Chapter 43: Actress Han Eunchae
Thursday, January 7.
Han Eunchae returned to her agency after finishing her final schedule of the day.
Her manager had been waiting and handed her a thick screenplay.
“It’s been a while since you got a movie script.”
Eunchae placed her bag beside the sofa.
“What is it?”
“Director Baek Geonwoo’s next film.”
“You know who he is, right?”
Eunchae’s hand paused as she accepted the script.
The Busan International Film Festival came to mind.
The theater she had entered because she wanted a short break.
She had only intended to watch a little before leaving.
But she ended up staying until the end.
“Of course I know him.”
“What role?”
“The Princess.”
Eunchae was about to turn the first page when she stopped.
“Princess?”
“Yeah.”
“But it isn’t a normal casting offer.”
Eunchae looked up.
“Then what?”
“It’s an audition offer.”
Eunchae stared at her manager.
“Oppa.”
“You’re telling me they want me to audition?”
“Yeah.”
Her manager laughed.
“I asked exactly the same thing when I first heard.”
It wasn’t that someone as famous as Han Eunchae never received audition offers.
But it was rare.
She was a member of one of Korea’s top girl groups and had an enormous overseas fandom.
Usually, when a project came in, they first sent the script and asked whether she was interested.
Then they scheduled a meeting and discussed conditions.
This time was different.
As a singer, Eunchae had already succeeded to a degree where she could hardly ask for more.
Her group activities never stopped.
Neither did advertisements or overseas schedules.
But the evaluation she received as an actress was different.
Whenever an acting project was released, the words idol-turned-actress always appeared before Han Eunchae’s name.
Sometimes people talked much more about the scenes she struggled with than the ones she did well.
Eunchae knew her acting still had weaknesses.
That was why she prepared harder for every project.
Even so, she had yet to find a role that truly changed how people saw her as an actress.
Eunchae asked,
“Are there a lot of candidates?”
“Quite a few.”
“And they’re all auditioning?”
“Yeah.”
“The production company is sending the script to the candidates and arranging schedules now.”
Eunchae looked down at the screenplay for a moment.
Her manager asked,
“What do you want to do?”
“I’ll read it first.”
Eunchae opened the first page.
“When do they want an answer?”
“As soon as possible.”
“Okay.”
She took the script with her.
Liking Baek Geonwoo’s previous film and wanting this role were two different things.
First, she needed to see what kind of movie it was.
Inside the car on her way home.
Eunchae turned on the rear-seat light.
When she opened the screenplay, the main-character introductions came before the story.
She scrolled down the page and stopped at one name.
[Princess Yeonhwi]
The King’s eldest daughter.
Half-sister of the deposed Crown Prince and biological sister of the young Prince.
Raised within the royal family, she rarely shows her emotions easily.
She tends to observe the situation and judge before speaking.
Under the King’s command, she is tasked with bringing the deposed Crown Prince back to the palace.
“Princess Yeonhwi...”
Eunchae muttered.
“The impression is good.”
She turned the page.
The story properly began from there.
At first, she read slowly.
Once Yeonhwi appeared, however, Eunchae naturally began slowing down whenever the character entered a scene.
Yeonhwi went to find the deposed Crown Prince under the King’s command.
Eunchae stopped there once.
At first, the role looked predictable.
A Princess connecting the King and the deposed Crown Prince.
The deposed Crown Prince didn’t trust the father who had abandoned him.
He had no intention of returning to the palace.
Eunchae muttered,
“Is she just here to convince the deposed Crown Prince?”
“That’d be boring.”
But after several more pages, her opinion began to change.
Yeonhwi didn’t make excuses for their father.
She didn’t desperately try to soothe the deposed Crown Prince either.
She said what needed to be said.
And when necessary, she moved first.
Eunchae reread several sections containing Yeonhwi’s dialogue.
The more she read, the more the character differed from her initial impression.
Yeonhwi didn’t simply endure everything quietly because she was emotionally restrained.
If anything, she made decisions quickly whenever the situation changed.
Eunchae turned the next page.
At that moment, the car slowed.
When she looked up, the familiar entrance of her apartment complex was outside.
The manager in the front turned around.
“How’s the script?”
“Interesting?”
“Yeah.”
“More than I expected.”
“What about the Princess?”
“She’s good.”
Eunchae checked the page she was on and closed the script.
“I haven’t finished yet.”
“You’re going to keep reading at home?”
“Yeah.”
Her manager laughed.
“Sounds like you already like it.”
“I need to finish it first.”
The car stopped.
Eunchae got out while still holding the script rather than putting it inside her bag.
The screenplay didn’t stay closed for long after she returned home.
After changing clothes, Eunchae sat on her living-room sofa and reopened it from where she had stopped.
This time, she read more slowly than in the car.
What decisions did Yeonhwi make?
When did she hold back her words?
When did she act first?
Even while following the larger story, Eunchae’s eyes naturally kept returning to those questions.
Before she knew it, she reached the final page.
Eunchae didn’t immediately close the script.
Even after finishing the last page, she remained sitting there for quite a while.
“This is really good...”
She flipped several pages back.
Her hand stopped at Yeonhwi’s first appearance.
It was a line that hadn’t stood out much when she first read it.
After reaching the ending and returning, it felt different.
Eunchae reread several lines.
Then closed the screenplay.
She picked up the phone on the table.
It was already late.
Still, she messaged her manager.
[Oppa.]
The reply arrived quickly.
[Finished?]
[Yeah.]
Eunchae paused before typing again.
[I’ll do the audition.]
Her phone rang immediately.
Eunchae answered.
“You like the role?”
“Yeah.”
“A lot?”
“More than I expected.”
Her manager laughed.
“Your face already said that in the car.”
“What did?”
“That you wanted it.”
“It wasn’t that much at first.”
Eunchae tapped the closed screenplay with one finger.
“But after finishing the whole script, I want to try it.”
“Got it. I’ll contact them first thing tomorrow morning.”
“Okay.”
The next morning.
Eunchae received a call from her manager while getting her makeup done.
“Yeah, oppa.”
“I talked to the production company.”
“What did they say?”
“They’re going ahead with the audition.”
“They’re arranging the schedule now.”
Eunchae looked at herself in the mirror and nodded.
“Okay.”
“They also chose the audition scene.”
“Which one?”
“The first time she goes to see the deposed Crown Prince.”
“Oh, that scene.”
The passage she had read the night before immediately came to mind.
“Which page does it start on?”
“I’ll organize it and send it to you.”
“They’ll include the other character’s dialogue too.”
“Okay. Send it.”
“The audition schedule is still being coordinated.”
“Tell me as soon as it’s set.”
“I will.”
After ending the call, the makeup artist asked,
“Are you starting a new movie?”
“Not yet.”
“I have to audition first.”
“Oh my. The great Han Eunchae is going to an audition?”
Eunchae only answered with a smile.
Thinking about it, the situation felt unfamiliar even to her.
Until now, her fame had gotten her cast in projects.
This time, she had to compete fairly with other actresses through acting.
That night.
After finishing her schedules, Eunchae turned on her laptop the moment she got home.
An email from her manager was waiting.
[The Night the King Died - Princess Yeonhwi Audition Scene]
She opened the file.
It was the scene she had read the night before.
Yeonhwi went to the deposed Crown Prince carrying the King’s sealed letter.
Eunchae slowly read the other character’s dialogue first.
The deposed Crown Prince didn’t trust the King.
He wasn’t even happy to see Yeonhwi.
“I need to read it again.”
The second time, Eunchae focused only on Yeonhwi’s lines.
The third time, she stood.
She moved to the center of the living room with the script in her hand.
“His Majesty ordered me to deliver this to you personally.”
She tried it once.
Her voice sounded slightly stiff.
Again.
“His Majesty ordered me to deliver this to you personally.”
This time, she removed some of the force.
Eunchae continued into the next line.
The auditions for the Princess role were held over several days.
Quite a few actresses accepted.
Some had already played lead roles in films.
Some had extensive historical-drama experience.
Others had recently earned praise for their acting.
Because many were already working on other productions, it was impossible to fit everyone into one day.
Geonwoo and the production team divided the schedule across several available dates.
The assigned scene was the same.
Yeonhwi visiting the deposed Crown Prince.
The dialogue was identical.
But every time the actress changed, Yeonhwi changed too.
A strong actress appeared on the first day.
She had plenty of historical-drama experience.
Her posture was stable.
Her speech felt natural.
She didn’t look like she was forcing herself to appear royal.
The reading actor spoke first.
“Why does he seek me now, after all this time?”
The actress extended the sealed letter.
“His Majesty ordered me to deliver this to you personally.”
The reading actor looked at the letter.
“His Majesty?”
A bitter laugh.
“The man who abandoned me ten years ago now seeks me?”
The actress watched him for a moment.
“If you return to the palace, you can hear the reason from him directly.”
It was a short line.
Yet it clearly gave the impression that this woman would not back down.
At that moment, Geonwoo activated his ability.
Familiar words appeared.
[Role: Princess Yeonhwi]
[Compatibility: 86 points]
Geonwoo checked the number before focusing on the actress again.
The reading actor looked down at the letter.
“You expect me to return to the palace just to hear what that man has to say?”
The actress waited briefly.
“It would be better for you to confirm it yourself.”
Her unwavering attitude was good.
However, she felt slightly more like an envoy sent by the King than the deposed Crown Prince’s younger sister.
The scene ended.
“Cut.”
Geonwoo checked the monitor.
The producer immediately commented,
“As expected from someone with so much historical-drama experience. She’s stable.”
“Yes.”
“She was good.”
Geonwoo acknowledged it.
She was an actress who could definitely play Yeonhwi.
But there was no reason to decide yet.
They barely had time to organize the evaluation sheet before the next actress entered.
This one was completely different.
From the moment she stood across from the deposed Crown Prince, they looked like family.
Her expression when hearing his resentment toward the King was also excellent.
The reading actor began.
“Why does he seek me now, after all this time?”
The actress extended the sealed letter.
“His Majesty ordered me to deliver this to you personally.”
The reading actor looked down at the letter and continued.
The actress’s gaze shook briefly.
“If you return to the palace, you can hear the reason from him directly.”
Geonwoo used his ability again.
[Compatibility: 89 points]
The highest so far.
Geonwoo continued watching.
Just from the way she looked at the deposed Crown Prince, it felt obvious that they were family.
“Cut.”
The casting director spoke first.
“That was good.”
The producer nodded.
“I agree.”
Geonwoo kept his eyes on the monitor as he nodded too.
“Their family relationship was clearer than with anyone we’ve seen so far.”
Even so, she was slightly different from the Yeonhwi Geonwoo had imagined.
She looked less like someone determined to bring the deposed Crown Prince back to the palace and more like a younger sister trying to comfort her wounded older brother.
“Let’s see the next one.”
The auditions continued the next day.
With so many candidates, there were many talented actresses.
No one was so obviously lacking that they could be removed immediately.
One actress had a powerful presence the moment she entered.
When the reading actor pushed her, she pushed right back.
The scene itself had strength.
But she was more aggressive than the Yeonhwi Geonwoo had written.
He didn’t activate his ability.
Another actress was excellent at emotional expression.
Even the moment when the deposed Crown Prince’s words hurt her felt natural.
But she seemed more like someone who carried those emotions for a long time rather than a person who quickly read the situation and decided what to do next.
Geonwoo didn’t use his ability on her either.
Eye for Casting could only be used five times per day.
But he wasn’t going to miss a good actor simply because he wanted to save uses.
If Geonwoo personally found someone difficult to choose between, he activated it.
If he already believed the direction was wrong, he didn’t need to check the number.
Eighty-seven.
Eighty-five.
On another day, eighty-eight.
Most were in the eighties.
Any of them could play Princess Yeonhwi in a convincing way.
That made choosing harder.
After another actress left, the casting director leaned back.
“This role is really difficult.”
The producer laughed.
“It’s harder when everyone is good and you can only choose one than when you’re eliminating weak candidates.”
Geonwoo looked down at the evaluations in front of him.
“There are a lot of good actresses.”
The producer asked,
“Who do you like best so far?”
Geonwoo didn’t immediately choose one.
The actress who scored eighty-nine was good.
Some actresses with lower scores had been better in specific moments.
“I think we need to see more.”
The casting director checked the next schedule.
“Then I’ll see whether the next person is ready.”
She stood and headed toward the door.
A short while later, the door opened again.
“Han Eunchae has arrived.”
Geonwoo raised his head.
A knock came from outside.
“Come in.”
Han Eunchae entered.
She looked different from how she had at the Busan International Film Festival.
Back then, she had hosted the opening ceremony in a dress under countless cameras.
Today, she wore comfortable clothes.
Her makeup was light.
Even so, the moment she entered, everyone’s attention naturally moved toward her.
The producer and casting director reacted the same way.
Eunchae seemed used to that kind of attention and greeted them first with a smile.
“Hello. I’m Han Eunchae.”
The three returned her greeting.
Eunchae’s gaze stopped on Geonwoo.
“It’s been a while, Director.”
“Yes. It has.”
This was their first meeting since Busan.
The producer offered her a seat.
“Please sit.”
“Thank you.”
Eunchae sat.
They briefly explained the process.
Geonwoo asked,
“Did you read the entire screenplay?”
“Yes.”
“What did you think of Yeonhwi?”
Eunchae didn’t answer immediately.
After thinking, she said,
“She was very different from the Princess I expected.”
“In what way?”
“At first, I thought she was just someone carrying out the King’s orders.”
“But as the story went on, she started moving based on her own judgment.”
“You liked that?”
“Yes.”
Eunchae smiled.
“If she were just a character who kept waiting for someone else to save her, I probably wouldn’t have come.”
The producer laughed softly.
A slight smile appeared on Geonwoo’s lips too.
“Was there a scene you liked the most?”
“The one where she goes to get the young Prince.”
The answer came immediately.
“Why that scene?”
“No one tells Yeonhwi to do that.”
“She reads the situation and decides for herself.”
“I liked that.”
Geonwoo nodded.
There was no doubt she had read the screenplay properly.
“Then let’s start with the scene you prepared.”
“Okay.”
Eunchae stood.
She carried her script to the marked position.
The reading actor stood too.
Eunchae checked the tape on the floor.
“We’ll begin.”
At Geonwoo’s words, the camera rolled.
The reading actor spoke first.
“Why does he seek me now, after all this time?”
Eunchae didn’t answer immediately.
She extended the letter in her hand.
“His Majesty ordered me to deliver this to you personally.”
Her voice was steady.
She didn’t artificially lower it.
The deposed Crown Prince looked at the letter.
“His Majesty?”
There was a low laugh.
“The man who abandoned me ten years ago now seeks me?”
Eunchae’s gaze dropped for the briefest moment.
After one measured breath, she looked at him again.
“If you return to the palace, you can hear the reason from him directly.”
Geonwoo shifted his attention from the monitor to Eunchae.
She wasn’t trying hard to look like royalty.
Yet there was natural dignity in her presence.
The deposed Crown Prince refused to take the letter.
“You think I’d still listen to that man?”
Eunchae kept her hand extended.
“I didn’t come here to ask you to trust him.”
The deposed Crown Prince looked at her.
Eunchae didn’t avoid his gaze.
“I came to deliver his order that you hear it yourself.”
At that moment, Geonwoo activated his ability.
Familiar words appeared at the edge of his vision.
[Role: Princess Yeonhwi]
[Candidate Actress: Han Eunchae]
Another line followed.
[Compatibility: 94 points]
Geonwoo’s eyes paused.
Ninety-four.
It was the highest score among every Princess candidate he had seen.
New information appeared.
[Strengths]
[Natural presence suitable for a member of the royal family]
[Stability even while receiving intense attention from others]
[Strong instinct for quickly reading a scene partner and the atmosphere of a space]
Geonwoo continued watching Eunchae while reading.
For the briefest moment, hurt passed through her expression after hearing the deposed Crown Prince’s words.
Then it disappeared.
“I’ve delivered His Majesty’s command.”
The deposed Crown Prince turned away.
Geonwoo said,
“Cut.”
The camera stopped.
Eunchae relaxed.
More information remained in Geonwoo’s vision.
[Her gaze remains memorable even while suppressing emotion]
[Highly suited to a role requiring both authority and warmth]
And below that.
[Weaknesses]
[Tendency to predetermine a scene’s emotion and reactions]
[Limited experience responding to unexpected choices from scene partners]
[Limited experience maintaining a long emotional arc throughout a feature film]
[Strong star image may appear before the character]
Eunchae’s acting was good.
But it wasn’t overwhelmingly superior to the candidates Geonwoo had already seen.
In terms of historical-drama experience and pure stability, some actresses were better.
And yet her compatibility score was ninety-four.
Geonwoo looked at Han Eunchae again.
Why is her score higher...?
