WeTried Translations
Translator: uglyidol
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ I Became a Top Star by Only Playing Villains ◈
Chapter 15: This Could Cause Quite a Stir
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Back when I was still unknown and unable to find a suitable role, D&P Entertainment arranged various training programs for me.
One of them was a voice lesson taught by a retired voice actor.
“When you breathe in, your stomach should expand. Keep your shoulders still.”
The instructor taught me how to project my voice using diaphragmatic breathing.
They said diaphragmatic breathing gave the voice strength and stability.
“Now, make a sound with that breath. Don’t force it out through your throat. Think of it as pushing it up from your stomach. One, two... Ahhh.”
“Ahhh.”
“Good. Let’s practice that a few more times.”
Thanks to the voice instructor, my vocal projection grew even stronger.
But that was not all I learned from them.
“Today, we’ll learn a vocal technique called vocal fry.”
Vocal fry.
It was a technique that produced a low, crackling sound with minimal breath while keeping the vocal cords relaxed.
“If you learn vocal fry, Hansol, your acting range will broaden even further. Vocal fry lets you create all kinds of appealing voices. Like this.”
“Ooh...!”
When the instructor demonstrated vocal fry, their naturally pleasant voice changed into a rough, low register.
Just as they said, if I mastered that technique, it would come in handy whenever I took on distinctive roles.
“The rougher you want the sound to be, the more you need to relax your throat. Try following me. Urrrgh...”
“Urrrgh...”
From that day onward, I worked hard to master vocal fry.
Then, on the final day of my three-month intensive course...
“Perfect, Hansol. You’re ready to graduate now, aren’t you?”
I received the instructor’s seal of approval.
“Out of all the students I’ve taught, you have the most talent. I hope these voice lessons will help you throughout your acting career.”
“They definitely will. Thank you for everything, Teacher.”
Just as I had said then, those voice lessons helped me immensely.
「You’re right, my friend.」
「This world is terribly broken.」
I used vocal fry when playing Hyde, Han Siwoo’s alternate personality.
「Do those bastard criminals really get to live comfortably without a care in the world?」
It was written in Hyde’s character sheet as well.
If protagonist Han Siwoo’s voice belonged to a young adult brimming with justice...
Then Hyde’s voice was rough, as if it had been steeped in cigarette smoke for decades.
「Someone has to do it.」
I deliberately made my voice crackle to create Hyde’s jarring voice.
Then I added Hyde’s explosive hatred and fury toward criminals.
「Let ‘us’ set this broken world right.」
With a single line, I unleashed an overwhelming presence that crushed everyone else.
For today’s meeting, I had practiced numerous famous scenes from Hyde.
I combined the vocal techniques I had learned with the emotions I felt back when I was evil.
I worked hard to become the very protagonist of Hyde.
So, what would the result be?
“That’s all.”
“...”
“...”
When I looked up after finishing my impromptu performance, the Hyde production staff were staring at me blankly.
They looked as if their souls had been sucked right out of them.
As though time had stopped, no one could bring themselves to speak.
“...No, is this even possible?”
The first to speak was Hyde’s overall director, Min Jae-yeong.
Having finally come back to his senses, Director Min still looked at me in a daze as he asked,
“...Hansol.”
“Yes, Director.”
“...How many years have you been preparing for Hyde?”
“Huh? Haha.”
I gave a small laugh at Director Min’s question.
“I received the Hyde script a week ago.”
“A week? A week? Seven days? You’re saying it has only been seven days, not years...?”
After hearing my answer, Min Jae-yeong was visibly shocked and muttered to himself with a serious expression.
“This is after only a week of practice... If he practiced for several more months...”
I took the chance to cut into his muttering.
“The quality of my acting would improve even further.”
“...!”
“If I become the lead, I’m certain I can show the audience an even more Hyde-like performance onstage.”
“...Ah.”
My forceful pitch changed the look in Director Min’s eyes.
His voice sounded as though he had glimpsed the light.
“...Hansol, if it isn’t too much trouble, could you perform a few more scenes from Hyde for us?”
“Of course. I can do it as many times as you’d like.”
As befitted such a popular play, Hyde had countless famous scenes.
I had prepared a variety of them in advance for today’s meeting.
At Director Min’s request, I did not hesitate before delivering short but intense impromptu performances.
“...Wow.”
“...That’s incredible.”
Each time I continued, different exclamations burst from the Hyde production staff.
And when every performance was over...
Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap!
The Hyde production staff applauded together, their faces full of emotion.
This meeting had certainly begun as nothing more than a simple meeting.
But...
“That was truly amazing...!”
“Wow... I think I’m becoming your fan from today onward, Hansol.”
At some point, this place had become a one-man stage all my own.
Hyde’s overall director, Min Jae-yeong, seemed especially moved. His eyes had even reddened.
Sounding choked with emotion, he spoke.
“Hansol, I have been Hyde’s overall director for seven years now.”
Min Jae-yeong had not been Hyde’s first overall director.
The first overall director had overseen Hyde for over a decade before retiring due to old age and passing the position on to a disciple.
That disciple was Min Jae-yeong.
“For seven years... Hyde has remained successful, but I have been criticized terribly.”
Hyde had an especially devoted fanbase.
And devoted fans hated change.
Even though the production remained successful after Min Jae-yeong took over, fans had criticized him, saying Hyde had become strange because of him.
“Personally, I couldn’t help being dissatisfied with myself, too. My directing is still far inferior to my teacher’s.”
Director Min had also blamed himself, believing Hyde’s quality had declined because of him.
His expression was lonely as he revealed something that had been buried deep in his heart.
But...
“I think Hyde can finally show audiences a production even greater than it did in its heyday.”
His expression soon brightened.
Director Min smiled at me.
“Hansol, you will probably become the greatest headlining star in Hyde’s history.”
“Are you saying...?”
Swish.
Director Min stepped right in front of me and held out his hand.
“Please become the lead of our Hyde. I promise you the best possible treatment.”
“...!”
Normally, the lead role in a popular play like Hyde could not be decided so quickly.
But Director Min seemed to have already made up his mind.
‘Looks like my strategy of competing through acting skill worked.’
The lead role in Hyde was both an appealing villain role and a position with guaranteed success.
I bowed and took Director Min’s hand.
“If you entrust it to me, I’ll do my very best.”
“Thank you, Hansol! I look forward to working with you!”
The contract details still needed to be discussed more thoroughly, but...
For all intents and purposes, I had been confirmed as Hyde’s lead from our very first meeting.
* * *
Two weeks later.
Several actors and production staff from The Last Clue, including Lee Hansol, gathered for a meal.
“Great work!”
“You all worked hard!”
Filming for The Last Clue was not over yet.
However...
Lee Hansol’s part in The Last Clue had come to an end.
“Hansol, you worked so hard!”
“Thank you for everything, Hansol!”
The actors and crew celebrated Hansol together.
It was uncommon to arrange a meal just because one actor was leaving, but...
Lee Hansol was special.
He had practically elevated the atmosphere of the entire first half of The Last Clue by himself.
Today’s farewell dinner was meant to show their respect and gratitude toward him.
Hansol, the guest of honor, bowed repeatedly amid everyone’s cheers.
“Thanks to all of you, I’ve enjoyed filming so far. Thank you all so much, and I hope the remaining filming goes smoothly and successfully.”
“It’s such a shame. I wish you could have filmed with us until the end.”
“Isn’t our drama going to flop now that Hansol is gone?”
The remark was half a joke, but half sincere.
The serial killer Kim Minu’s presence in The Last Clue had been overwhelming.
What would happen to the drama once Kim Minu disappeared from it?
The actors and crew were worried, though they did not show it.
Instead, they praised Hansol, the guest of honor.
“I heard you got the lead role in Hyde?”
“Congratulations, Hansol. Wow, you’ll probably be a complete top star by the next time we meet.”
The meal was an upscale Korean set menu.
Director-producer Park Yeong-won paused while picking up a piece of butter-grilled abalone, their favorite dish.
‘...Huh? Now that I think about it, that’s true.’
Three productions would be released in the second half of this year.
Director Min Jae-yeong’s Hyde.
Director-producer Park Yeong-won’s The Last Clue.
Director Noh Jeong-hyeon’s Savage Blood.
They belonged to different fields, theater, drama, and film, but all three were highly anticipated productions drawing significant public attention.
And Lee Hansol appeared in all three.
The lead in Hyde.
The main villain in The Last Clue.
And in Savage Blood, a scene-stealer who made the most of a smaller role.
Across those three productions, Lee Hansol would fully display his unmatched presence to the public.
‘This could cause a bigger stir than I expected...?’
Park Yeong-won had been considering Lee Hansol for the lead in the next project.
But by the time Park Yeong-won prepared that project, Lee Hansol would surely have become a major top star.
Swish.
Having thought that far, Park Yeong-won removed the abalone from its shell and placed it on Lee Hansol’s plate.
“Hm? Why aren’t you eating, Director...?”
“...Hansol, don’t forget me after you’ve made it.”
“...Excuse me?”
“We had something good going, didn’t we? I’ll treat you well next time, too.”
“...?”
If Park Yeong-won wanted to work with Hansol again, it was best to treat him well starting now.
Of course, Park Yeong-won had treated Hansol well so far, but intended to treat him even better from now on.
“Ah, water...”
“I’ll pour it for you, Hansol.”
Pour.
Without being asked, Park Yeong-won moved first.
Pouring water into Hansol’s cup with both hands, Park Yeong-won said,
“Oh, and the second teaser for The Last Clue will be released soon.”
“I see. Will it be very different from the first teaser?”
“Of course. I paid special attention to your part in the second teaser, Hansol. Haha, you can look forward to it.”
It was still daytime, and filming continued the next day, so the Last Clue team did not drink alcohol.
Instead, Park Yeong-won lightly raised a glass of water for a toast and gave Hansol a final farewell.
“Thank you so much for everything, Hansol. I’ll edit your incredible performances well and make a great production.”
“Yes, I’m counting on you. Thank you for everything as well, Director-producer.”
And so, filming for The Last Clue, where Lee Hansol first revealed his presence as a villain, came to an end.
A few days later, the second teaser for The Last Clue was uploaded to Webflix’s YouTube channel.
[Views: 1,005,781 - 1 hour ago]
Perhaps because public anticipation was so high...
The second teaser for The Last Clue achieved the remarkable feat of reaching one million views just one hour after its release.
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