I Will Live as an Actor Episode 151
“Are you talking about the outlaw leak incident?”
Kwak Myung-hwan takes his stance forward. It’s an interesting topic. Isn’t this an incident that left a mark on Korean film history?
Although it has already been almost ten years since the incident occurred, its repercussions are still felt. This was a huge shock to Chungmuro, where copyright awareness was not clear.
“It was an incident that once caused an uproar in Chungmuro. “No one could have imagined that the video of the shooting would be leaked.”
“I understand that such a bill has already existed in the United States for a long time, but wasn’t there such a bill in the domestic film industry at the time?”
“In the past, domestic film shooting had little awareness of copyright. In fact, there were people filming with camcorders even in theaters. It is only now that it is widely recognized as a crime, but it was different back then.”
Kwak Myeong-hwan lifts his teacup, moistens his mouth, and elaborates.
“You used America as an example, but Hollywood was also the same in the past. For example, in the case of the world-famous master Marils, he knew that imitations of his work were always being made, so when he took over the megaphone, he would put fake works at the forefront.”
“Is this a fake work?”
“While the media made headlines for taking the lead on a non-existent project A, in reality, it was a case of directing a project B. It is said that the filming of the movie was always carried out in great secrecy. “As the United States went through such hardships, the awareness of copyright may have become stronger.”
The producer of a terrestrial current affairs station takes a notebook and writes down Kwak Myeong-hwan’s words. Then he asks as if he is curious about something.
“I know that the outlaw leak incident at the time caused a big stir not only in Chungmuro but also in the broadcasting industry, but when I looked up past media records, there was no word that the culprit had been found. “Does Chief Editor Kwak Myung-hwan know anything about this?”
“How do you think I know about the culprit that the media couldn’t find out?”
“Wasn’t Chief Editor Kwak Myung-hwan a well-known figure in the entertainment industry at the time? In fact, while investigating the case, there were more than one or two parts that were unclear. Not only did the newspaper that threatened director Baek Jang-hoon suddenly announce that they would delete the video, but the police investigation into the culprit also ended in disarray as the internal investigation was concluded. Because of this, some even said that director Baek Jang-hoon was engaging in noise marketing...”
Kwak Myung-hwan smiles faintly.
“Producer: Was Outlaw a work that was lacking enough to require noise marketing? no. On the contrary, it is a movie that caused as much box office success as Confessions of a Priest. Rather, if the rating had been relaxed during review, it might have been the first movie in Korea to reach 10 million viewers. In fact, there was a lot of talk in the film industry at the time because of that. “Baek Jang-hoon Productions, who seemed to be ready to catch the culprit, suddenly cleared up the incident.”
It was an unprecedented incident that caused an uproar in Chungmuro. Not only did the master’s work get scratched, but it also became an opportunity to require extreme security when filming a movie.
“In fact, I know that we have found the culprit.”
“You found it?”
PD’s eyes grow as big as a flower lantern. I couldn’t help but be curious. At that moment, a look of reminiscing about the past appears around Myeong-Hwan Kwak’s wrinkled eyes.
“Could you please proceed with the story from now on off the record?”
* * *
There is such a thing as feeling. With the addition of my past life experiences, I guess my mental age is well over the limit and I have reached middle age.
Even more so, is it a privilege gained by repeating life? His outstanding memory and ability to read people’s minds were strangely excellent.
It was Yang Chi-gon who was embarrassed by an unexpected ad-lib at the filming site. Even after filming was over, cold sweat was streaming down his face like rain. My complexion is so bad that if a stranger saw me, they would think I had enteritis.
“Hyung, are you okay?”
When I handed over the medicine bag, Yang Chi-gon raised his head with startled eyes. I guess he didn’t know that I would even provide him with medicine.
“I felt it since we were rehearsing the script earlier, but I guess you’re not feeling well?”
“Oh, that’s because I’ve had trouble sleeping the past few days... ... .”
Yang Chi-gon licked his dry lips and answered awkwardly. The atmosphere at the filming site was still cold.
The uncle’s shout echoes loudly all the way to the main hall. You could tell just by hearing his voice that he was so angry.
Fortunately, my grandfather put an end to the outlaw’s video leak incident. There was no way to know whether he used money or connections, but I was glad to hear that he passed on it.
“Who is the culprit?”
In response to my uncle’s question, my grandfather smiled slightly. I felt like that actually aroused my uncle’s temper.
“I can’t do that. My brother is a very kind person. Those with yellow buds like that should be cut down in the pasture. Don’t you know that there’s an uproar these days in Chungmuro and broadcasting centers because of that incident? As a matter of fact, we learn before entering the filming set, and we all start by inspecting our belongings, including the staff. “I thought I was at some kind of airport.”
At that time, the grandfather paused and made a fortune.
“It looks like your old mother is unwell.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I was lying in a hospital bed and they said they didn’t have money to pay for the hospital. Don’t you know, Junghyun? This floor is difficult for everyone except Joo Joo-yeon. Moreover, since it is a minor role, I don’t know when I will appear again, and that doesn’t mean I have a permanent job.”
“No, you can do something like that if you don’t have money. “If you put it that way, why is it okay to commit a crime just because it’s difficult?”
It was then. The sound of someone knocking on the front door of the mansion was heard.
My grandfather and uncle stuck their heads out beyond the main hall to see someone, and I ended up going across the garden and opening the door.
And there stood a familiar figure with a haggard face.
“Chigon hyung?”
It was actor Yang Chi-gon. It wasn’t like he looked like a person with a skeletal skin. Isn’t it as if several years have passed in just a few days?
He couldn’t look me in the eyes and walked towards my grandfather who was in the main hall. Then he collapses and falls to his knees.
“I’m sorry, Director.”
It was Yang Chi-gon, shedding tears like chicken shit. I couldn’t tell if they were crocodile tears or true repentance.
However, his subsequent remarks seemed to give strength to the latter.
“I will pay for my sin somehow. I will also cough up all the money I received. I am truly sorry for putting pressure on the director’s work. If you wish, I will never work as an actor again. Anyway, there will be no more roles for scum like me, so please forgive me this once. I will pay the price as soon as my mother’s surgery is completed. “I am truly sorry.”
The culprit, as my grandfather said, was actor Yang Chi-gon. His uncle was still looking down at him with distrustful eyes.
The grandfather listens to Yang Chi-gon without saying anything and then says something.
“Are you really going to quit being an actor?”
At the grandfather’s question, Yang Chi-gon’s eyes shook violently as if there had been an earthquake. Although he said he would quit his career as an actor, he didn’t seem to know that his grandfather would want a definite answer this much.
But is it because he knows his sins? Yang Chi-gon lowered his head with red, bloodshot eyes.
“I will quit.”
“So what are we going to do with the outlaw we’re filming right now? If you are missing, not only the amount of footage previously filmed but also the character itself will have to be changed. “How are you going to compensate for that?”
The grandfather narrows his eyebrows and elaborates.
“Did you come here and tell me you were going to quit your acting career when you said you couldn’t handle that much? I knew about the mistake you made, but I turned a blind eye to it. The reason is simple: everyone makes a mistake at least once in their life. Of course, that doesn’t mean that your mistakes are so minor that you can overlook them. I was very angry too. “I just wanted to bury you after seeing your old mother lying in a hospital bed.”
The full moon shining down on the crock pot shines beautifully. The grandfather spoke firmly, leaving behind the limp old pine tree.
“There is only one way for you to repay me. “Act with all your might during the remaining filming period!”