An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 120

120. Episode 23 – Between Trash and Masterpiece (3)

Squeak.

The car stopped in the building’s parking lot.

Manager Kim turned to look at me.

“Hee-sung, it’s not a confirmation, it’s just a meeting, so go and meet them casually.”

“Okay.”

Unlike his words to take it easy, Manager Kim’s eyes were full of worry.

“If anything happens, contact me. I’ll be in front of the meeting room anyway.”

“Come on, what could happen during a meeting?”

“Still… anyway, keep your wits about you during the meeting and do well.”

“Yes, yes, I understand.”

Manager Kim started worrying as if I was about to be kidnapped.

Like a child put out on the water, he started worrying, but

I was actually excited to meet them.

Director Song Dong-gyu and writer Kim Han-na.

I didn’t usually look up their works,

But I fell in love with the script.

So, it’s only natural to be curious about the writer who wrote the script and the director who will direct the work with that script.

Moreover, my heart was pounding at the fact that I could meet Kim Han-na, the owner of the script that stole my heart, and hear stories about the work.

This script that captivates people so much.

With what heart and thoughts did she write it?

With anticipation, I hurried to the meeting room.

Knock knock.

In front of the door with the sign ‘Conference Room’.

This was today’s meeting place.

When I knocked, I soon heard a voice welcoming me.

“Yes, come in.”

At that voice, I swallowed hard.

“Hoo….”

After taking a deep breath, I opened the door.

I always get nervous when I meet directors and writers,

But today, I felt more nervous with excitement and anticipation.

When I opened the door, they greeted me with bright smiles.

“Hello. I’m Jin Hee-sung.”

I bowed to them.

Director Song got up from his seat and shook my hand.

“Nice to meet you.”

“Yes, nice to meet you, Director Song.”

And writer Kim Han-na next to him.

She got up from her seat, her long wavy hair swaying.

A neatly dressed two-piece suit.

Beige slacks and a cropped jacket of the same color.

Writer Kim, wearing large-framed glasses, exuded sophistication.

“Nice to meet you, actor Jin Hee-sung.”

“Hello, writer Kim.”

After a brief greeting with them, I took my seat.

Director Song and writer Kim sat side by side, and I faced them.

A moment of silence passed.

I broke the silence and opened my mouth.

“I enjoyed reading the script so much.”

At my words, writer Kim raised the corners of her mouth with satisfaction.

“I’m glad you liked it.”

“The immersion was amazing from the first page. It has a magical charm that makes you turn each page while holding your breath.”

I frowned, thinking of the script.

Director Song laughed heartily and nodded in agreement.

“That’s right. Writer Kim expressed it very well.”

“Oh, you flatter me, Director. Haha.”

The meeting started in a friendly atmosphere.

Then, a staff member came over and handed me coffee.

“Hee-sung, let’s talk calmly while drinking coffee.”

“Yes, I’ll enjoy it.”

I took a sip of the coffee in front of me.

About ten minutes passed.

The story about my short acting career and the work began.

The directors and writers of other works I’ve met so far have always been sincere about their work,

But these people in front of me seemed to show more than that.

Director Song and writer Kim seemed to have a special affection for the work ‘Temptation of the Other Woman’.

They showed a more intense reaction when the content of the script was mentioned than when they were talking about other things.

Not only about acting and the work, but they seemed to be completely immersed in this work.

I participated in the conversation with my mouth open at their passion.

“Writer Kim’s script is like… I felt like I was experiencing the situation myself.”

She smiled shyly, as if proud of my words.

“I became the male protagonist and committed adultery against my wife. Nevertheless, I can’t get out of it….”

I told her about the feelings I experienced in the script and in my dreams.

Writer Kim opened her mouth before I could finish speaking.

“It’s very specific and realistic, right?”

At her words, I widened my eyes and nodded.

“Yes, that’s right.”

Writer Kim smirked and looked at me.

“Because it’s a story based on a true story.”

At her words, my eyes widened.

“Yes?”

“I melted my story and experience into it.”

Wait a minute.

So, that means writer Kim cheated?

In the first place, Manager Kim said that the story that she had cheated in the past had spread.

I didn’t know if that was true or not,

But she confessed it herself.

I barely swallowed my embarrassment and replied to her.

“…No wonder it had such a sense of reality.”

As if waiting for me to finish, Director Song smiled and said.

“Originally, everyone cheats at least once, right? So, everyone will sympathize with this work, and if they sympathize, it means it will be a hit, right? Haha.”

“…….”

At that moment, I couldn’t answer their conversation.

I couldn’t rashly refute it, nor could I pretend to agree.

To hide my embarrassment, I was smiling with an expressionless face.

Director Song and writer Kim were chatting and laughing.

“That’s right. Loving only one person is like living a lie.”

“That’s right. It’s not that you don’t love your wife. It’s just that you love another woman at the same time….”

I couldn’t say anything in their conversation.

I just blankly rolled my eyes.

They were pouring out stories I hadn’t seen in the script.

Stories like the contents of the next episode that I haven’t read yet.

These people… their mindset towards the work ‘Temptation of the Other Woman’ was so different from mine.

Their personality itself was beyond redemption,

But if I took a step back and thought about it calmly….

This drama couldn’t fail.

No, it has no choice but to be a hit.

About the work… no, apart from everything.

At least in the genre of ‘makjang’ [Korean slang for a drama with extreme or absurd plotlines] in this drama, if it’s Director Song and writer Kim, I have no doubt that a script that no one can follow will come out.

I heard that a huge amount of episodes were pouring out.

With these stories, very stimulating scripts that viewers can’t help but immerse themselves in will come out.

I nodded, looking at them alternately with blurry eyes.

This work… it will definitely be a great success.

***

Thud.

As soon as I got in the car and closed the door, Manager Kim started the engine quickly.

And as he drove out of the building, he looked at me through the rearview mirror and asked.

“Hee-sung, how was it?”

At his question, I got up and approached the driver’s seat.

“Hyung [Korean term for older brother or close male friend], I want to do this work. No, I have to do it.”

Surprised by my words, Manager Kim turned around as soon as the light turned red.

“Hee-sung, still….”

His words were obvious.

It would be to tell me not to do this work.

Manager Kim trailed off and seemed to swallow a sigh.

We didn’t reconcile our opinions, but I didn’t answer him anymore.

It was impossible to have a debate with Manager Kim, who was driving.

Several tens of minutes later.

The car arrived at the WG Entertainment parking lot.

We opened our mouths as if we had been waiting without getting out of the car.

“Hee-sung, let’s think about it a little more since you just had the meeting.”

“Hyung, you know. I thought a lot and talked about it in the first place.”

Manager Kim unbuckled his seat belt and turned to me.

He raised and lowered his shoulders and said.

“This isn’t a daily drama. It’s a Monday-Tuesday drama miniseries.”

“Why?”

I frowned and asked him as if I didn’t understand.

“It’s a makjang drama. The miniseries broadcast time with the highest viewership ratings. If you film this, your image will be greatly damaged. It’s clear.”

I shook my head and bit my lip.

“But you shouldn’t think of this as just a makjang drama. The bottom of humans who can’t stand human instincts, and the betrayal and despair caused by it. All the whirlpools of emotions….”

Manager Kim swallowed a sigh at my words.

I looked at his eyes again and said.

“Hyung, don’t you remember the drama ‘The World of the Married’ that came out a few years ago?”

“I know it.”

“Look at that. That was also about a husband cheating and the destruction of not only one family but all the families he had passed by. Nevertheless, that drama was a huge hit in viewership ratings.”

Manager Kim couldn’t refute my words.

That drama was considered the best drama at the time.

The air in the car became heavy.

We stood facing each other in a tight position of pros and cons.

Manager Kim looked at the air and let out a long sigh.

“Haa… Hee-sung.”

“Huh?”

“You really want to do that work?”

At his words, I nodded vigorously.

“Yeah, I definitely want to do it.”

He stroked his chin and replied to me.

“To be honest, I don’t think I can handle this on my own… I think I’ll have to meet with the head of the department.”

If I had to meet the head of the department to film this drama, there was nothing to refuse.

“Okay. Tell the head of the department.”

“Let’s go into the company first. Let’s go and contact him, and if he’s there, let’s meet him right away.”

***

“Ah… the script, I get goosebumps no matter how many times I read it.”

I read this script again and again, so many times that I don’t know how many times I’ve repeated it.

Every time I did, it made my hands sweat.

Soon, the script was reaching the last page.

I sighed involuntarily.

“I should have asked the writer to show me the next episode’s script….”

With my brows furrowed, wondering what would happen in the next episode, I stared at the script.

At that time.

“Hee-sung, are you busy?”

Manager Kim opened the door to the practice room and asked me.

“No, I was just reading the script.”

He smiled at my words and gestured for me to come out.

“Do I have to go somewhere?”

“Let’s go up.”

I could understand Manager Kim’s short words at once.

His words to talk to the head of the department in the car a few hours ago.

I focused only on how to express and persuade the head of the department that I wanted to appear in this drama.

With a deep breath, I followed Manager Kim.

Ding-dong.

The elevator door opened, and we got in right away.

Click.

When Manager Kim clicked on the floor number,

I tilted my head at the number his fingertip touched.

“Hyung, why did you press the 9th floor?”

I pointed to the ‘9’ that was lit up with my finger.

“The head of the department’s office is on the 7th floor, right?”

At my question, Manager Kim licked his dry lips and carefully opened his mouth.

“The president, not the head of the department, asked to see you.”

“…What?”

Thud, I leaned back against the elevator as it was.

Then, with a blank face, I hurriedly asked Manager Kim.

“Why on earth is the president asking to see me?”

“I reported to the head of the department that I would do that drama… and the president’s office contacted me right away.”

At Manager Kim’s words, I barely swallowed the voice that was about to grow louder with a pale face.

“No, why on earth is the president…!”