Former Warrior Turns Into A Million-Dollar Actor [EN]: Chapter 139

The Former Hero is a Ten Million Actor – Episode 139 (139/199)

To the World Stage (2)

* * *

The summer weather was disappointing to humanity.

A full 34 degrees Celsius.

It was a sweltering summer where the asphalt sizzled. To escape the sizzling heat, a group of men and women entered a cafe near the Roman Entertainment headquarters.

“Wow, Korea is a steam bath now. Feels like I’m in Vietnam.”

A weather where sweat would pour out after just a few seconds.

The reason they came all the way here, leaving the well-air-conditioned company meeting room, was because of a certain actress.

“It’s really hot, isn’t it?”

Wearing a cap backwards, Jin Ji-yu fluttered the chest area of her T-shirt, which was soaked with sweat and sticking to her skin.

“This oppa [term used by a younger woman to address an older brother or male friend] is practically dying. Are you okay?”

“Hey, you’re the one who dragged me out here saying I’d get sick from the air conditioning if we only had meetings at the company!”

Chief Manager Yoo Joon-il wiped his forehead with a handkerchief, panting. Team Leader Gong Gi-hyung and Park Sun-do didn’t say anything, but they had similar expressions.

“By the way, do you become immune to the heat if you win the Cannes Best Actor award? I thought Actor Gu was joking when he said he was impervious to heat and cold…”

Team Leader Gong said, sounding dumbfounded. While everyone else was panting like dogs in the summer heat, the only one who looked perfectly fine was Park Geon.

Park Geon blinked a few times and explained.

“I think it’s because I was born in the winter.”

“Oh… is that so? Isn’t it usually the opposite?”

“I’m not sure. But what does ‘impervious to heat and cold’ mean?”

Park Sun, who had gone to order coffee, quickly chimed in.

“Hyung [term used by a younger man to address an older brother or male friend], I’ve been reading a lot of web novels lately? It means that cold and heat can’t affect you. It’s a martial arts term that Actor Gu uses!”

After a long time, the old members, known as the ‘Original Park Geon Division,’ gathered on the upper floor of the cafe.

So many Roman artists and broadcasting officials came here that the cafe owner and customers treated it like a front yard of the headquarters.

Park Geon took a sip of coffee and asked Jin Ji-yu, who was sitting next to him.

“Have you been well?”

“Of course. I saw Hani unnie [term used by a younger woman to address an older sister or female friend] tagged you too. She said she wouldn’t let you off easy via DM.”

“I thought it would be like that from the start. Even when I told her to exchange the gift, she wouldn’t listen.”

Jin Ji-yu playfully pouted.

“It’s okay. I think she secretly liked it.”

“…That frog?”

On Baek Hani’s birthday party, Jin Ji-yu, who had come all the way to the headquarters, gave her a large doll as a gift.

It was said to be an ugly frog that was trending recently. After opening it, Baek Hani screamed because it looked strangely like her, according to rumors.

Jin Ji-yu nodded with feigned dignity.

“Yes. I put a set of earrings in there too, so she won’t throw our Pepe away.”

“Oh, really? There was something else inside?”

“Of course. I still have some professional ethics.”

It was fortunate that the people who used to growl at each other like they wanted to eat each other were now exchanging strange gifts.

Chief Manager Yoo Joon-il, with an impressed expression, said.

“To think I’d see Jin Ji-yu and Baek Hani following each other while I’m still alive. Park Geon has achieved a revolutionary grand unification.”

“I agree. Another legend has been added to the PR team. They say the 10-year-long Jin-Baek War has ended like this.”

Team Leader Gong Gi-hyung, who was chuckling and agreeing, suddenly turned to look at the two brothers.

“Ah, how are the scenarios? I heard you narrowed them down and sent them over. Are there any good ones?”

The older brother was busy cutting bread. Park Sun, who had quenched his thirst with coffee, began to count on his fingers instead of his brother.

“Maybe it’s because of ‘Black Priest,’ but there have been a lot of occult ones since Cannes… Director Choi Won-hoo’s Chungmugong [Korean admiral] blockbuster, a few action films, and KBC’s second-half Korea-China co-production drama were pretty good.”

“KBC is really excited. They’re offering a lot to our actors, too. Park Geon has been a huge hit with ‘Human Camp’ and ‘Goal Boys.'”

‘Human Camp,’ which featured Jin Ji-yu, Baek Hani, and even CEO Noh Joong-man, was also a hot topic, but it couldn’t compare to ‘Goal Boys,’ which aired its fourth episode recently.

[Park Geon, ‘Early Graduation’ for the First Time in Goal Boys History… Irregular Disrupting the Amateur Ecology]

[‘Goal Boys’ Production Team, Park Geon is a Talent We Can’t Accommodate in Our League… We Regret It]

[Ji Jang-hyuk Returns to France SNS… “If Park Geon Hyung Had Played Soccer, I Would Have Competed for a Starting Spot”]

The crazy individual skills and physical abilities shown in the first episode were just a preview.

In the next episode, the articles exploded when he mercilessly crushed a university club that the production team had deliberately matched him with, resulting in a soccer-style cold game [one-sided match].

It was understandable that he left after filming only two episodes. Most of the community reactions said that the program was in danger of disappearing.

Chief Manager Yoo Joon-il clicked his tongue.

“Weren’t you too merciless? If you had gone easy on them, you could have lasted longer.”

“After I scored the fifth goal, the PD [production director] came and told me. Since it’s come to this, let’s just destroy everything and make a cool exit.”

“Wow, that’s respectable. He’s a sensible guy.”

Jin Ji-yu said, her eyes sparkling.

“Ah, because of ‘Goal Boys,’ a lot of sports projects will come in. How about a basketball or boxing movie?”

“No, that’s a really bad idea. If you do that in Korea, it’ll flop, whether it’s based on a true story or not.”

Team Leader Gong waved his hand, and Chief Manager Yoo nodded.

“Yeah, Ji-yu. The movie based on Hong Gil-hwan’s story had 30,000 viewers. Not 300,000, but 30,000.”

“Pfft, is that the same as this?”

“It’s not about that…”

“If you want, you can go out with me. If it’s the Park Geon-Jin Ji-yu lineup, even a rom-com [romantic comedy] will get 3 million viewers, right, oppa?”

Park Geon presented Jin Ji-yu, who was asking him, with ruthless statistics.

“Among the works I’ve done, Team Leader of Gray City, the romantic comedy had the lowest viewership ratings.”

“So what? I’m different from Kwon Eun-bi.”

The debate, which started with viewership ratings, flowed into recent popular genres and eventually ended without much success.

Team Leader Gong said as he got up.

“I’ve talked to the head of the department, but it seems like it would be amazing if you appeared in the Henderson series or Killer Wall… the Kill Thorn numbering. It’s like a real special forces member appearing in a killer or action movie.”

“Hey, Team Leader. Those series have already finished their spin-offs. They’re all white, so it’s hard for an Asian to fit in.”

“That’s why we have to find something new. Something that can imprint Actor Park as the main character all over the world.”

“That’s right. Isn’t that a rom-com?”

Jin Ji-yu raised her hand, but everyone ignored her. Only Park Geon, who was getting up, offered her the last cookie.

“Have one. It’s a hot day.”

*

When they returned to the company, the atmosphere was strange.

In front of the practice room where the trainees were training, even the idol trainers and A&R [artists and repertoire] staff had come down.

They were entertainment people who saw the affiliated actors every day, but it was a mystery why they were gathered.

“What’s going on? Did the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism come?”

Team Leader Gong Gi-hyung, who was tilting his head, asked one of the employees.

“Why is everyone gathered here?”

“A strange foreigner came!”

“…Yes?”

The employee gestured towards the inside of the closed practice room.

“Over there. He suddenly appeared and is giving advice on the debut team’s dance.”

“A foreigner?”

As soon as he heard that, a certain person’s face came to mind.

While Team Leader Gong and Chief Manager Yoo were looking at each other, Geon was already opening the practice room door.

“No, you have to pay attention to this angle there! The human gaze and the camera angle are different!”

A bizarre sight was unfolding inside.

The male idol group ‘Eight Tone,’ who were about to debut at the end of the year, were sweating profusely and demonstrating their choreography, and a white man wearing sunglasses was giving orders like an assistant instructor in front of them.

What was even funnier was the debut team’s reaction. One of the idols, who was good at English, shouted enthusiastically.

“Please do it one more time!”

“Hey, Choi Si-young! We’re going to die at this rate!”

“What are you talking about? That special teacher is giving us only the best tips right now. Are you going to ruin the CEO’s expectations?”

They mumbled something to each other, and the remaining members, who had dying faces, also took their positions.

“Damn human…”

Another white man next to the trainer with a dazed face sighed.

Regardless, a powerful command rose again.

“Okay, let’s go again. One, two…”

“Raymond.”

Only after hearing the voice calling him did the sunglasses stop moving.

Geon held out a hand towards the face he had seen in Nice.

“It’s good to see you again. It’s been a while.”

.

.

.

There is a saying that meetings must be followed by partings, and departures must be followed by returns.

Wouldn’t this meeting be just like that? The meeting that started on a cruise ship in Nice was concluded in Korea.

“…It would have been easier if you had just stayed at the company.”

“Shh, they said they’re going to talk about something important.”

Returning to the Roman headquarters, even the fact that it was the 9th floor meeting room was truly in order.

Gwyn Raymond, who was looking at Chief Manager Yoo and Jin Ji-yu with interest, clasped his hands together.

“Colleagues?”

The agent next to him turned as if to interpret, but Geon gestured that it was okay.

“They are members of the same company. This is a fellow actor, and this is my younger brother.”

There were quite a few people who were meeting Park Sun for the first time, but they were new to him. After the greetings went around, Geon asked.

“What was going on downstairs?”

The film director, who had crossed the sea, brazenly brushed it off.

“They told me that the person I was looking for had left, so I was told to wait a moment. I was just looking around and gave some advice. The choreography skills are good, but it seems like they don’t know how to use the camera.”

The fact that the advice wasn’t nonsense could be seen from the reactions of the trainers who were watching and the debut team members who had directly learned the teachings.

Even the leader, Choi Si-young, followed them, grabbing their pants and shouting.

‘Please come by later! If we’re with you, director, I think we can break through to Billboard!’

When Geon shook his head, Raymond, who smiled slyly, tapped the table.

“That was just a moment of amusement, and the purpose of coming here is to meet the priest of Cannes. That’s why I even brought this friend.”

“…He wrote a masterpiece and said he found an actor to transfer it to the screen. He was kidnapped like a hijacking and flew to Korea.”

“It would have been nice if you had contacted me in advance.”

“It was supposed to be a surprise party. I can’t understand it.”

The agent, who still had a sullen expression, said.

It seemed that he still didn’t trust his colleague’s insight.

Jin Ji-yu asked in English with a strong American accent.

“What kind of work were you thinking of scouting Actor Park Geon for? We haven’t received any scenarios.”

“Of course, it’s action. Twice as realistic and exciting as that Kill Thorn series.”

The name of the legendary action movie, which recently released its fourth series, was mentioned.

Kill Thorn series.

The story of a retired former killer who defeats the gang that murdered his daughter, which has gradually grown in scale and recently fought against a huge drug organization.

Chief Manager Yoo Joon-il narrowed his brow.

“Kill Thorn is not just anything… Do you know how much directing the capital and weapons experts put into it? I haven’t even seen the scenario yet, and your career is certainly solid, but…”

“Movies aren’t all about money. If you call two or three decent guys, the experts are all the same.”

Raymond, who interrupted, lowered his sunglasses slightly.

The bright blue eyes scanned the people in the meeting room one by one, as if to freeze them.

“The sense of action is innate. I felt it when I was a plumber, climbing up and down the dirty water pipes in the back alleys of Manhattan. Most of the hero movies in this world are outdated garbage.”

Park Sun was mumbling, looking like he wanted to ask about the connection between the two, but the arrogant voice continued.

“Well, I didn’t even think about filming something like What’s-His-Name Man because it’s not my taste. Rather, I wanted to draw a story of a protagonist who is closer to actual combat… while not missing the narrative level.”

“What’s the difference from Kill Thorn?”

As if it was a good question, Gwyn Raymond winked at his agent.

The documents that the agent opened the briefcase and took out soon returned to the people sitting down.

“The protagonist of Kill Thorn is a retired killer, and my protagonist is a former special agent.”

Perhaps to show some sincerity, the script was also densely filled with translated Korean.

Geon, who was about to turn the first page, paused for a moment after seeing the title on the cover.

Raymond said.

“Guilt for not protecting his comrades, suffering from PTSD caused by murder… An old hero who can’t settle anywhere.”

The name of the previous world is revived on the scenario that crossed the sea.

[Gord: Sentinel of Wrath]

[Gord: Sentinel of Wrath]

* * *

(gord: means settlement in ancient Slavic)