End Of Review Session

Jung-hwa stood frozen, her heart pounding as she absorbed the words of the man who had mercilessly dissected their entire performance. Even the class leaders, Roh Ji and Hyeong Myung, had not been spared his brutal critique. The intensity of his scrutiny had everyone sweating bullets. The last thing she expected was for him to praise her acting and call her the best performer.

"Don't stand there like a statue," the Vice-dean said with a gentle smile. "Come forward. What Mr. Hwan said is true. Your acting was the best today, and you deserve both the praise and the prize money. Introduce yourself to Mr. Hwan."

Jung-hwa blinked, the words finally sinking in. She glanced at Joon-won, whose supportive smile gave her the courage to step forward. She couldn't shake the feeling that he deserved the prize money more than she did; his acting had been extraordinary, and without his help, her performance wouldn't have been nearly as good.

Joon-won had anticipated this outcome. Despite his stellar performance, he only appeared in two scenes, barely ten minutes on stage. It made sense for the judges to recognize Jung-hwa, who had carried a significant role throughout the drama. She was undeniably deserving of the compliments and the prize.

As Jung-hwa stepped forward, she saw Joon-won subtly shaking his head, urging her to accept the recognition. Turning to the judges, she introduced herself, "My name is Cheo Jung-hwa."

Do Hwan, the stern critic, looked at her and said, "That's a good name, Miss Cheo. As I mentioned earlier, your acting was one of the two reasons I didn't walk out of this hideous drama. Despite a few stumbles at the start, your performance was consistent and impressive for a newcomer."

"As a producer, I can see potential in you. If you continue to improve, I might hire you for a role in a movie. You may not have the best looks, but your acting more than makes up for it. Focus on honing your craft."

Jung-hwa was speechless, her mind reeling from his blunt yet encouraging words. She bowed slightly and said, "Thank you for your advice. I will remember it and strive to get better."

Do Hwan continued, "Although your acting was commendable, there's someone else whose performance was even better. Unfortunately, he can't receive this prize because his role was too small."

The room fell silent, shocked by his revelation. They had just heard him praise Jung-hwa, but now he was claiming there was someone better?

"The only reason you're getting this prize instead of him is due to the length of your performance. His role was brief, but his acting was exceptional. Your sustained performance was what kept me watching."

Jung-hwa nodded, understanding he was referring to Joon-won. She had always known his talent was on another level. As she listened to Do Hwan, she resolved to share the prize money with Joon-won, believing it rightfully belonged to him.

Joon-won noticed Do Hwan's gaze shifting towards him and then to Hea-Jung, who had a mischievous grin. He didn't want to be singled out, so he caught Hea-Jung's eye and subtly shook his head, signaling her to intervene. She got the message and approached the judges' table, whispering something to Do Hwan.

Raising an eyebrow, Do Hwan nodded. "Well, that's the end of my review. In short, 'Never make a drama or act like this again if you don't want your audience to throw things at you.' I can see that happening."

The Vice-dean, unperturbed by Do Hwan's abrupt ending, addressed the students. "That concludes the review portion of your exam. Your results will be posted on the notice board outside your classroom in the next 2-3 hours. Cheo Jung-hwa, please come and collect your prize money."

Jung-hwa stepped forward, accepting the check for 50,000 Kros—a significant amount for a university student. She thanked the Vice-dean, acknowledging the opportunity he had given her by assigning her a prominent role.

Clutching the check, she made her way backstage where a somber mood had settled. She found Joon-won, and together they quietly left the auditorium, their minds swirling with the events of the day.