An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 239

239. Episode #43 – What I Can Do (2)

I spent several days adjusting to the time difference and immersing myself in practice, not even leaving my hotel room.

I wanted to film this movie in the best possible condition, so I arrived in LA a few days before the first shoot.

And eventually, I found the condition I was looking for.

The perfect condition for the role I was playing.

Kim watched me get into the car without a word.

“…Let’s go.”

The role I was playing in this movie was a being that couldn’t be described as human.

A creature created through various experiments.

And ‘Darkness,’ dreaming of revenge against the government and the world.

Even that expression of darkness felt light to me [compared to the character’s true nature].

An extremely intense being, so dark and silent that not even a breath could escape.

If that were personified?

That’s how I envisioned this role.

It was trying to mold me according to my intentions, and the process came about without much effort.

I had been confined in a small studio in Korea, and even voluntarily confined myself in a mental hospital.

But the most effective way I could express this darkness was through…

‘Dreams.’

A relentless series of dreams.

Every time I opened my eyes, I was wiping away cold sweat, but it wasn’t even surprising anymore.

After repeating this process for several months, darkness naturally bloomed around me.

And Kim was the first to notice it.

Kim didn’t try to change the darkened me back to the bright me, or force me back to the way I was before.

He looked worried, but he seemed to think I was just deeply immersed in the role.

So, even while looking at me now, exuding darkness, he suppressed his worries and concerns and just let me concentrate on acting.

He didn’t talk to me much in the car either, so as not to break my immersion.

It seemed to be to help me maintain my emotions.

After maintaining that silence for a while, the car soon arrived at the set.

I approached David, the director, and greeted him.

“Hello.”

“Oh, Hee-sung, you’re here?”

“Yes, I’ll go get ready.”

“Okay.”

That was all the greeting.

There was no time or room for trivial conversations.

I went straight back to my seat and focused on the script.

David also seemed to have a lot to prepare since it was the first day of shooting.

After a brief greeting with David, I returned to the trailer.

And I didn’t have any conversations or greetings with the other actors.

Whether it was because I was immersed in the role, or because the dark energy from my dreams was emanating from me.

Or because I didn’t feel the need to make friends with them.

I didn’t try to force friendships with the actors in this production.

I didn’t even want to.

Right now, I was struggling to spend my last moments with the acquaintances I already had.

New acquaintances, meetings, etc., were outside my interests.

I didn’t even have the energy to spend on that.

Before going into filming, I reviewed the script again.

I had practiced for so long in Korea that the script would pour out of my mouth if I was just touched.

But I couldn’t stop practicing.

I wanted to put my whole soul into each word and give the best performance.

***

Eddie called Harley and Jason and stood in front of his trailer.

“Do you see over there?”

At Eddie’s words, Jason nodded and looked where he was pointing.

“That’s the trailer of that Asian actor who’s playing the lead role this time, right?”

“That’s right. I heard he’s good at acting, but I wonder how good he really is.”

Harley said, raising her eyebrows.

“He played quite a role in the 9/11 movie. But I didn’t expect him to get the lead role so quickly.”

“I know, right? But everyone, do you know what?”

Eddie looked around, watching his surroundings.

Then he leaned in and whispered to them in a small voice.

“Did you hear about Jin Hee-sung’s, the Asian actor’s, pay?”

At his words, Harley and Jason shook their heads.

“No.”

“That’s right. I haven’t heard anything either. Does Eddie know?”

They asked, their eyes wide with curiosity.

Eddie sighed briefly and replied.

“Yes, he received… a whopping 5 million dollars.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Harley and Jason screamed in surprise.

“5 million dollars?”

“Wow… that’s a lot!”

“Yes, they say it’s 5 million dollars. But he wasn’t really a lead in his previous work, isn’t that too much?”

They nodded in agreement with Eddie’s words.

“Well, he wasn’t originally in the lead line. And it’s too much for an Asian to be getting his first lead role in Hollywood.”

“I think it’s a bit excessive too. I think he was good at acting, but I don’t think he was good enough to get 5 million dollars…”

Their assessment of Jin Hee-sung was all the same reaction.

He’s good at acting, but it’s suspicious that he got the lead role and received 5 million dollars for his appearance fee.

They don’t question Jin Hee-sung’s acting or completely deny his skills.

But some people frowned.

“The first shoot today is with that Asian actor Jin Hee-sung, let’s go see his skills.”

“Okay. Let’s go see it together.”

They walked towards the set, each with their arms crossed, as if to see how well he could act.

Arriving at the filming location.

Numerous cameras were focused on Jin Hee-sung.

Next to Jin Hee-sung, black smoke seemed to be rising as if CG [computer-generated imagery] had been applied.

His appearance was full of dark energy.

David and the staff were focused.

And around them were Eddie, Harley, Jason, and others who were somewhat negative, with gazes that seemed to doubt Jin Hee-sung’s skills.

Jin Hee-sung was placed in the midst of those gazes full of various emotions.

The first scene where many evaluations would come and go.

“Ready, action!”

At David’s voice, the red light of the camera lit up brightly.

As soon as the camera started rolling, Jin Hee-sung frowned deeply and clenched his fists.

He clenched so tightly that both fists trembled and his arms shook.

Jin Hee-sung’s facial muscles were twitching.

“Why… why do I have to exist in this world like this?”

His gaze was fixed on something.

“My skin, the black blood flowing in my body. Is any of this real?”

Jin Hee-sung began to abuse his face and body reflected in the mirror with his palms.

Soon his cheeks and arms turned red.

“Argh… I’m going to kill them. The people who made me like this. Even their families…”

Jin Hee-sung rolled his eyes as if possessed by something and lost consciousness.

Thud-.

Then he fell to the floor as if fainting, with his eyes wide open.

His acting made the set silent as if holding its breath.

Soon, David’s voice seemed to break the frozen set.

“Cut, okay!”

Clap clap clap-.

From the first scene, everyone’s applause and cheers erupted.

This was by no means a common occurrence.

The first shoot and the first scene in a work determine the atmosphere of the work, so they reshoot it from a few times to dozens of times.

This is because they have to determine the direction the director wants and the direction the actors should take.

However, David was so pleased with Jin Hee-sung’s first performance that he clapped his hands and jumped up from his seat.

The staff around him also cheered.

“Wow…”

And some of the actors who were looking at Jin Hee-sung with suspicious eyes.

Harley nudged Jason with her arm and murmured.

“This is crazy. Is it because I’m seeing it on set, or has his skill improved…?”

“Look at this, Harley. Look at the goosebumps on my arm. I’m grateful to be able to see that performance in person.”

“I know, right? I’m filming with Jin Hee-sung tomorrow, and I’m already looking forward to it.”

At their words, Eddie, who had been the most negative, clicked his tongue and said.

“At that level, he’s not just the top among Asians, he’s one of the best in Hollywood?”

At his words, Harley and Jason nodded, their mouths wide open.

“And 5 million dollars… Jin Hee-sung, didn’t he come with too low an appearance fee?”

Just a few tens of minutes ago.

Those who were dissatisfied with the 5 million dollar appearance fee were nowhere to be found.

“I know, right? Honestly, he should get a few million dollars more for his skills.”

“He came cheap compared to his skills?”

The way they looked at Jin Hee-sung had changed 180 degrees.

***

They were sitting in the middle of the smoky haze, staring at something.

A man with a black, long cloak on his back was watching Jin Hee-sung, who was grabbing his head in pain on the monitor.

The corners of his mouth were stretched long.

“Look at him suffering. The moment of truly standing at the crossroads of choice is coming.”

At his words, a man wearing a fedora nodded.

“That’s right. He’s about to face the end. The end is usually all the same, right?”

The god who was waving his cloak twitched his lips and said.

“Ah, haven’t you seen the end of other humans?”

“Um… I don’t even remember when it was. There aren’t many guys who have been punished for over 10,000 years, or even 1,000 years, anymore.”

“Well, besides, you haven’t been here for long, so you don’t know much.”

He fluttered his black cloak and raised one corner of his mouth, continuing to speak.

“I’ve hardly seen anyone who’s been punished for 10,000 years. Those who have been punished for over 1,000 years are all the same.”

At his words, the man sitting next to him slightly raised his fedora and asked.

“What’s it like?”

“Um… usually they commit suicide.”

“On the last day?”

The man in the black cloak stared intently at Jin Hee-sung on the monitor and opened his mouth.

“Originally, to be exact, on the last day of 10,000 years. If the sinner who received the punishment ends his life on that day, he returns to nothingness.”

At that story, the man wearing the fedora also fixed his gaze on Jin Hee-sung, who was writhing in pain, and asked.

“What happens if he doesn’t end his life? What if he endures without dying?”

“The body that he has. He lives as Jin Hee-sung.”

“How long?”

He stroked his chin and replied.

“Well, that depends on the life fate of that human, Jin Hee-sung. The original age of the body called Jin Hee-sung. If he has a fate to live to 80 years old, then 80 years old. If he has a fate to live to 90 years old, then he will live to 90 years old.”

“And then he dies?”

“No. After living his natural life like that…”

The man in the black cloak frowned and continued to speak.

“He will repeat the life of 10,000 years again.”

At his words, the man wearing the fedora looked at him in surprise.

“You mean he lives another 10,000 years? That’s too cruel.”

“That’s right. It’s a terrible punishment. But the 10,000 years that will start anew will be even more terrible and cruel.”

“Why?”

“Look at him now. He lived comfortably for 10,000 years until recently, and now he’s struggling with all the memories like that, right?”

At his words, the man wearing the fedora nodded.

“Yeah, because he repeats hellish dreams.”

“But in the 10,000 years he will live once more, he will start living with all the memories of that time.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he sighed and replied.

“…It’s better to die.”

“That’s right. Our lives as gods living for 10,000 years are also terrible, but in the human realm. Moreover, living with all the memories of the 10,000 years of reincarnation in the present world… even I wouldn’t be able to endure it.”

“Has there ever been anyone who endured to live another 10,000 years like that?”

The man waving the black cloak shook his head without a moment’s hesitation.

“No. I have never seen a single person who did not choose death at the last moment.”

“Isn’t it scary to take your own life?”

“At the end, the past 10,000 years of life vividly come to mind. Rather, you’ll want to end your life in a hurry.”

He nodded as if he understood.

“That’s understandable enough.”

The man in the black cloak bit his lip and said.

“While dreaming hellish dreams for a year, it’s not oblivion, but it turns into a curse of eternal memory.”

Then he murmured, looking at Jin Hee-sung’s appearance on the monitor.

“Humans are creatures blessed with oblivion. The moment that oblivion disappears, they won’t be able to endure it….”