The Haunted Monster Actor - Chapter 22
Only Krnovel
Episode 22
Maeng Jong-ho is a director who is well known in the independent film industry.
Individualistic mise-en-scène, unique experimentalism, and unabashed destruction of clichéd compositions.
‘That’s why I got the nickname ‘the next generation weirdo of Chungmuro.’
In a movie world filled with so-called weirdos, Woo Ji-yoon is the only one who knows of who can be called a weirdo.
Either a literal weirdo who is absorbed in his own world and only produces weird works.
Or.
‘Or a genius with a talent that is difficult for a criminal to understand.’
In Woo Ji-yoon’s opinion, Maeng Jong-ho is closer to the latter.
‘I heard that your college graduation work was invited to the main competition section of Cannes.’
Although it did not win any awards, it received quite positive reviews from critics and audiences.
His subsequent works did not achieve commercial success, but received positive reviews from critics.
In short, he is a director whose artistic quality is guaranteed, even if he doesn’t know about commercial viability.
This was also the reason why Woo Ji-yoon pushed Kim Hyun-soo’s decision.
“Torso on the Blue” is the first commercial film from director Maeng Jong-ho.
That’s why it’s even more difficult to understand.
‘An unproven rookie, and a member of a former idol group that failed?’
He is a gentleman who creates difficult works, but it seems like he has raised the hurdle with his own hands.
The mass media will focus on gossip rather than the content or quality of the film, and it will be impossible to surpass that with average quality and acting.
I’m not worried about Maeng Jong-ho or the idol members.
What he doesn’t like is that his precious actor Kim, who has just started to spread his wings, is in a situation where his feathers are being plucked out rather than flying high.
Your first work, Darkness, is already being nominated for an end-of-year award, so why is your first work failing right after signing a contract with an entertainment company?
‘I can’t stand seeing something like that!’
This is my first work under an exclusive contract with Pieroreum.
He had a duty to make this work a success in some way.
Of course, as the head of the lead actor’s agency, I can put pressure on Director Maeng, who pushed ahead with the casting without a single discussion.
First, casting is entirely the director’s sole authority.
The ones who suffer the most from the power games between directors, production companies, and entertainment companies are always new actors, and Pieroreum is a company that has grown around these new actors.
It is impossible for anyone else to behave in such an ugly manner.
So, I brought this up with the intention of discussing with the parties involved how to proceed with this issue… … .
‘Sir… I think it was a really good decision to take on that role.’
Hyunsoo, who was saying that, was smiling like a kind father(?) that he didn’t even show when he made the contract.
Even tears were welling up in my eyes.
“… … .”
Anyway, now that things have come to this, there is nothing more Woo Ji-yoon can do.
‘If we do something wrong… … our actor Kim will really taste the bitterness this time.’
Of course, it would be best if that didn’t happen, but it wouldn’t matter if Woo Ji-yoon’s concerns became reality.
Hyunsoo is still growing as an actor, and even if he stumbles and falls during that process…
‘Just raise me up again.’
That was what Woo Ji-yoon, the representative of Piorum, had to do.
* * *
With casting complete, “Torso on the Blue” quickly began preparing to crank in.
As Woo Ji-yoon said, a script reading schedule was set shortly thereafter.
“I’m sorry, brother.”
“what?”
“Even so, I didn’t think I would actually start reading before the end of “Near Darkness”. I should have appealed to the director more about that… … .”
Hyun-soo, sitting in the back seat of the silver carnival, took his eyes off the script he was reading and answered Go-geon’s words.
“Why is that something you have to be sorry about to me?”
“That… … I guess you must be very busy around the time the drama ends?”
“That may be true, but it’s true that I don’t have any plans right now. I’m fine, so don’t worry about it.”
This isn’t just talk.
Lately, it seems like Lee Jun-hyuk’s emotions aren’t being properly controlled by just practicing the script.
As for Hyunsoo, he wanted to start filming as quickly as possible and immerse himself in the world of the piece.
In addition to that… … .
“You’ll be able to see Seori a little sooner too.”
“Huh? What did you just say?”
“Huh? I didn’t say anything.”
“What did Seori just say… … .”
“It’s not frost, it’s snow. I was practicing my script.”
Gogun answered Hyunsoo’s words with an embarrassed smile.
“Oh, I’m sorry, brother! I’ll just quietly watch the front, so please concentrate!”
Not long after we focused on practicing the script, a silver Carnival driven by Gogun arrived at the reading site.
As soon as I got out of the car, the first thing I saw was the sign for the production building where the script reading was taking place.
[CHUNGRYONG FILM PRODUCTION]
It’s an independent film production company that Hyunsoo has heard of, and despite its rustic mission(?), it stands out among small and medium-sized production companies with its creative scenarios and unique visual beauty.
Geon-do seemed to know that fact as he whistled and muttered.
“This place has more name value than I thought. I guess the director is more resourceful than he looks.”
“I don’t know much about his skills, but he seems to have a good eye for actors.”
Geon nodded in response to Hyunsoo’s words.
“I guess so. After all, they chose none other than the dark ‘Kim Hyun-soo’ as the lead actor.”
“That’s right… … That’s not it. Haven’t you seen the list of actors participating in the script reading today?”
There are a total of eight people attending the script reading today.
Here, some of the names were quite familiar to Hyunsoo.
In particular, Seo Yeo-ok, who plays the role of the ‘restaurant owner’, is a famous actress who is respected by her juniors in the theater world.
He was a veteran actor with extensive experience in the theater world, and had won awards for his acting both domestically and internationally for his performances in plays as well as in several independent films.
The rest of the supporting actors are also well-known actors in theater and independent film circles.
‘There are also actors who participated in Director Maeng’s works in the past.’
Feeling a renewed sense of weight at the fact that I was chosen to be the lead actor in such a production, I entered the script reading room set up in the production building’s third floor conference room.
Inside, only a few staff members were moving around, and no other actors were visible yet.
Hyunsoo sat down in the corner and began reading the script.
Although the emotions for acting can be helped through dreams, the interpretation of the character and narrative and the memorization of lines are entirely Hyun-soo’s responsibility.
I had been engrossed in this process during my last break, and as a result, the script I received from Maeng Jong-ho was filled with tiny letters and figures.
Not long after I started reading the script, I heard a welcoming voice.
“Oh, Actor Kim, you came early. How did the lead actor get here first?”
The person who greeted Hyun-soo was the film’s director, Maeng Jong-ho.
“Hello, Director!”
At Hyun-soo’s greeting, Maeng Jong-ho approached with his characteristically annoyed expression, waving his hand.
“Why are you already saying all the greetings you had all day? Huh, but what’s this? Now that I look at it, our actor Kim… … He used to pretend to be a perceptive person, but he’s actually a total research person?”
For reference, Maeng Jong-ho was a senior in the industry compared to Hyun-soo in terms of age and experience, so he naturally used polite language during several phone calls and meetings.
Maeng Jong-ho, who came up behind Hyun-soo, stuck out his tongue when he saw that the script on the table was completely mangled.
“No way, I’ll take a new script with me before I go back.”
“Yes, thank you, Director.”
“What are you thankful for? I should be thankful to the actor who appeared in my movie. But… … Aren’t you going to move?”
“yes?”
“Actor Kim Hyun-soo’s seat is here.”
The seat that Maeng Jong-ho pointed to was diagonally to the left of where the director was sitting.
That is, he is the most senior among the actors.
“… … .”
In fact, I knew as soon as I entered that it was my seat because I had a name tag.
However, for Hyun-soo, who had never participated in a script reading, much less played a leading role, sitting in that seat felt somewhat strange.
A position that is not easy to sit in… … a position where you feel a great sense of responsibility.
Hyunsoo is in his place.
I sat in the position of the ‘main character’.
* * *
While Maeng Jong-ho and Hyun-soo, who arrived first, were talking about the movie and chatting, the rest of the actors arrived at the reading site one by one.
The first to appear was Seo Yeo-ok, playing the role of the ‘restaurant owner’.
“Oh my, you’re here, teacher. Huh? No, you’re here alone again? I told you not to.”
“Yeah. It’ll be okay if you take the bus slowly.”
“Hello, teacher! This is Kim Hyun-soo!”
“Oh my, this is startling. The old man’s eardrums are about to fall off.”
As she said that, Seo Yeo-ok’s gaze naturally turned to Hyun-soo.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Seo Yeo-ok. But, you look different in person than you did on TV. I thought you’d look really scary, but you look much better.”
“Haha. Right, teacher?”
“Yeah, yeah.”
After saying that, Seo Yeo-ok immediately sat down, took out her magnifying glasses, and began to quietly read the script.
Soon, starting with Seo Yeo-ok, the other actors began to arrive one by one.
“Hello, director.”
“Hello! Oh my, the teacher is here already?”
“I thought you came quickly, but you’re late. Sorry.”
“Just come before it starts. Why are you apologizing?”
The supporting actors of the film, including Bae Geum-sik, Jung Ji-hoon, Oh Min-ki, Lee Ji-yeon, and So Ju-hwan, began to gather one by one.
As it was their first time gathering for a movie, after a brief greeting, except for a few familiar actors, everyone just looked at their scripts and there was an awkward silence.
“Actor Kim Hyun-soo.”
“yes?”
“I’m enjoying watching that drama. Could you please… … give me an autograph later if you don’t mind?”
“Me too, me too, please.”
I’m probably in my early twenties now.
The young actors arrived on the scene, kept glancing at Hyun-soo, and then spoke to him with difficulty.
This happened because they were young actors who had only worked in plays and independent films to gain experience and had little experience working with famous actors.
“Oh, by the way, my daughter was surprised to hear that she was working with actor Kim Hyun-soo. Can I ask her something too?”
At that moment, when the awkward atmosphere of their first meeting was gradually easing, centering around Hyun-soo, lastly… … .
“Uh, I’m really, really sorry I’m late aaaaah!!! Aaah!”
Wow!
Hyunsoo, who had been looking embarrassed at the sudden request for an autograph, naturally turned his gaze in that direction.
A slender figure who hurriedly kicked open the door and stumbled over the threshold.
As soon as he heard the sound of Jang Do-seok’s face, which looked smaller than his fist, his dense yet distinct facial features were furrowed.
“ouch…….”
Her deer-like eyes sparkle and her jade-like skin begins to turn red.
You can’t find the same glamour as when you were an idol.
A plain outfit and a face without any makeup.
Nevertheless, her innocent beauty catches the attention of others at a glance.
Guardian Girl Frost… … No.
“I am Jeon I-seo. Please take care of me from now on!!”
New actress, Jeon Yi-seo.
Hyunsoo could soon understand why Maeng Jongho had cast her even before seeing her performance.
The first scene in “Torso on the Blue” contains this passage:
[She had a face whiter and more beautiful than the white sand of the beach, and eyes clearer than the sea water of Mukho Port. She walked toward the horizon with steps that seemed more dangerous than the breaking waves. Yuseol just wanted to see her again.]
Hyunsoo reached out his hand towards the fallen Jeon I-seo.
“Are you okay?”
Seori, a former idol member who has grown into a mature woman after 10 years.
Actor Jeon Ee-seo.
‘Yuseol’ from ‘Torso on the Blue’ looked like she had walked out of the script.
Continued in the next episode 
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
