A Thousand Faces (Soon to be Published)

Chapter 5

In a small theater located in the countryside.

The employee who had just been answering the phone muttered curses, his expression troubled.

The employee was hesitant to open the waiting room door. There, Joo Mansik was seated, reviewing the script for today's play.

Joo Mansik's calm expression turned into anger within a split second, even before the employee could finish speaking.

"Did he run away again?"

"I'm really in a bind. How many times has this happened now... What should we do?"

"What can we do? These ungrateful leeches... I know they come from far away. I've doubled their appearance fees, and they still do this."

"...Maybe we should consider changing the venue. It seems like the location itself is causing problems."

"Come on. What does the location have to do with it? You know it, too. It started off great. There were no problems."

It wasn't a false statement. Despite being in the countryside, Joo Mansik's theater gained attention soon after its opening. His strategy of working with unknown actors, unlike other theaters' busy casting named actors, worked well.

In the theater world, attracting the audience's attention primarily relied on the name associated with the actors. Once a particular actor was involved, people would book tickets and watch, regardless of the content – a fact Joo Mansik was well aware of.

However, his perspective was a bit different. He believed that elevating the quality of the play depended not on the actors' fame but on how well they embodied their roles and touched the audience's hearts.

He consistently focused on aspiring actors who, despite their talent, remained unnoticed due to the overshadowing presence of named actors in lead roles.

These newcomers poured their passion for the profession into their performances and emotions.

Thanks to Joo Mansik, hidden talents in the industry gradually began to shine.

His theater gained recognition as a venue for discovering hidden gems.

It was a successful start.

However, that didn't last long. Unlike Joo Mansik, who cherished and raised the talents he discovered, the newly acclaimed rookies were more focused on quickly securing a position in a renowned theater in Seoul than taking responsibility for the rural theater that had pushed them forward.

Their dreams ultimately lay in Seoul. The lead actors who gained some attention at Joo Mansik's theater quickly moved to prestigious theaters in Seoul as soon as they felt they had received enough recognition.

Today, the rookie actor with the lead role fled without a second thought when offered an audition by a well-known theater in Seoul.

This was already the third time.

"Ah, damn it, these youngsters are all the same, running off without any gratitude."

Mansik continued swearing, and the apologetic employee sniffed at his nose.

"This time, file for damages. The problem is that the kids are causing issues, but why is it always you, the representative, handling the aftermath?"

"Enough. What money do I have for those who have just stepped into this field? Getting more involved with them will only end up with me being ousted."

A momentary bitterness crossed Mansik's face as he spoke. It was subtle enough that the employee couldn't see it.

With the right mindset, he could quickly quell the controversy stirred up by a few reporters about the sudden popularity. Still, he couldn't just stab them in the back for leaving once they gained some recognition. Mansik was well aware that, like himself, they started their careers hoping for success rather than expecting to become someone's target.