Former Warrior Turns Into A Million-Dollar Actor [EN]: Chapter 197

[After Story] The Story After That – (2)

* * *

Upheaval in the entertainment industry is common.

Someone who was at the top yesterday might fall, while an unknown rookie might rise to become an icon overnight.

And that ‘fame’ applies to the numerous companies that work with celebrities as well.

“Oh, CEO Tae! How is it that your office changes every time I see you? Next time, I’ll see you at the top floor of Hanjo Tower, right?”

CEO Tae Jong-beom, sitting across from a man in a suit amidst numerous orchids and wreaths, held up his teacup with a satisfied smile.

“It’s all thanks to our lucky charm. I still dream about that time.”

“What dream? The day you paid off your debts, CEO?”

“No, the day I got a call from Actor Park!”

Three years after the success of ‘Black Priest’.

If there’s one company that has changed the most, it’s Big Bear Entertainment.

As the saying goes, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

Kim Ryul, the core of the production, as well as the works produced by other affiliated directors, achieved great success, establishing the company as a ‘jackpot’ production.

[Kim Ryul’s Next Film, Invited to Berlin Film Festival··· Planting a Flag in the Bastion of Conservatism]

[Expectations for Kim Ryul’s to Win in the Competition Category··· Critics Praise]

[‘Kim Ryul’s Junior’ Jang Gwang-chil, From Chungmuro [Korean Hollywood] Expulsion to Wellflix Ingress··· “Thanks to My Senior for Pulling Me Up”]

Recently, the busy schedule had been winding down, and they were taking a breather to plan new projects.

Seo Han-soo, the entertainment section chief of a daily newspaper, sitting in front of CEO Tae Jong-beom, nodded.

“I saw the article. Yesterday, you went on a company workshop to Kota Kinabalu.”

CEO Tae scratched his increasingly thick chin.

“Really? I haven’t seen Gun-i lately. I didn’t even know.”

“Oh, then you probably don’t know about the new actress either?”

“New actress? Who joined Roman?”

Seo sighed and tapped the table.

“CEO, I know you’re busy, but you’re too slow. The official article came out a few days ago, and it was a big deal.”

“Tell me quickly, I’m dying of anticipation.”

“A non-celebrity joined. And she’s even a foreign actress.”

With DG and Joinus’ stock prices falling, there’s a saying that ‘Trinity’ is essential to join Roman.

It means that even established actors can’t find a new nest unless they have a good balance of looks, skills, and personality. That’s why CEO Tae’s response was lukewarm.

“What, a non-celebrity? They won’t survive unless the lineup is really strong.”

“I haven’t seen the audition video, but I think I know why they picked her.”

“How do you know without watching the video?”

Instead of answering, Seo handed over his smartphone. After a few photos, CEO Tae silently made a call.

“Hey, Director Kim. How about a foreign actress as the lead in your next project? No, I’m not drunk······.”

*

Meanwhile, at Roman Entertainment headquarters.

CEO Noh Joong-man and Head Director Lee Seong-cheol sat facing each other in the CEO’s office on the 17th floor.

Head Director Lee chuckled at his superior.

“You’ve gotten quite a tan.”

Noh Joong-man looked down at his tanned wrist.

“I did. The sun was strong.”

“Did you have a good trip? The kids sent a lot of photos and videos.”

Just yesterday, Roman Entertainment’s workshop in Kota Kinabalu ended.

It was nominally a workshop, but in reality, it was a 3-night, 4-day trip and social gathering.

‘Team Leader Go, did you hear?’

‘Workshop? No way. We’ll just end up drinking among ourselves in some place like Sokcho [a city in South Korea known for its beaches and natural beauty]······.’

‘It’s in Kota Kinabalu this time! Gun-i is going too, are you really not going?’

Not only that, but the company’s global star, Park Gun, and even the top actors who are hard to see all gathered as if possessed. In the end, everyone except the artists whose schedules overlapped went, forming a massive group.

“How was Korea?”

Head Director Lee sighed.

“It was crazy. Gong Gi-hyung was complaining for the first time in a while.”

“Why? Did someone cause an accident?”

“No, the contract article came out the day before the workshop. The PR team must have been dying to cover it up.”

Noh Joong-man nodded as if he understood.

The every move of a superstar attracts public attention.

And the news of Park Gun, who has become a veritable global star, was enough to shock people.

He hadn’t had any official activities for almost a year, and suddenly, paparazzi shots of him with a blonde beauty were taken, and then an official announcement that she had joined Roman was released.

[Park Gun, First Scandal Since Debut? Girlfriend OR Getting to Know Each Other, Attention Focused]

[Agency Official Statement··· Just an Old Colleague, Roman Official “Official Announcement Soon”]

[Identity of Blonde Woman is European Actress ‘Aria Riverot’, Joins Roman Entertainment]

[Roman Workshop Day 1, Kota Kinabalu On-Site Photos Uploaded, ‘We’ve Become Quite Close’]

Superstar, scandal, and old colleague were mixed together, so it would be strange if the topic didn’t explode.

Thanks to this, fans, reporters, and even the general public who aren’t interested in the entertainment industry flocked to the scene, and numerous articles were produced.
The relationship between Park Gun and Aria, the secret background of the newly joined artist, the subtle atmosphere captured in the paparazzi cuts······.

As a result, while the workshop members were drinking heavily in Kota Kinabalu for 3 nights and 4 days, the staff were busy pouring oil and water alternately [a Korean idiom meaning to try and calm a situation down].

“···But, what was she really doing? There’s no filmography, and even the foreign paparazzi couldn’t find a single clue.”

“A soldier, they say.”

Head Director Lee looked like he couldn’t believe his ears.

“Aria? No way, you must be joking.”

“She said it herself. She couldn’t reveal her nationality, but she served as a nurse in a war zone.”

“That’s ridiculous. What country’s soldier can sing, dance, and act?”

Noh Joong-man shrugged.

“I don’t know. But she was a colleague of Actor Park.”

“Ah······.”

Head Director Lee understood. If she’s an acquaintance of an unconventional monster, she wouldn’t be ordinary.

“Sometimes it’s amazing. How does he only become friends with those kinds of people?”

“It’s welcome from our perspective. It would have been a shame if we had missed out on a fresh new face.”

Aria Riverot, Korean name Ria Choi.

Height 165.

Age 25, according to her.

Before the contract was finalized, the performance she showed at a secret meeting attended by only a few key people was enough to surprise everyone.

Singing, she effortlessly handles hits from old British rock bands to the latest idol songs.

Acting, she reads randomly given drama scripts from rom-com to thriller without hesitation, and her interpretation is amazing.

After the impromptu acting, Head Director Lee himself asked again.

-Have you ever learned acting?

-I haven’t learned it, but I practiced on and off for about a week while adjusting to Korea.

The A&R [Artists and Repertoire] team leader, with a suspicious expression, muttered.

-That doesn’t make sense, then what about singing······.

-Oh, I went to something similar to a choir when I was young. I can play a few instruments too.

When he heard the request to arrange an unofficial audition through Park Gun, he thought it was a joke.

However, she proved that she had the talent to be an actor or a singer, so there was nothing more to say.

Head Director Lee smacked his lips.

“She’d do well in any role right away. Someone who’s supposed to be an actress has more singing talent than our debut team kids.”

“We won’t touch the music side for a while. She seems to be more ambitious about acting.”

“Being a foreigner is a bit of a concern, but··· well, she won’t suddenly buy a plane ticket and leave, right?”

“Probably. She can’t go back to her home country, they say.”

“Yes? Why?”

Instead of answering, Noh Joong-man picked up his teacup and recalled his private meeting with her, which he had arranged after dismissing the people around him.

-How long do you plan to stay in Korea?

Aria answered readily.

-Forever, for life.

-For life? Why?

-Because there’s no reason to go back. And I can’t.

When she said that, there was a change in Aria’s attitude, which had been straightforward.

-CEO, were you born and raised in this country?

-Yes.

-I didn’t even know there was a world like this. After I was born, my life was only fighting and starvation. Only endless wars repeated······.

As if recalling a time she couldn’t return to, her blue eyes, which had been lost in some reminiscence, stared at him.

-In the meantime, I met God, separated, and reunited after a long time. Everything I have is here, so why would I leave?

The story ended there. Aria, wearing sunglasses, said she was taking the subway and left, and he dismissed his doubts about the new affiliated artist.

“There’s no way that kind of look is a lie.”

“Yes? What did you say?”

“It’s nothing. The tea smells good.”

“It does, Ji-yu brought a set. What kind of work is she going to do first? A movie, a drama, or a mini-series?” Lee Seong-cheol, who was muttering, suddenly asked.

“A variety show.”

“A variety show before her debut? That’s more like a creator than an actress. There will be a lot of talk about using the agency to get attention first.”

“She said that’s okay too, according to her.”

Head Director Lee frowned at the words that reminded him of someone.

“······Yes?”

*

The broadcasting industry always wants new faces.

A rising star in dramas, a monster in the film industry, a blue chip in variety shows.

It is common for the former condition to guarantee the latter, but it is not always the case that newcomers who have gained fame are also active in broadcasting.

-What, Seo Ji-oh? He’s not going to work. If we put him there, he’ll just stutter like last time, and we’ll get cursed at by our fans and his fans squared. Is there any reason to do that?

The market has become too big for everything to be forgiven with just looks.

That’s why PDs [Production Directors] want a fresh mask··· or rather, a character that will become a hot topic.

For example, like the controversial blonde actress who was first revealed on a popular web variety show.

“Uh··· Aria? Can I call you Ria?”

“Ah, please ask me for a nickname after we get closer.”

“I understand. That was rude of me.”

“I’m sorry. Actually, I’ve never been called that before, so I don’t want to misunderstand what my senior is saying.”

, is a web variety show hosted by national MC [Master of Ceremonies] Pyo Jong-soo.

Due to the nature of YouTube, it has over 2 million subscribers with a comfortable atmosphere where they have a drink and chat with guests.

Season 1 ended with the criticism that only familiar faces were appearing, and Roman’s hot newcomer appeared as the first guest.

“Does soju [Korean distilled rice liquor] suit your taste? We have a lot of other drinks prepared······.”

“I can’t get enough of it. I got hooked the first time I drank it.”

Pyo Jong-soo widened his eyes exaggeratedly at Aria’s words as she swirled her glass.

“Oh my gosh, are you that weak with alcohol?”

“No. I was blown away because it was so delicious. The wine I used to drink in my home country was the worst.”

She’s uninhibited but humble, honest but doesn’t lose her manners.

They’ve already emptied six bottles of soju. She looks like a princess from some country, but her speech is like a native Korean, so it’s impossible to take your eyes off her.

The talk quickly passed thirty minutes.

She was a close comrade of Park Gun, a strong military is a necessity, she came to Korea to start a second life as an actress······.

At the end of the broadcast, she showed off a martial art similar to staff fighting, and Pyo Jong-soo, who was excited, forgot the ending and fell into a chat.

“Wow, Ria, you’ve watched some Hong Kong movies. Right? I have a romance with action, but our production team says that kind of project is absolutely impossible. I’m so sad at this age······.”

The real-time comments on the YouTube stream exploded even after the broadcast ended.

―Today is really legendaryㅋㅋㅋㅋ

―ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋAh, I’m cracking up from the first episode of Season 2

―No, seriously; Where does Roman get those kinds of people from…?

―She’s a colleague of Actor Park ㅎㅎㅎ

―It’s all thanks to CEO Noh Joong-man’s luck… I look at people’s faces a lot… He’s had a lot of hardships and will have good fortune…

―Astrologer out

A PR team employee, who had turned on YouTube and seven or eight large communities and was checking the reactions, sighed.

“It’s mostly positive? Half want to see her again, and half are curious about her work··· Everyone is curious about her acting.”

“Well, you’ll know when Ria’s work comes out.”

PR Team Leader Gong Gi-hyung smiled and suddenly asked.

“Ah, is Park Gun’s special appearance today?”

“Yes. Originally, Actor Gu was supposed to go in, but he suddenly passed it on. He said a sports car can’t catch a fighter jet.”

“What does that mean?”

The employee scratched his forehead.

“I don’t know. Team Leader Yang Soo-yeon was almost spitting fire, asking why he gave it up.”

“···Shin-seung did something. He seemed to be holding back well for a while after going to the meditation center.”

Gu Shin-seung’s eccentric behavior isn’t a one- or two-day thing, and once he makes a decision, he never reverses it.

Thanks to this, the cameo in the final episode of JNBC’s weekend drama, ‘Three Young Ladies,’ which is approaching 20% viewership, went to Park Gun.

To be exact, it went to one of the many characters that Park Gun has played.

“A special appearance in a weekend drama and a Wellflix variety show··· Our Actor Park’s comeback signal will be spectacular.”

* * *