* * *
Professor Geum Bitgang yawned inside the traffic-jammed car.
The new semester welcoming freshmen always made her heart race, but in recent years it had become nothing but boring.
‘Is it about time to retire soon?’
Geum Bitgang.
She was a well-known figure who once held the position of national actress, with a strong voice honed through theater and rich facial expressions that captivated everyone.
‘…Yeah.’
As she gradually grew older, staying on set became too exhausting, so she became a professor—but now it seemed even that chapter was coming to an end.
‘Just one more year.’
She no longer had any lingering attachment to acting, nor the passion to nurture promising young talents.
She still wanted to act, but time had passed too quickly. She had wanted to pour everything she had into teaching, but there was no one willing to follow.
‘This year… maybe two of them were decent, at least.’
Geum Bitgang thought of the new students. Of course, none were quite good enough to become her protégés.
‘This much is enough to wash my hands of it and walk away.’
Do Gyeoul, the only daughter of a famous actor and a former child actress.
Myeong Jeha, who at the age of nineteen a year ago played a key role in a blockbuster film with over ten million viewers.
‘Come to think of it…’
Geum Bitgang, who was organizing the new students in her mind, briefly lit up her eyes.
‘There was quite an interesting person among this year’s new students.’
Korea’s most difficult school to get into, the Korea National University of Arts, abbreviated as K-ARTS.
Among them, Geum Bitgang, who plays a central role, had more influence than anyone else when it came to selecting new students.
That student, whom everyone said was still lacking, was admitted entirely thanks to Geum Bitgang.
“Let’s begin the free acting.”
Geum Bitgang chuckled softly as she recalled that clumsy performance. She had chosen Han Yeoreum because she liked her eyes, but back then, Yeoreum was full of shortcomings.
‘She didn’t seem scared.’
Her shining eyes, as if she didn’t know what it was like to be nervous, were not bad.
‘No self-consciousness either.’
She knew how to act on instinct, without calculating how others would perceive her.
Geum Bitgang added one last name to her list of standout freshmen.
Han Yeoreum, whose acting experience was said to be less than even half a year.
‘Of course, that can’t possibly be true.’
If even one of them could truly learn everything Geum Bitgang had to offer, she thought, she wouldn’t mind postponing her retirement after all.
* * *
‘How long has it been?’
I took a deep breath in front of the school building. It had been a while since I last came here.
How happy I was when I first heard that I had passed here?
‘Of course, I didn’t even get to graduate in the end.’
Hyung Changwook said that to me. That I had to debut the proper way.
“Back then, since he was a senior, I just took his word for it without question.”
After being forced to give up the lead role in the freshman play to Do Gyeoul, I immediately submitted a leave of absence.
Then, following Hyung Changwook’s advice, I went to Hyehwa and started out as the youngest member of a theater troupe.
‘The tasks I did were selling tickets, cleaning, and being a practice partner…’
Yeah. I wasted time.
After that, I kept working steadily at the theater troupe, occasionally doing some extra roles or small parts. Even though I practiced like crazy on my own, I never got assigned any major roles.
‘I really went to so many auditions…’
An accident happens every time.
Later on, I gave up and the only roles I got from Hyung Changwook were extras.
‘All that luck went to Do Gyeoul, so that’s why I ended up like that.’
And on top of that, even that role was something Do Gyeoul slipped in just so she could watch me act.
‘This time, I won’t make the same mistake again.’
I let out a light sigh and regained my composure. With all the memories of the future in my hands, misfortune was no longer my fate.
Knowing which movies and dramas will be hits, the right brand commercials to appear in, the trending styles, and how to use social media effectively, there was nothing left but to succeed.
‘Oh, right. Add web novel-based dramas to that list too.’
I racked my memory and tried out a line that would fit this situation.
“Status… window?”
Tiring—!
[Name: Han Yeoreum]
Level: Unknown
Title: None
Immersion: B+
Analytical: C
Communication: D+
Quick Thinking: C+
Concentration: B+
Recognition: F
Artistry: F
Skill
〈Lead Role on Stage〉 F
Then, a status indicator showing my current condition appeared.
‘But what is this?’
With stats at rock bottom, it was clearly the status window of a newbie.
“…No. Even though I’ve acted for 10 years, my stats are this modest?”
How come there isn’t a single A in my stats? I pressed my forehead and sighed. The level was harshly marked as well.
“Unknown…”
I stood frozen in place in disbelief.
Then the status window gave me some extra explanation this time too.
System
>>> All your stats and skills are currently locked.
The only way to restore things to normal is to focus solely on the missions!
I was so focused on understanding the harsh reality that I completely forgot I was almost late.
“Ah~.”
I sighed deeply. But hearing the voice resonating from inside out, confidence welled up within me once again.
“But it doesn’t matter!”
My stats are locked, but my voice is still the same.
The voice was worth all the practice on the empty stage every day. I decided to trust the path I had walked in the past.
* * *
“Alright, before I explain what kind of lecture I’m going to give—.”
The professor’s voice, standing at the very front of the brightly lit classroom, carried clearly all the way to the back.
Professor Geum Bitgang, who explained the lecture with pronunciation more precise than an announcer’s, spotted a freshman quietly sneaking in through the back door.
‘Look at that?’
How dare someone be late on the very first day of Professor Geum Bitgang’s class. A displeased smile spread across her face.
“Student.”
Geum Bitgang pointed with her hand at the top-ranking freshman sitting in the front row.
“And.”
After calling Do Gyeoul forward, Geum Bitgang glanced at the arrogant freshman who had barely managed to settle in the very back row.
“Student. Forward.”
The latecomer was the interesting student Geum Bitgang remembered—Han Yeoreum.
As the two stepped forward, the attention of the freshmen immediately focused on them.
Unlike Do Gyeoul, who was naturally used to others’ gazes, Han Yeoreum seemed a bit nervous as she looked at each student’s face one by one.
‘There has to be at least one person with a focus rating of B or higher to complete the mission. But maybe because they’re freshmen, their stats are pretty weak.’
Of course, Yeoreum was checking the freshmen in front of her solely for mission completion, without any nervousness or anything else.
Professor Geum Bitgang, watching the two of them, greeted the rest of the freshmen as well.
“I don’t think there’s a single freshman here who hasn’t seen a play at least once!”
Her voice, surprisingly mature for her age, echoed loudly throughout the lecture hall.
“Here’s the thing about plays: it’s literally about explaining to the audience through words and actions. It’s different from movies! It’s different from dramas, too! Musicals? Absolutely not!”
That meant you couldn’t rely on the power of editing. If you lacked the fundamentals, a play would literally expose all your flaws.
“You have to directly bring that persuasive power and shove it right in front of the audience’s eyes!”
Everyone wore a serious expression, indicating they understood. Geum Bitgang grinned and motioned with her chin to Do Gyeoul.
“Anything is fine. Just recite a line.”
First-year students who recognized child actor Do Gyeoul’s face fixed their gaze on her.
Her features, already exuding a celebrity aura, made for an excellent spectacle by her mere presence.
Do Gyeoul, without a hint of panic even in the sudden situation, opened her mouth like a prepared actor.
“Seagull. Starting now.”
Do Gyeoul immediately began acting.
Even in front of the great actor Geum Bitgang, her complete lack of hesitation overwhelmed her peers.
Do Gyeoul lowered her head, then slowly raised it again, her eyes had changed.
“You’re not late… You’re really not late, are you? I’ve been worried all day, and I was so scared!”
Though not as good as Geum Bitgang, her pronunciation was accurate, her expressions natural, and her use of hand gestures was pretty good.
Her hands, clasped together over her chest, were subtly trembling. On stage, Do Gyeoul gazed into the distance, speaking as if trying to persuade someone beyond the void.
“I was completely frantic… driving the lines forward, over and over again.”
Pure, intense focus poured toward Do Gyeoul as she slowly bowed her head and continued speaking.
It was only natural—she had chosen a well-known play that everyone had practiced at least once before.
“Look. I’m just… so out of breath.”
Even the way she gasped for air and steadied her breath exceeded expectations.
It was then that she lifted her drooping head once more.
There was an inexplicable force behind that slow movement.
“Still, like a seagull.”
Taking a brief pause to breathe, Do Gyeoul showed she was an experienced actor who knew the stage well. She understood how to control the intensity.
“…I’m drawn to this lake.”
Until that final word was spoken, everyone held their breath in silence.
Do Gyeoul, who had been staring into the empty air with shining eyes, slowly lowered her gaze to finish.
“My heart is filled with you.”
A brief silence followed—then, with the sound of a single clap, applause began to spread, soon swelling into a wave of cheers.
“Now, you saw that, right? The greatest weapon an actor can have. In theater, it all comes down to skill. No matter how extravagant the set is, there’s a limit. This is a world with CG, 3D, even 4D. For an actor to be marketable, there’s only one thing that matters—skill, no matter what.”
Professor Geum Bitgang then turned to Han Yeoreum, whose eyes still held a trace of unease. It was the signal to begin.
“I…”
Yeoreum cautiously opened her lips and asked.
“Does it have to be a line from a play?”
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