Former Warrior Turns Into A Million-Dollar Actor [EN]: Chapter 140

The Former Hero is a Top Actor – Episode 140

To the World Stage (3)

* * *

When it comes to the pinnacle of action movies these days,

It’s undeniably the ‘Kill Thorn’ series.

A killer with a human weapon concept, blending guns, boxing, jujutsu, and wrestling.

The identity and charm of ‘Kill Thorn’ lie in this indifferent killer going around killing everyone with a world-weary expression.

The key is, of course, box office success.

The first film, produced with a super-low budget, earned over dozens of times its cost in the North American market alone, and the second and third films were back-to-back hits.

The lineage of action, which had passed through the ‘Spy Series’ and ‘Mission Series,’ has now moved to ‘Kill Thorn.’

Of course, not all action movies released recently have been hits.

Riding the OTT [Over-The-Top, streaming service] boom, some directors released self-produced films incorporating various video game directing techniques, but the response was lukewarm.

[‘Devil’: Flashy Camera Work, but What About Substance?]

[Poorly Constructed Action, Viewers Tired of Dizzying Tricks… ‘Spy’ Part 1 is Better]

[‘Warmachine Z’: North American Box Office Disaster, ‘Kill Thorn’ Couldn’t Even Surpass the Third Ridge]

In that respect, ‘Kill Thorn’ was a movie that was bound to succeed.

It featured an actor who was once popular as a heartthrob, a director with years of experience in Hollywood, and the meticulous incorporation of gunfights and practical action unlike anything seen before.

“But well, it’s not something we can’t handle.”

Gwyn Raymond said casually, but silence filled the meeting room.

It wasn’t because they were taken aback by the director’s excessively high goals. It was because they had just finished reading the scenario and were each in their own state of shock.

Jin Ji-yu broke the silence first.

“…Are we sure we can film everything here? The action difficulty is too high.”

Raymond replied without batting an eye.

“Of course, if they’re trained. We can’t go in without that level of preparation.”

With that response, there was nothing to refute. Instead of Jin Ji-yu, who was at a loss for words, Team Leader Yoo Jun-il spoke cautiously.

“It’s not just the action. The scale of the filming… it’s almost like a trip around the world. There are famous landmarks; will we be able to get permission?”

“Ah, the museum and the Arc de Triomphe.”

Raymond smiled. He had been writing for over a decade, and he didn’t seem fazed by the questions.

“Those places are surprisingly cooperative. Unless you’re some inexperienced nobody, they won’t be stingy when a Cannes [Cannes Film Festival] luminary says they want to cause a little commotion.”

“So, there’s no guarantee…”

“Well, if it doesn’t work out, we can go somewhere else. A fistfight in the corner of the Place Charles de Gaulle might be more thrilling than the splendor of the Arc de Triomphe.”

“That’s a valid point.”

Park Geon, who had been reading the script until then, joined the conversation. He was the fastest among them, and after finishing reading it earlier, he seemed to be skimming through it two or three more times.

“The difficulty… it’s manageable enough. It could be filled with several more levels of high-difficulty stunts without much problem.”

“Bravo, as expected of the Parisian investigator!”

“Raymond, be a little quiet…”

Whether the agent next to him stopped his cheers or not, Raymond grinned and asked.

“So, what are your thoughts? If you don’t like it, we can drop it right here.”

Park Geon answered immediately without hesitation.

“I’ll do it. If a camera test or other audition is needed for the role of Gode…”

“I’ve seen all your performances. My eyes aren’t blind, so let’s skip that.”

The contract was decided in an instant. Team Leader Yoo Jun-il’s eyes widened, but Team Leader Gong Gi-hyung and Jin Ji-yu had expressions that said they knew it would happen.

Park Seon, who knew his brother’s tastes well, nodded.

‘As expected, I knew there wouldn’t be a need for an audition.’

His brother especially liked the narratives of heroes and champions.

‘Gode: Guardian of Wrath’ aligns perfectly with that formula from the beginning.

First, the background.

Like the protagonist of ‘Kill Thorn,’ the protagonist of ‘Gode’ also has a dark past.

He is a legendary special forces soldier from the United States, but the reason he joined the military was surprisingly due to a kidnapping incident in his childhood.

Gode grew up in the back alleys of Detroit’s slums, in the poorest environment of an immigrant family, and one day he is kidnapped by a gang.

In the process, many townspeople, including his parents, die, and just a few years later, he murders the boss and his gang, completing his revenge.

Afterward, he throws himself into the special forces, going through all sorts of dispatches, missions, and civil wars, before being unofficially discharged due to a certain incident. The film begins from Gode’s perspective, suffering from PTSD day and night.

Park Geon, who had put down the script, said.

“I have a question. Is Gode the protagonist’s name here?”

Raymond shook his head.

“He has no name. He abandoned everything when he slaughtered the gang that kidnapped him. Gode is a self-assigned identification code.”

Jin Ji-yu asked with a curious expression.

“Does it have another meaning?”

“Before joining the military, I thought about what a person who had lost everything in the world would want to do. He would want to protect his small, cozy village. So, I named him Gode. In the setting, the protagonist also has Slavic blood mixed in on his mother’s side.”

“My English name is Gode.”

Park Geon said abruptly, and everyone’s attention focused on him. Raymond asked back as if he found it strange.

“Gode? Village (gord)?”

“No, gourd (gourd).”

Park Geon’s Instagram ID was [GOURDGUN], but no one knew what it meant.

Only Jin Ji-yu, who seemed excited for some reason, poked Team Leader Yoo in the side.

“Right? I told you it would be Park.”

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say.”

Public Relations Team Leader Gong Gi-hyung changed the subject.

“How are you planning to build the team? Other than actor Park Geon, will everyone be from Hollywood?”

“There’s no need to go that far. Once we get into the project, capable people will fly in from the United States, France, Spain… and wherever else. If there’s a team you want to work with, I’m happy to take recommendations.”

He said ‘recommend’ rather than ‘bring.’ It was a subtle expression that he would respect the actor’s wishes, but he wouldn’t form a team with unskilled people.

Team Leader Yoo Jun-il stroked his chin.

“Hmm, this is tricky. There aren’t many people in Korea who are as serious about action as Park Geon… I can think of a few martial arts directors, but I don’t think those guys would necessarily be better.”

From the beginning, ‘Gode: Guardian of Wrath’ is a movie in the same vein as Kill Thorn.

There are attractive and impactful supporting characters, and old comrades from his special forces days also appear, but ultimately, the focal point that drives the work is the protagonist’s power.

As the alpha and omega of the film is ‘Gode,’ a stage must be built to best support his action.

Jin Ji-yu, who had been deep in thought, said.

“I’ll also contact the directors. It won’t be difficult to connect if I say it’s Geon *oppa’s* [term used by females to refer to older brothers or close male friends] new work.”

“Stunts are one thing, but I’m worried about training. We need to invite weapons experts and military experts as well…”

Raymond took over Team Leader Yoo’s concerns.

“There are many such personnel on this side as well. There’s also a place prepared for training. But from what I saw earlier, it doesn’t seem like there’s a need to find a feel for it.”

Park Geon tilted his head.

“I don’t need training for hand-to-hand combat or knife action. I can also handle most rifles and pistols, except for specialized firearms.”

“Enough. From now on, it’s a casting war.”

The agent who was listening frowned.

“Hey, isn’t it a one-man action movie anyway? Do we need a flashy cast?”

“The running time is 168 minutes. If even one hole appears, the whole movie will look ridiculous.”

Nods of agreement spread. Raymond, who had hung his sunglasses on the front of his shirt, said slowly.

“Since my father returned from the Abu Dhabi civil war with one arm cut off, this movie has been my goal. I’ve already bet my life on it.”

With the sound of a chair sliding back, everyone’s attention focused.

Jin Ji-yu smiled brightly and made a gesture of making a phone call.

“I’ll make some calls first. You can never rush actor casting too much.”

A strange rumor was circulating in Chungmuro [the ‘Hollywood’ of South Korea].

A foreign agent was looking for actors or stuntmen who were good at using their bodies.

Most of the reactions were lukewarm.

“Hey, tell them no. They still think Eastern cameos look good, but I’m never going.”

“I heard it’s a leading role this time?”

“Leading role, my ass. They’ll put a mask on you, make you play a shitty role, and then kill you off.”

That’s the truth.

In Hollywood’s history, at least in ‘action movies,’ Easterners have never been in the spotlight.

Even if they are the lead, they are likely to be dressed as ninjas, exuding a mysterious atmosphere, or appearing as white-clad Taoists, only to be stabbed and die.

The reaction only started to become slightly more favorable after the director’s name came out.

“Gwyn Raymond… what, it was this guy?”

A martial arts director who had been furious as soon as he heard the news of the stuntman job posting a few days ago muttered.

The colleague next to him asked.

“Why, do you know the name?”

“He’s quite famous in that scene. He’s won a few awards too… wait, but isn’t this guy not an action movie specialist?”

“Who knows? I heard he’s going around with an agent, looking for people who are good at using their bodies. He said it would be even better if it’s a team.”

There is only one actor who comes to mind when you think of action in Korea now. The martial arts director crossed his legs and grinned.

“Why, if they’re looking for such a great guy, tell them to put in an offer to Park Geon first. Can’t they even dream of a Cannes Best Actor award themselves?”

“Oh, now that you mention it…”

“…Why all of a sudden? Did they really cast Park Geon or something?”

Suddenly, the colleague trailed off, and the martial arts director’s eyes also widened slightly.

It’s a world of difference between having only a director you don’t even know well and having the protagonist of Cannes with you.

Moreover, it’s an actor from their own country… none other than Park Geon. He broke through 6 million viewers with his first movie and swept Cannes, so you can’t even predict the high point of his next work.

“No, I think I heard that Kim Yang-ho was with him. You know, that eccentric senior who threw his pay at the director’s face and quit the project.”

Kim Yang-ho. A quirky and eccentric person who is called a legend in the stunt world.

He was also a person who had cut off contact with the field after suffering a major injury a few years ago and retiring.

“I don’t know what to say. Never mind, if it’s not really Park Geon joining, we won’t even get paid for our time.”

“Why don’t you ask him anyway? You were close to Kim senior before he retired.”

It is the daily routine of stuntmen to ruin their bodies instead of actors and to have their pride ruined by low wages.

Why bother contacting them when there’s nothing but depressing talk?

The martial arts director shook his head with a bitter smile.

“Why bother with someone who didn’t end well? If it goes well, I’ll buy him *soju* [Korean distilled beverage] later.”

They didn’t know two things.

That Park Geon had already contacted Kim Yang-ho.

And that similar offers were being secretly made to experts in various countries.