“Busan International Short Film Festival? With a different work?”
The representative of CT Entertainment asked, seeming somewhat puzzled.
However, Yang Ha-rin only silently nodded, as if she had no idea why she was being asked.
“Didn’t I say this before? I just don’t want to rest.”
“Ah, I remember that. But filling the gap with good projects like dramas or commercials would be sufficient…. Hmm, or is there something else?”
The representative seemed to suddenly recall something.
“…Director Park, do you mean to test the waters with another project?”
“Of course, that’s what I meant. What else could it be?”
Yang Ha-rin simultaneously recalled Kim Sun-il’s words.
-Then why don’t you collide and see what happens?
-Which side ended up breaking?
Kim Sun-il, an actor she respected, and his rather shocking words.
She had initially thought it was merely an absurd misunderstanding and chose not to respond. The idea of giving up her lead role to a complete newcomer and engaging in a direct contest? It simply didn’t make sense.
Isn’t getting involved in the first place an insult to her pride?
“But if we compete with different works, it changes the story.”
An opportunity arrived where she could prove their level differences without being too closely entangled, an opportunity to crush him utterly.
“…I’ll make you realize it with every fiber of my body.”
If Yang Ha-rin was trampled on, eventually Sua would understand.
Exactly what an opportunity it was to work on the same project as Yang Ha-rin and how disrespectful it was to look down on her role… She would come to fully understand all that.
“Hmm, but I’m not sure if those conditions will hold.”
The representative looked slightly skeptical.
“In order to compete, we’d first need the movie ‘Sword’ to finish production, but isn’t that possibility too slim? Frankly, it looks like it’s going to collapse even before we reach that stage.”
“Hmm.”
“No matter. We won’t lose anything.”
Her attitude remained unchanged.
“If Director Park fails, that’s fine, but if he somehow completes it, then that’s when we step in personally. Anything’s good.”
“Hmm, if that’s how you feel…,”
The director motioned with his chin towards his crew.
“Hey, spread out everything I asked you to get earlier.”
“Yes sir!”
Soon, piles of paper were stacked on the table in front of the sofa where Yang Ha-rin sat. They were all scripts.
“So many. Guess all the network building has paid off. They’re all top-notch, huh? Any special notes?”
“I’m not certain, but recently Director Park has been begging other directors for scripts.”
“Director Park? These scripts?”
“Yes. Supposedly, he pleaded with them saying, ‘Please, I beg you.'”
The representative burst into laughter.
“How pathetic. He’s probably just nosing around to see how other projects are faring. The guy can’t even make his own.”
Yang Ha-rin quietly nodded as she listened.
“Overconfident. Really overconfident.”
Why had CT Entertainment chosen ‘Sword’ in the first place?
Because they considered it a good project?
Because it had a promising chance of winning awards?
No, it was simply because they liked to control and manipulate.
Directors like Park Jun, who were on the brink of failure, could be easily managed by CT Entertainment bearing all the production costs, making them marionette puppets.
That was exactly how they were being used, and it was meant to find a newbie to become Yang Ha-rin’s prey.
“Because of that newbie, his head seems to be turned. Arrogant.”
Now the situation had changed.
Yang Ha-rin, who initially participated in the short film out of interest, had now shifted her goal to completely crushing her opponent.
“Eliminate scripts with low-rated directors or insufficient investment. Dominate from the capital.”
“Harin, good attitude. Shred them with your acting.”
“That’s not even worth mentioning. Obviously.”
“Alright. Let’s choose a script slowly.”
The representative, who had been watching Harin’s satisfied expression, turned his head towards the woman lying on the opposite sofa.
“Hey. Son Ji-ah.”
“Eh…?”
The woman called Son Ji-ah finally put aside the magazine covering her face. She looked lethargic, yet carried that laid-back air.
“You should also stop playing around and go for this audition.”
“What audition?”
“Director Park’s ‘Sword’ audition. No one attends that trashy audition. Go on! We need to embed at least one spy to quickly gather information!”
“I know, I know. Why all the shouting…?”
With a yawn, Son Ji-ah stood up.
Later, time passed quickly.
With all production preparations completed, Special Mobile Unit 808 was moving forward rapidly.
Not only the actors but also all shooting locations were fully reserved, and various promotions were set up. Meanwhile, the poster and teaser filming meetings concluded successfully.
Additionally, numerous journalists provided support.
[Author Lee Geum-sook’s magnum opus? ‘Crime Drama’ is coming back.]
[Special Mobile Unit 808, will it brilliantly revive a trend?]
[(Park Jeong-wook Column) ‘Special Mobile Unit 808′ and the drama’s identity]
The whole production staff—writers, actors, directors, and situations—all the gears were meshing together like a precise machine.
It was an exceedingly smooth start. And it was indeed smooth, except for one.
Just one.
The single gear that had stopped was one.
Even now, when all the actors have already received their scripts and started practicing, a certain lead actor hadn’t received their script.
At Lee Geum-sook’s office.
Tap tap tap tap─!
The sound of a keyboard being hammered echoed.
The writer and her assistant writers were crowded around one monitor.
They were dressed casually, with sweatpants and hairbands, looking quite disheveled, like high school seniors preparing for the college entrance exam or civil servants preparing for a test.
But everyone was so engrossed in the monitor that they forgot their appearance. The monitor was replaying videos of Sua’s performances.
“Here, stop here.”
“Looking at that expression, this scene in the office would also be great.”
“With this face, that dialogue doesn’t work, right?”
“Arrest with this method, Kim Yu-han style.”
Though it looked like a conversation, it was their collective monologue.
Everyone was writing down everything that came to mind without hesitation as they watched the videos. Sua’s acting had become the momentum behind their work.
WEEEEEEE─! WEEEEEEE─!
Every inspiration written was printed immediately. That was the result of the days of hard work by the team led by writer Lee Geum-sook.
“…So much.”
Someone said, filled with surprise.
And they were right.
A script of overwhelming thickness was born, as if from a drama called Kim Yu-han existed.
The assistant writers looked confused and muttered.
“Why did this end up so long?”
“Sua’s acting is so brilliant. Watching it makes inspiration pop up, and before I knew it… I just kept writing.”
“We need to cut this down. It’s too long. The other actors’ scripts are almost three to four times shorter.”
“But what to cut? There’s really nothing we can cut!”
Right at that moment.
“Maybe, why don’t we just give it to Sua like this?”
“…?”
All eyes turned to Choi Hee-won, the producer, but he wasn’t at all bothered by the attention.
“What I mean is, after we give everything we’ve written, let Sua express it freely.”
“Ah….”
Alternatively baffled looks followed, but they made sense. Wasn’t it too much to deliver such a thick script now when time was already short?
Even reading it would take an eternity.
“Are we being too harsh?”
However.
“No problem?”
Writer Lee Geum-sook chimed in.
“Suya would probably like it. She finds her own answers in the dense lines.”
“Yes. That’s exactly what I thought. And…”
Choi Hee-won smiled faintly.
“For some reason, I think Sua would pull it off.”
Those were brief words, yet no one refuted them.
On the contrary, it resonated with everyone.
Because they knew Sua, they thought she was quite capable.
“…If she handles this too, she’s actually insane.”
One of the assistant writers muttered.
After finally completing Sua’s script, Writer Lee Geum-sook and Producer Choi Hee-won immediately moved to another location.
This time, it was a refined Japanese restaurant.
On the elegant wooden table, delicately crafted dishes appeared one by one. Nevertheless, the two hadn’t picked up their chopsticks yet.
The hosts hadn’t arrived.
After a while.
“Ah, CEO Kim I-seo! This way!”
Writer Lee Geum-sook welcomed the figure with a smile. This was the host of the today’s gathering.
Kim I-seo, the CEO of Mystic Entertainment.
“Nice to see you.”
The CEO gave a slight wave and approached.
Hurdling step by step.
Because of her petite build, her movements were small, but her attire was impeccably sophisticated. She looked like a professor preparing for a class on a fall day.
To Producer Choi Hee-won and Writer Lee Geum-sook, she appeared that way.
“The sushi just came out. Please, help yourself.”
“It’s alright if you start without me. I apologize.”
“Not at all.”
The meal then began.
Today’s gathering had a simple purpose: a time for the two to entertain Mystic Entertainment’s CEO Kim I-seo.
Because both the leading roles of Special Mobile Unit 808 were Kim Sun-il and Seo Yeon-joo, all from Mystic Entertainment.
It was natural for the mood to be warm from Kim I-seo’s perspective because his actors were participating, and from the two others’ viewpoints, because they had gained two top-tier actors.
However, awkwardness was a separate matter.
A while of silent eating followed until Kim I-seo finally broke the silence.
“Actually, I apologize to both of you.”
“Apology? What could CEO Kim I-seo possibly have to apologize for when you’ve given us two wonderful actors?”
“Sun-il and Yeon-joo keep pestering to be in short films, even though they have more than enough to focus on in Special Mobile Unit 808.”
“Short films?”
The talk of Kim Sun-il and Seo Yeon-joo showing interest in short films was new information for both Writer Lee Geum-sook and Producer Choi Hee-won.
Kim I-seo nodded.
“A short film called ‘Sword.’ Do you happen to know it?”
“Of course. I know Director Park fairly well because we’re close. But wasn’t that project supposed to be completely shelved?”
“Why in the world are they interested in that film now? The public opinion isn’t good, and both actors will be extremely busy soon.”
As Writer Lee Geum-sook and Producer Choi Hee-won asked their questions, Kim I-seo couldn’t help but feel perplexed.
“…What is this reaction?”
“Huh?”
“Because of actor Sua, both Sun-il and Yeon-joo have been drawn to it too. I thought both of you would naturally be aware.”
“…?”
Choi Hee-won and Lee Geum-sook exchanged glances, filled with confusion because they weren’t aware.
They both shook their heads simultaneously.
“No, we had no idea either.”
Kim I-seo, caught in this unexpected situation, was perplexed. This was just the beginning.
An even peculiar scene soon unfolded.
“If Sua liked the script for ‘Sword,’ is it a really good one?”
“Exactly. If we had known this, we could have investigated beforehand. Interesting.”
“…?”
Kim I-seo was deeply confused.
‘What is this reaction? Instead of being upset, they seem only filled with interest because of Sua’s involvement?’
To a writer and producer, it would be quite unpleasant to know that their own actors were nosing around other projects.
Isn’t it naturally desired for actors to focus solely on their current work?
Kim I-seo’s strategy rested on this point.
‘I expected them to object and step in naturally. Then I planned to appropriately soothe them so Sun-il and Yeon-joo wouldn’t participate in the short film.’
Thinking the writer and the PD would object, he intended to ensure neither Sun-il nor Yeon-joo would participate in ‘Sword.’
However.
“Should we call Director Park now?”
“It’s puzzling. Suddenly, I feel curious.”
All Choi Hee-won and Lee Geum-sook exhibited was endless interest, as if there was an implicit premise that anything Sua chose had inherent value.
‘Who could Sua be, as a newcomer?’
Even Kim I-seo couldn’t help but feel curious.
How extraordinary must someone be to elicit such reactions?
At that moment, certain words surfaced in Kim I-seo’s mind.
The conversations about Sua that Seo Yeon-joo and Kim Sun-il had shared. They sounded extravagant at the time.
‘Could all those praises and explanations possibly be true?’
Eventually, Kim I-seo questioned.
“Uh, I’m curious about this newcomer, Sua.”
“To be honest, we don’t know much either.”
When Writer Lee Geum-sook shrugged in response, Kim I-seo furrowed his eyebrows. What kind of answer was that?
“Possibly unpredictable, with acting prowess matching their sensitivity, making it hard to approach?”
“How good is her acting?”
“We do have video footage. Would you like to see?”
“Yes, I’d appreciate that.”
After Writer Lee Geum-sook played the video on her phone.
After a while.
Kim I-seo no longer touched his chopsticks.
The next day.
Sua and Park Jun were together at the audition site.
It was technically an audition, but it was essentially a rented office space, quite shabby too.
Director Park Jun chuckled sheepishly toward Sua.
“Sorry, it’s a bit plain, huh?”
“No need to worry about it.”
To Sua, Director Park’s constant attention to her reactions was more bothersome. Who knows if he’d even try to tie her shoes next.
Amidst such awkwardness, as they were seated,
“Sua, the current situation um…”
Park Jun cautiously began to speak.
“The investors haven’t been secured yet. Even though I’m trying my hardest, it’s quite tough.”
“Hmm.”
“The reason I’m being honest about even the bad news is so that if your heart changes, you can leave anytime.”
“I see.”
Instead of covering up the downsides and coercing someone, Park Jun wasn’t someone who did that.
“My heart won’t change. Director Park, keep going strong.”
Sua answered briefly.
Yeah, as long as it’s rated top-class, my heart won’t falter.
“Thank you so much. Your trust makes me want to work harder. First, today, let’s handle the auditions.”
“Yes. Today, let’s just do the auditions.”
Today was the day to cast the people who would fill out the short film ‘Sword,’ excluding Sua.
Truthfully, Sua was feeling a bit anxious too.
‘If this film can’t be produced despite being top-rated, what will happen? Will the opportunity just disappear? Or does being top-rated mean that some solution will come along?’
‘Sword’s’ current situation wasn’t good at all.
The fact that rookie Sua was sitting in the auditor’s seat spoke volumes…
“How many will come for the audition today, Director?”
“About five. To be honest, considering the number of people needed for the film, we have to hire all of them.”
“…This is a problem.”
“Yes. That’s why having a well-known actor helps. When people see the actor’s name, a flood of applicants appear.”
Five. There were only five applicants for the audition…
Sua started to sip water from her growing unease.
“Yes, yes. Just come in all at once.”
With Director Park’s words, the audition finally began.
CT Entertainment’s spy, Son Ji-ah, was observing.
“…Is this short film completely hopeless?”
It was her first thought after the audition began. Oh, and the added thought that her time coming here was wasted.
“Can auditions be this shabby?”
The location itself was already unpleasant, and there were only five applicants, including herself.
Because the number was so small, the auditions were conducted in the same space. One person would start acting first, while the rest waited behind.
Thanks to this setup, Son Ji-ah could observe the entire process.
Are there any famous people here? None.
And someone who can act well? Also none.
What piqued Son Ji-ah’s curiosity the most was none other than the woman seated next to the director.
“…She looks terrifying. Is she the reason Ha-rin got pushed out?”
Her sharp appearance was like an ice-sharpened needle.
Her heavy and sharp image was too strong, making her seem distant from acting.
“What a waste of time. I should just leave.”
Just as Son Ji-ah was about to rise quietly,
BOOM─!
The closed audition room door opened wide. The loud noise startled everyone.
But then.
Another surprise came immediately after.
“I’m late.”
A deep voice, echoing like in a cave.
A man appeared, dressed entirely in black, from head to toe.
Perfect proportions, even though his face was mostly hidden under a cap, everyone could easily guess his identity.
“…”
Son Ji-ah’s eyes went wide.
Everyone else was the same.
‘Could that be Kim Sun-il? Isn’t that Kim Sun-il?’
Kim Sun-il, the actor whose face was familiar from commercials, had suddenly appeared at the audition.
Everyone was speechless with shock.
‘Crazy! Why did Kim Sun-il show up?’
Even while startled, Son Ji-ah’s thoughts quickly turned.
‘Ah, right. Special appearance. Kim Sun-il must have promised a special appearance beforehand. That must be all.’
Thinking this, she tried to calm her surprise.
Just as she was about to regain composure,
BOOM!
The door opened again.
“Hey, are you insane? Asking me to take care of parking?”
Once again, the audition room door opened, and Son Ji-ah couldn’t believe her eyes.
A woman appeared, delicate as if crafted from morning dew.
“Yeon-joo? Is that really Yeon-joo?”
The bewildered voice of Director Park.
That perfectly expressed Son Ji-ah’s feelings.
Unbelievable.
After Kim Sun-il, it was none other than Seo Yeon-joo.
What shocked Son Ji-ah even more was that even Director Park seemed unaware of all this.
The evidence was clear; there stood Park Jun, mouth agape.
“Su, Sun-il? Yeon-joo, what brings you here?”
As Park Jun muttered, seemingly out of order,
“Has the role for Ha-ryeong been cast already? I wanted to take it.”
Son Ji-ah dropped the phone she was holding.
