Rookie Talent Agent Knows It All-Chapter 823: She Was Beautiful Audition (3)

『...Feels like the world's yours now that you're a star, huh? But what do you think'll happen once the world finds out the filth you've done? You? A star? Don't make me laugh. Now that I'm back, you're nothing more than a death-row inmate waiting for the clock to run out.』

Before the staff on set could even react in awe, Yoo-Jin had already sunk fully into the role of She Was Beautiful's lead, Han Bit-Na. With a chilling intensity, she stared straight at Han Soo-Bin and radiated pure hatred as her performance began.

However, to everyone's surprise, Han Soo-Bin didn't falter. She only dove just as deeply into her role. As Yoo-Jin, possessed by the fury of Han Bit-Na, accused her of being behind the car accident, Han Soo-Bin instantly transformed into Lee So-Mi, paralyzed by terror.

At that moment, Han Soo-Bin began trembling violently. Her eyes darted around as if rocked by an inner quake. Then, Han Soo-Bin started gnawing at her left index fingernail.

Crunch, crunch.

The sound of her nail cracking under pressure echoed through the audition room. The judges looked on with fascination.

-Is she really doing that?

-Whoa~ is she really a rookie? She's nailing this character.

-She even picked up on Lee So-Mi's character tics?

The script merely read: (Lee So-Mi panics, overwhelmed by fear.) Yet Han Soo-Bin gave a far more vivid and believable interpretation of that emotion by biting her nail. Her acting was something leagues beyond Cha In-Hye's attempt.

Realizing her scene partner was more than capable of keeping up, Yoo-Jin's lips curled into a smirk and she pushed her emotions even further.

『What's the matter? Are you scared? Wow~ so you do know what fear feels like, huh? Even after trying to kill someone, your own team leader, no less?』

Han Soo-Bin gulped dryly and scanned the area. Her expression seemed to fear if anyone could be listening, and searching for a place to run. Her anxious expression intensified the tension in the room.

Then Han Soo-Bin suddenly froze as if an idea struck her. She stopped chewing her nail, and the panic slowly began to fade from her face. Her lips curled upward as she looked at Yoo-Jin with renewed confidence.

『No. That's not it. You don't have proof, do you? If you did, you would've gone to the police. Am I wrong? Hah~ you've improved a lot, Han Bit-Na. No, Lee Byeol-Bit! That was a pretty cheap little trick you pulled.』

Now certain her opponent had no proof, Han Soo-Bin even started to smile. The speed of Han Soo-Bin's transformation in a blink of an eye stunned the judges.

-Wow, she's the real deal.

-That emotional switch was insane. How does she do it that fast? That's hard.

-Young-Heon, you're filming the making-of right?

-Yes, sir.

-Save this scene. We're definitely going to use it.

As the judges buzzed with excitement over Han Soo-Bin's performance, the scene between the two actresses kept heating up.

『If telling yourself that helps you sleep at night, go ahead. But you're the one who'll have to deal with the consequences.』

To Yoo-Jin's line, Han Soo-Bin scoffed and shot back with venom.

『Hmph! You think I'd blink over that pathetic threat? And you really think changing your name is all it takes? That just erasing your face is enough? You think the public will still love you once they find out what you've done to yourself? You freak!』

'Being called a monster just because she got reconstructive surgery is too much!'

Although it was a line directly out of the script, Han Soo-Bin's shrill performance made her genuinely unlikeable for a moment.

-Ugh! Why is she obnoxious?

-She's really nailing the villain role. Makes you want to smack her in the back of the head.

The judges were all clenching their fists, unable to take their eyes off Han Soo-Bin's performance.

At that moment, Yoo-Jin burst into laughter. Then, she abruptly stopped and leaned her face close to Han Soo-Bin's right up to her nose.

Swoosh.

Now, the distance between them was close enough for their breaths to touch.

Yoo-Jin whispered in a low, quiet voice.

『...So who's the real monster, huh? Lee So-Mi. Is it me, who had to choose surgery just to survive after the accident you caused? Or is it you, who tried to kill someone out of jealousy?』

Yoo-Jin locked eyes with Han Soo-Bin. Han Soo-Bin didn't back down, staring right back with her eyes wide. Their breaths met at the tip of their noses, and their fine hairs fluttered in the space between them. Neither blinked, their stares locked in an unrelenting battle.

Tick tock, tick tock.

Even though Scene 50 had officially ended, the two of them were still glaring at each other like predators ready to pounce.

Then finally, Yeo Ik-Hwan shouted, "Okay! That's it! Cut!"

At the sound of 'cut,' Yoo-Jin stepped back. She straightened her back and took a long breath to steady her breathing.

"Phew~"

Even after acting opposite two different partners in a row and delivering powerhouse performances, she didn't look the least bit fatigued. There was no trace of the fledgling actress who once warmed her frozen hands with a paper cup of coffee on a cold December shoot. Now, Yoo-Jin was every inch a confident top star.

However, Han Soo-Bin was different.

Thud.

As the tension drained from her body, Han Soo-Bin collapsed to the floor and gasped for breath.

"Huff, huff..."

The bold actress who had gone toe-to-toe with Yoo-Jin just moments ago was gone. Now, she panted like she had sprinted a full hundred meters.

Worried, Yoo-Jin knelt beside Han Soo-Bin and gently asked, "Ms. Soo-Bin, are you okay?"

Han Soo-Bin nodded, still catching her breath. "Huff, huff. Yes, I'm okay."

No matter how talented she was, Han Soo-Bin was still a rookie. Facing off against someone hailed as a top star and acting prodigy was simply too much for her right now.

Yoo-Jin looked apologetic. "I'm sorry. You were keeping up so well that I guess I pushed too hard trying to show the contrast in skill."

Han Soo-Bin shook her head weakly. "No, please. Just do what you always do, sunbae-nim. I'll... I'll keep up."

Yoo-Jin gave a soft smile as she gently patted Han Soo-Bin's back. "Take your time, okay? And seriously, you were amazing."

"Thank you..."

Just then, President Song Jin-Man of Grassroots Entertainment finally stepped in, scratching his head awkwardly. "She's usually not this fragile... Ahem. Not sure what's gotten into her today. Soo-Bin, you good?"

"Yes, sir."

At thirty-five, Song Jin-Man had started the agency with family money but lacked any real competence. He didn't even grasp the basics like running to support his celebrities the moment they were struggling.

Then Yoo-Jin turned to the judges. "Have you all finished scoring?"

"Oh, right!"

"Y-yeah."

"I was so caught up watching that I completely forgot."

Only then did the judges scramble to begin marking scores. They had been so absorbed in the performance that they hadn't even realized they had forgotten.

Scratch, scratch.

The judges began tapping scores into their tablets.

At the same time, I turned and stared straight at President Park Seo-Beom of Yes Entertainment. Now that the difference in skill between the two actresses was obvious, he sat there silently trembling with rage.

At that moment, Yoo-Jin turned to Park Seo-Beom and asked, "Mr. Park. Would you like to further verify the difference in their skills?"

Park Seo-Beom cleared his throat and averted his gaze. "Ahem."

Yoo-Jin smiled faintly and walked confidently back to her seat.

Click, clack.

The sound of her heels echoed as she walked, drawing every eye in the room—judges and staff alike.

'Yoo-Jin, you've come a long way.'

Yoo-Jin was no longer the timid rookie from her first year, always watching others for cues. She had become a commanding top star, someone who could resolve even the most chaotic situations in a single move.

And she was my actress.

***

When it came to acting, Han Soo-Bin was the clear winner. Clearly aware of this, Park Seo-Beom immediately suggested moving on to the singing audition.

Since the role of Lee So-Mi, leader of 'Angel Wings,' also required vocal evaluation, the candidate had to be judged on singing just like the previous ones.

Suddenly, confidence returned to Cha In-Hye's face as it was time to sing. Unlike Han Soo-Bin, Cha In-Hye was the lead vocalist of the girl group GX5. Park Seo-Beom also seemed to think she could make up for the acting gap with her singing. His sour expression now visibly lightened.

Then Bang Seon-Woo turned to Cha In-Hye and said, "Let me know when you're ready."

The required audition song was 'Falling in Love,' one of Angel Wings' signature tracks. 'Falling in Love' was a song that depicted a girl's joyful day after falling in love, filled with playful onomatopoeia and a catchy hook.

It was composed by Bang Seon-Woo with the guide vocals recorded by Sae-Ri, and distributed in advance to all audition candidates. Every actress auditioning for Lee So-Mi had to sing it.

"I'm ready to begin," Cha In-Hye signaled.

A staff member played the music through the room's speakers. Instantly, Cha In-Hye struck a sultry expression and began to sing.

『Boom. Boom. You came without a word~

Knock. Knock. You tap on my heart~

Heart. Beat. I guess this is what love feels like~

...』

With four years of trainee experience and three years as an idol, she showcased solid vocal skills as expected of a group's lead singer. On top of that, like any idol, she didn't neglect her facial expressions while performing.

Click.

The backing track ended. Cha In-Hye steadied her breath and turned to look at Bang Seon-Woo. Her face radiated confidence.

"Phew. That's it, Mr. Bang."

At that moment, Bang Seon-Woo hesitated. I knew that look. Being so timid, Bang Seon-Woo always hesitated whenever he had something hard to say.

So I jumped in quickly. "Seon-Woo, it's okay. Go ahead and give your feedback. Just don't mention the score."

Bang Seon-Woo nodded, then gave his assessment of Cha In-Hye's performance. "Your voice color is nice, but you went flat six times. And your timing was..."

In simpler terms, flat meant she sang a half-step below the intended note. It usually happened when the singer ran out of breath, and in professional settings, even one instance was considered a serious mistake.

'But six times in just the first verse?'

Cha In-Hye looked stunned. "Six... times? That can't be right."

"No, it is. You started strong, but the second half collapsed quickly."

Going flat even once meant points off without exception.

As Park Seo-Beom began to look panicked and seemed ready to object, I cut in again before he could. "Seon-Woo, pinpoint the exact sections. That'll prevent any misunderstandings."

"It was during the second hook, right at the boom-boom part..."

Bang Seon-Woo calmly pinpointed each of the six places where Cha In-Hye had gone flat. As expected of someone with perfect pitch, Bang Seon-Woo had no trouble recalling the exact moments.

The flustered Cha In-Hye protested with a look of disbelief. "That makes no sense! Do you really think you can be that accurate from just one listen?"

Bang Seon-Woo was someone who would yield on everything except music. He never compromised when it came to that. So this time, he responded crisply and without hesitation.

"I don't lie about music. And if you still doubt it, we can give you the recorded file from the making team. Feel free to check."

Park Seo-Beom, now trembling with suppressed anger, finally muttered, "Forget it. In-Hye, just come back."

Cha In-Hye reluctantly turned away and walked back to her seat.

Park Seo-Beom then turned and looked at Han Soo-Bin with a smug expression like he was daring her to try. He probably thought that as an amateur, she would definitely go flat while singing. Park Seo-Beom likely pulled Cha In-Hye out, thinking Han Soo-Bin would embarrass herself even worse.

However, that only proved how little he understood Han Soo-Bin.

Standing confidently at the mic, Han Soo-Bin took her position and began to sing.

『Boom. Boom. You came without a word~

...』

Her voice boomed from the speakers, powerful enough to push the amp to its limits. Though her training had been in traditional Korean singing, her naturally pure tone made her sound even cleaner than Cha In-Hye. And having learned diaphragmatic breathing from a young age, she had breath to spare. She sang with ease and control.

The result was a performance that allowed the listeners to enjoy the song in complete comfort.

***

After finishing her song, Han Soo-Bin straightened her posture.

Bang Seon-Woo immediately began his evaluation. "Your voice is naturally clear, even with traditional vocal training in your background. Just a few habits need adjusting. And your vocal tone is so unique that it'll help bring out Lee So-Mi's character well. And... Most importantly, there was no flatting."

As Bang Seon-Woo continued praising her, Han Soo-Bin bowed her head respectfully.

Then, unable to hold back any longer, Park Seo-Beom burst out. "That's ridiculous! Even professionals go flat. Are you saying she didn't miss a single note?"

Bang!

At that moment, President Shin Jong-Ki slammed the table and roared, "President Park Seo-Beom! Composer Bang here is one of the best in Korea. And you're saying you can't trust him? Are you saying you don't trust me?"

When Shin Jong-Ki stepped in to defend Bang Seon-Woo, the flustered Park Seo-Beom faltered. "Th-That's not what I meant."

"Then let's keep it reasonable! This is an audition, not a shouting match!"

Shin Jong-Ki's face turned red with anger. The fact that Park Seo-Beom had dared to make such an unprofessional accusation in front of someone like Shin Jong-Ki suggested something more was at play.

It was likely this whole protest from Yes Entertainment had been orchestrated by President Shin Woo-Jin of LT Hotel.

I immediately turned to Shin Jong-Ki and made an X with my arms.

Seeing my signal, Shin Jong-Ki took a deep breath and sat back down. "Huff, huff..." After a few deep breaths, he looked at Park Seo-Beom. "President Park. The judging will be done fairly. And we'll release all the scores with names attached to each, so there's no need to worry."

"Understood... then we'll head out and wait for the results."

Park Seo-Beom prepared to leave, signaling Cha In-Hye to bow and follow.

However, I stopped Park Seo-Beom to make sure he wouldn't complain later. "Mr. Park?"

"Ugh! What?"

"Are you forfeiting the dance portion you prepared?"

Startled, both Cha In-Hye and Park Seo-Beom quickly turned back to their seats.

***

"Thank you for your hard work."

With that, Cha In-Hye and Han Soo-Bin bowed and exited the audition room.

Though Cha In-Hye, a former girl group member, had the upper hand in dance, Han Soo-Bin held her own thanks to her background in traditional Korean dance as a child. As a result, Han Soo-Bin didn't fall far behind in the dance portion either.

In the end, the scoring showed Han Soo-Bin coming out on top.

[Participant #20, Cha In-Hye: 241 points]

-Acting: 78/100

-Singing: 75/100

-Dance: 88/100

[Participant #50, Han Soo-Bin: 252 points]

-Acting: 89/100

-Singing: 83/100

-Dance: 80/100

All the judges unanimously raised Han Soo-Bin's hand.

Only then did Shin Jong-Ki let out a sigh. "Without you, Chief Jung, we might've let a real talent slip through our fingers. Good thing I didn't lock in In-Hye earlier."

"Thank you for trusting me."

"Don't mention it. If it's coming from you, Chief Jung, I listen no matter what. You've got the answers like some elite cram school instructor." Shin Jong-Ki chuckled heartily and then turned to me again. "Anyway. Just like you said, we should still see the remaining applicants. Shall we call in the next one?"

"Yes, sir."

Shin Jong-Ki turned to the staff. "Bring in number 21."

"Yes, sir."

The next actor entered the room. "I'm number 21, Yoo Ji-Yung. I look forward to your guidance."

And just like that, what could have ended prematurely with Cha In-Hye continued on.

***

"Great work today. Also, Ms. Eun-Kyung, I'd like you to come back tomorrow and audition for the role of Yoo Ji-Ae instead. Your image suits Ji-Ae more than So-Mi."

"Understood. I'll see you tomorrow then."

With the audition for contestant number 49, Park Eun-Kyung, the day finally came to a close. Unfortunately, no hidden gems had emerged among the remaining candidates. Still, a few showed enough promise to be called back tomorrow for different roles. As for today's Lee So-Mi role, the scoring made it clear that Han Soo-Bin was the one.

So I opened Everyday again to check the production schedule.

'What?'

[Everyday V13]

[Date: April 17, 2021]

-10:00 p.m.: [NEW. Jung Yoo-Jin]

<Entertainment Everywhere> "Top star Miss J explodes at girl group member turned actress on set."

[Baro Star] "A celebrity talent agent with unchecked power—terrifying even the director. We investigate the 'abuse of power' who dictates casting decisions."

[Entertainment All Times]: "Center Miss C of a girl group skips music show taping after being humiliated on set by a popular actress's abuse of power."

(Meeting Agenda: She Was Beautiful shoot suspended. Preparing countermeasures against Cha In-Hye's baseless defamation. Urgent clarification interview to be arranged.)

Even though every judge had favored Han Soo-Bin, the record still showed that Cha In-Hye would leak an internal exposé two weeks later. This meant Cha In-Hye would still end up being cast instead of Han Soo-Bin somehow.

'What the hell is going on?'