Descent of the Demon Master

Chapter 195: Acting (5)

Kang Jin-Ho narrowed his eyes and stared at Choi Yeon-Ha. “What do you mean by that, Miss Choi?”

Choi Yeon-Ha made an expression of a woman who had predicted that response and smiled faintly, causing Kang Jin-Ho to frown ever so slightly.

He didn't trust people making expressions like that—expressions that seemed like they were saying, “I understand how you feel or think,” and it was all because such people would inevitably come unstuck quite badly when their guesses eventually failed to match the behavior of others around them.

Choi Yeon-Ha began explaining her position, “Even if you have no interest in becoming a star, you still wish for your little sister to succeed in this career. Am I correct?”

Kang Jin-Ho wordlessly nodded. Even though his mind had rapidly changed, and he no longer liked this woman's manner of speech, he still had no desire to lie.

Choi Yeon-Ha remained oblivious to Kang Jin-Ho's thoughts as she continued, “Even if the current production fails, I still have other opportunities lined up in the future. There is a next time for me. However, that's not the case with your sister. If her debut project is a dud, a flop, other productions will be less inclined to consider her for a role.”

“...”

“The beginning of this drama series is absolutely crucial for its success. From the middle onward, things will definitely improve, but as it stands, the script for the initial episode isn't strong enough. Our aim was to shore up the lacking part with handsome 'visuals,’ so to speak. Unfortunately, the actor hired for that role has gone AWOL on us.”

Kang Jin-Ho narrowed his eyes again. “If you don't mind me saying this, your looks are already pretty strong enough, in my opinion.”

“Oh, my. Thank you for your praise.” Choi Yeon-Ha smiled brightly while graciously bowing her head. “Unfortunately, it's a male actor's job to carry a series's visual aspect. Especially more so in the case of our series as its intended target audience skews toward a younger demographic, you see. Our success heavily depends on a male actor handsome enough to draw as much attention as possible.”

Kang Jin-Ho nodded. “I understand what you're trying to say. However, I have never thought about trying my hand at such things. I believe finding another actor is the correct thing to do in this case. Filming a drama isn't a child's play where you can just hire a random person off the street with zero acting experience, am I wrong?”

“If we're talking about a recurring role, then you'd be right. However, it's only a glorified cameo for a small part in the first episode.”

“Hmm...” Kang Jin-Ho rubbed his chin, seemingly searching for the right words to refuse her.

Choi Yeon-Ha made a move before he could say something and played her final card. “If you help us out this once, your little sister will gain enough momentum as an actress from this experience. The fact that siblings have appeared together in a show will grab the audience's attention as well. And I also believe packaging this situation just 'right' can lead to a favorable response from the media.”

Kang Jin-Ho cocked an eyebrow and silently stared at Choi Yeon-Ha.

So, she smartly stepped back. “Well, I'll leave you alone to think about it. Don't worry, I won't pressure you anymore. However, we need an answer as soon as possible.”

Choi Yeon-Ha then quietly tugged at Jang Hak-Seon's sleeve. The PD bowed his head at Kang Jin-Ho before leaving the trailer along with the assistant director and Choi Yeon-Ha.

Once outside, the assistant director nervously asked, “Do you think he'll say yes?”

“We did our best to persuade him, so it's up to him now.” Jang Hak-Seon shrugged his shoulders.

“But, sir... How about we hold auditions now before it's too late? I have my eyes on a handful of promising new guys with good looks, you see.”

“Oh, really? Are they better looking than Miss Se-Ah's oppa?”

“...Eii.?That's being unreasonable with your expectation, sir.”

Jang Hak-Seon tutted. “Don't you get that that is precisely why I'm doing this?”

“But, sir. His acting ability might be...”

“His acting ability?” Jang Hak-Seon's expression crumpled unsightly. “Tell me, how many actors in their early twenties managed to elevate their dramas through their acting abilities? Don't they usually win over the audience with their good looks even if they are terrible actors?”

“...You're right, sir.”

“You wanna talk about acting chops? Stick to the big screen, then. How many recent popular TV shows had gotten to where they are from the acting abilities of their cast members? Nearly none, I tell ya. No, the popular ones all have handsome male leads.”

“Y-yes, sir.”

“First of all, people don't really care about acting in a TV show. And we're not shooting a big-budget movie that people pay good money to see. People going to the movies want to get their money's worth, but TV shows like ours? Don't forget that plenty of substitutes playing at the same time slot as ours all compete for the audience's attention. Do you get what I'm saying?”

The assistant director weakly nodded. It was such a painful reminder of the reality they were dealing with, especially from the perspective of the creatives behind the scenes.

Jang Hak-Seon glanced back at the trailer. “I promise you, finding a guy with such outstanding looks will be as hard as winning a lottery. Don't forget that he's not even wearing makeup.”

“...Eh? You're right, sir.”

“Hah, you haven't noticed it yet, have you? Probably didn't even enter your mind, either. Despite his disheveled hair, old tracksuits and no makeup, he still looks?that good. Sic a pro stylist on him and let them do their magic, and I guarantee that we'll get ourselves a stunner beyond description.”

“Yes, I agree.” Choi Yeon-Ha quickly chimed in. “I think finding someone that good-looking will be difficult.”

“You think so, too?” Jang Hak-Seon chuckled hollowly. “It would have been wonderful if he said yes, though.”

“Don't worry, he's going to say yes,” said Choi Yeon-Ha with a knowing grin.

“Mm? He didn't seem all that interested. What makes you so sure, Miss Yeon-Ha?”

Choi Yeon-Ha's grin deepened. “Because he's a siscon, you see.”

“A... siscon?”

“In other words, he cares a lot about his little sister. Otherwise, he wouldn't have traveled this far from Seoul just to deliver her makeup. I also gave Miss Se-Ah a signal before leaving, so... she should be nagging the heck out of him right about now.”

“...You did what?” Jang Hak-Seon's eyes grew wider.

***

Kang Eun-Yeong cried out while clinging to Kang Jin-Ho. “Orabiiiiiii~!”

“I said no!” Kang Jin-Ho yelled back at her.

“Oraaaaa-biiiiiiiiii!!!”

“I'm not gonna do it!”

Kang Eun-Yeong grandly shuddered. “But, other oppas supposedly do everything they can to give their younger siblings an easier time, you know! Yet, you don't even wanna do something you're capable of doing? What's so difficult about this whole thing that you're being so obstinate like this?!”

“...I'm being obstinate, is it?” Kang Jin-Ho's expression stiffened instantly. Kang Eun-Yeong flinched as if she had stepped on a landmine and politely brought her hands together. Kang Jin-Ho tutted loudly. “You dare to be this impolite to your oppa?”

“My apologies, dear orabeoni. I have temporarily lost my mind. Please punish me accordingly.”

“Tsk...” Kang Jin-Ho groaned, then got up to leave while grabbing a new packet of cigarettes. He figured a smoke break would be a good way to clear his head and help him think about what to do.

“Oppa?” Kang Eun-Yeong suddenly called out.

“Mm?” Kang Jin-Ho stopped by the doorway and looked back.

Kang Eun-Yeong spoke in a confident voice, “If you help me out just this once, I promise to make the most of it!”

“...Urgh.” Kang Jin-Ho slowly shook his head while exiting the trailer. Once he walked to the back of the trailer, where there was little foot traffic, he lit up a cigarette and stared dazedly at the skies above.

'...Just why are things keep getting complicated around me?'

Another lengthy groan escaped his mouth. All he did was deliver a simple compact, yet the situation became rather annoying for some reason. Whether it was that PD wanting to hire someone with zero acting experience or the people around him encouraging such a decision... They all seemed rather insane to Kang Jin-Ho's eyes.

'Just what are they banking their trust on?'

He continued to puff away furiously at his cigarette, then sensed a presence getting closer to him. He turned his head and discovered a smiling Choi Yeon-Ha standing there.

She noticed the cigarette in his hand. “I hope you're not annoyed by my presence.”

Kang Jin-Ho chose not to reply. However, his expression still contained a faint trace of annoyance, which left Choi Yeon-Ha somewhat speechless.

'He's... really annoyed by me?'

Just how long had it been since she was treated like this? Of course, Choi Yeon-Ha already knew that having a beautiful face didn't necessarily mean everyone in the world would be welcoming of her. Quite a few people had actually gone out of their way to avoid good-looking individuals under the belief that it would be impossible to open up their hearts and share genuine conversations with them. Once Choi Yeon-Ha earned some acclaim, though, most people stopped treating her that way, at least publicly.

Her moods soured just a little from Kang Jin-Ho's expression, but she ably hid her feelings. She was a born actress, after all. Hiding her current mood and smiling away was like second nature to her.

“Mister Kang, have you heard the term 'overnight success story' before?”

“...Overnight success story?”

“Yes. I'm talking about those people who got famous seemingly out of nowhere. The rest of the world might think such people just got lucky, but spending some time in our profession will change your mind. They could become instantly successful because they have been making all sorts of preparations for many years. And…” Choi Yeon-Ha smiled faintly while the end of her sentence drifted away. “...They seized the opportunity presented in their way with both hands, you see?”

“As I said before—”

“Yes, I know. You're not interested in becoming a star. But, wouldn't you say this is a good opportunity for you as well?”

“What do you mean by that?” Kang Jin-Ho narrowed his eyes.

Choi Yeon-Ha nodded contemplatively. “Will there be another chance for you to act in front of a camera like this?”

“...?”

“This is what I think, Mister Kang. Someone who has experienced what life has to offer will learn how to appreciate and enjoy living more than others. Mister Kang... Can I call you Mister Jin-Ho? Maybe the idea of acting is burdensome and scary since you have never done it before. But… won’t you someday regret not taking this chance? As in, 'it's only for a day, so why wasn't I brave enough to do it...? Having a go at acting could have been a good anecdote to tell others about later.' Something like that?”

Once her words were over, the two people began thinking about two different things. Choi Yeon-Ha was left aghast by her own silly argument.

'If that happens, he can just go ahead and give it a shot, right?'

Which talent agency of blind idiots would refuse a guy with such a face? This argument only worked because Kang Jin-Ho didn't seem to have much self-awareness of his devastatingly good looks.

Meanwhile, Kang Jin-Ho was thinking about how slick but empty Choi Yeon-Ha's argument was. If her idea of living was sound, then Kang Jin-Ho should be enjoying life more than anyone else. After all, this was his third try.

Choi Yeong-Ha continued on with her attack. “Let's not forget that you'll also be helping us pave the way for your sister's career by doing this, Mister Jin-Ho. If you help us out this once, your sister's career as an actress can really take off.”

She was not saying empty things right now. Kang Se-Ah alone had all the right ingredients to become famous. Her looks were outstanding, after all. Her short stature could present a small problem, but in a TV series where most actors were depicted in close-up shots? Such a thing would not be much of an issue.

And her acting ability had already been proven during the auditioning stages. So, as long as this series managed to secure its first-episode talking point, Kang Se-Ah would be able to walk on a solid platform to her acting stardom.

'...As long as she doesn’t get overshadowed by her oppa, that is.'

Kang Jin-Ho wordlessly stared at Choi Yeon-Ha for a while, then slowly nodded. “Very well. I'll do it.”

“Ah!” Choi Yeon-Ha broke into a radiant smile and clapped her hands.

“However—” Kang Jin-Ho narrowed his eyes ominously.

“...Yes?”

“Please don't regret it later. I'm warning you right now. Don't say things like how I was responsible for messing up your schedule or how you all wasted time since you’d be forced to reshoot my scenes.”

Choi Yeon-Ha shook her head. “I'm sure that won't happen, Mister Jin-Ho.”

Kang Jin-Ho's expression softened gradually as he no longer felt pressured by this matter. A smirk formed on his face. “I have a feeling that... You'll regret this bitterly, though.”

However, Choi Yeon-Ha momentarily forgot about what she had been doing and stared slack-jawed at Kang Jin-Ho's grinning face. Once the unapproachable coldness from his expression was gone, it seemed like his facial features had gotten even more blindingly gorgeous.

Kang Jin-Ho cocked an eyebrow. “Excuse me? Miss Choi?”

“A-ah!” Choi Yeon-Ha flinched and sobered up instantly.

'This... We hit jackpot!'

Just how many actors had she run into during her career? Almost all of them could proudly boast the label of a chiseled macho man or a pretty boy, but not even once in her life did a male actor manage to make her lose focus, aside from Kang Jin-Ho. For the first time in her life, Choi Yeon-Ha's attention was stolen by a young man who wore no makeup and was even slovenly dressed, to boot!

She cleared her throat and quickly replied, “Now that you're willing to help us, our series will create huge waves.”

“Mm. Well, it seems you still haven't understood what I said...”

“I'm sorry?”

“The huge waves can only be created once the series is aired first. I'll help you, but don't come to regret it later.”

“I... I'm sorry?” Choi Yeon-Ha tilted her head in confusion. But Kang Jin-Ho left her there and headed back to the makeup trailer.

A short while later... Choi Yeon-Ha eventually found out what Kang Jin-Ho was hinting at earlier.