Chapter 48: The Harvest Season
The car was filled with a heavy silence.
Feeling the need to break the tension, I forced myself to speak.
“Don’t celebrities usually have their managers drive them around?”
“Managers are people too. They need rest. I told mine to go home since I wasn’t planning on drinking tonight anyway.”
“Ah, yes, of course. People need to rest. Absolutely.”
Awkward silence fell again.
Staring straight ahead, Hong Seul-gi spoke in a low voice.
“I didn’t know… that Dae-woon-ssi was the investor in our project. And even more, I didn’t expect you to be the person Director Jeong always praised so highly.”
“Hahaha… Director Jeong tends to exaggerate.”
“He’s not the type to joke around.”
“Really? Maybe he just does that around me.”
“…Thank you.”
“Pardon?”
“For recommending me as the lead. I wanted to thank you.”
“Oh, there’s no need for that. Even if I hadn’t mentioned it, you would’ve been cast as the lead anyway.”
“You’re the first.”
“A first? What do you mean?”
“You’re the first person who didn’t oppose me taking the role of Baek Ah-ri. You were the first to support me.”
“Really? The moment I saw you, I thought it would be a perfect fit. You have this… subtle temper—uh, no, I mean, your aura really suits the character.”
Hong Seul-gi, who was holding the steering wheel, let a subtle smile curl on her lips.
“Do I look like I have a temper?”
“Not much, just a little.”
“Even the CEO of my agency and my manager said the same thing. They said it didn’t suit my image at all. They told me I’d worked so hard to build up this pure and innocent actress persona, so why would I ruin it? They kept telling me to just focus on what I was already doing.”
Hong Seul-gi shared her story calmly, almost as if she were talking to herself.
“But I didn’t like it. I didn’t want to be typecast as the ‘pure and innocent actress’. I wanted to act, not just be a celebrity. That’s why I was so eager for the role of Baek Ah-ri. I wanted to show people that I could do these intense, desperate roles too.”
There was no doubt in my mind about her sincerity toward acting.
“But then, the movie I was so desperate for almost fell apart. And that’s when the people in my agency saw their chance. They pushed me toward other roles, insisting this film wasn’t going to work out. They were relentless, telling me to switch projects as soon as possible. But I held on.”
“Good for you. You’ve got more grit than I thought.”
“You said earlier, didn’t you? That I look like I have a temper.”
Woah, this woman holds grudges.
“As I mentioned, just a little…”
I stood by my opinion.
“I wasn’t always like this, you know. Growing up as a child actress, moving from one set to another, I matured quickly. I’ve experienced all kinds of situations, and over time, I changed. I had to toughen up to protect myself. It’s easier to be overlooked if you don’t have your defenses up.”
Her words resonated deeply with me.
People are quick to criticize when you make one mistake after being good for so long, but when someone who’s always been rude shows a little kindness, they get praised.
It’s just how people are.
“Anyway, I can’t guarantee how successful this film will be, but I’ve worked harder on this project than I ever have before. And I’m confident it’ll do well.”
Of course. It has to do well.
As an investor in the film, it was hard not to feel pleased hearing the lead actress speak so passionately.
“It’s going to do well. The atmosphere between the cast and crew seemed great, and most importantly… this project is bound to succeed.”
“And why is that…?”
Hong Seul-gi looked at me with wide, doe-like eyes.
“Because I can sense Director Jeong Dae-yoon’s desperation for this film to work. When someone is that desperate, miracles tend to happen.”
The bright red sports car stopped at a traffic light just in time.
Hong Seul-gi turned her head and looked at me, her gaze soft but curious.
I met her eyes calmly, and under the streetlight’s glow, her alluring eyes shimmered like distant starlight.
“Dae-woon-ssi… you’re a person with a big capacity 1(you’re a big-hearted person).”
“Ahem… I do tend to eat a lot. I’ve even been kicked out of a buffet once.”
Of course, I knew that wasn’t what she meant, but her compliment made me a little flustered, so I responded with nonsense.
In truth, it was because I saw the same golden light around Hong Seul-gi that I dared to make such a bold investment.
The traffic light turned green, and Hong Seul-gi let out a small laugh before pressing on the accelerator.
“Anyway, thanks for the ride. These days, catching a taxi is like trying to pluck a star from the sky.”
“Are you going to thank me just with words?”
“Then how about I pay you the taxi fare…?”
“Are you drunk?”
“No, I’m actually feeling quite sober now.”
The fresh air I’d gotten while trying to hail a taxi had also helped sober me up a bit.
“Well, in that case… would you be up for a walk?”
“Huh? Right now?”
“Why, is it too much trouble?”
She looked at me with eyes like the Puss in Boots from animation, making it impossible for me to refuse her request, even though I was exhausted and just wanted to go to bed.
“Just for a little while, sure…”
“Yay! Really? If possible, I’d love to see Heok-tan this time… It’s been way too long since I last saw him. Oh! But of course, Seok-tan or Gong-tan would be fine too. They’re all so cute! I’m not playing favorites, I swear! But… I just really miss Heok-tan’s proud and aloof personality. Ah… No, wait, I haven’t seen Seok-tan in a while either… What should I do? Oh no, I’m torn.”
Do people know?
That this actress turns into a completely different person when she talks about cats?
The calm atmosphere from just a moment ago had vanished completely.
Whenever the conversation shifted to my cats, she would show this peculiar split in personality.
Since I owed her one anyway, I decided to make an exception today.
I scooped up both Seok-tan and Heok-tan under my arms and headed up to the rooftop garden.
Needless to say, Hong Seul-gi’s lips were turned up in a wide grin.
Time flowed like water, and soon enough, the release date of ‘Nemesis’ was just around the corner.
I was studying for an exam at a quiet café near campus when I decided to search for articles about ‘Nemesis’.
[Hong Seul-gi, Nam Kyung-hwan, and Kim Sung-joon’s ‘Nemesis’ Hits No. 1 on the first day of its release]
‘Nemesis’ which had already been creating a buzz due to Hong Seul-gi’s bold transformation, drew in 360,000 viewers on its first day, securing the top spot at the box office. It’s a highly encouraging start compared to the winter blockbuster ‘Drug Dog’ which opened with 250,000 viewers.
“Hmm, impressive.”
The stress that had been building up from studying suddenly vanished in an instant.
You have to fasten the first button well. 2(It is a metaphorical expression in Korean, which means that the first step or start is crucial in any process. If you don’t get the first button right (in buttoning a shirt, for instance), the rest of the buttons will be misaligned. This expression is used to emphasize the importance of starting things the right way, because a good start typically leads to a smooth continuation or success.)
Of course, It could start off strong but end as a ‘dragon head and snake tail’ 3용두사미 (龍頭蛇尾, yongdusami): This is a Korean idiom made up of Chinese characters. 용(龍, yong) means “dragon,” 두(頭, du) means “head,” 사(蛇, sa) means “snake,” and 미(尾, mi) means “tail.” Literally, it translates to “a dragon’s head and a snake’s tail,” which means starting something grand but ending poorly or in a disappointing way. Song Dae-woon acknowledges that although the project or task started off with great energy, there’s a risk it might fizzle out disappointingly (as symbolized by the idiom “용두사미“). However, despite this possibility, they are still happy with the strong start.), but this was still a promising beginning.
I quickly checked for the ratings of ‘Nemesis’.
★★★★★
“Seul-gi unnie, I love you. Earn lots of money and let’s kill even more people together.”
honglov****
★★★★★
“The story is insane, and the actors’ performances are even more insane. Especially Hong Seul-gi, she’s absolutely nuts.”
tkdg****
★★★★★
“You have to see this movie. It’s seriously refreshing. This isn’t your typical revenge film. The narrative is well-constructed, and the plot makes perfect sense. You can immediately tell how much the director poured into this movie just by watching it.”
alclssha****
The reviews were overwhelmingly positive, especially regarding ‘Nemesis’’s artistic quality and Hong Seul-gi’s performance.
Nodding, I found myself wholeheartedly agreeing.
“Her acting was insane.”
The woman who grins like a fool whenever she sees a cat turned into a ruthless killer on screen, mad with vengeance, killing people as casually as eating a meal.
The sheer cognitive dissonance between those two personas made me realize once again—an actor is truly an actor 4(“An actor is truly an actor” reinforces the idea that the actor is skilled enough to embody vastly different roles convincingly).
And at that moment, I had no idea.
That a massive storm was just beginning.
[‘Nemesis’ surpasses 5 million viewers in just 10 days since release. Faster than ‘Hwashin’]
‘According to the distributor’s tally via the Korean Film Council’s integrated computer network, ‘Nemesis’ reached 5 million cumulative viewers just two days after crossing the 4 million mark. This record beats all previous box-office hits that surpassed 10 million tickets sold…”’
“Oppa!”
“Whoa! You scared me!”
Im Yoo-jin suddenly popped out of nowhere, startling me so much that I nearly fell out of my chair.
Does Im Yoo-jin, who is smiling brightly in front of me, even know that?
If not for my beast-like reflexes, her hair might have been yanked right out of her head.
“Why are you zoning out like that? Did someone break your heart?”
“How did you even jump to that conclusion? Is that even possible in everyday life?”
As I exchanged jokes with Im Yoo-jin, who had arrived first, Lee Ga-haeng and Kim Joo-hee showed up at the café one by one.
“How did everyone do on their exams?”
In response to my question, the three of them shook their heads with the brightest smiles imaginable.
“Nope. Completely bombed. I think I’m just gonna die.”
“A real man bets everything on the finals.”
“I’m planning to take summer classes.”
“Pfft.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at their answers.
“What about you, Oppa?”
“Of course, I failed. That’s why we’re such good friends.”
And so, the four of us, united in our misery, caught up on random things as we hadn’t met in a while.
“By the way, did everyone see ‘Nemesis’? You can’t even have a proper conversation with people these days if you haven’t watched it.”
“I saw it! It was super fun! Absolutely hilarious! You have to watch it.”
“What?! Joo-hee-ya, do you have a new crush or something? Betraying your unnie like this?”
“A crush? No way! I went with my mom!”
“Oh really? But was it that good?”
“Hong Seul-gi was amazing. It’s hard to believe she’s the same person who volunteered with us. She looked like a completely different person.”
Lee Ga-haeng naturally joined in the conversation.
“Right? Back then, she was just this cold, untouchable beauty, but in the movie, she’s completely insane! She starts killing people, and I legit flinched while watching it.”
“Tsk tsk. Instead of going to see stuff like that with guys, you should start meeting some girls. How long are you going to keep living like this?”
“Wow! You seriously think I went with a guy? I can’t believe it.”
“Then did you go with a girl?”
“Of course not. I went with guys, plural. We watched the movie, played a round of futsal, and finished off with some soju. Classic.”
Feeling a bit sorry for him, I silently patted Lee Ga-haeng on the shoulder.
“Did you watch ‘Nemesis’, Dae-woon Oppa?”
“Of course I did. If you haven’t seen it, you’re basically a social outcast these days. Tell your friends they need to watch it too.”
I’d been visiting the theater so often to observe audience reactions that I practically memorized the lines by now.
“Do you think it might hit 10 million viewers?”
None of us could have predicted that this casual remark would become reality in just five days.
[A million viewers in one day! ‘Nemesis’ surpasses 10 million tickets sold on its 15th day.]
‘‘Nemesis’ has now become the 18th film in Korean cinema history to reach 10 million viewers.’
“Unbelievable…”
What started as a storm of success for ‘Nemesis’ had now become a full-blown whirlwind.
The entertainment news section was flooded with articles about the movie’s performance and rave reviews of Hong Seul-gi’s acting.
And finally.
The final audience numbers for ‘Nemesis’, which had seemed unstoppable, was finally tallied.
Total ticket sales: 16,265,618. The movie secured its place as the 4th highest-grossing film in history.
“I knew it would do well, but this…”
I had invested 4.5 billion won in this film
It was half of its entire budget.
“With a hit this big, I wonder how much profit is going to be?”
I was already looking forward to the settlement report that the production company would be sending soon.
And about a month later, it finally arrived.
The first settlement report from the production company had landed.
“Whoa…”
A breath involuntarily escaped my lips as I looked at the report.
No, there was no way I could hold it back.
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