Rookie Talent Agent Knows It All

Chapter 466: Dancer's Dream (3)

Yeon Hwa-Seon murmured, "This... is me."

The next video on the phone showed a younger Yeon Hwa-Seon with black hair, performing a dance.

I answered, "Yes, it's footage from 1998 when the remains of the independence fighters brought back from Kazakhstan were interred at the Daejeon National Cemetery."

On the small screen, Yeon Hwa-Seon performed the solemn Jinhonmu. Her movements were dignified and evocative as if soothing the spirits of the deceased.

This very dance had served as the reference for the Jinhonmu performed by Yoo-Jin's disguised character "Manshin Wol-Ah" in In the Name of God. With its far superior expressiveness compared to the typical Jinhonmu of shamans, Yeon Hwa-Seon's version was the obvious choice for the reference.

Yeon Hwa-Seon replayed the footage of "Manshin Wol-Ah's" Jinhonmu several times, marveling at it. "Did she really practice this on her own?"

"Yes. Yoo-Jin's identity as 'Manshin Wol-Ah' was a closely guarded secret at the time, so she had no choice but to practice alone. The only guidance she received was a few points for improvement from Mrs. Kim Soo-Hee."

Kim Soo-Hee was acquainted with Yeon Hwa-Seon as they had met several times before during consultations for dramas.

"Well, Soo-Hee unnie can't dance herself, so she wouldn't have been able to teach her."

"Exactly. Mrs. Kim Soo-Hee admitted she wasn't confident in dancing."

Yeon Hwa-Seon nodded with her eyes sparkling. "In that case, it's worth teaching her."

When Yeon Hwa-Seon said she would take this seriously, I felt a wave of relief.

Yeon Hwa-Seon looked at me curiously. "Team Lead Jung, are you really twenty-seven-years old?"

"I'm sorry?"

"The way you handle things makes you seem so seasoned."

Yeon Hwa-Seon was known for her sharp judgment of people. Naturally, she had quickly recognized that there was something unusual about me.

But I smiled boldly and feigned ignorance. "I'm twenty-seven-years-old, I assure you."

Yeon Hwa-Seon chuckled. "Okay. If that's the case, I'll teach her properly. But for now, everyone else needs to leave. If Yoo-Jin's skills are at this level, I need to focus and do this right. Give me about twenty minutes."

Oh Bok-Hee beamed. "So does this mean you'll take on the role of choreography advisor for us?"

"I'll test them first. The priority is to see if the actresses can follow the choreography I create."

Of course, I couldn't let my guard down. Though Yeon Hwa-Seon was smiling, she was nothing but sincere when it came to evaluating dance.

"Okay, Ms. Yeon. We'll step out now."

When Yeon Hwa-Seon was lost in thought, Oh Bok-Hee and I quietly exited the rest tent.

Once outside, Oh Bok-Hee said, "Thank you, Mr. Jung. I'll head back and prepare for the shoot. Please look after Miss Yoo-Jin for me."

It seemed Oh Bok-Hee had no doubt that Yeon Hwa-Seon would choreograph for Hwaranjeon.

"Of course, Mrs. Oh."

Oh Bok-Hee ran off to brief the staff while I headed to Yoo-Jin's tent to get her ready.

***

Yoo-Jin was already engrossed in reviewing the videos and focusing on recalling the choreography she needed as she rested in her tent.

When twenty minutes passed, Yoo-Jin finally let out a short sigh and looked up.

I asked, "Yoo-Jin, do you think you can do it?"

Yoo-Jin nodded firmly. "Yes. I don't know what kind of choreography Ms. Yeon will come up with, but I think I can manage it if it's based on the Jinhonmu from the video."

I couldn't help but feel a surge of pride upon seeing Yoo-Jin's confident attitude.

"Shall we go?"

"Yes!"

I led Yoo-Jin out of the tent. But just then, Han Sang-Hee and Min Gyu-Ri walked toward us. Their faces were flushed as if they had been practicing together inside the tent.

Han Sang-Hee, now standing beside us, cast a sharp glance at Yoo-Jin. "Jung Yoo-Jin, what's got you smiling like that? Haven't you been practicing?"

"Oh. I've had too much to think about, so I didn't practice."

Han Sang-Hee glared slightly at Yoo-Jin's nonchalant reply. "You didn't practice? Are you serious?"

Yoo-Jin simply smiled instead of responding.

"Are you smiling right now? You think this is funny?"

"Sunbae. I appreciate your concern, but isn't this the time to focus instead of arguing with each other?"

Han Sang-Hee trembled with frustration as she looked at Yoo-Jin. "Is that so? Fine. But if you mess up, I won't let it slide."

Han Sang-Hee stormed off to the stage after warning Yoo-JIn.

Then Min Gyu-Ri took over and spoke in a mocking tone. "Yoo-Jin sunbae. You might not realize it, but Ms. Yeon Hwa-Seon is a huge figure in the dance world. If it gets out that she criticized Hwaranjeon, we'll be the ones who get blamed!"

Yoo-Jin smirked at Min Gyu-Ri's words. It wasn't a concern Min Gyu-Ro was offering, but it was a veiled jab at Yoo-Jin, telling her that an amateur like her shouldn't drag them down.

Yoo-Jin replied, "Miss Gyu-Ri, you've changed so much worrying about me like this. That wasn't how you used to be, was it?"

"What did you say?"

"Focus on yourself instead. I may not have a dance background, but you do, don't you? What will you do if you make a mistake?"

Min Gyu-Ri stared at Yoo-Jin with a dumbfounded expression. When she couldn't think of a comeback, she spun on her heel and walked away. "Just you wait!"

As Han Sang-Hee and Min Gyu-Ri disappeared, Yoo-Jin shook her head in exasperation. "Oppa, why are those two so desperate to see me fail?"

"Maybe because you're better than them?"

Yoo-Jin laughed and told me not to joke, but I replied seriously and cheered her on.

"Oh, by the way, I'll record your performance later and show it to Miso. You better be good."

"If I'm going to brag to Miso, I'll have to do it properly."

"Exactly. Just channel your 'Princess Yu-Hwa' mindset. Pour every ounce of desperation into it. Dance is just another form of acting, after all."

Yoo-Jin nodded. "Got it, oppa. I'll be back."

"Good luck."

As our conversation ended, Yoo-Jin transformed her expression and embodied the character of Princess Yu-Hwa. She walked toward the stage with a graceful determination.

I instructed Lee Yung-Jin to move to the opposite side of the stage to record the choreography demonstration from Yeon Hwa-Seon.

A moment later, Yeon Hwa-Seon emerged from her tent with Seo Yoon-Ji. But I noticed she didn't carry the silk cloth typically used for the Jinhonmu.

Puzzled, I tilted my head as Yeon Hwa-Seon ascended the stage.

'What's she planning to do?'

Standing on the stage, Yeon Hwa-Seon looked at each of the three actresses before speaking. "You three, watch my Jinhonmu closely from fingertips to toes. Got it?"

Yoo-Jin, Han Sang-Hee, and Min Gyu-Ri all nodded with tense expressions.

"Yes, Ms. Yeon."

At that moment, Oh Bok-Hee interjected. "Should we play the music now?"

Yeon Hwa-Seon nodded. "Be ready. Start the music when my talent agent gives the okay."

"Understood, Ms. Yeon."

When Oh Bok-Hee relayed the instruction to the music director, the speakers were prepared right away.

As the preparations continued, Yeon Hwa-Seon swept her gaze across the stage. Positioned in front of the grand hall of the moon palace, the open-air stage was buffeted by icy winds. Each breath Yeon Hwa-Seon exhaled turned into a visible puff of white mist.

Seo Yoon-Ji said, "Ms. Yeon, we'll start the music in thirty seconds."

Yeon Hwa-Seon nodded. But then, Yeon Hwa-Seon's gaze sharpened and her expression shifted dramatically unlike anything we had seen before.

When she unbuttoned her fur coat one button at a time, the thick fur coat slipped off her shoulders and fell to the ground. In the blink of an eye, Yeon Hwa-Seon was left wearing only a sheer korean traditional undergarment. The translucent fabric revealed her slender arms and legs.

The current temperature was -5°C. Even with a thick coat, the piercing cold wind seeping through made it hard to stop shivering. Yet Yeon Hwa-Seon didn't so much as blink.

When Oh Bok-Hee tried to stop her, Seo Yoon-Ji shook her head. "Ms. Yeon wants to show the moves properly, so let her proceed. If we delay, it'll only get harder for her."

"Oh, alright."

Oh Bok-Hee sighed and instructed the startled staff to stay quiet. The previously bustling set turned completely silent.

Next, Yeon Hwa-Seon removed her shoes and carefully folded her socks beside them. Now barefoot and with her arms and legs fully exposed, it became clear why she hadn't brought the white silk cloth typically used in Jinhonmu. She intended to show everything from fingertips to toes with nothing obscured.

'She's not messing around.'

I pulled out my phone to record. In this freezing weather, asking her to perform twice would be impossible.

Once Yeon Hwa-Seon was ready, Seo Yoon-Ji signaled to Oh Bok-Hee, who quickly relayed the cue to the music director. Moments later, the background music for Jinhonmu began resonating through the set.

Tooooong~

The deep bass of the daego drum filled the air and Yeon Hwa-Seon began her vocal invocation.

『Heo-eoi~~ Yaa~~』

Yeon Hwa-Seon's voice echoed across the set and sent chills down my spine. The trembling timbre of her chant felt as though it was summoning spirits. In an instant, everyone's attention was fixated on her.

As the vocal invocation faded, Yeon Hwa-Seon moved her fingertips slowly. The subtle motion started at her shoulders and traveled gracefully down her arms to her hands.

Because she wore the sheer Korean traditional undergarments, everyone could clearly see the intricacy of her movements.

Swoosh.

Next, she glided barefoot across the stage with deliberate steps. She crouched, extended her fingers, and traversed the cold, stone-paved stage with an expression filled with sorrow. Despite the biting chill that could penetrate to the bone, Yeon Hwa-Seon seemed unbothered.

As she danced with all her might, a mist-like steam began to rise from her body.

Through her performance, Yeon Hwa-Seon vividly demonstrated to the actresses what a true dance should embody.

***

The Jinhonmu ended after two minutes.

Yeon Hwa-Seon stopped moving and gazed skyward with a mournful expression. Only then did she begin to catch her breath.

"Huff, huff... I must be getting old. I feel out of breath after just a short performance. Please understand."

She attributed her fatigue to age, but in truth, it was a symptom of her brain tumor.

Still catching her breath, the still barefoot Yeon Hwa-Seon called the actresses over. "Do you think you can do it?"

Han Sang-Hee and Min Gyu-Ri bit their lips and replied, "Yes, Ms. Yeon."

Yeon Hwa-Seon then looked at Yoo-Jin, who was standing silently with a dazed expression. "Jung Yoo-Jin... What about you?"

Snapping out of her thoughts, Yoo-Jin replied, "Ah, yes, Ms. Yeon."

"What were you so deep in thought about?"

"I'm sorry. I was momentarily lost in the world of your dance."

Yeon Hwa-Seon smiled, seemingly satisfied with Yoo-Jin's answer. "Then it's your turn to respond to that dance. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Ms. Yeon."

At that moment, Yoo-Jin wore a small smile and slowly approached Yeon Hwa-Seon. She picked up the fur coat lying on the ground and draped it gently over Yeon Hwa-Seon's shoulders. Then, she brought over the folded socks and shoes, placing them neatly in front of her.

"Dress warmly and watch us closely, Ms. Yeon."

Yeon Hwa-Seon stared intently at Yoo-Jin. "The moment I put these on, there won't be a second demonstration. Are you sure about this?"

Yoo-Jin smiled without even blinking. "Yes, Ms. Yeon."

Yeon Hwa-Seon fastened her coat and put on her shoes at Yoo-Jin's firm and unwavering reply.

"I'll look forward to it."

As Yoo-Jin returned to her position, she glanced at Han Sang-Hee and Min Gyu-Ri with a teasing smirk. "If you do worse than me, it'll be embarrassing. You know that, right?"

Han Sang-Hee and Min Gyu-Ri bristled at Yoo-Jin's words. But I understood why Yoo-Jin was acting this way. She was provoking the two to raise the stakes and ensure they performed well enough to satisfy Yeon Hwa-Seon.

Yoo-Jin's taunt only made Han Sang-Hee and Min Gyu-Ri more flushed with determination. Since Yoo-Jin, who wasn't even a dance major, had challenged them so boldly, they couldn't afford to falter.

"Stop being ridiculous and worry about yourself."

"Just don't drag us down, sunbae."

Yoo-Jin shrugged casually. "Got it. Then let's go."

Yoo-Jin turned away and took a deep breath. Then, just as Yeon Hwa-Seon had done earlier, Yoo-Jin flung off her padded coat.

Thud.

Unlike Yeon Hwa-Seon, Yoo-Jin wasn't wearing sheer Korean traditional undergarments underneath but a thick white funeral dress. However, even that was far too thin to withstand the biting winter winds.

Yoo-Jin then removed her shoes, leaving herself barefoot. The icy winter wind quickly turned her hands and feet red with cold. Yet Yoo-Jin didn't flinch even once as she picked up the white silk cloth from the floor.

At that, the two other actresses ground their teeth and followed suit, shedding their outerwear and going barefoot. The three actresses stood in formation. Their eyes gleamed with resolve as they prepared to dance.

Finally, Oh Bok-Hee signaled for the music to start again.

Toooong~

The deep sound of the daego drum resonated across the set. As it did, Yoo-Jin held the silk cloth in her hands and moved her body slowly.

At that moment, Yeon Hwa-Seon's expression changed to one of astonishment.