Former Warrior Turns Into A Million-Dollar Actor [EN]: Chapter 116

Former Hero is a Top Star – Episode 116 (116/199)

To Stop the Spreading Flames (5)

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Gu Shin-seung’s house.

As if to prove the homeowner’s hobby is cooking, the mini bar in the kitchen and the interior are luxurious. Several expensive whiskeys are visible on one side of the island table.

A household hookah hose is lying around, and lingering smoke drifts through the house.

It’s the simple hobby life of Gu Shin-seung and Choi Phillip, ‘homebodies’ who avoid crowded places.

“Stop drinking and go. You have a shoot tomorrow.”

Unlike Gu Shin-seung, who is sober, Choi Phillip is already quite drunk. He stirred the ice in the bucket with tongs.

“Don’t you know about method acting? It’s a scene where I get drunk and act like a jerk anyway, so it’s okay to go smelling a bit like alcohol.”

“You’ll only come to your senses when an article comes out.”

“Don’t underestimate our company. Roman’s PR team can even handle Baek Ha-ni’s crazy antics.”

“Do whatever you want,” Gu Shin-seung muttered, reaching out and pressing the power button on the coffee pot.

Watching him, Choi Phillip suddenly said,

“I don’t know if it’ll be okay.”

“Who, Choi Phillip’s stomach tomorrow?”

“…I’m talking about Park Gun. After that interview, it’s 100% going to reach the writer’s ears. If they reduce his role and ruin his character, it’ll look bad.”

Click. Opening the cupboard and taking out a cup ramen, Gu Shin-seung replied.

“But why did you do the interview, knowing that you’d get on their bad side and your own part would be cut as well?”

Actors wear many masks. Not as a concept, not for business, but this moment, loosely drunk with a colleague in the same industry, is the closest to their true selves.

Choi Phillip, holding a whiskey glass, grinned.

“It’s different if it’s three, not one. Even if Yeo Jin-ju is a pain in the ass, would she cut all three leading actors?”

“Yeah. You’re good at calculating.”

“Just kidding, Park Gun is a bit… he doesn’t seem like someone from this world, so it’s fascinating. Look at that original author too, maintaining his loyalty even to people he doesn’t need to.”

Two years into being a top actor, it’s enough time for a person to change. No matter how humble they are, their attitude changes when they taste popularity.

Dozens of staff members are attached, fans flock like clouds, and they can’t help but get drunk on the sense of omnipotence that comes with being swayed by a single glance.

“Our company is generally like that… I’m curious to see how consistent he’ll be.”

“Let’s have a drink with him later. Call Baek and Jin-do, it’ll be fun to have a real hell party.”

“Ugh, Baek Ha-ni?” Choi Phillip frowned as soon as he heard the name, then suddenly smiled.

“Right, Jin Ji-yu went on ‘Special Affairs’ several times. If the reporters knew her real personality, they wouldn’t have been able to get away with it like this. That’s why image making is important. An actress who is unconditionally kind to everyone.”

“It’s too early to be sure. It’s already strange that Choi Phillip, of all people, is being friendly to a junior.”

“Well, people’s minds change.”

Choi Phillip shrugged and emptied his glass. Soon, a spicy smell began to spread in the kitchen.

Gu Shin-seung, who took out kimchi, cup ramen, and chopsticks, said,

“I was wondering about something else. I wonder if our problem solver can persuade the old hag of broadcasting.”

“What? Persuade who?”

“Didn’t I tell you? Park Gun is meeting Yeo Jin-ju today.”

Thump, the bucket fell on Choi Phillip’s elbow.

Ice rolled across the table, but the homeowner ignored it and sprinkled chili powder on his cup ramen.

Choi Phillip muttered with a dumbfounded expression.

“That’s consistent, he doesn’t back down.”

*

Hongdae, a famous escape room cafe.

At the counter downstairs, the female employees cover their mouths and whisper.

“Right?”

“Right. Room 501, ‘The Great Adventure of the Demon King’s Castle’ room.”

“Wow, seeing him in person, his low-pitched voice is crazy… I wonder if he came to play alone when he doesn’t have a schedule. I wonder if he’ll take a picture with me when he comes out?”

“You’ll get fired by the boss if you do that.”

“What are you talking about? You were just staring at his face with a blank expression.”

The quietest afternoon time.

Who would have thought that the person who booked all the time slots before and after the room was a celebrity, and Park Gun at that.

‘Once the door closes, you can’t come out until you ask to open it from the inside, right?’

‘Yes, all the microphones are connected here! You’ll never be trapped or anything!’

‘It would be nice if there was a lock… I understand.’

Even the sight of him receiving the key and listening to the rules is an experience that ordinary fans can’t have in their lifetime.

Besides, he’s good at fan service. While the employees were rolling around in happy worries about whether to ask for an autograph or a photo, it was then.

“Here. Where is room 501?”

A middle-aged woman with a short cut, who looked like she had quite the temper, asked at the counter. The employee, overwhelmed by her force, stammered.

“If you go that way… Ah, but there’s a customer there right now…”

“That’s okay. That person called me.”

The woman turned around and walked away, causing a gust of wind. Clack, clack, clack… The heel hit the floor, making a loud noise.

Watching her back, covered in luxury goods, the two employees looked at each other.

“…Eh, no way.”

“Right? What kind of meeting do you have at an escape room cafe?”

.

.

.

Yeo Jin-ju felt absurd.

Inside the room decorated like a dungeon. The actor who called her was sitting on a log, sipping coffee.

“······.”

Even the coffee is in front of her. Park Gun brought it from the self-service bar next to the counter.

‘What is he doing?’

After greeting her politely when she came in, he didn’t say a word. Black short-sleeved shirt and wide denim. A mask that would calm even the most severe hysteria patient, but…

‘It’s just a shell. Actors’ patterns are all similar, they’re vulgar people who think they can win you over just by showing their face.’

Even if the other person is a global top star, Yeo Jin-ju’s career is too high to be attracted by looks. The 30-year-old broadcasting writer asked in a stiff voice.

“If you called me, say something. You said you wanted to see my face, but you booked a strange place. Wasn’t there something you wanted to say when you did that interview?”

Park Gun glanced at the electronic clock on the table.

“I’m sorry. There’s someone else coming, they should be here soon.”

“Someone else coming?”

As Yeo Jin-ju tilted her head, the wooden door with iron bars painted on it opened and a man came in.

“Uh······.”

The man who came in, Yunbal25, who had become noticeably thinner, met Yeo Jin-ju’s eyes. It’s the first time seeing him in person, but there’s such a thing as intuition.

This one is a broadcasting writer and that one is an actor… then who would the newcomer be.

Yeo Jin-ju got up from her seat and Yunbal25 also turned around, but the door closed behind them.

“Uh-uh… what, why doesn’t this open? Hello! There’s someone inside!”

Ignoring Yunbal25, who started filming a skit, Yeo Jin-ju said coldly.

“What is this supposed to be?”

“I thought it would be better to meet together. I have something to say to both of you.”

“Then you should have told me in advance. Calling me to a place like this, locking me up, what are you going to do? Aren’t you being too rude for a rising star?”

Even though her voice was gradually rising, the person who planned it didn’t seem flustered.

Park Gun replied confidently.

“You can leave anytime. I chose this place because of the reporters’ attention.”

“······.”

Yeo Jin-ju forgot that she was angry and admired him.

‘This is beyond shameless, unlike how he looks.’

Putting aside the extraordinary idea of booking an escape room cafe as a meeting place, he brought the original author and the broadcasting writer, who were fighting, together in one place.

Originally, this is something that the broadcasting station… at least a CP-level [Chief Producer] person should step in to mediate.

Everyone is keeping quiet for fear of getting burned, but even though he’s the lead actor, his recklessness has gone too far.

Yunbal25, who had quietly approached, said.

“Um, Actor Park. I appreciate your concern, but I have nothing to say to this person either. I don’t want to argue about who’s right or wrong now.”

Yeo Jin-ju snorted.

“That’s normal. Instead of writing posts criticizing the broadcasting station from your room.”

“From my room? What did you just say?”

“Why, does it sting? If you had so much to say, you should have come to my studio. I would have pointed out every bad thing about your writing.”

“This old woman, I’ve been holding back······!”

When the veins stood out on Yunbal25’s neck, the actor, who hadn’t said anything until now, opened his mouth.

“I enjoyed it.”

The gazes of the two writers, who were glaring at each other as if they would devour each other, turned. Park Gun was taking out some books from a military duffel bag.

‘The Return of the Prodigal Necromancer’, ‘Today is Sunny’, ‘Doomsday Couple’, ‘The Bell-Ringing Human’… These are the published books and scripts of the writers in this place.

“After reading all of your previous works, the books that were published, and the manuscripts you’ve written so far, I watched this work again. I also looked at where it changed in the parts that haven’t been filmed yet.”

“Really? Who was better?”

Yunbal25 asked right away, and Yeo Jin-ju also waited for an answer with a mixture of displeasure and curiosity.

Park Gun answered without hesitation.

“The original novel was more interesting.”

“Yes!”

“The adapted version of the drama was better.”

“That’s right… no, what?”

Yunbal25, who was throwing an uppercut into the air, blinked. A calm impression followed.

“When I thought about the protagonist… the returnee, the difference between your two works was the first goal. The novel prioritized corporate business to inherit and revive the group, and the drama focused on revenge on the betrayers after the regression [returning to a previous state].”

It’s an accurate analysis. The web novel coolly skips over all the clichés that everyone knows and increases Eun Han-seom’s power, while the drama focuses on the emotional relationships with the people of Sunhwa Group.

Whether it’s a management strategy-based corporate story or a revenge drama to rebuild a group destined to collapse, the direction is the same but the order is different.

“That’s why I was angry. Does it have to be different because it’s a drama? That’s all bullshit. Why are you driving a work that is inherently a corporate story into a revenge drama? Anyway, in the end, he’s going to beat up his grandfather and brothers.”

“This is what I have to say. Viewers watch the drama because they empathize with the characters’ narratives. If you just list the events without thinking, they’ll all fall off.”

“Isn’t it the same conclusion anyway?”

The actor receives the writers’ words. It’s a slow but clear way of speaking that couldn’t be seen on the set or in the drama.

“Our goal is the same. Whether the returning returnee chases money or takes revenge, it’s to create and deliver a work that people will enjoy. However… if someone’s sacrifice is laid underneath it, no matter how big the success is, it’s only half of it.”

The criticism continues, polite but cold. If it’s just a place to discuss acting… or art, Park Gun is the most junior in this place.

However, Yeo Jin-ju, as well as Yunbal25, who was huffing and puffing, are listening silently.

It’s as if an old man who has failed all his life is conveying his last reminiscence to his juniors.

“This is also an overreach. I will consider it a natural price to pay even if my role is reduced or I receive other disadvantages because of this.”

“…Do you think I’m petty? That’s only for idiots who can’t tell the difference between front and back…”

“But if you two writers cherish the soul of the work.”

The veteran writer, who was grumbling, also stopped talking. In the silence, a voice like a burnt-down ruin rang out.

“Please join forces. As the masters of this world.”

*

A few minutes later, Yeo Jin-ju packed her bag and got up.

Her expression was still cold, but her voice was noticeably softer.

“Wow, this is the first time I’ve been scolded like this in thirty years of writing. By an actor who isn’t even a CP [Chief Producer].”

“I was very rude.”

“Forget the pleasantries, I understood what you meant. I don’t know if that one did too, though.”

“Hey, writer. I’m Korean too, you know? I understood 999 times better than you.”

While Yunbal25 was sullenly retorting, Yeo Jin-ju suddenly asked as if she had just thought of something.

“The Bell-Ringing Human, how did you get that script? It’s been out of print for a long time.”

“I bought it from an auction site. I was lucky enough to get the only one that came out.”

“…That’s amazing in many ways.”

The remaining time on the 60-minute electronic clock had already been reduced to about half.

I heard that if you say ‘give up’ into the microphone in front, the game ends.

Yunbal25 also got up following Yeo Jin-ju, but Park Gun walked towards the bookshelf.

Yunbal25 tilted his head.

“Actor Park, are you looking for something?”

“I’m looking for clues.”

“······?”

The two writers looked at each other, not knowing what was going on. Park Gun, who was rummaging through escape props such as quills, chemicals, and old books, said.

“If you don’t have anything urgent, why don’t you two do it too? I’ve paid for the next time slot.”

Silence flowed. “Ha, haha… Puhahahat!” Above Yunbal25, who finally burst into laughter, and Yeo Jin-ju, who was pinching her forehead, a wooden sign gently swayed.

[◆The Great Adventure of the Demon King’s Castle, Recommended for 3 or More Players◆]

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