An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 192

192. #34 – Hollywood (5)

As soon as I arrived in LA, I took a deep breath.

“Haa… I’m actually in LA.”

It wasn’t my first time setting foot on American soil.

I had come to New York for a break a few months ago.

But the feeling was so different it was incomparable.

New York was a trip I enjoyed alone.

Now, I’m an actor, and this is my job.

I’m here for acting work.

Moreover, this place is Hollywood.

This moment feels like a dream.

Every actor must dream of being in Hollywood.

‘Hollywood,’ a symbolic place for actors.

“Hyung [older brother or close male friend], I’m so happy!”

I took a breath of air at the airport, a happy smile on my face.

I shouted, looking at the sky, but when there was no answer, I turned my head and looked at Manager Kim.

“Hyung, what are you doing?”

Manager Kim was already a few steps behind me, taking pictures of the airport.

A smile spread across his face.

“It’s my first time in America. I’m trying to take some pictures from the airport.”

At his enthusiasm, I laughed and took out my cell phone.

“Haha, I understand. Stand over there. I’ll take a picture for you.”

I opened my cell phone and took a picture of him.

Manager Kim struck a cool pose in front of the airport.

We enjoyed America from the airport.

We arrived at the hotel that had been booked in advance.

“Wow… this place is really nice!”

Manager Kim and I ran to the window before the hotel door could even close.

“Wow! As expected, the city view in America is amazing.”

Sparkling buildings.

Thanks to the darkening sky, the buildings were gradually illuminating their lights.

“Hyung, the view is good, but let’s look around the hotel first.”

“Okay.”

We enjoyed the hotel for a long time.

Before we knew it, we were tired from the jet lag and the long flight, so we lay down on the bed.

“Hee-sung, we’re resting tomorrow, and the meeting is the day after tomorrow, okay?”

Manager Kim started briefing me on the schedule.

I smiled and answered him.

“So, we’re resting tomorrow, right?”

“Yeah, to adjust to the jet lag….”

Before Manager Kim could finish speaking, I interrupted.

“Then where should we go tomorrow?”

At my words, Manager Kim laughed.

“You were lying down, and suddenly you’re so excited?”

“Of course. It’s my first time in LA. Besides, it’s Hollywood, Hyung.”

The word Hollywood excited me, and I jumped up from where I was lying down.

Manager Kim smiled and replied.

“It’s my first time too. Haha.”

Then he raised his eyebrows and asked me.

“So, is there anywhere you want to go tomorrow?”

Without a moment’s hesitation, I looked into Manager Kim’s eyes and shouted.

“Hollywood!”

At my words, he tilted his head.

I bit my lip, tapped Manager Kim on the shoulder, and continued.

“Just follow me tomorrow. I’ve already explored all of Hollywood with Road View [similar to Google Street View].”

***

The next morning.

Perhaps because of the jet lag or the excitement, I woke up at dawn.

Surprised by the time, I carefully raised my upper body so as not to wake Manager Kim and looked at his bed.

“Huh?”

There was no sign of Manager Kim on the bed.

I jumped out of bed and threw open the bedroom door.

I barely held back my laughter at the sight before my eyes.

I quickly captured Manager Kim’s appearance with my cell phone camera.

Manager Kim was at the window with the city view that we had been staring at yesterday.

He was sitting on the edge of the window, sipping coffee with steam rising from it.

It was dawn, so people jogging outside the window caught my eye.

Manager Kim was enjoying the atmosphere as naturally as if he had seen it every day.

No, it seemed like he was enjoying his appearance of sitting by the window and drinking coffee.

I burst into the laughter I had been holding back.

“Haha, Hyung. What are you doing?”

Manager Kim was startled by the laughter and looked at me.

“What, Hee-sung, why did you wake up so early?”

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s because I want to go out and play quickly?”

We greeted our first morning in LA with laughter at each other’s antics.

A few hours later.

We started leaving the hotel.

I looked at Manager Kim and raised my eyebrows.

“We’re going to Hollywood first.”

He opened his eyes wide and asked me.

“We’re going to Hollywood anyway for the meeting tomorrow.”

“No. To the place with the real Hollywood sign!”

The ‘HOLLYWOOD’ sign that represents Hollywood.

I always wanted to go there in person, which I had only seen on TV or in movies.

It’s just a sign with letters erected.

I also wanted to see the sign with my own eyes.

I felt it was a very symbolic place.

“Hollywood sign?”

“Yeah, the one with the Hollywood letters engraved….”

Before Manager Kim could finish speaking, he clapped his hands and shouted.

“Oh, I know that place too. But was that a place you could go to?”

I smiled and replied.

“Yeah, it’s hiking, so I told you to dress comfortably and go out. You have to walk up for a while.”

Instead of showing any dislike at my words, Manager Kim said with a happy look.

“Okay. I have to take a picture there too. Haha.”

At his words, I smiled and nodded.

“Hee-sung, you have to take a good proof shot too.”

When I tilted my head at Manager Kim’s words, he grinned and said.

“If the meeting goes well tomorrow, post that photo on SNS [social networking service]. That you’ve made your Hollywood debut.”

“Sounds good?”

We decided to go hiking to the Hollywood sign in comfortable sneakers and casual clothes.

***

After seeing the Hollywood sign.

After changing clothes at the hotel, we headed to the middle of the crowded Hollywood street.

“This time, it’s a place you really have to go.”

At my words, Manager Kim looked at me with expectant eyes and asked.

“Where is it?”

“If you come to Hollywood, you have to go to the Hollywood Walk of Fame.”

Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The most symbolic place representing Hollywood.

“That place with a lot of stars on the floor?”

“Yeah, the one with the names of filmmakers engraved on the stars.”

I imagined the street and continued.

“And you have to go past there to the Chinese Theater [TCL Chinese Theatre].”

Then Manager Kim looked at me with a puzzled face.

“What’s that place?”

“A place where actors’ handprints and footprints are taken.”

“Ah, that’s the Chinese Theater?”

I nodded vigorously and replied.

“Yeah, I really want to go there. We have to go no matter what.”

At my words, Manager Kim went ahead of me and shouted.

“I want to go too. What are you doing? Let’s go quickly!”

The exotic scenery that can be seen upon arriving on Hollywood Street.

I was amazed to be standing in a place that I had only seen in movies, TV, and the Internet.

Crowded people.

And many people cosplaying movie characters.

To me, who is an actor.

It was a heavenly place for me, who grew up dreaming while watching movie roles.

I was stunned, and Manager Kim was busy capturing me with the camera.

“Hyung, don’t just take pictures of me, I’ll take pictures of you too. Stand over there.”

“Take pictures of you first.”

We took pictures and walked along the street together.

And the floor was full of the names of my favorite actors.

“Wow, I can’t believe I’m actually seeing this….”

Manager Kim, who was immersed in emotion, laughed and murmured softly.

“Hee-sung, do people here only look at the floor while walking?”

Only then did I raise my head at his words and look around.

Everyone was walking while looking at the actors written on the floor.

“Haha, that’s right. Everyone must be busy finding their favorite actors like us.”

That’s how the laughter never stopped throughout the trip.

After that, we continued our trip by taking proof shots in front of the handprints and footprints of our favorite actors.

***

The next day.

The second morning in LA dawned.

As usual, I woke up early in the morning today.

But today was a different kind of awakening than yesterday.

“Haa… Hyung, I’m nervous?”

I grabbed my pounding heart and took a deep breath.

“Of course you’re nervous. I’m nervous too….”

Manager Kim nodded and continued to speak to me.

“We’ve practiced a lot, so we’ll be able to do well.”

“Can we do well?”

“Of course. You’re going to do well once you get in there anyway!”

I gained courage from Manager Kim’s words and burned with determination.

We hurriedly started preparing to go to 22nd Century Fox.

On the way to the production company.

I walked along the road, calmly taking deep breaths into my still pounding heart.

Manager Kim kept talking to me so that I wouldn’t be nervous.

“Hee-sung, when we arrive, they’ll give us the script first.”

“Okay.”

“They said you read the script and then do a short performance of the role in front of the camera, right?”

At his words, I nodded and replied.

“So you’re doing a camera test right away.”

“Yeah, and then we’ll have a meeting.”

“Okay. Ah… I’m getting more and more nervous.”

He put his hand on my shoulder and patted me, trying to relieve my tension.

We arrived at the company early because we were nervous.

Manager Kim and I moved according to the guidance of the 22nd Century Fox employee.

“You can wait here.”

“Yes.”

The employee left immediately.

Manager Kim and I were left in an empty space and looked around.

“So they’ll give us the script here and start, right?”

“Yeah, after giving us the script, we’ll practice a bit and then do a camera test.”

Manager Kim and I spent time together with nervous hearts.

Because we arrived early, we sat in our seats for about ten minutes without doing anything.

I loosened my mouth and swallowed my nervousness, imagining what kind of role they would give me.

At that time.

The tightly closed door opened.

Someone different from the employee from earlier came in.

“Are you Jin Hee-sung, the actor from Korea?”

At her words, I smiled brightly and nodded.

“Yes, hello. Nice to meet you.”

At my words, she smiled and opened her mouth.

“Nice to meet you. Before we start the meeting in earnest, I’d like to do a role test.”

Since I had already heard the order from Manager Kim, I smiled and nodded.

“Yes, then if you give me the script, I’ll practice.”

“Yes, I’ll give you plenty of time, so practice calmly and go to the test first.”

She handed me the script and then snapped her fingers and continued.

“And there will be a camera in front of you.”

“Yes, I understand.”

I reached out to receive the script in her hand.

She was holding two scripts in her hand.

I tilted my head and looked at both scripts alternately.

At that time.

The employee shrugged and held both scripts out in front of me.

“This is two scripts?”

At my words, she nodded without any expression and replied.

“That’s right. Two scripts.”

Then she smiled and said.

“I’ll have you practice both and then go to the test. Then I’ll see you later.”

After she left.

I immediately opened the script.

“Hyung, there are two scripts. Does that mean I have to act twice in different scenes?”

At my words, Manager Kim shrugged as if he didn’t know either.

We quickly looked at the script.

“Let’s see what the lines are.”

I frowned as I opened the two scripts.

“What. These two scripts are for different roles?”

Two scripts with different roles.

I stared at the script and fell into deep thought.

…What is this?

As I looked at the different roles alternately, I sensed that this meeting was unusual.