Life, Once Again!

He approached the semi-open beige door.

“You’re here.”

Director Nam Goonghun, who was inside, welcomed him. Next to him was a man around the same age as him, and he seemed to be someone from the production company.

“Please introduce yourselves. This is president Yoo Jaechul, and this is actor Han Maru.”

Yoo Jaechul held his hand out. Maru greeted him as he grabbed that hand. Jaechul spoke as they shook hands,

“The director told me a lot about you. My ears hurt from all the times he emphasized that I had to bring you on the moment he saw me.”

“I didn’t say it that many times. So sit down.”

Maru sat down on the chair director Nam gave him.

“You look much better in real life. And you have a bigger physique than when I saw you on screen,” Jaechul said.

Maru faintly smiled before looking at the door. “The people outside seem to be waiting for an audition, am I right?”

“We finished casting the lead and supporting roles, so we have to select the minor actors. As we’ll have to do a lot of physically taxing and potentially violent action scenes, I think the casting process will be a lot different from usual,” director Nam explained.

Maru thought about the actors he saw on the way in. They were all quite burly. Perhaps the audition announcement stated that physical education graduates would be given extra points.

“You came early.”

The action director, Kwon Joohyuk, came into the room. He was wearing a black jersey. Maru could guess how the audition was going to go.

“There’s still some time until we start looking at the people outside, so let’s have a look at you first. We’ll see how much you can learn on the fly, as well as how much you can keep up intuitively.”

Joohyuk put down the drink bottle he was holding.

“Mr. Maru. Is that okay with you?” Goonghun asked.

Mrau replied yes. Doing the camera test as early as possible was good for him.

He took off his watch and placed it on his chair along with his phone. Director Nam controlled the camera directly. Maru’s figure could be seen on the large TV on the wall.

“Can you try standing on the line we marked on the floor?”

Maru stepped on the red tape. He was placed in the middle of the TV screen.

“Can you turn around once to your left?”

Maru spun around on the spot according to Goonghun’s request. After that, he smiled, frowned, and laughed heartily to the point that the inside of his mouth could be seen.

“Nice character. I think a beard would suit you as well,” Jaechul said.

“I think a rough image will suit him. It’s good to have a proven actor.”

Maru waved his hand in the air in embarrassment at Goonghun’s compliment. After the basic camera test, it seemed that both the production company and the director were satisfied.

“Let’s have a small bout. Well then, I’m going to punch out like this.”

He stood face-to-face with Joohyuk and did some basic action acting. He would snap his head to the side according to the hit point when Joohyuk punched with his right hand.

“Try reacting after seeing the punch as much as possible. It might be too hard to do on your first try.”

Joohyuk slowly thrust his right fist forward. Maru tilted his head when Joohyuk’s punch brushed past his cheek.

Joohyuk repeatedly swung his hands slowly, and Maru snapped his head to the sides whenever that happened.

“You see how it goes, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll now punch seriously just like the real deal, so do that again.”

Joohyuk signaled with his eyes. Maru placed his fists near his chin.

“It won’t look good to get hit standing still.”

“I like it.”

Saying that, Joohyuk punched out. Just like someone who dedicated his life to action acting, his movements were neat. When Joohyuk’s fist reached an imaginary hit point, Maru raised his chin as though he got hit and took a step back. He didn’t forget to put his shoulder forward around the part he got hit.

Joohyuk twitched one eye and smiled. He looked impressed.

“How did that look?” Joohyuk asked director Nam.

“It’s pretty realistic. If Mr. Maru brings out the feeling of being hit more, it’d be even better.”

“Should I try?” Maru said.

The director and the president both nodded. Maru came back to the center of the camera frame again and faced Joohyuk.

“You weren’t kidding when you said you studied.”

“Was it not bad?”

“I think you’re better than those that have studied two or three years under me. This time, let’s continue. When I punch with my left, dodge to the left, and then my right, dodge to the right. Then I’ll do a hook and you’ll duck.”

Joohyuk moved slowly as he explained. Maru also dodged the punches according to the slow tempo.

After three or four rounds of practice, he got into position.

“Should I get hit like an extra?”

“Wanna try?”

Seemingly enjoying himself, Joohyuk’s tone of words became a lot more informal. It was proof that their sense of distance was shrinking.

Maru exchanged eyes with Joohyuk and started acting.

“Then don’t dodge the last hook and get hit.”

Joohyuk threw a jab as he said so. Just like they practiced, Maru dodge to the left once, then right once, before waiting for the hook. It was a proper hook that made use of the waist.

Maru faltered backward according to the motion. He staggered without being able to balance himself before barely managing to turn his body to Joohyuk.

“There’s no extra that holds on like that,” Joohyuk said with a smile.

Maru raised his fist and spoke,

“You see, I’m a tenacious extra.”

Joohyuk told him to throw some punches. They decided to do the same thing but in reverse. Joohyuk would have to dodge to the left, and then to the right, and then get hit by the hook.

After just one round of practice, they started acting. Two jabs and one left hook. Maru tilted his left foot slightly to hit the imaginary hit point. It was a hit that stemmed from the rotation of the waist.

Joohyuk semi-spun his body in the air and flew away. It was the prime example of an extra who got done in by a protagonist.

“He really is good at getting hit,” said director Nam.

He played back the footage they just got on the TV. Considering that the action was something they tried on the spot, it was pretty good.

“I can see from your posture. You did learn boxing properly.”

“Any professional boxer would call me awkward.”

“That’s because they’re professionals. For action acting, this is more than adequate. You’re especially good at setting the hit point. Your posture is quite good for something you didn’t learn properly. Is it talent?”

“Thank you for looking at me in a good light. I still have a lot to learn.”

“I tend to find humble folks like you the most frightening. People like you say that you’re bad and grow rapidly. You’re going to put all the other actors to shame.”

Joohyuk crossed his arms and watched the screen. He nodded before saying that Maru may as well be immediately useful if he could produce that amount of vividness on the fly.

“As expected of someone Geunsoo recommended. Director, you have to bring Mr. Maru. You don\'t object to that, do you?”

“I was never planning to object in the first place. I only wanted to see how he felt in front of the camera. Mr. Maru, you were above my expectations.”

Maru put on his watch again and asked,

“So I just need to wait for a contract?”

“The president is here, so why don’t you ask him for a good payment?”

The president laughed.

“The payment negotiation is up to our casting manager, not me, so I can’t give you a concrete answer, but I’ll tell him that he should listen to your opinions as much as possible.”

“Hear that? Don’t think about doing something else and go all in on this.”

When director Nam said those words, a man in his early thirties came into the room. The director introduced that man as the assistant director.

“Director, we should begin now,” said the assistant director.

It seemed that the audition was starting.

* * *

Yoo Youngsun, you’ll do well – Youngsun whispered to himself so that only he could hear it. When he looked at the audition announcement that appeared on the internet community, he had confidence that he would be cast. That was because the notice stated that the qualifications were a good build or athletic.

He was able to make use of his history as a youth Taekwondo athlete. He wasn’t sure about anything else, but he had the confidence to do action pretty well.

“The person that went in just now, it was Han Maru, right?”

“Yes, I’m pretty sure.”

“Is he here for an interview?”

“Seeing as he went in without even waiting, don’t you think he got cast already?”

He heard voices murmuring from behind.

Youngsun smiled bitterly. The name Hong Geunsoo was written on the list of lead actors. And now, Han Maru, someone from the same agency, was visiting the audition venue. What could this signify? Clearly, JA, a colossus in the industry, was doing a tie-in sale.

No, even if it wasn’t a tie-in sale, Han Maru should’ve gotten a role through his connections.

Contrary to himself, who didn’t have a decent agency, or any connections for that matter, the casting process for him would’ve been smooth and fast.

He had no intention of criticizing the actor known as Han Maru. He must have put in a lot of effort after all. He just found actors of famous agencies envious and unsightly because they were clearly compensated more for their efforts.

If I also had a good backing… Youngsun stopped thinking. It was a useless assumption. The world was busy enough as is, focusing on reality. If he lost his concentration because of some trivial thoughts, it would influence the audition as well.

There were 15 minutes until the audition. His number was towards the front, so he had to prepare soon.

He went to the bathroom and had a look at his figure in the mirror. As the audition notice placed emphasis on stamina and action, this movie was clearly something rough or violent. He styled his hair and eyebrows so that he looked strong.

“Good, I can do it.”

He left the bathroom after resolving himself. On his way out, he walked past the room where the audition was going to occur.

The door was slightly open, so he had a look inside. People were conversing amidst a good atmosphere. Kwon Joohyuk, an action director he respected, was playfully exchanging punches with Maru.

From a glance, they didn’t look all that amazing. Han Maru’s act was something that he could do.

It didn’t look like anything much, but director Nam Goonghun praised him, saying it was good. It seemed that actors belonging to good agencies were treated well.

Youngsun returned to his seat. Han Maru was Han Maru and, he was he. He decided not to mind.

That guy was probably a lead or a supporting role, while he was here to audition for a minor role that might appear once or twice.

“We’ll begin the audition now. Number 1, Mr. Hwang Taejin, please come inside.”

The audition began. Youngsun pictured the short free-acting skit he prepared in his head and calmed his breathing.

Not long later, his name was called out. He went inside and showed off the skit he prepared.

As the movie had a lot of action, he showed off a skit that made use of the space as much as possible rather than staying still. After running out of breath, he stopped moving.

“Mr. Yoo Youngsun.”

“Yes.”

“Your kicks are very good. But I don’t think we can show any kicks because we’re doing a historical drama with weapons and armor.”

“I can do anything.”

“I like that attitude,” said director Kwon Joohyuk.

He felt proud.

Joohyuk, who was looking at his profile, spoke, “I’ll take him. Mr. Youngsun. You’ll be contacted soon, so please wait.”

“Thank you! I’ll do my best.”

“Alright, let us both do our best.”

He received acknowledgment from Kwon Joohyuk, an action director! Youngsun clenched his fist and left the audition venue. Unlike a certain someone, he got the role purely through his skill.

He left the audition venue and contacted his friends saying that he got the role. After drinking with his friends, he looked at his phone all night.

After around a week, he was contacted. They were about what he needed to bring as well as the payment.