Former Warrior Turns Into A Million-Dollar Actor [EN]: Chapter 154

The Former Hero is a Star – Episode 154 (154/199)

Summer Harvest Festival (4)

* *

A short break.

In the cafeteria balcony of NBS Studio, the assistant director smoked while watching others.

Lisa Able was lost in thought, a thick cigar between her fingers.

‘That damn cigar, the smoke is really strong.’

In the broadcasting world, often called ‘this side,’ America and Korea have differences but also many similarities.

It’s the power held by hit-making directors like star writers and star producers.

For prestigious talk shows like the Jesse McKintony Show or the Reedman Show, and especially the main writers of SNL, their influence on Broadway goes beyond the ordinary.

So, instead of yelling at her to put out the cigar, the assistant director swallowed his cough and asked,

“So, Lisa. How was the meeting today?”

“Meeting?”

Her unfocused pupils flickered. Since the production meeting passed its midpoint, Lisa had been in that state.

“Yes, that actor, Godra. His ideas are good, but… a bit eccentric, and I’m worried he might cause an accident during the live broadcast.”

“He’s got what it takes to cause one.”

“……Yes?”

Suddenly, Lisa turned around. In her bright blue eyes, the passion that had faded over the seasons was burning fiercely.

“He’s the sexiest Asian I’ve seen since Johnny Ryu. Antonio Laderosa… no, if we do it right, he could be as big as Chuck Jameson. My god, such a cool sense of humor!”

The assistant director stared at Lisa with a dumbfounded look.

‘This person is out of their mind too.’

The Toby Lee-Lisa Able duo were key contributors who led the success of SNL from season 1.

Lisa left in season 3, and Toby stepped down in season 4, but the only reason they reunited in season 5 was ‘fun’.

-Bring those damn two back! Give them as much money as they want… no, let them do whatever they want! Just have them come and keep doing that damn comedy!

The show’s fun plummets the moment one of those two is gone.

The current CEO of NBS reportedly screamed that anecdote, so there’s no need to question the directors’ instincts.

‘And Lisa is like this……’

The assistant director briefly recalled earlier.

The concept meeting with the host for this episode, an actor named Park in Korean, went smoothly.

He wasn’t surprised by the script full of racism, national satire, and all sorts of spicy humor.

Instead, he flipped through the script, asked for a pen, and added his opinions here and there.

‘Wouldn’t it be better to go this way?’

‘Um… are you sure? It’ll be a bit difficult to set up wires on set……’

Producer Toby Lee showed reluctance, but Park Geon said what the production team liked to hear most.

‘No problem. Acrobatics is my specialty.’

The ideas he added there seemed to have completely captured Lisa’s heart.

“I thought for sure he’d hate some of them, asking why he had to go so far and wanting to cut them. That’s what actors always did. Remember?”

“Yes, mostly.”

“But that man is the real deal. He’ll be even crazier when the show starts. Historically, comedians with such nonchalant eyes……”

Lisa, who had been muttering for a while, walked out onto the balcony with a blank expression.

She’ll probably lock herself in the nearest meeting room and start working. The assistant director smacked his lips and took out another cigarette.

“Those broadcasters are all crazy.”

Leaving the NBS studio, Gwyn Raymon asked something similar.

“Are you crazy?”

“I don’t have a history of mental illness.”

“My friend, your sense of humor is atrocious, even after all this time. It’s my fault for asking.”

Raymon, who gave up neatly, turned his attention to the more reasonable Jin Ji-yu.

“Jin, your colleague is clearly a bit off. Or is it because he’s an actor, so he’s also good at writing scripts?”

“Just call me Ju. We have a younger sibling named Jin at our company, so it’s confusing.”

“Ju? Are you talking about a zoo?”

“…I shouldn’t have said anything.”

Jin Ji-yu, who had pulled her hat down low, asked Geon, who was walking next to her.

“How was it, oppa [term used by a younger woman to address an older brother or male friend]? Was it okay?”

Geon nodded.

“It seemed like it would be fun. I’ve never done a program like this in Korea.”

The story went on longer than expected, but the meeting ended successfully.

Lisa Able seemed completely taken with his code. At first, she listened to the revisions with a ‘what are you talking about?’ face, but later she suggested new concepts herself and came up with ideas.

‘I just suggested situations that seemed funnier.’

Even in lively Hollywood, it seemed that actors had high standards.

Lisa, as well as Toby Lee, who participated in the meeting, clapped and showed positive reactions.

‘Listen, Director Raymon. You should know you’re lucky. If this actor had attended the Emmy Awards instead of Cannes, he would have been recruited into our crew by now.’

‘You have big dreams. Even if that friend becomes a successful stand-up comedian, he’ll never be a regular on your show.’

Amid the bickering between the current director and producer, the meeting ended with a greeting to see each other at the rehearsal.

The date was this Sunday… it seemed they just needed to arrive three hours before the live broadcast.

“So, what do we do now?”

In front of the NBS building.

Park Seon asked, raising one hand. Raymon watched the busy New York buses and replied.

“I’m going to the studio. I’ve seen everything, so I have to do my work, unless I want to be scolded by the lead actor.”

Park Seon blinked as if she had just remembered.

“Ah, the movie! Director, when do you expect the release date to be? There are so many fans waiting in Korea.”

“Rest assured. It’ll be before the heat subsides.”

Raymon checked his wristwatch.

“All three of you, go sightseeing. It’s a city without charm, but you should have fun while you’re here.”

“It’s my first time in New York… what’s fun?”

“Everything’s not great. Well, if you really don’t know, I can guide you for a bit……”

“I know!”

The group was surprised and turned around. Jin Ji-yu, clenching her fist, was walking over.

“I’ve been to New York often. This is my front yard, so the director can go to work. We need to release our movie quickly.”

Gwyn Raymon seemed to have grasped the atmosphere flowing between them at once.

He looked back and forth between the two actors from Roman, then smiled and raised one hand.

“Since the guide is saying that much, I can’t stay any longer. Have a good time.”

Then he really caught a yellow taxi and left.

The remaining three just stared at each other’s faces. Jin Ji-yu, who took off her hat and stuffed it into the back pocket of her jeans, said cheerfully.

“Then, shall we have some fun?”

Jin Ji-yu knew New York like her own home. She said she went abroad every time she didn’t have a project, and she seemed to have been to New York a lot.

The first destination was Broadway. From West 42nd Street to 53rd Street, she roamed the diagonal streets, introducing this theater and that theater.

“Ah, American Stewart is over. There are no tickets here.”

“Hoo-eong, I wanted to see it……”

Park Seon made a sad face as Jin Ji-yu, who was checking the performance schedule in a free information magazine, said.

Geon looked at the posters of dancers with colorful stage makeup and asked.

“Aren’t there other musicals?”

“But it’s famous! When I was in college, actor Hong Se-chan and actor Jeong Ira performed, and I had the chance to see the original……”

“It’s okay. Everything here is an original performance.”

If a work performed locally is brought in as is, it’s called a Korean performance or an original performance, and if it’s translated into Korean, it’s called a licensed performance.

Even he, who didn’t know much about musicals, saw the names of several works he knew.

“Lee Jang-mi would have liked it. I should have brought her with me if I had known this would happen.”

Jin Ji-yu replied nonchalantly.

“We came together once anyway. Was it the month before last? We went shopping all over Off-Broadway and Soho.”

“You two knew each other?”

“Yes. We became friends after commenting on oppa’s SNS, followed each other, and saw each other often. I often posted pictures of us together on my feed……”

A person who doesn’t even look at their own account wouldn’t look at other people’s SNS [Social Networking Service]. Geon pretended not to notice Jin Ji-yu’s narrowed eyes.

“I’ve been abroad for a long time. I haven’t been able to see Instagram much these days.”

“Huh? You liked it, though?”

Park Seon, who was watching, confessed slyly.

“Actress Jin, that’s me. I’ve been managing almost everything since we started filming Godra……”

“…Even the comments?”

“Yes, so I only use emoticons……”

On either side of Jin Ji-yu, who had a lost-country expression, the two brothers stood like bodyguards.

“What does SNS have to do with it? We came out for once in a while, so let’s have fun and go in.”

“Then, then. Let’s just go around the performances. We can scout if there are any good actors.”

“That’s enough, you fraud brothers!”

The first day in New York was spent watching the plays on Broadway until night, then unpacking at a pre-booked hotel.

The next day, they played to their heart’s content, and time passed quickly as they went sightseeing and shopping every day.

And before they knew it, it was Sunday.

It was the day of SNL’s broadcast and filming.

Matthew Dilliner.

At the young age of 43, he worked at a bank in New York and prided himself on being a die-hard fan of SNL.

Starting with season 1, which was truly innovative, to season 2, where the format was perfectly established, to seasons 3 and 4, where the writers and producers took turns leaving and faltering.

Now that SNL has finally reached season 5… he was still watching the live broadcast with remaining fan spirit, but he was actually dissatisfied with each episode.

“Why are the hosts these days so bland? If they’re not going to be new, they should at least be fun. It’s always the same puns and slapstick, and they don’t even fall apart, and how bad is the chemistry with the crew……”

His girlfriend, Bella, whom he had recently started dating, agreed with that opinion.

“It used to be fun. It’s been downhill ever since the director or president changed.”

“Yeah. This time, it’s some… Cannes? A foreign actor who won an award there is the host.”

“Oh my god, an actor? It’s doomed without even watching.”

Even while saying this, as it approached 10 PM, the two gathered on the sofa in front of the TV.

Isn’t it the only joy on Sunday night anyway? The mindset of ‘I’ll do the cursing even if I do’ is the same for viewers in the East and West.

-Welcome to the most perfect show, SNL!

With the introduction of the crew leader, the brass of the back band rang out and the curtain rose.

And at the visual of the host who appeared, the couple slightly adjusted their posture.

“…Did you say Park? Is he a model instead of an actor?”

“It looks like only his hair is black, but he doesn’t have the features of an Asian. His blood must be mixed.”

“Honey, that comment was completely rotten! You sounded like a racist.”