An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 94

94. #19 – There’s No Set Answer (2)

To appear in a movie, I have to choose a supporting role, not a leading one.

I recently played the lead in a drama.

And it was the first lead role in a drama mini-series.

But now, going back to a supporting role isn’t the same as simply appearing as a supporting actor.

It means that I have to take a step back from where I’ve already climbed.

In other words, I have to regress.

That’s not an easy choice at all.

I’m already transitioning into a leading actor, but I have to go back to a supporting role.

It’s not just about this one project; my position in my acting career could decline again.

So, I can’t just say okay.

But giving up on this project wasn’t easy either.

First of all, the script was too good.

While reading it, I was drawn in without realizing it, and the immersion was significant.

A perfect and solid story with a clear beginning, middle, and end.

Moreover, unlike other projects, I had related dreams twice for the first time.

However, there was another problem.

The zombie dream.

Of course, there was something special about having the dream twice.

I thought all the dreams so far were ‘my past lives.’

My past lives from living for 10,000 years, that is, my past.

But this time, I wondered if this dream was really my past life.

Because zombies have never existed in the past.

Zombies have never existed in any history.

Just in case, I opened my cell phone and searched, but there were only hypotheses and theories, no facts.

Moreover, when I first had the zombie dream, I was in a car.

And the radio was playing in that car.

So, the time setting in that dream meant that there was a radio and a car.

But since cars existed in the world, there have never been zombies.

In other words, I doubted if this was really my past.

In my confused mind, I reset all the rules and hypotheses.

What does the dream mean?

And what is the connection between my past lives, my past, and all of this?

Bzzzz.

Manager Kim ended the call with me due to a sudden phone call.

And after a while, he called me again after finishing the call.

“Hello?”

-Oh, Hee-sung. Sorry.

“It’s okay. Are you done with the call?”

-Yeah, anyway, it seems like we can only get a supporting role if we want to appear in that project. I’ll try to ask again.

“No, if the agency has said no several times, then I have to accept a supporting role if I want to appear.”

-What should we do?

I sighed and answered him.

“Hyung [older brother/male friend], let me think about it a little more.”

-Okay, you can think about it and decide.

“Okay.”

***

The company I go to without fail today.

I opened my mouth to Manager Kim at the same time as greeting him.

“Hyung, are there any new scripts?”

He nodded his head vigorously at my words.

“Of course. I had already prepared them in advance. But I’ve already seen them all a few days ago, so there aren’t many.”

“It’s okay. I’ll just look at a few more new ones.”

Manager Kim smiled and answered me.

“Okay. If you go inside, I’ll pack them up and bring them to you.”

I turned away from Manager Kim and headed to the practice room.

And not long after, he came in with a pile of scripts.

“Take a look at the scripts. I have a meeting in the morning, so I’ll be back in a while.”

Manager Kim handed me the scripts and left the practice room again.

Alone in the practice room.

Pulling up a chair, I started skimming through the first script quickly in a straight posture.

But there was nothing that caught my eye, not even a similar scene with zombies.

Hurriedly turning the script to the side.

I picked up the next script.

After a long time, I couldn’t find a script that I liked.

As I sighed and cooled my throbbing head.

Knock knock.

Manager Kim knocked and entered the practice room.

Forcing a smile, I greeted him.

“Hyung, you’re here?”

He took a seat in front of me and asked me with a serious face.

“What’s wrong?”

When I shrugged my shoulders, he asked me again.

“Your expression isn’t good, what’s wrong?”

I stared blankly at the script and muttered softly.

“Just worried….”

Manager Kim sighed as if he was worried about me.

Then he snapped his fingers and said.

“Then, why don’t we go to another actor’s filming set today to clear your head?”

I tilted my head at his words.

“Hang out?”

“Yeah, you’ve always only gone to film. You can also watch other actors act, and you’ll get something from it.”

At Manager Kim’s words, I raised one corner of my mouth.

Thinking it would be quite interesting, I slowly nodded my head.

“Okay. Let’s go.”

When I agreed, Manager Kim raised his eyebrows with a bright face.

“Then, whose filming set should we go to?”

Without even thinking about it, I opened my mouth right away.

“Just not Baek Young-hoon.”

“Haha, okay. I don’t like it there either.”

Manager Kim got up from his seat right away and gestured to me.

“I know where to go. Let’s go, Hee-sung.”

***

The car carrying me arrived at a set in Gyeonggi-do [province in South Korea surrounding Seoul].

“Hee-sung, we’re here.”

“Hyung, what kind of filming set is this?”

I asked Manager Kim.

He raised the corner of his mouth and opened the locked car door.

“Get off. I’ll introduce you.”

Trusting Manager Kim, I didn’t bother to ask him again.

I got out of the car following him.

I entered a large set with Manager Kim, and the place, which was in the middle of filming, was filled with a quiet and solemn atmosphere.

“Okay, cut!”

At the director’s cut sound from inside, the place started to move busily.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“Let’s take a break and go to the next scene.”

Many lights, numerous staff.

And even several actors and managers.

Manager Kim was walking somewhere, and I followed him.

“Oh, Manager Kim is here?”

At that time, someone stretched out his arm and called Manager Kim brightly.

Manager Kim smiled brightly at his call and approached him.

“Yeah, how’s the filming?”

“We decided to take a break and go. Ah, Actor Hee-sung is here.”

Manager Kim pointed to him and said.

“Hee-sung, this is my close manager, Manager Park Dong-hoon.”

“Ah, hello. Manager Park.”

At that time, a man approached behind Manager Park.

“Huh?”

I raised my eyebrows while looking at him.

It was actor Im Sang-hyun.

An actor from HS Entertainment, one of the actors who has established himself as a leading actor.

One of the many actors who are called top actor Choi Seo-bin’s rivals.

Just because I’m close to Choi Seo-bin, there’s no reason to cut off ties with Im Sang-hyun, who is called his rival.

I’m not taking anyone’s side.

It’s not bad to get close.

Moreover, since he was a senior in the same company, it would be good for me to build a relationship with him.

Im Sang-hyun approached Manager Park and greeted Manager Kim and me.

“I heard about it from Manager Park earlier. Manager Kim, it’s been a while.”

“Yes, Sang-hyun. It’s been a while. I wanted to introduce Hee-sung and see the filming set. Haha.”

Manager Kim answered with a bright smile.

I bowed my head to him.

“Hello, senior [term of respect for someone older/more experienced]. I’m Jin Hee-sung.”

He nodded his head at my greeting.

“I know, it’s my first time seeing Hee-sung in person. Nice to meet you.”

Im Sang-hyun reached out his hand to me and asked for a handshake.

I smiled while holding his hand.

“Senior, please speak comfortably. I’m a junior [term for someone with less experience] in the entertainment industry and in the company.”

At my words, he smiled and answered me.

“Then… shall I?”

“Yes.”

After a brief greeting with Im Sang-hyun and Manager Park.

They moved to the next filming.

Manager Kim and I, who remained at the scene, moved to see his acting.

“Wow, Senior Im Sang-hyun is really handsome in person.”

As I admired, recalling Im Sang-hyun’s face from earlier,

Manager Kim nodded his head.

“Yeah, Sang-hyun is famous for being handsome among those who are called Choi Seo-bin’s rivals.”

Then he looked around and came closer to me and muttered softly.

“But to follow Choi Seo-bin, it’s still a long way….”

Choi Seo-bin was still a top actor at his peak.

There were only articles about his rivals, actors chasing Choi Seo-bin.

There were not many actors who could stand shoulder to shoulder with Choi Seo-bin.

Im Sang-hyun was just one of the actors who was working hard to reach him.

Before the filming started, the scene started to get busy.

Manager Kim and I stopped talking right away and focused on the filming.

“Ready, action!”

The director’s voice echoed through the megaphone.

And soon, even the sound of breathing could not be heard here.

I took a step back and looked at the scene widely.

Actors were performing enthusiastically where the director’s eyes were directed.

The camera that shines on them.

The lights that are shining brightly.

All of these were directed at the actors.

And behind all the equipment were several, or rather dozens, of staff.

Without anyone being sloppy, they were concentrating as much as the actors, with all sorts of strength in their foreheads.

My arms were covered in goosebumps at their expressions and passion.

It’s not that I didn’t know.

I always knew that so many staff members were present on the set and were putting their efforts into filming.

But when I was filming as an actor, I focused on understanding the emotional lines of the next scene or other actors’ scenes.

Even when I wasn’t filming, I kept immersing myself and watching the acting, so my eyes were only focused on the actors.

I couldn’t watch the staff or the director who were immersed in the acting.

But today, since it wasn’t a project I was appearing in, I was able to look at the scene from a different perspective than usual.

Then, I started to focus on things that were different from the usual picture.

The lighting director wiping sweat behind the hot lights.

The sound director concentrating on every little sound with big headphones on.

From the camera director capturing the best scenes with the camera to the staff running around.

I realized once again that a perfect scene could come out because of their sweat and effort.

I bit my lip and braced myself.

The work cannot only come out with the actor’s acting.

Actors, directors, cameras, lighting, and more.

Even the staff who handle the props and the staff who care about even the small details that are captured on the camera.

Because so many people were moving busily behind the camera, a ‘work’ could be completed.

To prevent their efforts from being in vain, the only actor whose face is shown on camera.

So I have to work harder.

I can’t let these many people be harmed by my acting skills.

“Cut! That was good, but let’s go one more time perfectly!”

I opened my eyes wide at the director’s loud shout.

Even though I wasn’t acting, something hot seemed to be boiling inside my chest.

I wanted to start the next acting quickly.

“Hee-sung, the scene is all the same, but if there was anything to learn while watching….”

At Manager Kim’s words, I quickly opened my mouth.

“Hyung, thank you for bringing me here. There’s so much to learn.”

“Really?”

Manager Kim raised the corners of his mouth and nodded his head with a proud expression.

“That’s a relief.”

I smiled and shifted my gaze.

At the end of that gaze were several staff members.

And among them, a familiar face came into view.

…Huh?

Why is he here?