An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 322

322. #58 – How to Turn the Enemy into an Ally (4)

Baek Min-young, an employee of WOM Entertainment, approached Lee Seol-in with a stack of reports.

“Director.”

“Oh, you’re here?”

“Yes, I brought the list of talk shows that actor Jin Hee-sung will appear on.”

At her words, Lee Seol-in gestured for her to sit down.

“Don’t stand there, let’s talk while sitting down.”

“Yes, Director.”

They sat down and immediately started the meeting.

“Hee-sung will return to Korea after appearing on the talk show.”

“Oh, which programs can he appear on right away?”

“Here.”

Baek Min-young handed her a list of program names and continued.

“If you look at the data, the first program is already ranked number one in viewership ratings in the same time slot in the United States.”

At her words, Lee Seol-in nodded and replied.

“I know. But Hee-sung isn’t the only guest on that show. It won’t make as big of a splash as we’d like.”

Lee Seol-in’s goal was singular.

“I don’t think it’s important right now how Jin Hee-sung is perceived in the United States.”

“Then what is?”

“Fame. Jin Hee-sung’s name needs to become a household name throughout Hollywood immediately.”

At her words, Baek Min-young tilted her head.

“Wouldn’t you say Jin Hee-sung is already famous in Hollywood?”

Baek Min-young took out data about Jin Hee-sung and continued.

“He already succeeded with a movie after entering Hollywood, appeared in a sitcom… and even went to an awards ceremony. I thought the director’s goal for Jin Hee-sung was his image.”

Even at her words, Lee Seol-in waved her hand dismissively.

“No. In the entertainment industry, or anywhere else, buzz is only temporary. Ask people walking down the street right now. How many people do you think know about Jin Hee-sung?”

“Um… if you just ask Americans for the name ‘Jin Hee-sung,’ I don’t think many people would know.”

“See? To Americans, Jin Hee-sung is just another Asian actor, nothing more, nothing less.”

Baek Min-young pondered her words and then nodded.

“That’s right. When I think about it, we’re the only ones who distinguish Korean actors; Americans just call them ‘Asian actors.'”

“Yes, whether they’re Korean or Japanese actors, they all tend to lump them together. They think they all look similar.”

“I see.”

Lee Seol-in looked into Baek Min-young’s eyes and said.

“So, we need to choose a talk show where Jin Hee-sung can appear solo, as the main guest, so that people can know him as the Korean actor Jin Hee-sung, not just another Asian actor.”

“Yes, Director. Then this program would be good….”

She introduced the program on the list she had prepared, her eyes sparkling, and Lee Seol-in also continued the conversation with an interested expression.

“Good. So, he can appear on this program right away?”

“Yes, but if the director talks to the talk show one more time, it seems like it will be confirmed. The PD [Program Director] of this program….”

They talked about Jin Hee-sung for a long time.

After several tens of minutes had passed.

“So, have we received all the contracts from the actors appearing in our work ‘Karma’?”

At Lee Seol-in’s question, Baek Min-young showed the data and answered.

“Among the three main actors, Jin Hee-sung’s contract is here. And we’ve also completed the contracts for the two supporting actors.”

“What about the remaining lead actor?”

“First, there’s Robert….”

Baek Min-young placed a blank contract and a photo on the table.

Nearly white, bright yellow hair.

A white man with fair skin.

He was an actor with striking, sparkling eyes and a prominent nose.

But looking at the photo, Lee Seol-in bit her lip.

Something felt uneasy.

“Robert is the one with the personality controversy, right?”

At her question, Baek Min-young immediately nodded vigorously.

“That’s right. He had some racial discrimination issues in the past, and his personality isn’t the best. But he’s such a good actor.”

“Hmm… well, there aren’t many white actors with this kind of look.”

“Yes, he’s the most suitable actor for the role in our work.”

Lee Seol-in nodded and pondered.

“But these days, racial discrimination issues are so prominent worldwide. We won’t be able to ignore it easily this time.”

“Then shall we proceed with the contract as we discussed in the meeting?”

“Let’s go ahead. But the company should thoroughly check the relationship between Robert and Jin Hee-sung.”

Baek Min-young quickly scribbled her words in her diary.

“Yes, I will check it carefully.”

“Okay, and what about the remaining lead actor?”

As soon as she finished speaking, Baek Min-young turned over a piece of paper, and this time a photo of a Black male actor was placed on the table.

“Callie.”

“Okay, did you check Callie’s contract conditions?”

“Yes, actor Callie requested two houses in LA and three L-brand [Luxury brand] sports cars.”

“Two houses?”

Lee Seol-in’s eyes widened as she asked back, and Baek Min-young wrinkled her nose and slowly nodded her head.

“He said he needs a house to sleep in and a house to practice in separately. He says he can’t concentrate in one place….”

“Haa… it’s the first time someone has demanded two houses.”

Lee Seol-in chuckled and shook her head.

“What should we do?”

“What else can we do? Callie is such a big shot; we have to make that kind of investment. We can’t miss him because of mere requests.”

“Yes, then I will check the contract details and upload the report.”

“Okay, and sign the contract right away and proceed.”

At her words, Baek Min-young got up from her seat and bowed her head.

“Since we finished the contract with Jin Hee-sung quickly, things are progressing smoothly. Please check the talk show today.”

“Yes, Director.”

***

“Welcome back to ‘The Logan Show.’ Hello, I’m Logan.”

Cheers erupted along with the voice of MC [Master of Ceremonies] Logan.

The phrase ‘The Logan Show’ was written largely behind him.

Logan’s relaxed expression and gestures seemed to prove that he was a veteran in this field.

“The person we’re inviting to ‘The Logan Show’ today is amazing. Why? Because he’s the first Asian actor we’ve ever invited to our Logan Show.”

The scene buzzed at his words, and Logan raised the corners of his mouth and shouted.

“Welcome. He’s an actor who flew in from faraway Korea. Jin Hee-sung!”

Clap clap-

Cheers and applause for Jin Hee-sung.

He quickly walked to the front of the stage and bowed deeply.

“Hello, I’m Jin Hee-sung, an actor from Korea. Nice to meet you.”

“Oh, nice to meet you, actor Hee-sung.”

“Yes, it’s really an honor to be on the Logan Show and meet Logan.”

At Jin Hee-sung’s words, Logan shrugged his shoulders and smiled playfully.

“Haha, of course. Even Americans can’t easily come on the Logan Show.”

“That’s right. Please take good care of me today.”

Several minutes later.

They sat side by side in their respective seats, and the camera angle focused on Jin Hee-sung’s face.

“Shall we start talking in earnest?”

“Sure. Ask me anything.”

“I’ll dig into everything. Haha.”

Logan raised his eyebrows with his signature hearty laugh.

“Many people watching the Logan Show right now will be familiar with actor Jin Hee-sung’s face. You already have experience in Hollywood, right?”

“That’s right. I met you in Jeffrey’s movie ‘September 11th’.”

“Yes, and you also appeared in sitcoms and at the Academy Awards.”

Logan began to list Jin Hee-sung’s past works and his activities.

In line with that, Jin Hee-sung’s appearances were quickly shown on the large screen behind the stage.

“Wow… you’ve been working hard all this time.”

“Yes, I liked acting more than resting. So, I think I worked hard.”

“That’s amazing. But it’s a bit unusual?”

At his question, Jin Hee-sung tilted his head.

“What do you mean by unusual?”

“You made a name for yourself with Hollywood works, and then suddenly returned to Korea.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“And then you came back to Hollywood again. Is there a special reason?”

At Logan’s question, Jin Hee-sung shook his head, his lips tightly closed.

“Actually… I came across a great project this time.”

“What kind of project is it?”

Logan glanced at the script and asked, and Jin Hee-sung began to answer.

“It’s a unique project that will be made into a musical after the movie is released.”

“Wow, that’s a new genre.”

“That’s right. So, it captured my heart after I had returned to Korea.”

Logan raised his eyebrows, put down the script he was holding, and asked him.

“This isn’t in the script. I’m curious.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“So, actor Jin Hee-sung was drawn to this fresh combination of film and musical, enough to return to Hollywood?”

“No.”

“Then….”

Jin Hee-sung narrowed his eyes and began his story.

“Um, to be honest, I was hooked on the script for this project.”

“Really?”

“Yes, of course, the fact that a Hollywood movie would be adapted into a musical was also appealing, but the biggest reason I joined this project was the ‘script’.”

Logan raised his lips and asked with interest.

“Hearing you say that makes me really curious about the content of the project. Can you introduce what kind of content it is?”

Jin Hee-sung exchanged glances with the WOM employee offstage.

Then, he began to explain the basic plot points that could be revealed in advance.

“So, it’s about….”

A man who has lived his whole life as a killer.

That role was played by Jin Hee-sung.

The killer had taken many lives.

Because his means of making money was to end people’s lives.

While taking people’s breath away as usual.

“There’s nowhere to run anymore. Throw away the gun!”

He was being chased by the FBI.

Bang-!

In the end, he met his end as a killer.

The blood flowed hotly from his chest.

“Ugh, like this… so futilely…. I’m closing my eyes….”

He was a killer who closed his eyes cruelly in the world, but the heavy eyelids that seemed to be closed forever were lightly lifted.

“What, am I alive?”

Before he could process that he was alive, he saw his reflection.

“What… why are you here…!”

And he looked down at his appearance and got goosebumps all over his body.

“What is this…. No way. This body is the person I last killed before I was caught by the FBI?”

At that moment, when his head was in a mess with confusion, the killer’s blade was deeply embedded in his body, and the pain was vividly felt by him.

“Ugh… what the hell is going on….”

The pain felt so vivid.

The moment his eyes closed and he faced death, his eyes opened again.

And this time, he greeted the day in another person’s body.

His appearance reflected in the mirror.

“Crazy…!”

This time, it was the person he had killed in his life as a killer.

“Could it be… all the people I killed brutally while living as a killer. Are you telling me to feel the pain of those people as it is?”

At the same time as realizing that, a very familiar silhouette ran madly and quickly from afar.

Then, a cold blade began to be mercilessly inserted into the body.

“Aagh… this… no way!”

He woke up in the bodies of all the people he had killed in the past, with the body of a killer.

The suffering felt so vivid and clear.

In that way, the killer opened and closed his eyes every day in the bodies of countless people he had painfully killed in his past life.

As Jin Hee-sung vividly recited the plot of the movie, Logan clapped his hands with his mouth wide open.

“Wow, I’m really looking forward to the movie.”

“The content is really interesting, right?”

“Yes, then what part of this movie did actor Jin Hee-sung see and get hooked on?”

Jin Hee-sung’s eyes flickered at his question.

“This movie is about atonement for the sins he committed. It’s a movie about a life of paying for karma.”

“That’s right.”

“It keeps repeating while reincarnating. I was drawn to that.”

Logan tilted his head at Jin Hee-sung’s words.

“You were drawn to reincarnation?”

“Yes.”

Logan smiled and playfully asked him.

“Hee-sung, have you ever reincarnated? Haha.”

Jin Hee-sung couldn’t laugh at his joke.

‘Reincarnation… I’ve probably reincarnated more times than in the movie….’

Jin Hee-sung recalled his past and raised his head.

“Um… well.”

“That’s a meaningful statement. Haha.”

Jin Hee-sung smiled and shouted, looking straight at the camera.

“The most important thing is that I was sure that I could show you amazing acting. I will definitely show you.”

With his words, applause and cheers erupted from offstage.