Veteran stars Seo Hyun-jin and Lee Hee-jun sat down with aspiring actors, sharing hard-won advice on craft, on-set prep, and self-care for the long game.
Kakao Entertainment, together with its management labels, is running the Kakao Entertainment Actors Audition to discover the next wave of talent driving K-content. From thousands of applicants, 11 have advanced to the second round. Ahead of the finals, the semifinalists are posting profiles and performance reels on Kakao Entertainment’s global fan platform Berriz to meet prospective fans, while also building fundamentals through training sessions with industry pros.
Notably, actively working actors from Kakao Entertainment-affiliated labels met with the audition hopefuls to offer real-world guidance. Both Seo and Lee hammered home one core principle for better performances: study your character in everyday life.
Known for her nuanced emotions and chameleon-like roles, Seo Hyun-jin (Management SOOP) said, “In daily life, I imagine how my character would behave in each situation,” adding that reading widely helps fill in a script’s subtext. She recommends memorizing lines on the move, mapping out blocking, and filming yourself to review eye lines and physicality―plus watching fellow actors on set to learn in real time. Seo also emphasized discipline between jobs: “Create a personal routine and keep your everyday life steady.”
Lee Hee-jun (BH Entertainment), celebrated for distinctive, immersive performances, said he starts character work by closely observing people around him. Preparing for the Netflix series "A Killer Paradox," he even spent time at gatherings of older men and watched a lot of documentaries, then blended traits he encountered into a single character.
He recorded their voices and mimicked them―nearly 300 times―to lock in cadence and texture. In an unexpected pro tip, Lee said he studies spontaneous reactions by watching reality shows about divorce. He wrapped with warm encouragement, noting the finalists have what it takes to become stars.
Also lending expertise were director Namkoong Sun of the Netflix film "Love Untangled" and Casting Vote CEO Kim Woo-jong, among others, who offered targeted coaching and feedback. Leaders and staff from six Kakao Entertainment labels―BH Entertainment, VAST Entertainment, Management SOOP, Awesome ENT, J,WIDE Company, and King Kong by Starship―are also hands-on in supporting the contestants’ growth.
Kakao Entertainment will announce the final winners of the Kakao Entertainment Actors Audition at the end of October. The selected actors will sign an exclusive deal with one label and kick off their careers with full-scale support.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)