Chapter 188
I will live as an actor, episode 188,
10 years later.
After finishing the interview, PD Kim had a look of satisfaction on his face. I was filming a documentary about actor Jang Young-guk.
Although he was already a world-famous actor, ironically, there was no widely known information about him.
Because he was a person who adhered to mysticism.
‘Fame wasn’t in vain.’
Chief writer Kwak Myung-hwan, who is said to be living proof of the history of the Korean entertainment industry, was not a lie. Don’t you know all the behind-the-scenes stories about actor Jang Young-guk that have never been reported in the media?
“Thank you so much for today’s interview, Chief Editor Kwak.”
“No, I had a good time today too. It was a time to reminisce about the old days. “Then the filming is all over, right?”
“Yes, it is finished.”
At Producer Kim’s nod, the cameraman turns off the red light of the camera.
“By any chance, Chief Editor Kwak. “Can I ask one more question?”
“Off the record?”
“Yes, it’s nothing else, but I’m curious about actor Jang Young-guk’s next work these days. After making a series of box office hits in Hollywood, you haven’t been quiet for a few years. Because of that, there are a lot of rumors in broadcasting circles. I was wondering if Chief Editor Kwak would know… I’m asking this purely out of fan interest for actor Jang Young-guk, so it won’t be used in the documentary. “I promise.”
Actor Jang Young-guk’s next work was still a hot topic that caused a stir in Korea. The MBS drama ‘The Mermaid Prince’, which aired 10 years ago, was an unprecedented hit.
Although it was a sad ending, perhaps because of that, there were more fans supporting the dating rumors between England and Yeonsu in real life.
Since ‘The Mermaid Prince’ 10 years ago, actor Jang Young-guk has not appeared in any more terrestrial dramas.
It was the time when he began to step onto the world stage in earnest. Wasn’t director Wang Jinyang’s “Chupungsa,” which was released in Hong Kong, moved to Hollywood after being invited to an overseas film festival?
When Hollywood announced that it would produce a movie with actor Jang Young-guk as the lead, there were many voices of concern.
It was a time when it felt difficult for an Asian to occupy a leading role and attack the impenetrable castle of Hollywood. one.
The Hollywood movie starring actor Jang Young-guk not only broke Hollywood box office records, but also became a box office hit around the world. That’s three works in a row.
“Let me ask you.”
“yes?”
PD Kim gives a puzzled look at Kwak Myung-hwan’s words. OK.
“Your next appointment is late. It seems like there are too many customers waiting. PD Kim.”
“Ah yes yes. sorry.”
Producer Kim and the cameraman quickly stand up and walk out of the editor’s office.
However, as PD Kim walked, Kwak Myeong-hwan’s last words were still lingering in his mind.
And I was able to confirm the true meaning of those words from the sofa placed outside the chief editor’s office.
‘Now Jang Young-guk… … ?!’
Jang Young-guk gets up from the sofa and walks past him toward the chief editor’s office.
* * *
“Why are you conducting such a long interview?”
England has developed quite a close relationship with chief editor Kwak Myung-hwan. This is because the person who helped me a lot while working in Hollywood for the past 10 years was Myung-hwan Kwak.
“Is it because you don’t want me to appear too long in Actor Jang’s documentary? Then you should have responded directly. “It looks like they are eagerly waiting for Actor Jang to give us an interview.”
England shook his head. In the past and now, interviews don’t really appeal to me.
Isn’t it especially filming? Even though it was a documentary, I felt burdened because I knew that the content was written about one’s own story as if it were a great man exhibition.
“Anyway, how are you, Junghyeon and director Baek Jang-hoon?”
“My uncle finished his career as an actor and is still busy training younger students, and you know my grandfather. You are still traveling all over the country preparing for filming your new work. “I heard you are going to produce a movie about the story of Simmani during the Joseon Dynasty.”
“Hehe, Director Baek Jang-hoon is still the same even after all these years. “He has more passion than young directors, but he is not inferior.”
As the two people had not seen each other for a long time, the story continued without any notice of the passage of time.
Because I received a lot of help while living in Hollywood, I could say that my relationship with Kwak Myung-hwan became stronger than anyone else’s.
“I wonder if I would have been able to build such a close relationship with Actor Jang if I hadn’t been dispatched to the United States at that time. But these days, haven’t you heard from Director Jims?”
“If you don’t come, you definitely have to come once a week. “It’s always hard to stop him from asking when he will return to the U.S. and even saying he will come to Korea whenever he gets the chance.”
“I guess because that guy likes Actor Jang… You saved him from being almost reduced to being an old man in the backroom in Hollywood to becoming a famous director.”
“They harmonized well with each other. “I was a rookie making my first foray into Hollywood from Asia, and Director Jims was a veteran preparing for his final days in Hollywood.”
Director Jims Filmer was once called one of Hollywood’s greatest directors. However, as time passed and the number of hits decreased, he became an old man in the backroom.
During that time, he met with England and broke the Hollywood record for three consecutive works. I couldn’t help but feel sad.
“So, I guess you’ll be going back to the U.S. soon?”
England shook his head in response to Kwak Myung-hwan’s question.
“I’m going down to Yeongdo this time.”
Kwak Myung-hwan briefly nodded at the word Yeongdo. It was a city where British families lived.
“I think my next project will probably go to Hollywood again. If a script I like comes along, I will move again. So, I’m going down to Yeongdo this time to cool off. “It also happens to be the anniversary of my father’s death.”
* * *
Minor moth.
Like a moth flying towards a whitish light.
This is where everything started anew. I came back to break the ties of my past life.
It was a shabby inn room full of cobwebs and mold everywhere, but it was so clean that not a single blemish could be seen.
The cracked watch was fine, and the old blanket was as soft as if it were new.
“Thanks for showing me.”
“Isn’t that what you want to do?”
“No, it’s okay.”
I handed the owner a white envelope containing money and walked away.
The landlady seemed to have no idea. That’s because a man who came by unexpectedly took a look at the inn room and even gave me money.
“What is this money?”
The landlady’s voice is heard from behind.
“I’m paying back what I couldn’t repay.”
He walked away again, leaving only one short word.
Didn’t my past life end in a motel room? In the end, I couldn’t even pay the rent for the accommodation I had contracted for.
I left the inn and walked for a while. Before long, the breakwater becomes visible. I headed back along the breakwater to Namhang Market.
Passers-by sometimes recognized England’s face, but seeing him roaming around so freely, they only wondered, ‘Is this really true?’ and did not approach.
“The soup has arrived!”
“England is here?”
“Hey! “Aren’t we world stars!”
But Namhang Market was different. Everywhere you go, from Mr. Choi at the fruit store, to those at the store and herbal medicine shop, to Mr. Yang, and those at the fish stall, the merchants of Namhang Market recognize England’s face and wave to him happily.
England also politely bowed its head to them and responded.
“It’s my brother!”
As I enter my mother’s store in Namhang, I am greeted by Jisoo, now a lady. I first saw him when I was a middle school student, but now he is a full-fledged adult. She was a very kind sister who worked in Busan and occasionally visited her mother every weekend to help her with her work. and.
“Oppaaa!!”
Another younger sister runs up behind Jisoo. It was Minjeong, the youngest child in our family. Since she is still an elementary school student, her cheeks are chubby and her breast fat has not disappeared. England said while stroking Minjeong’s bedside.
“Minjeong, you missed me a lot.”
The youngest child, Minjeong, hugged England with a sigh. And not long after, Mother and Yeonsu walk together from the kitchen at the back of the store.
“honey!”
Yeonsu hugs England as if she is happy to see him.
Five years have already passed since I got married to Yeonsu. After officially acknowledging their relationship, five years passed and they immediately got married. After I got married, I felt sorry because I had to wait for him to join the military.
My mother was watching with satisfaction from behind.
“What about your mother and father?”
“It’s not time for the side dish store to close yet.”
My mother and father were still doing business in Namhang. Even though their son became a world-famous actor, his parents thought that he did not want to leave Namhang.
Moreover, he did not waste a single penny of the money he received from his son and saved it regularly.
“Mom, I and Yeonsu will go out for a while and then come back.”
“Okay, okay. “You two, go out.”
Yeonsu waved her hand, saying it was really okay, but her mother and Jisoo joined forces to push her back. Minjeong, an elementary school student, was also supporting the training without knowing the English language.
In the end, Yeonsu had to burst out laughing and walk out of the store with England.
* * *
“I really didn’t do any work, but my mother stopped me and told me that if I tried to get my hands wet, I kept pushing Jisoo and Minjeong away and telling them to rest because they were having a hard time filming their new sister’s drama.”
Yeonsu was making a pouty expression with her lips sticking out. England found it cute and hugged her.
Other people were watching, but I didn’t care. Aren’t they married anyway? The merchants at Namhang Market are looking at this with fondness.
“Where are you going, brother?”
“I’m going to go to the place where I filmed before after a long time.”
The place we walked with Yeonsu was the coastal cliff where ‘August Man’ and ‘The Mermaid Prince’ were filmed in the past.
Confession.
It was also the place where I confessed to my mother in the past. Before we knew it, weeds had sprouted in abundance.
England lay down on the spot without saying a word. A seagull crossing the sky makes eye contact with England.
The sea breeze blew and the sound of blue waves splashing continued to be heard. Yeonsu also lay down next to England and looked at the sky.
“It’s scratchy.”
When Yeonsu started tossing and turning, perhaps because of the overgrown weeds, England hugged her again. England didn’t like this fuss. Because it felt like his father’s rough beard that he had rubbed against his face when he was young.
“Oppa, don’t you regret marrying me?”
“Why do I regret it?”
England kissed Yeonsu’s forehead. They were two people I first met when I was young.
Child actors who knew nothing have now grown up.
She was a woman who awakened a feeling of love that I had never felt in my past life. If I hadn’t met Yeonsu, it would have been difficult to awaken that feeling in this life.
How much time has passed?
Before we knew it, dusk was falling on the ground. The two people got up from their seats. Because it was midsummer, only the cool sea breeze blew.
After arriving at Namhang Market again, even my father had closed his side dish store and was helping with the store’s work.
“father!”
“Oh, soup is here!”
Stepfather Kim Seong-hoon gave England a strong hug. I was covered in sweat from working all day at a side dish store, but I didn’t care.
All six family members finished up the store together and left for Namhang Market. England was holding hands with Yeonsu, and her father, mother, Jisoo, and Minjeong were also there.
At times, Minjeong seemed to want to join hands with England, but Jisu told her not to disturb their time together and held her together.
In the darkened streets of Namhang Market, only the streetlights remained.
England was lost in thought as he walked through the maze-like alley. From the images of his mother and himself walking briskly from dawn to open a fish stall in the past, to the images of himself leading the cart after dark.
What was different from then was that the laughter of the family never ceased.
Following the streetlights of Namhang Market, the family was constantly saying things they had never said before.
My father, who is watching this from the sea right now, will also be watching with a happy smile.
Since it was not far from the beach, I was sure he would see it.
‘Of course, father.’
At that moment,
it splashed.
I can hear the sound of waves.
-I will live as an actor. I’m done-