An actor''s audition. Specifically, the Hyper Action Star audition for action and stunt actors. At first, most people were indifferent.

    After all, audition programs were nothing new. However, perceptions changed dramatically after the release of the teaser trailer—particularly after Seoyeon’s spectacular rappel stunt.

    Aren’t all reality shows scripted anyway?She probably didn’t do the stunt herself.Seriously, only naive people would believe this.

    Of course, not all reactions were positive. Many were skeptical, wondering if such a breathtaking action sequence could have been faked.

    Who even is Ju Seoyeon, and why is she getting so much screen time?She got popular after The Chaser.She’s been trending lately because of Dream Future too.Never heard of her.

    The general sentiment on social media ranged from curiosity to indifference. Surprisingly, it was Seoyeon’s own fan community that was the most subdued, responding with, “Well, she could probably pull that off.”

    Wow, has she overcome gravity now?Why does Hyper Action Star need an audition?I’m curious to see what Seoyeon will do next.LOL, right.You can tell she’s having fun in the teaser.Well, who wouldn’t be?

    As the chatter continued, Hyper Action Star officially aired its first episode.

    Streaming live on both an internet platform and a cable channel, it was clear that GH Group had invested heavily in the show.

    It’s starting!Is this live?Yeah, it’s all live.

    The first group, Group A, consisted of 20 actors, each standing in the set—a “ruined” environment crafted from broken styrofoam buildings. Amidst the actors dressed in comfortable outfits, one person stood out—Ju Seoyeon.

    Unlike the others, who appeared tense, Seoyeon remained calm, making her presence even more noticeable.

    Wait, why is she in a school uniform?Isn’t she playing a high schooler?But even high schoolers don’t usually show up in uniform to something like this???Is there a stronger battle outfit than a school uniform? Get real.???

    While most actors had dressed casually, some had clearly chosen outfits to match their characters, like Jo Seohui and Han Soyu.

    At this point, viewers began to catch on.

    ‘Ah, so you need to establish your character from the costume onwards.’

    In fact, Cha Mingyu, the actor playing the drill instructor, was already scanning the actors with a sharp eye, quietly scoring them based on their costumes.

    The first mission, a shootout, began soon after, and Cha Mingyu explained the rules in more detail—how the points would be tallied and how the actors needed to incorporate their acting.

    The actors had already been briefed, but this was the first time viewers were hearing about the rules.

    A shootout? Can these actresses even handle guns?They probably haven’t even touched one before, lol.And how are they supposed to act out superpowers during a shootout?

    Even for action actors, handling a gun was a different challenge, model gun or not. Sure, they had likely practiced a bit beforehand, but still...

    ‘Honestly, I’ll be surprised if they can even hit anything.’

    At least there hadn’t been any accidents yet, which was a relief to most people.

    Then, suddenly—

    Bang!

    The sound of a gunshot echoed through the set. The camera caught the moment as an actor accidentally dropped their gun, causing it to fire.

    The bullet flew directly toward Seoyeon.

    ?What just happened?

    In what looked like a casual move, Seoyeon swatted the bullet away, as if shooing a fly. The camera captured the scene clearly, and viewers were momentarily stunned.

    Did she just deflect that paint bullet with her hand?No way, that had to be a coincidence.I just watched a breakdown from Bongshik—he pointed out how Seoyeon’s eyes moved as the bullet flew at her.Shut up, stupid YouTuber.

    Most viewers chalked it up to luck. Sure, she deflected it once—big deal. After a brief commotion, the situation settled down, and Cha Mingyu gave the signal to continue.

    Beeeep!

    The horn sounded, signaling the start of the action. For the first few minutes, guns were not allowed to fire, so the actors sprinted off to claim strategic positions.

    Among them, the camera focused on four actors: Seoyeon and three others chasing her.

    Three people going after her?They’re probably trying to take her out early since she was praised for her action scenes in The Chaser.Ju Seoyeon’s getting knocked out in the first round, lol.Did you not see her deflecting bullets earlier?Dude, that was just luck. Come on.

    The chat began to buzz, with some viewers even spotting Min Doha watching the situation from her hiding place.

    Most viewers expected Seoyeon to be eliminated here. Three against one? Sure, Seoyeon might have good action chops, but in a points-based shootout, how could she handle three opponents alone?

    Three on one??Do they think Ju Seoyeon’s a pushover?Why would they go after her like that?Do her fans really think she’s invincible? Get real.It’s probably military guys who believe that stuff.

    As some of Seoyeon’s fans chimed in, their comments were met with ridicule. Almost everyone expected Seoyeon to be eliminated as three sets of guns took aim at her.

    Then, the bullets flew—and Seoyeon dodged. She ducked and twisted her body, clearly “seeing” the bullets coming her way and avoiding them.

    ‘What?’

    The viewers could sense something had changed. Maybe the actors facing her hadn’t realized it yet, but the audience knew: Seoyeon wasn’t the same person she had been just moments before.

    ‘She’s acting.’

    Suddenly, they remembered that this audition was for the lead role in a movie. Every contestant had crafted a character, and this shootout was just another way for them to showcase their acting skills and superpower abilities.

    Seoyeon was doing exactly that.

    What the hell?How is this even possible?Paint bullets travel at 90 m/s, even if these are weaker for filming.No one should be able to react to that in time!LMAO, I’m speechless now.She’s an absolute monster.Seoyeon’s got the moves. No wonder she’s the lead.No way, is Min Doha serious?Does she really think she can shoot her after watching that?Doha’s a good shot. If she snipes from outside Seoyeon’s line of sight, it might work.She dodged again!Doha, get out of there! Run!She’s gonna dieeee!!If that were me, I’d wet myself right there.Why did she make her character so terrifying? She’s just a villain at this point.Seoyeon just created the scariest character in her universe... a regenerating, superhuman Cha Seoah.Are you insane? That’s not acting—it’s real!Poor Doha, she’s just trying to survive!To Seoyeon, anyone struggling to live their best is giving their best performance, lol.Seoyeon: Omoshiroi.She’s just obsessed with acting.Wait, Jo Seohui is still alive?Last I saw, she was crawling away like a worm.The queen of survival.Didn’t they have enough sense to kill her? Seriously?Looks like you could bring props. Jo Seohui was smart about it.Jo Seohui is always the brains of the group, lol.She’s letting herself get hit. Can’t you see? Shoot her legs and run!She’s letting herself get hit?!Look at her eyes tracking the bullets. She’s just a walking weapon.

    “This is... interesting.”

    Han Yegun wasn’t a big fan of CGI. He had grown up idolizing Hong Kong action films, where everything was done with practical stunts. But now, watching Seoyeon, he felt inspired.

    With Seoyeon taking down Han Soyu, the mission was nearing its conclusion.

    The final twist?

    “Well done, Agent.”

    With a small gunshot, Seoyeon was eliminated by none other than Jo Seohui.

    The chat erupted.

    Seoyeon hadn’t won as smoothly as everyone expected, and Jo Seohui’s unexpected betrayal had added a shocking twist to the show. No one had seen it coming.

    Watching the chaos unfold on-screen, Han Yegun chuckled to himself.

    He had already found his star actors.

    A few days later, the results of the first mission were released.

    ‘I’m definitely out,’ Min Doha thought.

    After all, she hadn’t done much of anything.

    Had there been a shootout when she grabbed the bag? Maybe? She wasn’t sure. She hadn’t even bothered checking the scoreboard before the mission ended.

    ‘Honestly, I’m relieved.’

    Min Doha was glad she wouldn’t have to deal with Ju Seoyeon anymore. This audition had left her with nothing but nightmares. She couldn’t sleep without imagining that red-eyed monster chasing her down.

    ‘Next time, I’ll audition for a nice, quiet romance.’

    A supporting role would be just fine, anything to calm her nerves...

    “Hey, Doha! Congratulations! You passed the first audition!”

    “...”

    The next day, Min Doha could hardly believe her manager’s words.

    Passed? Me?

    She quickly checked her email, where her scores were listed.

    She had earned a mere 16 points from the shootout, a few lucky hits here and there. But with half those points deducted because she had ‘died,’ she ended with only 8 points.

    No way she should have passed with that score, right?

    Then she saw it.

    [Acting Score: +20 Points]

    “...”

    Min Doha was devastated. She wanted to call and argue with the judges.

    That wasn’t acting!

    But could she really turn down this opportunity?

    “Doha, seriously, congratulations! Hyper Action Star is making headlines! I was so worried you might not make it, but this is great!”

    Her manager beamed with joy, leaving Min Doha no choice but to shut her eyes and sigh.

    She could almost picture the red-eyed monster grinning at her.

    It was going to be another sleepless night.