Starring Competence (2)

 "If I fail again this time, my family will really kill me…"

 

Seon-ah Han, a retaking student preparing to enter S University’s Journalism and Broadcasting Department in Seoul, sighed deeply in her small studio apartment. She had narrowly missed the mark before, and was confident she would make it this time. But instead, she was left with the label of a second-year retake student.

 

“Haah.”

 

Feeling depressed, Seon-ah turned on the TV in her cramped room. The combination of her gloomy mood and throbbing headache made it hard to focus on studying.

 

‘Huh?’

 

Being an avid fan of celebrity gossip, she was a regular viewer of Celebrity Live, a show that often covered such topics. Today’s episode, which normally would feature the latest rising stars and idols, was airing behind-the-scenes footage of a drama instead.

 

“Geez, they’re showing making films on public TV now?”

 

It seemed like a well-invested production. [The Sun Hidden by the Moon]. The description revealed it was an upcoming historical fantasy drama based on a popular novel.

 

“They should show updates about my favorite actor Hosuk instead.”

 

She decided to endure it, hoping the next segment would be more to her liking, and continued watching. The show introduced the drama and its cast, and then moved on to the auditions for the child actors who would play the younger versions of the main characters.

 

Naturally, Seon-ah was indifferent. No matter how well child actors performed, they were still just kids in her eyes.

 

Her initial reaction was merely, “Oh, that girl’s from that daily drama.”

 

“Wow, Park Sun-woong’s son has grown so much already?”

 

The appearance of Park Jung-woo, the son of the once-famous actor Park Sun-woong, caught her attention. As she got more engrossed in the show, Seon-ah found herself surprised by the performances of the child actors.

 

She had expected a level akin to a school play, but these kids were truly talented budding stars. Park Jung-woo and Jo Seo-hee’s performances were particularly impressive, like fully bloomed flowers drawing everyone's gaze.

 

‘She must be the top contender.’

 

Seon-ah thought, watching Jo Seo-hee. Anyone who had seen the other child actors' performances would think the same.

 

Park Jung-woo was a given. The way the other boys wilted in his presence made it clear.

 

She assumed all the roles were as good as decided.

 

‘What?’

 

But then, a girl who had barely been noticed until now stepped forward.

 

She was adorable, with long dark hair and eyes that shimmered with a hint of red. Despite her young age, she exuded a serene presence.

 

The caption introducing her mentioned she had only been acting for six months, with just two commercials under her belt.

 

But Seon-ah recognized her immediately.

 

“Oh, the soy milk ad girl!”

 

She had been quite memorable in the popular soy milk commercial.

 

‘But can she act?’

 

With only six months of experience and two commercials, she seemed far less qualified compared to the other children who had proper training and experience. Could her striking looks and unique eye color carry her through?

 

That doubt vanished as soon as she began her performance.

 

The serene princess.

 

In the audition room, she stood with a quiet grace, embodying the character of Princess Yeon-hwa.

 

Seon-ah watched, mesmerized by the girl’s performance. Before she knew it, the first episode of the making film had ended.

 

“What?! How can they end it there!”

 

Seon-ah fumed. It was a cruel tactic by the producers to boost ratings, leaving the viewers hanging on who would play Princess Yeon-hwa.

 

Jo Seo-hee or Joo Seoyeon?

 

Grumbling, Seon-ah sat at her desk. For the first time in a long while, her headache was gone, and her mind felt clear.

 

“Who do you think will get the role, Jo Seo-hee or that soy milk girl?”

 

A week later, she was discussing the drama with her friend, who was also studying at a cram school. Given that many of her friends were aiming for journalism and broadcasting, it was natural for them to discuss the audition.

 

“It’s tough to say, but I’m leaning towards the soy milk girl.”

 

“But didn’t the judges say Jo Seo-hee was more stable?”

 

“Come on, you know how it is. Acting is all about that spark!”

 

As they debated, the second making film began airing.

 

The second episode’s performances were even more intense than the first. Despite the clips being edited to avoid spoilers, the showcased scenes made it hard to determine a clear winner.

 

Jo Seo-hee’s performance was stable and professional, truly fitting the title of a child prodigy.

 

On the other hand, Joo Seoyeon’s acting was raw. Watching her several times revealed that her technique was indeed lacking.

 

But she had presence. An intensity that captured the viewer's emotions, something that made it hard to look away.

 

Unconsciously, Seon-ah found herself rooting for Seoyeon.

 

A fan. Yes, she might have become a fan of Seoyeon’s earnest, unpolished acting.

 

When the second episode ended, just as Seon-ah feared they might delay the announcement to the third episode, the screen changed.

 

[ The Sun Hidden by the Moon, the child actor for Princess Yeon-hwa is... ]

 

The scene shifted to a conference room.

 

The directors, producers, and staff exchanged ballots.

 

And the result:

 

[ Princess Yeon-hwa will be played by Joo Seoyeon. ]

 

Joo Seoyeon had won by two votes.

 

A sense of satisfaction washed over Seon-ah, as if she had just finished watching a long, satisfying drama.

 

“I have to watch this drama.”

 

She muttered to herself. She had postponed watching many dramas due to her studies, but she vowed to watch this one live.

 

***

 

After the making film aired, Seoyeon received a lot more attention.

 

Previously, she was just a cute girl in a soy milk commercial.

 

Now, opinions about her were diverse.

 

Some hailed her as the genius child actor who beat daily drama princess Jo Seo-hee.

 

Others argued Jo Seo-hee was the better actress, accusing the decision of being a biased push for a new face based on looks alone.

 

“Seoyeon, you know you shouldn’t read the internet comments, right?”

 

Sua’s eyes and voice trembled as she spoke, clearly upset.

 

She had stayed up all night arguing online, as evidenced by the dark circles under her eyes.

 

‘She must have been fighting on Next’s discussion boards last night.’

 

Next, the online portal, had threads discussing Seoyeon’s audition. Sua had rolled up her sleeves and fought back against the negative comments all night.

 

Seoyeon had briefly seen her mother’s fierce battles when she got up in the middle of the night. Her mother’s determination reminded her of a legendary warrior.

 

“Well, nothing we can do about it.”

 

In contrast, her father, Youngbin, was much more laid-back.

 

“You know, Seoyeon? You have to prove yourself with your acting. I believe in you.”

 

“Yes, Dad.”

 

“Man, I’m really living thanks to you, Seoyeon.”

 

Youngbin ruffled Seoyeon’s hair, whistling a tune as he put on his tie and left for work. He had been enjoying going to work recently.

 

Parents love to brag about their children, and he was no exception.

 

Colleagues at work often asked him about Seoyeon, sometimes even requesting autographs.

 

Even his boss, who usually nitpicked, had started showing interest, making Youngbin feel on top of the world.

 

‘Dad is really happy.’

 

Seoyeon nodded to herself.

 

‘So this is why they say auditions are important.’

 

Auditions were indeed a great way to create a buzz. If a Vtuber entered through an audition, it might generate similar excitement.

 

‘Maybe aiming for a corporate sponsorship isn’t a bad idea...’

 

Could Vtubers be selected through auditions? If handled like this, they could quickly become breakout stars!

 

As Seoyeon was lost in thought, Sua’s voice pulled her back.

 

“Seoyeon, don’t stress too much, okay? Also, remember we have a doctor’s appointment later.”

 

“Yes, Mom.”

 

Seoyeon remembered Sua had scheduled a psychiatrist appointment for stress management. It was probably someone's suggestion...

 

‘Hmm.’

 

Seoyeon sighed, crossing her arms. She wasn’t particularly fond of doctor’s appointments.

 

***

 

The promotion for [The Sun Hidden by the Moon] was a huge success. Requesting a special segment on Celebrity Live had been a great decision.

 

However, PD Taeo Ha felt a bit uneasy.

 

‘Joo Seoyeon... will she be okay?’

 

She had won the role through a vote, with her performance in the audition being undeniable. But now she would be acting alongside veteran actors, not peers.

 

Some actors might resent the fact that a newcomer like Seoyeon had been chosen over someone like Jo Seo-hee, who had taken the traditional path of learning and refining her craft.

 

‘Honestly, she’s almost like a maverick.’

 

In essence, Seoyeon had taken an unconventional route. Naturally, actors with strong pride in their craft would look down on her.

 

That’s why Ha Taeo had cast a vote for Jo Seo-hee during the audition. While Seoyeon had shown more impact, filming a drama was different from an audition.

 

“PD Ha.”

 

An actress with neatly styled gray hair called out to Taeo Ha.

 

“Oh! Yes, Ms. Eun-sun Jeong.”

 

“Today’s that child’s first shoot, isn’t it?”

 

“Yes, it is.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

Taeo carefully observed Eun-sun’s expression. As an experienced actress, her emotions didn’t show on her face. But every person has their inner feelings, and Taeo, having worked with many actors, could roughly sense them.

 

‘She’s definitely not happy.’

 

Eun-sun Jeong was a veteran actress known for her strict standards, especially regarding acting.

 

Seoyeon’s raw performance was likely displeasing to her.

 

‘Moreover, she has openly shown favoritism towards Jo Seo-hee.’

 

Eun-sun, having also risen from being a child actor, particularly doted on Seo-hee, who showed early promise. She had even mentioned on a variety show how she looked forward to acting in a drama with her.

 

But that opportunity was abruptly taken away by an unexpected newcomer.

 

‘I hope Seoyeon has a strong mentality.’

 

Unfortunately, the role Eun-sun Jeong had was Grand Dowager Queen Eun-hye.

 

In other words, she would be playing Princess Yeon-hwa’s grandmother.

Footnotes

1. Yeon-hwa (연화) which was previously TLed as Lee Haewol (이하월) ↩
2. Seo-yeon changed to Seoyeon (서연) ↩