Chapter 266: Masterpiece (3)

Megan Stone, a famous casting director in Hollywood, brushed her brown bob hair while looking at the project plan in her hand. Her expression was stern, giving off a very serious vibe. The project plan she was reviewing had many elements mixed in, but as a casting director, her focus was mainly on the basic premise and the synopsis.

‘Universal Movies’, a Hollywood distribution and film company, was a giant in the industry, ranking in the top five.

Given that the synopsis was chosen by such a company, it couldn’t be uninteresting.

Megan Stone also thought the same. The premise and synopsis were interesting. The motif was ‘Jekyll and Hyde’, with the addition of dissociative identity disorder.

In other words, it meant multiple or the coexistence of several personalities.

Megan Stone somehow felt intrigued by the brief information contained in the synopsis.

‘Kang Woojin would… fit this very well.’

She thought of the Korean actor Kang Woojin. More specifically, she remembered Kang Woojin’s acting during the shooting of ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger’ she had seen in Japan. Megan Stone hadn’t spent much time observing Woojin’s acting. But the impact was sufficient even with that brief encounter.

Even now, wasn’t it clear?

If Woojin’s acting was still vivid in her mind even after coming to Hollywood, it spoke volumes. It was safe to say Megan Stone was already captivated by Kang Woojin.

‘At that time, Kang Woojin’s acting was as if he switched between multiple personas in just a few seconds. Yes, just like someone with multiple personalities. No, he was a person with multiple personalities. At least for that moment.’

The act of changing faces as if it were nothing. Yet, it flowed naturally, like water. It wasn’t noticeable. It was acting that was hard to believe even while watching. No, it was close to madness.

‘After finishing his acting, he returned to his original self as if it was a lie. Changing between roles and himself was monstrous.’

But it wasn’t just that insane acting that made Megan hold Kang Woojin in high regard.

‘It wasn’t even a scene where his charm exploded. Yet, with just a few lines, that short performance, he captivated over a hundred people.’

Aura. Yes, Kang Woojin was full of the aura of a star. At least, that’s how it seemed to Megan Stone, who had been a casting director in the colossal Hollywood.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

‘…If it’s him, he’ll pull off this role incredibly. To the point where people will be astonished.’

At that moment.

“Megan, how is it?”

From the opposite side of Megan Stone, who was sitting on the sofa, came a voice in English. It was a man’s voice.

“I didn’t expect you to look at it so intently?”

There were three people sitting in front of her. Two foreign men and one woman, each with a distinct appearance. They looked quite old. Naturally, they were executives from the giant distribution and film company ‘Universal Movies’.

“The director is still undecided, but the production is confirmed.”

Megan Stone, lowering the project plan she was reviewing, responded while looking at the chubby foreign man among those sitting in front of her.

“I see. So, who is the executive producer?”

“Joseph Felton is the top candidate. We’ve already made the offer and are waiting for his response. Haha, although he’s a very busy producer, we want him. Ah, Megan, you’ve worked with Joseph on a project before, right?”

Recalling the giant Joseph from ‘Last Kill 3’, Megan nodded.

“Yes. A few times in the past. Do you have a list of potential directors by any chance?”

For reference, Hollywood’s film production system is different from Korea’s in many ways. For instance, directors. In Korea, directors have full authority, but in Hollywood, it’s not quite the same. They are more like hired directors. Although they are not entirely without influence, they are not as dominant as in Korea. Strictly speaking, in Hollywood, the executive producer holds more power.

Nevertheless, the position of a director is still respected.

Anyway, an executive from ‘Universal Movies’ responded.

“Of course. But it’s still difficult to disclose. Please understand.”

“It’s okay.”

“But from our side, we also want you, Megan. How about working with us on this project?”

It was a contact from ‘Universal Movies’, the top predator in Hollywood. Megan had no reason to refuse. However, she also had a significant presence in this industry. Giving an immediate answer would be foolish.

“Thank you. But please give me some time.”

“Sure. But if it takes too long, I’ll be in a difficult position.”

“I’ll contact you next week.”

“Good.”

The meeting was proceeding smoothly. At this point, Megan changed the subject.

“If this synopsis is handed over to the writers and a script is produced—does ‘Universal Movies’ have any thoughts on using Asian actors? For example, Korean actors.”

The executives of ‘Universal Movies’ tilted their heads slightly.

“Korean actors?”

The chubby man who seemed to be of the highest rank among them laughed.

“It depends on the eyes of the producer and director. We’ll use any actor who fits the role, anyone whose acting can move us or the public. Why do you ask?”

“I’m a casting director. I need to know the firm intentions of the production company in advance. Sometimes even when an actor fits the role, they get stopped because of their nationality.”

“Ah, I see. Don’t worry, whether they’re Korean actors or Hollywood actors, if they fit the role well, we’ll use them. Acting is the most important thing.”

The chubby executive’s smile deepened.

“Even if they’re an alien, for that matter.”

Around lunchtime in Korea.

A film had just ended in the largest screening room of a major multiplex cinema in Gangnam. To be precise, the press screening of ‘Island of the Missing’ had just concluded. Soon, the end credits of the movie began to roll on the giant front screen, and the dimly lit theater’s lights brightened.

Immediately.

-Swish.

Numerous reporters and critics who had just finished watching ‘Island of the Missing’ raised both their hands.

-Clap clap clap clap clap clap!

-Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap!

Applause poured out. It was a sight rarely seen at a typical press screening. Of course, it could have been because the director was the renowned Kwon Ki-taek, but this was not just a matter of formality.

-Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap!

The applause from the reporters and critics was filled with sincere praise. Their expressions all bore smiles that said, “It was fun”. Then, the actors, including the warm director Kwon Ki-taek, who had been sitting in a row in the front seats, stood up and bowed. The indifferent Kang Woojin did the same.

Though Woojin maintained his concept, he bowed deeply.

‘It’s completely different from what I saw in the test screening??! Amazing. It was so much fun, it’s still fun no matter how many times I watch it.’

Inside, he was making a fuss. It was true that the quality had improved compared to the test screening, but he was biased. Anyway, after greeting the reporters and critics for the last time, Woojin and the actors left. The reporters remaining in the theater were checking the photos they had taken today while packing their bags.

At the same time.

“Wow- ‘Island of the Missing’ was better than I thought? Honestly, I’ve been disappointed by films that relied on the director’s reputation and the actors’ fame, so I didn’t have high expectations this time either.”

“Better? Just better? That’s an understatement! I was holding my pee while watching it.”

The evaluations of the gathered reporters followed one after another. Thanks to this, the buzzing in the theater quickly amplified.

“As expected of Director Kwon Ki-taek. His direction is something else—this film is going to skyrocket, whenever I find a movie fun, it always does well.”

“Haha, Reporter Kim, you’ve fallen for it properly this time? But, indeed, compared to the recently released films, the quality is ridiculously high. There’s nothing to fault with the fun, tension, and story.”

“When that strange creature appeared, I thought it was going to be a hunting movie… but in the end, humans were the monsters.”

“Hey, no spoilers.”

Of course, not all the reporters were full of praise.

“Was it fun? I thought it was going downhill once the strange creature appeared.”

“Did you? Hmm—well, I didn’t understand some parts either. Overall, it felt a bit boring. Forced suspense, maybe?”

“Yeah, that. What a shame. Maybe I had too high expectations because it’s a Kwon Ki-taek film?”

“It had a big scale but felt lacking in substance.”

However, these were a very small minority. Most of the reporters gave very generous scores.

“There were no weak links in the acting, right?”

“That’s right, that’s the key. If you take actors who can’t act through backdoor connections, the whole movie gets ruined. It’s so much better when there’s nothing distracting.”

At least 80 points and many give it 100.

“Ryu Jung-min’s form has improved since ‘Hanryang’, and Ha Yu-ra, I thought she’d struggle a bit due to her hiatus, but she did well.”

“They have experience, so it’s understandable… but what about Kang Woojin? From the midsection onwards, his acting made me think he’s a real madman.”

“Ah—honestly, Kang Woojin’s acting is unparalleled—some tabloid said he’s possessed by a ghost, but I think he’s possessed by the god of acting. Ah, this is a good quote. I should use it in my article.”

“Best Supporting Actor? No, it should be Best Actor. He’ll 100% win the Best Actor award next year, that guy.”

“With this level of quality, I think it’ll easily surpass 5 million viewers, right? What’s the BEP (break-even point)?”

“Looking at the scale and the caliber of actors, it’s probably around 5 million.”

The reporters dispersed one by one after getting comments from the critics who attended.

“No… was I the only one who got goosebumps when Kang Woojin was switching back and forth in scene with Ryu Jung-min, showing different faces?”

Remembering the impact of the actor Kang Woojin.

Later.

Articles about ‘Island of the Missing’ began to spread in the media.

『Director Kwon Ki-taek’s anticipated work ‘Island of the Missing’ holds its first press screening today… Reporters full of praise』

Numerous reporters who attended the press screening moved quickly.

『[Photo] The main cast of ‘Island of the Missing’! Ryu Jung-min, Kang Woojin, Ha Yu-ra, and others double thumbs up / Photo』

『‘All positive reviews’, Critics attending the ‘Island of the Missing’ screening had bright expressions』

It was indeed genuine. Even though they watched the movie for free, the reporters who attended the screening were quite harsh. If the movie wasn’t good, they would write negative articles mercilessly. However, currently, there were no criticisms about ‘Island of the Missing’.

『“No weak links in acting”, The reason why ‘Island of the Missing’ is highly anticipated』

But the screening wasn’t the end. There were still weeks until the release. In other words, the marketing, advertising, and promotion for ‘Island of the Missing’ were now officially in full swing. Of course, it had been ongoing before, but with about three weeks left until release, it needed to be intensified several times over.

After about two days.

April ended, and May began. On Monday, May 3rd. Around the time when the promotion for ‘Island of the Missing’ was dominating various social media.

『The release date of ‘Island of the Missing’, originally May 20th, has been moved to May 19th… targeting Buddha’s Birthday』

『On the public holiday, ‘Island of the Missing’ grand release on May 19th』

Kang Woojin departed for Japan once again.

『[Star Talk] With the release of ‘Island of the Missing’ just around the corner… Kang Woojin greets reporters as he departs for Japan / Photo』

It was an unavoidable choice due to a packed schedule. Woojin would return to Korea around the end of May. In short, he would have to hear about the release of ‘Island of the Missing’ from Japan. Regardless, even if Kang Woojin wasn’t in Korea, the projects related to him didn’t stop.

Especially, ‘Leech’.

“Cut, NG. Hee-ryung-ssi, I need more anguish in your eyes.”

“Yes. Director~nim, understood—”

“Let’s go again.”

‘Leech’ was like a runaway train. Whether Kang Woojin was on set or not, it was the same. The flow and pace increased day by day. With sleep reduced to a minimum, director Ahn Ga-bok often stayed up all night.

He had to handle both filming and rough editing simultaneously.

It was impossible to meet the Cannes Film Festival’s schedule without overexertion.

Then, on the 4th.

Audience previews for ‘Island of the Missing’ were held in cinemas across the country. Naturally, it was an event for promotion and marketing, and not only many audience members but also acquaintances of the actors from ‘Island of the Missing’ were invited. For example, in Kang Woojin’s case, PD Song Man-woo and writer Choi Na-na from ‘Beneficial Evil’.

“Wow— this is my first time being invited to a preview. It’s fascinating…”

“Unfortunately, it will be hard to see our Woojin-ssi.”

“Sorry?? Do you mean the actors are coming too?”

“I heard there’s a scheduled stage greeting. Except for Woojin-ssi, who went to Japan, the other actors will probably come.”

“Amazing.”

“Well, we’ll have to be content with seeing Woojin-ssi in the film.”

“I’m so excited… I saw the trailer and Woojin-nim’s character is really unpredictable.”

“Haha, me too. I’m curious what kind of performance will turn the audience upside down this time. Anyway, the impact will be different from ‘Drug Dealer’s’ Lee Sang-man. It was a big deal back then, but this time he’s the main lead.”

Kim So-hyang, the executive director, and other senior staff from Netflix Korea were also present. Of course, many people who had connections from past projects were there. Director Shin Dong-chun of ‘Exorcism’, as well as those from ‘Profiler Hanryang’, ‘Male Friend’, and others.

Hwalin was also invited but.

“I’ll pass. I want to watch Woojin-nim’s movie at night with full focus. Yes, as a fan, not a colleague.”

She seemed to intend to watch the movie more as a fan rather than at the preview. Director Kim Do-hee and actors from ‘Drug Dealer’ were also present.

“Finally, Woojin-ssi’s lead film is being released. But, Director~nim, why does your face look—”

“Sigh… My feelings are a bit mixed. I should be supporting, but it feels like it might surpass ‘Drug Dealer’.”

“I also have a bit of a bittersweet feeling, but isn’t that how the film industry always is? I have more expectations than regrets. I wonder what kind of monster Woojin-ssi will play this time instead of Lee Sang-man.”

“I feel the same. Just thinking about it makes me anxious. Let’s hurry in.”

Star writer Lee Wol-seon of ‘Freezing Love’ also made an appearance. Although not everyone gathered at one cinema, it was a gathering of significant figures nonetheless.

The atmosphere heated up.

However, this explosive scene wasn’t only for ‘Island of the Missing’. In the film industry, May, the Family Month, is the start of the peak season. From May to about September, due to summer, Family Month, school vacations, and the holiday season, the number of cinema-goers increases several times more than usual.

Of course, this was a green light for ‘Island of the Missing’, and its release date was set to target the peak season.

The problem was.

『On Buddha’s Birthday, May 19th, four films including ‘Island of the Missing’ will be released, starting the peak season in earnest』

This meant that a lot of new films would be released. Several blockbuster films by famous directors and films starring top actors. Naturally, popular Hollywood movies would also be released one after another. Domestic distributors and foreign film importers wouldn’t miss the peak season either.

In other words.

『The current cinema landscape is a ‘bloody battlefield’, with numerous new films competing. Who will be the winner? Attention focused on selecting ‘tentpole films’』

There was an abundance of competing films against ‘Island of the Missing’.