Chapter 86: Flop (2)

Kang Ra-Eun and Chief Jung’s eyes narrowed as Cha Byun-Soo suddenly took out a thick script. Ra-Eun could tell immediately why Byun-Soo and Kim Chi-Yeol visited GNF Entertainment to see her.

‘It must be for a casting offer.’

Byun-Soo handed the script to her and said as if to confirm her suspicions, “Minister Kim here was saying he wanted to make a historical film, so we’re making a movie with his investment.”

“You're making one yourself, sir?”

“That’s right. I’d always dreamed of being a film director.”

Having dreams was fine, but dreams were meant to be born through one’s own desires. That was not the case for Byun-Soo.

‘He’s losing ground as an actor, so he’s trying to debut as a director while mooching off of Kim Chi-Yeol as much as possible.’

It was obvious. If she remembered correctly, Byun-Soo had also done the same thing in her past life. Reporters were bound to swarm at the fact that a veteran actor was suddenly debuting as a film director, but...

‘What looks good doesn’t always taste good.’

Not only was he not trained in the slightest as a director, but he had no talent for it. Hence, Byun-Soo’s first film completely flopped. The title of the film was Coup d’etat, which just happened to be written in two big words on the first page of the script.

‘If you’re gonna bring something, you should’ve at least brought something decent, not a flop like this.’

Ra-Eun found it so absurd that she almost laughed dispiritedly. However, not knowing of his movie’s future failure, Byun-Soo was busy blabbering away about his historical film scenario.

“The movie is set in the mid-Joseon Dynasty. Minister Kim said he would give me his full support. Didn’t you, sir?” Byun-Soo asked.

“That’s correct, sir. There are already several investors lined up, so all you have to think about is making the movie that you want to make. Don’t worry about the money at all,” Chi-Yeol answered.

Byun-Soo’s goal was to debut successfully as a film director, while Chi-Yeol’s goal was to show the political sphere and the public through his investment how much he was contributing to cultural affairs. The worst kind of duo had been born because their interests happened to coincide.

Ra-Eun almost puked from seeing such a duo, but she was able to endure it because she happened to have a strong stomach.

“Look through the script while the Minister and I go take a smoke break. Let’s go, Minister,” Byun-Soo stated.

“Shall we? Would you like to join us, Chief Jung?”

The suddenly-designated Chief Jung politely refused with an awkward smile, “I’m sorry. I quit last year.”

“You’re strong-willed. I can’t seem to quit ever since all my completely unfounded infidelity scandals started popping up,” Chi-Yeol remarked.

He had no idea that the source of his infidelity scandals was in this very room. Ra-Eun threw the script on the table without even opening it while Byun-Soo and Chi-Yeol were absent.

She asked Chief Jung, “I can refuse, right?”

“Without even taking a look at the synopsis?”

Chief Jung had expected Ra-Eun to at least refuse after looking at the synopsis, but she had no intention of even doing so since she knew exactly what the movie was about.

“I caught way too many problematic points from what Mr. Cha had said.”

“Well... there certainly was a lot.”

Chief Jung had gotten a sense of how this production would end up just from hearing the synopsis from Byun-Soo.

Ra-Eun expressed bluntly, “This is gonna be a flop.”

Neither Chief Jung nor Shin Yu-Bin could deny it. Not only was the synopsis a complete mess, but the addition of strange philosophies would cause controversy regarding the perversion of history in the future. This controversy would also cause the public to boycott the movie.

Ra-Eun remembered the events very vividly because she had not gone to see the movie exactly because of such events.

‘No matter how much money is thrown at it, a production is bound to be ostracized by the public if it’s low in quality.’

That was how all entertainment content was. Hence, no one should jump at something just because they would be supported handsomely, since they could be severely criticized by the public as a result. The actors who would star in Coup d’etat would be criticized along with the movie, and Ra-Eun would rather not have such hate brought on to herself.

However, there was a problem.

“But how should we refuse?” Yu-Bin asked.

Byun-Soo was Ra-Eun’s senior who had been in the industry for much longer than her. Yu-Bin could not figure out how to refuse an offer that was supported by Kim Chi-Yeol, who was backed by a bigshot like Kim Han-Gyo. Chief Jung was also at a loss of what to do.

“Yeah. We need to figure out a way to sugar-coat it...”

Not offending them was their top priority. At that moment, Ra-Eun volunteered.

“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of the refusal.”

“You’re going to tell them yourself, Ra-Eun?”

“Yes. I happen to know of a very versatile way of refusing.”

Chief Jung wondered if Ra-Eun knew of a way to handle Byun-Soo. He had no idea, but decided to leave it to Ra-Eun for now.

Byun-Soo and Chi-Yeol returned to the meeting room after ten minutes. Byun-Soo tilted his head as he looked at the script on the table.

“Have you read through it all?” he asked.

“Yes,” Ra-Eun answered.

“Already? I think you’ve gone through it a bit too fast.”

“Reading through the synopsis was more than enough for me to come to a decision.”

This was better for Byun-Soo, since he could get Ra-Eun’s answer regarding the casting offer right here since she had gone through the script.

“So, you’ll star in it, right?”

He had expected her to say yes right then and there, but her answer drove him and Chi-Yeol into a state of shock.

“No. I’d like to refuse because it’ll be a flop.”

Chief Jung and Yu-Bin screamed in their heads.

***

Ra-Eun knew how to deal with people like Byun-Soo and Chi-Yeol very well. She could not leave a shadow of a doubt. All she needed to do was to flatly refuse without hesitation. It didn’t matter if it sounded harsh.

‘They won’t get very far anyway.’

Meanwhile, the two men finally came to their senses after Ra-Eun’s shocking statement. Byun-Soo spoke first.

“I-It’ll be a flop, you say?”

“Yes,” Ra-Eun answered.

“B-Based on what?!”

“The synopsis. It’s a complete mess.”

Byun-Soo was dumbfounded. He had never expected to hear such criticism from a junior far younger than him.

“You have a terrible eye for production! Other directors were praising it to no end!”

“That’s because they didn’t want to anger you, I’m sure.”

“...”

Byun-Soo was lost for words. Chi-Yeol could do nothing but watch their argument in a daze because he had never expected Ra-Eun to come out so hard-hitting. Chief Jung and Yu-Bin were swept into deep thought about whether or not they should stop Ra-Eun.

However, Ra-Eun quickly continued, “And I don’t do skinship or revealing scenes.”

“Skinship and revealing scenes are the basics of the basics for actresses these days! You don’t even know that?!”

“Of course, there are instances when such scenes are needed to raise the quality of the production. However, the skinship and revealing scenes that you’ve mentioned have nothing to do with the synopsis, do they? They’re simply scenes to be added into the trailer to pull audiences into cinemas. Are such scenes really necessary?”

“Wh-What did you say...?”

Revealing scenes of Kang Ra-Eun would certainly get people’s attention since she had never once filmed such scenes. Not only that, but she was an actress rising in popularity as of late. Many people were guaranteed to watch a movie with her in it. However, Ra-Eun had not even the slightest intention to show her skin for such a garbage movie.

“I’ll think about it again if you remake the synopsis from scratch,” Ra-Eun stated.

Of course, she made that statement knowing full well that there was no way Byun-Soo would do such a thing. Byun-Soo grabbed the script and furiously swung open the meeting room door. Chi-Yeol had no choice but to chase after Byun-Soo who had left into the hallway.

He glared at Ra-Eun before leaving the room. “You went a bit too far, Ra-Eun.”

She had done so on purpose while knowing it was harsh. Yu-Bin got restless as soon as the two men left.

“R-Ra-Eun. Even if you didn’t want to star in it, that was a bit... How are you going to handle the consequences?”

Not only did Byun-Soo have connections throughout the film industry, but he also had a connection to the political sphere through Chi-Yeol. They could end Ra-Eun’s whole career if they so desired, but Ra-Eun did not seem scared in the slightest despite that. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“It’s okay. That movie won’t even make it into the production stage,” she remarked.

“What do you mean?”

“I happen to know a few pieces of special information. You could say that I refused because of them.”

She was planning on detonating the bomb that was Byun-Soo’s secret that only she knew.

‘We’ll see which one of us can no longer step foot into the entertainment industry.’

***

Reporter Ahn Su-Jin stretched to chase away as much of her fatigue as possible. While she was all alone in the office during lunch, she recalled the nagging that the chief reporter had given during the morning meeting.

“Find a scoop, huh...?”

Her fellow reporters had been picking up one decent scoop after another, but she hadn’t been doing too well lately. She had done decently well until last year, but...

‘I’m not finding much this year.’

The chief had not directed his nagging at her, but she could tell that he was implying it.

‘Even if you say that, it’s not like a scoop is gonna drop into my arms from the sky.’

Creak.

As she was deep in thought, the old office door opened. A man with his hat pulled deeply down into his head approached Su-Jin.

“I have a package for you,” the man stated.

“A package?”

“Yes. Miss Ahn Su-Jin, correct?”

She found the man’s voice to be somewhat familiar. Her expression changed as soon as she checked the delivery man’s face.

“Y-You’re from that time...!”

Ma Yeong-Jun disguised as a delivery man handed Su-Jin something.

“What is this?” Su-Jin asked.

He answered, “The scoop that you want so much.”

1. Joseon was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting from 1392 to 1897.