Code Number: 7 – Press Preview Event
This so-called press preview or unofficial screening event is where we gather numerous journalists and experts to showcase our film.
The invited self-proclaimed experts will watch our movie, evaluate it, and write articles to build anticipation among movie fans.
And following this press preview, the audience members who watched our movie at the upcoming public screenings will start posting their reviews online.
Through these various evaluations and reviews, many audience members’ decisions will be heavily influenced.
Of course, unlike the zero-sum ratings of TV dramas, there’s the option to watch all movies.
But in today’s world, enjoying multiple movies isn’t always an easy choice.
To be honest, unless there’s a special reason, I don’t visit theaters much myself.
The press preview basically invites movie-related staff, critics, and journalists.
There are also guests invited by the actors or production crew.
Especially celebrity friends who draw journalists’ attention just by showing up. Depending on who attends the preview, the status varies.
Therefore, major productions tend to send big-name actors from the same company to movies featuring new actors almost mandatory.
In that sense, our company’s actors are completely out of luck.
We don’t really have any star connections to invite to these events.
Heavenly Yuah and Moon Suyeon are practically extinct when it comes to connections.
And with All-Star Nam Hyun-ho in jail, we can’t deploy him either.
As for Hyun-ho, there are a few connections but they seem rather unimpressive.
In my case, I only managed to invite senior actress Kang Ji-woo.
Since it’s a movie featuring a PMC trainee, I thought it might be possible to attract someone like Lion, but Nuclear is currently on an overseas concert tour.
With Ellie eagerly anticipating the Ashbloom concert, inviting Ji Seo-eun is also impossible.
That left only senior Ji-woo, who luckily was available, preventing the worst-case scenario.
“Ah, when will they arrive?”
“Selly-ssi, is my makeup okay?”
“Why are you so tense?”
“Is that even a question?”
“Siwoo, I’m serious.”
Ironically, these two women don’t care about any other invited guests.
Even though it’s an important press preview with many production and investment-related attendees, they’re only focused on their own grooming in front of the mirror, showing no interest in meeting other guests.
Shouldn’t Heavenly Yuah from Cheon Financial be more concerned about networking with other relations?
“Why are you joking? Who cares about that?”
She even gave me a contemptuous look after saying that.
The reason both women were so extreme…
“Actor White Siu, your parents have arrived.”
“Ah, they’re here?”
Because I invited my parents to this press preview.
Since this is a movie both me and the PMC trainee starred in…
It’s a film our parents simply must see.
We decided it would be best to simply invite them to the press preview.
The PMC trainee also agreed this was a good idea, so we invited them.
Most non-industry guests attending press previews quietly watch the screening and leave without making a fuss, so we didn’t bother informing the company, just receiving the invitations ourselves.
“What? Why are you telling me this important matter right before the event?”
Right before the preview, I received a lot of disapproving looks from Heavenly Yuah.
“Are you really this heartless? I’m disappointed, Siwoo.”
Even Moon Suyeon seems to think I’ve committed some grave sin.
“Did you do this on purpose?”
“What are you talking about?”
“I mean inviting your parents without telling those two.”
“No, it wasn’t anything special…”
“You’re truly legendary in your own way. Respect.”
“…This feels really bad.”
I found this rather unfair.
Press previews are stressful for actors, with journalists constantly watching closely. There’s simply no time to meet guests properly.
Even if they came, they wouldn’t get a chance to meet.
So I intentionally didn’t inform them, thinking my parents could quietly enjoy the movie and leave. However, these two clearly had plans to meet my parents.
“Ellie, please help us.”
“Ellie, can you do this?”
“Why Not? Trust me.”
These two clever women chose Ellie as their tank to buy them time.
Using Ellie, the leader of a Hollywood stunt team and renowned action star, as bait to draw journalists away while they meet and greet my parents.
Ellie readily agreed to their sincere request.
When we received the signal of my parents’ arrival, she immediately moved to gather the journalists. It turned out to be a pretty smooth operation.
“Oh, son.”
“You came.”
“In my life, I never thought I’d be coming to these kinds of places thanks to you, son.”
“Haha, nothing much. This way…”
I was about to lead them to a quiet lounge when Heavenly Yuah and Moon Suyeon rushed over and flanked my father.
“Hello, father. Do you remember me? I’m Heavenly Yuah.”
“Yes, yes. You’re Ms. Olivia Cheon’s daughter… You’ve contacted us and sent gifts, which we greatly appreciate.”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
Being a K-drama enthusiast, my father naturally recognizes top-tier actress Heavenly Yuah.
However, he remembers her more as the daughter of Queen Olivia Cheon rather than simply Heavenly Yuah.
The intimacy is necessarily higher on that front, and it seems she cultivated the relationship well with holiday gifts.
“Hello! Father, it’s me, Su-yeon.”
“Oh, Su-yeon. Indeed, you look even prettier in person than in pictures.”
“Hehe, you’re too kind.”
But there was someone even more skilled.
Moon Suyeon.
Showing the survival skills she honed getting bread from market ladies, she performed an impressive display of charm.
Surprisingly, she had already earned the privilege of speaking casually with my father.
“Chuseok is coming up soon, isn’t it?”
“Ah, yes.”
“Would it be okay if I visit to pay my respects during Chuseok? If…”
“Ah, yes. Do that if you have time. We’d welcome you.”
“Wow, really? Thank you so much, Father.”
Indeed, she utilized her status as an only child to evoke sympathy from my father.
How could our sentimentally sensitive father resist such charm?
In contrast, Heavenly Yuah couldn’t easily take the same approach.
Looking obviously strong and possessing much, scoring points that way simply wouldn’t work.
Our father is subtly stronger with gentle approaches like Moon Suyeon’s.
Though both are in contact with our father privately, it seems Moon Suyeon gained the upper hand.
“Ah, could I come too?”
“Isn’t Miss Yuah going to America?”
“Our family doesn’t celebrate Chuseok, so I’ll be alone in Korea.”
“Hehe, is that so? Then Miss Yuah should come too. Holidays are more festive with more people.”
Even Heavenly Yuah wouldn’t let this chance slip.
We should question how an American like Heavenly Yuah celebrates Chuseok, but our father isn’t particularly perceptive.
So now, this feast set by Moon Suyeon also has Heavenly Yuah partaking.
“…Ah, yes, Miss Yuah should come as well.”
“Exactly. Let’s go together when we have time.”
Rejecting Heavenly Yuah would only hurt Moon Suyeon’s position since it might subtract points unnecessarily.
A rather strange situation of self-strengthening was unfolding here.
“Ah, wait. Is the current situation…”
It’s about time they should be arriving.
When ‘that person’ comes, the situation will…
“Siwoo. Long time no see.”
“Ah, Senior Ji-woo is here?”
And right then.
The ultimate trump card arrived.
Senior Kang Ji-woo visited the waiting room upon my invitation.
Why is she the ultimate trump card?
“Who… Huh! K-Kang Ji-woo!”
“Oh my…”
“Haha, this is my father. He’s a fan of yours.”
“Oh, you’re a fan?”
“Ho ho, a fan. If you don’t mind, could you perhaps…”
“Of course!”
Heavenly Yuah and Luna.
Clearly, they represent the top stars of this era.
But during our father’s era, Kang Ji-woo was the Heavenly Yuah and Luna of the time.
Ironically, our drama-loving father seems to have more fan instincts than them.
One of his favorite actresses is Senior Kang Ji-woo.
As our father’s attention shifted entirely to her, the crestfallen expressions of the two were like watching a comedy.
“So, who are they?”
“Huh?”
“Just looking at those young people, it’s clear they have interest in you. Both have accommodating figures and ample hips, matching your consistent tastes.”
Unlike our clueless father, our perceptive mother clearly understood the situation.
But since no clear decision has been made, she just awkwardly scratched her head and smiled.
“…What? Don’t tell me you…”
“No, it’s just…”
“You keep this up, and you might actually get stabbed.”
“That could happen, right?”
Plus, sharp and accurate advice as well.
It is a problem if that’s the case.
Especially Heavenly Yuah could potentially not only stab but also shoot someone.
That presents quite the issue.
“To the actors, the event is about to start.”
“Ah, now I must go.”
“Yes yes, go ahead. We’ll just watch the movie quietly in our seats and then leave.”
“You should see that person as well.”
“Yes yes, our son, do well.”
Just as it became awkward, we received notification from the event side.
It was the signal that the event was officially beginning.
Even Moon Suyeon and Heavenly Yuah followed behind me with the determination to greet my parents before heading toward the event venue.
“Ah, I didn’t know Father was a fan of Senior Ji-woo.”
“I didn’t expect to lose like this. The name Heavenly Yuah will surely fade.”
They spoke with great disappointment.
Indeed, both received an unexpected blow.
Even I didn’t anticipate events unfolding this way.
I gathered Father particularly likes Senior Ji-woo so I arranged for a separate meeting hoping he’d get an autograph, but I didn’t expect this result.
If they learn this fact, it wouldn’t benefit them, so I’ll have to keep pretending they don’t know until the end.
