WeTried Translations
Translator: uglyidol
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ I Became a Top Star by Only Playing Villains ◈
Chapter 19: Ah, I Can’t Wait Until Friday.
──────
The first rehearsal for the play <Hyde> only ended after a full ten hours had passed.
Normally, rehearsals did not run this long from the very first day.
But from the moment the first rehearsal began, today’s <Hyde> actors had been fired up.
And I was at the center of it all.
“You worked hard today, Hansol.”
“See you again tomorrow, lead.”
“Yes, Seniors. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
The actors and production staff all seemed unusually warm toward me.
As I bowed to each of them in greeting, two actors soon approached me.
They were Kim Sang-hyeon and Hwang Yu-seung, the other two leads of <Hyde>.
“Hansol.”
“...Ah, Seniors.”
The expressions on their faces were somewhat complicated.
I understood.
They were leads just like me.
If I displayed overwhelming acting by drawing on the emotions from my lives as a villain, they would inevitably be compared to me.
‘...I feel kind of sorry.’
In some ways, theater seemed crueler than film or television.
Just as I was wondering how I should treat them...
Pat.
Kim Sang-hyeon and Hwang Yu-seung each lightly placed a hand on my shoulder.
“I enjoyed your acting today, Hansol.”
“You must have prepared a lot, even though it’s the first day. We really couldn’t compete with you.”
“...Ah.”
Having lived countless lives as villains in my past lives, I was highly sensitive to malicious emotions.
But I could not sense any resentment or jealousy in the eyes of Kim Sang-hyeon and Hwang Yu-seung as they looked at me.
“Watching your acting made me realize something. That I still have a long way to go...”
“I got inspiration from you too. Thank you. I think I have a better sense now of how to portray Hyde’s persona.”
When people met someone better than them, they fell into two categories.
Those who only envied and hated that person, and those who learned from them and rose to a higher level.
It seemed Kim Sang-hyeon and Hwang Yu-seung belonged to the latter.
“We’ll work even harder from now on too.”
“Haha. Even so, we’re your seniors. We can’t let a junior who just started in theater leave us too far behind, can we?”
The two would probably stand onstage with even greater skill when the actual performances began twelve weeks later.
‘They really are top actors.’
The same was true for Shin Ah-gyeong and Jeong In-hwan from <The Last Clue>.
And now, Kim Sang-hyeon and Hwang Yu-seung from <Hyde>.
People who had reached the top of their field truly had something different about them.
Thinking that I had much to learn from them, I bowed.
“Thank you for thinking so highly of me, Seniors. I look forward to working with you.”
“Likewise.”
“Don’t call us Senior so stiffly. Just call me hyung. Hyung.”
And so, <Hyde>’s first rehearsal ended in a warm atmosphere.
Just as I was about to head home...
“Hansol, do you have a moment to talk?”
“Ah, yes, Director.”
Director Min Jae-yeong of <Hyde> called me over.
He took me to the rooftop of the building where the rehearsal room was located.
“Hansol, do you smoke?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Ah. Then I probably shouldn’t either.”
“No, Director. Please feel free.”
When I told him it was fine, Director Min took out a cigarette with slightly trembling hands.
Puff.
There was a strange worry on his face as he exhaled smoke.
Seeing his expression, I could tell something had happened.
“Director. Is something... wrong?”
“Well... Hansol, have you heard of <Matasie’s Cloak>?”
“Of course. It’s the second most popular play in the country. It was also the play where Senior Hwang Yu-seung was the headliner before joining <Hyde>.”
If <Hyde> was South Korea’s undisputed number one play, what was number two?
<Matasie’s Cloak>.
While <Hyde> was a homegrown play directly planned and produced by a Korean director, <Matasie’s Cloak> had been a major hit on Broadway in America before being imported to South Korea ten years ago.
“I only just heard this myself, but... apparently Yu Gyeong-seon has joined <Matasie’s Cloak> as its new lead.”
“...What?”
The moment I heard the name Yu Gyeong-seon, I could only stare in shock.
After all, Yu Gyeong-seon had been one of <Hyde>’s former headliners.
“...Didn’t Actor Yu Gyeong-seon give up the lead role in <Hyde> this year to focus on their health?”
“...That’s what I thought too, but it seems they received an offer from the other side.”
“...My god. Does anyone else know yet?”
“Not yet. But everyone will find out soon enough.”
Yu Gyeong-seon had played the lead in <Hyde> for over ten years, starting in their early twenties.
For that actor to become the lead of a competing play...
It was practically on the level of Messi transferring to Real Madrid, or Cristiano Ronaldo transferring to Barcelona.
Even I was this shocked. How much worse must Director Min have felt?
Tremble.
“This bastard... How could... How could they deceive us and... do this...?”
He trembled as he held his cigarette, like someone whose partner had left them for somebody else.
Then he looked at me with concern.
“<Hyde> has a lot of toxic diehard fans. And they probably won’t welcome you, Hansol, as <Hyde>’s new headliner.”
That was probably true.
Fan communities generally disliked change.
They would not want an immensely popular headliner to be replaced by someone else.
“They may compare you to Yu Gyeong-seon and pour all kinds of abuse on you.”
And an unknown actor nobody had even heard of had become the headliner?
<Hyde>’s diehard fans would surely be unable to understand such an absurd situation and hurl every insult they could think of.
It seemed Director Min was worried that the fans’ criticism would hurt me.
But...
“So, Hansol...”
“It’s fine, Director. So what if people insult me a little?”
Unlike Director Min, I had no worries at all.
So what if people insulted me?
I had lived countless lives as villains in my past lives.
How much pointing and swearing had I endured while living as villains?
Criticism from toxic <Hyde> fans?
I was not afraid in the slightest.
“Once the play begins, their criticism will turn into cheers anyway.”
“...!”
“Just imagine it. The people criticizing me become completely absorbed in my acting. Doesn’t that sound fun?”
More than anything, I was confident that I could lead this year’s production of <Hyde> to success.
When the time came, the people who had insulted me would be captivated by my acting and cheer for me instead.
“Hehe.”
Just imagining it was thrilling enough to make me laugh.
Director Min stared at me blankly, then let out a small laugh.
“Practice like it’s the real thing, and perform like it’s practice. Everyone in theater, actors and production staff alike, says that often. Do you know why?”
“Isn’t it because theater gives you no second chance once you make a mistake?”
“That’s right. With films and dramas, you can reshoot after an NG. But in theater, one mistake and it’s over.”
That was why theater had so many performers who thrived under pressure.
People with the hearts of beasts, who did not tremble before hundreds of audience members and instead showed even greater ability than during rehearsal.
“In my view, Hansol, you have the heart of a beast as well.”
“...The heart of a beast.”
“Yes. That’s why I feel reassured.”
Smile.
Unlike when he had told me that the former headliner had gone to a competing production, Director Min was now smiling at me.
“I look forward to working with you, Lee Hansol. The new headliner of our <Hyde>.”
“Likewise, Director.”
Slap!
Director Min and I exchanged a light high five.
Afterward, I looked down at the night view from the rooftop and made a vow.
I would make this year’s <Hyde> the greatest <Hyde> in theater history.
* * *
Time passed quickly.
Eight weeks had passed since the <Hyde> team began its first rehearsal.
At last, this year’s <Hyde> cast list was revealed to the public.
Naturally, what fans focused on most was <Hyde>’s new lead.
And...
[Han Siwoo (Hyde): Lee Hansol / Kim Sang-hyeon / Hwang Yu-seung]
-?????????????
-Who the fuck is Lee Hansol?
-What? Is <Hyde> screwed?
-Kim Sang-hyeon and Hwang Yu-seung, fine. But who the hell is this Lee Hansol?
-Why would they bring in an unknown actor as the headliner?
-Ah, fuck off. Please.
-Are you kidding me, you fucking bastards?
-So who is he? The production company president’s son?
-Bring Yu Gyeong-seon back, please 😭😭😭😭😭
Seeing an unfamiliar actor become <Hyde>’s new headliner, a huge uproar naturally broke out among the fans.
“Argh, these bastards!”
Crash!
Kim Seongsu, D&P Entertainment’s management team leader, threw the smartphone he had been looking at onto the floor.
Park Dong-pyeong, D&P Entertainment’s president, who had been working beside him, let out a small sigh and asked,
“What is it? What happened?”
“These bastards keep insulting Hansol!”
The reason Seongsu, who normally had a gentle personality, was this angry was the malicious comments aimed at Lee Hansol, one of the agency’s actors.
Since <Hyde>’s cast list had been revealed, the extreme fans’ criticism had gone too far.
Seongsu, thoroughly worked up, said to President Park,
“Hyung! Let’s sue them! I took screenshots of everyone causing trouble on the forums and social media!”
“Don’t talk nonsense about suing them. Do you want to ruin the kid’s future? If we bring up lawsuits while public opinion is already bad, we’ll only get even more backlash. They’ll just slap Hansol with the label of an actor who sues fans.”
“Then what are we supposed to do?! There are this many people insulting him, and we’re just supposed to sit still?”
But unlike Seongsu, who was furious, President Park calmly nodded.
That was because he knew better than anyone how to deal with this situation.
“Yes. Staying still is the best option.”
“How is that not irresponsible? Isn’t it the company’s job to protect its actors? If we leave Hansol like this...”
“We’re not leaving him. We’re trusting him.”
“...What?”
President Park showed the phone screen to the confused Seongsu.
[<The Last Clue>, Season 1 premieres this Friday | Webflix]
A great deal of time had passed.
In the meantime, <The Last Clue> had completed all filming and editing and was about to release its first season.
“Did you forget? <The Last Clue> comes out on Webflix this Friday.”
“What? Ah, yes. Of course I know that... Ah...!”
President Park believed in Lee Hansol’s acting.
He had no choice but to believe.
After all, he had seen the edited version of <The Last Clue> before the public.
“Public opinion will change this week anyway.”
Everyone would soon learn what kind of actor Lee Hansol was.
After <The Last Clue> was released, no one would dare doubt Lee Hansol’s talent or throw stones at him.
No, the stones they had thrown would come back like boomerangs as even louder cheers.
“So, Seongsu. Once <The Last Clue> comes out this week, leak the reporters a few story ideas.”
“Story ideas...?”
“Yeah, and the article headline will be...”
Actor Lee Hansol, whose name had only quietly circulated among industry insiders, would finally make his presence known to the public for the first time.
How thrilling was that?
‘Ah, I can’t wait until Friday.’
A smile bloomed on President Park’s usually expressionless face.
Imagining the stir <The Last Clue> would cause because of Lee Hansol made it difficult for him to focus on his work.
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