An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 281

281. #50 – Breaking Free from the Yoke (4)

Director Cheon’s words caused Kim and me to exchange bewildered glances.

“What do you mean…?”

I had expected he had something important to tell me, anticipating a problem with the production.

I thought it might be a delay in the start of filming [crank-in] or a casting issue.

But the thought that the project might be canceled hadn’t even crossed my mind.

“What exactly are you saying…?”

Kim and I were too taken aback to finish our sentences.

Director Cheon sighed deeply before speaking.

“Haa… I don’t know what’s going on myself. I’m sorry to deliver this news so abruptly.”

His apology only made me want to know the reason even more.

The real reason, not some roundabout excuse.

“Director, what’s the reason? If the project is suddenly canceled, there must be a reason.”

“The investment… fell through. So, naturally, we can’t continue with the project.”

At Director Cheon’s words, I frowned and stared at him.

“Director, didn’t we come this far with great difficulty? So please, don’t just give me a simple answer. Tell me everything honestly.”

Director Cheon bit his lip and pondered.

Then, avoiding my eyes, he tapped the desk absently and replied.

“The investment company contacted me. They said they couldn’t invest.”

“So, why…?”

“I’ve been struggling with how to explain this for a long time.”

He swallowed a sigh and looked up.

Looking me straight in the eye with a sincere gaze, he continued, “Still, Hee-sung is the lead, and we’ve come this far together with difficulty. I’ll tell you. No, I’ll tell you everything.”

He took out his cell phone from his pocket and placed it on the table.

Then, he immediately opened a recording file and skipped to the part he wanted me to hear.

Soon, Director Cheon’s voice could be heard from the phone.

-So, you’re saying you’re withdrawing all the investment?

-Yes, Director Cheon, you know that black comedies aren’t very profitable.

A firm investor’s voice.

-You knew it was a black comedy genre, and you still thought it was worth investing in, so you came this far, didn’t you? If you trust us and leave it to us….

-No. I’m just an investor. So, I only invest in projects that make money.

-If you suddenly do this….

-I knew black comedies weren’t very profitable, but the more I think about it, the lower the profitability compared to the risk.

-Investor, our casting has all been changed, and we’re confident in the project. The start of filming [crank-in] is just around the corner. Can’t you reconsider?

Director Cheon’s voice, coming from the phone, was desperate in the face of the investor’s shocking words.

He was pouring out his earnestness to change the investor’s firm stance.

-Please understand. We have a shareholders’ meeting soon, and the shareholders’ mood is already ominous. I’m sorry about this, but… let’s work together if there’s a good project next time.

The investor’s words from the phone seemed insincere.

The reasons for suddenly withdrawing the investment, such as the genre being a problem or the lack of profitability, didn’t make sense from the start.

There was no way they wouldn’t have known it was a black comedy genre when the start of filming [crank-in] was approaching.

Like the investor said, canceling now because they thought the profitability was low didn’t add up.

It just felt like they were beating around the bush to make excuses.

Director Cheon replied to him in a trembling voice.

-No… but please think about it one more time….

Even so, the investor gave a cold and sharp answer.

-I’m sorry. I’ll hang up now.

With the investor’s last words, the recording stopped.

It seemed the call had ended like that.

“…….”

When the phone call recording ended, the place became silent.

Neither Director Cheon, nor Kim, nor I could say anything.

The reason why I asked Director Cheon why the project was canceled, and why he hesitated to answer.

It was because the investor couldn’t give a valid reason either.

It was clear that something was hidden, but I couldn’t ask Director Cheon.

And he couldn’t grill the investor either.

The reason why Director Cheon couldn’t get angry or raise his voice at the investor was because he was in a subordinate position.

As actors, we can’t start acting unless the director casts us.

But the director can’t even start a movie without an investor.

The investment company was the absolute superior.

Therefore, even if this situation arises, he can’t express his anger towards them.

Because the problem isn’t just that this one project is canceled, but Director Cheon’s future films are at stake.

If the relationship with the investment company goes wrong, it will be difficult to get investment from connected places for life.

We stared blankly at the turned-off recording file.

I broke the silence in the gloomy atmosphere and opened my mouth.

“Is there any way to fix it?”

At my question, Director Cheon answered immediately as if he had already thought about it many times.

“No, I don’t think there is.”

“Then, do you know who… did this?”

Director Cheon closed his eyes tightly and shook his head.

“Haa… I don’t know that much.”

It was a project I had vowed to bet everything on,

The moment I saw that project sinking without even being presented to the public.

I was overwhelmed with a sense of futility rather than anger.

What have I been running for….

The black comedy genre I chose with great determination.

And I blocked WG Entertainment’s unfair casting, saying I would put my life on the line for the project.

It didn’t end there, and I even declared a breakup with WG Entertainment.

And now, at this point when I thought all I had to do was work hard, the project disappeared without a trace.

I just couldn’t accept it and close my eyes.

There must be a reason….

* * *

As soon as I finished the meeting with Director Cheon, I got into the car with Kim.

And we started talking without leaving the parking lot.

“Hyung [older brother/friend].”

“Yeah.”

Kim also lowered his voice in this heavy atmosphere.

“Isn’t this my fault?”

At my words, he turned from the driver’s seat and looked at me.

“What are you talking about?”

I kept thinking and thinking after talking to Director Cheon.

The reason why the investment company pulled out.

And it didn’t take long to find the answer.

The answer I came up with was… me.

“I’m sure WG Entertainment did this because of me. No, I’m sure of it.”

Kim hesitated to answer, looking at my expression mixed with frustration and anger.

He seemed to think so too, but he wanted to avoid it.

“It can’t be. We came out to clean things up, so they wouldn’t block our path like this.”

“No, if it’s WG Entertainment, they would have tried to block my path somehow. Why didn’t I think this could happen…?”

Kim sighed deeply and opened his mouth as if to comfort me.

“Even if that’s the case, WG Entertainment did something terrible. Don’t think it’s your fault, Hee-sung. You don’t need to feel guilty for no reason.”

“Still… Director Cheon and the people who prepared the project…. Haa.”

I know that WG Entertainment is at fault.

But I was filled with frustration at the fact that the damage didn’t stop at me.

“Director Cheon didn’t just listen to you and move, did he? He was struggling with the abuse of power from a large entertainment company first. You were helping Director Cheon instead.”

Even with Kim’s encouragement, I repeatedly sighed and leaned my head back on the chair.

Looking at my distorted face, Kim continued.

“Don’t worry too much and rest. I’ll look into it.”

* * *

That evening.

As soon as Kim parted ways with Jin Hee-sung, he headed to a bar instead of his house.

“Hello, Director Han.”

The person waiting for him was Director Han of WG Entertainment.

“Oh, Kim. Come in and sit down.”

“Yes, have you been waiting long?”

At Kim’s question, Director Han shook his head.

“No, I just arrived a little while ago. Where have you been?”

“I just had a meeting with Hee-sung.”

“Ah… is that so?”

Director Han stuttered as if embarrassed by the words that he had been to a meeting.

Noticing his awkward tone, Kim deliberately mentioned the story.

“Yes, I just met with the director of the ‘Turntable’ project.”

“Yeah, how is it going these days?”

“It’s not easy. I was going to start with the ‘Turntable’ project, but the project suddenly fell through.”

Even at Kim’s words, Director Han filled his glass without showing any surprise.

“Really…?”

It seemed he already knew that the project had been canceled.

However, when Director Han forced a surprised expression, Kim could immediately recognize it from that attitude.

That WG Entertainment also knew about this fact.

Furthermore, Kim had expected it.

That WG Entertainment would have done this to block Jin Hee-sung’s path in any way possible.

Kim made this place to test such a Director Han.

A high-ranking employee who can’t help but know the news of WG Entertainment.

At the same time, he chose Director Han as an employee who is friendly with him.

“Yes, so I’m dying as soon as I leave the company.”

Clink-

Their glasses collided.

Director Han tried to change the subject because he didn’t want to talk about this.

“That’s right. Originally, when you leave the company and start anew, you bump into things here and there for no reason. So are you going into a new project now?”

At his question, Kim frowned and asked.

“Before that… I want to know why the project was canceled. I can’t move on to the next project unless that’s resolved.”

“That’s how this industry is. It’s common for projects to be canceled even after filming starts, so what’s so new about it?”

The two drank their glasses without looking at each other.

Kim poured alcohol into his mouth at once and asked him.

“Director Han.”

“Yeah?”

“Can you tell me honestly?”

“What….”

“Is it true that WG Entertainment made this project fall through?”

Kim had been trying to talk around it all along, but he couldn’t stand it and threw a fastball at him.

However, Director Han shook his head without a moment’s hesitation.

“What are you talking about? Why would our company cancel the project? Now that we’re done with our company.”

“That’s right. But the timing is off….”

Director Han seemed uncomfortable with this topic of conversation and kept drinking.

“We met after a long time, so let’s talk about our stories like before, not about company work. You and I are people who have been suffering from work all day long, so do we have to do this even at a drinking party?”

Kim nodded at his words.

In fact, the whole reason he was trying to meet Director Han was to reveal the truth.

After leaving WG Entertainment.

It was the first time meeting Director Han, so he couldn’t just keep grilling him.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. I know you’re asking because you’re frustrated, but it’s not, so I have nothing more to say about it.”

“Yes, Director, have you been doing well these days?”

They quickly changed the topic of conversation.

“Of course. Oh, I told you my wife was pregnant, right? How many months is it now?”

“Yes, now….”

Director Han and Kim exchanged personal stories and clinked glasses.

As they talked, two hours had passed quickly.

There were three empty soju [Korean distilled spirit] bottles on their table.

“Ugh… it’s hard to live in this world, it’s hard.”

Director Han poured out a breath full of alcohol.

His pronunciation was so twisted that it was inaccurate.

It seems like he’s drunk a lot.

“That’s right. The road managers were dying because Chief Executive Choi came suddenly.”

“Ugh… yeah, Chief Executive Choi is a son of a b****. It’s really hard to make money.”

As soon as Kim confirmed Director Han’s reddened cheeks and twisted tongue, he brought up the words he hadn’t been able to say.

“Director, can I ask you something?”

“Oh, sure. Ask me anything.”

“Why did you cancel the project after Hee-sung left?”

Director Han had been answering no all along to his question, but he opened his mouth because he was drunk.

“For any entertainer, the company must be strong. If the fence is not intact even in a slight breeze, the actor is bound to be swept away.”

“…….”

“To increase the power of an actor, recognition and position are important, but the power of the company is just as important. Jin Hee-sung doesn’t have a home now. A home to protect himself.”

At his words, Kim bit his lip.

And his suspicion became a conviction.

That WG Entertainment made the movie ‘Turntable’ fall through.

Director Han didn’t directly say that he was doing this at WG Entertainment, where he was.

But his figurative explanation made it possible to resolve all doubts.

Kim poured a lot of soju [Korean distilled spirit] into the water glass in front of him.

Gulp gulp-

He poured the alcohol into his mouth as if to awaken himself.

‘I have to start a real company… and protect them myself. If I don’t want to be treated unfairly in the future….’

Kim clenched the hand holding the glass, recalling the unfairly canceled project.