Former Warrior Turns Into A Million-Dollar Actor [EN]: Chapter 112

Former Hero is a Star – Episode 112 (112/199)

To Stop the Spreading Flames (1)

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“What’s going on? Why is everyone gathered here?”

PD [Production Director] Na Jong-mo asked as he came out of the smoking area. A staff member passing by replied with a smile.

“You didn’t know? They’re having a meeting over there right now.”

“A meeting?”

“Yes. The original author and the lead actors are sitting down, talking about the novel.”

Sure enough, among the Roman trio, a striking blue-haired figure is visible. It hasn’t been long since he arrived, but he already seems quite friendly.

Sipping on a red ginseng pouch he brought from home, PD Na Jong-mo chuckled to himself.

“Well, I guess that’s what youth is for… They have so much energy.”

The filming that started at dawn is already past midnight.

Extras spend more time waiting than filming, but lead actors are always busy, whether it’s for a drama or a movie.

The only time they can rest for a long stretch is when another lead is filming… or right after a meal, like now.

‘Have some coffee, everyone. I got to watch the drama for free, so I have to pay an admission fee.’

Yoonbal25, who had been watching the filming set late into the night, even bought coffee and sat down next to Park Geon.

Goo Shin-seung and Choi Phillip joined in, and a talk show was instantly underway. Only the filming crew, capturing the making-of film, were excited, pointing their camcorders.

“Writer, do you have any novels where the protagonist keeps regressing?”

“Ah, infinite loop stories! There were many in this industry. But these days, it’s the era of OSMU [One Source Multi Use – adapting a single story across multiple platforms]. If the protagonist suffers too much, the work becomes too bleak… It probably won’t be as popular as before.”

Yoonbal25 eagerly picks up on the topic thrown by Geon. With a regressor actor and a regression expert writer gathered, the topic of conversation is naturally novels.

Choi Phillip, with his arms crossed, said,

“That’s right. There were many such scenarios coming in these days. Something about manga and novel adaptations? I even turned down an OTT [Over-The-Top – streaming service] exclusive project recently because I was filming this.”

As he said, after a few works became hits, broadcasting officials became obsessed with pre-emptively securing ‘jackpot projects.’

The original work’s fandom is better publicity than any marketing tactic. Even top actors are appearing in webtoon-based movies and dramas for huge sums, so the status of primary copyright holders is at its peak.

Goo Shin-seung chimed in slyly.

“Our youngest wanted to brag, didn’t he?”

“Bragging my ass. I’m just stating the facts.”

“What Mr. Choi said is true. I’m getting offers to turn my previous work and this new one into dramas, even though webtoons haven’t come out yet. You have to stake your claim in advance to attract investors… But why loop stories?”

Geon replied nonchalantly.

“There’s a novel I enjoyed reading.”

“Ah, so the protagonist there was a regressor too.”

“Yes. I was cut off at the end while reading it. The author didn’t finish it properly.”

“That wretched person······!”

While the writer was furious at the tyranny of the same industry, a calm voice continued.

“I was curious. If I were suddenly dropped into a place that wasn’t this world, and became destined to die and not die… If I had to carry out an unwanted task, what would other people besides me do?”

The light atmosphere ripples.

Goo Shin-seung readjusts his posture, and Choi Phillip also listens with an interested expression. It’s because they realized that their fellow actor is asking seriously.

Yoonbal25, licking his lips, replied.

“Han-seom would have gone crazy, I think. His personality is so terrible that he would have caused a ruckus as soon as he realized it wasn’t Earth, and died a few times, right?”

“What about you, Writer?”

“Me······.”

Yoonbal25, Son Ho-yoon, muttered ominously. Like a snake hissing and searching for prey.

“I’d look for someone.”

Choi Phillip, who was listening, tilted his head.

“Someone? Why?”

“Look. Realistically, when I reason, there’s definitely some bastard who knows how to get out of here. The guy who called me, or another guy who pretends not to know and just picks grass [feigning ignorance]. If I just take care of that one, wouldn’t I go back to our world without suffering?”

“That’s too much of a personality-flawed route.”

Goo Shin-seung muttered, but it was too small, so Yoonbal25 didn’t seem to hear it.

The former hero is also lost in thought.

‘···Yes, I thought so too. That someone would know the way.’

There were times when he went on a rampage during his hero’s journey.

Was it because his reason was on the verge of collapsing due to repeated regressions? Or was it the fear of realizing the wall against the third demon, Valmon of Wrath?

Numerous people fell to the hero’s sword, not the demon army, and for the first time in history, the war brought by the hero swept through the Iron Kingdom.

―Hero, why are you doing this!

―Find a way to send me back. Even if you have to offer prayers to the high heavens.

―Echiniel of Light, save us······.

Watching the collapsing priests, he swung the blood-stained holy sword and shook it off.

―You still don’t know. Those cowards won’t protect you.

Until the common people of the Iron Kingdom suffered near annihilation, the great demon’s forces and the high heavens remained silent.

The saintess, who shouted in the council that an angel should be summoned to ask what the hero wanted, that was the only way to stop Gode’s rampage, was executed.

The charge was that she had condoned the hero’s corruption… and hearing that news, he let go of the last string.

The episode in which Saintess Aria died, not a single ant survived in the twelve castles of the Iron Kingdom.

“I think I would have lived hard for now. Anyway, they said they’d send me back if I did what they told me to do.”

“I’m on the writer’s side. I don’t like it, having to risk my life being used as unpaid labor? I’d rather cause a scene and lie down.”

“Second, that’s also an actor’s disease. Do you think celebrity privileges will work even if you go to another world?”

“Um, why are you two fighting······.”

Over there, his colleagues in the real world were having a heated debate.

Was it because it was the first time he had talked to others about regression after returning? Even though it wasn’t in front of the camera, old memories flooded in.

‘No one knew about the previous generation hero. The ghosts of the forgotten empire… except for a few who fled to avoid the kingdom’s territory.’

He had met madmen who had lived for hundreds of years in deep and rugged valleys.

They were said to be the last imperial people, driven mad by the curse of immortality. The old man, lying like a corpse, rolled his eyes when he saw the holy sword.

―Demon, the bloody demon’s sword! Icarun, the unfortunate immortal and the mortal with a limited time, you have finally returned to that state!

The next episode. As soon as he woke up in the temple of the Iron Kingdom, he grabbed the angel who was about to disappear.

To the question of whether there was a hero before him, the angel surprisingly answered in the affirmative.

―There was a hero? Transferred like me?

―It was a long time ago. It was around the time when the gate of dimensions stabilized and the humans of this land prospered.

―What happened to them?

―They fought bravely against evil.

―That’s not what I’m asking. I asked why they are where they are now.

Laviel, the angel who first appeared in the kingdom and ordered the hero’s task, did not answer.

In the swirling light, he briefly lowered the hooded head and spread his wings and disappeared.

‘Anyway, they were guys who only said what they wanted to say.’

There were many strange things from the beginning. On the battlefield stained with blood and despair, he often felt that everything was a well-organized heroic drama.

The fact that he was the only one with the memory of regression, the strange attitude of the Iron Kingdom’s leaders, and the secrets of this world that he could not solve until the end.

In the first place, it was a place where he was kidnapped and dragged. There may be some ugly truth hidden.

Nevertheless, the reason he kept fighting was······.

“Because I and they were desperate.”

At the words that flowed out, the eyes of the people who were talking were gathered here.

As his acting experience increased, his improvisation skills also improved. Geon casually added.

“It’s a line from the novel I was talking about earlier. I suddenly thought of it, so I imitated Goo senior here a bit.”

“That’s not how you do it······.”

Goo Shin-seung protested with an unfair expression, but no one listened.

“Cut!”

What does ‘first broadcast’ mean to an actor?

In an interview with a popular entertainment journal, a veteran actor left these words.

-When I go into a new work? I watch the first broadcast even if I don’t watch the last broadcast. It’s the same with movies. I have to check the first broadcast ratings and the first week’s audience numbers to be satisfied.

-Why is that?

-Why, I’m more curious about the beginning. There’s also the fun of predicting whether it will fail or succeed.

However… there are exceptions among actors. People who don’t attach much meaning to the first or last broadcast. A goal-oriented actor whose only goals are ratings and awards.

Park Geon, the protagonist of this JNBC Monday-Tuesday drama, is fixing his disheveled tie.

“So, you’re really not going to watch the live broadcast?”

“Yes.”

“This isn’t the world’s chicness······.”

Choi Yang-young covered her mouth like a heroine in despair. Her face is so small that her entire face, from her nose to her chin, is covered by one hand.

“What does it matter? Other people will watch it.”

Although it’s Monday that has returned like a treadmill, today is special for the field staff. It’s finally the day of the long-awaited first broadcast of ‘Remaidole’.

‘Are there people who will watch it together today? Let’s rent a pork rib restaurant and have a dinner party and watch the live broadcast!’

‘What dinner party? The director is okay because he only talks, but our hands holding the camera will tremble.’

Even while PD Na Jong-mo and cinematographer Kim Jung-nam were arguing, the camera was rolling.

Now, Choi Yang-young has also joined the full-scale filming race. She plays the role of the granddaughter of the Daeyang Group, who has grown up as a precious daughter, and a competitor who crosses the line between colleague and enemy.

[Choi Yang-young transforms into a chaebol [conglomerate family] granddaughter in ‘Remaidole’··· “Please call me Seon Woo-hee now”]

[Daeyang Group’s Seon Woo-hee, ‘Choi Yang-young’s femme fatale’ to be sprinkled on the small screen, attracting attention]

Seon Woo-hee, played by Choi Yang-young, is the character with the most fandom in the original work.

As soon as the casting was announced, it became a hot topic with a high synchronization rate, so fans were also receiving a lot of expectations.

Choi Yang-young, who put her hands together, asked pitifully.

“Still, the lead and supporting roles are different, can’t you come if oppa [older brother/term of endearment for older male] comes? The director has already seduced everyone. Let’s watch it together for just ten minutes······.”

“We’re the same age.”

“Jackpot, Dongsu was right! He said that he is very thorough with titles such as senior and oppa, and he got this right.”

Her smiling face is dripping with cuteness.

I’ve seen a lot of actresses and idols so far… Choi Yang-young is… the most sociable of them all. Unpretentious expression and affectionate cuteness are a bonus.

Typically, it can be said that men are charmed and women are hated.

Park Geon bluntly changed the subject.

“How is Lee Dong-soo doing?”

“Puh, he’s excited because his value has risen thanks to oppa. Every time I see him at the company, he’s smiling from ear to ear, so Hyun-ah is scolding him a lot because she hates seeing him.”

“I told you we’re the same age.”

“I was practicing acting, Eun Han-seom is one year older than Seon Woo-hee, right?”

Choi Yang-young has a relationship with the C&J family, who filmed ‘White Knight’ together. Soon, the topic changed from old comrades to today’s ratings.

When she heard about the drama monitoring that is always held at Roman, Choi Yang-young expressed her enthusiastic intention to attend.

“I want to go too! I was curious about the Roman headquarters! I have to take a lot of proof shots at this time.”

“You can’t come in if you’re not affiliated with our company.”

“Tsk, too much.”

Choi Yang-young, whose cheeks are swollen, pouts her lips. If it was half a joke until now, this time it’s a real feeling of disappointment.

“I’m kidding, anyway, I’m not attending. I’ll invite you when I have a chance around the end of the show.”

“Uh, why? The director took out all the filming during the live broadcast time today?”

“I have another schedule. I have to film a work on the EBC side.”

Eum… Choi Yang-young, who was making a serious nasal sound, opened her mini bag. Then, she wrote numbers on the oil paper with eyeliner and handed it over.

“The CEO there was a bad person. Contact this number to report labor exploitation.”

“Is it a law firm?”

“Yes, a sister who sounds similar to me will answer.”

“······.”

While Park Geon was staring at the note with the phone number, the assistant director announced the resumption of filming.

“Okay, today the director is going to go quickly and accurately! Let’s finish early and go check the live broadcast!”

And time passed and it was 8 p.m.

The logo of ‘Remaidole’ appeared on JNBC.

A new officetel [a combined office and residential building] in Gangbuk.

In front of the wall-mounted TV, a blue-haired young man sat on a luxurious sofa with a glass of wine.

It’s the day his dramatized work is first broadcast. A hum flows out naturally.

“I told the editor not to contact me, and my mom and dad said they’re watching… Okay! Perfect.”