Chapter 90

The director's request was simple.

"Let's make the acting more specific. Don't just think of the role as it appears in the commercial storyboard; imagine you're really in that situation. Think about what emotions you would feel if this were real. That's what you need to convey."

"...Emotional acting?"

"It might seem like a tall order, but if we do this well, we can really nail the quality."

The words almost reached my throat but then slipped back down.

Because of the last part.

Although I've never learned acting, I couldn't let this opportunity slip away.

Even if I can't do it, I have to try.

No, I have to do well.

"...Bro, do you think it'll be okay?"

The youngest member asked worriedly.

"We haven't practiced emotional acting, you know. If we had more time, maybe..."

"I know, it's tough."

I nodded.

"Still, let's give it a shot. Since the director gave us this chance, we can't just let it go. We have to try, no matter what."

"Then..."

Jiho looked at the clock on the wall and then at the other members who were filming.

"We have about thirty minutes, so I'll try to teach you emotional acting as quickly as possible."

The lecture started right away.

"First, let's stand."

"How?"

"Comfortably."

"Is there anyone who finds standing comfortable?"

"Don't backtalk. We don't have time."

"..."

I did as I was told, standing in the most comfortable way I could.

"Now, let's make eye contact with me."

"Like this?"

"Yes, while looking at the person in front of you, imagine the person you cherish and love the most in the world."

The people I cherish and love are few.

Our Kim Deoksoon. Hyun-woong hyung.

And...

"What?"

The youngest member narrowed his eyes.

"Is that really what you imagined? It's the same as before."

"Why would it be the same?"

"Of course. I knew it."

He had a look of certainty.

"Obviously, I'm the cutest and most lovable, right?"

"You are cute."

"Really?"

"When you eat tteokbokki and cry, you look cute."

"..."

The youngest member, who had been glaring at me, returned to teacher mode.

"Usually, when you try to act with emotion, your body tenses up and your movements become unnatural. Whether it's a good or bad role, it's important to relax your body when delivering an emotional line."

"Um, I think I got it. What's the next step?"

"There are several methods, but since this is acting theory, let's skip it. For beginners, what we can do is..."

The youngest member seemed to have an idea after a moment of thought.

"There are two tricks that might work."

"What are they?"

"The first is to recall a situation from your life that's similar to what's written in the script."

"A similar situation..."

I see.

Walking around looking for the missing school jacket and then meeting the new student in the gym with the jacket in his arms.

There's no way such a situation could happen.

It's not even a normal situation.

I thought hard but couldn't find anything similar.

"What's the second one?"

"This one is a bit more challenging. Imagine you're in that situation."

"Isn't that acting?"

"No, when I say 'you,' I mean you, not the character. Usually, when actors act, they think of themselves as the character. How would this character think in this situation? But the method I'm suggesting is to think from your perspective."

"Oh, I get it."

Instead of thinking about how the class president would feel, it's about putting myself, Seon Woo-ju, in that position.

"I'll try the second one."

"Okay, shall we practice it once?"

I nodded at my enthusiastic younger brother.

Has he grown taller recently?

My brother, who usually seems so young, now felt more reliable than anyone else.

We started practicing again.

Instead of focusing on the appropriate actions and expressions for the situation, I focused on myself this time.

If I were in that situation, what emotions would I feel? What thoughts would I have? I colored each line with these points in mind.

Meanwhile, I was amazed by Jiho's emotional acting, which he was guiding me through.

Is our kid a genius?

Even though I don't know much about acting, he was doing an incredible job.

When he started to genuinely convey emotions, the character changed instantly.

It felt like I was really talking to the 'new student' in the play.

I couldn't help but be impressed by how natural it was.

On the other hand, I felt a bit betrayed.

How could he say he couldn't act and cry so much when he's this good?

It seems he can't objectively evaluate himself.

To achieve this much in such a short time, it must be talent.

After the reading, I said with admiration,

"Our youngest member is doing an amazing job."

"I've been learning for three years, so of course I should be good."

"No, it's not just from learning."

I praised him, even though he seemed to take it lightly.

"You really have talent."

"...Thanks."

But the youngest member didn't look very pleased.

I wondered why he wasn't jumping with joy at such a small compliment, and then he asked a surprising question.

"Bro, are you really doing this for the first time?"

"Why?"

"No, it just seems like you have something."

"I don't think so."

I had an idea.

The most basic part of conveying emotions is facial expressions.

Since I have the ability to mimic actions, I can naturally do well with facial expressions. So, I must be good at conveying emotions too.

I smiled at the misunderstanding of the youngest member.

"Next scene, let's get ready!"

"Okay!"

I walked back to the center of the gym.

The supporting actors, who had just finished their scenes, looked exhausted. It seemed they were under a lot of pressure as it was their first time acting.

We high-fived the members and took over.

After checking the movements with the assistant director again, we waited for the cue.

"Bro."

"Yeah?"

Jiho swallowed.

"Can I do this?"

"Why are you worried? I should be the one worried."

I patted him on the back.

"Don't worry, you're doing great. I've never seen anyone act this well recently."

"Really?"

"Really. I'd bet on it with Lee Hyuk."

"That's not convincing. Bet with Bi-ju hyung too."

"I could bet with Seok-hwan hyung if I wanted to."

We exchanged smiles as we saw the manager nodding from a distance.

"It'll be fine. And if it doesn't go well, so what?"

"It'll be embarrassing."

"Hey, how many people will we see again after this? They'll probably forget what we look like as soon as the filming is over."

"Really?"

"Of course. We'll only be embarrassed if our fans don't know."

The youngest member laughed at that.

After a moment of thought, he looked up at me with a nod, seeming more at ease.

"Let's do this properly, bro."

* * *

The filming resumed.

The three members who had just finished their scenes approached the monitor.

The director and assistant director with headphones on, the production staff, the advertising agency employees, and the executives from the client side, all in suits, stood in a row.

They whispered to each other from the back.

"Can you see?"

"No."

Kim Bi-ju stood on tiptoe and shook his head.

"It's too far to see clearly."

"Hyun-woo hyung, can you see?"

"Can't you see?"

"..."

"Is it because you're short? Should I carry you one by one?"

The two members glared at him for a moment.

Then, Team Leader Woo gave up his seat, and the situation was easily resolved.

The members could now see the monitor.

On the screen, the faces of the eldest and the youngest member were visible.

When Wang Jiho's face was captured in a close-up, everyone couldn't help but be impressed.

'He's doing great. Our youngest member.'

The new student, facing the class president's subtle interrogation, was answering while trying to hide his confusion.

But he wasn't just flustered.

At first, he was confused, but then he started to dodge the questions in various ways.

His eloquence made him seem older than the high school student he was playing.

It was a well-executed performance that brought the character to life.

In fact, the 'new student' character in Wang Jiho's performance was set to be a high school student's body with an adult's mind.

[The protagonist possesses an extra character from the webtoon he was reading.]

The content of the commercial was about a college student who, while reading a webtoon on the subway, realizes he has become the 'new student' in a magic school from the webtoon, and after a series of mishaps, returns to reality.

Wang Jiho's performance captured the essence of this character.

Despite his young and innocent face, watching him made you feel like a college student had possessed him.

- "I'm sorry, but I have a difficult situation to tell you about."

To the other members, who knew Wang Jiho well, this was a surprising feat, given the limitations of his experience.

It was incredible to see a high school freshman, who had just started this year, bring out the feel of a college student.

Moreover, the emotions were conveyed clearly.

As they watched him act freely, as if he had been holding back, they realized why the youngest member could do this.

'Seo Woo-ju is supporting him.'

Usually,