Chapter 144

“What is it?”

Producer Lee Ki-tae felt a sense of dissonance as he watched the ongoing final.

Though it was an audition show with a variety show format, it was undoubtedly structured as such.

However, in this final, the focus was more on the audition and acting.

Until now, the show had focused on showcasing the actor’s improvisational skills in real time, leaning more towards a variety show format.

But for the final, a script was provided along with a two-hour preparation period.

In other words, it was meant to evaluate acting.

“Finally, it’s time for the ultimate check.”

The setting would be the same as from the preliminaries to now, so the participants must’ve known how it would proceed: missions set in a specific location.

That had been the format of *Hyper Action Star* thus far.

If the participants had communicated beforehand, they could’ve planned their performance.

It was simply about incorporating it into the mission.

“Still, it’s difficult to choreograph an action sequence within two hours.”

Two hours—if there was some prior discussion, it would be enough time to finalize things.

If they were to create a scene live within two hours, they’d likely be limited to one or, at most, two scenes.

That would equate to roughly ten minutes at most, probably around five minutes of content.

However, this wasn’t necessarily a problem.

Action scenes in movies typically lasted around the same duration.

Thus, he assumed they’d show their acting related to the background and narrative of the characters, separate from the action.

If so, they’d likely extract content that amounted to about ten to twenty minutes.

Even if not, it wouldn’t matter.

“So, we’ve prepared various things.”

For instance, pre-interviews.

Also, showcasing how the two contestants had performed through the previous missions.

All of these combined roughly formed a forty-minute structure before the final began, prepared to be inserted afterward as needed.

“But.”

Producer Lee Ki-tae checked the time.

It had already been five minutes since the match began.

Even those who had applauded in admiration at the first exchange now seemed surprised. Though the exchange had been light, the quality was far beyond what could be achieved in two hours of practice.

Now, he expected to see performances that focused on acting over action.

That was what he thought.

Until Narumi Sora pulled out her nunchaku.

The audience was surprised simply by the unexpected appearance of this weapon, but the staff sensed something else entirely.

“How?”

Using weapons in action scenes was twice as difficult as merely matching timing with bare hands. He was certain two hours wouldn’t be enough for it, no matter what.

“Maybe it’s just a casual swing or two?”

That might have been possible, but something still felt off.

Something about both sides.

It wasn’t so much about matching choreography but rather felt like a real-time duel.

Lee Ki-tae watched intently, as predicting the outcome of this final was now harder than ever.

***

Sora took a deep breath, holding her breath while cradling the nunchaku under her armpit as she stared at Seoyeon.

They had long surpassed the realm of acting.

The only things Sora had prepared as Shin Arin were some basic lines, which she’d already informed her opponent of. Seoyeon likely already memorized them.

But there was no action preparation involved.

Nothing at all.

Ultimately, this part had to be confronted as Narumi Sora purely in raw action rather than acting action.

“That was something you said.”

Sora stared at Seoyeon without giving away her thoughts, extending her left hand forward.

It was a familiar stance—one she’d practiced countless times while watching movies as a child.

Buzz, buzz, buzz…

The weight in her hand was much lighter than an actual pair of nunchaku, as it was mostly made of plastic chains connected by sponge-like rods.

Even if it were more substantial, it likely wouldn’t feel much different.

A light dull impact at most.

“Like Hong Kong movies?”

At that moment, Yeohwa asked.

Sora couldn’t tell if the question was addressed to Shin Arin or Narumi Sora.

But there were no pre-planned lines for this question.

Sora merely nodded slightly, stammering her somewhat halting Korean.

“Un.”

That was her only reply.

Yeohwa’s smile broadened.

“How amusing.”

It was almost mocking.

Perhaps it was mocking the movies Sora loved.

This of course didn’t bother Sora, who was used to it by now.

“If you get hit, it won’t just hurt—it will hurt a lot.”

This was a prepared line.

Sora’s role, Shin Arin, possessed Physical Enhancement abilities.

If she were to use a weapon like this, it would certainly break bones.

That was her message to Seoyeon.

Then,

Sora took a step forward, just like Seoyeon had done earlier.

One step, then another.

She began running, jumping toward Seoyeon.

With her left foot sliding forward, her right hand swung the nunchaku in a wide arc.

Whoosh!!

Seoyeon ducked to avoid it.

Her red eyes followed the nunchaku, then back to Sora.

Did you dodge that?

It was almost as if her eyes were saying that.

Seeing this, Sora inwardly smiled.

Upon reflection, Seoyeon never struck first.

Not even when Sora charged earlier—she merely reacted with a knee kick.

Why?

Simple—because Seoyeon could dodge everything.

Dodging itself was nearly impossible without prior coordination in an acting scenario.

Thus, if Seoyeon were to strike, Sora likely wouldn’t be able to avoid it unless Seoyeon telegraphed her moves heavily.

Otherwise, it would just be one-sided violence.

Because they couldn’t properly fake coordination.

“So.”

Sora threw the responsibility off.

It was your call to match the timing this way, wasn’t it?

Something along those lines.

Moreover, Sora’s pride was hurt.

She wanted to show she could do it just as Seoyeon could.

Thus,

Crackle!!

The sound of the chain echoed as the trajectory of the nunchaku changed direction.

Reeling it back with her wrist, the nunchaku spun around to aim for Seoyeon’s back of the head.

An impossible move with an ordinary weapon.

But possible with nunchaku due to the chain.

Realizing this late, Seoyeon’s eyes shifted.

Pang!!

That was the moment the nunchaku made contact with Seoyeon.

Her character, Yeohwa, had Regeneration Ability.

But it had two weaknesses.

The head.

And the heart.

So, a hit to the back of the head would be dangerous.

In some cases, it could result in a fatal blow.

To counter this, Seoyeon inserted her right hand to block it.

As if she’d received a strong impact, her body leaned forward.

It was at that moment that the audience let out gasps.

“Watching that scene, I thought it was like the movie was being aired exactly as it was.”

At that time, journalist Kim Min-woo, who was watching from the audience, recalled the moment with those words.

“If it wasn’t, it was something so incredible it defied words.”

With her right arm limp after the act, Yeohwa displayed it as if broken.

It looked completely convincing.

Toward her, Shin Arin (Sora) swung her nunchaku once more, seeking the exposed gap.

“I might look this way, but I do work out a bit.”

Taekwondo 2nd Dan. Hapkido 3rd Dan. Also did some Kendo.

Not to mention, she frequented MMA gyms every couple of weeks, enjoying sparring as a hobby.

“What? Do you think I can do that?”

At that, he folded his arms and tilted his head.

“Hmmmm……….”

Then he chuckled as if incredulous.

“Hahaha. No way, no way. How could I do that?”

Shaking his hands side to side, he replied.

“How can you dodge a weapon swung so fast? Especially when it’s nunchaku, which is even faster.”

To the wielder, it seems faster than an actual punch.

Still, she dodged.

She dodged the nunchaku coming straight at her.

From the shoulder strike.

To the chest.

To the waist.

And even her head.

Following this, using a spin motion, Sora aimed for Seoyeon’s legs with the nunchaku.

Everyone watched, holding their breaths.

“Would such choreographed action be possible? I’d like to ask the two actors when I meet them.”

He was genuinely curious about how this level of action was achieved.

Indeed, as the journalist implied, the audience was mesmerized by what appeared on the screen.

Dodging the leg-targeted nunchaku, Seoyeon rolled to the side and retreated.

She then kicked the nearby chair to block an advancing Sora.

“Urgh!!”

Reacting instinctively, Sora leaped aside.

Seeing this, Yeohwa giggled.

“Do Hong Kong movies typically not have these kinds of things?”

It was common to see chair-based action in Hong Kong cinema.

Yeohwa was referencing that.

“Right hand.”

Now, Sora noticed that the right hand, which had been hanging limply, was moving.

Had the regeneration completed?

Indeed, her right hand was now hanging limp again, while her left hand remained intact.

To show her as a character with Regeneration Ability, she needed to get hit intentionally.

Just now, both arms.

And the waist once.

Each time, she convincingly acted out the impact.

This reassured Sora that her guess was correct.

“You’re unexpectedly tough for someone who’s been hit so much.”

Sora said, with slightly awkward phrasing.

She couldn’t lose this verbal sparring.

In response,

Seoyeon lifted her right hand and smashed the nearby case with it.

The weapon encased in sugar glass.

A red fire axe.

Upon seeing it, Yeohwa’s lips curled.

“I hope you’re as tough.”

Gripping it, she immediately charged at Sora with the axe.

A weapon!

The weaponless Yeohwa now wielded an axe.

The hesitant Seoyeon who had been giving the first move to her opponent had now lifted the axe high with her right hand.

“Danger.”

Before Sora could fully think, the axe’s trajectory twisted.

Reactively twisting her body, the axe struck the foam-made wall behind her with a loud crash.

The sight of the foam wall splitting shook Sora’s eyes.

“Wasn’t that axe supposed to be made of sponge too?”

Somewhat firmer sponge.

Even so, it managed to split the foam wall?

Suddenly, Seoyeon’s body seemed to stiffen, as if she hadn’t expected the wall to break.

The first moment of delay in Seoyeon’s actions.

“This is it!”

Targeting the opportunity, Sora swung the nunchaku.

Yeohwa’s eyes followed the trajectory.

Pulling the axe embedded in the wall, she blocked the nunchaku with its blade.

It seemed as though she understood she couldn’t match the power head-on.

Instead, she twisted the nunchaku’s trajectory.

Had it been a metal weapon, it likely would have only shifted slightly.

But because it was soft sponge colliding with sponge, the nunchaku was pushed back as if it had rebounded off a spring.

Swiftly catching it mid-air, Yeohwa’s hand moved.

With that, the axe descended vertically.

Crack!!

With a sound, the nunchaku broke and fell to the ground.

In an instant, Sora moved her now-empty hands to target Yeohwa.

The neck and chest.

However, before hitting her, Yeohwa’s body leaned forward, and her shoulder collided with Sora’s.

“…….!”

Unable to handle the impact, Sora tumbled back, landing on the soft mat flooring.

She tried to rise hurriedly.

“Ah.”

If it weren’t for the red firefighter’s axe right before her face.

And so,

The final of *Hyper Action Star* drew to a close, bringing forth various unexpected events.

***

The audition show *Hyper Action Star*, which gained attention as a method for selecting the lead of a movie, has concluded.

At first, excluding Group A, it didn’t see notable results, causing the ratings to plummet.

While there was a slight rebound later on, the reviews weren’t genuinely positive.

Perhaps because it differed from a typical audition show, and the focus leaned more towards casual entertainment rather than action acting.

“Well, what can you expect from an audition show made for movie promotion?”

“Still, isn’t it kind of fun?”

Despite the mixed reactions, the ratings remained satisfactory—averaging a solid 6% or more.

For a cable variety show, this was impressive, and many found the results satisfactory.

If it ended here, that would have been fine.

However, it ended with a bang.

[The stunning finale of *Hyper Action Star*—was it not a premeditated performance?]

[Narumi Sora: “I acted as if we were really fighting.”]

Such articles came out, instantly igniting online communities.

– Isn’t revealing the actual content of the finale considered a spoiler?

– Not really, seems like it differs from the actual content.

– This feels perfect, but wasn’t Yeohwa supposed to be the main character?

– Yeah, if she wins the final, she’d likely become the lead.

The character Yeohwa naturally sparked much discussion.

Especially since she was depicted as the villain but emerged as the winner.

– I was rooting for Sora.

– Keep your head up, Sora. There’s no shame in losing to someone stronger.

– True strength (literally).

– She fought impressively considering her opponent was Jo Soo-yeon. I thought her head was going to get cleaved by that axe!

The unplanned dialogue had a somewhat awkward feel but was immersive enough.

Rather, the action-focused finale was well-received, with the expected 5-minute action scene lasting nearly 15 minutes.

Clips and GIFs were naturally spreading everywhere.

The “Choi Seo-ah” fan café hailed this as “the strongest Jo Soo-yeon ever!”

– Is wielding a fire axe now the ultimate expression of Jo Soo-yeon’s strength?

– Yes, even Cha Seo-ah would have her head split open!

– But Cha Seo-ah also uses an axe.

– Jo Soo-yeon prefers axes.

– Why?

– Because she finds them powerful, as stated in this interview.

– Axes are indeed powerful…

Thus, Sooyeon Joo was decided as the lead actress for *Hyper Action Star*, with little to no dissent.

Some online comments joked: “Shouldn’t she just compete in UFC instead of acting?”

Regardless,

With this, Seoyeon secured the lead in the movie *Mine*.

“Seoyeon, a public service advertisement request came in.”

“Me? Who from?”

“The fire station.”

“…”.

She sighed helplessly at the sudden influx of commercial film offers.

---