An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 63

#14 – Being Recognized (2)

Leaning back in the practice room chair, I flipped through the stack of scripts.

“This character is so different from me.”

After focusing solely on practice for days, talking to myself had become commonplace.

“A supporting role as a psychopath….”

Knock knock.

Manager Kim carefully knocked on the practice room door with tightly pursed lips.

Then, making eye contact with me, he came inside.

“Hee-sung, is practice going well?”

“I’ve looked through everything I was supposed to this morning, and I’m trying to look at some other scripts.”

He nodded and sat down in front of me.

He placed both arms on the desk without a word, gazing at me intently.

I tilted my head at his behavior.

“Is there something you want to say?”

At my words, Manager Kim slowly shook his head.

I could tell from his face.

It wasn’t good news.

Thump.

I closed the script I was holding and stared intently at his face.

“What is it? Tell me.”

Manager Kim raised his shoulders as if swallowing a sigh.

I blinked repeatedly at his attitude.

“What could be so hard to say?”

Manager Kim made a ‘tss’ sound and arched his eyebrows.

“That lead role casting I mentioned last time.”

“Yeah.”

“While we were considering it, the production team couldn’t wait and passed it on to the next casting candidate.”

“Ah….”

Not long ago, Manager Kim and I had decided to think more about that project.

And we hadn’t reached a conclusion yet.

I was less inclined to choose that project.

Frankly, I wanted to reject the casting.

But Manager Kim was so drawn to the project because it was a sweet offer for a lead role.

Perhaps that’s why he was so disappointed that the role went to another actor.

“It’s a bit of a shame.”

Even though I didn’t want to do the project, I couldn’t say it didn’t matter to Manager Kim, who was so disappointed.

Because Manager Kim was the one running around for me more than anyone else.

I nodded slowly and replied to him.

“I guess it wasn’t meant to be with that drama.”

Manager Kim forced a smile.

“Still, it could have been your first lead role in a mini-series….”

Instead, I opened my mouth to comfort him.

“It’s okay. Better opportunities will come.”

“It has to.”

Manager Kim looked worried that I might be upset.

He raised his eyebrows and lifted his chin high.

“Hee-sung, put down the script and let’s go to the terrace to clear your head for a bit.”

I wasn’t frustrated or upset that the drama casting had fallen through.

But I smiled at Manager Kim’s consideration.

“I’m really okay, *hyung* [older brother/male friend].”

“Still, it’s not like choosing a script right now is urgent anyway.”

“Okay, let’s do that then.”

Manager Kim swallowed a sigh and jumped up from his seat.

His concern motivated me even more.

A person who is as sincere about my success as I am.

Having someone who rejoices at my acceptance news and feels sad and disappointed at my rejections.

That gave strength to my drive.

It made me want to practice harder and climb higher.

***

After taking a break on the terrace for several tens of minutes, I returned to the practice room.

I was busy looking at the stacked scripts again.

Manager Kim was checking the audition schedule and organizing his schedule.

Buzzing.

At that moment, the vibration of the cell phone spread across the desk.

Holding the script in one hand, I picked up the cell phone.

-Deposit of 58,503,500 won from XX Bank, HS Entertainment.

As soon as I saw the deposit details in my bank account, my eyes widened.

A deposit of 50 million won.

No, it was a number close to 60 million won.

“Gasp!”

A gasp burst out of me without realizing it.

As I closed my naturally opened jaw, Manager Kim looked at me with a surprised face.

“What’s wrong?”

I turned the cell phone towards him and showed him the screen.

“*Hyung*, what is this?”

He frowned and looked at my cell phone screen.

Soon, the corners of Manager Kim’s lips turned up.

“Your appearance fee.”

“…This much came in?”

At my words, Manager Kim nodded vigorously.

Then, he closed the scheduler and began to speak in earnest.

“Originally, supporting actors get that much. No, Hee-sung will get even more now.”

Manager Kim swallowed hard and continued.

“Excluding top actors, pretty good supporting actors get around 20 to 30 million.”

“Wow!”

I gaped at the amount.

I roughly knew, but since there were no fellow actors around me who received that amount in reality.

I couldn’t help but be surprised to hear the amount directly from Manager Kim.

“And in the case of ordinary supporting actors, it’s about 10 to 20 million. Hee-sung, this is your first supporting role, so it was cut a little more than that. It’s 6.25 million won per episode.”

Nodding, I asked him.

“How much does the company take?”

“Things that go into filming and you usually. After deducting the company settlement and taxes, the amount was deposited today.”

As soon as he finished speaking, I checked the deposit details on my cell phone again.

58,503,500 won.

The appearance fee per episode of the drama is 6.25 million won.

The mini-series drama was 16 episodes, so that filled 100 million won.

Plus 30 million won for the movie appearance fee.

In total, I had an income of 130 million won.

As I stared at my cell phone, Manager Kim opened his mouth.

“You know what the activity expenses are, right?”

“Yeah. Clothes, car, stylist….”

He nodded at my words and replied.

“That’s right. Plus my salary and other activity expenses.”

Manager Kim rummaged through his diary and continued.

“If you add it all up, about 20 million won would have been deducted this time.”

According to Manager Kim, excluding activity expenses, the remaining amount is about 110 million won.

Now, this must be calculated by converting it to 100%.

55:45.

That is the ratio between the actor and the company.

I get 55%, and the entertainment company takes 45%.

So, I would have taken 60,500,000 won.

And finally, up to 3.3% tax is deducted.

I couldn’t help but sigh at the money that was decreasing from the total amount.

So the amount that came to me is 58,503,500 won.

This amount was also a very large number for me.

After swallowing hard, I checked the number again.

…Crazy.

My heart started pounding at the number.

This is the money I earned while acting.

My chest swelled.

I started acting because I liked it.

But in order to pursue my dreams, I needed money.

I had to make a living.

So what I started because I wanted to act was a convenience store part-time job.

I maintained my livelihood with that money while acting.

The money from the convenience store part-time job was more helpful for living than the money earned from acting.

Some of my peers quit acting because of that sense of disparity.

Nevertheless, I couldn’t give up the path of an actor.

Because that’s what I desperately wanted.

Because that was my dream.

And now I felt like I was one step closer to my dream.

Money wasn’t everything, but having money would create the conditions to work towards achieving my dream.

I’ve only climbed one step now.

The stairs I still have to climb are stretched out long in front of me.

“They take a lot, right?”

Manager Kim asked, slightly raising one corner of his mouth.

I smiled at his words and shook my head.

“No. I’m grateful that they helped me earn this much.”

Manager Kim and I started working again.

After a few hours, Manager Kim opened his mouth.

“Hee-sung, it’s not a salary, but how do you feel about getting your first settlement?”

He asked with a proud face as if it were his own business.

I raised the corners of my mouth wide and replied.

“It’s so good.”

“What are you going to do now?”

I tilted my head at his words, and Manager Kim opened his mouth again.

“Isn’t there anything you wanted to do when you got the settlement?”

“Hmm, well….”

At his words, I stroked my chin.

What should I do first if I have this much money?

I had thought about wanting to be financially comfortable, but when I actually received the settlement, I couldn’t think of what to do.

Well, I’ve never had this much money before.

I seriously drew a plan in my head.

And the first thought that came to mind.

“…A house!”

“Huh?”

Manager Kim flinched at the loud voice.

I immediately opened my cell phone and checked the market price of houses around me.

I didn’t even think about a house with a view of the Han River.

Just a house that I could climb without steep slopes.

And a house where the sound doesn’t leak to the neighbors even if I open my mouth to practice.

Just those things.

After searching for house prices for a while, I hurriedly closed the window.

“Haa-”

A sigh came out without realizing it.

I couldn’t afford a house with the money I have now.

Manager Kim, who saw my expression, pouted his lower lip and said.

“Who buys a house with their own money? It’s all loans.”

“That’s true, but things like *jeonse* [long-term lease deposit] loans are complicated and I don’t know much about them….”

I trailed off.

Manager Kim nodded.

“Well, I heard that it’s hard for actors to get loans because they’re freelancers.”

“That’s right. You really can’t get one unless you’re top-tier.”

At my bitter expression, Manager Kim’s eyes flashed and he shouted.

“How about buying luxury goods? Originally, when you earn money for the first time, you flex with luxury goods.”

At his words, I shook my head vigorously.

“Oh, what luxury goods are you talking about in my situation….”

I didn’t want to buy luxury goods with the small amount of money that I couldn’t even get a house with.

I would just save it.

Then a thought suddenly came to mind.

I snapped my fingers and muttered softly.

“Luxury goods… I should buy them for my parents.”

***

Although there was no one who recognized me yet.

I pressed down on my hat, put on a mask, and entered the department store.

And immediately moved to the luxury goods store.

Gifts I chose while thinking of my parents.

I felt like I was flying more than ever.

Acting work that my parents opposed.

I tried to do it well to show them.

I haven’t completely succeeded yet, but the money I earned from that work.

My heart warmed at the thought of being able to give them gifts with that money.

I couldn’t express how proud I was.

Throughout the process of choosing gifts, I felt more overwhelmed than receiving gifts myself.

On the way out of the department store, receiving greetings.

My hands were full of large shopping bags.

The shopping bags had large luxury logos on them.

It was quite heavy, but my steps were so light.

***

Ding-dong.

Because I was carrying a lot of luggage, I pressed the doorbell instead of the door lock.

I could hear footsteps running to the door without asking who it was through the intercom.

My heart pounded at the sound of them running in excitement as soon as they saw my face.

How happy will they be when they see these gifts?

Giving joy is greater than receiving joy, that must be what this feels like.

Bang.

The door opened.

The person who came running out was my father, not my mother.

“You came?”

My father greeted me happily.

His face had a smile, unlike his blunt tone.

It was the maximum expression of joy that my father could show.

“Yes, have you eaten?”

“No. I didn’t eat because I was going to eat with you when you came. Come on in.”

“Yes.”

My father hurriedly took the shopping bag in my hand.

He didn’t seem to imagine that it was his gift.

He just seemed to be carrying the luggage in my hand.

“Why did you bring so much, it’s heavy.”

I, who usually don’t have any *aegyo* [acting cute] towards my parents, replied in a low voice, unlike my heart.

“Gifts.”

After answering my father briefly, I headed to my mother in the kitchen.

My mother was already wiping her wet hands on her apron and quickly approaching me.

“Son, you came?”

“Yes.”

“You had a hard time coming.”

“What hard time? I can’t come often….”

At my words, my mother touched my shoulder and said.

“You’re busy, why come often? It’s enough if you eat well and live well.”

“Hee-sung’s mom, Hee-sung bought a lot of things.”

My father held up the shopping bag towards my mother.

“Oh my, why did you buy so much?”

Unlike my father, my mother’s eyes widened as soon as she saw the shopping bag.

It seems she recognized the luxury goods right away.

“That’s expensive.”

My mother hurriedly opened the shopping bag and opened her mouth towards my father.

“Hee-sung’s dad, these are all luxury goods. Hee-sung, where did you get the money to buy these things….”

My mother nagged, but she had a smile on her face.

“Hey, I’m on TV now. I wanted to buy you something nice.”

I said to my father, who was standing awkwardly next to my mother.

“Father, take a look too, see if you like it.”

“I don’t like expensive things. I just need a lot of cheap things, why luxury goods.”

Unlike his words, my father’s eyes were gradually getting bigger as he opened the shopping bag.

Then he took the belt in the first shopping bag and went to the mirror to put it on his clothes.

I held back the laughter that was about to burst out at the sight.

“Father, do you like it?”

“Well, it looks like the leather is good because it’s a luxury brand. But isn’t it too expensive?”

“It’s okay. It’s enough if you like it.”

My father moved his body around with a happy face and kept looking at the mirror.

I watched my father and mother, and a sense of pride wrapped around my whole body.

Around the time we were almost done with the meal.

My father put down his spoon and opened his mouth.

“Son.”

“Yes?”

My father avoided my eyes and said.

“It’s good because your face comes out on TV often.”

“…….”

After choosing the job of an actor, it was the first time those words came directly from my father’s mouth.

I was so surprised that I couldn’t open my mouth right away.

My father hurriedly got up from his seat.

Then he walked to the living room.

My mother looked at my father and opened her mouth towards me.

“Even if your dad says that, he’s always bragging about you outside.”

“Really?”

“Yes, he brags about Hee-sung so much that I stop him.”

My mother looked at me with a happy face.

I looked at my father’s face sitting on the sofa far away and swallowed the overwhelming feeling.

And I repeated it several times in my heart.

I will become an even prouder son to my parents.