I Will Live As An Actor - Chapter 31

I will live as an actor Episode 31

Sizzling.

Since it was a long day at Namhang and I went to the grocery store early in the morning, I barely got any sleep in the morning compared to my peers. When I go to the kitchen where the smell is lingering, the housekeeper looks at me with startled eyes. After all, you probably didn’t know that I came down this early in the morning after finishing washing my face.

“Was it uncomfortable for British students to sleep in?”

“No. I slept well, but I don’t normally sleep in the morning. Moreover, I have to be able to resist the smell coming out of the kitchen so deliciously. Isn’t that what you’re preparing now, gamtae (sweet potato)?”

“Oh my, how does a British student know this?”

Weren’t you born and raised by the sea? Gamtae is a seaweed that grows only in clean tidal flats. It looks similar to maesaengi, but it is thinner and has a different texture. When I was young, I ate a lot of it because it was covered in mud flats, but later, as the level of pollution in mud flats became worse across the country, it was compared to the price of gold.

“But there’s a lot of seafood?”

“The old man likes seafood, so he often skips meals when he’s on set, so I try to provide it to him when he’s at the mansion.”

“Ma’am, may I help you too?”

The lady nodded briefly, as if she thought the child’s cheeky face was cute. I rolled up my sleeves and prepared the seafood the lady had bought. At first, I thought it was just a joke, but I felt the woman’s eyes gradually opening wider. The past life experience of living alone lasts for decades. Moreover, since he has been selling fish at traditional markets and supermarkets since his days as a train station, his understanding of seafood can be considered to be that of a friend from Namhang Market.

“It would be good if you chopped red pepper finely and sprinkled it with sesame seeds in the oyster water.”

This is an oyster dish that I often ate in my past life. When boiling and cleaning oysters, the broth contained in the shell is truly excellent for awakening a tired body. If you look at the color, it doesn’t look much different from rice water, but if you add finely chopped perilla powder and red pepper, there is literally a sea medicine. Look, even the housekeeper was surprised when she took a spoonful.

“Enjoy your meal, Grandpa.”

The winter sea is called a blessing. It is full of colorful seaweed and seafood. The wrinkled corners of his eyes sparkle as he takes a sip of the sour oyster water. At that time, the housekeeper said in an excited voice,

‘It was made by a British student.’

I elaborate.

The same goes for gamtae. Didn’t the lady tell me a recipe that sea people know every time she prepared it? Even if you have been cooking for a long time, there are differences from the methods known by locals. As I told him about this and that, he looked at me with amazement, but then nodded, acknowledging that Yeongdo was his hometown. Eventually, the grandfather puts down his spoon and looks at me with admiration.

her.

“A child born and raised on the beach is this good at cooking?”

Isn’t that possible? I don’t know if I live twice.

* * *

The skyline in the city is different from the coast. Gray towering buildings are rampant, and in the streets between them, office workers in suits are constantly going about their lives. Looking at the car horn rather than a boat horn and the splendid building reminiscent of a strangely shaped cliff makes you feel like you are in a different world.

In my past life, I lived in a different world like these people. As the nostalgic appreciation came to an end, the car reached its destination.

‘Wow, the office building is big.’

Baek Jang-Hoon Productions As the godfather of the Korean film industry, he also owns a film production company. Moreover, its exterior is as sophisticated as that of most agency headquarters. A place like a sacred place that many filmmakers never dreamed of. When I first set foot there, I had a special feeling.

“CEO?”

I never thought I would meet CEO Seonghwan Kim here. As soon as he saw me, he hugged me like it was a separated family reunion and wouldn’t let me go. Director Baek Jang-hoon, who was following the scene, smiled happily.

“I’m sorry for keeping you waiting, President Kim. The breakfast was so delicious that I didn’t even notice the time passing. Don’t be like that, let’s go in now.”

My grandfather’s office had an old-fashioned feel, like a palace-like mansion. Damaged furniture and posters faded with time fill the walls. Each piece feels like an artist’s work. When the ginger tea was served as usual, CEO Seonghwan Kim cleared his throat nervously.

‘If you drink it in gulps like that, it will be hot and bitter.’

CEO Seonghwan Kim smiles awkwardly and comforts the roof of his mouth. I almost burst out laughing because it seemed like a joke, but I barely held it in and looked at my grandfather.

“Representative Kim, you know that I’m preparing a project for this winter, right?”

“How could you not know? If you are preparing a work, it is no exaggeration to say that the whole of Chungmuro already knows. Our actors are always eager to appear in your work.”

“I’m sorry about that. Auditions shouldn’t be fair. There just wasn’t an actor who matched the picture I wanted. All of your actors are excellent. You all have good personalities, so good actors will come together.”

CEO Seong-Hwan Kim just looks sad no matter what Director Jang-Hoon Baek says.

“I originally wanted to visit you because I had some business to do, but I didn’t know you would come here first.”

“No! Young-Kuk is in great care at the teacher’s house, so as the representative of the agency, how could I not visit him? Although Young-Kuk is a very kind and smart child.”

“If it’s the same child as Ukuk, I’ll let him stay at my house anytime. Where else can you find such a cute companion?”

“Thank you for saying that. But what if you say it’s business?”

The grandfather lifted his teacup, moistened his mouth, and elaborated.

“CEO Kim, if nothing else, I would like to have Yeongguk appear as a cameo in the work I am currently preparing.”

“If it’s your work, is it okay?”

CEO Seonghwan Kim almost jumped out of his seat without even realizing it. There is a saying in Chungmuro that goes like this. Appearing in director Baek Jang-hoon’s work is truly a stroke of luck. He selects all roles, including the lead role, through auditions. Just because you have a lot of acting experience doesn’t mean you’ll be selected. It is a method of going through dozens of auditions to find an actor who fits the picture you have in mind.

“Thank you for saying that. Now, I guess I’ll have to ask England.”

It’s okay to put aside 10 days, so what are you trying to ask?

“England, what do you think is the skill of a cameo?”

The cameo is literally a scene stealer. Since it is a sudden appearance in a place that the audience does not expect, it is often done by famous people even if they are not actors. Thanks to this, there were many cases of ad-libbing rather than standardized acting and dialogue. then.

“Isn’t this just an improvisation?”

Grandpa grins.

* * *

‘here is?’

The first snow that fell last night was piled up on a familiar campus. Most college students seem to be moving quickly to get to their next class. On the other hand, you can also see couples holding hands and leisurely walking along tree-lined streets in winter.

Cheongdam, located in the center of the campus, is covered in frost like that in the winter. In my past life, it was Hanyoung University where I studied acting. The grandfather asks if the gaze outside the car window is filled with joy and longing.

“England, have you ever been here?”

“No, I just thought it would be pretty if there was a small pavilion in the center of the pond over there.”

“Oh, the Chairman, that friend also told me that story. Now that I see you, Young-Kuk, you also have a sense for the beauty of architecture, right?”

Alas, in my past life, there was a small pavilion in the middle of Cheongdam.

“But why did you come here, Grandpa?”

“I was wondering if there was an actor who would be suitable for a minor role. I also came here to see if he would be good at cameo roles.”

What do you mean?

Many students from the Department of Film and Theater, including those from the Department of Theater and Film, entered the main auditorium. After all, isn’t it the day of director Baek Jang-hoon’s special lecture? Even students who are giving lectures come rushing in. I felt eyes on me.

That’s because there’s a small kid sitting among the college students, so it’s natural to be curious. Occasionally, some people recognized me, but as soon as Director Baek Jang-hoon entered the main auditorium, everyone stopped chatting as if they had made an appointment.

“Nice to meet you, Hanyoung University students. I never imagined that so many students would gather to see this old man. Seeing you all reminds me of the days when I studied movies in the past. Today’s special lecture is only a one-time event, but in the future, I will become a filmmaker. “I hope that it will remain deep in the hearts of those who will become it.”

White Tiger (白虎) The pure white fabric goes even better with gray hair. Moreover, they are not called virtuosos for nothing. Even without using a microphone, the halo that immediately captures people’s attention while speaking throughout the auditorium cannot be expressed in words. It’s just the depth of time.

“Film filming is the product of harmony created by experts in various fields. On set, many opinions differ and voices are raised. This is because everyone has their own thoughts. It is the director’s ability to collect and bring these together. Let me ask you this: If a director’s competency lies in harmony, what is an actor’s competency?”

College students rush to raise their hands and answer. Of course, there can be no intuitive answer. However, as each person thinks, some may say that it is important to assimilate with the characters in the script, while others say that an actor’s performance should match the director’s values.

“That’s right. I can say that all of your answers are correct. However, after working on set for a long time, I have come to think that it is important for actors to act without losing their composure at any time. The script and director are not limited by the surrounding environment. “It is the ability to perform this demanding act the way you want. I know that there are many theater and film students here.”

At that time, the grandfather took out a small piece of paper.

“I am a director who likes adventure. As a producer, an actor’s experience may be important, but not as a director. You also need a pure actor who is not yet untainted by a false career. This is a scene from the work I am preparing. If there is an actor who can play the scene here, I will cast him without hesitation. It is not a cameo, but a role that has not been cast yet. Of course, since he is appearing in a minor role, it cannot be said that he will have a large part. Are there any ‘actors’?”

Not only students in the theater and film department, but also students who fill the main auditorium, their eyes sparkle. Soon, everyone’s hands are raised here and there, as if the waves are rising. After all, aren’t these students destined to make a living through acting? There is no way the majority would turn down the opportunity to have their name mentioned in the works of great masters. It was then.

‘no way?’

Grandpa’s eyes are on me. Only then did I remember the conversation I had with my grandfather in the car.

-I was wondering if there was an actor who would be suitable for a minor role.

This is addressed to students.

-I brought Cameo here because I wanted to check his organs.

These are words directed at me.

At that moment, the grandfather elaborates.

“Hmm, I think the students will need a counterpart to make their acting easier.”

Improvisation.

I raised my hand without realizing it.