To Be an Actor

Description

To escape a life of poverty, Jang Youngkuk aspired to be a famous actor. And he succeeds... at the cost of his mother's life. Upon proceeding to take his own out of despair, Youngkuk miraculously returns to his childhood. With a second chance to make things right, he swears to abandon acting and be the good son he never was. However, when financial troubles begin to haunt Youngkuk and his mother, he discovers that he may have no choice but to return to the set for one last take.

Original Novel:
KakaoPage, Naver Series, RIDI, Munpia

Original Webtoon:
KakaoPage, Daum

Official Translations:
English, Japanese

Type

Manhwa

Related Series

N/A

Associated Names

Be the Actor

I Will Live as an Actor

Voy a vivir como un actor

役者として生きる

배우로서 살겠다

Groups Scanlating

Latest Release(s)

c.140 by Hive Scans 2 months ago

c.139 by Hive Scans 2 months ago

c.138 by Hive Scans 3 months ago

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Status in Country of Origin

140 Chapters (Complete)

S1: 46 Chapters (001~046)
S2: 72 Chapters (047~118)
S3: 22 Chapters (119~140)

Completely Scanlated?

Yes

Anime Start/End Chapter

N/A

User Reviews

N/A

Forum

0 topics, 0 posts

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User Rating

Average: 8.7 / 10.0 (148 votes)

Bayesian Average: 8.3 / 10.0

36%

21%

20%

14%

Last Updated

November 7th, 2025 9:47am PST - 2 weeks ago

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Genre

Drama School Life Slice of Life Supernatural
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Categories

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Category Recommendations

I'm Going to Be the Child Actor in This Life

My Younger Sibling Was a Genius

A Thousand Faces

A Superstar From Birth

Spirit Survival Guide

Recommendations

N/A

Author(s)

Artist(s)

Year

Original Publisher

Daum

KakaoPage

OneCNC Revolution

Serialized In (magazine)

KakaoPage (Kakao)

Kakao Webtoon (Daum)

Licensed (in English)

Yes

English Publisher

Tapas

Activity Stats (vs. other series)

Weekly Pos #254

(-25)

Monthly Pos #237

(+111)

3 Month Pos #125

(+10)

6 Month Pos #111

(-141)

Year Pos #369

(-248)

List Stats

On 545 reading lists

On 87 wish lists

On 98 completed lists

On 7 unfinished lists

On 108 custom lists

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Forum Posts Click to view the forum

User Comments [ Order by usefulness ]

Nice slow read

by Sivana
2 months ago

Rating: N/A

It's a nice slow pace read. You are given all the details for his major roles so you can get into his projects as well.

The first two seasons are just him getting everything he wants (well almost everything). The final season is him overcoming his past grievances.

The time skips are a bit jarring though. And the forced female romantic partner at the end of the final season is why I'm rating this low.

Rant about her:

For someone who is so outstandingly talented, why is he shackled with someone so underwhelming and unworthy of standing near him? She was barely in the story and when she does show up, her presence is barely noticeable. She's clearly trying to stalk him and it's creepy. From his past, she's supposed to an amazing actress but I guess his encouragement when they were younger derailed that. Cause you don't ever see her being amazing. When it was time for her to step up and preform during an important event, she froze up. How?! Why?! It's just downhill from there 🙄

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Starts out promising, but turns out bad

by naeddyr
5 months ago

Rating: 4.0 / 10.0

The beginning is good and affecting... But soon everything falls flat. The MC gets everything handed to them, there is no tension, nothing interesting happening. Definitely not worth the praise people give it.

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Nothing Special, But Still Enjoyable

by swordfish307
7 months ago

Rating: 7.5 / 10.0

Honestly, I really enjoyed reading this comic; based on personal satisfaction alone, I would've rated this 8/10. But it really is nothing outstanding. The main character is a good person and he doesn't hit any major roadblocks. Things are pretty smooth-sailing for him. There are a lot of characters and you get to see things from their POV from time to time, which is not something you see all the time in other comics.

Reading about filming and the acting world is interesting to me, since I hardly know anything about it. The artwork is pretty good. It just feels good to read. Would recommend if you don't mind the lack of action. This story is more about building the main character's acting career-resume smoothly and without risks. Kinda like reading an OP protagonist from the start in an action story.

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Very average, not worth your time

by MatrixM
10 months ago

Rating: N/A

Reviewed @ch32

the story begins with him the best actor in the country, and one of the best in the world.

Thus when he regresses, there are no obstacles to him when it comes to acting (which the series is entirely about for the past couple dozen chapters) because every role he can do.

It's just everyone going "Wow, he's a genius of an actor! He's going to be the best ever when he grows up AND he loves his mum like crazy he's such a great person!", unaware that he's not likely to grow much as an actor because he's already studied it for a decade or two.

Anyways, 30 chapters in and its boring and formulaic. The most interesting parts are when he draws on his guilt to do a performance but...I'm bored of that now, too.

In short, there's nothing new or special here.

Not worth your time. I'm certain there's better acting stuff out there.

... Last updated 10 months ago

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Cinema

by 1berk
1 year ago

Rating: 10.0 / 10.0

If absolute cinema was a thing, it would be this.

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just take my whole action-like manhwa to just focuse this

by ayamsuwir
1 year ago

Rating: N/A

at first tought one the first chap.. ahh another regress, but my 5 chapter rule is still there..

so reading it 5, then can stop in just 3 night to hundred

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Wholesome.

by thehamzatsuit
1 year ago

Rating: 8.5 / 10.0

(Read up to chapter 51)

Made me tear up quite a bit, and that's rare for a manhwa. The first arc reminded me of "Mom, I'm Sorry".

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VERY GOOD, hooked

by Ziggyzag
2 years ago

Rating: 9.5 / 10.0

Oct 2023: first ep was too fast-paced, i wasn't able to grasp the emotions needed to feel. But it gets better eventually after, though I would've liked it that he wasn't too suspiciously good as he declares he didn't take acting classes and they assumed him to be a genius.

so far so good on the first season!

Aug 2024: Man, idk why i didnt rate this higher but i actually liked it more after season 1. He may come out as--if it's a fantasy genre, similar to overpowered MC-- but it's understandable cause he used his past life's experience to change the current one. I'm actually fascinated with the projects he's doing, and it made me understand how the entertainment industry works.

Can't wait how this would end.

... Last updated 1 year ago

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I am guilty

by ryuichihwang
3 years ago

Rating: N/A

The first ep made me think this is trash but in it changes my mind it is amazing though side character is a little too polarised either kind or petty first i 31ep is just beginning

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