Chapter Forty-Six: The Film Audition

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Entertainment Around Us, No Pop-Up Windows
Story Time: April 2005
Recommended Song: Naby – If… (Onairost)
Disclaimer: This story is purely fictional. Any resemblance to real persons is purely coincidental.

The afternoon schedule consisted of two radio programs, an outdoor concert in another city, and finally, the second major event of the day: an audition for a movie.
After lunch, the group headed to the broadcasting station for the radio recordings. One was Haha’s show, the other belonged to Wu Shangzhen. Since they knew both hosts, the recordings went smoothly. Wu Shangzhen and Jiang Yihan had met once during last year’s “Introducing Celebrity Friends,” while Haha was an acquaintance from X-Man.

On the way to the radio station, the PD began recording in the van: “Jiang Yihan, you can call your opponent now and try to guess who they are.”

“Really?” Jiang Yihan was suddenly excited. He’d been recording for over a day, but still didn’t know who his opponent was.

“Yes, you can ask five questions, each person has two refusals, then the call ends and you must guess who the other is,” the PD explained.

After understanding the rules, the PD dialed the opponent’s number on Jiang Yihan’s phone. “Hello.”

“Hello.” The voice on the other end was sweet, making Jiang Yihan feel a strange sense of familiarity. “Sorry, I have a few questions I’d like to ask you.”

“Sure, go ahead.” The opponent started asking, Jiang Yihan responded.

“How old are you?” came the first question.

“I’m twenty this year,” Jiang Yihan replied, then asked his own question: “You’re a singer, right?” He’d recently met mostly singers, and the voice sounded familiar.

“Ah…” The opponent was startled. “Yes, I am a singer.” But she had to be honest. “Do you like drinking?”

“I don’t like drinking, my tolerance isn’t good.” Jiang Yihan laughed, thinking about Korea’s strong drinking culture. “Are you currently promoting and appearing often on music programs?” He was starting to guess who she was.

“Yes, I’ve been on shows recently,” she replied cautiously. “Are you a singer too?”

“Yes, I am,” Jiang Yihan answered honestly. “You often appear on X-Man, right?”

“I refuse to answer that,” she replied immediately, startled. Jiang Yihan burst out laughing; her refusal basically confirmed his suspicions. She realized her mistake and was annoyed. She then asked, “How many albums have you released?”

Jiang Yihan was surprised by the question and refused to answer.

“Oh, you refused? Why?” She seemed to be guessing something. “Could you tell me the first letter of your name?”

“J,” Jiang Yihan replied.

The call ended with both of them feeling anxious.

Turning around, the PD quickly asked, “Jiang Yihan, who do you think the opponent is?”

“Hehehehe…” Jiang Yihan didn’t answer, just watched the PD with a playful look, then whispered mysteriously, “PD, it’s Chae Yeon, right? Haha.” Then he happily ran off.

The PD neither confirmed nor denied, trailing after him.

Back in the radio studio, another little episode occurred, courtesy of “Ten Thousand Won Happiness.” After meeting Haha, Haha instantly realized Jiang Yihan was recording for Ten Thousand Won Happiness, so he said, “You can eat more during the show, eat as much as you want.”

“Ah? Why?” Jiang Yihan jumped up happily. “Isn’t there a rule about not eating anything?”

“Our radio is a visual broadcast; you can eat for free during the recording.” Haha looked at the PD in confusion. “He didn’t tell you?”

Under Jiang Yihan’s fiery glare, the PD was instantly defeated a hundred times, and Jiang Yihan turned to flash a dazzling smile. “Haha, how did you know?”

“I was the original host of Ten Thousand Won Happiness, didn’t you know? I only just stepped down last month,” Haha replied.

“Really?” Jiang Yihan looked at him in surprise, quickly asking, “Then Haha, tell me, what other ways can I eat for free?”

“Haha, you want me to tell you? Sure, act cute for me. If I think it’s good, I’ll tell you,” Haha teased, laughing mischievously.

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Jiang Yihan immediately froze, but after some hesitation decided to act cute. After all, compared to starving, everything else was negotiable. He clenched his fists and placed them by his cheeks, opened his eyes wide, and said, “Tell me, please!” His adorable expression and syrupy voice gave everyone goosebumps, and Haha burst out laughing.

This time, Haha didn’t refuse: “You can swap your lunchbox for someone else’s leftovers. Or sneak food as long as the PD doesn’t catch you. Haha.”

“Haha, how could you teach the juniors bad habits?” The PD quickly tried to intervene, but it was too late. Jiang Yihan gave the PD a mischievous grin, making him uneasy.

The broadcast finally began. Jiang Yihan eagerly grabbed the pizza Haha had bought and started eating, feeling very happy, while Haha teased him. When listeners found out Jiang Yihan was participating in Ten Thousand Won Happiness, they called in or messaged to tell him to eat more, making Jiang Yihan even more pleased and proud, continuing to munch on pizza.

After an hour, the broadcast ended, and Jiang Yihan had finished most of the pizza. Satisfied, he said goodbye to Haha and rushed off to the next schedule.

After a busy day, without time for dinner, Jiang Yihan returned to Seoul to attend a movie audition.

Arriving at the studio, Jiang Yihan felt nervous. Outside the studio was a lobby, and everywhere he looked, people were sitting.

“Why are there so many people today? Feels like a talent show,” Jiang Yihan whispered to Li Ran.

“When casting supporting roles, most movies do this. Many new actors come to audition. The director hasn’t been decided yet, and the script is only rough, so the scope is wide. It’s normal for there to be lots of people,” Li Ran explained.

“What? No director? Just a rough script? Why did you bring me to audition then? Isn’t it too uncertain?” Jiang Yihan asked, puzzled.

“I think so too,” Li Ran replied, making Jiang Yihan despair. “But Uncle Li Tong set this schedule, told me to bring you to audition and see how it goes.”

“Oh. Where’s the script?” Jiang Yihan and Li Ran found a seat, preparing to review the script.

“There isn’t one,” Li Ran replied again, making Jiang Yihan sweat. “They said to look at it on site, probably a spontaneous audition.”

“Oh boy,” Jiang Yihan said bluntly. “So my role isn’t decided?”

“We’re newbies, so we’re just auditioning, not expecting to be cast. It’s a chance to gain experience,” Li Ran reassured him.

“For someone just starting out like me, it’s normal not to get picked.” Jiang Yihan understood his position clearly. “I wonder when I’ll get my first role, haha.”

“Our company has access to lots of scripts, don’t worry, you’ll have plenty of opportunities,” Li Ran comforted him.

For newcomers in the film industry, constant auditions are the best chance. Otherwise, no one will seek you out, even with senior connections. Auditions test your abilities, your impression, and whether you fit the role. Once you make it, the scripts will chase you, not the other way around—but how long that takes, nobody knows.

People were going in for auditions one after another, some long, some short. Faces were mostly the same, showing no one had been definitively chosen yet, making Jiang Yihan anxious. Most people present had more experience and better acting skills than Jiang Yihan, but none were given certainty, showing the production team’s pickiness. Watching people come and go, the lobby slowly emptied until finally, it was Jiang Yihan’s turn. Li Ran patted his shoulder, Jiang Yihan took a deep breath and entered the studio.

Inside, there were a mess of tables covered with papers. By the door stood a chair; Jiang Yihan bowed before sitting. Five people sat before him, their roles unclear, but Jiang Yihan guessed: writer, lighting technician, camera operator, makeup artist, investor, perhaps marketing staff, maybe even the boss or assistant director.

“Hello, I’m Jiang Yihan, a newcomer. Please take care of me,” he greeted with a smile.

They didn’t start the audition immediately, but sized him up, whispering among themselves, sometimes laughing, sometimes frowning, discussing while glancing at Jiang Yihan, making him uneasy.

After a few minutes, they finished their discussion and looked at Jiang Yihan. The woman in the center spoke: “Jiang Yihan, right? I want to ask you, what kind of feeling do you think makes a first love beautiful?”

“Ah?” The unexpected question wasn’t about acting, surprising Jiang Yihan, but he replied, “First love? I think it’s beautiful when it’s gentle, shy, and a little sweet.”

“Tell me a place you think is perfect for a first date,” she continued.

“A date? I’d say a park, preferably with a lake. Just sitting by the lake, chatting, singing, holding hands—it’s perfect for first love,” Jiang Yihan answered.

“What do you think about an older woman-younger man relationship?” she asked.

Jiang Yihan paused, looking at her, wondering about the odd question, but seeing her encouraging gaze, he replied, “I think if there’s love, everything is possible. Age isn’t an issue.”

“Oh…” The panel murmured softly.

“If you like someone, are you active or passive?” Another question, oddly personal, almost intimate, made Jiang Yihan uncomfortable.

“Does this have anything to do with today’s audition?” Jiang Yihan couldn’t help but ask.

The panel laughed. “We wondered when you’d ask. Actually, our questions are part of the movie’s content. We’re seeing how you’d respond to these situations to determine which role suits you.”

“Ah, I see,” Jiang Yihan finally understood. “So, is the film about first love? I still don’t know the main storyline.”

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“Only after casting will we share the script. It’s a film about first love, so we need to know your feelings,” the woman replied.

“Oh, I understand.” Jiang Yihan nodded. “Most of the time, I’m passive, but if needed, I can be passively proactive.”

“Alright, we know,” they said, then resumed their discussion, leaving Jiang Yihan aside for a few minutes before continuing. “We’ll give you a scenario, please act it out.”

“Sure,” Jiang Yihan replied, knowing this was the crucial moment.

“Imagine you’re in a park, sitting by a lakeside bench with your first love. She doesn’t know you like her, and you’re about to confess. What would you do?” Clearly, they’d tailored the scene based on his earlier answers. Jiang Yihan smiled, his mind racing.

After a moment’s silence, he nodded to indicate he was ready. He lowered his head slightly, relaxed his shoulders, pressed his lips together, then suddenly looked up at the person beside him, took a deep breath, then lowered his head again. After a few seconds, he quietly said, “May I love you?”

Afterwards, Jiang Yihan looked up and smiled, “Is that okay?” His face, nervous, was slightly flushed; tiny beads of sweat dotted his forehead. When he smiled, his white teeth showed, making the woman’s heart skip a beat.

She shook her head lightly, “Alright, you can go home and wait for notification.”

Jiang Yihan stood, bowed again, and left.

Outside, Li Ran immediately came up, hugged him, glanced at the door, and Jiang Yihan understood, saying, “I have to wait for news.”

“Alright, let’s head back,” Li Ran replied, and they walked toward the exit.

There were still some people waiting in the lobby; it seemed the auditions would continue for a while.

“How was the audition, Jiang Yihan?” Ten Thousand Won Happiness’s PD asked.

“Not bad, but my stomach’s empty,” Jiang Yihan made a pained face toward the camera, showing his hunger. “PD, buy me something to eat, please.”

The PD looked embarrassed, paused, and said, “That’s all for today’s filming. I’ll head home now.” He turned off the camera, while Jiang Yihan grinned triumphantly.

At the door, Jiang Yihan was joking with the PD when he ran into some familiar faces. “Bro, what are you doing here?”

“Ah? Jaejoong, you guys are here too?” Jiang Yihan had bumped into the five members of TVXQ.

After greetings, Kim Jaejoong replied, “I don’t even know. Tomorrow we’re officially signing our contract, so we’re basically done with our old company. Tonight, our manager got a call and brought us here for an audition.”

“Such a coincidence!” Jiang Yihan clapped in amazement. “I’m auditioning for a movie too. Looks like you’re here for the same film. Probably Uncle Li Tong called you. I wonder why he’s so invested in this project.”

“Bro, you auditioned too? How’d it go?” Jaejoong was surprised by the coincidence.

“Just so-so, told to wait for notification.” Jiang Yihan pouted and shrugged. “You’d better hurry or you’ll be late. We’ll talk later—tomorrow’s an exciting day.”

They all smiled at each other, said their goodbyes, and parted ways.

“Why do you think Uncle Li Tong is so proactive?” Jiang Yihan asked after boarding the van. “Even called TVXQ’s members who haven’t signed yet to audition.” With Ten Thousand Won Happiness’s PD gone, Jiang Yihan naturally picked up the gimbap nearby and started eating.

“I don’t know, maybe Uncle Li Tong knows someone connected to the movie. Otherwise he wouldn’t have invited TVXQ’s members, since they haven’t shown interest in acting yet,” Li Ran said, opening a bottle of water and handing it to Jiang Yihan.

“Not necessarily,” Jiang Yihan said, munching happily, clearly delighted to eat without restraint. “Our company is all about comprehensive development. With Jaejoong and the others joining, there’ll surely be plans to showcase our overall strength. If it’s just musical ability, we can’t compete with companies like SM.”

“That’s true,” Li Ran agreed after thinking it over. “Tomorrow we have to get up early for Jaejoong’s signing ceremony. Let’s skip training tonight?”

“No, let’s still go to the practice room,” Jiang Yihan replied, finishing his food, then leaning back and dozing off.

Cat’s Rambling Time: Cat is heading to Korea, so if I go abroad, it’ll be one week, at most three, before I can get online. As for Tarot and Qin Xiao’s suggestions, thanks!