Chapter 5. It's Because of the Bad Acting

"Everyone, finish the stage preparations quickly! We don't have time if we want to have a celebration party tonight!"

"Sure thing! How could there be any problem?"

"We won't be able to go home until dawn today!"

"Ugh! Let's give it our all today!"

The troupe members bustled about.

They had decided to finish the stage preparations early and throw a drinking party to celebrate An Si-hyun and Kim Jin-mo's successful auditions.

Before the party, An Si-hyun called his mother.

'How happy will she be? Will she throw a neighborhood party again?'

Before the regression, An Si-hyun, after enduring a long period of obscurity, managed to stand out as a supporting actor, all thanks to his parents' support.

His parents, who ran a farm in their hometown, always told An Si-hyun not to worry about money and to do what he loved.

They silently supported him from behind.

Even for a minor role, or a mere second on TV, they would always watch and record it, proudly showing it to the neighbors several times a day.

The day after they heard that An Si-hyun would appear as an extra in "I Am a Spy," his parents slaughtered a few cows and threw a village party to celebrate his debut.

This time, it's not an extra role but a supporting role.

What kind of reaction will they have?

An Si-hyun waited with hopeful eyes for his mother to answer the phone.

- Oh, son. What's up? Did you run out of meat? Or do you need money for the start of the semester tomorrow? I sent you money yesterday.

"Mom, we still have plenty of meat, and I have enough money. I'm calling because I have some good news."

-Good news? Did you get a girlfriend?

"Mom, have you heard of Director Kwak Sang-pil?"

-He's been on TV a few times. Why him?

"I passed the audition for his movie. Not as an extra or an extra, but as one of the four supporting actors."

-...

"Mom? Mom?"

An Si-hyun kept calling his mother, but there was no response. No, it couldn't come.

Because his mother was no longer in front of the phone.

- Honey! Slaughter some cows! About ten!

- Is this woman crazy? Why ten cows?

- Si-hyun passed the audition. Is the cow more important?

- Audition? Even a minor role in a drama?

- You're talking nonsense! It's a supporting role, a supporting role! And it's Director Kwak Sang-pil! A famous person on TV, you know!

- Bring a knife! Call all the villagers for lunch tomorrow! Get some makgeolli from Mr. Kim!

An Si-hyun smiled as he faintly heard his parents' conversation.

He was an only child and received pocket money until he was thirty. He never looked at other paths and was full of confidence and pretense.

His awkward acting and the way he strutted around as an actor, straining his neck, now made his ears turn red with embarrassment.

In his early thirties.

After being cast as a supporting actor, he earned the nickname "Master Supporting Actor" and established himself as an actor, but his parents, who should have enjoyed that joy, were no longer there.

They had passed away in an accident a year before he was cast as a supporting actor.

He regretted not succeeding earlier, not working harder, and how deeply it hurt after they were gone.

This time, he didn't want to leave any regrets.

'Starting as a supporting actor, not an extra. If I do well, I can become a lead actor before enlisting. No, I will definitely do that.'

He wanted to show his parents, who found joy in watching his performances and took pride in their son, his success as an actor.

'I will prevent the accident too.'

The accident involving his parents.

It was a turning point that deepened his acting after his military service, but he didn't want to experience it again. Knowing when and where the accident would happen, he wanted to prevent it if possible.

An Si-hyun wished.

That his parents' passing would be natural.

* * *

The troupe members filled their regular restaurant, celebrating An Si-hyun and Kim Jin-mo's successful auditions as if it were their own success.

The restaurant owner, a foul-mouthed old lady, frowned and asked,

"Did you all come here to drink during the day? Why are you so excited?"

"Two of our juniors passed the auditions today."

"Auditions?"

"It's a new film by Director Kwak Sang-pil, scheduled to start filming at the end of April. Not an extra role, but a supporting role."

"You brats! If you got such a big role, you should sign autographs first!"

Kim Jin-mo and An Si-hyun readily got up, picked up the paper and pen from the corner of the restaurant.

Located in Daehak-ro, the restaurant often welcomed actors, so they had a designated spot for autographs.

The fame of the actors didn't matter.

The foul-mouthed old lady would frame the autographs and hang them on the wall, regardless of who the actor was. By the time the restaurant closed due to her health issues, the walls were almost entirely covered with frames.

Kim Jin-mo and An Si-hyun's autographs were added to the collection.

After signing, the side dishes and kimchi stew were set on the table.

The menu consisted of only two items: kimchi stew and egg rolls, with unlimited side dishes for regular customers. The troupe members, genuinely celebrating the auditions as if it were their own success, made the atmosphere even better.

'Ah, this is good.'

An Si-hyun felt happy.

The camaraderie he felt while working in the troupe, the times he missed, were not just a few.

Something that couldn't be filled by his success as an actor filled one side of An Si-hyun's heart. He sincerely thanked God for giving him another chance in this era.

After satisfying their hunger, Choi Jung-soon asked An Si-hyun and Kim Jin-mo,

"What are you going to do about school?"

"I think I'll take a leave of absence. While balancing school and acting isn't bad, I want to focus entirely on the film since it's my debut. I can always return to school later."

"I feel the same way."

Before the regression, An Si-hyun took a leave of absence with Kim Jin-mo right after passing the audition for "I Am a Spy."

And he never returned to school.

Looking back, he was a madman.

Obsessed with acting, he charged through his twenties with all his might. How he managed to endure the ten years of minor roles and extras, now seems like a miracle.

The tunnel was pitch black until he returned from the military.

If it weren't for his parents' support and his genuine love for acting, he might have given up long ago.

'There's no need to attend school. It's not a job that requires a degree.'

In this life, An Si-hyun also chose to take a leave of absence.

Of course, there would be no return to school. His obsession with acting hasn't changed, whether before or after the regression.

The only thing that has changed is one.

Twenty years of well-aged acting skills.

* * *

On the first day of the semester.

An Si-hyun and Kim Jin-mo submitted their leave of absence forms and met with their professor, Im Jin-sub.

Professor Im Jin-sub.

A senior to Choi Jung-soon, a famous actor in the late 1980s.

Recently, he has focused more on nurturing the next generation, but the drama "Dream City," in which he starred during his sabbatical in 1997, achieved a peak viewership of 44.1% and was a huge success.

As a professor and senior actor, Im Jin-sub smiled at the news of An Si-hyun and Kim Jin-mo's successful auditions.

"Both of you passed as supporting actors? Congratulations. We have a good story to tell at the freshmen welcome party."

"We're submitting our leave of absence forms because the filming is scheduled to start at the end of April. We want to focus on our debut work."

"There are things you can learn on set that you can't learn at school. Still, come by before filming starts. I can't do much, but I can buy you drinks and food. Give advice to the juniors too."

"Yes, I will."

"Enough talk. Show off a bit at the freshmen welcome party tonight. You can go now."

"See you tonight, Professor."

After An Si-hyun and Kim Jin-mo left the office, Professor Im Jin-sub tilted his head.

"Jin-mo passing is understandable, but Si-hyun too... That's strange. I thought he was limited to minor roles. What happened?"

Kim Jin-mo, with his innate talent inherited from his parents and tireless effort, was a genius. He could debut anytime, but he wanted more experience.

But not An Si-hyun.

He had good talent but didn't know his strengths. He needed time and experience to bloom.

Yet, a supporting role?

Especially for Director Kwak Sang-pil, known for his strict actor selection. Having worked with him, Professor Im Jin-sub knew this better than anyone.

You couldn't pass the audition with mediocre skills.

What happened during the break? How did he achieve such a dramatic change in just a couple of months?

"If his talent has bloomed... He might grow to a leading role in his twenties, along with Jin-mo?"

* * *

"Game center, go?"

"Call."

What to do before the freshmen welcome party?

An Si-hyun and Kim Jin-mo decided on the game center.

Despite the impact of the IMF and the spread of PC rooms, game centers still had a place in the neighborhood.

Especially near the university, there was no shortage of game centers.

An Si-hyun and Kim Jin-mo had a lunch bet with the pump, and naturally, Kim Jin-mo won. After nearly 15 years, An Si-hyun couldn't beat Kim Jin-mo, who had just done the pump a few days ago.

"Are you not in good condition today? Why are you so bad?"

"My body feels heavy. Wait and see. I'll beat you soon."

"Are you talking about tomorrow with that 'soon'?"

"Maybe not even this year?"

"Ha. Try harder, man."

After a few tries, An Si-hyun got the hang of it and showed some decent skills.

Of course, Kim Jin-mo won the bet.

That evening, An Si-hyun and Kim Jin-mo attended the freshmen welcome party as Professor Im Jin-sub suggested.

At the party, Professor Im Jin-sub announced their successful auditions, and they were surrounded by seniors, juniors, and peers, receiving applause.

The bonus was the barrage of questions from those seeking advice on auditions.

The freshmen welcome party proceeded in a good atmosphere.

An Si-hyun barely touched alcohol. He mostly drank a few beers and mostly ice water, and ate just enough snacks and nuts to satisfy his hunger.

This was a new life he miraculously obtained. He didn't want to damage his body for fleeting pleasure. Thorough management was essential, even for acting until he was covered in sweat.

So, he decided to enjoy the party rather than the alcohol.

As the party reached its peak, An Si-hyun got up and headed outside the bar.

A senior followed and offered him a cigarette.

"Cigarette time?"

"Ah, I quit smoking."

"Wow. I didn't know you were so tough. I can't quit."

"Senior, you should quit too. It's bad for your health."

"Sure. I'll just smoke one. Congratulations on passing the audition. Be sure to succeed and become a national actor."

"Thanks, senior."

An Si-hyun headed to the bathroom instead of taking the cigarette. After washing his hands and coming out of the bathroom,

"Excuse me, senior."

A woman approached An Si-hyun and bowed.

Seeing her, An Si-hyun tilted his head in confusion.

'Why is she talking to me?'

Before the regression, she was an actress with no connection to An Si-hyun except for being in the same department.

"I'm Han Na-rae, a freshman from the 99 cohort. If it's not too much trouble, could I ask for some advice? Is it okay?"

The Department of Theater and Film at Daehan University has produced many actors.

Many have risen to the ranks of national actors. It's joked that if you gathered all the actors from Daehan University, you could easily produce a few blockbuster dramas.

Among the three major beauties of Daehan University, one is Han Na-rae, standing right in front of him.

She has a pure and gentle appearance, often described as the epitome of Eastern beauty, and a glamorous figure that has drawn the attention of many men since her modeling debut.

What kind of advice could she be seeking from An Si-hyun?

"Tell me your problem. And the formal honorifics are a bit much. Just this level is fine."

"Ah, yes. I told the professor that I was cast in a film before entering university. But since I've only been acting for a short time, I don't know what to do. The professor said that during the break, your acting improved a lot, and you passed the audition for Director Kwak Sang-pil's next film as a supporting actor. I was wondering if there's a way to dramatically improve my acting skills in a short time..."

Only then did An Si-hyun understand what kind of advice Han Na-rae was seeking.

'It's because of the bad acting.'