Chapter 10. Embarrassed to the Point of This

The reason Ryu Seung-woong couldn't deliver his lines was simple.

He was intimidated by Ahn Si-hyun's acting.

In the suffocating atmosphere where one wrong word could lead to being devoured, and with the terrifying gaze that seemed to have killed before, he lost his nerve.

A fatal mistake as an actor, something he should never have done.

Thanks to this,

'Looks like I did a good job scaring him. I must have acted well.'

Ahn Si-hyun felt he had acted well. If his acting had been even a little clumsy, someone like Ryu Seung-woong, who looked down on him, wouldn't have been scared.

Indeed, Ryu Seung-woong's flustered expression was evident.

'Good start. I was right to focus on one path.'

After the regression, Ahn Si-hyun had pondered a lot about acting.

While building a filmography might help him become a leading actor, it would be difficult to become a national actor.

This was Ahn Si-hyun's self-diagnosis of his acting level.

How could he do better? How could he show better acting and become a national actor?

After much deliberation, Ahn Si-hyun came to a conclusion...

'I will push my strengths to the limit.'

It was about leveraging his strengths.

Kim Jin-mo, Song Kang-sik, Hwang Young-min, and Lee Seok-jae, among many other veteran actors.

While doing script readings with them, Ahn Si-hyun marveled countless times.

Each actor had clear strengths, and he pondered how he could make those strengths his own.

However, he soon realized it was impossible.

Ahn Si-hyun was a good actor but not a genius. If he had the talent to absorb others' strengths so easily, he wouldn't have struggled for so long as an unknown before the regression.

Trying to imitate them clumsily would likely lead to failure and ruin.

In the end, he decided to maximize what he had.

Ahn Si-hyun pursued the method acting technique. Through method acting, he reached a turning point in his acting career.

During the month of script readings,

Ahn Si-hyun tried to immerse himself in the character of Lee Su-chul to the fullest whenever he had free time. He struggled to erase himself and leave only the character of Lee Su-chul.

He integrated himself with Lee Su-chul.

Of course, Ahn Si-hyun wasn't immune to the after-effects that method actors often experience.

However, compared to other actors, his after-effects were significantly less. He could shake them off completely after a couple of months of rest after filming.

He believed it was worth enduring for good acting.

His judgment proved correct.

While he had shown good performances during the audition and script readings, what he just displayed was on another level.

Even Director Kwak Sang-pil thought,

'He surprised people during the script readings, but now he's going wild. I'm not sure if this is acting. He's just Lee Su-chul himself. How can he be so similar to Actor Choi?'

Ahn Si-hyun's acting made him genuinely ponder.

Perhaps Ahn Si-hyun hadn't shown everything during the audition.

This thought wasn't unreasonable.

What Ahn Si-hyun just showed wasn't acting but a glimpse of the real Lee Su-chul, a North Korean spy. It was so good that it made his previous performances pale in comparison.

Director Kwak Sang-pil saw the best in Ahn Si-hyun's acting.

A master of method acting and a national actor, Choi Jeong-su.

Ahn Si-hyun's method acting, which left the character rather than the actor in people's minds, was very similar to Choi Jeong-su's.

"Wow. What you showed during the script readings was just a taste."

"Brother, we need to be on our toes, don't you think?"

"You're right. In about ten years, Jin-mo and Si-hyun might take our spots."

"We'll have to work hard to keep our jobs. Hahaha."

Song Kang-sik and Hwang Young-min were also amazed by Ahn Si-hyun's acting.

The two had always liked Ahn Si-hyun and Kim Jin-mo since the script readings, but after seeing Ahn Si-hyun's recent performance, they changed their views on him.

He was no longer just a promising junior but a potential rival in the future.

Ahn Si-hyun's recent performance was that good.

Meanwhile,

'Damn, because of Ahn Si-hyun, I'm in such a mess now...'

Ryu Seung-woong, the one who caused the NG, repeatedly apologized and tried to regain his composure.

Grinding his teeth,

He clenched his teeth for the sake of acting.

Being intimidated by a greenhorn hurt his pride. He wanted to prove that he was a better actor than Ahn Si-hyun and wouldn't be outdone by such a novice...

"We'll reshoot the scene where Lee Su-chul enters the house. Please focus."

Life doesn't always go as planned.

"Comrade, are you out of your mind? With the surveillance by South Korean bastards getting stricter, you come here? Do you want to die together?"

"S-Sorry, comrade. S... Sorry."

"Let's do it again."

He mixed up the character's name.

"South Korean bastards, during election season... Ah, damn. Why is this happening? I'm sorry. I'm really sorry."

"Seung-woong, please focus."

He forgot his lines.

"Let's take a break. Clear your head and come back. Seung-woong, try to get into character."

He failed to get into character properly.

Ryu Seung-woong had to apologize repeatedly for various reasons and finally got the OK sign on the 11th attempt.

It was the day he had the most NGs for a single scene since his debut.

* * *

With Scene 15, Ahn Si-hyun's first day of filming was over.

Although his role had increased in importance, Ahn Si-hyun was still a supporting actor. Since his scenes were mostly in the latter part of the film, he didn't have many scenes to shoot in the early stages.

Still, Ahn Si-hyun stayed on set.

There were two main reasons.

He thought it was better to practice in the car since there was nothing to do at home, and he believed watching other actors' performances would be a good learning experience.

"Watching the performances of seniors Kang-sik and Young-min will be a great learning experience at this stage."

Many actors debut, but only a few earn the title of national actor.

In the 2000s, the trio of Choi Jeong-su, Song Kang-sik, and Hwang Young-min, and later Kim Jin-mo, earned the title of national actor.

What makes national actors great is their consistent good performances and their keen eye for good projects.

Few of the films they star in fail at the box office. Their acting skills and discerning taste lead to consistent commercial success, which is why they are recognized as national actors.

In this sense, Song Kang-sik and Hwang Young-min were excellent learning materials for Ahn Si-hyun.

Song Kang-sik and Hwang Young-min, who dominated the 2000s film industry and consistently achieved commercial success, were valuable for Ahn Si-hyun, who aimed to become a national actor.

After dinner,

The filming of Scene 5 continued in the indoor set.

Scene 5 was a scene where the deputy director of the National Security Planning Agency, Kang Seok-woo, scolds Gang Seok-woo, who failed to extract information from the North Korean spy Seo Young-man, in his characteristic gentle tone.

It was also Kim Jin-mo's first scene.

"Director, let's finish quickly and go for a drink."

"Will you buy, Song?"

"Of course. My fee is enough to cover it. How about some kimchi stew and a drink in the rain?"

"Hehe. Sounds good. Let's finish quickly and go."

Before filming, Song Kang-sik was relaxed.

He showed no signs of nervousness. He was so calm that he even suggested having a drink with Director Kwak Sang-pil after filming.

However,

"Action."

As soon as filming started, Song Kang-sik's demeanor changed.

The casual conversation with Director Kwak Sang-pil was gone, and he adopted a composed expression for his role.

Thud.

Song Kang-sik sat in the metal chair.

With his legs crossed, he looked up at Kim Jin-mo and spoke.

"So, you found nothing?"

"I'm sorry, Director. The persuasion failed, and he only repeated that he should die under torture."

"Hmm."

A short sigh.

"Seok-woo."

The next line, his gentle voice, and the smile on his lips. However, his eyes weren't smiling, and his tone was slightly lower than before.

Song Kang-sik didn't openly show his anger. He expressed restrained emotion through his eyes and tone.

"Have you ever thought about how many communist bastards there are in this country?"

"I... don't know."

"Based on the 1988 Olympics, it's estimated that there are over a thousand in Seoul alone. There must be more nationwide. You only need to catch a few of them. Is that so hard?"

"No, it's not."

"We just need to pretend to catch them as ordered. We just need to put on a show before the election. If we can get him to talk, it's solved."

Song Kang-sik stood up.

Thud.

He placed his hand on Kim Jin-mo's shoulder and whispered.

"How about it, easy, right?"

Kim Jin-mo gritted his teeth.

Gang Seok-woo was a timid and weak-willed person, unsuited for the National Security Planning Agency. However, he didn't want to lose the rare opportunity for success and struggled with his inner turmoil.

The moment Song Kang-sik placed his hand on his shoulder, Gang Seok-woo was conflicted.

He agonized over whether to apply intense torture to the North Korean spy Seo Young-man or to refuse.

Shaking eyes, trembling fingers, and a tense body.

After much deliberation, Gang Seok-woo's conclusion was...

"I'll try harder, Director."

To torture Seo Young-man.

He gritted his teeth, choosing the desire for success over the guilt of torture.

Song Kang-sik sat back in his chair and took a cigarette from his pocket.

He put it in his mouth, and when Kim Jin-mo lit it for him, he took a deep puff and slowly exhaled, tapping his thigh with his fingers.

"Do you know what's most important during torture?"

"Getting the information... right?"

"No. It's knowing that you can use any means necessary."

Song Kang-sik smiled, his usual friendly smile.

But the emotion in the smile wasn't good. The pressure to extract the information at any cost weighed heavily on Kim Jin-mo's shoulders.

"Don't kill him."

"..."

"I'm giving you a week."

Kim Jin-mo had to nod reluctantly.

"Yes, I understand."

"Remember. The words that should come out of that communist bastard's mouth are not 'kill me' but 'please kill me.'"

With Song Kang-sik's last line,

"Cut."

The dialogue for Scene 5 was over.

A moment of silence.

Director Kwak Sang-pil, who had been alternating his gaze between Song Kang-sik and Kim Jin-mo, finally...

"OK. Let's go with this. Good job."

Gave the OK sign.

Scene 5 was completed in one take. Ahn Si-hyun, who had been watching on set, couldn't help but marvel.

'Senior Kang-sik is amazing, but Jin-mo is also incredible. His emotional line never wavered for a moment.'

Scene 5 didn't have many lines.

Director Kwak Sang-pil himself didn't put many lines in a single scene, so the dialogue was relatively sparse compared to other films.

Instead, he was known for re-shooting scenes multiple times if they didn't meet his standards.

After all, Ryu Seung-woong had to re-shoot 11 times before getting the OK sign in the first scene after lunch.

Therefore, a one-take success was significant.

A rookie actor showed his own acting without being intimidated and maintained his immersion throughout the scene, proving that Kim Jin-mo was a solid actor with a strong foundation.

Rookie actors often have their scenes cut into multiple takes, and even then, they might only get a usable scene after several NGs.

It was extremely rare for a rookie to get an OK sign on the first take in their first scene. Kim Jin-mo was the second actor Director Kwak Sang-pil had seen do this.

The first was Song Kang-sik, who had just completed a one-take success with Kim Jin-mo.

'One shows top-notch method acting, and the other maintains his emotional line without being intimidated by Song and completes a one-take. Both have improved more than during the script readings.'

Ahn Si-hyun and Kim Jin-mo's acting had visibly improved over time, more so than during the script readings, which were already better than the auditions.

At 21,

It was a time for growth through experience and effort, but the two were developing at an abnormally fast pace.

Despite having seen many actors, Director Kwak Sang-pil had never seen a case like Ahn Si-hyun and Kim Jin-mo.

"Did you two get some kind of training from a 1000-year-old mountain spirit? Or what did you do to change so much from the script readings?"

Kim Jin-mo scratched his head and smiled awkwardly.

He had noticed his acting had improved recently and knew the reason, but it was a bit embarrassing to share.

"Seems like there's something. Spill it. I can't focus on filming today if I don't know."

"Si-hyun, I'm not sure, but I'll be honest..."

After hesitating, Kim Jin-mo finally revealed the truth.

"Embarrassed to the point of this."