-looking.”
“You know a lot of actors, don’t you?”
“None among the rookies.”
Honestly, it was a huge win.
In my previous life, I only learned about this drama after it hit the platform.
So I never even had a shot—now, the opportunity was right in my hands.
Finally, it felt like the role had found its true owner.
“But Director, am I even allowed to audition for this role? I couldn’t find any audition notice online, so it must be a private audition.”
Usually, open auditions post the title, genre, available roles, numbers, and requirements, but I couldn’t find anything about this one online.
Park Min-tae grinned at my words.
“Come on, you know who I am. With my connections, I can get one or two recommendations into a closed audition.”
“As expected of Casting Director Park Min-tae. Best in the business.”
He puffed up proudly.
“Haha! It’s really not that big a deal. That director left all the supporting and bit-part casting to me. We’re already close, and casting directors are allowed to recommend actors for auditions. Still, he’s so picky, there’s no way you’d get the part just for knowing me.”
He gulped down his iced Americano, set it down hard, and leaned forward with eager eyes.
“So? Can you do it?”
“You’ll know the moment you see my face.”
“True. Nobody looks more like a Casanova than you.”
He folded his arms and nodded.
Yeah, yeah.
A face that suits a Casanova…
…Wait, is that a compliment?
*****
After parting with Park Min-tae, I sat in the cafe and read more of the script.
Jung Chanyul.
The more I read…
‘What a loser.’
Losing his temper and ramming cars in the parking lot, then smoothing things over with a check.
Kicking over trash cans around the office when someone says something stupid at a meeting.
If he spots a useless employee, he calls them out for golf on the weekend just to boss them around.
Late twenties, yet acts like an old-school jerk in every way.
– Aaaagh! Hey, Lee Haryeong! Come here!
– Deputy, please, just for today…
– Lee Haryeong, you’re a ghost, right?
– Excuse me?
– You must be a ghost, Lee Haryeong, that’s why there are so many ghosts around you. Damn it… I shouldn’t have gotten involved with you in the first place. Take responsibility!
– But Deputy, you’ve got a ton of ghosts around you—why is it only virgin ghosts you see? Wow… You really are obsessed with women, huh? How come you only see female ghosts? Can’t you see the old man ghost back there?
– Huh? L-L-Lee Haryeong! Don’t you think your thoughts and words are getting mixed up? A-and even if you try to scare me like that, it won’t work!
Thank goodness his image was cleaned up later, because in the beginning he was nothing but a handsome idiot.
Before I knew it, it was already past 7 p.m. as I finished reading the script.
‘Time to head home.’
On my way back, as soon as I texted Jung Yunwoo that I’d landed an audition, he replied right away.
[Jung Yunwoo: Congrats! Want to meet up today?]
[Right now?]
[Jung Yunwoo: The best plans are spontaneous! Don’t want to?]
[If it’s at my place, sure]
[Jung Yunwoo: I’ll bring drinks~]
He always brought booze when we met. I should probably tell him not to get a license for a while.
Surely any scandal involving Jung Yunwoo wouldn’t be about drunk driving, right?
If it was, there’d be nothing I could do to stop it.
While worrying about nothing, I picked up some snacks to go with the beer at a convenience store. As I crossed the street on my way home, someone called out to me loudly.
“Hyung!! Yeohu hyung!”
I turned to see Lee Youngbin hopping in place.
The moment the crosswalk turned green, Youngbin dashed over and greeted me. I thought he lived in Gangdong, which was far from Korea National University of Arts…
“What are you doing here?”
“I saw a movie nearby.”
“Really?”
“There was a rumor that only this theater had first-come, first-served posters.”
The way Lee Youngbin kept glancing at the bag in my hand was obvious.
“So, where are you off to, hyung? With all that stuff? Dried squid? You drink?”
“Oh, with a friend. At my place.”
His eyes sparkled.
Not good.
I’m an introvert—I get anxious if more than three people are around.
“Then… can I come too?”
“No?”
“Huh?”
“You can’t.”
Oops.
I blurted out the truth without thinking.