Chapter 40: Film Director Kang Ki-hyung (3)

Any Korean with even a slight interest in film would know Director Kang Ki-hyung.

An Oscar winner and a director who has shattered numerous global records.

Known as the king of box office hits, it was only natural that Hye-yeon knew of him.

“Yes! I’ve seen your movies!” Hye-yeon said.

The only days the family went to see movies were when Adele Louis’s works were released as films. But if a work was released on an OTT platform, Mijeong Kwon would immediately buy a subscription.

Even though it was only usable for a month, that month allowed them to watch countless films available on the platform.

At the time, Director Kang Ki-hyung’s films were also on the OTT platform, so Hye-yeon had been able to watch them.

“Oh, I see. Which of my works did you find the most interesting?” Kang Ki-hyung asked.

“Cheonghwa!”

A film that drew ten million viewers in Korea and earned an Oscar, marking a monumental achievement in his career.

Cheonghwa.

The blue flower typically carries the meaning of “impossible,” and the film tells the story of people who must make the impossible possible within society.

“But why are you with my uncle…?” Hye-yeon asked.

To Hye-yeon, Kang Ki-hyung was a major celebrity.

Someone you couldn’t meet even if you wanted to.

He had achieved ten million viewers in Korea twice and won an Oscar.

Seeing such a person with her uncle, Hye-yeon couldn’t help but be flustered.

“Oh, we’re working together this time,” I said.

“With you, Uncle?”

“Yeah.”

It seemed Hye-yeon still didn’t know I was Adele Louis.

I thought Yuri would have told her, but it appeared she hadn’t, and Hye-yeon only knew me as a famous writer.

She probably thought the fans who swarmed yesterday were just there because I was famous.

“Oh! Then… Uncle, could you get me an autograph?” she asked.

Since I was a famous writer, she must have thought it was possible for me to meet Kang Ki-hyung and brushed it off casually.

Her words actually surprised me.

Hye-yeon likes movies?

Before coming to Canada, Hye-yeon didn’t have any dreams.

Seeing me work, she began to dream of becoming a writer, but that wasn’t a coincidence.

Hye-yeon had always loved watching dramas, movies, and reading novels, though she never told anyone.

It was only natural that she’d develop an interest.

“Well, she says that, so could you give her an autograph?” I asked.

“Of course. But there’s one condition,” Kang Ki-hyung said.

“A condition?”

“Yes, it’s not a big deal…”

With a slight smile, he continued, “I’d like her to chat with me for a bit.”

“What’s there to talk about… Alright, fine.”

I didn’t know what kind of conversation he wanted, but since Hye-yeon wanted the autograph, I agreed.

“How long will it take?”

“Less than ten minutes.”

I looked back at the phone.

“Okay, Hye-yeon.”

“Yes!”

“I’ll probably get to the hotel in about an hour. Get ready to head out.”

“Okay! I’ll do that!”

To have the conversation, I ended the call with Hye-yeon.

Staring blankly at the now-dark phone screen, I slipped it into my pocket.

Then, Director Kang Ki-hyung sat across from me.

“Go ahead, say what you want,” I said.

“Whenever I read your works, there’s always something I’ve been curious about.”

He had always wanted to ask but never had the chance until now.

A question that arose every time he read my work.

“It’s not a serious question. Just a curiosity, I suppose.”

“What is it?”

“It’s not a big deal… Why do your stories always end in tragedy?”

At that, I replied casually, “Because that’s reality.”

A pessimistic perspective.

As I grew from a child to a teenager to an adult, the lens through which I viewed the world taught me something.

The moment I realized the wall of reality wasn’t as low as I thought, my writing gradually became more negative.

Hope? What even is that?

Who does it come to, anyway?

Lucky people? Hardworking people? Poor people? Rich people?

Holding onto such a fragile thread and moving forward… it’s impossible.

Everyone gets a chance.

If you work hard, life gets better.

If you study, you can become rich.

And so on.

I heard all those things, but in the end, they were just words disconnected from reality.

The only reason I’m writing with hope now…

It’s simply because I drew inspiration from Hye-yeon.

It stemmed from my wish that there be no tragedy in this child’s future, that she have a hopeful one.

My heart was still surrounded by tragedy.

“That’s reality…” Kang Ki-hyung repeated.

At that, he gave a slight smile.

“I see. So… Hmm. Alright. Haha! Got it.”

What did he get?

His face looked relieved, as if a weight had been lifted.

Like he had scrubbed away years of grime.

“I’ll take my leave now.”

“What? That’s it?”

“Haha! Yes! My curiosity is satisfied. See you next time, Writer-nim.”

Kang Ki-hyung stood up, gave me a slight bow, and left without any lingering attachment.

What was that…

It felt less like shedding grime and more like breaking a seal.

He was trying to hide it, but he couldn’t conceal his excitement.

I don’t get it.

I thought about why he acted that way but shook my head.

Thinking about it wouldn’t change anything.

“Oh, Writer-nim.”

As I was taking a brief rest, Loony approached, having finished talking with the Orange TV+ team.

“Director Kihyung Kang said he’s skipping lunch. Apparently, something urgent came up.”

“Is that so?”

I had declined lunch, but it seemed Kang Ki-hyung had already informed them.

“That works out. I was planning to have lunch with the kids.”

“Then I’ll take you to the hotel.”

“Please do.”

I glanced at the spot where Kang Ki-hyung had disappeared, then stood up.

***

Unlike the trip to Orange TV+ headquarters, Kang Ki-hyung sat quietly in the car without reading a book.

“Hyung, what happened? What did that Adele Louis guy say?” his manager asked.

“Nothing much.”

“You even canceled the lunch plans. Are you sure nothing happened?”

“Yeah.”

Despite his manager’s questions, Kang Ki-hyung answered half-heartedly.

His mind was filled with thoughts of Yongsu Kwon, whom he had just met.

“Changsu,” he said.

“Yes, Hyung?”

“What do you think a genius is?”

“Out of nowhere?”

“Yeah, just what do you think?”

Without much thought, his manager, Changsu Ko, replied, “Just what it sounds like, right? A talent bestowed by the heavens.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah… Is there a reason to think otherwise?”

“Hmm.”

Kang Ki-hyung didn’t respond to Changsu’s words.

About ten minutes passed in silence.

“Rather than a genius bestowed by the heavens… it felt more like a curse from the heavens…”

Kang Ki-hyung muttered under his breath, so softly no one could hear.

“What did you say?”

“Nothing.”

He quietly recalled what Yongsu Kwon had said earlier.

“Because that’s reality,” he said. Writing tragedy because reality is tragic…

It could sound almost childish.

Thinking the world, seen through a narrow lens, is full of nothing but tragedy.

Depending on the environment… people’s perspectives can change.

Of course, it varies from person to person.

Some find happiness despite growing up in misfortune, while others remain unaware of happiness despite wealth.

But…

The Yongsu Kwon he met wasn’t that kind of person.

He wasn’t someone whose thoughts shifted with his environment.

If he were, he wouldn’t have spoken so confidently in the meeting room.

Why did he think it was tragic?

What was the reason?

Was it pain from people? Or something he experienced in the past?

“Hmm…”

Unknowingly, Kang Ki-hyung had thought Yongsu Kwon was like him.

Someone who could churn out stories endlessly.

But he was wrong.

He was a genius.

He was an utterly realistic person.

To put it another way, a merely “realistic” person had become one of the world’s most famous writers.

A person whose view of the world was limited to “reality.”

But on the flip side, that’s a curse, too.

An ordinary, realistic writer.

A writer who believes reality is tragic.

It was nothing less than a curse from the heavens.

“He could grow even more…”

If he could break through that tragedy, he would grow even further.

Far beyond where he was now, overwhelmingly so.

That thought made Kang Ki-hyung’s blood boil without him realizing it.

“What? Who?” his manager asked.

“Nothing.”

Kang Ki-hyung let out a small chuckle and closed his eyes.

If I could adapt a story that writer wrote with hope…

Thump thump thump thump thump!

The thought made his heart race again.

So strongly that it reached the ears of the manager driving.

This is exciting.

Anticipating a day that might come, I quietly closed my eyes.

***

On the way to the hotel, Loony spoke to me casually.

“By the way, are you sure this is okay? There were a lot of reporters at Orange TV+ headquarters earlier. I can’t guarantee there won’t be any at the hotel with the kids.”

“Didn’t Orange TV+ say they’d release an official statement? The news should come out soon.”

“Even so, reporters will still be there. You know how relentless they can be, Writer-nim.”

I know.

How could I forget the reporters who tried to barge into my house?

“Well, there’s a thing called ‘staycation,’ right? We’ll just hang out at the hotel.”

Being a five-star hotel, it had plenty to offer, from a pool to various activities.

The kids didn’t speak English, so they’d been staying at the hotel anyway.

“By the way, what was that earlier?” Loony asked.

“What?”

“You don’t usually collaborate with directors, do you? You even leave actor casting entirely to them.”

“…”

When it comes to adaptations, my role is always the same.

Checking the script. Knowing who’s cast as the characters.

That’s it.

If something feels off, I’ll call it out right away.

I didn’t want to get more involved in adaptations than that.

Some directors asked me to write the script, but I ignored them all.

I believed films were films, and books were books.

“I just felt like it,” I said.

“Is that so…”

It was just interesting.

Kang Ki-hyung was the only director who brought that many scripts before the contract was even signed.

Since Nicole likes the work, I wanted to put in a bit more effort.

Orange TV+ was thrilled about it.

They probably thought my involvement would elevate the project’s quality.

“Oh, we’re here.”

And so, I arrived at the hotel.