A Genius Director Who Dominates OTT Platforms - Chapter 55

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

The Genius Director Who Dominates OTT

 

Episode 55

 

* * *

 

After finishing my conversation with Manager Gong Seok-jun, I left the SSK Building.

 

One week.

 

It was nowhere near enough time to secure a promise of several months from an actor.

 

But what I was worried about wasn’t the time.

 

It was the reason.

 

Of course, I wanted to use Kim Ra-un.

 

In some ways, I felt even greater desire and conviction than when I cast Eum Seong-hyeon.

 

Eum Seong-hyeon was inexperienced with no acting background, but Kim Ra-un was different.

 

But Kim Ra-un?

 

Did Kim Ra-un have a reason?

 

A reason for an actor who thought his career was ruined by my hands to choose me.

 

I couldn’t figure that out.

 

This was separate from my confidence in our drama’s success.

 

Just telling someone to take my hand because it could succeed was something said without understanding actors as a species.

 

Actors are people who must become strangers, not themselves, and immerse in new worlds and lives.

 

It’s not something you can do simply because you want success.

 

Of course, there are acting technicians who can do that, but Kim Ra-un wasn’t one of them at least.

 

After pondering for a long time in front of Kim Ra-un’s number displayed on my phone, I opened my contacts.

 

Sung Tae-chang, Seo Jae-yeon, Go Team Leader, President Yun…

 

I scrolled down through the contacts and my hand stopped at one name.

 

[Jae-hyeok]

 

I called, and it connected after just two rings.

 

“You answered right away?”

 

-Hey, do you know what time it is to be calling?

 

Oh, right.

 

He’s been in England lately.

 

“I forgot. What time is it now?”

 

-10 o’clock.

 

“AM?”

 

-Yeah.

 

“Isn’t that perfect timing to answer the phone?”

 

-It was nice timing. What’s up?

 

Unbelievable.

 

Why are there no sane people among the D.P alumni?

 

“Are you almost done filming? It feels like you’ve been in England for almost a year.”

 

-It’s ending, but it’s frustrating. If this were Korea, it would be a two-day cut, but we’ve been filming for two weeks.

 

“Two weeks? What takes so long?”

 

-Here, they stop filming when contractual work hours end. Then they make us wait 7 hours saying we need to wait for backlighting the next day.

 

“Seven hours?”

 

-Yeah. Wouldn’t it be better to just finish filming yesterday and rest this morning? Am I the weird one?

 

I’ve heard about this too.

 

Foreign countries have more human-friendly production environments unlike Korea.

 

Korea is human-oxidizing.

 

Actually, one reason OTT companies like K-dramas is because of the structure that grinds people up.

 

Even filming the same thing costs much less in production.

 

The fees are incomparably cheap compared to Hollywood stars too.

 

After that, I chatted with Jae-hyeok for a while.

 

Stories about England’s shitty weather, how the set food tastes bad, whether I’d ever seen hooligans setting fires, etc.

 

Nothing spectacular, but it was kind of interesting to listen to.

 

I feel like someday I’ll have a chance to film dramas abroad too.

 

-Oh, but why did you call?

 

“You’re quick to ask.”

 

-If you don’t like it, hang up.

 

“Your fans should hear this.”

 

-My fans are wise, so they filter out the bad words and only listen to the good ones.

 

“Are you a cult leader?”

 

After a brief laugh, I brought up the main topic.

 

“Hey. I have something I’m worried about, can you answer very objectively?”

 

-Yeah. Tell me.

 

“Why don’t I dislike Ra-un? I could have disliked him from when he was cast in my role.”

 

-Isn’t it because Seo Jae-yeon was being a total asshole?

 

“The aftermath was also a problem. Even when I said it was okay, he kept being uncomfortable. Wouldn’t I normally dislike him out of spite?”

 

A short silence flowed through the receiver, then an unexpected comment came.

 

-Hey, are you hated at SSK too?

 

“Hated?”

 

-There were tons of people who disliked you at D.P. Is it the same at SSK?

 

Why is he suddenly hitting a nerve?

 

I’m sure I asked a question related to Kim Ra-un.

 

But I can’t deny it.

 

“Why do people who dislike me appear in every organization I go to?”

 

-Because there’s no middle ground with you.

 

-You only have enemies or allies, right?

 

-Even without particularly different actions, if someone’s not an ally, they can feel you completely ignoring them.

 

I ignore others?

 

-Conversely, you treat people who enter your boundary incredibly well, so when they feel that sense of deprivation, they hate you more.

 

Thinking about it carefully, I don’t think that’s the case at the company.

 

There were employees at SSK with whom I maintained moderate relationships.

 

But thinking about what happened at D.P…

 

It might have been like that.

 

-Do you know what your standard is for dividing enemies and allies? Malice.

 

“Malice?”

 

-Yeah. Ra-un has no malice. Only desperation. He actually followed you around a lot too.

 

Not malice but desperation…

 

A thought flashed by.

 

-Ra-un avoided you not because he disliked you, but because he disliked himself for causing you trouble.

 

-That’s why Seo Jae-yeon kept being friends with him too. Well, he did periodically throw tantrums though.

 

“Then why does Ra-un want recognition from me? Even after becoming much more famous than me.”

 

-What? This is funny. You really don’t know that reason?

 

“I don’t get it?”

 

-Have you ever once praised Ra-un’s acting?

 

“What? Of course I have. I think Ra-un acts well.”

 

-You might have praised his works. It suits you well. It was filmed well. It’ll be a hit.

 

-But have you ever once thought Kim Ra-un’s acting was irreplaceable?

 

* * *

 

As the front door opened, a subtle woody fragrance hit my nose.

 

The first thing I saw was a space decorated like a bar in one corner of the spacious living room.

 

With an elegant wooden countertop and glass cups hanging in a row, it gave the feeling of a top star’s house that you’d only see in dramas.

 

But Kim Ra-un, the owner of all those things, couldn’t do the same.

 

His face, more gaunt than usual, looked cold even under the warm lighting.

 

“Please sit down.”

 

Sitting on the sofa, I pondered whether to use formal speech before opening my mouth.

 

“I came to talk about the next project.”

 

“Yes, I heard.”

 

“You received the script from Go Team Leader, right?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Did you read it?”

 

“Not yet.”

 

“To explain briefly, it’s a 16-episode series of 70-minute episodes set in the E-sports industry. The role I want to ask you to play is the protagonist Park Seong-hwa, a director who’s a former volleyball player.”

 

Pleasant words related to 【Caught at Fingertips】 poured from my mouth.

 

Regardless of our personal relationship, there were things that a production company employee coming for casting had to say.

 

It was around the time those necessary words were coming to an end.

 

Kim Ra-un, who had been just fidgeting with his cup while listening to me, raised his head.

 

“Thinking about it… you’re right, hyung. We’re even. I also stayed quiet when Director Jang was going after you.”

 

It was a calm voice.

 

“But separate from that, I don’t think I can shake hands with you as the winner when I’m the loser. I’m not that broad-minded.”

 

A very, very calm one.

 

“Still, one thing’s certain – I’m happy that you succeeded, hyung. I always felt guilty about succeeding by taking your roles… It’s good that feeling is gone now.”

 

Kim Ra-un looked straight at me and said.

 

“So I’ll cheer you on from afar. I mean it. But I’ll decline the casting.”

 

After Kim Ra-un finished speaking, silence lingered between us.

 

I struggled in the silence.

 

It wasn’t a struggle about how to persuade Kim Ra-un.

 

Rather…

 

It was a struggle between coming as a director versus coming as a senior actor.

 

But, damn.

 

I just can’t stand it.

 

“Hey, Kim Ra-un.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“I said acting emotionally is a bad habit of yours.”

 

“…Yes?”

 

“Don’t you remember when we did the second project? What happened when you acted emotionally back then too? You got completely edited out, right? That final film had 4 million viewers, 4 million. Your precious 3 years flew away as the price for not being able to control your emotions.”

 

As I got angry, old memories came flooding back.

 

It was always like this.

 

I scolded Seo Jae-yeon for lacking basic manners, and I scolded Kim Ra-un for not being able to hide his emotions.

 

Kim Ra-un was the type whose mouth would run if he didn’t like something even a little when he first met someone.

 

How could a rookie actor act like that in front of a director?

 

It wasn’t even like he was charging forward with some firm conviction.

 

By the way, I scolded Jae-hyeok hyung for his poor basic attitude, no, I gave him advice.

 

“Jae-hyeok hyung said this. The reason I don’t hate you is because you have no malice. You were just desperate.”

 

“…”

 

“Thinking about it, that’s true. If it had been another actor who succeeded under Director Go instead of you, I probably would have felt a bit bitter.”

 

I mean it.

 

It was only because it was Kim Ra-un that I was okay with it.

 

“So you look at me too. Do you think I had any malice toward you? Don’t be emotionally nitpicky, look at the situation.”

 

Kim Ra-un quietly averted his eyes.

 

“Don’t blame me for Youngpal’s collapse. That happened because PD Oh Ji-tae screwed up.”

 

“…”

 

“Don’t blame me for rejecting this project either. If you’re going to reject it, read the script as an actor and then reject it. Got it?”

 

Ah, damn.

 

This isn’t what I came here to do.

 

Belated regret washed over me, but Kim Ra-un met my eyes that he had been avoiding.

 

“Then let me ask you as the producer, hyung. What’s the reason for giving me this script?”

 

There are many pleasant things to say.

 

I thought of you as soon as I saw the script.

 

Kim Ra-un playing Park Seong-hwa is irreplaceable.

 

I’ve never even considered anyone else as a second choice, etc…

 

But what I wanted to say now wasn’t that.

 

“You haven’t watched Accomplice yet. You probably haven’t even seen the trailer. You turn your head when you see it on the street, and swipe past when it shows up in shorts.”

 

“…”

 

“Watch Accomplice. And read this script.”

 

If you still don’t understand why I gave you this script…

 

Even if you say you want to do it, I’ll be the one to reject you.

 

That was the last thing I said.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————