An idol-actor has revealed a story about how he once got angry at a director’s rude comment during an audition.
On November 5th, the SBS variety show Maestro Jang featured actors Park Min Young and BTOB’s Yook Sungjae as guests, where they shared various stories.
On the show, Yook Sungjae named the drama Who Are You: School 2015 as the most memorable audition. He recalled, “At that time, it was a project many rookie actors wanted, but I didn’t even know what kind of project it was. I was so busy with idol activities and totally out of it,” adding, “I went thinking, ‘Please just give me one chance,’ without even knowing if it was a drama, a variety show, or a movie.”
He continued, “It was a crucial time for the group, and I really hoped our team would do well,” expressing his strong desire for BTOB’s success. Having little acting experience, he admitted he was naturally nervous while reading the prepared script.
However, the audition took an unexpected turn. When the director asked him what he did, he responded, “I’m an idol, part of a group called BTOB.” The director then dismissedively said, “BTOB? Never heard of them. What can you even do in that?”
Yook Sungjae said, “I was a desperate young man. Hearing that, I got so angry my face and ears turned bright red,” and continued, “I told the director that it wasn’t right to speak like that to someone working that hard and then left.”
As he left the audition room, he recalled thinking, “I can’t do this in this business. The director is so capable, so maybe I should just focus on being an idol.”
But there was an unexpected twist. The role Yook Sungjae auditioned for was a student named Gong Tae Kwang, who struggles with anger management. The director had deliberately made rude remarks to see how Yook Sungjae would react emotionally.
Seeing his genuine anger—enough to turn his face red—the director felt it suited the character perfectly. He invited Yook Sungjae to audition again and ultimately cast him as Gong Tae Kwang.
Yook Sungjae said, “The red face was what the director liked. After seeing me again, I got the role of Gong Tae Kwang,” calling it “a stroke of luck.”