Chapter 36: Entering the Film World

“A fan cafe?”

Oh, that was quite unexpected.  

Myungwoo’s eyes widened.

[Yeah. I don’t know who made it, but after your awards ceremony scene aired, I searched on Naver and there was already a fan cafe. It seems like it was created not long ago.]

“Are there a lot of people?”

[Not that many yet. A few thousand?]

A few thousand… was that a little or a lot?

In his previous life, a fan cafe had only been made long after debut, so he had no sense of it.

[Want the link? Wanna take a look?]

“Ah, yes please.”

Myungwoo ended the call with his manager, clicked the link he sent, and started browsing the fan cafe.

A photo of himself wearing a suit at the awards ceremony was pinned as the cafe’s banner, and Myungwoo smiled brightly when he saw it.

‘They picked a really cool photo to pin.’

He scrolled down with a happy expression, looking at the posts.

– Kang Myungwoo tear moment ㅠㅠㅠㅠ 

– Turns out <Black and White Mask> is actually a legend………  

Anyone sending chocolate cake to Kang Myungwoo!

All sorts of posts about him were there.

“Oh……”

For a cafe with only a few thousand members, there were surprisingly many posts.

Was it because it had just been created?

“Should I… join it?”

He had never properly managed a fan cafe in his previous life, so this was unfamiliar territory.

Myungwoo tilted his head, then shrugged.

“I’ll just ask Yoohee about it later.”

As an unrivaled top actor, she would know better than anyone.

Thinking that, Myungwoo returned to where his mother was waiting.

“Myungwoo, what was it?”

“Ah, the manager hyung had some news worth passing on.”

“Oh my, really? What is it?”

“Well, there are two things. One is about the movie we’ll be filming next……”

Myungwoo and No Yeonhee chatted away while deliciously eating chocolate cake.

‘A movie, a movie…… Come to think of it, it’s been a really long time since I did a film. The last thing I shot before dying in my previous life was a drama, and because of the nature of movies, shoots aren’t that frequent.”  

‘Roughly twelve years, I guess. The year has changed and I’m now eleven years old, so it’s about that long.’

‘I’m looking forward to it.’

Even though it was only a child role, his first movie being directed by Jo Jaesik was a very good start.

Myungwoo smiled pleasantly.

***

The movie Director Jo Jaesik was currently preparing was a disaster film.

And a fairly large-scale disaster film at that.

Just hearing about it made his heart race. What kind of amazing movie would he make this time?

With a thumping heart, Myungwoo woke up early in the morning and arrived at the filming site.

“Hello.”

“Ah, uh, hello.”

“Hello.”

“Hey, isn’t that the actor Kang Myungwoo? He’s doing movies too?”

Unlike the drama set, people here seemed to barely know him, and Myungwoo sighed inwardly.

‘I expected it, but most of them really don’t know me.’

In the world of actors, film actors and drama actors walked very different paths.

Film actors rarely did dramas, and drama actors rarely did films.

Each had different characteristics, and the things actors had to pay attention to were quite different as well.

Of course, there were rare cases of people who succeeded in both without distinction.

And that rare case was exactly what Myungwoo was aiming for.

‘If that’s the goal, then looks asking “who are you” like now are worth enduring.’

He hadn’t even auditioned; Director Jo Jaesik had urgently brought him in, so almost no one knew his face.

At best, only those who had watched some dramas recognized him.

But Myungwoo wasn’t worried.

Once he showed his acting, everyone would acknowledge it.

They would understand why Jo Jaesik had chosen him.

“……uh..”

“Ah.”

Only those who seemed to have watched dramas recognized him.

But Myungwoo wasn’t worried.

Once he showed his acting, everyone would acknowledge it.

They would understand why Jo Jaesik had chosen him.

“……uh..”

“Ah.”

Only those who seemed to have watched dramas recognized him.

But Myungwoo wasn’t worried.

Once he showed his acting, everyone would acknowledge it.

They would understand why Jo Jaesik had chosen him.

(…repeated corrupted text removed for clarity…)

“What, why is the director praising him so much?”

“You know, the Kang Myungwoo who just won the rookie award at KBC.”

“He’s a drama actor? Huh, movies and dramas are different.”

“We’ll see when he acts later.”

In film, the director’s word was more important than anything.

That’s why no one openly opposed Jo Jaesik’s actions.

But they couldn’t stop the whispering behind his back.

Thus, even before filming began, Myungwoo started receiving unfriendly looks from all directions.

‘Ugh……!’

Hearing the negative remarks floating around about him, Myungwoo sighed inwardly.

‘Well, I was prepared for this much.’

Not being known, or being looked at unfavorably.

As long as it stayed within this range, he could handle it.

Once he showed his acting, this atmosphere would disappear instantly.

“Alright, everyone, let’s start with makeup. Ready?”

“Yes!”

At Jo Jaesik’s words, everyone began moving briskly.

Myungwoo and Yang Seunghyun each headed to different places to get their makeup done.

“Ah, hello.”

“Hello.”

Myungwoo greeted his stylist again, whom he had already greeted once earlier.

The stylist glanced at him, returned the greeting, and silently began preparing.

‘Hmm, looks like I’ve already rubbed someone the wrong way.’

He just hoped she wouldn’t mix personal feelings into the work.

Myungwoo sat in the chair with a slightly uneasy feeling.

“Then I’ll start.”

“Ah, yes. Please take care of me.”

Even though Myungwoo smiled brightly, the stylist only nodded lightly.

‘Well, at least I don’t feel outright hostility—that’s a relief.’

Of course, there hadn’t been enough time yet for strong emotions to build up.

Others watching them from afar began talking with displeased expressions.

“Kang Myungwoo? What’s with him that the director is acting like that?”

“I don’t know. He wasn’t even in the original casting.”

“Right? Didn’t he just appear out of nowhere?”

“Parachute appointment?”

“You know Director Jo Jaesik’s personality. He wouldn’t tolerate that kind of thing.”

“You never know. If some big shot pushed him, what could the director do?”

“Was that why he spoke like that earlier?”

“Who knows. Anyway, how did he sweet-talk the director into this?”

“I don’t know. I heard he’s pretty good in dramas, but even so, does it make sense for a kid who debuted last year to appear in a Jo Jaesik film?”

“And it’s supposedly his first movie.”

“Hah, does that even make sense? Seriously……”

Whisper whisper. 

Malicious rumors mixed with nonsense circulated around the set.

Myungwoo didn’t show it outwardly, but he frowned inside.

‘I know the entertainment industry is full of talk like that, but this is a bit much.’

They were saying anything about an eleven-year-old kid.

The moment he thought that, the stylist’s hands suddenly gained strength.

‘……?!’

Her touch on his face now felt far more enthusiastic than her earlier brisk attitude.

Myungwoo glanced at her.

The stylist’s eyes were burning with passion.

“Myungwoo.”

“Uh, yes?”

“Don’t pay any attention to what those people are saying.”

‘……Yes?’

“No matter what anyone says, I know very well that Myungwoo is an incredibly good actor.”

“Huh?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll put my heart and soul into making you look perfect today.”

Wait.

From her earlier reaction, he had thought she was one of the people who disliked him……

‘Looks like… it’s the complete opposite?’

The stylist’s passionate appearance completely shattered that assumption.

“Um…… are you perhaps my fan?”

“Yes. I even joined the fan cafe.”

“Ah, haha, thank you.”

“Those people just don’t know Myungwoo-nim’s true value. Today, please show them an acting performance that will leave them speechless. I’ll help with all my heart.”

She whispered so others wouldn’t hear, but her sincerity came through loud and clear.

‘That’s the spirit.’

Receiving unexpected support made Myungwoo even more determined to crush their arrogance.

He looked at his finished makeup in the mirror and grinned.

‘Looks like I’ll have to give it everything in the very first scene.’