Former Warrior Turns Into A Million-Dollar Actor [EN]: Chapter 109

The Prodigal Son and the Firefighter (5)

* * *

The great migration of nomads.

The sight of the staff rushing from set to set, location to location, is just like that.

Some are cleaning up the previous location, while others are contacting the advance team to adjust the shots so that filming can proceed without delay.

Today’s destination is Jamsil [a district in Seoul]. Starting from the JNBC headquarters in Sangam-dong at this early dawn, it’s possible to arrive in under 30 minutes.

A staff member starting the car rubbed his eyes.

“Wow, they actually gave us permission to film here?”

“I guess so. I get to see Hanjo Tower’s penthouse in my lifetime.”

“Looking at the set preparations, it seems like it wouldn’t have been approved originally… What did Roman do?”

The colleague in the next seat shook his head.

“Nah, no way. Even a large agency can’t compete with a real *chaebol* [a wealthy family-owned conglomerate].”

“But it’s not like the PD [Production Director] got it himself. They’re famous for not giving location support there.”

Hanjo Tower has 140 floors above ground and reaches a height of 570 meters.

Filming permission was granted for the top floor.

They were able to use the vacant penthouse, which has only five units in total and a monthly rent of over 2 billion won [approximately $1.5 million USD].

It’s being used as Chairman Eun Gi-hak’s residence and office in the drama, the Sunhwa Tower penthouse.

Of course, filming is possible with just a set. However, a scene with a high-rise view using CG [computer-generated imagery] outside the window can’t compare to a scene filmed on the top floor of the actual tower.

That’s why location scouting alone can raise people’s expectations.

[‘The Return of the Prodigal Son’… The first drama to film at Hanjo Tower, highlighting the plausibility of ‘Sunhwa’ and ‘Hanjo’]

[Chaebol dramas are chaebol dramas, but how did ‘Return of the Prodigal Son’ get location support that ‘Hyperion’ couldn’t get?]

The behind-the-scenes stories are rampant… but the executives, led by PD Na Jong-mo, know the truth.

Park Geon asked C&J’s Jin Gyu-il, and Jin contacted the Hanjo Group to get location permission.

“Maybe Park Geon and that C&J executive… what was his name, were classmates with the grandson of the Changjin Group. Maybe he asked him to get permission?”

“Hehe, that’s too far-fetched. You’re losing your sense of reality because you’re filming a drama about *chaebols*.”

The staff member, who deduced the correct answer without even knowing it, chuckled.

“Right? It doesn’t make sense.”

*
Hanjo Tower, 46th floor.

PD Na Jong-mo, wearing earrings, stood facing the two brothers in front of the elevator.

Due to the nature of the tower, you have to transfer elevators as many as three times to get to the upper floors.

“Geon, you go up first. I’ll take the directors and follow you from here.”

“Yes. I’ll go with Seon.”

“Oh, right. And…”

PD Na Jong-mo’s slender eyes winked.

“Thank you. I will definitely repay this favor.”

“You’re welcome. It’s a project we’re doing together.”

The person who actually secured the location is indifferent.

The impression he got while looking up at the towering skyscraper in the middle of Jamsil was simple.

‘The dragons were bigger in height [referring to the scale and power associated with the tower].’

Thanks to this, only his younger sibling and the staff were excited. Riding up in the VVIP elevator, Park Seon screamed with excitement.

“Wow, the walls are really all see-through. Do people here ride this elevator every day? What if they have a fear of heights?”

“There are separate elevators that don’t show the outside. They only use this one for filming.”

“As expected of a large company… no, a *chaebol*…”

Uncharacteristically, his younger sibling has always liked amusement park rides, high places, and thrilling leisure activities.

Park Seon, who was looking down at the bottom of the elevator without being scared, whispered.

“Then, *hyung* [older brother], did Director Jin really get it for us? By persuading the chairman of the Hanjo Group?”

“Something like that. It’s thanks to that friend.”

Geon affirmed appropriately. He heard during the reading that Na PD was having difficulty finding a location.

He mentioned it just in case since he was from the same *chaebol* side, but he didn’t expect such a positive answer.

-They will contact the production team. They will provide as much convenience as possible.

‘Thank you. It couldn’t have been easy.’

Jin Gyu-il called directly to deliver the approval news. A moment later, a low laugh was heard.

-That’s the first time I’ve heard you say thank you. The old man wants to have a meal with you later; he’s crazy about movie stories. Would that be okay?

‘I don’t care. I owe you a favor.’

He didn’t hear the identity of the old man, but he guessed it was the chairman or someone in a similar position.

There is no need to refuse such a position. It will be a force in the war that may occur in the future.

‘DG and Joinus are like powder kegs.’

Although Cha In-hyuk had one arm cut off, the size of the giant agency was still intact. If he is in this game, the day will come when he will clash again someday.

-The doors are opening.

The interior of the penthouse was already set up as Chairman Eun Gi-hak’s residence.

A duplex space of 300 *pyeong* [approximately 10,672 square feet] with 10 rooms, 7 bathrooms, and more than 5 entrances.

The area alone overwhelms the set, but the actors don’t seem very surprised. Choi Phillip, who looked around the west-facing living room, commented.

“It can’t be compared to that *hyung’s* house. Being a *chaebol* is better than being an actor.”

“*Dongsaeng* [younger sibling], my house is not a penthouse; it’s just a tall apartment.”

“That’s the same thing. You always said that your dream was to earn more money and move to Hanjo Tower.”

Kim Seong-woon, who plays the role of Chief Secretary Woo Jong-sik, standing next to Geon, laughed.

“Roman has a family-like atmosphere, and the actors get along well with each other.”

“Well, so-so. Except for a few.”

“A few would be…”

Kim Seong-woon showed interest in Choi Phillip’s words, but PD Na Jong-mo, who had just entered, raised his voice.

“Okay, we’re going in ten minutes! We have plenty of time, but please be tight!”

S#.6 Top of Sunhwa Tower (Inside)

Inside Sunhwa Tower.

A cylindrical elevator carrying only two people rises at high speed towards the sky.

Eun Han-seom and Chief Secretary Woo Jong-sik.

“Chief Woo.”

“Tell me.”

“Why did you call me?”

Chief Woo Jong-sik’s eyes twitch slightly. It’s an expression that says, ‘Why is this rascal acting like a human all of a sudden?’

‘It’s understandable; he’s made such a mess.’

Before the regression, Eun Han-seom was the worst of the worst. He was no stranger to verbal abuse and violence towards people around him, and he indulged in parties of pleasure every day.

There’s no way a crazy guy who even rams into his uncles would be respectful to anyone.

“As I said, it’s probably because of the vice president appointment. I think it means to celebrate the family’s happy occasion together.”

“…A happy occasion.”

Even in the original work, the point at which Eun Han-seom regressed was 20 years ago.

It was the time when he was appointed as the vice president of ‘Sunhwa Shield’, a defense affiliate of the group.

Living room arrived after passing through endless corridors.

In front of the full-length window with a city view, a long and high dining table is set.

As if to mean that only the Eun family’s bloodline is allowed on the throne of Sunhwa, there are only three people sitting on the oak chairs.

“You’re late. I sent Chief Woo a long time ago.”

Eun Seon-in, wiping his mouth on the right side of the table, speaks in a cold tone.

The eldest of the three brothers and the president of Sunhwa Electronics.

In Eun Gi-hak’s setting, he despises his two sons and cherishes his grandchildren, so he is in the most advantageous position in the succession competition.

“Did you run all night? *Hyung* told you to listen to the doctors; don’t mix drugs when you take them.”

This time, Eun Seon-chang, the second *hyung*, sneers slyly on the left side of the table.

If the first is a meticulous perfectionist, the second is a pragmatist full of desire. Even after taking over as president of Sunhwa Heavy Industries, he couldn’t shake off his eccentric and sinister nature.

Before the regression, he was a moron who contributed to dividing the group.

“You’re talking nonsense, you bastard with the blood of a lowly adopted son…”

“Enough. I told you so many times to strengthen the brotherly love between brothers.”

Clack, a whole roasted lamb chop is torn off by a strong hand. A moment of silence flows, and Eun Seon-chang’s mouth, which was about to shoot back, closes.

Even the father and big father are like mice meeting cats in front of that giant.

“Are you going to bite each other in front of your grandfather now?”

The most honorable seat at the table.

A white-haired old man wearing a Bengal tiger skin over his indoor clothes glints.

“I’m sorry. Grandfather.”

“Oh, what are you talking about? Me and Han-seom biting each other? We have a stronger relationship than the eldest *hyung*.”

Goo Shin-seung immediately apologizes, and Choi Phillip also smiles and accepts it.

The lines aren’t even long, but as expected of the representative players, the tension is different from the start.

“The family must unite. Not only the lower ones but also the upper ones must know how to get along. *분붕이석(分崩離析)에 사분오열(四分五裂)이라* [idiomatic expression meaning ‘disintegration and division’]. If you don’t understand the meaning, you will be torn to pieces by the pack of wild dogs outside, do you understand?”

Roman’s top stars are also top stars, but… the highlight of the play is definitely Seok Pil-ho as Eun Gi-hak.

The white hair that he had been growing for a while goes perfectly with the Bengal tiger skin he wears on his shoulders.

An old man full of barbaric vitality like the men of ancient Hellas (Greece). He is perfectly portraying a different *chaebol* head character from the ‘chairmen’ so far.

Then, the emperor’s order fell.

“Han-seom, you sit down too.”

“Ah, yes.”

“Do you know what day it is today?”

This time, Choi Phillip intervenes frivolously.

“That’s right, I’m curious too. Is today finally the day our youngest is summoned to the prosecution?”

“Eun Seon-chang, if you interrupt your grandfather’s story one more time…”

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

After the half-brother closed his mouth, the youngest, who lost his mother, slowly muttered.

“The day to return everything to its original state.”

“Hmm? What did you say?”

“No, I wasn’t fully awake.”

Mumbling vaguely, Geon thinks.

‘I feel like I’ve been transferred again.’

As expected, the writer’s skill is good. He wasn’t dragged to the Iron Kingdom with him, but he depicts the feelings that the protagonist would feel quite realistically.

‘There’s no way he’s had a regression experience… is he just imaginative?’

Of course, a *chaebol’s* prodigal son is different from a warrior. For example, when Park Geon—God—faced his first death in the Iron Kingdom and regressed, he drew his sword.

—Is there a man named Gillian here?

—Ah, are you talking about the gatekeeper Gillian?

—Don’t let him near the temple. If I see him, I’ll kill him first, whether he’s a warrior or not.

He cut ten years off the saint’s life, so he said he would judge the warrior’s qualifications.

As soon as he came out of the temple, he was killed by a giant man who proposed a ‘sparring match.

‘The holy sword flew away at once, and the skull was shattered the second time.’

There was no time to be surprised for long. In the terrible sense of regression, Geon accepted it.

The fact that he was transferred to another world… and that he couldn’t even die as he pleased until he completed the warrior’s mission.

Through his future colleague who killed him.

“The reason I called you all together today is because of the youngest’s appointment as vice president of defense. I also hope that this will bring some sense to that immature guy. Just like Seon-chang reduced his bad deeds while watching his grandfather’s eyes.”

“Oh, I’m so grateful.”

“It’s not a compliment. You bastard.”

And now again, a similar situation has occurred.

‘Should I kill that bastard first?’

‘Should I kill grandfather?’

Regression sometimes provides uncomfortable truths.

If the one who killed Park Geon was the gatekeeper Gillian, then the culprit who killed Eun Han-seom’s mother, Eun Jae-young, was…

“Why, Han-seom? Are you not feeling well?”

He was the father who cherished his youngest daughter more than anyone else.

“It’s nothing. I had a dream yesterday.”

“If it’s a dream…”

“A dream that this damn group would disappear completely.”