Aura of a Genius Actor

"A genius."

The next day, when Yu Myeong asked about Do Hyo Jun, Yu Seok answered without hesitation.

"I've had him under contract for four years. As you know, he was the first actor I ever decided to support as a hobby. He was also the first actor I signed under favorable terms, like you."

"He said he wants to participate in Casting Vote."

"He told you that?"

Yu Seok shook his head in disbelief.

"Try to understand him, Yu Myeong. He's basically American on the inside. Completely does-things-his-own-way."

"American? His Korean didn't sound awkward at all."

"More accurately, he was adopted overseas. I met him in America. Back then his Korean was pretty rough, but he picked it up frighteningly fast."

Yu Seok began telling the story of how he had met Hyo Jun.

It had happened five years ago, during a business trip to San Francisco.

He had been driving a rental car when he reached a police checkpoint conducting DUI inspections. Even though he hadn't touched a drop of alcohol, American police had a reputation for being strict enough that he still felt slightly nervous.

Then a vehicle with flashing lights merged in directly behind him.

Another officer approached that vehicle and knocked on the driver's window.

"What's going on?"

"We have a patient. We're on the way to the hospital. It's an emergency!"

"Please lower the window."

The driver rolled down the rear window where the patient was sitting.

Curious, Yu Seok glanced over.

And saw the face of a pale young boy.

Was it because he looked Asian?

Or because his appearance was so striking?

Whatever the reason, the image had etched itself into Yu Seok's mind with unusual clarity.

The boy was breathing irregularly.

Sweat beaded across his pale face.

His curly hair was damp and stuck to his forehead.

Each breath seemed painfully difficult. Air would catch in his throat for an agonizing length of time before exploding out in violent coughing.

Cough.

Cough, cough.

The kind of coughing that looked as though he might spit out a lung.

Anyone would have thought he was critically ill.

"Ah... hurry and get him there."

"Thank you."

The vehicle was waved through without inspection and sped away.

Yu Seok passed through the checkpoint as well and returned to his hotel.

For a brief moment he wondered whether the Asian boy would be alright.

Then he forgot about it.

Until the very next day.

Then he witnessed something unbelievable.

"Excuse me... I was just pickpocketed. I'm a traveler, and now I don't even have enough money to get back to my hotel. If you could lend me just ten dollars, I'll definitely transfer it back to you later."

A young man was explaining his situation to a kind looking middle aged woman.

And that face...

It overlapped perfectly with the deathly ill boy from the previous night.

Yu Seok said he'd actually rubbed his eyes, wondering if he was mistaken.

But the boy's face possessed a unique beauty and individuality that was impossible to forget.

After spotting the mole near the tip of his nose, Yu Seok became certain they were the same person.

So he stayed and watched.

"Thank you so much, ma'am. I'll definitely pay you back today."

"I hope you find your wallet. You don't need to return the money."

"No, I'll definitely return it!"

The woman looked at him with genuine sympathy.

And who could blame her?

The half formed tears in his eyes.

The sincere expression.

The nervous posture of someone who seemed to be doing this for the very first time.

From that moment onward, Yu Seok found himself genuinely impressed.

If he hadn't seen the boy the night before, even he might have fallen for such a common scam.

The performance was that natural.

He can't have studied acting...

This is incredible. It's alive.

After the woman left, the boy casually scanned the area.

Then selected Yu Seok as his next target and approached him.

"Excuse me... are you Kooorean? I'm a second generation Korean American, but... my wallet was pickpocketed..."

This time he was speaking Korean.

Awkward, broken Korean designed to evoke sympathy.

Yu Seok immediately grabbed his wrist.

"Can someone have the same wallet stolen twice?"

"W What? Who are you?!"

"Let's talk."

Yu Seok smiled.

"Don't worry. I'm not a scammer like you."

Yu Seok continued.

"He was adopted and taken to America as a child. Apparently there were problems with his adoptive parents. By the time I met him at eighteen, he'd already left home and was supporting himself through part time jobs and whatever work he could find."

"Then the sick patient act..."

"Apparently that was a kind of paid gig."

Yu Seok sighed.

"With talent like that, it's no surprise someone discovered him."

Almost as though he were defending Hyo Jun, he continued.

"I looked into his background before bringing him over. There wasn't anything major. The trouble with his adoptive parents happened when he was older. It seems they taught him basic morality when he was young."

He shrugged.

"He'd swindled people out of money under the pretense of borrowing it, but he'd never stolen or robbed anyone."

"He had it rough for someone so young."

"When I asked him what would've happened if that hospital act had gotten him involved in a serious crime, he actually admitted he was wrong surprisingly easily."

The story continued.

"Then I ran a few tests on him and... wow."

Yu Seok laughed.

"It made me realize what true natural talent looks like. Just imagining what kind of actor he could become after proper training made my heart race."

"So I asked whether he wanted to come to Korea."

"And he agreed?"

"He agreed immediately."

Yu Seok spread his hands.

"After that, you know the rest."

"You gave him favorable contract terms, but he never seriously wanted to act?"

"Back then I was even more bored with life than when I met you. I only saw his talent. I didn't pay attention to any of the other qualities that make someone an actor."

A faint sigh escaped him.

"He's good."

"Very good."

"But he has no seriousness. No passion."

He rubbed his forehead.

"With talent like his, I probably could've found him supporting roles whenever I wanted. But I was worried he'd become a nuisance if I pushed him into proper productions before his mindset matured, so I only gave him bit parts."

"And?"

"He breezed through them."

Yu Seok laughed bitterly.

"He'd do the job effortlessly, collect the paycheck, spend the money having fun, then come back when he ran out and repeat the cycle."

For four years.

He had encouraged him.

Scolded him.

Used rewards and punishments alike.

Nothing had worked.

"The talent was too valuable to waste. I interfered far more than I normally would. Even then, I couldn't change him."

"If he doesn't enjoy acting, there's not much you can do."

"It's not that."

Yu Seok shook his head.

"I think he's the type who learns anything quickly. So after trying something once or twice, he decides it isn't a big deal."

Yu Myeong's expression stiffened slightly.

Noticing it, Yu Seok quickly reached his conclusion.

"This is the first time he's ever shown initiative on his own."

"If you're okay with it, I'd like to take him along."

"To Casting Vote?"

Yu Myeong blinked.

"I don't think that's something that requires my approval."

"...I'd almost given up on him."

Yu Seok's voice lowered.

"But seeing him volunteer for this makes me wonder if he's finally starting to wake up."

"This is going to be his last chance."

"Meaning?"

"More precisely..."

Yu Seok looked directly at him.

"If he spends all that time on Casting Vote, watches you, and still doesn't feel anything..."

"Then I'm done."

"Done?"

"I'll cut him from the company."

"Hmm..."

Yu Myeong tilted his head slightly.

Apparently Yu Seok didn't realize that Do Hyo Jun had volunteered because he wanted to attract his attention.

Well.

That wasn't really any of his business.

"I'm not asking you to take care of him."

Yu Seok waved a hand.

"I just wanted your permission beforehand since you're not entirely unrelated to this."

"...Alright."

Yu Myeong nodded.

"I'll focus on doing my own job."

That day, two applications departed Good Enter and headed for America.

"[As Mr. Yu Myeong is unable to attend today, his manager will be accepting the award on his behalf.]"

December 15, 2006.

As the atmosphere of the year end holiday season spread across the country, the Blue Dragon Film Awards ceremony aired.

And Late Goryeo, Early Joseon swept the event.

Best Picture.

Best Director.

Best Actor.

Best Screenplay.

Best Art Direction.

Best New Actor.

The film dominated category after category, confirming beyond all doubt that this had been the year of Late Goryeo, Early Joseon.

Yet one of the people most responsible for creating the phenomenon was absent from the ceremony.

The fan café erupted into chaos.

Post #225270

Did something happen to Yu Myeong...? T_T

Why isn't our Yu Myeong showing his face on such a happy day?

I heard he already came back from Europe...

I really wanted to see him today.

Where did he go...?

└ I stayed up specifically to watch the live broadcast and then got hit with the manager accepting the award instead. OTL

└ He's not sick, is he? T_T

└ No news about his next project either... this is so frustrating.

└ Moderator / I can't explain in detail because it's confidential, but actor Yu Myeong is currently extremely busy. He's not sick and nothing bad has happened, so please don't worry. There should be news around the beginning of next year.

└ What is it? A new project? o_o!

└ President, can't you at least give us a hint? I'm dying waiting here...

└ As long as he's healthy, that's what matters. We'll trust Yu Myeong and wait.

└ President, can we at least get some guidance? Hmm... how about making a donation in the fan club's name to celebrate his award?

└ Great idea. I support it!

After calming the increasingly agitated fan café, So Jin returned to her work.

Photoshop.

Web editor.

Her hands flew rapidly across the keyboard.

It's rough, but getting there first is what matters.

I'll build something now, secure the domain, then have professionals remake it later with the fan club's approval.

www.namedgod.com

That was the domain she had just registered.

Several weeks earlier, she had been summoned to Good Enter's headquarters and informed of what was coming.

"Hollywood?"

"Technically it's a television program. But it's aimed at Hollywood, so that's close enough."

"Then he'll be living in America for at least six months... maybe years..."

She would be lying if she said she hadn't thought:

Why does it have to be now...?

From a fan's perspective, domestic activities offered far more opportunities for content.

And even considering Yu Myeong's future as an actor, leaving for America at this moment felt painfully premature.

But So Jin kept her mouth shut.

The philosophy of God Named had always been simple.

Support your actor unconditionally.

After the documentary Actor, that philosophy had become even stronger.

Not telling a child to become a doctor.

Or a judge.

Or directing them toward a prestigious path.

Instead—

Trusting and supporting the road the child had chosen.

Offering sincere encouragement without trying to shape them according to your own wishes.

Yu Myeong had undoubtedly thought about it seriously.

And chosen the most challenging path available to him as an actor.

So that he could show them another landscape.

If it was Shin Yu Myeong—

Then surely that was what he had done.

That was what she believed.

Click.

Click.

All night long, she extracted images from Yu Myeong's major works and attached English descriptions to them.

It was the greatest support she could offer.

"Lucas Young is here too."

More than a thousand people had gathered at the Casting Vote regional preliminary venue on the outskirts of Los Angeles.

Los Angeles—the city that housed Hollywood—contained more aspiring actors than anywhere else in America.

As if proving the enormous buzz surrounding TW's ambitious project, not only hopeful newcomers but also numerous familiar professional actors could be spotted throughout the crowd.

"Mr. Lucas! Can I get an autograph?"

"Wow... actors like that are auditioning too? The game's already over."

"Come on. A fresh face might actually have the advantage."

Even established actors rarely received leading roles easily.

In fact, performers trapped by a specific public image might have an even lower chance of landing a lead than complete newcomers.

For actors who weren't quite A list, this audition represented an enormous opportunity.

Somewhere among them stood Yu Myeong.

Even though the first round had been split across five days because of the sheer number of applicants, the crowd was still intimidating.

This many people even with the requirement that applicants have professional experience...

Although technically all you need is to have earned money from acting once. Even a single extra role qualifies.

Still.

There were too many.

And this was only one of more than twenty regional divisions.

{Which day did that kid get assigned to?}

"The third day, I think."

{No first round assignment has been announced yet?}

"No."

"They said it'll be improvised."

{What awful taste. Tsk.}

The enormous hall was completely open, without a single pillar obstructing the view.

A long runway like stage stretched through the center like a breakwater.

An announcement informed everyone that the event was about to begin.

Then a man strode confidently onto the stage.

Jerry High.

"Hello, everyone."

"Hello!"

"We're starting the acting survival competition unlike any before it—Casting Voooote!"

"Woooooooah!"

The contestants cheered awkwardly.

Jerry grinned.

"Relax. That was just rehearsal."

The hall erupted in laughter.

People booed him playfully.

"Look at all these people. Since when did California have this many actors? You all know the number of first round passes is at the judges' discretion, right?"

He pointed at the crowd.

"So cooperate. Keep the energy up. If the judges are in a gooood mood, maybe they'll pass one extra person. Okay?"

With his trademark wit, Jerry quickly seized control of the room.

He reviewed the rules.

Explained the procedures.

Even rehearsed the audience's cheers for when the judges appeared.

It was a scene that perfectly embodied television production.

And then—

For real this time.

"Casting Voooote! The acting survival competition unlike any before it!"

"WOOOOOOOAH!"

"Hello! I'll be hosting the California regional qualifiers. My name is Jerry High. Today, one thousand actors have gathered here to compete for a lead role in a Hollywood film."

"OOOOOOH!"

"And don't be surprised. California alone has five separate groups of one thousand contestants!"

"OOOOOOH!"

"The first acting audition for professional actors that's taking America by storm—Casting Vote!"

"Out of fifty two thousand applicants who actually met the requirement of having professional acting experience, five thousand actors—ten percent of the total—have gathered in the California division."

"Isn't that exactly the kind of passion you'd expect from the city of Hollywood?"

"WOOOOOOOAH!"

"You may all be passionate..."

Jerry's expression abruptly changed.

His face became cold.

Intimidating.

"But unfortunately, we don't have time to carefully evaluate every single one of you."

His voice sharpened.

"Six judges."

"One thousand contestants."

"The amount of time each of you will receive is no more than a fleeting moment."

The atmosphere began to shift.

Anxiety spread through the crowd.

"A true actor must possess shameless confidence."

"The grit to remain unshaken before anyone."

"The charm to seize attention in a single instant."

The contestants stirred uneasily.

"The first round assignment..."

Jerry paused dramatically.

"...is a three minute improvised performance."

"Right here."

"Right now."

"In front of everyone."

The hall froze.

"For those of you excited by such a fun challenge—let me hear you cheer!"

Jerry shouted enthusiastically.

The response was complete silence.

"...Huh?"

"You guys aren't excited?"

The actors' faces turned pale.