If I Don’t Earn 1 Trillion Won, My Regression Ends - Chapter 76

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 76

It was a film overview that included box office indicators.

After confirming the outstanding box office performance, I didn’t even have time to feel relieved.

“456%?”

Why did the profit rate double?!

After a moment of confusion, I frantically scrambled around not knowing the cause, changing hairstyles dozens of times before finally realizing.

Pixie cut.

Munsul’s hairstyle was the factor of change!

After pondering, I soon understood without much difficulty.

Right. For an iconic character to be born, character traits and acting skills are important, but above all, a striking visual is essential.

Like Mathilda’s choppy bangs in 《Léon》, Trinity’s slicked-back hair in 《The Matrix》, and Leeloo’s neon orange bob in 《The Fifth Element》.

For any character to transcend time, they need an equally intense and symbolic style.

So this data was telling me that the character ‘Munsul’ had the potential to boost theater revenue if only the visual was properly established.

In other words, a character that attracts otakus like a swarm of bees!

Those big spenders with strange financial sense who pay their own money to watch the same movie with the same cast and content multiple times, satisfied that they got their money’s worth by seeing it before it left theaters.

So I couldn’t back down. I couldn’t!

My primary goal was to become a well-behaved actor, the directors’ wannabe actor, and get recognized as an industry pick, but there’s no mercy when it comes to box office success.

I tried to have an intellectual conversation befitting someone who’s young on the outside but mature inside, but communication with the stubborn director was absolutely impossible.

This is do or die. Let’s go with an extreme move.

“Fine. Director, listening to you, how prett-“

“If you want a fake Mathilda, you should have brought Natalie Portman!”

Waaah! I loaded up and burst into tears.

“I hate you, Director! I studied too, but you always look for Mathilda! Always comparing! You only like the famous Natalie Portman and hate unknown Sing-a! Director only likes white people! He likes white! He likes white! Waaah!”

Just then, a Black staff member was passing by outside the trailer, so I threw in some racism accusations for good measure.

“Cl-close the door! What are you doing?!”

“Waaah! He likes white!”

“Shh, shush! Shut up!”

Haemun frantically closed the door and pointed at me, his face red.

“When did I ever compare you to Natalie Portman?!”

“You did…! When we first met, you showed me Léon and said she did that when she was twelve, so I better be prepared if I can’t do as well as her… sob sob!”

“It’s true that she filmed it when she was twelve! What did I say wrong?!”

The production company CEO and staff, who had been chuckling and shaking their heads thinking the young actor was just fooling around, all looked at Haemun coldly like he was trash.

“So it was true…”

“How could he say that to a child… No wonder she wanted to shave her head…?”

“Director’s got foreign disease… I could tell when he started chanting about Cannes.”

“Hey man. Take it easy. Even if you’re friends, tsk.”

Public opinion shifted dramatically.

With the flustered Haemun behind her, Jinju Manager spread out concept photos in front of me with a loving expression.

“Choose one, Sing-a. Your sister will cut it so cool and chic that you won’t even think of Mathilda. I stake the honor of Koreans at Cheongdam-dong Hair Salon on it.”

“Thank you, Jinju Manager!”

“Oh my? You already memorized my name? What a good girl~.”

When you repeat rehearsals infinitely, you automatically memorize them.

I smiled shyly, covering my mouth among the makeup team sisters.

When I called out each of their names without missing any, the sisters let out screams of admiration.

“So cute~! Isn’t she a genius? How can she be so smart?”

“Look how warm her cheeks got from crying. So soft~.”

“I’ve been wanting to touch them since earlier. How can her skin be so smooth? If only that bearded man wasn’t throwing a fit…”

The atmosphere became very warm and harmonious.

Haemun, who had been pacing restlessly like an ant on a heated stone after being ostracized, lifted his chin.

“Seosing-a, you! We’ll cut it first, but if it doesn’t give the feeling I want, I’ll put a wig on you! This is a director’s demand! Remember that!”

“Yes~.”

“…Don’t regret it! You seem to take wigs lightly, but do you know how stuffy and uncomfortable they are? Especially in this weather!”

“Yes~.”

“…”

Haemun was speechless facing little Seosing-a who had returned to obedient mode, breathing roughly, but surprisingly, no one paid him any attention.

“Manager, not too short please. Long pixie, asymmetrical but don’t cut the bangs, leave them long. You know, that pretty young master feeling.”

“Ah~ I know what you mean. Twiggy style, right? Our actress has a clear picture of what she wants?”

“Hehe.”

‘Of course.’

It would be stupid to know the ‘answer key’ and not use it.

I smiled with my eyes and sat up straight facing the mirror.

And a few minutes later.

After Jinju Manager put away the cutting scissors and neatly brushed away all the remaining hair.

“…”

“…”

“…Wow.”

A quiet gasp spread through the trailer.

Everyone was speechless.

Noh Man-yeong approached Haemun, who stood silent with his arms crossed.

Haemun reflected in the mirror in front of me.

The young master didn’t look like the same person who had been frivolously acting up just moments before. His eyes had become serious, like a completely different person.

CEO Noh Man-yeong whispered quietly to him.

“Hey. This is going to be a huge hit…?”

♧

Sorrento, Day 4.

It was the first day of filming.

The first scene was the train station scene where ‘Sel’ returns from boarding school.

The movie is a semi-period piece set in the 50s-60s.

The era of ‘La Dolce Vita (The Sweet Life)’ when post-war reconstruction was complete and the luxury and pleasure of European high society reached its peak.

It was the optimal time for a handsome and mysterious con artist to operate.

The production company put an actual vintage train on the tracks with cooperation from the Italian Railway Authority to recreate 1950s Sorrento Station.

As the opening scene of the movie, it was a very important scene with a significant portion of the 6 billion won production budget invested.

“Wow~ hyung. Are you okay? It’s really suffocatingly hot.”

The stylist was sweating profusely while fanning vigorously between Bae Seo-nyeok’s shirt collar.

Still, unlike him in sleeveless attire, the actor was bundled up in uniform.

July in Sorrento was blazingly hot.

2003 was the year of the most record-breaking heatwave in European history.

Sorrento, located on the Mediterranean coast, had the seaside humidity added to it, making the perceived temperature range between 45°C and 50°C. It was literally dizzying.

“D-Director, they say the rail temperature is too high right now so they can’t keep the train there long. They want it finished in 10 minutes-“

“Fucking hell, this isn’t a joke. 10 minutes? Who are they kidding? Those pig bastards taking money and eating it up.”

“Director…”

“Get lost!”

I could hear Haemun throwing a fit in the distance.

The tent area in front of the monitors where the director, assistant director, and script supervisor huddled together would be even more like a steamer because of the light-blocking screen.

“Train coming in! Cast members, get in position! Everybody, listen up! Get your positions!”

Bae Seo-nyeok silently pushed away the fan and checked his blocking.

A staff member clapped the slate. Clap!

“1-1, Take one!”

“Everyone focus. Roll.”

The director’s voice sank low and heavy.

The staff held their breath.

Beyond the bulky CRT monitor, Haemun watched the actors. Sweat dripped from his focused chin.

“Action.”

[SC#1] Sorrento Train Station – Platform (Day)

A station filled with bustling crowds.

Between the steam locomotive busily puffing white smoke, passengers crossed paths.

Foreign tourists, porters carrying trunks, wealthy people visiting their villas, and so on.

Summer Sorrento was a playground where gold rolled around like pebbles.

Among the excited crowds, a young girl standing alone in her school uniform stood out distinctly.

A station attendant approached and gently snatched the leather trunk from her hands.

“[Excuse me, signorina? Let me carry your luggage.]”

Their eyes met. The station attendant flinched.

It was the uniform of a boarding school famous for being strict in the area.

The skirt that tightly cinched the waist, the crisp shirt collar without a wrinkle was as stuffy and feminine as its reputation.

But when she removed her beret—

Her short hair, neatly combed down like a young nobleman’s, fully revealed the girl’s delicate features.

With nothing to hide behind like bothersome hair, one couldn’t help but focus automatically on her face, especially her eyes.

One couldn’t dare guess her gender or age.

She seemed like some transcendent being, and the station attendant was momentarily mesmerized.

“[Thank you, signore. How very kind of you.]”

A sweet voice.

It was perfect standard-accented Italian.

But her eyes, amber-colored in the sunlight, were cynical.

The station attendant knelt in front of the girl to pick up the remaining trunks. As if by accident, her finger brushed his cap and knocked it off.

“[I made a mistake.]”

Seli said. Lowering her head to his ear.

“You’ve become cheap again while I was away. Father.”

“….”

“Cut! Bae Seo-nyeok! You bastard, snap out of it?!”

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