Aura of a Genius Actor

The panel for the second preliminary round consisted of three judges.

Andrew Pailton, a drama producer from TW.

Keaston Hugh, a screenwriter affiliated with Work Brothers.

And...

Natalie Kassen.

Each time a judge's name was announced, the applicants applauded with visibly tense expressions.

All three were influential figures any aspiring actor would recognize, but among them, Natalie Kassen's name stood in a league of its own.

A star who seemed far too big to appear on a reality show.

Everyone wondered what TW had offered to persuade her to participate, but naturally, nobody had the courage to ask.

[Welcome to TW, everyone! You remember me, right? I'm Jerry High, your friendly guide since the California first preliminary round! Hiii!]

The audience erupted into applause.

[But did you know something? You're all very lucky. This is off the record, by the way...]

Jerry High leaned forward conspiratorially, lowering his voice as if sharing a secret.

[The second preliminary round is spread over five days, and each day gets three judges assigned at random. But that goddess sitting over there...]

He subtly gestured toward Natalie with his chin.

[Just between us, she's obviously the biggest celebrity among all the regional judges, isn't she? Well, she wasn't originally scheduled for today. She insisted on moving her assignment to this date. Why do you think that is? Anyway, the point is that you've all been blessed by the goddess herself.]

[Jerry. Aren't you supposed to protect my privacy? I may need to call my lawyer.]

[Hold on, Jerry. Are you seriously standing right in front of us and saying only Natalie is a celebrity? I produced The Six. Shouldn't I be in the same league as Natalie?]

[Oh, come on. Did you see Natalie glance at Andrew just now? That was clearly a "Know your place, amateur" look.]

As Jerry freely mixed truth and nonsense to loosen the atmosphere, the judges played along, protesting with exaggerated expressions of injustice.

Most of the contestants relaxed and chuckled.

A few quicker minds, however, caught the implications hidden within the exchange.

Lucky, my ass... Everyone knows Natalie's group had the highest elimination rate in the first round. People are going to die out there today too.

She deliberately moved her schedule...? If that's true, does that mean there's an applicant here Natalie Kassen is interested in?

As tension and relaxation mingled together, Jerry officially began the audition.

[The assignment for the second preliminary round is a free performance with a theme.

One week ago, all of you should have received an email containing both the prop you must use and the emotions you must portray.]

With a flourish of his hand, text appeared on a large screen at one side of the studio.

Prop: Doll / Emotions: Fear, Sadness, Joy

[Each group receives a different theme, but everyone gathered here in Group One will perform using this same assignment. You're free to use an existing script or role, and original material is perfectly acceptable as well. However, making sufficient use of the prop and properly expressing the assigned emotions are mandatory requirements for passing.]

His voice carried effortlessly through the studio, rising and falling with practiced rhythm.

Everyone watched with smiles.

Then came the final statement that tightened every nerve in the room.

[Today's successful applicants... four.]

The number 4 flashed across the screen.

[In the first round, each judge could pass as many actors as they wanted if those actors met their standards. The competition looked fierce, but that's only because there were so many weak applicants. But all of you are different. You're the forty actors chosen out of thousands. Which means nobody sitting beside you is an easy opponent.]

The contestants immediately glanced around at one another.

[Four people. Even if everyone here is talented, only four will advance to the main competition. One out of every ten will be smiling today. The other nine will be crying their eyes out.]

Jerry winked.

[It's war. Honestly, sneaking a peek at the script the actor next to you prepared might slightly improve your odds of passing.]

The actor beside you wasn't a colleague.

They were an enemy.

And now, the war was beginning.

The enemy in an actual war would probably be more humane than these bastards. No blood, no tears.

That exact situation was unfolding here.

The actors, who should have been enemies, sat huddled together trembling.

Meanwhile, the judges—their seniors, their industry veterans—didn't need guns.

They loaded bullets into their mouths and fired them straight into people's hearts.

And among them, the deadliest marksman was Natalie Kassen.

"Mom! This is the doll I've wanted forever! I'm so happy! This is amazing!"

"My doll... my doll...! David stole it and tore its head off. It's dead. It's dead... waaah..."

"Ah! Th-this doll is talking... What? My cousin Liz, who died two months ago...?"

The first contestant, a woman named Meryl, stood onstage.

While the other judges merely marked X's on their papers with unimpressed expressions, Natalie watched her intently and questioned every detail.

[Did you fully establish the character before performing? How old is she? What's her name? Why did she want the doll so badly?]

[If the premise is that her cousin's spirit entered the doll, what kind of relationship existed between them to create that situation?]

[That last section didn't feel like fear. It looked more like surprise. The raised eyebrows and widened eyes are similar, but genuine fear also pulls the corners of the lips downward while tightening the skin beneath the jaw. Pay attention to the muscle movements and try it again.]

This felt less like an audition and more like an acting class.

Yu Myeong was impressed.

Even in a short amount of time, she accurately identified each contestant's weaknesses and offered practical advice that could immediately improve their performance.

Though Meryl looked pale with nervousness, she followed Natalie's instructions diligently.

Natalie adjusted her coaching slightly each time, making her repeat the scene again and again.

After only a few minutes of guidance, Meryl's acting visibly improved.

After watching Natalie spend the full ten minutes coaching three consecutive applicants, Jerry cautiously interrupted.

[Uh... Natalie. Are you going to keep doing this...?]

[Each participant is allotted ten minutes, aren't they? That time belongs to them.]

[Sure... but if you coach all forty people like this, then our chances of going home today...]

[Didn't we sign contracts for eight hours of filming? Some of these applicants gave up their livelihoods just to apply for Casting Boat. We may not be able to pass all of them, but shouldn't they at least receive something in return? Even if it's just ten minutes that helps improve their acting?]

Was this scripted to showcase Natalie Kassen's character?

Or was it genuine?

Even if it was scripted, it undoubtedly reflected who she really was.

A woman blessed with extraordinary beauty.

Already a global superstar.

Someone at her level could spend her life enjoying fame and comfort.

Yet after seeing her only twice—during the first round and today—Yu Myeong felt he understood how seriously she took acting and how sincerely she treated other people.

Beside him, Kai muttered quietly.

"Wow... isn't she an incredible actor? I wish my turn would come already. I've never had proper acting lessons before..."

Watching performers get thoroughly dismantled in front of the camera, Kai was actually eager for the same thing to happen to him.

Natalie.

Kai.

Once again, Yu Myeong found himself among people willing to stake their lives on acting.

A satisfied smile spread across his face.

He found himself wanting his own turn to come as quickly as possible.

He wanted to stand on that stage.

At least not compared to the actor Yu Myeong remembered seven years later.

Well, that probably explains why he never ranked highly on Casting Boat. Still... considering the kind of actor he eventually became, I assumed he must have been extraordinary even when he was young.

Kai Nunen was twenty-three now.

In Missing Child, he would be thirty.

Apparently, those seven years contained remarkable growth.

Yet even in his rough, unfinished state, he possessed a startling magnetism.

Natalie seemed to notice it as well.

Or perhaps she simply found it enjoyable watching someone improve so quickly once pointed in the right direction.

Either way, she devoted significantly more time and effort to coaching him than most contestants.

Jerry repeatedly glanced at his watch, but perhaps Natalie's earlier lecture had gotten to him.

He never interrupted.

"Thank you!"

After fifteen straight minutes of corrections and guidance, Kai stepped offstage looking completely refreshed.

Spotting Yu Myeong waiting for his turn, he flashed a bright smile.

"Good luck, hyung! It was incredibly fun and helpful. Seriously, it was like a class!"

"Thanks."

Thinking that Kai was surprisingly adorable for someone who looked so happy after being criticized for fifteen straight minutes, Yu Myeong followed the floor director's instructions and stepped onto the stage.

The moment Natalie Kassen saw him, tension appeared in her face.

"Number seventeen. Shin Yu Myeong."

"I remember your name."

The declaration immediately stirred the room.

Contestants and judges alike looked surprised.

"Uh... that's an honor, Natalie."

"You remember my name too, so I suppose we're even."

Natalie casually established an utterly ridiculous equation.

Jerry let out a whistle and jumped into the conversation.

"Whoa. What's going on here? Are you two long-lost lovers or something?"

"If he surprises me the way he did in the first round, that might actually happen."

"Oh my. Who is this superstar rookie that Natalie has fallen for? Because I certainly haven't heard about him."

During the chaotic first preliminary round, six groups had been running simultaneously inside the enormous hall.

Jerry had never witnessed Yu Myeong's performance.

Naturally, he found this entire exchange fascinating.

Never one to waste an opportunity, he immediately tried to create a memorable moment.

"Seriously, can we pause filming for a minute so I can go watch the first-round footage? Actually, do I even need permission? The moment I leave, the show stops anyway."

"And then Jerry gets fired as host for abandoning his post without authorization."

"Yikes. You've been making some pretty aggressive lawyer jokes all day. Natalie, actors aren't supposed to tell jokes that sound real. Anyway, what exactly did this rookie do?"

"I'm not telling."

Natalie smiled sweetly.

Jerry grabbed the back of his neck in despair.

"I can't even get angry when you're smiling like that. Lord, forgive this devil."

"Just watch. If I'm mistaken, it won't matter anyway. And if I'm not, won't he surprise all of us again with this assignment?"

"Now that's a wise answer. Okay! Let's do this!"

Most people would have felt burdened by expectations that had suddenly skyrocketed.

The man standing at center stage merely wore a calm smile.

The set wasn't flashy like a television variety show.

It resembled a simple, empty theater stage.

And in his hand was a doll.

Not holding it by the torso, but dangling it gently by one arm.

Yu Myeong slowly swept his gaze across the surrounding space.

"Thomas. Sarah. Lucas. Philip..."

Then he raised the doll to eye level.

Looking directly into its eyes, he said,

"And... Elizabeth."

His performance began.