Chapter 84: Premiere
“Keep living here? Why?”
At the unexpected words, Muyoung’s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out. Ko Gyeongmin, who was driving, also glanced over.
-After one TV appearance, the house price went up by 20%. I didn’t know media exposure was this effective. If you continue your entertainment career, there will be many cases where you film at home, right?
I can’t promise anything, but it’s definitely not impossible. These days, third-person observational variety shows are popular, and there’s also MeTube vlogs or SNS account uploads, so it’ll happen little by little.
-Instead, let’s renew the contract every six months. I’ll rent it to you for free, so you work hard to pump up the house price.
“Is that okay, though?”
-It’s better to sell it this way than to take a loss and sell it right away. Who knows how high it’ll go. Don’t you think so? The location is the best in South Korea!
“I’d be happy if that were the case…….”
-You work hard and become a top star. Okay? And then go around telling everyone you live there.
It’s a win-win situation. It’s necessary to invest time and effort to change the image of the house as a place where ghosts appear.
If you just tell me that the tenant lived well and left, there’s nothing more I need to do. But if he’s a celebrity? Yeah. Game over!
-It feels like winning the lottery in Hawaii. Hehehehe!
He was excited at the thought that unit 2202, which had been a burden, no, more annoying than a burden, would finally do its job well. He had been suffering as taxes kept piling up, but now it’s over!
“I feel like I’ve won the lottery too.”
Am I dreaming right now? Muyoung also smiled brightly and playfully massaged Ko Gyeongmin’s arm. When I get home, I’ll have to unpack the stuff I left behind!
-Okay! Then I’ll tell the real estate agent to send you the contract again! Good job!
“Thank you! Have a nice trip!”
Muyoung held his phone and bowed repeatedly, greeting him. I didn’t expect things to go this well. Ko Gyeongmin, who had been eavesdropping beside him, asked in a surprised voice.
“The landlord wants to keep living here?”
“Yes. The house price has gone up a lot, so he wants me to keep living here and raise it more.”
“Wow. That’s amazing. Really.”
It’s every six months, but judging by the atmosphere, it seems like he’ll be able to keep living here until the price reaches a satisfactory amount. I don’t know what that amount is, though.
“Heehee. Heeheehee.”
“Are you happy?”
“Yes. I was really tired just a moment ago, but now I feel great.”
I think I’ll even be able to practice the drama all night. Ko Gyeongmin smiled happily at him and then fumbled for his phone.
“Hey! Focus on driving.”
“Sorry. You got a text over there. Check it out.”
“Uh-huh. Just a moment.”
Muyoung read Ko Gyeongmin’s text message for him.
“……The premiere date for
“Oh, you little brat. Just a moment!”
Muyoung jumped up and down in his seat. The car, which was driving to the script practice room, shook.
It was so much fun to see the problems that had been bothering him the most, besides the house issue, being solved one by one.
“Let’s go! Hyung! Step on it!”
It had been a very hectic year for Muyoung.
He wondered how he would have survived if he hadn’t taken a leave of absence.
With the broadcast period for <You are a Star, I am a Star> confirmed for mid-January, preparations for the drama filming began, and similarly, the release date for
“How many days apart is it?”
“About a week?”
The drama’s first broadcast will be a week after The Plague’s release.
“I’m probably the busiest person in the entertainment industry right now, aren’t I?”
“No. I don’t think so? I see people who do events traveling all over the country in one day.”
A tour of major cities was scheduled, including ten major cinemas in Seoul, as well as Incheon, Gwangju, Daejeon, Daegu, and Busan.
Of course, he had to go down during the day and come back at night, and there were also many drama shoots that he couldn’t attend.
“Ahem! Want one too?”
Ko Gyeongmin was even taking herbal medicine to prepare his stamina. Muyoung laughed and shook his head.
“No. I don’t like it because it’s bitter.”
“That’s something you can say because you’re young.”
“When do I go in?”
“You can go up now.”
Ko Gyeongmin checked his watch and opened the car door. The cinema parking lot was unusually chaotic. Celebrities invited to the premiere were flocking in, and reporters and security guards were also bustling about.
“Ha Muyoung is going up.”
“Wow, wow.”
At Muyoung’s appearance, the staff began to move in unison. A photo wall was set up in the cinema lobby. Flashes were going off dazzlingly.
“Kim Jae-ah! Look over here!”
“The next person, please come in.”
“I’m a fan! Kyaaaak!”
“Don’t push!”
It was absolute chaos. Other celebrities were already standing at the photo wall taking pictures. They weren’t cast members but people who had been invited due to their connections.
Since Muyoung had only seen them on TV, his eyes widened in surprise.
“Wow.”
“Mr. Ha Muyoung, you’re up.”
“Huh? Me?”
And Muyoung was pushed up onto the stage. He couldn’t even open his eyes because of the flashes.
“Look to the left. Center, then to the right.”
Click! Click!
Whoosh!
Muyoung waved his hand with his eyes completely closed.
At his mischievous smile, not only the reporters but also the onlookers burst into laughter.
“Can’t you open your eyes?”
“Oh. I think I’ll go blind right away.”
“Haha. Be careful when you come down.”
Muyoung entered the theater with the help of a staff member. Even in the midst of that, he was busy greeting his senior colleagues in the industry.
“The GV (Guest Visit) will start right after the movie ends. I’ll go up on stage to greet the audience before the screening.”
“Yes. I understand.”
“Muyoung oppa!”
In the midst of the chaos, a voice that caught his attention. It was Yuna. She was wearing a pretty dress and had her hair neatly tied up for the premiere.
“I missed you-”
“Yeah. I only saw you when we were shooting the poster.”
“We didn’t see each other for long even then. You just left early.”
“I’m a supporting actor. Yuna is the lead. Of course, the main character should be on the poster.”
Muyoung patted Yuna’s head and entered the waiting room. A child’s time is truly scary. Even though the same amount of time has passed, you can see how much they’ve grown.
“How tall are you already?”
“I don’t know. But the doctor said that if I keep growing like this, I’ll be 170. Hehe.”
“That’s amazing. Really. Oh? Director! Hello.”
It was the first time in a long time that he had met the director and the cast. Muyoung couldn’t hide his joy and hugged them. It was truly a joyous day.
“Muyoung’s been really busy lately, hasn’t he?”
“No. I’m fine. I’m shooting a drama, but half of it will be broadcast live as I film it.”
What people often call a cue sheet.
Unlike movies, which only start filming once the script is perfect, no one knows how <You are a Star, I am a Star> will end yet.
“Hello. I’m Kon, the MC for today’s premiere of
Then, the host’s voice was heard from outside. It seemed like it was about to start. Muyoung straightened his collar, feeling nervous.
“Do I look okay?”
“You look totally cool.”
Yuna smiled and gave him a thumbs up. Muyoung and Yuna joined hands amicably and walked down the corridor. When the door opened, there were audience members sitting tightly.
“Waahhh!”
“Lee Hijun! Hyojung!”
“You’re cool, you’re handsome!”
Clap clap clap!
There was cheering just from them entering. Apart from a few celebrities, most of the seats seemed to be occupied by each actor’s fans. Of course, there were also ordinary people who had won the event.
“Huh?”
It wasn’t as bad as the photo wall, but flashes were still going off. And behind that, he could see the banners.
[Genius rookie actor Ha Muyoung♡]
[Muyoung, I love you. I hope
“Wow!”
They were Muyoung’s fans. It was the first time he had seen such banners and fans.
Ah. Of course, I’ve seen people on the street when I was filming a drama in a minor role, but this is the first time I’ve seen people come to an official event.
‘Hello!’
Muyoung waved his hand toward them and smiled brightly. The fans responded by waving their cards enthusiastically. They’re so cute!
‘Thank you so much.’
And with his hands together, he bowed lightly as if greeting them. Is there anything more wondrous than this experience? Someone who supports me without ever seeing my face. They are truly precious.
“The lead actress, Jaeni, is Yuna.”
“Hello. I’m Ha Muyoung, who plays Louis.”
“I’m Lee Hijun, who plays Jin, the villain who torments the two of them.”
After a brief greeting and a short introduction of the movie by the director, they sat down in the empty front row. After the movie ended, there would be a Q&A session with the audience.
“Huh? Where’s Yuna?”
“I…… can’t watch it because I’m a minor.”
Yuna waved her hand and laughed sadly. Since the movie was rated for adults only, she had to wait in the waiting room until it was over.
Oh my. I didn’t think of that!
The lead actress can’t even watch her own work. Of course, she could watch it privately at home later…….
“So oppa, you watch it and tell me what it’s like.”
“Okay. See you later.”
“Bye-bye.”
Yuna waved her hand and left the theater with her mother. Soon, the lights went out, and the distributor’s logo appeared on the screen.
Whoosh!
A world tainted by fine dust and all kinds of environmental pollution.
With a backdrop of gray skies and old apartments, the movie began.
[The government must pay compensation! Pay compensation!]
[If you don’t disperse, we’ll arrest you.]
[Compensate for a life lost to factory gas! Compensate!]
It was very different to see the scenes I had seen with my own eyes captured on video. I’m sure I checked it with the viewfinder back then, but with sound effects, visual effects, and CG added, it felt like a completely new scene.
[Rattle-]
[Louis?]
Jaeni discovers Louis, who was attempting suicide at the supermarket. The moment their fates as a community are set to sail. Muyoung felt a sense of distance as he watched himself on screen.
‘Is that really me?’
A completely new person. No, a character.
It contained the life of Louis, not Ha Muyoung, whom he had seen for 20 years. And then he realized a little.
‘Oh. That’s why they said to live the life of another character.’
It’s true. That Louis is Louis himself, not Muyoung. It’s about bringing a character who doesn’t exist in reality to life and becoming someone other than yourself. That’s acting.
‘It’s truly an amazing thing.’
Like all arts, acting was also an incredible thing. Muyoung’s nose tingled at the realization that came to him from time to time. And then came Louis’s death.
“……Wow.”
Somewhere in the back, an exclamation escaped.
The eyes of a man dying in the red sunset were so vivid that they seemed to burst out of the screen. The breath that faded with the sunset was vivid.
It was a long take, but no one realized it because of the immense immersion.
[Aaaahhhh!]
[Get out of here-!]
And the final scene.
Jaeni stands blankly in the midst of the chaos where people are trying to kill each other. Hijun’s insane touch is full of murderous intent. The child raised her black eyes and met his gaze. The music intensified, and the screen went dark.
Flash!
The ending, which doesn’t reveal whether Jaeni died or lived, left the theater silent until the lights came back on after the movie ended. Soon, as the ending credits rolled and the OST played, applause erupted.
“Wow…….”
“Director! Haha! It’s really amazing.”
“Good job. Yeah. Good job.”
The cast also hugged the director in congratulations. As much as they had worked hard and trusted Director Jin Gyeongmun, an incredible work had been created. Especially some of the scenes that stood out.
‘Louis’s death scene.’
Jin Gyeongmun also replayed the footage with satisfaction.
When he turned around, the audience was all standing up, clapping and cheering. Muyoung also waved his hand, cooling down the heat.
Squeak-
“Oppa. How was it?”
Yuna opened the door and came in right away, as if she had been waiting.
What can I say! Muyoung turned his body as if to tell her to look behind him.
The expressions of the audience, who were all enjoying themselves and looking satisfied. And the heat. Only then did Yuna smile proudly and hug Muyoung.
“It’s a huge success!”