Chapter 32: Profile
“What?”
Park Moonchul, who had been listening quietly to the report, raised his head, as if he thought he had heard wrong. But Lee Hijun’s expression didn’t change.
“He’s going to audition for the role of Jin.”
“Why audition? He’s already been confirmed for Louis, right? No, wait. The production company said they weren’t looking for anyone else.”
Lee Hijun sighed and tidied his fingertips, muttering, “When we met, there were some differing opinions. More than anything, I prefer Jin over Louis. The role is much bigger and more important. How many years in a row have I been playing these innocent characters? It’s time for a change.”
“Why are you deciding this on your own?”
“……Then who’s supposed to decide it?”
“You should have coordinated with the company. It’s Jin Gyeongmun, not just any director. You’re going to throw away a confirmed role and audition? What if you fail? How are you going to make up for the lost opportunity cost?”
Park Moonchul rolled up his shirt cuffs, looking exasperated. The atmosphere was intimidating. Lee Hijun glared at him, letting out an annoyed sigh. The manager stuck in the middle was having a terrible time.
“You’re already thinking about failing?”
“Lee Hijun, think straight. You’ve been acting for five years, and you’ve been the lead for three of them. Have you had any success? It’s about time you made a breakthrough.”
Being a lead actor doesn’t mean much if the results aren’t good. It just leads to serious image depletion—having a name but no box office success.
“Don’t you feel the number of scripts you’re getting is decreasing?”
“Come on, really, Manager.”
“You’re only this young. Do you have any idea what happens if you can’t make an impact now?”
You’ll become obsolete.
It’s hard to raise an actor’s value, and it’s hard to lower it too. Who would want to hire an actor whose performance doesn’t match their fee? Even a supporting role that makes a big impact is more beneficial in the long run, both for the company and the artist.
“If you don’t swallow your pride now, it’ll be harder when you’re older.”
“That sounds more like a curse.”
“Sigh. What have you been doing? Huh?”
Park Moonchul sighed and shouted at the manager. The manager flinched, bowed his head, and closed his mouth. Lee Hijun waved his hand dismissively, as if he didn’t want to look at him.
“Whatever. Anyway, it’s done. The production company is discussing the role of Jin, so I’ll be auditioning soon. That’s all you need to know. If this doesn’t work out, I’ll consider the daily drama that came in from JTV.”
He said that and stood up. No matter what the company says, if the actor himself doesn’t want to do it, what can they do? As he urged the manager to leave, pushing him on the back, he said,
“You, stay for a moment.”
“Me? Me?”
“Who else is there besides you?”
Park Moonchul held onto the manager. No matter how he thought about it, something seemed strange. Lee Hijun winked at the manager, signaling him to keep quiet.
Thud.
After Lee Hijun left, Park Moonchul gestured to the manager to come closer.
“What happened at the meeting?”
“What? What do you mean……”
He’s like a ghost. His instincts are ghostly.
“Monet clearly said they’d only cast Louis. So why did they suddenly change their attitude? And why is that guy, who was so obedient before the meeting, acting like that now?”
The manager closed his eyes tightly. He and Lee Hijun had already agreed on everything, but there was nothing he could do in front of this ghost.
‘I’m sorry, Hijun.’
He was going to tell the company that they had just coordinated their opinions after meeting with the director. It was a bit embarrassing, though. Even though he tried to get rid of the role of Louis, the fact that an unknown rookie was involved in the process was itself.
‘The production company seemed like they’d go along with it given the atmosphere, but damn.’
“Well, you see.”
The manager had no choice but to report in detail what had happened from the moment he arrived at Monet until he left. Unfortunately, it was Park Moonchul, not Lee Hijun, who paid his salary.
“-So, it was kind of a mix of things. Hijun didn’t want to play Louis, and Monet seemed to be considering other actors……”
“Hmm. So that’s what it was.”
Park Moonchul nodded, as if he now understood.
The production company felt sorry, so they left some room for casting.
“Lee Hijun, the little bastard. He’s so cute.”
Park Moonchul laughed incredulously and stubbed out his cigarette. Now that he understood the situation, he knew what he had to do as a company employee.
“Find out who’s being considered for the role of Jin.”
“What are you planning to do?”
“You have to know your opponent to decide whether to show your cards or fold. Do you think Lee Hijun is the kind of guy who’ll make it through the audition?”
Park Moonchul tutted and scolded the manager. It was already done. Whether they liked it or not, they had to support him. Besides, going from a supporting role to a lead role couldn’t be a bad thing.
“Okay, let’s see. Get me the information by tomorrow.”
“Oh…… Okay, I understand.”
If they couldn’t improve Lee Hijun’s abilities in a short time, they’d have to bring down the competition. There’s no agency or actor without a weak spot. Park Moonchul turned his back, telling the manager to leave, then hesitated.
“Oh, right.”
Come to think of it, he hadn’t heard the most important thing.
“Who’s that rookie?”
“The rookie? The one who came to say hello?”
“Yeah. Do you know him?”
“I’ve never seen him before. His name was Ha…… Muyoung, I think?”
As the manager stammered, trying to recall the name, Park Moonchul frowned. What did he just say?
“Ha Muyoung? Is that the Ha Muyoung I know?”
“……Who’s the Ha Muyoung that the manager knows?”
“Never mind. Go.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the manager bowed and quickly ran out, like someone escaping a tiger’s den.
“Oh, man.”
He’d just smoked one, but now he wanted another cigarette.
Park Moonchul clicked his lighter again and muttered,
“……He keeps getting under my skin.”
“This is great news! Oh, this is great news!”
Na Geumdong swayed his shoulders as he walked around the office. Muyoung watched him blankly. Wasn’t this already the fifth lap? Wasn’t he tired yet?
“Muyoung’s a huge success! A huge success!”
“Boss, you’re making me dizzy. Could you please sit down?”
Ko Gyeongmin couldn’t take it anymore and spoke up.
Usually, the guy struggled to climb stairs, so why was he so full of energy now?
“Oh, Director Ko! Follow me right away and take a lap. How can you just sit still on such a good day?”
“I’m reading the contract.”
“Take your time! You’ve got until next week to review it!”
Ko Gyeongmin responded with a glare. When there was no reaction, Na Geumdong flopped onto the sofa.
“Oh. Are you tired now?”
“If Muyoung wants, I’ll do another lap.”
“Haha. No, it’s okay.”
“By the way, Muyoung, you’re really lucky. Your debut is going to be in Director Jin Gyeongmun’s work. And not just as an extra, but as a supporting role!”
Muyoung covered his cheeks and grinned.
It didn’t feel real, actually. The production company he liked, a master director, and the role he wanted—everything was perfect. And what about the child actor opposite him?
“I’m already looking forward to acting with Yuna.”
“Yeah, that kid’s as good as an adult. Did you see ‘The Neighboring Uncle’? She’s got such a bright future. Among child actors, she’s considered a genius.”
Ko Gyeongmin glanced at Muyoung as he listened to Na Geumdong’s words. If there was a genius among child actors, Muyoung wouldn’t be far behind either.
‘The synergy effect is going to be amazing.’
A meeting of two geniuses.
Their encounter in the office was something even the audience would look forward to. The chemistry between them in that brief moment was incredible.
“Boss, could you check the front for me?”
“Huh? Yeah, sure.”
Ko Gyeongmin handed the contract review to Na Geumdong and explained. A rookie actor’s movie fee usually had a set range.
“Muyoung, this is going to be your debut, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“For a rookie, it’s usually between 200 and 300, up to 1,000 at most. It’s a field where experience matters, so if you’re completely new, it’s hard to get a good fee.”
Muyoung sipped his green tea and just nodded.
“But the director and the production company really liked you, and the role of Louis isn’t just a supporting role, so this is what’s been decided for now.”
Nine million won.
It was a small amount, considering it wasn’t paid per episode like in dramas, and the shooting period would last from six months to a year. But,
“I’m so happy.”
Muyoung’s voice was genuinely grateful.
“Where else would I get this?”
When he received a 200,000 won advance payment, he felt like he owned the world. This time, it was a whopping nine million won. Even after deductions, splitting it 70-30 would still leave him with millions!
“Yeah, where else would you get this? For rookies, making a debut itself is important, so many don’t get paid at all.”
Not getting paid is one thing.
Agencies often paid money themselves. They were willing to take a loss just to get their faces known, using it as a stepping stone to move forward. It was a common practice to invest in this way.
“If the production company gives you about 200,000 won for travel expenses, you just give it right back.”
“But Muyoung, you’re in Director Jin Gyeongmun’s work and you’re getting paid properly. It’s a great start. I mean it.”
Director Jin Gyeongmun, in particular, was famous for improving the working conditions of on-site staff. He gave what needed to be given and believed in working amicably.
“That’s probably why Yoo Yuna’s side agreed too.”
As a child actor, there would be many restrictions due to labor laws. Plus, with such a harsh and brutal content, any guardian would be worried.
There were even rumors that people trusted Director Jin Gyeongmun enough to leave their children in his care.
“Anyway, we’ll review it and get your final confirmation. I think your casting confirmation will come right after Yuna’s.”
“Is that so?”
“Monet said they’ll probably start working on it in the summer, maybe late June or early July, so let’s organize your schedule in advance.”
“Oh, but I don’t have any schedule to organize.”
Muyoung laughed awkwardly, feeling a bit embarrassed. There was about a month left. Even now, he had plenty of free time, so it would probably be the same then, right?
Then Ko Gyeongmin checked the post-it notes on the board.
“You’ll need to get the BORNTORE model shoot dates and prepare your profile. And by then, you’ll have your final exams and the end of the semester, right? If other work comes up, it’ll be chaotic, so prepare in advance. Schedules tend to pile up, and a month goes by faster than you think.”
“Oh, I see.”
Muyoung clapped his hands and said he understood.
Right, right. To keep attending school next semester, he’d have to manage his grades well. He took out his phone to write down what he needed to do. But then,
“Huh?”
He received a text from the student council president.
[Today University Magazine is accepting model applications starting today. Are you interested? They also give a separate scholarship within the school.]
“Today University?”
What’s that?
He felt like he’d heard it somewhere before. While Muyoung tilted his head in confusion, Ko Gyeongmin brought over a stack of profile photo portfolios.
“Manager, do you know about Today University by any chance?”
“Huh? That? It’s a national university magazine that promotes schools. But Muyoung, these are the photographers I picked—”
They were the works of photographers who specialized in profiles. He’d looked for someone who could capture Muyoung’s unique color, not just take ordinary photos…… so the options were a bit limited. Of course, there were also budget constraints.
“The ones who are reasonably good will require some waiting due to their schedules. These ones are available right away, but personally, I’m not too satisfied with their work. What do you think?”
The photos were laid out in order of price. There needed to be a suitable agreement on cost, results, work speed, and every other aspect.
“Hmm.”
Muyoung looked at each one carefully, but none of them really stood out to him. As the selection process took longer, Ko Gyeongmin rummaged under the table.
“I think I had a copy of Today University……here it is.”
An agency couldn’t ignore it.
It was a magazine that featured young, handsome youths from all over the country every month. He pulled out last year’s issue from a corner and placed it on the table.
“It’s like this. It covers everything from university introductions to departments, nearby shops, and anything related to university life. But why? Are you going to apply?”
“A friend told me they’re accepting applications, and they give a scholarship too……”
“That’s good. Quite a few people have debuted through that. Song Joong-ki and Hwang Oh-seul are Today University alumni too.”
Muyoung half-listened to Gyeongmin’s words, his eyes fixed on the magazine. It sparkled. He wondered if it was glitter from cosmetics and wiped it with his hand—
“It’s pretty dusty, isn’t it?”
“No, it’s fine.”
Right. It was that pollen!
But why this magazine? What was he supposed to do with it? Muyoung looked at the lined-up portfolios, the magazine, and the student council president’s text, deep in thought.
“Um, Manager.”
“Yeah? What is it?”
“Do we really need to hire a separate profile photographer?”
“What else can we do?”
And this was the conclusion he reached.
“If I get photographed for Today University, can’t I use that as my profile?”