Fairytaleacting.
twasanexerciseRyuShinhadpracticedhimselfasachildwhilebuildingthefoundationsofhisacting.
Storiesetchedclearlyintomemoryfromanearlyage.
Characterswhosemoralitywasplainlydividedintogoodandevil.
heactingitselfwassimple,butthatdidn'tmakeiteasy.
ruthfullyexpressingtheemotionsofarchetypalcharacterswassurprisinglydifficult.
Andbesides—
PeterPan.
hepieceSuYeonhadchosentodaywasparticularlytricky.
PeterPanmightbeafairytale,butitcontainedasurprisinglytangledcastofcharacters.
herewasCaptainook,amanpracticallysufferingfromPSD.
AndtherewasPeterPanhimself.
Asachild,RyuShinhadsimplyseenhimasaheroicboywhonevergrewup.
Readingthestoryagainasanadult,however,revealedadeeplyself-centeredcharacterwithaseveremothercomplex.
Foramoment,herecalledthestoryandbegandiggingintoPeterPan'semotions.
hewisheveryonehasatleastonce—
oremainachildforeverandlivehappilyeverafter.
Buttherewasalsothedeep-rootedsenseofbetrayalhefeltafterdecidingtoreturnhomebecausehemissedhismother,onlytofindthatshehadforgottenhimandwasnowholdinganewbornyoungerbrother.
AndhowwouldPeterfeelwhenWendy'sparentssaid,
"Becomeourchildandlivewithus."
Arealisticresignation.
fevenhisownmotherhadforgottenhim,couldsomeoneelse'smothertrulylovehim?
Andafterspendinghisentirelifeasachild,therewasalsothefearofbecominganadult—thedesiretorunawayfromit.
Yethehidthoseinsecuritiesbehindtheattitudeofatoughneighborhoodleader.
Behindacheerfulvoice.
Behindasmile.
AsaninnocentgrinblossomedacrossRyuShin'sbeautifulface,SuYeonflinched.
''veneverseenthatexpressionbefore...'
onewashisusualmatureandseriousdemeanor.
ookinglikeachildfromheadtotoe,hebeganactingasPeterPan.
"Wendy,'mleaving.akecare!"
Startledbytheexpressiononhisface,SuYeonreactedabeattoolatewithhercue.
ShewasreadingWendy'smother'slines.
"You'rePeterPan,aren'tyou?Wouldn'tyouliketolivewithustoo?"
"hen'dhavetogotoschool,wouldn't?"
"fcourse."
"hen'dhavetogetajobsomeday,right?"
"fcourseyouwould."
"Andthen'dbecomeanadult?"
"fcourse."
Feargraduallycreptintohisvoiceasheaskedeachquestion.
ewastryinghardtosoundbrave.
Yetbeneathitlaytheterrorofachildthrowingatantrumbecausehedidn'twanttogotothedentist.
"don'twanttobecomeanadult.Wakingupinthemorningandtouchingmyfaceonlytofinditcoveredinabeard?neverwanttobecomethatkindofadult!"
"Don'tsaythat.Comelivewithus."
hestubbornboyfellsilentforamomentatWendy'smother'sgentlewords.
nesecond.
nthatbriefinstant,unmistakablehesitationcrossedhisface.
Perhapsbecauseitwasafairytale,everyemotionappearedinvividprimarycolors.
henheabruptlyturnedhisheadawayandrepliedinastubbornvoice.
"o.likebeingachildforever."
heperformanceended.
hedifferencehitfarharderthananyexplanationcould.
Castingasideyourordinaryselfandbecomingsomeonecompletelydifferent.
Forthefirsttime,SuYeontrulyunderstoodthatthiswaswhatactingmeant.
"aa..."
Adeepsighescapedher.
nceagain,shewasforcedtoconfrontthefactthatherownactingwasstillbarelyat❖оvеl𝚒ght❖(xclusiveonоvеl𝚒ght)thecrawlingstage.
"onestly,PeterPanisdifficult.t'sfairlycomplexforafairytale.wasonlydemonstratinganapproach,souseitasareference.omorrow,preparesomethingsimpler."
"Yes,Senior."
ervoiceshrankagain.
Shereallywantedtoimprove.
otonlybecausesheherselfdesperatelywantedtosucceedasanactor.
ShealsowantedtoshowYuMyeong—thepersonwhohadreachedoutahandtoher—thatshewasmakingmeaningfulprogress.
But...
heroadaheadseemedimpossiblylong.
hatday,YuMyeongwasmeetingwithYuSeok.
"ello,C."
"ey.njoyingyourbreak,YuMyeong?Startingnextweekthere'llbesomemoviepromotionscheduleshereandthere.'llspacethemoutsotheydon'tinterferewithyourrest."
Asalways,YuSeokwasconsiderate.
WhichonlymadeYuMyeongfeelworseaboutwhathewasabouttoask.
"Actually,C..."
AsYuMyeongexplained,YuSeok'sexpressionbecameincreasinglyincredulous.
"You'vebeenrentingapracticeroomwithyourownmoneythiswholetime?"
"Ah...thepeople'mpracticingwitharen'tpartofourcompany..."
"Whyareyoupayingforthatyourself?o,forgetthat—howdidyoualreadyfindanotherthingtododuringyourbreak?"
"...Sorry."
WhenYuMyeonglaughedawkwardly,YuSeokclickedhistonguebeforefinallygivingup.
"Fine.fyouenjoyworkingthatmuch,whatamsupposedtodo?We'vegotplentyofscriptscomingin.Whydon'tyouatleastreadthroughsomeofthem?"
"'dbegratefultoreadthem,but...haveafavortoask."
"Whatisit?"
Foramoment,YuSeok'seyessparkled.
Atlast,somethinghecouldactuallyhelpwith.
henheheardtherequest.
"Aplay?"
"Yes.herearesomepeople'dliketoperformwith.tprobablywon'tmakemuchmoney,but...woulditbedifficult?"
"o,that'snottheproblem."
YuMyeonghadassumedYuSeokdislikedtheideabecausearisingactorchoosingtheaterduringhisbusiestperiodseemedimpractical.
heactualcomplaintwasentirelydifferent.
"Whywon'tyougivemeanywork?"
"...What?"
"mean,wasgoingtofindyouagreatscript!fthere'saprojectyouwant,canbringitin!'mconfidentcouldnegotiatethebestpossibletermstoo!Whydoyoukeepleavingyourmanagerunemployed?"
"..."
hatwasn'tremotelytheobjectionhehadexpected.
"...Ahem.Anyway."
"Yes,C."
"Doit.fit'ssomethingyouwanttodo,youshoulddoit.Whoarethesepeopleyouwanttoperformwith?"
"neisanunsignedactressnamedSeolSuYeon.heotherismyseniorfromschool,RyuShin."
"Ah,RyuShin.heformerchildactor,right?isagencyapprovedit?"
"Yes.Apparentlyhehasfamilyconnectionsthere,soit'sfine.e'swithDreamnter."
"see.hen'llneedtocoordinatewiththeiragency."
YuSeoknodded.
"Andifyou'reperforminginDaehakro,you'llneedstaff,maybesupportingactors...twouldprobablybebesttoinvolveatheatercompany."
"Yes.hat'sactuallyanotherfavorwantedtoask.ncebringitupandgetapproval,'dlikethemanagementteamtohandlethedetailednegotiations."
"Youalreadyhaveaplaceinmind,don'tyou?"
"Yes..."
Amemorysurfaced.
fyoueverbecomeinterestedintheatersomeday,makesureyoucometomefirst,Senior.
YuMyeongrememberedapromisehehadmadelongago.
BaekYiShinwasmakingacupofMaximMochaoldinthetheatercompany'soffice.
Despitehisusualtemperament,hishandstirredthecoffeewithobviousnervousness.
AnewtenantwasscheduledtoarriveatheaterCompanyJulytoday.
"Aretheyhereyet?"
"otyet,Director."
heartisticdirectorwasapparentlyjustaseager.
ehadalreadypokedhisheadintotheofficeseveraltimesbeforetheappointedtime.
BaekYiShinstillrememberedlamentingduringamanagementmeetingtwoyearsearlierafterdiscoveringYuMyeongduringtheBlueSkyproduction.
Agreatactorslippedthroughourfingers.
hen,afterseeingRyuShininanAudiusperformancethatautumn,hehadrepeatedthesamecomplaint.
Whatkindofactorsarethey?
Ah...bothofthemwillbefamouswithinayearortwo.t'sbeenalongtimesince'veseenactorsthatsatisfymystandards.Whatawaste.
hedirectorunderstoodthecommentaboutRyuShin.
hemanhadbeenfamoussincechildhood.
Buttheotheractor?
ehadwonderedwhatcouldpossiblybesospecialabouthim.
hen,asiftoproveBaekYiShin'seyefortalent,thatactorexplodedontothesceneandbecameoneofthemosttalked-aboutrookiesoftheyear.
Strangelyenough,heaterCompanyJulyhadbeenlackingayoungactorcapableofcarryinganentireproduction.
herewerepromisingnewcomers.
Butnonewhocouldtrulyserveasthefaceofthecompany.
PerhapsthatwaswhyeverytimeYuMyeongappearedontelevision,BaekYiShinlookedlikehewassuffering.
Ah...foundhimfirst...
etitgoalready.ewasneverours.
t'snottoolate.epromisedhe'dcontactmefirstifheeverwantedtodotheater.
ispricetagisprobablythroughtheroofbynow.Asifhe'dcomebacktotheater.hefilmanddramaoffersmustbepouringin.
hestagehasanaddictivequalityallitsown.
hat'strue,butactorsattheheightoftheirrisearebusymakingmoney.heydon'tstartthinkingabouttheateruntilthey'reintheirthirtiesandhavealreadymadetheirfortune.
ivenhowattachedhestillwas,itwasnosurprisethatBaekYiShinnearlyjumpedforjoywhenYuMyeongcalledafewdaysearlier.
"Aperformance?AtJuly?"
"Yes.t'llonlybealimitedspecialperformanceearlynextyear,soitmaybeaninconvenience..."
"otatall.hankyouforrememberingme."
venifitwasonlyashort-termspecialperformance,itwasstillYuMyeong—thehottestrookieactorintheindustry—andRyuShin.
uaranteedticketsales.
xcellentpublicityforJuly.
BaekYiShinimmediatelyreportedthemattertotheartisticdirectorandarrangedmeetingswithbothoodnterandDreamnter.
Andtoday—
heywerescheduledtomoveintooneofJuly'srehearsalrooms.
"Someone'shere."
Atlast,thecallcamefromsecurity.
BaekYiShinandtheartisticdirectorhurrieddownstairs.
hentheysawthem.
hreeactorswhoimmediatelyradiatedstarquality.
"Welcome!hisway,please."
egreetedthemwithabrilliantsmile.
YoonJungun,aneighth-yearactoratheaterCompanyJuly,wasventinghisfrustrationtohisteammates.
"asthedirectorgonesenile?Whatkindofnonsenseisthis—givingaperformanceslottoabunchofrookies?"
Julystagedthreeproductionseverysixmonths.
AndthankstoBaekYiShin'sstrongrecommendation,acompetitiveselectionsystemhadbeenintroducedtwoyearsearlier.
hemainspringproductiondirectedbythecompany'sleaddirectorwasfixed.
heremainingtwoslotswereawardedthroughinternalcompetitionamongprojectteamsformedbycompanymembers.
Sincethen,theatmosphereatJulyhadbecomeconsiderablymorecutthroat.
Performingmeantgettingpaid.
talsomeantopportunitiesforfilmandtelevisionwork.
Foryoungeractorsstilltryingtoestablishthemselves,thosetwoopportunitieswereinvaluable.
"fthey'vegottenfamouson,theyshouldstaythere.Whatdothoseamateursknowaboutacting?owthey'rerollinginhereandpushingoutthepeoplewho'veactuallybeenhereallalong."
Butnowthenumberofavailableslotshaddroppedfromtwotoone.
hecompanyhaddecidedtoreserveaslotforthecelebrityguestteam.
YoonJungunhadspenttheentireautumnpreparingforthespringcompetitionafterlosingthepreviousround.
eedlesstosay,hewasfurious.
isteammate,sixth-yearactressChuSeMi,spokecalmly.
"Senior.aveyoueveractuallyseenYuMyeongact?"
"uh?o.don'twatchdramas.hey'retoocringeworthy."
"Whataboutmovies?Ballerinaigh?"
"Didn'tseemlikemykindofthing..."
Asshecontinueddismantlinghisargumentwithfacts,YoonJungungraduallylostmomentum.
"e'sgood.Settingasidehowmuchpost-productionhelpshim,orwhetherhisscreen-actingstyleworksonstage,objectivelyspeakinghe'sagoodactor.AndRyuShinhasbeenfamoussincehewasachild."
"Really?Soyou'resayingweshouldjusthandoverourslot?"
"'mnotsayingthat."
eranswerwasimmediate.
fthefourteamspreparingforthespringcompetition,onewasessentiallyguaranteedaslot.
neofJuly'smostsuccessfulveteranactorshadannouncedaprojecthewantedtostage,attractingmanyofthecompany'sstrongestperformers.
ButChuSeMiwantedthefemaleleadrole.
hatwaswhyshehadjoinedJungun'steam.
Amongtheremainingthreeteams,theirswasthestrongestcontender.
Whichmeanttheyhadthemosttolose.
heycouldn'tsimplysitbackandwatch.
"Senior.et'sgo."
"uh?owhere?"
"ocomplain."
"What?What'sthatsupposedtoaccomplish?"
"hecompanywon'tchangeitsdecision.Soweneedtomakethosekidsgetemotionalenoughtoenterthecompetitionthemselves."
"...R-Right."
YoonJungun,ChuSeMi,andseveralmembersofeamBheadedtowardYuMyeong'srehearsalroom.
Bang!
"ello."
"...ello."
wofamiliaryoungmen.
Andawomansobeautifulshenearlymadetheireyesspin.
YoonJungunflinched.
ChuSeMi,however,wentstraightontheoffensive.
"'mChuSeMi.Sixth-yearactoratJuly."
"And'mYoonJungun!"
nlythendidJungunstepforward,wideninghiseyes.
heothereamBmembersfoldedtheirarmsbehindthem.
herewasnowayYuMyeongfailedtonoticetheconfrontationalatmosphere.
Yetheremainedperfectlycalm.
"Yes,hello.stheresomethingyouneeded?"
"YouknowJuly'sproductionsarenormallydecidedthroughcompetition,right?"
"'veheard."
"Andnowanoutsideteamsuddenlyappearsandoneoftheslotsdisappears?"
"hatwasadecisionmadebythecompany.fyouhaveobjections,believetheyshouldbedirectedthere."
ewasright.
isresponsewassoreasonablethatcoldsweatbegantoformonChuSeMi'sback.
Buttheycouldn'tleavenow.
otaftercomingthisfar.
venifshehadtoforcetheissue.
"Don'tyouthinkit'salittleshamelesstojustwalkinandtakeaslotforfree?rareyounotconfidentinyourabilities?"
"henwe'llenterthecompetitiontoo.hat'swhatyouwant,isn'tit?"
"...Yes."
heanswercamesoeasilythatitalmostfeltanticlimactic.
Yetevenafterhearingexactlywhatshewanted,ChuSeMifeltstrangelyuneasy.
herewasn'ttheslightesthintofangerinYuMyeong'sexpression.
Still.
Shehaddonewhatshecametodo.
owallthatremainedwastoshowthemwhatheaterCompanyJuly—andactorswhohadspentyearssurvivinginthetheaterworld—werecapableof.
"Whenthecompetitioncomes,we'relookingforwardtoseeingyourstageacting."
"We'llbelookingforwardtoyoursaswell."
Somethingabouthisreplylingeredintheair.
Andsoanothertwoweekspassed.
arlyDecember.
hedayofJuly'sinternalcompetitionforthespringperformanceslotsfinallyarrived.