Chapter 36: Hanryang (2)

Translator: Dreamscribe

The bomb dropped on Director Woo Hyun-goo around lunchtime on the 23rd had become a nuclear bomb by the same night, scattered all over the internet. The quantity was overwhelming.

『Victims of the movie mogul, Director Woo Hyun-goo: ‘The director openly molested me’ 』

There had never been chaos like this before.

Woo Hyun-goo’s huge reputation added to the first filthy issue related to the entertainment industry this year. Thus, a booster was attached to the spreading flames, and the entertainment world was frozen in an instant.

Given the situation.

-Shocking!! The hidden vile side of Master Director Woo Hyun-goo! To him, sexual harassment was a drug?! All the victims wept.

-IssueKingTV

-Views 3,107,335 / 2020. 3. 23

The video of ‘IssueKingTV’, which launched the bomb, achieved 3 million views. The ripple was massive. Not only in various communities, but also on SNS and YouTube, etc., the ugly true face of Director Woo Hyun-goo was spreading very fast.

-Wow… I can’t believe I watched that bastard’s movie… so disgusting…

-LOL you old man, shouldn’t you act your age???? Idiot

-Please investigate properly so the victims get justice

Face reading is science, right? LOL! He looks just like what he is.

-Hope he receives several times the pain he inflicted on others.

-I’m going to throw up

-‘Master’ LOL… he’s just an old bastard.

-Take down all the criminal Woo Hyun-goo’s movies

·

·

·

·

It has now gone beyond manageable levels. Director Woo Hyun-goo appeared in the TV news, marking the day’s finale.

『Victims claiming to have been sexually harassed by the so-called maestro, Director Woo Hyun-goo, are popping up everywhere. This is Kim Dae-bin reporting.』

Appearing not only on the internet but also on TV, it was clear that the situation would become more serious by tomorrow morning through radio and word of mouth. While the train to hell for Director Woo Hyun-goo was speeding up, various people were busy discussing about Kang Woojin.

Such as PD Song Man-woo and writer Park Eun-mi.

“Eh? Really? Something like that happened without my knowing??”

“That’s what I’m saying. I didn’t tell Writer Park so that you can focus on writing.”

“···Goodness.”

Even Choi Sung-gun and Hong Hye-yeon, from the same agency.

“Do you think Kang Woojin’s family is shamanic?”

“······Speak sensibly.”

“You never know! We don’t know anything about his past or personal matters.”

“Anyway, what if Woojin had impulsively joined that bastard Woo Hyun-goo? Why was such a guy hidden until now? I can’t ignore Woojin’s intuition in the future.”

On the other hand, some were unfazed by the uproar, focusing on their work. It was Director Shin Dong-chun, stuck in the editing room of the production company for ‘Exorcism’. Including the editors, Director Shin Dong-chun was in a state where his stubble was growing rough.

“Let’s rewind the last cut once more.”

“··Yes.”

All three were so engrossed in editing that they looked miserable. Dark circles under their eyes and all. They looked like homeless people.

“But Director Dong-chun, this guy Kang Woojin? He’s a rookie, right? The more I watch, the crazier his acting seems.”

“Hmm, honestly, the camera didn’t capture everything. If you see it directly on the spot, you’ll be speechless.”

“I can imagine. How does this expression come from a rookie? It feels pitiful and desolate, but his eyes are full of tension. It’s amazing.”

“The expression is intense. No, this should be seen as if he experienced the situation hundreds of times. That’s how much he analyzed the scenario.”

“I’ve only edited movies for over ten years, but even veterans rarely produce such expressions. He’s a promising rookie with a bright future.”

Director Shin Dong-chun, felt a bit regretful about the cuts that had just been completed. The more he saw Kang Woojin’s acting on the monitor, the more lacking the editing seemed.

‘Is it really okay to be satisfied with this?’

The ingredients were too good. It felt like the editing was killing the tone given the quality of the ingredients. Especially since ‘Exorcism’ was a short film and was to be entered in a film festival. The situation was different from commercial films that gathered tickets with star power. They had to put in multiple times the effort into editing.

There are many movies that get ruined in the later stage of editing.

Ultimately, a movie is born from the hands of a director. No matter how amazing the actor’s performance is, if the director’s competence is lacking, the movie receives the stigma of being a failure. Director Shin Dong-chun didn’t want to give Kang Woojin such a shoddy stigma.

It would be a betrayal of the affection and passion received.

‘Better to be arrogant than to earn a disgraceful name.’

Director Shin Dong-chun was envisioning a picture where Woojin’s nose would be lifted high due to the high quality of the work.

“We can’t do this. Let’s make some revisions to this cut and the one before it.”

“···Yes?? Director, this is already the third time we’re editing here. Aren’t we running a bit tight on time?”

“No. Even if it’s ten or hundred times, if it’s not good enough, it has to be fixed. The actor has shown such sincerity in his acting, how can the director ruin it with editing?”

“Well, that’s true. But will you ever be satisfied? Being too greedy could backfire.”

“Let’s try again. There was a full shot excluding this cut bust, right? I’ll try putting that together.”

“Ah… yes, yes.”

Director Shin Dong-chun gradually became more determined and awakened.

A little more, a little more, just a little bit more.

‘Even if it can’t be perfect, it must be properly completed.’n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Meanwhile, Kang Woojin, who was at the center of all this,

– Thud!

had just entered the void space. It was to delete Director Woo Hyun-goo’s ‘Negotiation’ scenario. The interesting part is,

“Huh?”

Woojin, who saw white rectangles in the endless dark void, tilted his head.

Precisely, he had seen the white rectangle of ‘Exorcism’.

“It went up suddenly?”

The reason was simple.

– [1/Scenario (Title: Exorcism), A Grade]

Because the grade of ‘Exorcism’ had risen to A grade.

The next day, in the morning.

Choi Sung-gun introduced new team members to Kang Woojin, who had arrived at bw Entertainment. A road manager and a stylist. Including Choi Sung-gun as the overall manager, there were only three people, but Kang Woojin could handle it.

“This is Jang Su-hwan, who will be your road manager! And this is Han Ye-jung, who will be your stylist. By the way, Han Ye-jung came over from Hye-yeon’s team.”

Seeing Jang Su-hwan, the road manager, Woojin’s first impression was, he looks exactly like Kim Dae-young. Because he was big and burly.

‘If I put him together with Kim Dae-young, there won’t be any fights.’

However, Jang Su-hwan had a rather thin and immature voice compared to his large body.

“Hello! Woojin, bro! I’m younger, so please treat me comfortably!”

The stark contrast between his bear-like physique and thin voice put Kang Woojin in a crisis. He almost burst into laughter as he overlapped with his friend Kim Dae-young. Damn you, Kim Dae-young. No matter what happened, Kang Woojin swallowed his laughter and greeted him.

“Please take care of me.”

Next was the stylist, Han Ye-jung. She had black short hair with streaks of green in it. Her voice was a bit rough.

“Hello, I’m younger than you too. I’ve already seen the concept for ‘Hanryang’ style, and I’m preparing the clothes.”

“Yes, please take care of me.”

To both, Kang Woojin concluded with a concept-filled greeting. Seeing him, Jang Su-hwan and Han Ye-jung muttered a brief review in their minds.

‘He’s a bro with a heavy atmosphere, right? But he seems nice! I have to work hard.’

‘He’s quite chic for a rookie.’

Choi Sung-gun looked around at the four, including himself and Kang Woojin, and laughed heartily.

“So this is Team Kang Woojin, haha! Let’s all do our best!”

It was the moment when Kang Woojin’s first team was formed.

At that time, at a major film company.

MV Films, a large film company located near Sinnonhyeon station, was not only involved in commercial movies but also produced art films. Of course, the main area was commercial, but they also had a significant number of awards in art films.

As a result, there were many unfamiliar posters displayed in the lobby.

In a medium-sized conference room of such MV Films, an old man was sitting alone in the middle of the U-shaped desk. It was the warm and friendly veteran director, Kwon Ki-taek.

“Hmm-“

He was sitting alone, looking at the tablet screen. Articles about Director Woo Hyun-goo, which had been the talk of the town since yesterday, were being displayed.

“Tsk, stupid guy.”

The pot-bellied Director Kwon Ki-taek clicked his tongue. When this kind of incident occurs, the film industry freezes. Even though he didn’t get along with Director Woo Hyun-goo, he couldn’t feel good because of the time they spent together and other various reasons.

“Well, what can we do. He brought this upon himself.”

But there was no turning back now. Even at this moment, various portal sites were filled with news about Director Woo Hyun-goo. His criminal act was not light either.

In other words,

“It’s over for him.”

Director Woo Hyun-goo’s illustrious career ends here. No ending credits were needed. His impressive filmography would turn into ashes and disappear. At least, that’s what Director Kwon Ki-taek thought.

Soon, he sighed softly and shook his head as he did.

-Knock knock.

There was a knock on the glass door of the conference room. Several men entered. The man leading the way paused for a moment. It was because of Director Kwon Ki-taek’s stern expression.

“Ah, director. Should we come back later?”

As if it was okay, Director Kwon Ki-taek gave a faint smile.

“No, it’s fine. Let’s start.”

Soon, the men sat across from Director Kwon Ki-Taek, and a man with small eyes handed over the papers and transparent files he brought to Director Kwon.

“First, director. You can start by checking the military uniform concept.”

“Hmm.”

“We’ve only prepared the top and bottom for now.”

Director Kwon Ki-Taek, who had been looking down at the concept for a while, was focusing intensely on something important. Then Director Kwon Ki-Taek raised his index finger.

“Let’s narrow it down to these three. This one, this one, and this one.”

“Understood.”

The man with small eyes who was collecting the concepts nodded and changed the subject abruptly.

“Director, what about tomorrow’s schedule? You said you’re going to the first shooting site of ‘Profiler Hanryang’.”

“I have to go. I got the time and place, and I’ve already told PD Song, so there shouldn’t be any problems.”

“How about the number of people?”

“Just the three of us, including you and me. We can’t disturb someone else’s important site. We need to be unnoticeable. We just need to quietly watch Ryu Jung-min’s performance and leave.”

“But do you really need to go and see it yourself? The rumors about improving acting quality might just be rumors.”

“Well, I have to go and check. Seeing Ryu Jung-min in person might alleviate my concerns.”

Director Kwon Ki-Taek crossed his arms and smiled.

“It would be nice to know if he has really improved his acting skills, and if so, why.”

On the 25th, early in the morning.

Around 8 a.m., the location was a massive set complex in Ilsan. A place where seven studios, each looking like a warehouse at first glance, were combined. Each studio was huge. Despite being early in the morning, the front of ‘Studio A’ was crowded.

Numerous minibuses and vans.

There were at least ten vehicles, and all had ‘Profiler Hanryang’ attached to their front windows. Dozens of people poured out of these vehicles.

“Let’s start with the shooting team setting up! Please prepare while checking the shooting storyboard!”

“Our team doesn’t have a walkie-talkie!”

“Ah! Here’s the walkie-talkie!”

At a glance, there seemed to be more than 50 people. As soon as they got out of the cars, they started moving around frantically. Although not orderly, their eyes all looked the same – a passionate one.

Around this time.

-Swish.

A goateed man got out of the van in the very first parking space. He looked tired. Of course, it was PD Song man-woo. He was holding a script in one hand and, while looking at the large studio set in front of him, stretched out.

“Ugh! Hooh- It’s starting.”

What was starting was an easy answer.

The first shoot.

Starting from today, Wednesday the 25th, the lid is lifted on the first shoot of ‘Profiler Hanryang’, which major actors have participated in. That’s why all dozens of staff members had determination in their eyes. Of course, the overall person in charge of the scene, PD Song man-woo, was no exception.

At that time.

-Beep!

A voice from a staff member came from the small walkie-talkie clipped to his waist.

“PD! Please check the props in the interrogation room!!”

“Yeah, I’m coming.”

PD Song man-woo and his directing team entered the set.

An hour later.

-Squeak!

A familiar black van arrived at the parking lot filled with staff cars. Following that, a man with a cynical expression got out of the back of the van.

“……”

He looked emotionlessly straight ahead. But his feelings, as he looked up at the large set studio, were not so calm.

‘Wow- this is insane, isn’t it huge?’

He was Kang Woojin, the actor playing the role of ‘Park Dae-ri’, and he was the first actor to arrive on the scene. Anyway, as he was admiring the large studio without showing his awe.

‘It looks exactly like a logistics center, doesn’t it?’

Three men naturally brushed past Woojin. Of course, Kang Woojin didn’t notice as he was looking at the studio.

However.

-Swish.

Of the three, the one in the lead, a man with a warm aura, wearing a mask, i.e., the Master Director Kwon Ki-Taek – glanced back briefly at Kang Woojin, who was looking up at the large studio set expressionlessly.

‘He looks surprised. Is it his first time at a large set complex? He seems like an actor, but I’ve never seen his face before.’

Then, moving his steps again, Director Kwon Ki-Taek let out a faint smile.

“Is he a newcomer? How cute.”

He muttered to himself quietly.

“I wonder if he’ll make a mistake while acting out of nervousness.”

*****

TL:

*****