“Siyeon, why did your mind change so suddenly?”
“Just because.”
Today is the day I leave early due to the audition for the role of Uriel in The Heirs.
Chaeyoung was looking at me with some dissatisfaction, while Jiyoung kept chattering.
“Hmph. You know The Heirs is written by writer Kang Eung-sook, right? There will be many prestigious actors auditioning for it.”
“Yeah, I know. Aren’t you auditioning, Chaeyoung?”
“How could I? It’s a high school-themed drama. At our age, we’d still be playing child roles. It’s you, Kim Siyeon, who’s acting weird.”
“…Really?”
It seemed strange to Chaeyoung, who often does some filming.
But from Jihyun’s explanation, it didn’t seem impossible.
The only difference was being a high school student.
The role of Uriel is more of a supporting character than a lead, and since it’s a villain role, the chances of me getting it are higher than the lead roles.
Also, according to Jihyun, it’s a role that suits me.
No matter what role, there’s no performance I can’t handle.
“Seriously… You said you wouldn’t do it, and now you’re doing it.”
“Chaeyoung! You can’t say that! You should be supporting her! Siyeon always supported us.”
“Who said what? It’s just that suddenly doing it seems strange. Ah, anyway, do well.”
“Yeah. I’ll be back.”
Receiving their support, I stood up from my seat.
The boys from the same class, who seemed to have overheard, also said something to me.
Most of them were from the same group as the troublemakers I had dealt with before.
I’m not interested in useless people.
If they want to become my allies, they should grow up first.
I got into my mom’s car waiting at the school gate and headed to the broadcasting station.
“Si, Siyeon, do you think you’ll be okay?”
“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”
“Well, just… I’m nervous for you.”
Even when I was little, my mom was always so timid.
She seemed like a former empress in her past life.
She was a good person by nature, but she wasn’t suited for the role of a ruler.
Perhaps the downfall of the empire after His Majesty was poisoned and the ensuing crisis was because the Empress couldn’t hold things together.
But she was still a good person.
She was one of the few in the royal family who shared warmth with me.
Perhaps in a past life, her betrayal by the royal family caused her to meet her end.
But I never blamed her.
While reminiscing about my past life, I entered the audition waiting room.
…!
As soon as I stepped into the waiting room, I could feel all eyes on me.
Aspiring actors were either warming up their voices or rehearsing what they had prepared.
At that moment, everything stopped, and their eyes turned toward me.
Though they tried not to show it, it was no big deal for me to sense several gazes, even though I was a nameless person.
“Our Siyeon is the prettiest after all.”
My mom whispered quietly.
It was true. I don’t deny that I have exceptional looks.
But writer Kang Eung-sook values acting and the character more than appearance.
It’s about how well you bring the script to life.
“…Sevit Middle School? Hmph. A middle schooler is here?”
“Never seen her before. Which agency is she from?”
“Such a young kid…”
Whispers echoed from all around.
Some of the actors I had seen on TV were here.
There were some people who seemed like complete newcomers, but since the writer was who she was, there were many people.
“We will now begin the auditions. The auditions will proceed in groups of five. Please come in from number one to number five.”
The waiting participants sighed at the announcement.
It seemed that group auditions were more intimidating.
I looked around at the people near my number.
“Ah… I’m doomed.”
“Why now…?”
Everyone was almost uniformly disheartened.
The reason was one actress. She was someone I had seen before.
“Ugh.”
I think her name was Yuna.
She was an actress who had gained some fame from a few projects.
I knew she wasn’t the right age for a high school role.
The script by Kang Eung-sook was truly impressive, though. Someone like her came here personally to audition.
Looking around, besides Yuna, there were several other well-known actors.
“Next, number 21 to 25. Please come in.”
Soon, it was my turn.
Yuna confidently entered the audition room.
“Siyeon, fighting!”
“Yeah.”
Leaving my supportive mom behind, I followed her.
Yuna. She was an actress who had successfully appeared in several hit productions.
She had also appeared in previous works by writer Kang Eung-sook.
Of course, before this, she had all been minor supporting roles with little screen time.
She hadn’t even been considered by writer Kang Eung-sook before.
But now, with accumulated experience, it was different.
The role of Uriel in The Heirs was a significant supporting character with a considerable level of importance.
Her goal in this work was to show perfect acting to completely impress writer Kang Eung-sook.
‘…She’s pretty competitive. But it doesn’t matter.’
Rumors were circulating about idol actors with no acting experience being cast, and the existing cast being overturned.
From various places, many actors had come to audition.
Among them were complete rookies, and also actors with some fame.
But Yuna was confident.
‘Group auditions. I actually like it.’
Group auditions weren’t very common for actors.
However, for Yuna, it was a good opportunity.
In a group audition, performances would obviously be compared.
By outshining others through acting, she could stand out.
‘Most of them don’t seem skilled. Is she a middle schooler? Just relying on looks?’
The people in the same group were predictable.
Actor aspirants and a middle schooler who barely seemed to have passed the audition.
Yuna confidently entered the audition room.
The script for the audition had already been released, and all she had to do was prepare her performance accordingly.
The key was how well she analyzed and portrayed the character through a short scene.
“Start from the first number you’ve prepared.”
Director Kang Shin-yul spoke in a detached voice.
Shin-yul was already exhausted from the repeated casting process.
There were many roles to cast, and even more applicants.
Writer Kang Eung-sook was known to be meticulous, so casting couldn’t be rushed or done carelessly.
‘There’s Yuna in this group.’
Due to the rumors, many well-known actors had also arrived.
The headache only worsened.
In the previous group, Kim Jihyun, and in this group, Yuna.
“…In this area, I’m the crazy one.”
“Yes. Next.”
The first applicant’s performance was mediocre.
It was clear she would be eliminated.
The others, excluding Yuna, seemed the same.
Well, except for one person standing at the end.
‘Is that the girl Jihyun mentioned? She definitely stands out with her looks.’
The girl Jihyun had mentioned. Even though she had made it past the paperwork stage.
She had never formally learned acting, but honestly, I didn’t expect much from her.
Moreover, she was still too young, just out of elementary school.
The role of Uriel was a complex villain, and only someone with considerable skill could bring it to life.
Even though it wasn’t a lead role, it was a character that writer Kang Eung-sook held a special attachment to.
“Are you Ki Gyoon? Are you sticking to Kim Tak?”
Then it was Yuna’s turn.
Yuna’s performance was clearly exceptional.
She completely dominated the performance of the previous candidates.
Having worked with writer Kang Eung-sook before, her understanding of the script was high.
“You’ve just picked the wrong person. I’m the crazy one in this area.”
Marking a check next to Yuna’s name, the director moved on.
Her age was a bit ambiguous, but I thought Yuna wouldn’t do badly.
And finally, it was my turn.
“Please begin.”
Siyeon scanned the script once in a mechanical manner before closing it.
Usually, girls her age are sensitive or tend to get nervous.
But Siyeon didn’t show any such signs.
At a glance, she even seemed somewhat dry.
Although Uriel is a villain, she didn’t give off that kind of vibe.
Jihyun had recommended her, but it seemed like a middle schooler might still struggle with the role.
Shin-yul lowered his head, mentally marking an “X.”
But then,
“Are you that Ki Gyun? The one trying to flirt with Kim Tak?”
A voice rang out in the audition room.
It resonated deeply, as if from a seasoned veteran actor.
Not only Shin-yul but everyone in the room was surprised and turned to look at Siyeon.
But Siyeon ignored them and kept her gaze fixed.
Her eyes seemed to look down on someone right in front of her.
It felt as though she was truly glaring at someone.
“Don’t you know who that is?”
As she spoke those words, Siyeon took a step forward.
There was no one in front of her, but it felt as though the female lead was retreating backward.
“You… you’ve messed with the wrong person. I’m the crazy one in this area.”
Uriel, glaring at the female lead, spoke fiercely.
Although Uriel wasn’t genuinely in love with Kim Tak, the anger at her fiancé’s affections for someone like Ki Gyun was clear.
Her disgust at Ki Gyun’s low status, coming from a rich background, was evident.
In the script, Uriel was a cultured character, but she perfectly portrayed the intense emotions of anger and frustration.
“Ah, aah…”
Shin-yul, watching the performance, felt a chill run down his spine.
Just watching a middle school girl act, yet his legs went numb, and he felt a cold shiver.
It was like witnessing the best performance from a seasoned actor.
When the depth of acting overflows, it reaches the audience and sends chills down their spine.
“Y-yes, excellent.”
The assistant director, who had barely regained his composure, spoke. Only then did Siyeon relax her expression.
After Siyeon’s turn, the group audition was over, and the applicants left.
“Alright, wait a moment. Should we take a break?”
Shin-yul stopped the staff member who was about to call the next group.
It seemed like everyone needed a moment to calm down before continuing the evaluations.
“That… that was amazing. She’s a middle schooler, they say…”
“She’s not a middle schooler level. Where did Jihyun find someone like her?”
Shin-yul exhaled heavily, trying to relax.
Where did someone like that suddenly come from?
It was astonishing to the point of fear.
Especially the look in her eyes during her last line. It was too frightening to be just acting.
“…Do we need to see more?”
But one thing was clear: she was incredibly good.
Not just good for a middle schooler—she was simply outstanding.
Is that real talent?
I don’t know. I’ve never heard of or seen anything like it.
But one thing is certain:
“At that level, even Writer Kang Eung-sook wouldn’t be able to say anything against it.”
Even the great Kang Eung-sook couldn’t deny this casting.