Chapter 183: Vogue officials’ meeting.
(How many do you think they'll eliminate?)
(Who knows? Maybe two people and a Top Ten? Or maybe they'll go down to a single digit and make it a Top Nine?)
The contestants whispered among themselves as they waited for the announcement of the finals format.
Most audition programs switched to live broadcasts around the halfway point.
The appeal was twofold: the thrill of live television, and giving viewers the satisfaction of directly influencing the outcome.
One of the hottest topics among the actors whenever they gathered at the Actors House had always been how Casting Boat intended to handle its live broadcasts.
The show aired twice a week.
Two live broadcasts every week...
Just imagining it sounded horrific.
Some contestants had even begun wondering whether there would be no live broadcasts at all after seeing that Episode Eleven was still in the middle of Action School.
But Jerry had just clearly said, "the live finale."
"Everyone, we have some wonderful news first!"
"...?"
"Casting Boat has officially been extended by two more episodes!"
A wave of excited murmurs spread through the contestants.
Originally scheduled to run for twenty episodes over two and a half months, Casting Boat had now added two more.
It was proof of just how popular the show had become.
After all, even if the production footage remained the same, increasing the number of episodes meant paying enormous additional appearance fees to stars like Natalie and Derek.
"And the live broadcasts will begin with Episode Seventeen, on March 30! Which means you'll all get a well deserved vacation until one week before the live finale!"
The room erupted again.
Today was Sunday, March 11.
If they could rest until a week before the live broadcast, that meant two full weeks off.
For contestants exhausted after two straight months of filming, it was wonderful news.
Of course...
If they were eliminated here, they'd be getting much more than two weeks off.
So who's advancing already?!
Just as everyone was thinking exactly that, Jerry dropped another bombshell.
"So...
We'll announce the finalists after you've all had a nice, relaxing two week break. We'll gather again one week before the live broadcast for the announcement."
"What?!"
"Seriously?!"
"No way!"
Cries erupted from every direction.
Whether they advanced or not, everyone wanted to know immediately.
How was anyone supposed to relax without knowing the results?
"Easy, easy... please understand our side as well. It's great that the earlier episodes turned out to contain more material than expected and we've received two extra broadcast slots. It's good for both the production staff and all of you. Everyone benefits from Casting Boat's success. The problem is the gap between the prerecorded episodes and the live broadcasts. We've run into security concerns."
"Oh..."
Only then did the contestants understand.
If the finalists were announced today, on March 11, there would be over two weeks before the finals assignment aired in Episode Sixteen on March 27.
The risk of spoilers would become far too high.
"You may all go home during those two weeks...
But you won't be completely off."
What does that mean?
"Public interest in the final twelve contestants is through the roof right now. During those two weeks, our production team will arrange interviews and small television appearances for each of you. However..."
He pointed a finger dramatically.
"You absolutely must not contact any other media outlets on your own!"
The contestants brightened once more.
Waiting two weeks would be frustrating.
But having TW personally arrange opportunities to increase their public recognition as actors was an incredible benefit.
Some also quickly realized something else.
Even if they were among those eliminated, they would still enjoy two more weeks of attention as members of the Final Twelve.
Sensing that everyone had finally calmed down, Jerry cast his line one more time.
"Oh, one more thing.
There will only be three live broadcasts."
"...?!"
Episodes Seventeen through Twenty Two totaled six episodes.
Why only three live broadcasts?
Reading the confusion on their faces, Jerry continued.
"Long live broadcasts inevitably become sluggish. Acting, unlike singing or dancing, isn't easy to keep at maximum intensity for several hours straight.
"So we've made a bold decision. There will only be three live broadcasts, while the episodes in between will feature making of footage and behind the scenes content."
"So Episode Eighteen will show everything that happened after the live broadcast in Episode Seventeen, along with preparations for Episode Nineteen's live show.
Understand?"
Three live broadcasts.
Which meant...
"So...
When we reconvene in two weeks...
There will be six finalists."
The number of finalists had been reduced accordingly.
Sharp intakes of breath echoed throughout the room.
A carrot.
A stick.
Another carrot.
And finally...
The harshest stick of them all.
Jerry smiled brightly, clearly pleased with his masterful manipulation of everyone's emotions.
"Hahaha...
How delightfully bold."
In one corner of the theater after Team Four's performance, Yeongwi laughed so hard it seemed as though the building itself might shake.
It was immensely satisfying.
They're definitely watching.
And they're probably convinced that play was aimed directly at them.
They're probably trembling right now.
How did they manage to write something that fits so perfectly?
Pandora.
A human who chose his own fate through his own will.
A human who ultimately dreamed of becoming a god.
The moment Pandora declared to the angel—
"Are you perhaps the devil, speaking for God's selfish desire to prevent another god from being born?"
—it had been indescribably exhilarating.
It fit those bastards in the Heavenly Realm perfectly.
Those who obsessed over protecting only their own privileges while remaining utterly hostile toward every other form of existence.
They'll absolutely think it was a warning directed at them.
They may even be trembling, wondering if Yu Myeong might someday ascend and unleash absolute chaos throughout the Heavenly Realm.
Hahaha!
The maximum increase in spiritual presence an actor could achieve through acting was one point per year.
Even reaching the full point was nearly impossible.
Yet Shin Yu Myeong kept accomplishing it.
And considering the sincerity and obsession he poured into acting...
Perhaps, several decades from now, ascending truly would become possible.
Then, once he reached the Heavenly Realm...
If he personally exposed how their mistake had condemned him to fifteen years of needless suffering...
The upper ranks of Heaven might well be swept away.
He had signed a contract promising never to pursue the matter again.
But that contract had been made as a human.
If he became an immortal...
It would no longer bind him.
Though that's only if I choose not to interfere...
Yu Myeong had asked to borrow his body for seven years.
Already, they had entered the fifth.
And Yu Myeong had faithfully fulfilled his request.
"Keep me entertained."
In more than a thousand years of existence as a ghost, Yeongwi had never experienced days as fascinating as these.
Pandora.
A presumptuous human reaching toward godhood.
If one replaced human with ghost...
Perhaps the story described him instead.
No...
He had once possessed the chance to become a god.
He had chosen to remain a ghost.
Regardless, they shared one thing.
Both had chosen their own paths.
And once that choice had been made, neither allowed even the gods to dictate their future.
That was why Yeongwi felt such a profound connection to Pandora.
Then again...
Only Shin Yu Myeong could have brought Pandora to life like that.
Yeongwi loved acting.
Yet by his standards, most human performances looked crude.
Yu Myeong's acting, however...
Even Yeongwi acknowledged it.
This time, he had become so absorbed that he forgot about the acting energy Yu Myeong radiated and simply watched Pandora as a living person.
Keep growing.
Entertain me even more.
You may already have reached the pinnacle of what humans call acting...
But you still have so much farther to climb.
Only then did Miho realize he had been experiencing a profoundly human emotion.
Expectation.
After living for more than a thousand years...
He had changed a great deal over the past few years.
The offices of Vogue—
one of the world's most influential fashion magazines—
were ablaze with light late into the night.
The lounge was especially crowded.
Employees stood shoulder to shoulder, silently watching the enormous television mounted on one wall.
"Good evening, everyone. I'm Andy Lancer."
Today's episode of Casting Boat focused on stunt acting.
As the gaunt man carrying an oversized camera appeared onscreen, someone exclaimed,
"That's Andy Lancer! One of the top sports photographers in the industry. How on earth did they convince him to appear?"
No one answered.
Casting Boat had already proven its unparalleled ability to recruit major names by bringing in Derek, Natalie, Eva, and George.
"Perfect, Yu Myeong.
Hold your balance just like that...
Now run—and jump!"
The latest obsession of nearly every unpredictable fashion professional appeared on the screen.
To people who lived for trends...
Who changed their tastes constantly...
Yet still cherished timeless qualities...
This sensational newcomer was irresistible.
"Ah...
He's incredible.
I want to photograph him too..."
"How does he look so much like a model?
Actors have to know how to present themselves physically too, of course...
But he's mastered displaying his body so naturally that you'd swear he was born a professional model."
To the theme from Mission: Impossible, Yu Myeong hurled himself through stunt sequences.
The more they watched...
The deeper their admiration became.
Back when Casting Boat was still only in development, Vogue had received a proposal.
The winning team of one assignment would receive a collaborative editorial shoot.
Everyone had scoffed.
Not even the overall winner.
Just the winners of a single challenge?
They'd have to photograph inexperienced actors rather than even rookie models.
Finding luxury sponsors for a concept like that would be nearly impossible.
When the editor in chief asked who wanted the assignment...
Everyone looked away.
But now...
Everything had changed.
Casting Boat had become America's hottest phenomenon.
Just recently, the editor in chief had announced that the Casting Boat editorial would be expanded—and promoted all the way to the cover.
Everyone had whispered that Herod was a fool for being forced to take the project.
Now...
They were simply jealous.
"Herod...
Where's the shoot taking place?"
"The main studio."
The main studio.
Reserved only for Vogue's most important productions.
Just as expected.
"What about sponsors?
Luxury brands must be lining up."
"They are.
Chanel.
Prada.
Gucci...
Pretty much every major house.
You know what's funny?
Every single one insists he perfectly represents their brand identity.
Apparently Chanel, Prada, and Gucci all share exactly the same image now."
"Wow...
So which one did you choose?"
"We turned them all down.
The Casting Boat production team didn't want any visible brand partnerships.
They were worried commercial sponsorship would hurt the program's image."
Ordinarily...
Such a request would have been absurd.
Vogue was a fashion magazine.
Editorials were built around luxury brands or carefully curated combinations of brands.
Which meant...
The balance of power had completely reversed.
At first, Casting Boat had been the one asking Vogue for a favor.
Now...
It was Vogue accommodating Casting Boat.
"Seriously?
Then what are you going to do?"
"It's fine.
Instead of a brand, we've got a designer.
Paris volunteered.
He contacted us himself and said he'd do it without charging a fee."
"...Paris?
You don't mean...
Paris Palace?"
Paris Palace—
better known simply as P. Palace.
One of New York fashion's hottest designers over the past several years.
Hearing that someone of his stature had volunteered without compensation left everyone speechless.
"Amazing...
When's the shoot?"
"In three days."
"In the main studio?
I'm working in the office that day.
Can I come watch?"
Herod maintained her pleasant smile, though it became slightly apologetic.
"I'm sorry.
The program is still in production.
We've been instructed to keep observers to an absolute minimum."
Her coworker blinked in surprise.
Normally, Herod had been famous throughout the company for being too kind—
Too incapable of refusing anyone.
Lately, however, after watching Assistant Manager Park Ju Won in the Crude automobile commercial on the fan site God Named, she had been practicing the smile of an office worker who knows how to refuse politely.
Smiling lightly, Herod stood up.
"I should get going.
Preparations are keeping me busy."
"...Ah.
Right."
Her coworker could only nod.
Two days before the shoot, four people gathered inside a conference room at the Vogue offices.
"I'm Susan Laycock."
"Hello. I'm Herod Reimer, the producer overseeing this project."
"I'm Ali, the photographer."
"Wow! I'm Paris Palace.
Just call me P."
Paris seemed almost manic.
Whether that was simply his personality or excitement over the project itself, Susan couldn't tell.
She opened the meeting.
"You've all prepared costumes and shooting plans based on the production materials and still photographs we sent...
But we thought it would probably be easier to finalize the concept after seeing the actual performance."
"...?"
"We've prepared a recording of Pandora."
P practically shrieked.
Herod's heart also began pounding.
Susan took out a USB drive and plugged it into the conference room laptop.
"You can't keep the file...
So pay close attention."
The playback began.
And the moment it ended...
P's pupils had visibly dilated.
He snatched the nearest sheet of paper and began sketching with frantic intensity.