Rookie Talent Agent Knows It All

As I opened the door to the Hwaranjeon's child actor audition room on the seventh floor of MBS, I saw a wide stage about 30 meters across with seating in front of it.

The front rows were filled with child actors and their parents, while the middle and back rows were packed with representatives from entertainment companies, corporate PR teams, and entertainment reporters.

The talent agents were likely here to scout promising young talent, while the PR staff and reporters were undoubtedly present because of Yoo-Jin and Miso.

Soon after, Han Woo-Ju, Oh Bok-Hee, and Ryu Han-Joon made their way to the judges' table on stage to begin the auditions.

I also moved toward the seats where Miso was sitting.

At that moment, corporate PR staff and reporters rushed toward me as if they had been waiting for this chance.

"I'm Chief Jo Hyun-Moo from Pacific Tuna! Just give me ten minutes of your time, Mr. Jung. Please?"

"Team Lead Jung! Please let me have just one quick interview with Miss Yoo-Jin! You know I write good articles!"

"Can we do a one-on-one interview about Miso, Team Lead Jung?"

They were all clamoring for ads and articles, desperate for content.

I said, "Please don't do this and just send an official offer through the company."

"We've been trying to reach you but you never answer. That's why we came here in person. Just give us a quick response now."

"If you send your proposal by email, I'll get back to you by tomorrow."

They finally let me go only after I promised them that I would respond to them.

"Alright, Team Lead Jung. You made a promise!"

Once I was free from the PR staff and reporters, I headed over to sit next to Miso.

"Miso, have you prepared a lot?" I asked.

Miso, who had been video-calling with Yoo-Jin, turned her head toward me and responded confidently, "Yes! I practiced a lot with Mom, so I'm good!"

However, I could hear the crunching of snacks through Miso's phone's speaker.

"Miso, can you hand the phone to me for a second so I can talk to Yoo-Jin?" I asked.

Miso handed over her phone. "Here!"

On the screen, I saw Yoo-Jin lounging on the PD's office sofa while munching on chips.

"Yoo-Jin, what are you doing right now?" I asked with a poker face.

-Zero calories if it's tasty, right?

When I caught her snacking, Yoo-Jin started humming the jingle from the chips' commercial and sped up her munching.

'That chip has crazy calories!' I silently remarked.

I thought of the first script reading for Hwaranjeon next week and urgently shouted, "Yoo-Jin, a ton of reporters are going to be at the script reading next week."

As Hwaranjeon was one of MBS' most highly anticipated dramas, I had been informed that many reporters would attend the first script reading.

If Yoo-Jin wanted to avoid any embarrassing photos, she would need to start managing her image now.

At that moment, Yoo-Jin's hand froze in midair.

-Oppa? Why didn't you stop me earlier!

"I'm stopping you right now, aren't I?"

-I-I guess so.

"By the way, where's Ran-Hee? Why are you alone?"

Yoo-Jin gave me a sly grin.

-She's in the bathroom.

I shook my head. 'Ah, so she'd seized the opportunity to give in to the temptation of snacks.'

I made a mental note to hold Do Ran-Hee responsible for her lapse in supervision and double her workload as punishment.

With a disappointed expression, Yoo-Jin reluctantly put the snack down on the table.

-Don't worry. I only had a couple, like two.

"Liar. I saw at least five chips disappear into your mouth while I was watching."

Yoo-Jin averted her gaze and made an excuse.

-Oppa, it's not good to be so nitpicky.

'Just unbelievable.'

I handed the phone back to Miso since Yoo-Jin had stopped snacking.

While Miso was gaining confidence from her conversation with her mom, I turned my attention toward finding Kang Si-Ah and spotted her. 'There she is.'

Kang Si-Ah was sitting alone in the fifth right-most seat in the front row and was focused on her script.

'It's good to see you, Si-Ah,' I remarked inwardly.

Kang Si-Ah was ten years old and would become a rising star a year later in the weekend drama, Valley of Fate.

However, behind that success lay a tragic future.

Over the next six years, Kang Si-Ah would be exploited by Choi Yi-Sun, the head of ES Acting Academy, and lose 1 billion won under the guise of lesson fees and activity expenses.

I only found out about this after she was signed to Top Entertainment. However, it was too late by then. Kim Dong-Soo had strictly ordered me to stay out of it, as Choi Yi-Sun's husband was none other than Jang Hyun-Soo: a CP at MBS.

However, in this life, I had no intention of just standing by.

'I need to talk to Kang Si-Ah...' I thought.

I scanned the room to see if Choi Yi-Sun might interfere.

Fortunately, she was currently chatting with another parent who had brought their child to the audition, leaving Kang Si-Ah unattended.

"Yung-Ah is in the A class at the academy, so she'll do just fine. Don't worry, ma'am."

"Hahaha. Mdm. Choi, I trust you completely. And your husband is the CP at MBS, right?"

"Oh no, no, let's not talk about that here. Haha."

It looked like their conversation would drag on.

I seized the opportunity and moved to the seat behind Kang Si-Ah. Then I greeted her carefully. "You're Kang Si-Ah, right?"

Kang Si-Ah, engrossed in her script, turned to look at me. Her wary eyes were filled with caution. "Who... are you?"

"Oh, I'm sorry if I startled you. I'm Jung Yoon-Ho, the team lead from Hoop Entertainment. You know Miso, right? I'm her talent agent. I also manage Yoo-Jin."

I introduced myself quickly and handed her my business card.

Kang Si-Ah relaxed a little and nodded.

She had a delicate frame and pale skin, almost as if she might break at a touch. She was wearing a dark navy sweater and jeans, which was a modest outfit that wasn't quite appropriate for an audition.

"Why don't you and your mom stop by our company sometime?" I suggested.

Kang Si-Ah tilted her head. "Why would we go to Hoop Entertainment?"

"Because I want to scout you."

Kang Si-Ah glanced around and looked for Choi Yi-Sun.

I added, "Oh, right. Your academy does management too, doesn't it?"

Kang Si-Ah stopped looking for Choi Yi-Sun and nodded. "Yes. I'm with ES Management. They cover my tuition in exchange for that."

"Even so, how about keeping it a secret from Mdm. Choi for now? You and your mom can come by first, and I'll handle things with Mdm. Choi later. If you join Hoop Entertainment, I can debut you right away. I already have a perfect role for you."

Kang Si-Ah's eyes lit up. "Really? Does that mean I can start making money right away?"

Just like before, Kang Si-Ah was eager to help her mother, who had a hearing impairment, by providing financial support.

For a moment, my anger toward Choi Yi-Sun flared up. 'How could she exploit a kid like this?'

That's when Choi Yi-Sun finished her conversation and started heading toward us.

Suppressing my anger, I spoke quickly to Kang Si-Ah. "Looks like Mdm. Choi is coming. Hide the business card, and good luck with your audition today!"

"Okay."

Kang Si-Ah quickly tucked the card into her pocket and I returned to my seat, acting as if nothing had happened.

I vowed once again to recruit Kang Si-Ah as soon as possible.

***

The child actor auditions began.

Each child was given five to ten minutes. However, by the time they had auditioned up to number 22, none of the kids had particularly stood out.

Then it was Kang Si-Ah's turn—number 23.

Choi Yi-Sun gently patted Kang Si-Ah on the shoulder and encouraged her.

As Kang Si-Ah stepped onto the stage, Oh Bok-Hee asked softly, "Could you introduce yourself, please?"

"Hello. I'm number 23, Kang Si-Ah..."

As soon as Kang Si-Ah began speaking, Oh Bok-Hee tilted her head slightly.

"Is your voice usually this quiet?"

"Uh, yes. A little..."

"You have a beautiful voice. But if you could project a bit more from your diaphragm, it would be even better. Now, how about we have you play the role of Princess Jeong-Hwa, the eldest princess?"

"Okay!"

Kang Si-Ah closed her eyes for a brief moment. Then, she began portraying Princess Jeong-Hwa, exuding grace and nobility as the eldest princess.

『Princess Yu-Hwa, didn't I tell you? As a princess of Gyerim, you must always maintain decorum. Now that you're older, it's time to stop associating with those of low status!』

The moment Kang Si-Ah's refined voice echoed through the room, Oh Bok-Hee's expression brightened. Her voice had a resonance that set her apart from the other child actors who had auditioned so far.

I nodded. 'Indeed. She's got talent.'

Han Woo-Ju and Ryu Han-Joon also looked pleased.

However, Kang Si-Ah's performance soon started showing flaws despite her talent.

She exhibited excessive emotions and made unnecessary hand gestures, likely a result of the flawed techniques instilled in her by Choi Yi-Sun—the failed actress.

As the performance went on, the judges' expressions began to sour.

Additionally, Kang Si-Ah had one critical flaw: due to her mother's hearing impairment, her speech was slightly unclear and she had inherited that habit.

The sharp Oh Bok-Hee did not miss this point.

"Let's wrap it up here for now... Thank you, Miss Si-Ah."

"Thank you so much," said Kang Si-Ah as she bowed and stepped down from the stage.

Although she seemed somewhat satisfied with her performance, all I could think about was recruiting her as soon as possible. After all, the bad habits she had picked up needed to be corrected quickly.

After that, several more children with recognizable faces began their auditions.

Next up was contestant number 25—Jin Gong-Ju.

Perhaps because she was aware of Miso's presence, Jin Gong-Ju had refined her performance. Each word was articulated clearly and her movements were deliberate.

It was evident she had been working with a good acting coach, as her performance had improved significantly since her previous role in In the Name of God.

Jin Gong-Ju's outstanding performance kept the judges busy scribbling on their score sheets.

After a few more child actors took the stage, it was time for the most anticipated contestant. It was number 29—Yang Yi-Ji.

Nine-year-old Yang Yi-Ji's mother was top actress Lee Tae-Yeon, one of the most respected actresses in her 40s known for her remarkable acting skills.

Following in her mother's footsteps, Yang Yi-Ji had shown an early talent for acting and was regarded as a child prodigy.

In my past life, she had even landed the role of Princess Yu-Hwa, the protagonist of Hwaranjeon.

Now, Yang Yi-Ji took the stage and began portraying Princess Yu-Hwa. Her performance seamlessly conveyed both the warmth of a princess who enjoyed mingling with commoners and the elegance of a royal.

This brought smiles to the faces of Han Woo-Ju and Oh Bok-Hee.

With both Jin Gong-Ju and Yang Yi-Ji delivering outstanding performances, potential lead candidates were emerging.

Then it was finally time for contestant number 30—Miso.

Miso confidently strode onto the stage and loudly shouted, "I'm Jung Miso, number 30!"

Her bold and confident voice brought smiles to the slightly weary faces of the judges.

"Miso, which princess would you like to play?"

"I'd like to play Princess Yu-Hwa!"

Princess Yu-Hwa was the lead character of Hwaranjeon, the one role Miso had her heart set on.

Oh Bok-Hee smiled warmly and nodded. "Alright, Miso. Can you show us a scene? Scene 11, where you're playing by the stream. Is that okay?"

"Yes!"

"And could you also sing for us? Do you think you could handle that?"

"Yes! I can do it!"

Miso responded energetically as always.

"Alright, let's see it then."

"Okay! Number 30, Jung Miso! I will now begin my performance."

Miso took a deep breath and slowly began immersing herself in the character.

***

Scene 11 took place on a summer night in Seorabeol, where the three princesses—Jeong-Hwa, Yu-Hwa, and Do-Hwa—played in a stream under the watchful eyes of their attendants.

As the scene began, Miso lifted her hanbok skirt slightly just enough to reveal her feet in flower shoes.

Then she slipped off her shoes and left them on the stage as if she were actually about to step into the water.

She cautiously extended her toes forward as if testing the cold water. Miso flinched and lifted her foot slightly. Then she shook it playfully as if surprised by the cold yet full of joy.

Miso didn't make a single sound because she had to keep with the decorum of a princess, but she portrayed her delight entirely through her facial expressions.

Miso then took two more steps forward and stopped abruptly as if both her feet were now fully immersed in the cold stream, shivering in response to the cold.

After a brief pause, Miso began singing 'Seorabeol Moonlight', a song from Scene 11.

『Under the bright moon of Seorabeol...』

The song lyrics expressed a wish for the people of Seorabeol who lived where the bright moonlight shone to live happily under the benevolent king.

Han Woo-Ju had written the song in Middle Korean for the script, as the Silla-era language would have been too difficult to understand.

However, the song remained challenging even with this adjustment, because it contained archaic sounds and labialized consonants not used in modern Korean.

Yet having learned from Yoo-Jin, Miso sang each word with perfect pronunciation. Her clear and pure voice filled the audition hall.

As Miso's song echoed through the room, child actors and reporters who hadn't left were captivated and listened intently.

With that, Miso finished performing Scene 11.

Ryu Han-Joon exclaimed with praise, "Cut! Wow, that was excellent!"

Han Woo-Ju clapped enthusiastically, and Oh Bok-Hee also nodded with satisfaction.

Just as I thought Miso had secured the role of Princess Yu-Hwa, Oh Bok-Hee surprised everyone. "Miso, you were amazing. But could you try Scene 22 for us this time?"

Oh Bok-Hee requested a scene she hadn't asked of anyone else.

"Scene 22?"

Scene 22 was the first scene where the three princesses—Jeong-Hwa, Yu-Hwa, and Do-Hwa—begin to clash.

It was a heavy scene that required them to express intense anger, hatred, and jealousy.

The problem was that Miso struggled with darker emotions. As a naturally kind child, feelings like anger were foreign to her.

When asked to perform a scene that exposed her weakness, Miso hesitated for a moment.

Oh Bok-Hee asked, "How about it? Do you think you can do it?"

I was worried she might give up.

Contrary to my concerns, Miso confidently answered with a determined expression as if she was ready to break through the wall in front of her. "Yes! Number 30, Jung Miso! I will perform Scene 22!"

Just as Miso responded with confidence, Oh Bok-Hee asked her to wait a moment. "Miso. It'll be hard to evoke emotion alone, so I'll assign you some partners."

Oh Bok-Hee called on two more actors from the remaining contestants in the audience.

"Number 25, Jin Gong-Ju. Number 29, Yang Yi-Ji. Could you both join us on stage?"

It was at that moment I understood why Oh Bok-Hee had waited until now to test Scene 22. She had narrowed down the candidates and was saving this scene as the final test.

'So this is the real competition, huh?' I thought.

In my past life, such a test didn't happen as there hadn't been any child actors on par with Yang Yi-Ji. This time, both Jin Gong-Ju and Jung Miso were promising talents.

As a result, Oh Bok-Hee was putting the child actors against each other to ensure the drama's success.

This meant the outcome of the Scene 22 audition could very well change who landed the coveted roles.

Ristretto's Thoughts

OHHHH that's why it's called Hwaranjeon: the War of Flowers