I Want to Be a VTuber

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“Then, there’s no one else to pick from in Hyper Action Star, right?”

After the public audition for <Hyper Action Star> concluded, investors and the production team gathered to review things multiple times.

The first three confirmed were clear:

The lead, Joo Seo-yeon, and Narumi Sora, who had gone head-to-head with Seo-yeon in the finals.

And Jo Seo-hee.

In Jo Seo-hee’s case, it was more about her career than the ‘action’ she showcased in <Hyper Action Star>.

Her impressive performance in variety shows also contributed extra points.

“So, what about Han So-yu next?”

“Can’t complain. She performed well with actor Joo Seo-yeon in the preliminaries.”

“Yes, she’s good at action acting as her forte. Now, what’s next…?”

Unfortunately, except for a handful, very few actors who appeared in <Hyper Action Star> secured a role above ‘supporting’. Most were extras.

But even that was something to be grateful for.

Well, it was a female-only participation, so it was even more disappointing, but still disappointing nonetheless.

‘Their acting skills aren’t enough to take up screen time in a movie.’

‘They say action and stunt acting are important, but there are just too many lacking in fundamental acting skills.’

It was a fiercely prepared variety show, but aside from Narumi Sora, there wasn’t really a ‘special actor’ to speak of.

It was originally planned to elevate the designated lead, Joo Seo-yeon.

Given that, it indeed achieved what was expected, but isn’t that just how it is with people?

When you only get the results you anticipated, it leaves you wanting more.

Since most focused on stunts and action, there were too many cases of lacking in essential acting skills.

The action was great!

Wow, they just pulled off that stunt on the spot.

Yet even those praising the action hesitated when it came time to choose supporting roles.

“What about Min Do-ha?”

“Oh, right! Min Do-ha.”

Then, a comment circulated among the staff.

Min Do-ha.

The young actor who became somewhat of a hot topic during this <Hyper Action Star>.

“Didn’t Director Han Ye-geon say the acting was good?”

“Yeah, well.”

Han Ye-geon replied a bit begrudgingly.

He clearly had a decent opinion of Min Do-ha.

The reason was nothing less than the ‘running away acting’ he consistently showcased with Seo-yeon was extremely impressive.

“It felt like she was being chased by a real monster.”

“Is that what they call method acting? I heard she ended up in the hospital after acting.”

“Wow, to think there’s an actor who can immerse themselves that deeply into their role.”

“I think she appeared in another drama too. How was her acting there?”

“Just average. It was never a significant part anyway.”

“Oh, a type that does well when given the opportunity? Not bad.”

The staff had a favorable view of Min Do-ha.

Honestly, it was a bit hazy for Han Ye-geon, but it was undeniable she left a strong impression in <Hyper Action Star>.

“An extra… shall we say? But still somewhat significant, so supporting?”

“She’s like a spice character, so it’s fitting.”

“Other actors might not be thrilled about the role.”

“Hey, isn’t it better than being a plain extra? Far better.”

After discussing, they each glanced at each other and nodded.

The fact that they didn’t mention other actors meant this spot belonged to Min Do-ha.

Thus, Min Do-ha was able to confidently secure a supporting role.

And today.

Min Do-ha found herself in a situation where she had to match action with Seo-yeon, whom she had been avoiding.

“First off, Do-ha, just act as you did in Hyper Action Star.”

Action consultant, Professor Kim Hong-baek, said this while looking at Min Do-ha.

Min Do-ha’s pupils shook uncontrollably as her breath became strangely rapid.

Seeing this, Professor Kim Hong-baek couldn’t hold back his amazement.

‘Is she already so emotionally invested during practice?’

Previously, Professor Kim Hong-baek had only seen Seo-yeon perform once.

When Seo-yeon was rehearsing the role she would play in <The Chaser>.

It was because they had repeatedly practiced a convenience store brawl scene with Professor Kim Hong-baek.

‘Seo-yeon had a similar vibe back then.’

He hadn’t realized it during practice.

However, as ‘acting’ entered the mix, even though it was practice, the energy was completely different.

It felt like standing before the real Cha Seo-ah.

In that acting rehearsal, Professor Kim Hong-baek felt like he was facing a real murderer.

Having faced various special forces and martial artists countless times, that moment felt different.

Instead of the trained malice, there was an unrestrained evil that crept out.

He ended up dreaming of Seo-yeon for a while, haunted by the terrifying presence flowing from her crimson eyes.

‘Min Do-ha isn’t at that level, but she certainly reminded me of Seo-yeon back then.’

Even before starting, she was already terrified!

How perfectly prepared is that?

‘The role Min Do-ha is playing is Shim So-jin.’

The first character to try and stop the protagonist from escaping in the research lab.

After three years, she assaults the protagonist again to drag them back into the lab.

In other words, she’s a villain who continuously targets the protagonist… but since most of her role involves getting defeated, she isn’t villainous enough to be called that.

“Especially in her first appearance, she has to clash with the protagonist and then end up getting beat and running away.”

“…Get beat?”

“Yeah? Didn’t you read the script?”

“Oh, no. I did.”

Min Do-ha glanced sideways at Seo-yeon, who was wildly flailing her arms in the air.

Was it just her, or did the sound of breaking join in weirdly?

“What if it hurts a bit? I was just… concerned…”

Why did the sound come from her hand when the whip was swung?

If she got hit by that, Min Do-ha’s head would surely fly off like a golf ball off a tee.

“Seo-yeon is a pro, so it’ll be fine.”

“…….”

“From what I see in Hyper Action Star, it seems like you’ve done the acting of getting hit a lot, right?”

If asking whether she’s never done it before, she has.

Anyway, even though she’s a supporting role, she is an actress who appeared in a popular action movie with 4 million views.

That much is just the basics.

…Even if that’s basic.

“I’ve only been hit by people…”

“?? What a given statement.”

Professor Kim Hong-baek chuckled, thinking it might be Min Do-ha’s sense of humor.

Who would practice getting hit from something other than a person?

If she practiced getting hit by an animal, it wouldn’t just end with being hurt.

Anyway, Professor Kim Hong-baek decided he could proceed with practice slowly given Min Do-ha’s ‘joke’.

“Alright then, Seo-yeon, once you’ve warmed up, come over here. It feels like Do-ha’s ready to strike.”

‘Don’t do that!!’

“Really? Actually, I was thinking the same.”

‘No, I’m serious!’

“So it’s practice, but I’d like to do my best.”

Min Do-ha felt butterflies at Seo-yeon’s words.

Shaking with nerves, she focused on her emotions, which made Seo-yeon nod in agreement.

‘So it seems.’

She had felt that even back in <Hyper Action Star>, she was a very skilled actress at gathering her emotions.

In her usual self, she projectioned the icy impression of a career woman, but when acting with Seo-yeon, it felt like she switched masks.

‘Just looking at her doing rappel action or shooting with a gun showed she has a remarkable skill in action.’

It wasn’t without reason that Seo-yeon had been tailing Min Do-ha.

If you do a mediocre job of fleeing, it’s not interesting for the one pursuing you.

But Min Do-ha literally used every trick in the book to escape.

She slid through obstacles while running as if her body was gliding.

Even leaping over walls while firing away at Seo-yeon.

And did it end up being inaccurate? Not at all.

It flew right towards Seo-yeon.

For a pistol, which usually has horrific accuracy, showing that level of shooting was sufficient to leave a strong impression on Seo-yeon.

‘It would’ve been nice had the role held a bit more weight.’

Seo-yeon harbored a mild dissatisfaction with how Min Do-ha’s role didn’t seem to carry that much significance.

Perhaps because she showcased only action without any significant acting in <Hyper Action Star>, that’s how her role became so light.

Seo-yeon thought Min Do-ha was an actress worthy of higher praise.

‘The public will discover Min Do-ha’s true value in this film.’

Of course, before that, she wanted to ask her manager to recruit Min Do-ha into ‘Nova Entertainment.’

Seo-yeon wished for ‘Nova Entertainment’ to grow in every sense.

More money to be made that way.

‘Oh right, I forgot to ask Nah-hee about that last time.’

‘Summer Girl’, belonging to Hoyeon Entertainment, was about to end their contract soon.

At that time, Seo-yeon wanted to poach Nah-hee alone but hadn’t spoken of it yet.

‘Anyway.’

Before practice, Seo-yeon decided to talk to Min Do-ha first.

“Min Do-ha, which agency are you with?”

“Excuse me?”

Min Do-ha jolted at Seo-yeon’s sudden question.

‘Why is she asking about my agency all of a sudden?’

Is she planning to barge in and do something?

Min Do-ha suddenly recalled her company in tatters after a night of sleep.

“It’s nothing… nothing impressive enough for you to know, just a small, very small agency.”

“Is that so? You’re older than me, so you can talk comfortably.”

“H-how could I dare…?”

Dare?

Seo-yeon tilted her head.

Oh, perhaps she takes the year of debut too seriously.

Although Seo-yeon debuted early, she only seriously started engaging this year, meaning she often didn’t get the recognition she deserved.

So in reality, Seo-yeon lived with the impression of ‘an actress debuting this year,’ but she never expected Min Do-ha would treat her like a senior.

“It’s okay. Seriously, feel free to talk. I feel more uncomfortable.”

“If that’s the case… I understand.”

Min Do-ha’s voice trembled excessively, making Seo-yeon feel slight confusion, but she soon caught on to something and bowed her head apologetically.

“Oh, I interrupted you while you were catching your emotions. I’m sorry.”

“Ah, n-no, no, really, really it’s fine.”

When you become immersed in emotions for acting, you shouldn’t just casually interrupt the actors.

Especially when it’s deep emotional acting like method acting.

Seo-yeon naturally had a fast transformation speed so it didn’t concern her, but it may have been a quite awkward situation for Min Do-ha.

“First, Seo-yeon, once you start walking slowly, Do-ha, you’ll need to ambush from the left. Also, Do-ha’s role, Shim So-jin, is a physically enhanced individual, but at this point, she isn’t yet a superpower user. She’s merely a trained agent, understood?”

“Yes.”

“So first, aim at Seo-yeon’s head with this stick in your hand. But not wildly swinging it, like a pro. Here’s a reference video.”

What Professor Kim Hong-baek showed was footage of baton techniques predominantly used by police.

“However, since this is intended for subduing ordinary individuals, it needs to differ. Seo-yeon’s character, Jin Yeon-seo, possesses regeneration abilities meaning normal attacks won’t work.”

Professor Kim Hong-baek said as he softly swung a plastic baton at Seo-yeon, demonstrating first.

He aimed for her cervical spine from behind.

Reacting, Seo-yeon turned her body and raised her arm to block it.

“At this moment, Jin Yeon-seo’s right arm is now disabled. But Jin Yeon-seo extends her left hand to counterattack.”

Min Do-ha swung the baton again and struck the side of Jin Yeon-seo’s elbow that was reaching out.

“Thinking I’ve immobilized both arms and relaxed is the split second of negligence.”

Professor Kim Hong-baek pretended to kick directly at Seo-yeon’s front foot, visible to her.

“After getting hit by this front kick, Shim So-jin will simply fall.”

Shim So-jin was the role Min Do-ha played.

To show the action acting Shim So-jin would perform, Professor Kim Hong-baek threw himself to the ground.

“The protective mat is laid down, so it’s safe to fall without worry.”

He then paused and repeated the actions multiple times.

After making Seo-yeon and Do-ha replicate their actions, he stated,

“That should do, let’s give it a try.”

With that, Professor Kim Hong-baek gestured to the two.

Now it was time for them to try matching their actions with each other.

‘Okay, here we go.’

Min Do-ha swallowed hard.

In this scene, she would have more moments of hitting.

Seo-yeon’s counter where she kicks forward wouldn’t require her to get hit directly but instead, she should roll back onto the ground at the appropriate moment.

Still, Min Do-ha’s hands trembled.

Thanks to that, those watching felt a natural thrill in their eyes.

Just like ‘Shim So-jin’ was staring down ‘Jin Yeon-seo’.

It felt as if she was gathering her courage to face the ‘first superpower user’, Jin Yeon-seo.

At this point, Shim So-jin was still an ordinary person not yet receiving any superpower procedures.

Of course, she was a pro in combat and among the top agents in the lab, but to a superpower user, she was merely an ordinary person.

Thus, it was only natural for Shim So-jin, who had crossed numerous battlefields, to be nervous.

Min Do-ha was revealing the psychology of Shim So-jin just like that.

‘Is she intending to practice as if it’s real?’

Seo-yeon admired Min Do-ha’s posture.

At the same time, she felt a bit reflective.

Perhaps she had forgotten her original mindset due to recent praise from those around her.

“If Do-ha is going sincere, I’ll do my best too.”

‘Huh? Sincere? And Do-ha?’

Min Do-ha tilted her head, confused about what was being said.

Then Seo-yeon briefly closed her eyes.

In an instant, a quiet stillness settled in the set.

And Seo-yeon’s chest rising and falling slowly.

Huff, huff.

The faint sound of her breathing could be heard.

With every inhalation, the atmosphere around Seo-yeon seemed to shift.

The gaze that had been on Min Do-ha gradually redirected towards Seo-yeon.

Even Arthur Diaz, who had been loosening up, turned his attention to Seo-yeon as their practice neared its conclusion.

Attention was shifting as Seo-yeon and Min Do-ha started to happen.

‘This feels… off.’

It felt like a sensation experienced before.

In Hollywood, where the world’s most famous actors gathered.

Occasionally, encountering extraordinary beings would evoke this sensation.

“Hah.”

As her breath hitched, a crescent-like smile lit up Seo-yeon’s lips.

“Alright.”

Her eyes slowly opened.

Those distinctly shining crimson eyes locked onto Do-ha.

Her mouth was smiling.

But no emotion felt behind it.

Was it an emotionless, failed performance?

No.

Essentially, the character Seo-yeon was playing, ‘Jin Yeon-seo’, hadn’t learned any emotions at this point.

In other words, at this moment, Jin Yeon-seo was merely mimicking a human smile.

It was as if a forced image of laughter was painted onto a human face.

A peculiar unease washed over, akin to seeing something eerily familiar yet not quite right.

“So, shall we give it a try?”

In the tone laced with a sweetness evoking gentleness, those around emitted faint gasps of admiration towards Seo-yeon.

The actress Joo Seo-yeon, who had just been here moments ago, at this instant had transformed into ‘Jin Yeon-seo’.

An embodied personification of tranquil silence.

Faced with such a creature, even Min Do-ha couldn’t utter her praises like the others.

All she could produce was

“Ugh, ughhh.”

A strange sound slipped out.

‘This one has definitely been immersed with real-life snippets before. No, is this really weird? Can’t you notice it!!’

Naturally, no one here could hear Min Do-ha’s silent scream.

 

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