小火星

Suddenly, a chase broke out in the quiet park. Kang Woojin was the runner, and his fired-up friends were the chasers. Both sides ran like mad. Moreover, the fierce momentum of the chasers seemed to pierce the sky.

“Hey!! Kang Woojin!! Stop right there! Huh?!!”

“You son of a gun! Stand still! Stand!”

“You crazy bastard!! Hey!!”

They were like wild animals that had lost their sanity. If you get hit by those crazy bulls, you’re dead. Kang Woojin accelerated.

Thus.

-Tada tada!

The gap between the wild chasers and the runner Kang Woojin did not close. People out for a walk would occasionally glance at the four of them running around, thinking they were a bit crazy.

It was understandable.

After all, strong men, dressed for the weekend, were running wildly, seemingly out of their minds.

After about 3 minutes.

“Kheh…hey! Khuh-Stop running! Hey, Kang Woojin!”

“Crazy guy, gasp! He’s so fast.”

“Damn it! Hey! Stand still for a moment! Gasp!”

The wild chasing trio gradually started panting. The first to drop out was the chubby Lee Kyung-sung.

“······Khuh-”

He gradually slowed down and finally stopped, holding his knees with both hands.

“Damn… I’m going to throw up. Urgh!”

The next to drop out was.

“Huff- Uh-huff- Kang Woojin you crazy bastard.”

It was Na Hyeong-gu, who gave off a playboy vibe. He also stopped running and looked up at the sky, catching his rough breath. Two chasers had dropped out. The only one left was.

“Khuh- Hey, Woojin!”

Kim Dae-young. His sturdy body seemed to have more stamina than his two fallen friends.

Of course.

“Huup! Hoo!”

Kang Woojin, who was still running and systematically exhaling, was still running. Thanks to this,

“Hey! Huff! Okay! Stop running! Kang Woojin, let’s talk!”

Kim Dae-young shouted at Woojin, slowing down his pace. Woojin turned his head and suggested,

“You stop first!”

“Okay! I said I got it!”

Kim Dae-young stopped running with his hand on his waist, and only after seeing that did Kang Woojin slow down. The two friends who had dropped out early were sitting on the ground resting.

Then Kang Woojin, who was catching his rough breath, shouted at Kim Dae-young.

“Why were you chasing me like a wild boar??!”

“Of course I have to chase you! You appeared on the movie screen as an actor!”

“But why did you look like you wanted to kill?!”

“Why did you run?!”

“You idiot! Look at your size! Of course I ran away!”

The two who had been talking nonsense paused their conversation. In the meantime, the two friends who had been sitting on the ground also joined Kim Dae-young. In that gap, Kang Woojin, exhaling a small breath, spoke.

“Okay, I’ll explain everything, so calm down. You’re gonna kill someone.”

Kang Woojin looked around. He saw a spot with wooden benches nearby. Woojin pointed to it with his index finger.

“Let’s sit down for now.”

The trio of buddies seemed to agree and started walking.

-Whoosh.

Kang Woojin, who arrived at the bench first, sat down. His friends were approaching. But punishment had to be served. Kim Dae-young put Woojin in a headlock, Lee Kyung-sung jabbed at Woojin’s side, and Na Hyeong-gu grabbed him by the collar and shook him.

It was a near-ridiculous punishment.

After about 3 minutes, Kang Woojin, who was nearly beaten to death, was barely let go by his friends. Kang Woojin sprawled out on the bench. Sitting next to him, Kim Dae-young sighed and asked.

“So? Explain yourself, you crazy bastard.”

Lee Kyung-sung and Na Hyeong-gu also sat on the next bench, nodding. Soon, Kang Woojin rubbed his neck and ribs and muttered.

“First of all, the protagonist of the movie you guys saw. That’s me.”

“······Ah, f*ck. It’s more unbelievable to hear it directly from you.”

“I’m starting to find it interesting? It feels like the protagonist of the movie we watched earlier is moving right in front of us.”

“It’s the same person, you idiot.”

Kim Dae-young, while scratching his face here, asked Woojin.

“How long has it been since you quit your job? And now you suddenly act? Even making a short film? Does that make any sense in reality?”

Yes, it doesn’t make sense. Kang Woojin also admitted it to himself. Anyway, Woojin couldn’t explain everything to his friends. Whether it’s about his concept, the void space or overall situation in the entertainment industry, etc. After all, there’s no chance his friends would enter the entertainment industry.

So, Kang Woojin only needed to say what was necessary.

“No, there- What is it. There were some circumstances. Anyway. In short, I found out I can act pretty well.”

“······?”

“What kind of nonsense is that?”

“This guy hasn’t been hit enough.”

Perplexed by his friend’s responses, Woojin continued his explanation, fixing his gaze on the imposing Kim Dae-young.

“The first time I realized I might have a talent for acting was the day of the ‘Super Actor’ audition I went to with you, Kim Dae-young. I thought I might have some talent for acting. So, I started to have an interest in scripts and scenarios. You know what happened after that.”

“I lent you the ‘Exorcism’ scenario.”

“Yes. I read it and found it interesting. I auditioned after some practice. The director said I did well and asked to work together, so we made a movie.”

Kang Woojin pointed his thumb behind him.

“That’s the one that was screened as the main film at today’s film festival. End of story.”

“······”

Silence flowed between the close friends. They were just staring at Kang Woojin. But Kang Woojin was calm. Except for what he didn’t say, he didn’t lie. Then the chubby Lee Kyung-sung opened his mouth again.

“··· Does that even make sense? You f***ing b****rd?”

“It’s right before your eyes. But it’s true.”

Kim Dae-young, who knew more about acting than Kang Woojin, chimed in.

“A guy who’s been designing all his life··· managed to act that well in just a few months?”

“Yes, it happened.”

“Don’t lie. Have you been practicing acting secretly for over a decade without us knowing?”

Na Hyeong-gu also jumped in.

“Hey Kang Woojin, that’s not talent, it’s fraud.”

Ah, agreed. The the void space is indeed a fraud. Anyway, the three friends who heard the explanation seemed to have a hard time accepting it for a few minutes. But they somehow digested it. Anyway, the result came out and there was no explanation except Woojin’s briefing. Soon, Kang Woojin scanned his friends who were still confused.

“Anyway, after experiencing such a rock-n-roll story, here I am. Sorry I didn’t tell you guys. It was all so overwhelming.”

“Then, you’ve been busy filming all this time?”

“Yes. I was really busy.”

Kim Dae-young, who was scratching his head, seemed to understand.

“Well, shooting can be intense. Ha, but I never thought I’d say this to you······ So, are you going to continue acting?”

“I’m thinking about it?”

“···But Kang Woojin, you are a good actor. I was surprised while watching ‘Exorcism’.”

Kang Woojin spat out the most important thing.

“Keep this matter just between us for now. Don’t talk about it anywhere. And you can’t brag about it either. If you do, you’re dead.”

Frankly, it doesn’t matter right now, but Woojin, who dislikes troublesome things, said. The friends nodded their heads as if to say why he was saying such an obvious thing.

Just then,

“So. Kang Woojin, are you close to Hong Hye-yeon?”

Na Hyeong-gu asked in a very serious tone. The remaining friends followed.

“Ah! Right. We were surprised when Hong Hye-yeon came out. Hey, Hong Hye-yeon was hugging you from behind?? I’m so jealous.”

“Do you have normal conversations with Hong Hye-yeon?”

With a slight chuckle, Woojin smirked.

“I have Hong Hye-yeon’s number.”

“Whoa!”

“Wow- F*ck. Hey, try calling her.”

“Just let us hear her voice once!”

Amidst the typical excitement of men in their twenties, Kim Dae-young, who suddenly became serious, changed the topic sharply.

“Hey, Kang Woojin. But have you decided on your next work?”

“Ah- Yes. It’s a drama. But I can’t tell you the details. It’s still confidential.”

This was also true. Kang Woojin’s role in ‘Profiler Hanryang’ is still under wraps. Kim Dae-young asked again, amidst the excitement spreading again among the friends.

“···A drama? Really? A major network one? When does the shooting start?”

Kang Woojin answered casually.

“No, it’s going to premiere soon.”

Again, the trio’s eyes widened in astonishment.

Meanwhile,

On the weekend, many people flocked to the ‘Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival’. Compared to the calm weekday, the buzz had grown significantly by the afternoon. Headlines poured out as if they had been waiting for this moment.

『[Film Festival] ‘Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival’ changes movies in rotation, and the first movie, ‘Exorcism’, features Hong Hye-yeon!』

『From top actress Hong Hye-yeon to Park Jung-hyuk, who said he’d start from scratch at the ‘Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival’… unexpected stars lined up.』

Of course, the names Hong Hye-yeon and Park Jung-hyuk came up a lot. Thanks to the star power, the festival’s promotion naturally increased.

However, the general public was more interested in the top actors.

『[Issue Talk] Hong Hye-yeon in a short film? Audiences at the ‘Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival’ confused.』

While Park Jung-hyuk, who had caused controversy in the past, was a good story, the entertainment media mainly focused on Hong Hye-yeon. There were occasional articles setting up a rivalry between Hong Hye-yeon and Park Jung-hyuk.

『Hong Hye-yeon VS Park Jung-hyuk, A Strange Picture Forms / photo』

Indeed, there were a few articles about Kang Woojin, but nothing explosive. Mostly about his impressive acting and the fact that the protagonist of ‘Exorcism’ wasn’t Hong Hye-yeon.

『Short film ‘Exorcism’ featuring ‘Hong Hye-yeon’, but the lead is an unknown actor?』

Anyway, the festival’s popularity skyrocketed today with the appearance of the two top actors, and the weekend vibe made it even more lively. Comments were flooding a review video about the e ‘Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival’ by a YouTuber.

-I went to see it today and it only took 3 hours even if I watched all 10 films lol. It was pretty good.

-↑How many minutes per film?

-Seems boring

-Woah… did Hong Hye-yeon shoot a short film?? Amazing

-I’ve already seen it and I’m telling you, except for ‘Exorcism’ and a couple of others, all the rest were garbage, including the one that Park Jung-hyuk appeared in

-Exorcism was freaking fun

-Should I go watch this too…? But 3 hours seems a bit long

– Exorcism lol Hong Hye-yeon is just a supporting role lol, Some unknown is the lead lol. But he can act though

-Spoilers??

-Park Jung-hyuk said he’d start from the bottom and he actually shot a short film. Respect!

-Why are you watching garbage films?

-…..Ha Hong Hye-yeon….I just want to watch the movie she’s in

On the other hand, in the movie-related community, surprisingly, the number of posts mentioning Kang Woojin was increasing.

-I need information about the actor Kang Woojin, the protagonist of ‘Exorcism’

-Impressions of the short films I watched at the ‘Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival’.jpg

-Who is Kang Woojin? Can’t find him when I search.

-Suddenly an unknown actor is on fire? lol

-Went to see Hong Hye-yeon, got taken in by Kang Woojin…

·

·

·

Woojin’s recognition began to steadily build up.

May 5th, Children’s Day, a public holiday when many office workers rest.

Although it was a public holiday where many company employees took a day off, for the big names in the film industry, it was an especially busy Tuesday. Master directors of the judging panel, top actors who served as honorary jurors, invited directors, specially invited foreign directors, invited actors and celebrities, famous industry insiders, and so on.

Because today was the day for famous people related to the ‘Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival’ to attend.

Of course, this was something separately prepared by the ‘Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival’ committee. It was a natural decision. If ordinary citizens and these people mix to watch a movie, it would be difficult to control. Judging for the works and actors of the ‘Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival’ was also scheduled for today.

Therefore, the venue for the screening was not an ordinary cinema. The place where these influential individuals gathered was the Seoul Cinema Art Hall.

At first glance, it seemed like a movie theater, but it was closer to a museum related to films.

They stored old film-related materials and even opened them to the public if needed. It functioned similarly to a cinémathèque¹. Normally, it primarily screened art and short films rather than commercial ones. There were two screening rooms, and while they weren’t as big as regular cinemas, they were fairly spacious.

About 30 of these major figures gathered there.

In the center of the lobby, these figures warmly greeted each other and chatted.

“Oh- Director Park, long time no see?”

“Yes, Director Jeong. Have you been well?”

“Haha. I’m the same as always. Why isn’t Director Park working? Not making a movie?”

“I’m in the planning phase.”

There were many familiar faces. Main juror Director Kwon Ki-taek, actor Jang Tae-san, and even the bulldog-face like CEO of GGO Entertainment, Seo Gu-seob, were there. Among the group of foreign directors, Japanese master director Kyotaro Tanoguchi stood out.

Meanwhile, even though CEO Seo Gu-seob was smiling on the outside, he was internally fuming.

‘Is Choi Sung-gun not here?’

Because he had already found out that Choi Sung-gun from bw Entertainment was the investor of ‘Exorcism’.

‘How dare he mess with me?’

About an hour later,

All the dignitaries and celebrities in the lobby moved to the screening room, which had around 300 seats. Each seat had a name on it, obviously prepared by the ‘Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival’. The left side, facing the screen, was reserved for director jurors and actors, while the center and right side were for invited guests.

As they began to take their seats,

The expressions of the main juror directors, led by Director Kwon Ki-taek, became stern. The invited guests also looked serious, browsing through the ‘Mise-en-scène Film Festival’ pamphlets.

From the front, it was quite a sight.

Because a significant number of influential figures from the film and entertainment industry had gathered. Although their number might be smaller compared to major film festivals, it was certainly more than the previous year.

At this point,

-Swooosh.

The screening room darkened. This signaled the start of the short film relay.

-♬♪

After some s, the short films began. They varied in running time from 5 minutes to 10 minutes. After each film ended, appropriate applause sounded.

-Clap clap clap clap clap

Various opinions from the audience could be heard.

“The quality of the works seems higher than last year.”

“I heard that the 10-minute film was made by a college student.”

The atmosphere was calm and not overly enthusiastic, but still positive.

“The actor’s performance was a bit disappointing.”

“But the direction wasn’t bad, right?”

When about 5 films had passed.

-‘Exorcism’

Finally, the frequently mentioned ‘Exorcism’ started. Interestingly, about 10 minutes into ‘Exorcism’ everyone’s expressions changed. It wasn’t just calm anymore; there was a mix of astonishment.

In addition,

‘Wasn’t Hong Hye-yeon the lead? But the unknown actor’s performance is quite good?’

‘Whoa- who is that actor?’

‘Really······ The actor who was causing all the fuss in the online community was him?’

Most of the audience began focusing on the lead of ‘Exorcism’. Of course, the same was true for CEO Seo Gu-seob, who was grinding his teeth in frustration, was no exception.

‘······Crazy. Why is that, that unknown actor’s acting like that?! Who is he!’

He was clearly flustered. The caliber of the unknown actor’s performance overshadowed Hong Hye-yeon. In that moment, many of the big names in the room had the same vague thought while watching the unknown actor on screen.

This year’s first blue-chip of Chungmuro² is definitely that actor.

‘I can’t even notice Hong Hye-yeon. The presence of that unknown actor is just too strong.’

‘Look at the acting? It’s so natural.’

‘What’s with that expression… Where did he come from, is he from a theater?’

‘I’m getting greedy about him.’

Of course, they were talking about Kang Woojin.

And then,

‘これまで出た俳優たちとは格が違う? (He’s different from the actors who have come out so far, but who’s that unknown actor?)’

Director Kyotaro Tanoguchi, a renowned Japanese director, wondered,

‘Does Korea have actors of that caliber starring in short films??’

He doubted his own eyes.

*****

TL Notes:

1) Cinémathèque – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cin%C3%A9math%C3%A8que_Fran%C3%A7aise

2) “Blue Chip of Chungmuro” actor indicates that the individual is a dependable and consistent asset in Korean cinema.