Former Warrior Turns Into A Million-Dollar Actor [EN]: Chapter 54

* * *

Back at the Roman Entertainment lounge.

‘This is troubling.’

For the first time in a while, Gun was in agony.

Three stacks of scripts lay on the desk.

A JNBC weekend drama, an MBS mini-series, and even a movie script that PD [Production Director] Na Jong-mo had personally delivered.

‘Sea of Fury,’ ‘The Boy Vowed Revenge,’ ‘The Serengeti Crown’—each had interesting content and roles he wanted to play.

As a result, after auditioning for one each day, the outcome was disastrous.

‘How could this be?’

It wasn’t that he failed the auditions. He had turned them down even after hearing he was cast.

…He felt nothing.

The Hero’s power, which he had felt during the Seoul Gae incident and the Black Mass incident, had vanished during the auditions.

‘What’s the difference?’

Unable to shake off the frustration, he drank liters of coffee, something he didn’t usually do.

At first, he thought some scripts just weren’t a good fit, but he didn’t think much of it until three auditions in a row fell apart.

‘The content was perfect, but I just didn’t feel it…’

‘Sea of Fury’ was a decent thriller. He thought it would be fun to play a protagonist who was a former Navy officer, but when he actually went, it wasn’t the script that was the problem.

The lights on set, the cue signs, the PD and the co-stars—everything was the same, but the most important thing was missing.

The same was true for the other drama and the movie. Both had vacancies for the lead role, and ‘The Boy Vowed Revenge’ had already finished casting, but they said they would consider him positively if he came.

The result was the same. He couldn’t feel the Hero’s power, let alone Harmony or the scent of the Iron Kingdom.

‘Excuse me? You don’t think you can do it?’

The assistant director looked like he had lost his country when Gun told him he wouldn’t be joining, and he clung to him.

‘Why? Please tell me. Is it the pay, or… Ah, is it because you decided to work with those ‘The Boy Vowed Revenge’ guys?’

‘That’s not the reason. I’m sorry.’

‘If you’re going to start filming a movie… we still have some time until the broadcast! We’ll adjust the schedule as much as possible…!’

He was a PD with some clout, a well-known mid-career writer, but he didn’t want to miss out on the best box office draw.

Barely shaking off the clinging production team, Gun made a call.

‘Hey, Seon-ah. I’m done here now. Can you check the schedules for the auditions I asked for?’

If not quality, then quantity. With the mindset that he had to film something, he looked elsewhere, but only repeated his frustration.

‘I’m sorry. I don’t think I have enough ability to interpret the character, so it will be difficult for me to join.’

‘Actor, just a moment. Actor!’

This was bordering on causing trouble. He had explained it well, but if he kept going to auditions, he would inevitably cause misunderstandings.

That he was an actor with celebrity disease, only poking around each project and deceiving the production team.

‘The greatest challenge since my return.’

Immediately after the awards ceremony, he had set up an ambitious memory recovery plan.

The Hero’s power and acting.

The mechanics of these two were clear. Harmony was the link to the Iron Kingdom, and the more he acted in front of the camera, the more fragments of his memory would return.

Not only that, but the compatibility with the work, the relationships with others that came from it… perhaps those things would collectively become a driving force and have an impact.

Although he still couldn’t grasp the meaning of the hallucination from that night, ‘There are not five.’

‘I can just do it again. I don’t need to rest for long after the project is over anyway.’

So he thought it wouldn’t take long. He had done two projects last year alone, so if he filmed projects all year round, he could do up to three.

But that runaway train stopped right from the start. He hadn’t even gone halfway, and he was already derailed from the tracks.

Gun pressed his brow. He felt like he had been hit by the Dischord’s Modeum, the great demon’s thought ray.

The problems on set were fine. If the role was difficult, he could just win it, and if the schedule was tough, he could cover for his colleagues and lead them.

But if there was a sword but no demon to kill…

‘Excuse me.’

Someone called him from behind.

‘Yes.’

He knew someone was coming, but he thought it was another employee, so he left it alone.

The voice was in his mid-twenties. His face was covered with a thick winter mask, and he was even wearing a balaclava [a type of close-fitting hood that covers the head and neck, often leaving only the face exposed] with bear ears.

‘……What is this?’

If it was his younger brother, who was well-connected in this industry, he might have recognized him, but Park Seon had briefly left to find a script he hadn’t seen yet.

The mysterious man asked again.

‘Are you Seo Yo-han?’

‘No, I’m Park Gun.’

‘Ah, I’m sorry. I just came from watching a movie… I must have gotten too immersed.’

He was 100% an actor. His speech was slow, but his diction was as accurate as subtitles.

‘It’s okay. More importantly, who are you…’

‘Ah, this is embarrassing.’

The man took off his winter mask and pushed back his balaclava. Soon, a handsome face that made his eyes widen appeared, a face he had seen on the company’s website.

‘I am Gu Shin-seung. It is truly an honor to meet you (衣錦之榮) [yijin zhi rong – lit. to return home in silken robes; fig. to achieve fame and high position].’

‘Excuse me?’

*

Before the ‘Black Mass’ crank-in [the start of filming].

On the day he met Baek Ha-ni and Choi Phillip before the reading, Team Leader Gong had explained the characteristics of his fellow actors.

‘Ji-yu is sociable and outgoing. Ha-ni is the same as before, consistently difficult. Choi Phillip is a bit similar. He has a personality to match Baek Ha-ni.’

‘Is that so.’

‘Everyone has a mask because they’re celebrities, but that’s normal in this industry. Ah, come to think of it, you haven’t met Gu yet, have you? Gu Shin-seung.’

‘Yes. Seon-i said she’s never seen him either.’

Team Leader Gong was having fun trying to figure out how to explain this.

‘Don’t be too surprised when you see him later. He’s the most unique of the four.’

‘What’s so unique about him?’

‘Um, method?’

‘Method as in acting method?’

‘That’s right. Method is what actors usually use to immerse themselves in a character, but Gu… Hehehe, his acting and daily life are reversed.’

Team Leader Gong, who had been chuckling for a while, finally stopped laughing and said.

‘He copies every movie, novel, and comic book that impressed him.’

Gu Shin-seung seemed to be free-spirited. He asked if he could sit down for a moment, and as soon as he got permission, he took a seat and began to pour out his words.

‘Park Sohyeop’s actions this time were truly like 念力徹巖 (nyumnyeokcheoram) [nyumnyeokcheoram – lit. mind power penetrates rock; fig. unwavering determination]. In particular, he flattened the noses of those ignorant (目不識丁) [mokbul sikjeong – lit. unable to recognize the character ‘丁’; fig. completely illiterate] petty people who did not attend the acting screening.’

‘……This time it’s a martial arts novel.’

Whether it was a martial arts novel or a Chinese movie, he rattled off Chinese idioms that were hard to understand.

In the meantime, he didn’t miss the detail of changing the no-show audition into Chinese characters. Gun asked, trying to find the controller.

‘Didn’t your manager come with you?’

‘Ah, Yang Hyung went to the bathroom due to disharmony in the three organs (三腑) [sam bu – the three viscera: large intestine, small intestine, and stomach], the large intestine, small intestine, and stomach.’

Gu Shin-seung solemnly rolled his eyes and added one more word.

‘For 운기행공 (oongihaenggong) [oongihaenggong – breathing exercise for internal energy circulation].’

‘……’

You could tell he added it because he didn’t think of it right away, but he didn’t seem embarrassed at all.

Ding, a message came, and it was a reply from Jin Ji-yu, who had sent a text earlier.

Jin Ji-yu: [Finally met the strongest person in the world]

Jin Ji-yu: [Didn’t you wear anything weird this time? I can tell it’s Gu Shin-seung just by looking at him]

Park Gun: [Balaclava and winter mask.]

Jin Ji-yu: [……He’s a nice person. And he’s a good actor]

Jin Ji-yu: [I want to go help, but I’m here filming]

Jin Ji-yu: [If he’s too annoying, tell him you need some alone time]

Jin Ji-yu: [He’s not stupid, so he’ll step aside if you give him a hint]

For now, he had secured an emergency plan. As he was about to send a reply, Gu Shin-seung showed interest in the script on the table.

‘Were you choosing a script?’

‘Yes, I was thinking about it.’

‘What is the reason?’

His tone was still like a martial arts protagonist, but his eyes were serious. Anyway, he was one of the top actors at Roman, who had even been to Hollywood.

‘Maybe he has a script hidden away.’

With the thought of borrowing even a cat’s paw, he explained the situation, and Gu Shin-seung asked.

‘The auditions… no, the works you saw for the acting screening, what was the format?’

‘Are you talking about the genres of the scripts?’

‘Hmm…?’

He made a face that he didn’t understand because he used English, and his concept was so extreme.

‘They were all similar. Corporate, thriller, revenge, and the movie was action.’

‘The same kind of works you’ve done so far.’

‘Yes, it was noir and occult.’

‘Then why don’t you look for something new?’

‘Something new…’

If Choi Phillip was a handsome man with a gentle smile, this man was the image of a nobleman. His eyebrows, which radiated nobility, narrowed slightly.

‘It is said that 開新創來 (gae sin chang rae) [gae sin chang rae – open the new, create the future] and 送舊迎新 (song gu yeong sin) [song gu yeong sin – bid farewell to the old, welcome the new]. If you open a new path, abandon the old year, and plan for the future, you may see a way out.’

That made sense. The works he had auditioned for so far were mostly hard-boiled action.

He hadn’t even turned his attention to ordinary human dramas or romances.

‘I thought it wasn’t a genre that suited me, but I should look into it.’

‘Actors have to deal with various states of mind. This study will also be helpful.’

Now he was used to that bizarre way of speaking. If he thought of it as a ‘sub-character’ that was popular on YouTube, it wouldn’t be difficult to protect the worldview.

‘Thank you. Then I’ll see you soon…’

‘…said Gu’s second young master, with eyes full of dizziness.’

‘……?’

While he was speechless at the variation, Gu Shin-seung, who had put on his fur hat again, stood up.

‘It’s time for Yang Hyung to come. Let’s meet again in the Jianghu [the martial arts world] someday.’

‘Ah, yes.’

‘Hyeop (俠) [chivalry].’

As soon as Gu Shin-seung, who had clasped his hands, disappeared, a very prickly-looking woman in her 30s appeared.

‘Ah, Actor Park Gun. Have you seen Shin-seung?’

‘He was here until just now.’

Was she a team leader? The woman ruffled her hair with deep anger.

‘I don’t know what he said, but I’ll apologize first. He did it again while I lost him for a moment…’

‘He said Yang Hyung.’

‘Yes?’

‘He also said he was doing 운기… something in the bathroom.’

‘Thank you. I’m Yang Soo-yeon from Management Team 1.’

The woman introduced herself fiercely and then disappeared, shaking the lounge. She looked like she would pull out all his hair instead of his winter hat if she caught him.

‘That manager also has a good relationship with the actor.’

Gun also gathered the scripts and stood up.

As soon as he heard the words of Gu’s second young master, a script came to mind.

It was the only work that he had put aside thinking he wouldn’t have anything to do, but the beginning was interesting.

‘Was it called Team Leader of Gray City?’

*

‘Ah… I want to kidnap an actor.’

‘Don’t say it out loud, you crazy bastard.’

In the production meeting office on the 4th floor of YTS.

PD Hwang Chang-jae scolded Yoo Ho-young, the AD [Assistant Director] who was slurring like a sloth.

‘Why? We’ve been rejected by everyone. If I kidnap someone and beg on my knees, wouldn’t they agree?’

‘Stop talking nonsense and bring me any of the actors you listed earlier by next week. If they turn us down too, we’ll have to use a complete rookie or an idol.’

YTS’s first quarter, 14-episode drama ‘Team Leader of Gray City’.

More than half of the preliminary casting was confirmed. Now, all they had to do was decide on the main male lead, but finding that one person was burning them out.

‘Or PD-nim, can’t we change it like this? Put Byun Hwi-seung in the main role and the new person in the sub role. It’s a rom-com [romantic comedy] anyway, so a different combination would be fine.’

PD Hwang Chang-jae clicked his tongue as if he was pathetic.

‘Ho-young-ah, you poor thing, how are you going to become a PD and make your debut like that?’

He was a detached kite himself… The AD’s mouth turned up, but rebellion was forbidden.

The annoying senior’s teachings continued.

‘There’s such a thing as image. Don’t you know the unwritten rules of romantic comedies? Even if someone who caused an accident appears, they don’t become the main character. It’s also a contest-winning work, so if you put Byun Hwi-seung in the role of Lee Jin-ha, the message board will be destroyed.’

‘Then raise the level instead…’

‘Why would high-level kids do rom-coms?’

‘Um, expansion of the role spectrum?’

‘So why are you expanding the spectrum here? If you go into a blockbuster, you’ll be tired of being involved in a love line. Have you ever seen a successful work that’s no romance?’

That’s the psychology of top male actors. If they’re going to film a rom-com, they’ll go to a large-scale project, and if they have nothing to do, they’ll just run another expensive CF [commercial film].

‘I wish just one of Baek Yi-gyeom, Gu Shin-seung, Choi Phillip, or Moon Han-bin would come.’

‘Dream on, or win the lottery.’

‘Or Park Gun…’

‘That’s it. I’ll get angry if you say more.’

‘Yes, I’ll restrain myself.’

Rather than Baek Yi-gyeom or Choi Phillip, the current Park Gun is an actor with a bigger short-term impact.

What’s so lacking about a rookie who hit two home runs in a row that he would come into a package deal?

‘He’s never coming. Unless he gets shot in the head.’

‘PD-nim. The buzzword has changed now, it’s who’s threatening you with a knife? Nukalhyup? (누칼협) [nu-kal-hyup – short for “Who’s threatening you with a knife?”, a sarcastic expression used when someone complains about a situation they voluntarily entered].’

PD Hwang covered his throbbing head. He was taking all the useful guys away, and he was about to get angina pectoris when he went to the battlefield with those guys.

‘Oh, wait a minute. Is this a casting change?’

The idiot, who was flipping through the profiles, asked for permission and answered the phone.

‘Yes, yes. This is AD Yoo Ho-young from ‘Hoedotim’. But who… Yes? Who did you say you were?’

His expression became more and more strange, and eventually he even stuttered. The PD asked the AD who hung up the phone.

‘Why, who is it? Is Park Gun coming?’

‘Yes.’

‘I’ll punish you if you talk nonsense.’

‘It’s really Park Gun! The manager called and said any role is fine, so can he audition?’

No matter how out of it that guy was, he wouldn’t joke about something like that.

Was it a hidden camera shoot by the production team? PD Hwang, who was chuckling in disbelief, muttered.

‘Did he really get threatened…?’

*