For a mont, the room was completely silent. The intensity of Minjae’s performance lingered in the air, gripping the judges’ attention. His voice, his expressions, even the way his fists clenched, and his shoulders trembled conveyed Siwoo’s pain and fury.
It was truly comndable.
Seo Mirae was the first to speak, her eyes glimring with approval. She wasn’t an actor or a director, so her judgent will co from her expertise—portraying emotion through the use of words.
"It’s impressive, Minjae. Your delivery captured both the bitterness and the underlying despair of the character. "
Director Kang also nodded, his stern expression softening a little bit.
"I can see you’ve prepared well. Your grasp of the character’s emotions is strong."
Even Lee Jimin, who had appeared the most relaxed, was now sitting forward, his arms unfolded as he regarded Minjae with genuine interest. The man was a rookie, yet his acting could be on par with the veteran actors who have auditioned for the past 3 days.
"Good job, Minjae.’
"Thank you." Minjae bowed again, his chest rising and falling subtly as he tried to calm his own racing heart.
This was a good start.
"But," Director Kang continued, his sharp gaze returning. "Of course, an audition isn’t just about delivering a single line well. It’s about consistency. Maintaining that emotional intensity across various scenes."
Minjae straightened his back, his posture becoming more attentive. That ans he needed to recite more lines.
"Yes, Director. I understand."
The director exchanged glances with Seo Mirae, who nodded before shuffling through her notes. She finally looked back at Minjae.
"There’s another line I’d like you to perform," Seo Mirae said. "It’s from a much later scene, after Siwoo’s plans for revenge have started to unravel. He’s frustrated and cornered, speaking to his closest friend. The line is—" She glanced down at her notes before reading.
"What was the point of it all? If revenge only leaves emptier, more broken than before… then why does it still feel like my only reason to keep going?"
She looked back up at Minjae after saying those words. The look in her eyes was filled with curiosity.
The lines looked as if they should be portrayed in anger or resentnt, but there was more to it when she was writing it. There have been variations so far and she was curious about how Minjae will express it.
"I want you to show your understanding in this line."
Minjae nodded. For the second ti, he let himself sink back into character. His shoulders slumped slightly, his expression shifting from fierce determination to sothing far more vulnerable.
He really studied the script for days, so he was confident in his own understanding of it.
’Alright…’ With a deep breath, the look on Minjae’s eyes just changed completely.
"What was the point of it all?" His voice was quieter this ti, almost hollow. It was very different from the anger that he showed earlier.
Minjae’s gaze dropped to the floor as if he couldn’t bear to look at anyone.
"If revenge only leaves emptier, more broken than before…"
A bitter chuckle escaped from his lips, sounding almost painful. His hands trembled slightly as he continued, his voice shaking.
"Then why does it still feel like my only reason to keep going?" His eyes lifted again, filled with unshed tears. It was as I he searching for an answer he knew would never co.
Minjae had to thank the system for it. The changes he got now what his skill was of Expert was really handy.
The judges were quiet again, their eyes fixed on him. Lee Jimin exchanged a glance with Seo Mirae before turning back to Minjae.
"But why did it poison everything I touched… everyone I cared about.."
Minjae laughed bitterly, the sound of his voice even cracking at the end. His eyes glead with unshed tears, reflecting the exhaustion of his journey.
"I pushed everyone away. I destroyed everything good in my life… and for what?"
He looked up, eyes brimming with pain and resignation. He swallowed and his voice grew more softer, more vulnerable.
"Now, I don’t even recognize myself."
For a mont, the room remained silent, the echoes of Minjae’s performance still lingering like a heavy fog. Seo Mirae’s eyes shimred with satisfaction, her lips curving into a subtle, approving smile.
"That was…" She paused, her fingers intertwined thoughtfully. "Excellent. I like that you didn’t just deliver the line. I could feel Siwoo’s tornt and his despair. It seed like you really studied the script, huh?"
Minjae chuckled and nodded. He felt his shoulders relaxing a little bit. Hearing those words from the writer herself was good and reassuring.
"I agree," Director Kang spoke up. Maintaining emotional consistency is difficult, especially across contrasting scenes. But you adapted well with precision. The vulnerability you showed just now really felt like genuine."
Director Kang’s gaze remained sharp, but there was undeniable approval in his expression.
Even Lee Jimin showed a satisfied sile. "I have to say, you surprised , Minjae." He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest. "It’s not often you see a rookie handle emotional transitions like that. Usually, they either overdo it or hold back too much. But you… you hit just the right balance."
"Thank you." Minjae’s voice was steady, but his heart raced with excitent.
"Minjae, I noticed sothing in your performance. When you said those words, ’Now, I don’t even recognize myself,’ it felt… raw. What’s your thought on this scene." Mirae glanced at Minjae, with her brows rising.
Minjae hesitated a little bit. He couldn’t exactly tell how he analyzed the scenes since it was from his decades of experience as an actor.
"I just… tried to understand the character’s pain and where it’s coming from. Siwoo’s obsession with revenge is not just about his anger but also grief." He glanced down for a mont before looking back at them, his gaze unwavering.
"I think one way or another, it’s sothing everyone can relate to in their own way."
"Well said." Lee Jimin smiled approvingly.
"Thank you." Minjae replied, his voice was steady but he was gladdened so far by their reaction.
"You’ve shown us skill and consistency, Minjae. But, as you probably know, this audition isn’t over yet." Director Kang nodded but his expression remained composed.
Minjae’s attention sharpened. He had prepared for various scenes and emotions, but it seed like they prepared another thing for this audition.
Hwarang Studio is really not a studio to underestimate.
"That was only the individual performance," Director Kand explained. "But for the final stage, we want to see how well you can adapt and respond to another actor’s cues. After all, acting isn’t only just about delivering lines, it’s also about creating a aningful scene with others."
Lee Jimin leaned forward, an almost playful grin tugging at his lips.
"And guess who your scene partner’s going to be?"
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