Former Warrior Turns Into A Million-Dollar Actor [EN]: Chapter 4

Piss and Scouting (2)

* * *

A high-end restaurant in Cheongdam-dong [a wealthy neighborhood in Seoul].

Two people sat facing each other at a semi-private dining counter where courses were served promptly.

A man with eyes narrowed like the slits of a clam due to his weight gain joked,

“Writer Eun, I told you to pick a cheaper place. If Najongmo finds out I’m frequenting places like this, I’ll get an earful. That bastard Najongmo, he abandoned Chungmuro [the historical center of the South Korean film industry] for the drama scene and now he’s getting wined and dined at expensive places.”

“It’s my treat. And you always get an earful anyway; you’re a reshoot ghost who sends film and drama staff to the hospital,” Writer Eun Hee-wook retorted, and immediately dishes of food were delivered from the rotating table connected to the kitchen.

Sushi topped with salmon roe and sea urchin, pufferfish tempura, and futomaki. A spread tailored to a big eater’s taste.

PD [Production Director] Najongmo struggled to hide his drool.

“Let’s talk while we eat. What’s this lobbying about?”

“Just change one role.”

“What?”

“Choi Seung.”

PD Najongmo’s thin eyes blinked rapidly.

“Wasn’t Choi Seung supposed to be played by Kim Yong-hoo? I was going to contact him tomorrow morning.”

“There’s a reason to change him.”

Eating came before being surprised. PD Najongmo, who quickly devoured the sushi, asked discreetly,

“Did you hear something from your uncle? Like, that friend is about to have a drug scandal or something…”

“It’s nothing like that.”

“Oh, that’s a relief, but… if Kim Yong-hoo is out, who do we use? Song Ji-ik, or Yoon Tae-sang?”

Tonight, there was a private audition for the drama [Seoul’s Dog].

It was a place to select the last role, Choi Seung, which had not been filled yet.

In front of the PD, writer, and a few staff members, the actors showed off their mediocre acting skills, and after much deliberation, the consensus was gathered on Kim Yong-hoo.

Writer Eun Hee-wook shook his head.

“It’s a complete outsider. A regular person who needs to have a camera test.”

“…Huh?”

“But he’ll do well. I have a feeling.”

The ambiguous words continued. The worry in Najongmo’s narrow eyes deepened.

Eun Hee-wook. A writer who appeared like a comet and churned out mega-hit works regardless of terrestrial, public, or cable channels.

His nickname among viewers is Noir Master.

His nickname in the industry is Scouter.

He always picks one or two unknown actors and puts them in his plays, and it always becomes a huge hit.

Starting with Heo Shi-dong, the lead role in his debut work, he has already produced several stars like that….

PD Na, along with some seasoned officials, knows that Eun Hee-wook’s uncle is the director of a terrestrial broadcasting station.

“…Hee-wook, the filming date is already around the corner.”

“I know.”

“No, why are you doing this when you know? It’s not like you’re using an unknown actor, but a regular person? It’s already a difficult role, and there are few kids who are sticking their necks out to audition.”

“That’s why Kim Yong-hoo, Song Ji-ik, and Yoon Tae-sang were all ambiguous.”

“That’s true… how many actors are there who can do the mask, acting, and hard action? Even if you search Chungmuro, they’re all dried up.”

“They’re not dried up. They’re just not doing it while protecting their bodies, trying to get pretty roles, comfortable roles.”

“That’s the same thing…”

PD Najongmo, who was sighing deeply, asked.

“Who is it? Who is this main character picked by our Writer Eun?”

“I just saw him. He looked like a discharged soldier; he came to Roman because his younger brother was beaten. In combat uniform and combat boots.”

“Roman? That’s representative Noh Joong-man’s place?”

“Yes, so I grabbed him as he was leaving and asked him if he knew how to fight.”

“What did he say?”

Eun Hee-wook licked his lips with a strange expression.

“I think he laughed. With an expression that he had killed dozens of people.”

“……”

PD Najongmo’s head spun quickly.

[Seoul’s Dog] is a stylish hard-boiled noir. It deals with the brutal and sticky narrative of a violent crimes detective chasing a gang of terrorists.

The two male leads have been decided, but the search for a suitable person for the role of the boss’s right-hand man has been dragging on.

‘It might be better…’

The broadcasting world is always enthusiastic about new blood. An unknown rookie discovered directly by a star writer, and ‘Eun Hee-wook Pick’ is already a proven box office guarantee.

Since Choi Seung is a role that doesn’t require high-level emotional acting, if he does just average…

“But Writer Eun, our action is intense. You know Director Park’s filming style, right? Even if they cover it with stuntmen and camera work, it won’t work if there’s no base at all. These days, viewers are amazing at picking out editing points.”

PD Najongmo pretended to be worried, but they both knew it was just something he said.

Thanks to the teamwork that they had worked so hard to build while filming two dramas, a whopping 50 episodes.

Writer Eun Hee-wook smiled.

“Give me three days. I’ll ask Joong-man what’s what, check what needs to be checked, and bring him.”

“What if he says no?”

“I’m not going to write the script either.”

“Oh, Writer Eun!”

“Just kidding, but I can’t use the other two anyway. I’ll just have to go with Kim Yong-hoo.”

Najongmo, nodding his head, asked subtly.

“But, just in case, I’m just saying… If you’re trying to use an unknown actor because of that scouter title…”

“I don’t care about that kind of thing. I’m not going to be an entertainment CEO; being a writer is much more comfortable. Why would I?”

“Oh, that’s right, Writer Eun. Do whatever our Hee-wook wants to do, just do it!”

Controversy and aggro are good.

But if he’s going to lower the viewership ratings, no way.

This consensus was the agreement of the viewership rating ghosts and the reason why the two’s combination worked so well.

*

When the brothers returned, their parents were waiting up late.

From the first son’s late discharge to the second son’s company assault.

It was an undeniable story, so Park Seon explained, and Park Geon just ate the prepared food.

Retired firefighter and father Park Yeol-ho, who was missing one hand, hardened his expression and said.

“Good job, you bad guys. It’s fortunate that you met Geon; if your brother hadn’t been there, you would have been in a lot of trouble.”

Mother Han Young-joo had a slightly different opinion. She fiercely poked her husband in the side and began to nag.

“Good job? How dangerous is the world these days… I heard there are many planning companies related to gangsters. What if they retaliate later?”

Park Seon hurriedly tried to smooth things over.

“Come on, Mom! Our CEO isn’t that kind of person. There are strange rumors, but when I saw him today, he was a really good person.”

“Still, be careful for the time being. Don’t even go near that company, okay?”

“Why should you avoid them when you didn’t do anything wrong? Stand tall. If they touch you again, I’ll…”

“Aish, really!”

Park Yeol-ho, with his upright personality, tried to say more but coughed.

“Uh… well, anyway, Geon, you worked hard.”

“I didn’t do anything.”

Han Young-joo, who was giving him more braised short ribs, chimed in as if she had suddenly remembered.

“By the way, why are you so late? I called the unit, and they said you left a while ago, and your phone is off. I thought something happened.”

“Ah, I fell asleep and missed the train. My battery also died.”

The lie flowed out naturally. Park Seon looked at him with worried eyes, but it was buried in Park Yeol-ho’s proud voice.

“Geon is from a special forces unit. What could happen to the best man in Korea.”

Something did happen. In a place other than Korea.

“Aish, don’t you know that you have to be careful of even a drizzle on the day of discharge? You came out of the Marine Corps too.”

“That’s not on the day of discharge; it’s at the end of your service, honey.”

“End of service or discharge, anyway!”

While listening to his parents’ familiar but unfamiliar bickering, Geon tore at the braised short ribs.

The savory taste emanating from the muscles of the dead beast. The sensation of taste buds stimulating receptors and transmitting them to the cerebrum is foreign.

Just before returning from Middle-earth… for several years, he wielded his sword like a living corpse.

The body of the warrior, which had become almost demigod, could live without eating.

If he was thirsty, he tore apart demons and drank their blood. Or something other than demons.

After dozens of deaths, even the sense of pain was gone. Instead, other senses, such as smell and hearing—the senses of detecting murderous intent—became frighteningly sensitive.

And he returned to this body.

To Park Geon’s body,

With the spirit of a warrior.

It’s like crazy software has been put into perfectly good hardware.

‘I’m glad I can still control it.’

Since a guy who had been slicing demons for thirty years came, it was natural that the manager was scared.

Physical violence was not even necessary. Just showing a glimpse of the murderous intent from the previous dimension suppressed the opponent’s aggression.

He probably won’t harass others for the rest of his life. Including his brother, anyone.

“Geon, doesn’t the samgyetang [Korean ginseng chicken soup] suit your taste?”
Han Young-joo’s voice pulled him back to reality.

“Samgyetang?”

“Yeah. You said you wanted to eat Dad’s samgyetang the most when you were discharged. Look, your dad’s pouting because you haven’t even touched it.”

Steam was rising from the milky broth.

Geon stared blankly at the plucked bird, then moved his chopsticks to the braised short ribs he was eating.

“I don’t eat anything with wings anymore.”

*

After the meal, Park Geon went into his room, saying he was tired.

The three family members sitting around the table began to whisper in low voices.

‘Something’s wrong, isn’t it?’

‘He’s different; something definitely happened.’

‘Around four o’clock? I called the unit. But the lieutenant there was trembling.’

‘And he didn’t even touch the samgyetang. He used to eat two young chickens every Dog Days [hottest days of summer].’

Han Young-joo poked her second son.

‘Seon, how was your brother?’

‘Uh… he seems to have become a bit hot-tempered, and he seems to have become more reckless…’

‘These days, it’s not the end just because you do well in military life. What was it, Yoon-hee’s first son also went to a psychiatrist for a long time because of panic disorder after being discharged.’

I don’t know exactly what the special forces’ mission is, but I know that my son has traveled a lot for overseas deployments and has made great achievements enough to receive commendations.

Then he must have suffered a lot.

It’s the same just looking at the news. Over there, across the sea, American soldiers, veterans, suffer from PTSD for a while even after being discharged, right?

He seems fine now, but if he develops anxiety disorder or panic disorder….

As the family’s expressions darkened, Park Yeol-ho clenched his fist.

‘Anyway, let’s keep a close eye on him so we can help him right away if something happens.’

‘Don’t worry. I’ll use my manager experience to follow him closely.’

The family nodded their heads greatly.

Without knowing that the eldest son who went into his room was listening to everything.

*