Joon-won noticed Jung-hwa's eyes widen as she stood up. She turned around and said, "Don't think you will get away from me before answering that question. I'll be back." She then made her way toward the edge of the stage for her next scene.
As Joon-won walked back on stage for his next part with the teacher's character, he could feel the intense gazes of Hea-Jung and the special judge fixed on him. Their scrutiny made him uncomfortable, and he hurried off the stage as soon as his part was done.
The drama continued and finally ended. All the actors walked onto the stage with Roh Ji in the middle and the main actors beside her. Joon-won stood at the end, almost out of sight. The audience had mostly exited, leaving only a few parents eager to hear the remarks and people like Hea-Jung who had too much time on their hands.
The expectant looks on their faces were clear as they waited for praise from the judges. The three judges— the Vice-dean, their acting teacher, and the special guest Mr. Hwan—sat at the judging table. The Vice-dean, who had identified and given Jung-hwa her role, looked at the stage with a neutral expression.
"Now, I'll start first, then your teacher, followed by our special guest Mr. Hwan," the Vice-dean announced, breaking the silence. The other judges nodded in agreement.
"Let me be blunt. The drama is bad. The story writing is bad, and it seems like the writer is actually Roh Ji? Don't ever try to write a story for a movie again. It's bad," he stated bluntly. Joon-won was a bit surprised but remembered something Jung-hwa had told him during their private sessions.
"Joon-won, the Vice-dean is really a nice guy. I heard he is hated by many professors and the other Vice-dean too. He is very sincere when it comes to acting and isn't like the teachers and other Vice-dean here," she had murmured.
Looking at the Vice-dean now, Joon-won realized she was right. The students could bribe their way through their university life because the teachers and even the other Vice-dean were corrupt. The dean was rarely seen, so most of the power rested with the two Vice-deans.
He noticed Roh Ji's pale face and trembling body. She often boasted about getting into the Star Batch and looked down on many people. Now, the Vice-dean's straightforward criticism of her writing was a significant blow. She had bribed her way to top scores, but now her dream was slipping away because of the honest Vice-dean.
The Vice-dean continued, "Now the actors," making everyone stiffen, including the famous Hyeong Myung. "Most of your acting skills need improvement, but you're on the right track. I wouldn't say it's up to the standard of where it should be at your age, so I'm disappointed in that. The main leads were good, but I don't understand why you both got the lead roles when there are better actors in this group. Overall, the drama is barely qualified to pass."
Most of the actors' faces turned pale, especially the two main actors. Hyeong Myung looked like he was about to spit blood from the comment. He had always acted superior due to his looks and family wealth, believing he had the best acting skills.
Joon-won noticed Hea-Jung holding back laughter with a bucket of popcorn in her hand, clearly enjoying the scene. He wondered where she had gotten the popcorn.
Next was their teacher. The middle-aged man smiled and said, "All of you did better than I expected. Of course, you all are still inexperienced and could improve further. Roh Ji, your story writing was okay but could do better. The actors outdid themselves, and I'm impressed. That's all from me."
His comments were clearly biased, and everyone knew he could be bribed. The special guest raised an eyebrow but kept silent, while the Vice-dean maintained his neutral expression.
Finally, all eyes turned to the man in the middle of the table. He wore a suit, had a clean-cut appearance, and a shaved face. Pushing up his glasses, he began his remarks.
"The whole drama was so bad I wanted to puke."