What? Forty million won? Kang Woojin couldn’t hide his shock. He was slightly surprised at thirty million won, but it had suddenly jumped by ten million won. Something was going awry again. Why all of a sudden? Kang Woojin wanted to ask outright, feeling frustrated.
But to CEO Choi Sung-gun, Woojin was a monstrous actor.
Asking his worth only made CEO Choi Sung-gun smile. Although Kang Woojin was still reeling from the shock, he maintained his poker face as much as possible. And he repeated Choi Sung-gun’s answer in a low voice.
“Forty million won?”
“Yes. It’s possible, Woojin.”
Kang Woojin felt slightly numb to reality. Right? When he was working at a design company, ten million won was a sum that took a whole year to save. Now it comes and goes in seconds. It’s startling. Though startled, Woojin tried to keep his cool.
There was no reason to reject it.
‘He misunderstood things on his own. I’m innocent.’
Now he had to continue the conversation naturally, very calmly. However, there was no need for a lengthy explanation. Missteps in speech are enemies of the concept. A careless line could make one look flippant.
‘Each moment is like walking on thin ice.’
Though no one knew, Woojin was fighting a fierce battle inside, conjuring up a polished and cool response.
“I’m curious why that amount was determined.”
Unsurprisingly, CEO Choi Sung-gun folded his hands solemnly and explained.
“…Actually, these days, there’s a trend to avoid signing bonuses. Some top stars even prefer not to take them, accepting houses or other things instead.”
“Yes.”
“The same goes for rising rookie actors who have made a name for themselves with a few successful movies or dramas. Including their trainee period, when they transfer after a 7-year contract, they take a foreign car instead of a signing bonus.”
“Yes, I roughly know.”
“The point here is ‘transfer’. Signing bonuses are mostly given when an artist transfers. Whether it’s an actor or idol, there’s rarely a signing bonus for the first contract. Everyone starts as a trainee. If the kid’s good, they might give a little pocket money?”
Soon, CEO Choi Sung-gun pointed at the unfazed Kang Woojin.
“But Woojin, you’re a bit special. You’re practically completely unknown, with only two works to your name, and one of them is a short film. But it’s safe to say that there’s never been a case like this. You know that, right?”
“Go on, please.”
“However, to be honest, to the public, you’re still a regular person. In the entertainment world, money ultimately comes from recognition. If another agency sees this signing bonus, they’ll think we’re crazy. Because your recognition is zero. But those who have seen you at script readings are willing to invest. They see the future.”
“…”
“In the end, it’s about recognition. Whether by the agency or the public.”
CEO Choi Sung-gun paused for a moment.
“Woojin, your acting is amazing. I was moved by an actor’s performance for the first time in a while.”
He concluded his explanation.
YOU ARE READING
The Mistaken Genius Actor 🧑🏻🎤
FantasyDescription I, Kang Woojin, was quitting my design work and became a jobless person. The next day, my friend took me to auditions and I was forced to perform. I was given a script, void space appeared in my mind and forced me to relive the character...
