When I Opened My Eyes I Was a Superstar - Chapter 216
# 217
Blockbuster (1)
General Studio’s staff welcomed Dowook, who was visiting the studio for the first time.
The general manager, whom he had already met during the meeting, approached Dowook and greeted him warmly.
“Wook! “Welcome!”
Jean-Luc, who directed ‘Heroes 2’, is a French-American director who has received favorable reviews for his excellent screen directing in previous works.
At the last meeting, he already gave a long speech to Do-wook about how much he loved ‘Heroes’ from the original to the movie ‘Heroes’ and how happy he was to take over as general director.
He was a very passionate and active director.
For a good picture, he did not hesitate to take off his socks, go into the water, and stand next to the camera director to give direction.
Thanks to this, the main cast of ‘Heroes’ had to take more cuts than in ‘Heroes 1’, and some complained of fatigue.
Of course, since they were all actors with a strong sense of professionalism, they performed passionately according to Jean-Luc’s demands, even though they openly frowned in front of Jean-Luc and said that they were tired.
Hulbert, who played the role of Billion Man, was said to have gritted his teeth half-jokingly and half-seriously to see how well the movie was made once it was completed.
However, Do-wook was more comfortable with a director who actively expressed his opinions rather than a sensitive style.
Without saying anything, it was difficult for actor Do-wook to understand the director’s meaning, and he had to think twice as hard to perform a cut that the director would approve of.
It was okay to think, but there were many times when if I went in the wrong direction, all my thoughts were in vain.
“ruler! As everyone knows, this is Mr. Dowook Kang, who plays Real Man!”
Director Jean-Luc stepped forward and introduced Do-wook, and the staff members who were scattered around and watching their work surrounded Do-wook and applauded. Dowook bowed his head to the staff in Korean style.
“Then we will go straight to rehearsal.”
Jean-Luc said and returned to his seat.
“Mr. Do-wook, I think you should stand in the center.”
Next to Do-wook was Daniel, a manager at a local management company who would help Do-wook during his appearance on ‘Heroes’.
Daniel immigrated from Korea after finishing middle school and high school to attend college. He entered Brown University, a leading university, and earned a master’s degree in media. He was working in the marketing team of a local management company.
As Daniel’s company took charge of everything from marketing to management for Do-wook’s ‘Heroes’ US activities, Korean-born Daniel temporarily took on the role of Do-wook’s manager.
Excellent sociability, eloquence, and humor and sense that come from a pleasant personality. Daniel was a person who lacked everything.
Thanks to this, Dowook was able to receive a lot of help, starting with the ‘Heroes’ director meeting and the process of researching and preparing the character in Korea.
Daniel was truly close to a ‘real man’ from his upbringing to his personality.
Looking at Daniel, Dowook reaffirmed in his heart that the story that ‘Asians are passive and introverted’ is just a prejudice.
Real Man David, whose character setting has changed, had a cheerful personality to the point where he could hum a song even on the street. He had the mentality of a boy who was too playful and sometimes got into trouble.
In short, Nalari is good at studying. Wherever he goes, people always follow him.
David’s new human concerns were the emotions he felt because he was a stranger.
Even he, who always seems bright and has many boyfriends and girlfriends, cannot help but feel bitter when he encounters moments where he feels like he is neither Korean nor American.
It was a feeling that many immigrants to the United States would actually feel.
The idea was to narrow the gap by joining ‘Heroes’.
As Daniel said, Dowook stood in the center of the studio.
As Do-wook stood, large cameras slowly moved and confirmed Do-wook’s location.
Dowook even had to feel embarrassed. The place where Do-wook stood was an empty square space.
When the camera test was over, a staff member approached Do-wook and explained the filming route.
In the square space, there was a slightly raised area like a mound, and it was said to be an 89-story high-rise building that would collapse due to fragments of a missile thrown by Billion Man during a fight with the enemy.
“Ah… yes…..”
Do-wook nodded and answered. The staff continued their explanation with a serious expression. It was a scene where a building would collapse and huge pieces of debris would fall and slide down to rescue a young girl.
Since he had already seen the storyboard, Dowook easily understood the scene.
The scene where you witness the building collapsing while walking down the street was actually scheduled to be shot outdoors on the streets of New York.
“We will shout. All you have to do is move according to the sound.”
“yes. All right.”
“Hold your child and run slowly toward the end. “It will be processed about ten times faster, so please consider your facial expressions.”
Dowook nodded.
More than half of the filming for ‘Heroes 2’ was CG filming and action scenes. Dowook made a lot of preparations in Korea for this.
Dowook originally had excellent motor skills and was maintained through regular exercise, but in order to better fit his role as a real man, Dowook grew his muscles even more.
It was not something that could be achieved by simply growing muscles. Because I was set up as an ordinary college student, I worked hard on details, such as building fine muscles that would not be noticeable when I put on clothes, but would be clearly visible when I take them off.
I also learned wire action through a short period of high-intensity training while attending action school.
Because I played a role with supernatural powers in ‘Lovers from Space,’ I was mentally prepared to some extent to play something invisible.
However, the CG in ‘Heroes’ was incomparably larger than that of ‘Lovers from Space’.
‘It’s almost like nothing. Did everyone act in this situation?…’
As expected, preparation and actual performance were different. Do-wook was determined that it would be a difficult shoot.
First, the route rehearsal began. Up to this point, Dowook had proceeded without difficulty.
The actual filming was a problem.
“Ah!…….”
With his quick body vision, he checks the child and all the debris of the falling building faster than anyone else. And run.
It was a simple scene.
It wasn’t a complete mess. Dowook showed off his skills. However, a bit of immaturity was felt in Do-wook’s gaze and facial expression.
“Let’s go one more time!”
The cry of ‘one more time’ rang out in the studio for the fifth time already.
If he were a rookie, he would have been considered pretty good for his first filming, but it was Do-wook who was doing this acting now.
Director Jean-Luc had seen Dowook’s acting references several times and was well aware of his acting skills. I couldn’t be satisfied with this.
As this is Real Man’s first appearance, as the original author and producer Martin intended, Real Man had to be able to capture the audience’s attention even in his brief appearance in order for Real Man to continue into the series and establish himself as a major hero.
Dowook was also dissatisfied with his own acting.
‘The face and body are stiff… I can’t help but feel awkward.’
Even though I was acting with enough imagination, I couldn’t completely get rid of the awkwardness. It could be that my body stiffened without realizing it due to the pressure of the empty space.
I always felt free when I acted, but this time I felt like my body was out of my control.
“Only smoke appliances. “Stiff.”
At that time, Dowook raised his head at the harsh criticism that came from behind Director Jean-Luc. Daniel, who was next to him, seemed very surprised as if he had heard it.
The staff looked at Do-wook to see if he was offended.
Director Jean-Luc looked back and greeted the sharp critic with a calm face, as if it had not happened in a day or two.
“Hulbert…….. I’m not late today.”
“When on earth did you say I was late? “I heard my new friend was really great, so I came to see him… I guess I’ll have to go wait again.”
It was Hulbert who played the role of Billion Man.
The next part Do-wook was to film was his role with Hulbert. Hulbert stopped by in advance of the first filming with Do-wook.
‘Oh my…’
Billion Man was a movie that Dowook also enjoyed watching.
‘From Billion Man Part 1 to Part 4… Hulbert, who was with the entire series, is the Billion Man himself. Acting with Hulbert was what I was most looking forward to, but it seems like my first impression wasn’t good.’
Do-wook bit his lip in disappointment.
I didn’t think I’d ever felt nervous or intimidated by the cast of a blockbuster movie just because I came to Hollywood, but if it was like this, my confidence was no different from arrogance.
‘Maybe I got nervous without realizing it…’
Do-wook became impatient, wanting to quickly throw away the awkwardness and find his own pace.
“Let’s say hello to Hulbert here and continue filming. “I think it would be a good idea for Mr. Kang to get some rest as well.”
Director Jean-Luc, perhaps aware of Dowook’s impatience, spoke calmly. Anyway, Dowook also had to say hello to Hulbert, so he walked towards the director and Hulbert.
“This is Kang Do-wook.”
Hulbert snorted at Dowook’s greeting.
“It would be better for me to act with my eyes closed.”
Dowook’s expression hardened at Hulbert’s sarcasm.
As I heard, Hulbert was an easy-going man. It was an unimaginable first greeting in Korea.
“I’m sorry I made a bad first impression. “I was looking forward to acting with Mr. Hulbert.”
Dowook expressed his impressions as they were.
“I expected it too. I saw it at Cannes. “Your acting.”
Dowook looked surprised at Hulbert’s words. Director Jean-Luc scoffed, saying that Dowook had been to Cannes, where Hulbert had never been.
“Then what do you do? “I guess what I saw was in vain.”
“Stop it. Why are you more upset than me, the director? This is Do-wook’s first film and he has only filmed five times. “Don’t forget that you also have scenes where you made NGs more than ten times.”
“What are you talking about like that? “It’s embarrassing.”
As Director Jean-Luc defended Do-wook, Hulbert frowned.
Although the words were sarcastic, I could feel Hulbert’s expectations for Do-wook, who was famous only as a singer entering Hollywood for the first time and was virtually unknown in Hollywood.
‘I want to do well… but wait…’
Hulbert’s words played again in Dowook’s mind, who had been feeling nervous for the first time in a long time.
***
That time.
Various Internet portal sites in Korea were hot with Do-wook’s news.
This was because the news of Dowook’s appearance in ‘Heroes 2’ was officially reported.
Team leader Lee Dae-hyung checked the articles pouring in in real time and smiled.
It wasn’t just Korea. Asia was shaking.
Even if an unknown Asian actor became the hero of ‘Heroes’, it would have been an uproar, but it was Do-wook. Dowook was like an unrivaled ruler in Asia, both as an actor and as a singer.
Dowook’s every move is reported, and this news was truly unprecedented.
Reporters from Korea as well as China were clamoring to go all the way to the United States to cover Do-wook, and the success of ‘Heroes 2’ in Asia was such a positive response that it was almost guaranteed.
KK members were at Incheon Airport with team leader Lee Dae-hyung.
“Wow… I’m really looking forward to it!”
“Are you looking forward to going to the Billboard Awards? Are you looking forward to now?
“How do you choose that! Seok Ji-hoon… I knew that was the case, but are you really a cruel ningen?”
While listening to the conversation between Ahn Hyeong-seo and Seok Ji-hoon, Jeong Yoon-gi let out an awkward laugh.
Taehyung Park’s complexion was almost pale.
“Bro are you okay?”
Kim Won asked with concern. Taehyung Park nodded with difficulty, saying it was okay.
Koo Cheol-min handed out airplane tickets to the members.
Team leader Lee Dae-hyung, who was looking at his cell phone, stood up and led the members.
“Let’s go.”
“yes!”
“Let’s go!”