[The filming site is heating up. The Outlaw, directed by Baek Janghoon, a master often called the giant of Chungmuro, deals with the story of lawlessness unfolding in the city. Recently, it became a hot topic as it was revealed that actor Jang Youngguk, who played two versions of Yeonsangun, took on the role of a villain. Shall we take a look at the scene?]
The reporter’s voice resonates from the TV screen. Her excited voice reflects the bustling atmosphere of the filming site.
Staff members are moving busily, and actors are double-checking their movements according to the director’s instructions.
As soon as a brief break is given, the reporter quickly heads toward the two actors of The Outlaw.
[Son Hwawon, Jang Youngguk!]
The two actors couldn’t be more different, like night and day. Compared to the modestly dressed Son Hwawon, Jang Youngguk looks as if he is wrapped in luxury from head to toe.
However, his appearance doesn’t seem overdone at all. The added elegance looks so natural, as if it was his original appearance.
His brief smile towards the camera is enough to understand why the public is so enamored with him.
“Wow.”
Kim Jisoo, who was watching the TV screen, clenches her fists in excitement. Jisoo’s father, the owner of a side dish store, and Youngguk’s mother are also staring intently at the TV screen, abandoning their dinner. Since when did it become a routine for the three of them to always have dinner together?
“Oppa is really cool.”
Jisoo exclaims in admiration as she looks at Youngguk on the screen.
Something about his aura is different from usual. If Youngguk usually exudes a friendly impression, now he radiates nobility. It’s like the saying, “Clothes make the man.”
“Seeing Youngguk like this, he seems like a different person. Really.”
Mr. Kim swallows hard as he speaks. Although he knew Youngguk was a famous actor through awards ceremonies, seeing him like this feels different. It’s as if he belongs to another world.
Youngguk’s mother also watches the scene, blinking slowly.
‘Is this the same Guk I know?’
The atmosphere is markedly different from usual.
The following sketch video of the filming site leaves everyone speechless.
Though it was a short video, it vividly showed the filming site, and Youngguk’s performance as Jeong Haeseok was so immersive that it made their mouths dry.
As the scene changes, Jisoo finally exhales the breath she had been holding and exclaims in admiration.
“Auntie, I think this movie is going to be a huge hit.”
It was just a short teaser, but Jisoo’s heart already seems excited.
On the other hand, Youngguk’s mother is more concerned about her son’s gaunt face. How exhausting must the filming be for him to become so thin? Even if others can’t tell, a mother can. At that moment,
“Why don’t we visit Seoul?”
Mr. Kim seems to have read her thoughts and suggests.
“A commercial shoot?”
Youngguk, who visited Songwon Entertainment, looks puzzled at the unexpected news. It’s understandable since it’s been a long time since his last commercial.
“Hasn’t it been a while since any offers came in?”
CEO Kim Seonghwan nods in agreement.
“It’s not that offers didn’t come in; I turned them down on my end. I knew you were reluctant to do commercial shoots while filming. Moreover, your stock has risen even more since the Yeonsan drama. Advertisers are going crazy.”
“I didn’t think about commercials because of the character image I played this time…”
“Come on, if playing a villain meant no commercials, you wouldn’t have gotten any since The Confession of a Priest.”
“Is that so?”
The character Kim Mujin he played in The Confession of a Priest was a murderer, but at least he had convictions.
Therefore, many advertisers took it as a positive signal. But the character Jeong Haeseok he played in The Outlaw is a typical arrogant second-generation chaebol, so it was unexpected.
“Ever since the entertainment news aired yesterday, it’s been chaotic.”
Oh, that interview.
“There were only brief sketches of the filming site, but already there are countless calls. And the luxury brands you wore during the interview are sold out not only in stores but also in editing shops.”
Wow.
It was indeed surprising. He had only dressed as his character Jeong Haeseok for the interview, and now everything is sold out.
“The filming schedule is generous enough that there are breaks in between, so I thought you could squeeze in a commercial shoot. You haven’t done one in quite a while. Besides, you don’t appear on variety shows to make your face known. What do you think?”
Hmm.
He originally lived a life far from commercials. The same went for variety shows. He didn’t have the skills or talents to appear on them.
At that moment, CEO Kim Seonghwan leans forward and continues.
“Youngguk, normally, I wouldn’t even bring this up, but the conditions this time are too good. And there don’t seem to be any embarrassing setups like last time.”
“What kind of commercial is it?”
An actor should see results through acting. But from CEO Kim Seonghwan’s perspective, it’s different.
Golden opportunities keep coming, and he can’t just kick them away.
Moreover, the commercial offer this time is quite tempting.
“A suit.”
A suit commercial, a theme that has come up several times. It was an advertisement that any actor would desire. It didn’t harm his image at all; rather, it added an element of sophistication.
But he doesn’t understand why CEO Kim Seonghwan is so keen on persuading him. This kind of offer has come up several times before. At that moment, CEO Kim Seonghwan swallows hard and adds.
“It’s not a domestic commercial.”
Desiderio.
The high-end luxury brand ‘Desiderio,’ meaning ‘desire’ in Italian.
Desiderio, which has built its reputation on clothing for a long time, caters primarily to the upper echelon, those considered the elite of the elite. Think European aristocrats or the high society of Thailand.
The price of a single suit can reach tens of millions of won, which says it all.
“Bello (Beautiful).”
Monica, Desiderio’s chief designer, can’t take her eyes off the image of a man displayed on a large projector.
She is a cinephile who has explored numerous genres of films, from classics to those from Europe and Asia.
“Even after watching again, he’s still so beautiful.”
Monica’s fascination with this unknown Asian actor began a few months ago. She had visited the Cannes Film Festival at the invitation of a director she knew. Among the invited works screened there, one film deeply captivated her.
The Confession of a Priest.
Initially, she thought it was just an Asian religious film or something akin to an occult horror genre like The Exorcist.
But upon watching, it turned out to be a work dealing with the seven deadly sins of humanity.
-Woe to the wicked! Disaster is upon them! They will be paid back for what their hands have done. They dig a pit and fall into it themselves. Their mischief returns upon their own heads. Their violence comes down on their own skulls. O Lord.
-Punish them.
Though she had watched the film multiple times, the sight of the actor in priestly garb delivering the final rites with a solemn yet ruthless demeanor always sent chills through her body.
The scene where he calmly accepts his own death is particularly haunting.
-As thoughts of the wicked are forgotten, the world will forget it under the word ‘oblivion’ and will again overlook the wicked. Therefore, I will remain arrogant until the end.
His gaze, consumed by darkness beneath a ragged cloth, left a profound impression in her heart.
-O Lord, punish me.
It was from that moment that Monica became wildly interested in Jang Youngguk, this new Asian actor.
Even while leading Desiderio as the chief designer, she kept thinking about the actor named Jang Youngguk.
The same went when she was designing clothes. At some point, she began tailoring them with his image in mind.
Looking at the final scene of Youngguk on the projector screen, Monica murmurs softly.
“I wonder what he’s like in person.”
There’s not much time left until she meets him.
“Desiderio, huh…”
Youngguk pondered over what CEO Kim Seonghwan had told him a few days ago.
It was said that Desiderio, the high-end luxury fashion brand from Italy, had contacted them multiple times to arrange a meeting with Youngguk.
It was an unusual occurrence. Desiderio was so well-known that they didn’t need to advertise.
Moreover, it was puzzling to him that he was known in Italy.
“Oh, Youngguk? What’s the occasion?”
Ahn Joonghyun squinted at Youngguk’s outfit, asking if he was going on a date. When Youngguk replied that he was going out for a commercial meeting, Joonghyun asked again to confirm, finding it hard to believe. It was because Youngguk’s attire was different from usual.
‘Feels like I’ve become Jeong Haeseok.’
CEO Kim Seonghwan had personally prepared the outfit for him. Since it was a meeting with a Western luxury brand, it was understandable to pay attention to his attire. Moreover, it was not a domestic but an international commercial.
Thinking about it, how many actors in the current era have aimed for international commercials?
Director Baek Janghoon’s projects usually have extended filming periods, allowing for such breaks.
Dressed like his character Jeong Haeseok, Youngguk got into the car driven by his manager, Lee Bongchun, and headed to the meeting place. It was a famous Korean traditional restaurant in Seoul, known for its individual rooms often frequented by politicians.
“Youngguk!”
CEO Kim Seonghwan had already arrived. He seemed even more nervous than Youngguk.
“CEO, why are you sweating so much?”
“It’s my first time meeting a foreigner. And it’s Desiderio.”
“They were the ones who kept contacting us to meet. They’re even bringing an interpreter.”
It was Desiderio who was in a hurry, not Youngguk. In fact, Youngguk still couldn’t understand why Desiderio was so eager to meet him. At that moment,
Creak.
The sliding door opened, and two men entered. They had classic Italian features with stylish mustaches. But they didn’t sit down immediately, waiting for someone to follow.
Soon, a woman with silver hair entered. CEO Kim Seonghwan’s eyes widened, as she was a stunning beauty comparable to any top actress.
As soon as she entered, she looked at Youngguk and said,
“In person, you’re even more enchanting.”
