Former Warrior Turns Into A Million-Dollar Actor [EN]: Chapter 36

Who Calls Them Outsiders (4)

* * *

[Actor Park Geon of ‘Seoul’s Dog’ Transforms into Exorcist… Expanding His Acting Spectrum?]

[Rising Star’s Next Project is a Movie, Not a Drama?]

[‘Black Exorcist’ Production Confirmed… Filming Imminent]

[Korean Occult, Riddled with Failures… Ambitious Challenge by Unknown Director and Rookie Actor]

[Park Geon X Kim Ryul, Who are the Remaining Cast Members?]

[‘Misfit Crew’ Formed with Rookies, Unknowns, Supporting Actors, and Stage Actors… Box Office Success? ‘Doubtful’]

[‘Chungmuro’s Misfortune’ and ‘JNBC’s Luck’, Reasons to Anticipate Their Screen Showdown]

Park Geon’s next project has been officially announced.

The title is ‘Black Exorcist,’ produced by a small studio that has made only a few films.

It’s said to be a project decided shortly after signing with a major agency.

Not only is it a movie instead of a drama, but even the genre is a niche occult film.

Moreover, the director is Kim Ryul, known as ‘Chungmuro’s Failure’ [Chungmuro is the center of the South Korean film industry, akin to Hollywood], and the rest of the cast is a collection of unknowns without a single notable credit.

Reporters caught wind of it within ten minutes. Instantly, the web was flooded with sensational articles and subtly disparaging comments.

People are more envious than one might think. Rather than seeing someone who has tasted success hit consecutive home runs, they hope to see them strike out after being severely battered.

Harsher criticisms poured in from a community famous for its ‘spicy taste’ in the film industry.

[Scrap of an article featuring Park Geon’s photo]

-Is the film industry a joke? Is the film industry a joke? Is the film industry a joke?

└Gained confidence after joining a big agency LOL

Kim Ryul? You’re going with that Kim Ryul?

└Info) Kim Ryul is a legend in Chungmuro with 3 films shot, 1 released, and 3 flops

└Info 2) His disastrous films are top-tier at Seoye Arts College, but never get released anywhere

-The production company is also small, and the cast is full of minor players, so the answer is clear. He’s got a bad case of actor disease and is making a reckless move.

└He got a little popular in the writer-director-driven drama scene and now thinks he’s all that ㅋㅋ

-But who is Park Geon? He looks like an alien; is that what handsome is?

└Hey, young fool… your jealousy is pathetic..

└He’s super handsome and looks like an alienㅋㅋㅋㅋ How can that be a human face

-Park Geon has a lot of looks-obsessed fans ㅇㅇ Insiders say he’s even ahead of Kim Sun-woo and Ahn Bo-hwan

└Yeah, tons of plastic surgery and editing~

└Go look at his Yongshin High School graduation photo, it’s exactly the same

└Are you a PR team employee? Take your viral marketing to your own site

In Park Geon’s fan cafe, ‘Passionate Geon,’ voices were divided between worry and anticipation.

-Wow, he’s going straight into a movie?

-An actor who works so hard for his fans… Our actor who only knows acting…

-But why occult? He could have taken a break with a sweet rom-com [romantic comedy] ㅠ

-No, it’s even better; him in a priest’s robe, slightly frowning while exorcising… hmm hmm

-Are you already fantasizing lololol

-Anyway, I hope it does well…?.

-I don’t know… Actor’s name value isn’t everything, but when I searched, the cast members are ㅠㅠㅠㅠ

-I heard the director is Kim Ryul? I searched him up and there are so many bad reviews, I’m worried..

-Let’s just watch the filming progress ㅇㅇ It’s Roman [the production company], it’s not too late to worry after the results come out

“To ruin everything he touches, a cursed hand, a shield that succeeds just by touching it? Wow, they really write articles however they want.”

Han Ji-young burst out in frustration while reading the articles.

After the huge success of ‘Seoul’s Dog,’ she joined the first generation of the fan cafe and has been actively participating ever since.

When the official announcement came that he was going with Roman, and a few days later that he was filming an occult movie, she was excited, thinking her actor was taking on a new role.

But these crazy reporters are churning out malicious articles as if they’re hoping for it to fail immediately.

“So what if every movie he makes fails? So what if he acts with unknown actors? So what if it’s not a big production company? What’s the big deal?”

Of course, she knows.

The director needs to have a successful previous work, the cast members need to be famous, and a large production company needs to handle everything from investment to distribution for a high success rate.

But perhaps because of her unfortunate past where every actor she started ‘stanning’ [being an avid fan of] ended up failing, she felt a strange kinship with the director Kim Ryul.

Failure isn’t necessarily proof of lack of skill.

Besides, statistics sometimes make mistakes. Terrible misfortune might come five, seven, or ten times in a row, but who knows if a jackpot might hit after that?

Just like herself, who spent seven years as a job seeker before finally getting hired by her desired company on her eighth try.

“Director, please let Geon *oppa’s* [term of endearment used by younger women to refer to older brothers or male friends] first movie be a success······.”

Filming probably started by now. Han Ji-young started commenting on every article with fire in her eyes.

“Park Yu-seok from Entertainment Today, Jo Seon-joo from Sports Daily, I’ll remember you guys, seriously.”

* * *

‘Black Exorcist’ first day of filming.

True to the director’s tendency to ensure thorough location scouting and production environment, all preparations were completed an hour before filming.

“Hey, check the movement on the hall side! It’s obstructive, there’s no path!”

“They said they’re going with a POV (Point Of View) from this side and following, so you don’t need to remove the table!”

Last night, storyboards filled with detailed movements were distributed not only to the actors but also to all the staff.

Even seasoned veterans were taken aback by the guidebook that outlined everything from angles and cut scenes to editing direction.

“Director Choi, did you see the storyboard? That young guy’s directing is no joke?”

The cinematographer, who had worked with Kim Ryul in the past, chuckled at the lighting director’s admiration.

“What’s this? This is just Kim Ryul warming up.”

“That’s better. I hate it when they half-heartedly direct and then say it’s not this or that, it’s exhausting.”

It’s not just dramas where filming movement is important.

Rather, due to the nature of movies where a scene continues without being shot from various angles, it must flow smoothly from the first shot until the cut signal.

It is the actors’ role to play in the created scene.

“Lee Mi-hyun! When will the actors’ makeup be done!”

“It’s all done, they’re coming out now!”

The staff member, who was shouting back and forth, stopped abruptly. An unresisting exclamation flowed from their open mouth.

“Wow······.”

Over the jet-black cassock (priest’s robe), a silver collar gleamed.

The black color of the cassock is said to symbolize death to the secular. The priest’s robe that wraps around the body is terribly ascetic, thus evoking sacrilegious imaginations.

And what about the face? He had lost a few more kilograms in the meantime, making his distinctive features even more suitable for a priest in anguish.

Kim Ryul ordered that the effects of exorcism and possession be dramatically exposed on the screen. Therefore, the ‘Seo Yohan’ character was planned to become more gaunt towards the end.

“Alright, everyone.”

If left alone, it seemed like the jaws would drop before filming even started. Director Kim Ryul clapped his hands to bring everyone back to reality, as the actors and staff were all staring at Park Geon.

“If you’re done admiring, let’s get started.”

* * *

S#.1 Inside a Bar

A brightly lit lounge bar.

Wine glasses hanging upside down on the glass rack reflect the light, and colorful liquor bottles are piled up like a gold mine under the golden chandelier.

Behind the bar where bartenders in white shirts are mixing drinks, the manager enters the inner kitchen looking for someone.

Manager: Where did Seo Yohan go?

A bartender who was changing clothes replies.

Bartender: He’s in the break room. Probably drinking.

Manager: That guy again, even after I told him so many times······!

The manager, fuming, throws open the break room door. As soon as he sees Seo Yohan in a priest’s robe sipping whiskey, he starts yelling.

Manager: Hey, Seo Yohan! Didn’t I tell you not to steal alcohol from the store?

Seo Yohan: (Replies nonchalantly) My ears hurt. And I brought this?

Manager: That’s not the problem… Anyway, hurry up and go out to the hall and take care of one team. They’re the daughters of an acquaintance, and they’re clamoring for that priest.

Seo Yohan: (Still with a nonchalant expression) My shift is over today.

Manager: Alright, alright. I’ll give you extra pay. Double the original hourly wage!

Seo Yohan gets up as if he can’t help it. The jet-black priest’s robe, instead of the employee uniform of a white shirt, exudes a strangely decadent atmosphere.

Seo Yohan: (Putting the cap on the whiskey he was drinking) Don’t touch this. I remember exactly how much I drank.

Manager: Hurry up and get out there instead of talking nonsense!

Brushing off the wrinkled priest’s robe, he saunters out to the front of the bar, which is crowded with people.

He walks to where a colleague gestures, and cheers erupt from the female customers sitting there.

Customer 1: (Excitedly) Here, here! This is the priest’s robe part-timer we talked about last time.

Customer 2: No way. Is he a part-timer or an actor?

Birthday Guest: It’s no wonder the kids are going crazy. Part-time *oppa*, let’s take a picture together. I’ve been begging since earlier because I wanted to see *oppa*.

Today’s protagonist is here. A beauty wearing a crown and sash, as if it’s a birthday party, smiles brightly.

Seo Yohan: (With the same stiff expression) Thank you. Would you like to order?

Birthday Guest: Aww, don’t be like that. I won’t upload it anywhere, it’s just because *oppa* is so handsome.

Customers: (Together) That’s right, let’s take it together!

A faint annoyance flashes across Seo Yohan’s face. If they had seen it, they would have hesitated, but they didn’t notice because they were already drunk and the lighting was dim.

Birthday Guest: (Holding Seo Yohan’s hand on the bar) Wow, what is this? A man’s hand is prettier than mine. If you don’t have a girlfriend, what’s your number······.

A cold sensation soaking her knees startles her. The bartender in the priest’s robe knocked over a cocktail glass.

Seo Yohan nonchalantly pulls out napkins and pushes them towards the customers, saying.

“I’m sorry. I’m not feeling well. Charge the cost of the drink and the cleaning fee to the store.”

The cameraman follows the black priest’s robe walking away with quick steps.

The broad shoulders, which are difficult to capture in the angle, turn like a beast.

Inside the bar, through the kitchen, through the aisle, to the employee break room.

The manager, who was informed of the situation and hurriedly followed, yells at Seo Yohan, who is taking his luggage out of the break room locker.

“Hey, you bastard!”

“Lower your voice.”

“You poured alcohol on a customer? There’s a complaint coming in and it’s a mess, what are you going to do!”

“I don’t want to. They’re taking pictures of my face when I don’t want them to. They’re even touching me without permission. You want me to do that kind of service for less than 20,000 won [approximately $15 USD] an hour?”

“Seo Yohan!”

Even though the manager is screaming, Seo Yohan’s expression is calm. He closes the zipper of the Mass bag with an expression as if a dog is barking somewhere.

“My shift is over, so I’ll go first.”

“That, that, how can such a guy be a priest!”

“You should look for a priest at a church. Not at your tax-evading business.”

Speaking informally is as natural as a wild animal. The reverent priest’s robe and the delinquent madness are intertwined, captivating and absorbing the eyes and ears of those who see it.

“You bastard, I took in a guy with nowhere to go, and you stab me in the back like this! Don’t even think about coming out tomorrow······.”

At that moment, the black priest’s robe turns around. It’s not a big movement, but since he’s a head taller, it gives a instinctive sense of intimidation.

Seo Yohan whispers to the manager, who is startled.

“Put the tips you got from selling me in my account by morning. Before I tell the boss and turn the store upside down.”

After Seo Yohan walks out, the camera captures the manager left alone in a middle angle.

His face, distorted with humiliation, is full of anger and shame. About to leave, the manager spits on the locker with ‘Seo Yohan’ name tag on it.

“You son of a bitch, go to hell.”

* * *

Silence falls on the set.

The supporting actor playing the manager has left, but the scene is not over without a signal. The rest of the staff are only looking at the director’s mouth.

“Cut.”

After a few seconds, the scene ended with the cut of director Kim Ryul, who was holding a megaphone.

Only then did people let out the breath they had been holding in and rubbed their goosebump-covered arms.

“Wow… this is, really real.”

“Look at the goosebumps, how can he bring such a character to life so naturally?”

When shooting the first scene, there is a moment when people on set commonly feel ‘something’.

The actor playing the manager, the staff watching, and even the directors holding the camera. The emotion that flashed through everyone’s minds was one.

This is going to work.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

Park Geon, who returned with a blank expression, said, and the other actors belatedly shouted.

“Thank you for your hard work!”

“Thank you for your hard work, thank you!”

Because it went without an NG [no-good, meaning no retakes needed], this scene is the last for some of the actors. The actress who played the birthday girl approached with a flushed face.

“You’re really good at acting. It was an honor to work with you.”

“The honor was mine, Ms. Yoo Eun-bi.”

While the top actor was calling her name. While she lowered her head, Park Geon pointed to the thigh area of ​​her dress and asked.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes… yes?”

“Your knees. I think I sprayed too much.”

“Ah, it’s okay! It’s a prop costume anyway. And it was very cool!”

“Everyone worked hard. Have this, *hyung* [term used by younger men to refer to older brothers or male friends] too.”

Park Geon’s younger brother, a cute-looking manager unlike his brother, handed out bottled water.

What does it matter if the clothes get a little wet? Watching the actors surrounding the brothers and taking pictures, director Kim Ryul wiped his sweaty hands on his pants.

He almost dropped the megaphone.

Not because of the acting just now, but because of the anticipation for the next scene.

The transformation is certain. In this one scene, in about five minutes of footage, Park Geon completely shed Choi Seung and put on new clothes.

‘Better than expected. He surpassed Seoul’s Dog.’

The reckless and delinquent, alcoholic acting of the unbelieving priest was truly perfect.

To the point where it was unclear whether the subtly staggering gait was due to intoxication or something else.

‘Then the next one is······.’

After moving the set, the exorcism scene that will take place a few scenes later.

Before they can even escape from Seo Yohan’s impact, the most stylish exorcism in Korean occult history will greet the audience.

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