An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 55

55. #12 – What You See Might Not Be Everything (4)

“Mr. Min Jihoon, who handles work like that over there?”

The line I spat out didn’t sound quite right.

I adjusted my posture and cleared my throat.

“Ahem.”

After taking another deep breath, I stared into space and tried to immerse myself in the role again.

“Mr. Min Jihoon, who handles work like….”

Knock, knock.

Just then, the practice room door opened, and Manager Kim cautiously entered.

“Hee-sung, were you practicing?”

“Yeah.”

He nodded and took a seat in front of me.

“What’s wrong?”

“I was wondering if I could help you practice your scene with your co-star.”

“I’d appreciate that.”

Since I had already memorized the script, I handed him the only copy we had.

Manager Kim, instead of looking at the script, offered me a drink and said,

“Hee-sung, take a break before you continue.”

I took a sip of the drink he gave me.

Manager Kim spoke again.

“Aren’t you pushing yourself too hard without a break since this morning?”

“I’m fine.”

“Still, you should eat lunch. It’s already past 2 PM.”

Manager Kim looked at me with worried eyes.

“The movie’s filming starts tomorrow; I need to practice even harder.”

Even after I said that, he shrugged and sighed.

Then, with a serious face, he stared intently at me.

“Hee-sung.”

“Yeah?”

“Is something wrong?”

At his words, my eyebrows twitched, and Manager Kim’s face hardened even more.

“You don’t look good today; it seems like something’s bothering you. Tell me.”

“It’s nothing.”

I tried not to show it so he wouldn’t worry.

But, as expected, a manager is a manager.

He seemed to have picked up on my unusual behavior.

Actually, I came to the company this morning and started reading the movie script.

For some reason, I felt uneasy, and the feeling wouldn’t go away.

Because of that, I practiced for four hours straight without a break, but the uneasy feeling only grew stronger.

Manager Kim barely held back a sigh of concern and said soothingly.

“Are you anxious about the filming tomorrow?”

Instead of answering, I just smiled, and Manager Kim spoke again.

“There’s nothing to be nervous about. You’ve always done well.”

“I guess….”

I was strangely worried about the movie shoot.

It was like… the feeling I had when I had severe camera shyness.

It was like an unknown anxiety and tension swirling deep inside my heart.

I hadn’t felt this way since my camera shyness had subsided.

Why am I suddenly feeling this way again?

I looked at Manager Kim sitting across from me and closed my eyes tightly.

‘Became a Genius Salesman.’

I spent days and nights contemplating and studying the character of Deputy Choi that I play in this movie.

In other words, I not only understood the character but also practiced the script to the point of exhaustion.

But where is this unknown anxiety coming from?

What am I lacking right now?

Manager Kim brought the script he had put down in front of him.

Swish.

He immediately opened the script and said.

“You’ll do well, but if you’re worried, let’s practice.”

At his words, I opened my eyes wide.

Manager Kim looked at me, raising his eyebrows.

Seeing his expression trying to give me courage, I nodded vigorously.

“Let’s do it, let’s practice!”

Only then did Manager Kim’s lips curve into a smile.

“Just do the part where Choi Seo-bin, that is, Min Jihoon, is supposed to be.”

“Okay.”

I slowly closed and opened my eyes again, quickly immersing myself in the role.

And I glared at Manager Kim and sighed.

“Mr. Min Jihoon, who handles work like that over there?”

Manager Kim looked at the script and recited the next line.

“I think I did my best.”

“Best? Ha, we don’t need ‘best’ in this company.”

We were only able to stop practicing after repeating three or four pages several times.

Manager Kim smiled brightly and said to me.

“Hee-sung, just do as you always do. Don’t worry.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I think your acting is getting better and better.”

Even with the compliment that my acting had improved, the trembling in my heart did not disappear.

Why is this happening?

It’s not camera shyness….

Then, a memory suddenly flashed through my mind.

Could it be because of the dream…?

Come to think of it, after I had that dream, the camera shyness I had been suffering from disappeared like a lie.

It wasn’t just the camera shyness that disappeared.

I perfectly digested the role and acted as if I was possessed by it.

The dreams I had while my camera shyness disappeared were backgrounds or occupations related to my roles.

But this dream related to ‘Became a Genius Salesman’ was a little different.

In the dream, my role was ‘Min Jihoon,’ played by Choi Seo-bin.

In reality, the role I got was not Min Jihoon, but ‘Deputy Choi.’

This is the first time I’ve had a dream that is different from my role.

Is this uneasy feeling ultimately because of the dream…?

Wait a minute.

In the end, dreams were my past lives.

So, it’s all the past lives I’ve experienced.

But this role is a past life I haven’t experienced, so is my understanding lacking?

I started to worry for no reason.

The uneasy feeling wrapped around my whole body.

I shrugged and barely shook off the feeling.

Whatever.

What difference does it make?

It’s not like I can only act well if I experience it myself.

There’s no need to tie past lives to acting.

I just need to do well.

***

“Hello.”

On the first day of filming the movie.

I arrived at the set a whopping three hours earlier than scheduled.

Director Jang and the staff had already arrived.

I was the only actor there.

“Oh, Hee-sung’s here?”

“Yes, Director. How have you been?”

He greeted me with a bright smile.

“Good. But why are you here so early?”

“It’s the first day of filming.”

Then, Director Jang patted me on the shoulder and burst into hearty laughter.

“Haha, I knew it from the start. There aren’t any actors like Hee-sung these days.”

“No, Director. But we’re doing the sacrificial rite [a traditional Korean ceremony to ensure good fortune] today, right?”

Originally, when doing a script reading, we usually perform a sacrificial rite.

But at the time, we were so busy and distracted that we quickly finished the script reading.

I heard later that we would be performing the rite on set today.

The first shoot is a group scene with most of the cast appearing.

Since all the cast members are appearing anyway, we decided to perform the rite on the first day of filming.

“That’s right. You remembered?”

“Of course. So, we’re doing it before we start filming, right?”

He nodded and pointed to the box next to him with his chin.

“The pig’s head and everything else are set up in there.”

“Yes, then I’ll practice hard and come back!”

“Okay. See you later.”

Director Jang turned around at the staff’s call.

I approached the staff on set to greet them.

About two hours passed.

Cars began to enter the set one by one.

“Looks like everyone’s coming now.”

Manager Kim said to me, watching the cars coming in.

“Yeah. I think we’ll perform the rite first when everyone arrives.”

At that moment, Park Minjoon got out of the car and started walking towards me.

The first actor I met on set was Park Minjoon of all people.

I pursed my lips and watched Park Minjoon approach.

As always, he would pick a fight with me.

But I had no intention of just listening.

I gritted my teeth and stood there with a stiff face.

At that moment, our eyes met.

Swish.

Park Minjoon’s eyes quickly shifted away.

He blinked rapidly.

Then, pretending not to avoid my eyes, he cleared his throat and quickly walked towards Director Jang.

“Hee-sung!”

Someone called me, putting a hand on my shoulder from behind.

Surprised by the sound, I turned around and saw Choi Seo-bin standing there with a smile.

“Senior, you’re here?”

I made eye contact with him and bowed.

“Oh, you came early.”

“Haha, Senior. How have you been?”

“Good. This is our second project together already.”

He reached out his hand to me.

“Let’s do well in this movie.”

“Yes, please take care of me.”

I shook his hand.

“When I act with you, Hee-sung, I get completely immersed. Please take care of me this time too.”

At his words, I smiled.

“Yes.”

“Seo-bin!”

Director Jang must have spotted Choi Seo-bin, as he waved his hand and called him out loudly.

“Yes, Director.”

He answered Director Jang and looked at me.

“See you at the shoot later.”

“Yes.”

A sacrificial table was set up in one area of the set.

On the large table were several fruits displayed on a wooden stand.

And dried pollack, steamed rice cake, sliced boiled pork, etc.

And the most important item: the pig’s head.

The rite began by lighting the candles placed in front of the long folding screen.

The staff, actors, and managers who attended the set today all gathered in front of the sacrificial table.

Many people rushed to take their places.

First, Director Jang knelt in front of the sacrificial table.

“Please make our movie a million-dollar hit!”

Director Jang bowed with all his heart and then performed a deep bow.

And then it was the turn of the lead actor, Choi Seo-bin.

Starting with him, the actors lined up in order.

Because there were so many people, we couldn’t do it one by one.

The lead actors went first.

Next, the senior actors with experience in supporting roles bowed in groups.

And then came the supporting actors with lead roles.

It was my turn.

Before walking forward, I leaned towards Manager Kim standing next to me.

“Hyung [older brother or close male friend].”

He raised his eyebrows and approached me.

I brought my mouth to Manager Kim’s ear.

“Lend me 50,000 won [approximately $37 USD]. I left my wallet in the car.”

At my words, Manager Kim took out the wallet in his back pocket.

He slipped a 50,000 won bill into my hand.

“Okay, next are the actors! Please come forward.”

At the staff’s words, I and three other supporting actors, including Park Minjoon, walked forward.

Park Minjoon smirked and took the leftmost spot.

Then, glancing at Director Jang, he shouted loudly.

“Please make the audience pour into the movie theater!”

Park Minjoon, standing to my left, turned his body towards me and opened his wallet.

Two 10,000 won bills inside.

After taking out 20,000 won and folding it vertically, he walked to the sacrificial table.

Park Minjoon, who carefully inserted 20,000 won into the pig’s head’s mouth, passed by me with a satisfied face.

Next, it was my turn.

All eyes on the set were on me.

“We, the cast and crew of ‘Became a Genius Salesman,’ will film diligently. Please help us make it a hit!”

After bending over in front of the sacrificial table, I walked forward and placed a 50,000 won bill on top of the 20,000 won that Park Minjoon had inserted.

As I turned around to return to my seat, I saw the faces of Park Minjoon and Director Jang.

Director Jang looked at me with a satisfied expression and smiled.

Park Minjoon’s face was distorted as he fixed his gaze on the money in the pig’s head.

I made eye contact with Park Minjoon, who was glaring.

I smirked and walked past him.

***

“Okay, the first scene of the movie is a group scene with the entire cast, so let’s try to finish it in one take!”

“Yes!”

At the assistant director’s words, we answered in unison while standing in our places.

It is rare to shoot the crank-in [first day of filming] with a group scene, but it is not entirely uncommon.

A simple scene where all the main characters walk out of the company entrance, not an important scene with lines exchanged.

This means that unless you fall while walking or walk like a robot, there is little chance of an NG [no good/failure].

“Ready, action!”

The first scene, meant to encourage a good start to filming, went smoothly.

We got an okay sign without any problems.

“It’s an okay with a good feeling!”

Director Jang got up from his seat and clapped his hands.

“The next scene is with our actor Choi Seo-bin. Let’s start shooting smoothly.”

Then, everyone except Choi Seo-bin busily left the set.

I took a seat on one side and watched Choi Seo-bin’s acting.

“Ready, action!”

As soon as Director Jang’s sign fell, Choi Seo-bin’s expression changed in an instant.

As expected, Choi Seo-bin’s immersion is admirable even when I see it again.

“Haa, is it possible that they put something in from another medical facility?”

The scene began with Choi Seo-bin’s monologue.

The eyes of everyone, including me, were on Choi Seo-bin.

“There must have been… a rebate [kickback].”

…Huh?

At Choi Seo-bin’s following line, I was startled and looked at him.

Something about the tone is a little off…?