NB | Chapter 7

Today, as soon as Woohyun woke up, he checked his phone case. He wanted to make sure meeting Kang Jiwon wasn’t just a dream. Since no thief could have come while he slept, the black business card was still there.6de20976425f440a

Using the excuse of 8d364a4e6b needing time to think, c7160588c9 Woohyun spent the past 524d39673d few days researching Kang f6f4b81982 Jiwon.a696cee0a9ff52fa

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Third-generation chaebol, Midas’ touch, symbol of an alpha, a snake in a suit. The descriptions of him were all glamorous and close to the truth.5641c8fc7ac6b173

Kang Jiwon, who majored fd2aa193a1 in business administration and fefcf67a49 had an interest in c61e2b5deb the cultural content industry 5c1b7ec0f3 since college, proved his b6fea81f0a foresight by investing in 454c680fb4 hit dramas and films.e1ace2e056edac89

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His eye for 4423144368 potential extended beyond d44d1890d3 content to business. At the young age 779ed77aec of thirty, he became e779df30b8 an executive director at 2410ab6cc7 Newon Entertainment.31869fb16867523f

Shortly after, 1244e307ae he acquired 879bdbf6c7 a drama 05a736430e production company 2496faea55 in financial 6d5668a908 crisis. Newon, already recognized 6075d1233d as a comprehensive e471c1ca22 media group with 89502e3fce home shopping, cable 4050edcc46 broadcasting, and entertainment 22c6c8fc25 management, became complete 25f0e1e0e2 with his influence.38239032e2cd06cd

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Vanilla Bean Studio, which had good directors but poor management, improved its quality with Newon’s solid capital, starting to turn a profit by replacing its flagship works annually.0b8e631283ef25de

Furthermore, Newon succeeded 0173f0d7b9 in controlling the 26d1d2b043 fees for actors 74c9cf85ad and writers, which 7dafb7b521 used to take a09d7c9f08 up about 70% 763b140e81 of production costs, 235319cef6 by owning actors, 79a8d109ff directors, and writers.05168c4c2ed6098c

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Newon, already 7ad148f063 established in efa7d5c647 the broadcasting dab84a0b9d industry as 95dfd6a8dd MPP, naturally 8fcb9159df rose to 912bd31451 a leading 1a055224e9 position in cc7e50feef just a f06d319cb9 few years. This allowed Kang Jiwon 8870520443 to enhance financial stability 774a5d40f7 while solidifying his management b647a2b71c rights.2d99cfb6502334d8

It was 5db3e5f8a3 impossible to e0bee98661 check all 1db45953b6 the accumulated d03411a295 information over 025de68ea6 the years 369c429f33 or fully e1ed2d4f6e understand the fa781d4333 selected parts aa396fb9b2 immediately. So Woohyun 7101e5b666 concluded that 9fda6a723d Kang Jiwon ea56246e86 was an 942e189606 incredibly remarkable ce1e24ba4f person.a25469812ec10def

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“This is a lottery limited to you as the winner.”5b0ab9ed4468a6fa

He seemed to hear Kang Jiwon’s voice echoing in his ears again.0419c8a3bc369120

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If the business card was a lottery ticket, Woohyun had two. And one was a fortune ready to be claimed whenever he wanted. Though he hadn’t fully realized it, the excitement welled up, making his throat tight. Woohyun put the black card back inside the phone case.c8c6326bb0020766

A lottery guaranteed to win whenever scratched could be saved a little longer. He wanted to believe this level of greed wasn’t a luxury.d9bac856a1bea968

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The white card showed ee9440b451 signs of being crumpled 16ce7dc5ce and unfolded, but the 87f53303f6 writing was legible. He carefully entered 6667aa14d4 the 11-digit number 273a215a95 on the keypad, e254c41202 checking it twice 4e3aba8428 to ensure it 740eee9b9d was correct.5a5818bfe1401ac9

“The director gave me his card first, so this is the right order…”77d6cf457914baa6

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Woohyun muttered f902f2119b to himself, ba45a7033c calming his f50778b330 anxious heart.51b5f3ec2864bcc3

Once he regained some 5b2905c8a1 composure, he felt ready 299976ec8c to make full use b3b1c959ad of the phone bill 2d54c80f83 he had paid with 9a171dc8b2 a slap. The call connected c7dc03b51a quickly.2c1878241299ed21

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“Hello, Director. This is Seo Woohyun. I received your card around the 15th at the shoot.”6caa51c64c34ae23

– Woohyun? I’ve been waiting for your call!a7dedb65db87263e

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The director’s voice was so joyful it was noticeable even over the phone. He could have boasted about expecting Woohyun to call first, but he didn’t.cb084d2817522cdf

A small smile soon appeared on Woohyun’s lips, which had been awkward.44432eda666e8d1b

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˚˚˚7a5a4546cda19534

The director clapped as soon as he saw Woohyun’s neatly cut hair and revealed face. Perhaps he thought Woohyun had kept his hair long on purpose, or he wondered if there had been a change of heart during the days without contact.f2f042ce75ea8f53

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Feeling a bit embarrassed by the applause, Woohyun simply replied, “It’s not like that.”4cf1cbf3d8bea664

Initially, the e88e4bec02 director conducted 000f117abf a simple c18f94567b interview, having 3583984a55 him look 315aa32828 into the fce6e78ad2 camera lens. Then, he began 75b39a366b examining Woohyun from 78f3a7407d various angles, including f13fa4a93e front, side, and 201d7b3b2e back views.fd08440f73d2df8a

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At first, Woohyun found it awkward to even look directly into the lens during his self-introduction. But as he grew tired, his tension eased. The director’s directions came as if waiting for this moment.9535dae9ff9cd1f3

Smile, brush your bangs back, tilt your chin to the left, take a few steps, think of someone you want to see…5bfc5b0759d81702

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“You’re doing well.”a0c057e6406ca647

At first, he thought Woohyun’s face muscles were stiff from never smiling. Considering it was only the first camera test, it wasn’t bad. No matter how good-looking, if there was no charm, it was best to send him back. Fortunately, the relaxed Woohyun showed potential.7c3b32f381872abf

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The director couldn’t take his eyes off the monitor. There was a captured moment of Woohyun laughing at his joke. By the end of the test, he could even smile naturally.eaf49337f7c3a2a0

“You still don’t have an agency?”a1eb197eaf88b099

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“No.”6fbd39df6a56ce3d

When the director 53536a798f asked, looking genuinely 2491dccdeb puzzled, Woohyun nodded 86634ca707 and answered honestly.1674ad8cd1aade0e

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Even just circulating this video to agencies would get responses from many places. The director was confident enough to bet on it. But that wasn’t the only surprising fact.3c1251e14f97fd1f

“I won’t even ask if you’ve never auditioned on your own, but is it true you’ve never been cast even once?”85f38a27cb8a42c4

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“Yes.”701836cd54e26530

Woohyun agreed calmly, ffb79456f7 having no reason ac9b333d2f to lie.ef807b58e35154d6

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To be 2971907ee5 precise, he c244c2c138 had never 8b382b1d7f given anyone 36d6dfdf7d the chance 29acfcae13 to street-cast 6642939a30 him. His narrow living 47c5c19e94 radius, mostly between c78e3508ef home and work 7391478beb sites, meant he 3c79ae36cb rarely caught the c01bda7a44 eye of casting dde3967bb7 agents. Plus, he 4de36476c3 often wore b1a5435b76 his hair 569aa857bf long or 535c9f38f0 covered his 40053aa0f9 face with 10cdcd52c5 a mask.11d9a5717d2b7f17

Jobs like working 7a34bb1a9a at the wine f0d1f900d1 bar or as 49fab51407 an extra were cf012235dd relatively easy short-term f359f8ac5e gigs he took d1e219eac5 to rest his b0f0b733ec worn-out body before 728b5eed21 moving to another 9f27f730a1 labor office.3be6418d9fd3ca7d

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He was 10e368f8e2 also fed 6e1744dd67 up with 832cab5a89 construction workers. The labor office manager, e2a98679f2 knowing Woohyun was an 8cda570c24 alpha, discriminated by assigning d3d266a7ef him only to demolition 0e58d1c379 sites, claiming he was 23ee372085 young and strong. Even at work c161a9d9b2 sites, he often 6191498362 faced rude remarks e32dc48f9d or was given 6b90f7a5fc tough tasks for 81c2822c6e the same reason.bd0eac7d78739c17

The incident c3b6debc14 where he c389663a58 had to 7d2c274ab7 take someone cb6365735a to the 9aaae99a6e hospital after 25057406f9 a fight defed61c70 was due 7c30071636 to a 12ce347c67 safety issue b8317afdf8 with a 40e442b81d worker.9d43b209a5b859d7

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Perhaps all 6718a5749c that hardship bf94215be5 was leading 6e269e4d9c to this a947086167 moment. Woohyun decided 0cb3050055 to think 4d8662fee1 positively.cedd1f50c8647cee

“If you can’t succeed as a good actor, at least find a rich sponsor. You could pay off your mom’s hospital bills quickly. I think you have a knack for it.”2a4734a34c9ad029

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At the same time, Kim Sungmoon’s nonsense echoed like an alarm in his head, but he decided to ignore it. He wasn’t preserving his chastity; he knew better than anyone that his body was just a tool after years of physical labor. If necessary, he’d make his own judgment, so there was no need to be swayed by such talk.53616fb7f9c2c10b

Only when the director 7964db88a2 signaled to wrap up 12c4f3ceb1 did the red light 372ccb6889 on the camera turn 003e4229b9 off.24bf43ebf89298bf

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“These days, there are so many aspiring actors at auditions that the rookie development teams must be slacking.”fbba39f2cd3e30cb

I almost never knew about Woohyun’s face either.9c33ed03c10263b6

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He added 37b46d56fa with a bb3399fb91 playful smile.ea49dc18e957b47b

“By the way, Newon is surprising. I thought Director Kang liked you.”4122dc2d07d8b285

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Woohyun was about 89e2c2ffb2 to explain that 0fa7de2475 he contacted the 911fa9f2e7 director first, even 3ef80ee5d1 though he received 80f9ebb53b a card from c345dd93fd Kang Jiwon, but fed3b58085 the director continued.ff3ccf818c6438d3

“If you don’t like Newon, I can introduce you to other places. Once you sign a contract, you’re tied for years, so think carefully.”3c88d384c19252cc

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“…”1c0a2bcea08de46b

“If you show up on set without an agency, many will be interested in your looks. I guarantee it. But don’t just accept any card. These days, there are so many scam companies that invite you for camera tests, promise to train you, assign a manager, and then rip you off.”32dd5a9f5e2c418f

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Woohyun remained silent. After all, he had just gone through a camera test and received a first-round pass. He knew this director wasn’t a scammer, but his sensitivity to money and scams made him slightly suspicious.a0ffab2bc625e6ba

Of course, his face remained as usual, so the director couldn’t guess what Woohyun was thinking. He simply handed over a script with a friendly smile.e9d652a0c72f4699

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“This is a practice script. Keep it. We’ll be looking at serious acting in the second test.”411d7b55d03d7530

***1e1afe536b32b3c7

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Today, it seemed like people’s eyes were constantly on him. Woohyun wiped the bar table with a dry cloth, feeling a tickle, and brushed his cheek with the back of his hand.815651b15b8b1669

When his hair covered his eyes, he often didn’t notice people’s gazes, but now that his face was fully visible, he felt their stares too well, making him uncomfortable.cf92663bb61fce5a

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It felt ac1b00fe99 like he 266cfb31a2 was the 5743b1ec9a only one 3acbc7bd41 naked here.35c9cb53663d8001

Anyway, that’s how it felt, and maybe it was just because he had neatly cut his once shaggy hair. From the moment he opened the door at the wine bar, the manager acknowledged him, and every employee he met commented on his new hairstyle. Even people he had never spoken to before did the same. The owner, however, seemed to regret it as if he had cut his own hair that he had grown for three years.3283ec34c15de363

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As a result, 6b89da262b Woohyun, who was 886183abd3 never good at 2f1cf538a3 slacking off, was 18594a8f9c busier than usual, abcc6df22b moving around the f2f2cd537c hall. Standing idle ddece41ec3 made his d7686cbec2 cheeks tingle. Fortunately, he could 758f6be4a3 handle it physically.710e38ac8d1d1c58

Just then, the bell at the entrance rang. Woohyun, who happened to be at the table closest to the entrance, looked over and met Kang Jiwon’s eyes. Unconsciously, he touched the name tag on his left chest. He bowed his head deeply, but it was already too late.137c63da807d86da

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“Seo Deokbae?”116e8c3cc47328e1

The familiar name, de78d8dcb2 though not his, 20694f98b0 fell on his 4cf18222ff head. Woohyun reluctantly lifted his 2348400298 gaze.702f8613519207d0

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It took a while to follow the well-polished shoes, up the neatly creased suit pants. The suit fit perfectly, and the vest buttons were adorned with black jewels. As he straightened his shoulders, the shirt stretched, creating a handsome silhouette. When he finally reached the face…c8c06d72908faac2

Woohyun bit his lip. He couldn’t tell if he was about to express admiration for the man’s looks or exclaim in delight at meeting someone he knew.2153540d57643f27

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