Former Warrior Turns Into A Million-Dollar Actor [EN]: Chapter 51

The Stars of the Awards Ceremony (4)

* * *

“Wow······!”

“Kim Ryul, Kim Ryul!”

“I knew you could do it, Director! You really tore up the Grand Bell Awards!”

The ‘Black Priest’ team jumps up and down, and the camera quickly zooms in.

Another camera, not wanting to miss a thing, close-ups the ‘Yellow River’ team. The director, who had his meal stolen by a rookie [referring to Kim Ryul’s unexpected win], has a distorted expression, but the actors quickly smile and applaud.

Kim Ryul just blinks blankly.

“Director.”

“······.”

A voice was heard amidst the commotion. The actor who bestowed all this honor upon him… the one who reached out a hand from the depths of despair smiled gently.

“Congratulations. Let’s go up.”

Still seemingly unable to believe it, Kim Ryul staggers onto the stage to a storm of applause.

The best honor a producer can grasp on this stage is now in the hands of a used, unknown director.

“···After tallying the votes, ‘Black Priest’ has won with the highest number of votes and unanimous support from the judges. Congratulations.”

As the host’s comments end and it’s time for the acceptance speech, Kim Ryul can’t open his mouth and repeatedly grips and releases the microphone.

Then, a shout is heard from the audience far away.

“Kim Ryul, you’re the best! You filmed it well!”

CEO Tae Jong-beom, who stood up abruptly, is trembling with his fists clenched tightly.

The close-up on the screen behind the stage captures the sparkle flowing down his chubby cheeks.

It’s not acting. This money-loving and boisterous production company CEO is genuinely moved.

“Please give another big round of applause to the two who worked so hard.”

After another round of applause, Kim Ryul, who finally regained his composure, opened his mouth.

“I was the misfortune of Chungmuro [the ‘Korean Hollywood’].”

The noise that had been floating around disappeared as if it were a lie.

“A symbol of bad luck, a guaranteed failure, a fool who even wasted independent film production costs. All sorts of insults and contempt followed me. ‘Would you be in your movie?’ ‘I’d rather shoot porn than act there,’ these are the words I heard from the actual actors in front of my face.”

The hall became as silent as a mouse.

Famous actors sitting in the front row, and actors sitting in the back, listened to Kim Ryul’s reminiscence with different expressions.

“I lived for my success. Maybe that’s why I failed all this time. Because I regarded the actors and staff not as a team and family, but as tools to shake off my jinx.”

Jang Seong-hwa and Jo Yong-jo, including the ‘Black Priest’ team staff including extras, already had tears welling up in their eyes and were holding each other’s hands.

Although his eyes were bloodshot and his face was distorted, Kim Ryul did not avoid the camera.

He stared straight at the red light of the set that he had looked at countless times, and continued to speak.

“Pride is like a soul to an artist. I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to actor Park Geon, who restored pride to the life of a filmmaker that I bet on for the last time before leaving this scene.”

His expression had regained composure, but his still trembling voice was in stark contrast.

It was the epitaph announcing the end of a human’s struggle through a long tunnel.

“Our staff knows, but actor Park Geon’s nickname on set was ‘Hero.’ Today, he is a hero to me. Thank you for saving a human being who was wandering in the dark, for saving my dream.”

After finishing his speech, Director Kim Ryul bowed deeply towards the middle row where the ‘Black Priest’ team was sitting.

After a few seconds, a huge wave of applause, incomparable to the previous one, swept through the hall.

*

Geon thinks.

‘···What’s going on?’

A moment ago… when Kim Ryul’s name was called and applause poured out, he was clapping.

And the moment Kim Ryul, standing on the award stage, mentioned his name,

A clear hallucination struck his ears.

[There are not five.]

“Hyung [older brother/male friend], Hyung!”

At his younger sibling’s voice, Geon suddenly came to his senses. Kim Ryul, covered in tears, was standing in front of him.

“Thank you. It’s all thanks to you.”

“···No.”

“Don’t say that. If it weren’t for Actor Park, I would probably be······.”

“Oh, Director Kim! Why are you being so sentimental on such a good day? Come with me for a second!”

“That’s right, Director. Let’s calm down with us and come back in.”

In the end, CEO Tae and Jang Seong-hwa took Kim Ryul out of the hall, and Park Seon asked in a hushed voice.

“Hyung, what’s wrong?”

“No, it’s nothing. I was just lost in thought for a moment.”

The awards ceremony continues.

The next award winner who came on stage said something, but it doesn’t register in his ears.

‘Why, it’s not filming right now?’

Hapki [likely referring to a skill or power], the hero’s power was not felt. The memory of the Iron Kingdom did not come to mind either.

But it was certain. Just now, the voice was the sound of angels thundering when delivering prophecies from the high heavens to the earth.

The timing is even more suspicious. It was when a colleague mentioned his name, and when the story of the hero came out, that the hallucination was heard.

Not only was he not filming a work, but there were no cameras filming him.

···Could these points of contact be a coincidence?

‘That can’t be.’

Thinking absentmindedly, Geon looked down at the Best Actor award winner who was being spotlighted.

Cheers erupt in the brilliant light. His heart, which hadn’t even flinched when he won the Rookie of the Year award in a row, begins to beat.

With the lingering feelings and regrets of the old hero, about what he would have seen if he had been there.

Gilded papers fluttered and fell alone like flower petals.

The voice lingers in his ears for a long time.

There are not, five.

*

The Grand Bell Film Festival has come to an end.

The main character of this year’s Grand Bell Awards was neither ‘Yellow River,’ which led the first half of the year with 8 million viewers, nor ‘Looking for You,’ which poured in popular actors and production costs without sparing anything.

It was the outsider team that swept the awards ceremony with overwhelming indicators, winning four Grand Bell Awards.

The titles of the articles that poured out like mushrooms after the rain as soon as the awards ceremony ended proved it.

[Kim Ryul Confesses at the Grand Bell Awards Ceremony… “I was the Misfortune of Chungmuro”]

[‘This Year’s Protagonist’ Park Geon, Wins Two Rookie Awards from JNBC to the Grand Bell Awards]

[Eun Hee-wook X Na Jong-mo Division, Park Geon is by far the Main Character of ‘Dog of Seoul’ Success]

[From Unknown Director to Main Character of the Grand Bell Film Festival… Park Geon’s ‘Heroic Act’ Saves Dreams and Pride]

[Collection of ‘Monsters of Chungmuro’ Sweeping the Awards Ceremony on the Photo Wall]

Even all sorts of malicious comments were pushed down below today due to the firepower.

On top of the pouring encouragement and cheers, a famous critic who had been sparing his words until now put the final touch.

Cine99 | Journalist Kim Jeong-ik

★★★★☆ 8.5

[An Epic of a Modern-Day Hero. Who Called Them Outsiders?]

*

“Ahuuu······.”

An office with the blinds raised. A male employee of the public relations team stretched and yawned at the same time.

“Wow, it’s already daytime. How long haven’t I slept?”

A female employee typing on the keyboard next to him replies.

“Is it only 22 hours? You even went to the sleeping room earlier and you’re still complaining.”

“Is that even sleep··· Where’s Team Leader Gong?”

Only a burgundy suit is hanging on the back of Team Leader Gong’s chair like a shell.

“He said he went to the sauna downstairs. If he doesn’t come up, call 119 because he’s passed out.”

“Who said you could go to the emergency room, making us go through this trouble!”

The enraged male employee roared.

Yesterday, and the day before.

The two awards ceremonies put Park Geon and his colleagues at the top of the topic.

Monitoring the pouring articles, covering the phone calls that were on fire, and shouting into the phone to contact the necessary places, his voice was all hoarse.

The best of them was right after Kim Ryul’s acceptance speech was broadcast. Without needing to add firewood, the fire that soared with terrifying momentum peaked and spectacularly combusted.

“Be quiet and get the sleep out of your eyes. When the team leader comes, the third round will begin.”

There are still embers left. We need to scrape them together and make smoke again.

The male employee, who gulped down the coffee in his tumbler, asked.

“What about Actor Park Geon? I guess he won’t be coming to hang out with his manager today?”

“No way. He must be sleeping after running all night yesterday.”

At the female employee’s words, the male employee shook his head.

“Ugh, seeing that, being an actor is not something anyone can do. How strong is the alcohol of the people in the film industry.”

*

“Uueeeeeeck······.”

“Director, are you okay?”

“Ugh, uueck······.”

“Ms. Lee was weaker than I thought.”

Kim Ryul is throwing up in this bathroom, and Lee Jang-mi is groaning in that toilet.

Geon went back and forth between the bathrooms, patting their backs, and then came out to the living room.

Last night, the ‘Black Priest’ team poured soju [Korean distilled rice liquor] and beer at Han Sang-yoon PD’s house, following the pre-arranged lamb skewers restaurant, gopchang [Korean grilled intestines] restaurant, and karaoke.

‘Drink, let’s eat and die today! Park Seon, you’re not trying to get up now, are you?’

‘I··· I want to go home······.’

‘Forget it, Director Kim, raise your glass! Let’s see who’s the best drinker in the film industry today!’

After CEO Tae, who had been running excitedly, fell out miserably, only Kim Ryul and Lee Jang-mi remained to face Park Geon.

This is the result.

“I’ll be out for a while. If you need anything, call me.”

“Uueeeck!”

The house where Han Sang-yoon PD lives was much bigger than I thought. A studio apartment with three rooms and two bathrooms.

When he moved to Seoul, his father, a local leader, came in person and picked out a jeonse [long-term lease deposit] house.

Looking down at the small balcony, the view is quite plausible.

‘It’s good to be in a high place. If there’s no risk of air raids.’

Hallucinations or whatever, the necessities of life are important. Even if it’s not the royal castle of the Iron Kingdom, a mixed-use apartment is a great place, isn’t it?

The expected profit from this ‘Black Priest’ running guarantee is over 1 billion won [approximately $750,000 USD].

After filming a few commercials, and after all the settlements are made, if I empty my pockets······.

“What are you doing there?”

Lee Jang-mi, who opened the balcony door slightly, calls out. Behind her, Kim Ryul is staggering, having thrown up everything.

“I was getting some air.”

“It’s cold··· No, more than that, are you okay after drinking so much? I still feel like I’m going to die.”

“Yes. I’m a strong drinker.”

“Wow, you’re a real alcohol monster······.”

At least these two are strong drinkers. Han PD and CEO Tae, including the rest, had already fallen out.

Lee Jang-mi, who returned to the living room and gulped down a hangover drink, said.

“Director, please tell that story to Geon oppa [term of endearment for an older brother or male friend] too. You only did it at other tables yesterday.”

“Ah, re-release.”

Kim Ryul nodded as if he had just remembered.

“We’ve received offers from distributors, so it seems like we’ll be able to re-release the movies we’ve made so far, even if it’s on a small scale.”

“And we have to go to Cannes.”

Lee Jang-mi’s concise review is added to that.

“Black Priest’s initial reactions overseas are also unusual. Plus, there’s a trend these days to push Eastern works, so you might actually get an invitation later.”

It’s not an easy task, but it’s not impossible either. It’s good even if it’s a non-competitive section… if it goes up to the competitive section by any chance, it’s truly a celebration.

“What about you, oppa? What are you going to do in the future?”

The same oppa sound has a completely different feeling from Jin Ji-yu. It feels like seeing a college junior or a neighborhood younger sibling that I knew a long time ago.

“I have to keep acting.”

“I knew you would. With Park Geon’s acting skills, you can go to any stage······.”

Kim Ryul, who was seriously continuing his words, ran to the bathroom again, and after only the two of them were left, Lee Jang-mi asked.

“Oppa, did something happen at the awards ceremony?”

You can fool the staff, but you can’t fool the same actor. Geon answered simply.

“It’s nothing. I was listening to the director’s comments and old memories came to mind.”

“Good memories are··· not. That’s a stupid question.”

Lee Jang-mi, who laughed to herself, says.

“From the first time I saw oppa, I felt like you were looking for something. Popularity or money··· these things are just by-products that come along. Maybe even acting so well.”

Geon listened without affirming or denying.

“Anyway, contact me anytime if you need anything. I’ll help you with anything I can.”

“The word ‘unconditionally’ is dangerous.”

“You saved a person, so it’s worth running unconditionally. Even though I’m like this, I don’t forget favors and grudges.”

Oh, I’m going to die··· A dying groan was heard from the closed small room.

It seems that CEO Tae and Han Sang-yoon are slowly waking up. Geon called out to Lee Jang-mi, who was about to turn around.

“Then, let me ask you one thing.”

Lee Jang-mi shrugged as if asking what it was.

“What is it?”

“It’s not about me. Is there a way to avoid scandals even after drinking together?”

“······Huh?”

*