Marriage (結婚).
It’s a once-in-a-lifetime blessing. The face of the groom, who appeared to offer a meal, is filled with embarrassment.
Considering the charisma he usually shows on set, it’s an unimaginable sight.
Moreover, the bride sitting perfectly next to the groom is the same.
“Thank you, Youngguk.”
Director Shin Sunghyun speaks while holding Youngguk’s hand.
“What did I do to deserve such a feast?”
“Hmph, nothing? If you think about it, you were like our matchmaker, Youngguk.”
There’s a saying that a quiet cat climbs the stove first. Introducing Yeonsu’s aunt to Director Shin Sunghyun was done on a whim. But who knew things would progress so smoothly, like striking while the iron is hot.
“Mr. Youngguk, we saw each other for the first time at the art exhibition, right?”
It’s Yeonsu’s aunt. She looks exactly as she did at the art exhibition.
A beauty that takes your breath away. A low voice, long hair, and a silk scarf around her white neck.
“I heard a lot about you from Yeonsu.”
Come to think of it, I haven’t been in touch with Yeonsu for a while. When we were in high school, she used to come to my class during breaks, so I saw her often, but after graduation, we lost touch.
“Is Yeonsu doing well?”
“She felt a bit neglected because you didn’t contact her. So, I have a favor to ask.”
After a moment of silence, her request was enough to surprise me.
“Could you sing a congratulatory song at our wedding?”
“Me?”
It was an unexpected request. But it’s not incomprehensible. After all, I was the one who connected Director Shin Sunghyun and Yeonsu’s aunt.
“I’m not a singer, are you sure?”
“The entire nation knows you’re good at singing, Youngguk. And do you think I’d ask you for free? I’ll get you a fancy suit, shoes, and a belt for your wedding.”
Seeing the pleading look in Director Shin Sunghyun’s eyes, I couldn’t refuse. Moreover, I thought it might be a good experience. Singing a congratulatory song at a wedding could be good practice for my mother’s possible remarriage in the future.
“I’ll do my best.”
But then.
“I have a favor to ask too.”
The bride and groom listen intently.
“Can I sing a duet with Yeonsu?”
“With Yeonsu?”
“In a way, it was Yeonsu who gave me her aunt’s phone number, so I could pass it to Director Shin. There are two matchmakers, so one can’t be left out, right?”
Yeonsu’s aunt widened her eyes and then smiled contentedly.
“I’m singing a congratulatory song too?!”
Yeonsu’s eyes widened at the voice coming from the receiver. She already knew about her aunt’s marriage. But to think she would be asked to sing a congratulatory song.
“Aunt! I can’t sing! I’m tone-deaf…!”
If a tone-deaf person like her sang a congratulatory song, it wouldn’t be surprising if the lively wedding atmosphere turned into a library in no time.
But hearing her aunt’s repeated voice over the receiver made Yeonsu hiccup and question.
“With Youngguk oppa?”
Yeonsu’s face turned beet red after hanging up the phone. She was already imagining singing a duet with Youngguk.
But then she realized she was tone-deaf, and her face turned pale as if all the blood had drained from her body.
“Yeonsu, was that Aunt Sookyung on the phone?”
She couldn’t even think of answering her mother’s question. Yeonsu immediately grabbed her coat and stood up. Her mother asked with a puzzled look.
“Yeonsu, where are you going?”
“To the agency!”
“Why are you suddenly going to the agency? Did the CEO ask to meet you?”
“No, it’s not that.”
Going to a karaoke room alone wouldn’t suddenly improve her singing skills. But the agency was different. It was a place that trained not only actors but also singers. She had occasionally greeted vocal trainers while going in and out of the agency.
Without giving her mother a chance to stop her, Yeonsu dashed out. As she watched Yeonsu running out the front door, her mother asked again.
“Yeonsu, why are you going to the agency!?”
Yeonsu stopped for a moment and answered with a determined look.
“To learn how to sing—!”
Koh Gwangtae, who wandered around the exam village, was studying people as usual today. He had already completed writing a script related to the law, but he couldn’t easily leave the place. There was no better place to study human nature.
“Gwangtae, are you going to work today too?”
The old owner of the second-hand bookstore handed him a paper cup of coffee, recognizing him. Koh Gwangtae showed his notebook briefly and sat in his usual corner of the second-hand bookstore. But then.
‘I wonder if they’ll like the script.’
It was a script he had been writing for five years. He had submitted it to various film companies and agencies, but the responses were unsatisfactory.
Actually, it would have been better if they gave at least an unsatisfactory response.
After submitting, when he inquired after a long wait, he often got responses like, ‘Did we receive such a script?’
‘Being unknown is miserable.’
Of course, he was an unknown who had never made a debut in the literary world. To film companies, it was just one of many scripts.
They probably hadn’t even read it. He handed the script to an actor whose name he didn’t even know.
‘Dongjin said he’s quite famous.’
According to his nephew Kim Dongjin, the actor was quite famous. He looked handsome and tall, fitting the image of an actor, but Gwangtae didn’t know him.
That’s because Gwangtae, despite aspiring to be a writer, ironically didn’t watch many movies or dramas.
‘Why risk getting influenced?’
He didn’t want to fill his blank mind with other works.
“Hey, if it works, great. If not, oh well.”
He handed over the script with a desperate heart. The script, which he had cherished for five years, felt like his own child. It pained him to see it not getting any attention. If it weren’t for that look in his eyes, he wouldn’t have given it.
“Jeez, I must’ve been possessed by a ghost.”
Just by looking into those eyes, an indescribable emotion swept over him. He might have kept eating stir-fried pork to hide that emotion.
That was it. If his judgment was wrong, there was nothing he could do.
The second-hand bookstore was as quiet as usual. Books from pawnshops, restaurants, and bars were neatly stacked, and unemployed people wandered like ghosts.
His stomach growled, but he found no money in his pockets.
“Should I go to Chungmuro and do some odd jobs?”
The money he had saved from doing odd jobs was all gone, so it was time to work again.
His next destination was none other than Chungmuro. He wanted to see with his own eyes how movies were made and produced.
Of course, he had to start as an errand boy.
That evening.
“Law Court…”
Sitting in the hall, he picked up the script handed to him by Koh Gwangtae. The script was worn with countless revisions, like a well-used notebook.
Judging by the writing date on the first page, it was a work he had been writing for five years. It showed how much effort he had put into it.
‘He’ll surely succeed as a director.’
From what he remembered of his past life, Koh Gwangtae, also known as the Madman of Chungmuro, created sensational works.
Minimal SFX and raw direction. Unique scripts.
Although there were many artistic directors in Chungmuro, Koh Gwangtae stood out. He was praised for balancing commercial and artistic values. But.
‘He’s not a director yet.’
Koh Gwangtae directed his first film in his mid-forties, so there were at least five years left.
Of course, becoming a director isn’t something that happens overnight, even with talent.
Starting as an assistant, then assistant director, and eventually taking overall responsibility. It’s said that even ten years is a short time to take charge of a film. In contrast, Koh Gwangtae quickly took the megaphone at a rapid pace.
But.
In his past life, there was no film related to the law in Koh Gwangtae’s filmography.
He knew because he had watched all of Koh Gwangtae’s films while studying cinema as an extra. So, what was this script in his hands? The answer was simple.
‘An unpublished work.’
It meant it was a work that wasn’t released in his past life. Just then.
“Youngguk, what are you pondering over?”
He thought it was his grandfather. But when he looked up, it was his uncle. His uncle sat down with a solemn expression, trying to look like his grandfather.
“Uncle, you don’t look like Grandpa at all.”
“Haha, you rascal. But what’s that script in your hand? It looks really old.”
“I got it from someone I know.”
“Let me see.”
His uncle took the old script as if snatching it. Any actor would be curious about a script.
As he flipped through the old script, his uncle’s eyes gradually changed. Initially indifferent, his eyes lit up as he turned the pages.
How much time had passed?
“Wow, this is interesting.”
His uncle exclaimed after reading halfway through the script. No wonder, even he couldn’t stop reading when he first saw the script.
“The characters are so vivid, like real people. Especially the scene in 47. Where the villain gets punched because the law is distant and fists are close. Sometimes it feels like a comedy, sometimes like an action movie. And it has social satire and black humor. How many genres are in this script? It’s crazy. Who’s the writer?”
“Koh Gwangtae.”
“Koh Gwangtae, never heard of him.”
He was still an unknown who hadn’t even debuted as a director.
“But what’s bothering you?”
“The CEO told me to take a break from acting for a while. He said I need time to recharge. And there’s no suitable director for this work. As you can see from the script, the writer meddles in the direction, making the scenes complicated. Most directors would hate it. I was considering Director Shin Sunghyun, but his style doesn’t match the script.”
His uncle scratched his head, not understanding.
“Why is that a problem?”
“…”
“You’re not a rice cooker; you don’t have to recharge at a set time. Everyone needs different recharging times. From what I see, you’re a natural actor. An actor can’t live without acting. If you’re ready, you can start a new project anytime. And you have a director who can handle this script.”
“Who?”
His uncle glanced toward the living room beyond the hall and said.
“Baek Janghoon hyung.”
