Former Warrior Turns Into A Million-Dollar Actor [EN]: Chapter 80

Ex-Hero, Ten Million Actor – Episode 80 (80/199)

The Butcher, Lee Cheon-in (6)

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The entertainment industry’s wars are localized.

If actors clash in dramas, outside the set, companies battle.

Simply put, it’s agencies versus broadcasting stations, but if external investors are involved, dozens of companies are attached, from production companies and advertisers to those with vested interests and connections.

That’s why blockbusters like ‘Hyperion’ see actors and companies alike going all out for promotion.

Moon Han-bin flooding his SNS stories with behind-the-scenes shots and Kang Young-woong releasing making-of-film interviews every three days are for the same reason.

They’re leveraging the main actors’ recognition to turn casual viewers into dedicated fans.

[Hanbin Moon] 1.01 million subscribers

[Eunseo Ki] 870,000 subscribers

[A Better Tomorrow] 310,000 subscribers

Moreover, three out of the four main actors run YouTube channels.

Compared to Roman, which has relatively few promotional channels, DG, strong in idols, and Joinus, which led the export of Korean stars, are much more advantageous in terms of exposure.

In particular, DG has a clause in its contracts that more or less forces its artists to grow their promotional channels until they reach a certain level.

Unlike Roman, which is so-called ‘hands-off,’ not interfering much with projects or events as long as no accidents happen, their policies are fundamentally different from the start.

So, when Baek Ha-ni’s YouTube channel suddenly opened, fans were in an uproar.

-What’s this? Is it fake?

└The official account of the agency is attached, so it’s real

└└There’s no way Baek Ha-ni would do YouTube ㅋㅋㅋㅋ They’ll just upload making-of or unreleased footage

-Ha-ni unnie [term of endearment for an older sister or female friend]… please just show your face… just film it ㅠㅠㅠㅠ

└She’s already blown up three YouTube channels since her debut, it’ll probably happen again this time

└└Cool Ha-ni who blows up 500,000 without regret ㄷㄷ [internet slang expressing amazement]

-No Joong-man must have pushed her againㅋㅋㅋ I wonder how long it’ll last this time

Whatever the past, the video titled ‘Hani Log’ was simple.

Without fancy editing or color correction like other actresses’ vlogs, it was just a day in her life in self-cam mode, filmed by herself.

The angle was so shaky that it was more nauseating than natural, but since she was an actress with little public activity, fans welcomed it with open arms.

Even the next day, two hands holding a script were uploaded to the official Instagram, revealing that Baek Ha-ni had come out in support of ‘Butcher General’.

One was Baek Ha-ni’s hand, and the other was clearly another actress, and even after it was revealed that the owner of the hand was Jo Hyun-ah, community comments were still buzzing.

-Wow, Park Geon’s hand form is crazy

-Park form hand Geon is crazy ㄷㄷㄷㄷ

-Roman’s aces have pretty hands too… Have they finally become friends…

-Guys, that’s Jo Hyun-ah ㅋㅋㅋㅋ She uploaded it on her Instagram too; how can you see it as a man’s hand

-The person above, have some tact…

-If you can’t join in, please leave

-Yeah, I’m going to boycott the historical distortion drama~ Roman, CVN, C&J are all pro-Japanese with colonial perspectives ㅋㅋ

Thanks to that, core fandoms began to participate in earnest, and the historical distortion controversy was somewhat resolved.

Media outlets presumed to be from the Hyperion camp were still pouring out fierce criticism, and after the second episode aired, a national petition was even filed demanding regulation of ‘Butcher General,’ but soon the public opinion was reversed.

[‘Butcher and General’, Why Historical Accuracy Debate is Meaningless]

Roman’s official account and Park Geon’s SNS posted shocking behind-the-scenes footage.

*

KBC, ‘Hyperion’ Production Headquarters.

Unlike CVN, which is based in Buyeo, this filming takes place in as many as three main sets.

As befits a drama set in its own world, the scale of the buildings being filmed is enormous, in addition to the sets that have been created.

In particular, the reception room where the ‘Hyunjin Group’ siblings, who are leading conglomerates [large business groups] in the drama, hold meetings for major and minor events is filled with luxury goods worth hundreds of millions of won per piece of furniture.

When filming is paused, this reception room becomes a lounge where only the main actors can rest.

“···What’s this?”

Moon Han-bin, sitting on a stool, muttered.

Other actors besides the writer and director can’t dare to enter this place, but the exception is the four of them’s stylists and managers.

Even now, the personal stylist dispatched from DG was kneeling and spreading a brush on Ki Eun-seo’s face, who was lying on the sofa.

“Why? Did you get a call from the CEO?”

Even while getting her makeup done, Ki Eun-seo moves her face without concern.

What if the makeup gets in her mouth? Her job will be gone that day. Sweat broke out on the forehead of the extremely focused stylist.

“No, a new video has been uploaded.”

“Baek Ha-ni’s YouTube? I’ve seen it all, she’s so clueless that she even chose a tacky concept.”

“Not there, Park Geon. Turn on SNS.”

“It’s annoying, can’t you just show me? I’m tired of getting my makeup done right now··· Ah, brush it a little softer!”

“I’m··· I’m sorry.”

Ki Eun-seo, who had been chattering, glared at the stylist and shouted.

All four of them gathered here are top stars, but their personalities vary. Thanks to CEO Byun Dong-geun, who strictly divides status by popularity, DG’s stars are generally arrogant and have a strong sense of vanity and superiority.

Unlike Ki Eun-seo, who is from an idol background, Moon Han-bin, who has been successful since his days as a child actor, tends to save his words in public places.

On the other hand, Joinus, like CEO Ham Hyun-sik’s business motto, maximizes the benefits without necessarily coming to the forefront.

Kang Young-woong, who is on schedule, is not here, but Ahn Mi-rip, an actress from Joinus who was already there, got up with curious eyes.

“I’ll take a look, Eun-seo. If that oppa [term of endearment for an older brother or male friend] says that much, there must be something there.”

“Okay. If I accidentally press the story because of my nails, visitors will be recorded, and then a scandal will break out, and the CEOs will have to meet and agree.”

Her self-consciousness is at the level of hypertrophy beyond excess, but it’s not surprising to the surrounding actors who have been watching Ki Eun-seo for weeks.

Ahn Mi-rip, who was familiar with turning on her smartphone, entered Park Geon’s SNS and her eyes widened.

“Uh, uh······?”

“Why are you like that, unnie [term of endearment for an older sister or female friend]? Really, what, did a picture of Jin Ji-yu and him in bed get uploaded?”

“It’s not that··· It’s a filming video, but what kind of CG did they put on it? Take a look at this.”

Ahn Mi-rip, who ran over and held the smartphone screen in front of Ki Eun-seo’s eyes. Soon, a dumbfounded voice leaked out from Ki Eun-seo, who had been indifferent as if she was only interested in scandals.

“Crazy, is this human a monkey?”

The video, which appeared to have been taken by a stuntman, contained a scene of Park Geon chasing after enemies on the roof of the ‘Butcher General’ set.

Black-clad men with the character 皇 (Emperor) engraved on their backs are chasing after him, but Park Geon, dressed in a white durumagi [traditional Korean overcoat], flies through the air, riding over the eaves and chimneys as if they were his own home.

It’s truly an amazing sense of balance and leaping ability.

Even the stuntmen wore wires, but he was performing dangerous acrobatics with his bare body without any safety devices.

After the scene ends, Park Geon waves his hand over his head as if to prove that it is not CG, and the video ends.

One sentence is attached below.

GOURD_GUN

Jumping power issue xD

Moon Han-bin, who had been silent until then, muttered.

“Amazing. Do all special forces出身 [graduate] do this much?”

“What’s so amazing! This is all··· synthesis? Manipulation? Something like that. No Joong-man is originally very biased towards actors! Right, unnie?”

“Well? I don’t know much about this kind of thing either······.”

As Ki Eun-seo, who had denied reality, sought agreement, Ahn Mi-rip took her cell phone and slipped away. Soon, the chaotic conversation of the DG family continued.

“Wow, they’re covering up like this because their drama is getting badmouthed.”

“I know.”

“It’s not like someone can’t do it and doesn’t do it? Oppa [term of endearment for an older brother or male friend], show me something next time. If you just wrap a rope around the balcony here and fall, articles will be posted all week! I can do better than that!”

“That seems like it would only damage my image.”

As if familiar with this kind of conversation, Moon Han-bin, who was ignoring the nonsense of his agency colleague, rested his chin on his hand.

The self-proclaimed ‘Star of Asia,’ who has advanced into the Chinese-speaking world and even Hollywood and achieved decent results, comments in a simple tone.

“I’ll have to see his face sometime soon. To see if he’s more useful than that Goo Shin-seung and Choi Phillip.”

*

‘Jarmani’ new product launch event.

Stars gathered at the private event venue, half public and half private.

Brand launch events invite various celebrities depending on their class, style, and brand color.

Luxury brands don’t just blindly increase the size of the event. Rather, they invite only experienced reporters, top designers, and actors to create a small, elite VVIP party.

Around 8 p.m., the ‘Hyperion’ members appeared at the venue. The invitees whispered as they watched the actors smiling brightly at the photo wall before entering.

“Wow, Moon Han-bin came here?”

“Ki Eun-seo and Ahn Mi-rip··· If Kang Young-woong comes, all four of Hyperion will be here, right?”

“Originally, Moon and Ki don’t usually send them together at once at DG··· Byun Dong-geun must have paid a lot of attention.”

Today, the organizers used their brains. They sent invitations to the leads of two dramas that may be the most anticipated works of the first half of the year… or perhaps this year.

‘Hyperion’ sent as many as four. Then what about ‘Butcher General’?

An actress, looking around like a meerkat in the dimly lit venue, asked.

“If they have four, what about the Butcher General side? I thought Jo Hyun-ah was the only one here earlier.”

“It’s Park Geon and Baek Ha-ni. I don’t know about Park Geon, but Baek Ha-ni would never come to a place like this, she hates being grouped as a team more than death.”

“Why, she even uploaded a picture on Instagram this time. She might just show her face and leave.”

Another actress who was answering shook her head.

“That’s just for show. Oh··· wait a minute, over there. Are they fighting now?”

In the middle of the venue where the new products were displayed, the C&J actress and the DG-Joinus division were facing each other.

‘It’s ruined, I thought this would happen.’

Jo Hyun-ah bit the inside of her lip. She knew that a couple of people would come to the brand launch show, which competes for the top 1-2 in domestic sales, but she didn’t know that all four would come.

At this point, the brand has openly set the stage for them to fight. And those things are excited again and brought their tools and swarmed in.

As if to prove it, DG’s Ki Eun-seo greets with a fuss.

“Oh my! Hello, senior [term of respect for someone older or more experienced]. I didn’t even know you were here.”

“···Eun-seo, it’s been a while. I see other people here too.”

“Yes, hello.”

“I’m Kang Young-woong. I saw you briefly 3 years ago? On the set of ‘Glorious’.”

Moon Han-bin and Ki Eun-seo, Kang Young-woong and Ahn Mi-rip. Each of them is one or two levels higher than Jo Hyun-ah, and there are even four of them.

Sure enough, Ki Eun-seo, looking around, asks with an innocent expression.

“But what about the other actors? Today, the head of the headquarters told me that he invited the Butcher General family, so I was looking forward to it.”

“Maybe they couldn’t come because of their schedule······.”

“Only old geezers came.”

Ki Eun-seo, wrinkling her nose as if she smelled a bad smell, said in a low voice. Before Jo Hyun-ah could get angry, a barrage of comments poured out.

“It’s really a shame. Ah, maybe the invitation didn’t go? Anyway, they’re not busy because they only shoot one work at a time, did they run away knowing we were coming? Because if they get photographed together at the photo wall and get preserved, they’ll be compared for a long time, hee hee [onomatopoeia for giggling].”

Jo Hyun-ah’s face finally contorted.

As expected of a crazy bitch who is notorious in this industry for her worst personality, she is full of malice in the way she brings a lot of her people and acts up.

It’s already a battlefield here. Moon Han-bin, Kang Young-woong, and Ahn Mi-rip, who are lined up like escorts in the back, are not stopping their rude colleagues, but are just watching with interest.

Ki Eun-seo, confirming the gazes around her, smiled triumphantly.

“Then, senior [term of respect for someone older or more experienced], we’ll be on our way. I was going to look at the faces of the bumpkins from the Joseon Dynasty, but I didn’t know they would be so uninteresting and have no guts······.”

“What are you talking about, you 망돌 [derogatory term for idol] with 발연기 [bad acting].”

Ki Eun-seo’s brow furrowed at the cold voice that suddenly intervened.

In front of her, who thinks of her origins as a trauma, even CEO Byun Dong-geun can’t easily say such things.

The only people who can pour out abusive language are the same level, and equally crazy actresses.

“Even if I haven’t seen you for a while, you’re still as damp as ever.”

Baek Ha-ni, wearing black stiletto heels, a red mini dress, and a shiny Jarmani jacket only on her shoulders, walked over and looked down as if to suppress Ki Eun-seo.

“Why are you coming and pretending to be friendly when you don’t know anything? And over there, don’t the people at that company even put leashes on their dogs when they go for a walk?”

“Hey, you have a mouth······.”

Moon Han-bin stopped Ki Eun-seo, who was about to lose her mind, and stepped forward.

“It’s been a while, Baek Ha-ni.”

“Don’t speak informally, Moon Han-bin. I’m ashamed to have known someone like you.”

If Ki Eun-seo had at least lowered her voice, this side doesn’t even care about the listening ears.

It was when Moon Han-bin’s eyes became cold at the public insult.

“If you’re going to fight, let’s match the number of people. Don’t be cheap and come in groups to harass people.”

He didn’t raise his voice or shout, but everyone in the venue heard those words.

Soon, the owner of the voice pushed through the invitees and revealed himself. It’s Park Geon, standing side by side with the head of Jarmani Korea, the organizer of today’s event.

“I don’t want to make the head of headquarters uncomfortable.”

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