An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 267

267. Episode 48 – What I Chose (4)

“You’ve arrived.”

The person who greeted me as soon as I opened the door was Director Cheon Ji-ho, the director in charge of the black comedy I had chosen this time.

“Hello, Director.”

I approached him and bowed. He nodded in response.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Director Cheon Ji-ho.”

I took his outstretched hand and shook it, replying, “I’m actor Jin Hee-sung. Nice to meet you, Director.”

We looked into each other’s eyes while shaking hands. His kind impression made me smile.

He wasn’t very tall, about 170cm (approximately 5’7″), with a plump build. His hair was perpetually disheveled, a testament to his arduous work.

Director Cheon, wearing a black bomber jacket, had a warm and approachable demeanor. The eye smile on his chubby face was instantly disarming.

Looking at Director Cheon, I said, “Director, you have such a kind face.”

He waved his thick hands in the air, dismissing my comment. “Oh, my face is nothing. How can you talk about my face after seeing Hee-sung’s face?”

He smiled broadly, and I gave him a thumbs up.

“No, you really have a great impression. I look forward to working with you.”

“I should be the one saying that.”

He pulled out a chair in front of him and gestured for me to sit. “Please, have a seat.”

“Yes.”

I took a seat in the meeting room. Only Director Cheon and I were there. Before getting into the main topic, he started with small talk to break the ice.

“I never dreamed that I would be working with actor Hee-sung. It’s such an honor.”

“The honor is mine. I’m so glad to have found such a great project.”

He smiled at my words and opened his mouth. “Of course, it’s not confirmed yet. I’ll have to work hard to persuade Hee-sung today, right? Haha.”

He laughed heartily and handed me the materials. I came to the meeting, but a collaboration on this project wasn’t a done deal yet.

So this meeting was very important. I had expressed my desire to do this project, and the director also wanted to work with me, which is why the meeting was held.

But depending on how our conversation went, it would be decided whether I would be the lead actor, or whether I would pass on this project.

Chief Kim and WG Entertainment were currently operating under the assumption that Director Cheon’s side was more eager or had to “cling” to secure me.

But I didn’t see it that way.

When choosing a project, I didn’t think that any situation where one side had to be desperate should exist.

I always believed that a work is completed only when the actor needs the work, and the director in charge of the work needs that actor.

So I wanted to confirm whether my vision for this project aligned with Director Cheon’s. If so, there would be no need to hesitate even for a second to appear in this work.

Director Cheon handed me the script and a paper outlining the story, saying, “Have you seen the script yet?”

I nodded vigorously. “Of course. I made my decision after reading the script.”

“First of all, thank you so much for saying you want to work on this project together.”

Director Cheon asked me with a bright smile, “I think it would be wonderful just to have Hee-sung work with us on this project. As you know, black comedy isn’t a popular genre, is it?”

“That’s right.”

“Despite that, is there any special reason why you chose this work…?”

At his question, I pushed away the documents in front of me and took out a pile of papers I had prepared from my bag.

I placed them on the table and handed them to Director Cheon. “It’s what I wrote about the intention of the work and what I want to say to the world.”

Director Cheon’s mouth dropped open as soon as he saw the stack of paper I handed him.

I always do this kind of work before starting a project. It wasn’t because someone told me to.

If I were to take on a role and act, I thought I should at least thoroughly understand the life of that role, not just imitate it roughly.

At least I have to see through the life of the role. Of course, I have experienced so many lives that there is no life I have not experienced in 10,000 years of life.

Nevertheless, even if there are the same jobs and experiences, there were no same lives. That’s why I work so hard and study about the role.

I looked at the paper and opened my mouth. “I’m curious whether my understanding of the story matches the story that Director Cheon wants to tell the world. If it’s different, I want to check which parts are different.”

He raised the corners of his mouth with satisfaction at my words. “You didn’t have to do this much; I wanted to work with Hee-sung anyway. I’m so touched that you studied my work like this.”

“I chose this work because the work was good. The director will also want to cast an actor who can unfold the story he wants to tell the world through black comedy.”

He nodded in agreement.

Then he lowered his gaze and focused on the paper I handed him. How many minutes had passed? Director Cheon turned the paper with a concentrated face, his lips pursed.

He raised and lowered his shoulders and said to me, “Hee-sung.”

“Yes, Director.”

Then he smiled. “I really want to unfold this story with Hee-sung.”

A smile spread across my face. It wasn’t just because I heard that he wanted to work with me.

It’s because I met a work and a director who will share the story I envisioned for the project.

He must feel the same way.

Director Cheon cleared his throat and carefully continued, “But I’m worried because there’s not much we can do for you.”

Black comedy wasn’t very popular, meaning it was a difficult genre to succeed commercially. As a result, the investment amount was not high, so the budget was bound to be small.

I opened my mouth without hesitation. “I don’t need much. It’s not like I chose this work to get a lot of money.”

When I met Director Cheon’s eyes, they sparkled with determination.

“It’s okay to have a small appearance fee.”

This was a work that I chose despite the company’s opposition, because it was a work I chose after deciding to do what I wanted to do.

I just wanted to do it well, and I was confident. I was sure I could do it well.

* * *

A few days later, I officially joined hands with Director Cheon through the company.

And for a while, I didn’t dream anything. After 10,000 years of memories poured in like crazy for ten days, I didn’t have any dreams.

But after the work was decided, I wondered if I would dream, like I always had.

Whenever I saw the script of a work or the work was decided, the past related to it appeared in my dreams. So I expected to dream.

But as expected, nothing appeared in my dreams even after a few days of sleep. Maybe it’s because all the memories of 10,000 years have come in.

In fact, dreams no longer had any meaning, because the memories of the long time are so vivid. The character for my role in this black comedy is already in my past.

Of course, it wasn’t the same life. My past that overlaps with the picture that the role shows remains vividly in my memory.

The past when I raised my voice about racial discrimination, the past when I satirized that era and performed stand-up comedy, the past that satirized the times and offered enlightenment existed in several lives, even if I counted only with my hands.

“Ugh….”

I pressed my temples with my palms on my throbbing head. I grabbed my head and writhed in pain for a while. I have all the memories of the past, but if I try to recall even one of those many memories, it’s accompanied by a headache.

I still couldn’t escape the pain. However, I seemed to have found a way to make this pain disappear. That was Song Yu-na.

The peace I first felt while kissing Song Yu-na. Since then, I have had skinship [physical intimacy] with Song Yu-na.

No, just thinking of her made the pain disappear as if it had been washed away. And even at this moment, when I thought of Song Yu-na, the throbbing in my head disappeared as if nothing had happened.

“…It’s so strange, so strange.”

I decided to receive this pain of 10,000 years again because of Song Yu-na, but thanks to her, this pain disappears…. I couldn’t say for sure whether this was good or bad.

All I can be sure of is that Song Yu-na was a special being to me.

* * *

Knock knock.

“Yes, come in.”

CEO Park answered the knock on the office door. Soon, the closed door opened and Executive Director Choi entered.

“CEO, did you call me?”

He bowed his head and approached CEO Park.

“Oh, how is it? Are you adjusting well to working at headquarters?”

CEO Park got up from his seat and headed to the sofa. Following his lead, Executive Director Choi also took a seat.

“Yes, I’m working hard thanks to your consideration.”

“Yes, that’s a relief. Everyone at WG Entertainment knows that Executive Director Choi is good at his job.”

“You flatter me.”

CEO Park leaned back on the soft sofa and asked, “By the way, do you know that Jin Hee-sung has decided to enter the black comedy work this time?”

“Yes, I heard it’s been confirmed.”

“Yes, how is it going?”

The first meeting that Executive Director Choi participated in after returning to Korea was not to prevent Jin Hee-sung from doing black comedy.

He had revealed his ambition to CEO Park to make the work unconditionally successful. It seemed like he was asking about the plan.

At his question, Executive Director Choi smirked and nodded. “Now we have to start working.”

“So, what’s the plan?”

CEO Park tilted his head at Executive Director Choi’s confident expression. He leaned forward and addressed Executive Director Choi directly.

“Please trust me and leave it to me. I will definitely make it a success.”

“You’re not taking Jin Hee-sung out of the work, but you’re going to make the work a success?”

“Yes, you said that Jin Hee-sung can’t back out of the work according to the contract terms.”

CEO Park nodded at his words. “Then we have to make it a success somehow. I’m thinking of several ways… I’ll try it first and tell you.”

CEO Park felt curious about Executive Director Choi’s plan, but he had always been successful in the past, so he had no choice but to trust him.

He trusted him completely. He was a reliable employee with proven skills.

“Okay, report when you have a definite method. Tell me if you need anything.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Executive Director Choi got up from his seat and bowed to him. “I’ll tell you with results.”

CEO Park smiled with satisfaction and nodded. “Yes, you must be busy, go out and work.”

“Yes, CEO.”

As soon as Executive Director Choi left the CEO’s office, he moved with confident strides.

“It’s the first thing I’ve been in charge of since coming to the Korean headquarters, so I have to make it a success.”

He hurried to the executive office. As soon as he sat down, he picked up his cell phone and made a call.

The phone rang only a few times before the other person answered.

-Yes, hello.

“Is that Director Cheon Ji-ho?”

-Yes, it is. Who is this?

“Hello. I’m Choi Joong-hyun, an executive director at WG Entertainment.”

-Ah… hello. But what brings you here?

“Our actor is going into Director Cheon’s work this time, right?”

-Yes, that’s right.

“Still, Jin Hee-sung, who is the face of our company, is participating. I was wondering if we could just let it go like this.”

Director Cheon carefully asked him, sensing the implication in Executive Director Choi’s tone.

-Are you talking about the appearance fee?

“Oh, no. There are many things we can do besides the appearance fee.”

-Then….

“Director Cheon, when is a good time for you? Shall we meet in person?”

Executive Director Choi leaned back and turned his chair around, a sly grin on his face.