Chapter 8
“It’s about college…”
After the dinner party concluded, I returned home and reclined on my bed, contemplating.
“If I utilize the money my friends chipped in this time and the savings I’ve accumulated, I should be able to cover my initial college tuition. But…”
The real challenge lay ahead.
In the early morning, I spent time organizing the warehouse with my friends, and in the afternoons, I continued my part-time job at a cafe.
However, if I were to enroll in college, I wouldn’t be able to continue with my afternoon cafe job. I could live without auditions or formal acting study, but it felt like the wrong choice for me, so I eliminated that option.
Furthermore, committing to four years of college was a significant endeavor. In my situation, as an ordinary person in my twenties, I couldn’t afford to take such a risk.
As I pondered the advice offered by senior actors during the dinner party, it became evident that going to college was the right path for me. Nevertheless, a practical issue loomed ahead.
For your reference, I received a 300,000 won appearance fee for my role in “Dream of the Sun Rising.”
Considering that smaller roles typically earn between 50,000 won and 150,000 won, this amount was considerably generous. It was evident that PD Kim Mansoo attached great importance to this appearance fee.
“Since it occurred to me, I should at least express my gratitude before calling it a night.”
The time was a little past midnight. Although it was quite late, I didn’t want to forget to do it the following day, so I decided to reach out now.
Just as I was reaching for my phone, it began to ring.
Wooooow.
The mobile phone screen displayed “Producer Kim Mansoo.” I hurriedly rose from my bed and answered the call with politeness.
“Yes, PD Kim. This is Kang Jinseok.”
[Ah, Mr. Jinseok. I apologize for calling at such a late hour. I meant to tell you earlier, but there’s something I forgot to mention.]
The voice on the other end sounded slightly slurred.
There had been no sign of inebriation when we were at the dinner party earlier, so it seemed like the staff members had gone on for a second round of celebrations separately.
However, the more pressing issue was the reason behind the PD’s sudden call.
“What do you mean? Is there a problem with my performance?” I asked cautiously, wondering if my acting hadn’t met his expectations.
[Oh, your acting was excellent. Keep it up. But that’s not what I wanted to discuss… Jinseok, what are your plans after this project ends?]
“Yes? Uh… I haven’t made any concrete plans yet. I’m considering continuing to audition.”
I breathed a sigh of relief, realizing my acting had met his expectations.
With an upbeat tone, PD Kim Mansoo continued, [Great! Then, consider auditioning for a project my close friend is working on. It’s set in the Japanese colonial period, and they’re specifically looking for a tall, handsome rookie!]
“A tall, handsome rookie?”
Under such conditions, you could likely fill more than a hundred trucks in Korea.
However, the reason for this special mention was probably meant to assist me.
[I’ll send you a contact number. This individual is a member of the team working on my colleague’s senior project. I’ve informed them in advance, so if you reach out, they’ll assist you.]
“Ah… Yes, thank you! Thank you!”
[What’s there to be thankful for? I’m doing this because Jinseok is a kind person and a talented actor. Did you get home safely?]
PD Kim Mansoo went on to express the director of photography’s eagerness for the project and suggested having a drink separately after the work was finished.
“PD, thank you very much for the appearance fee. I appreciate the 300,000 won…”
[Jinseok will earn much more later on. So, don’t worry about that and focus on your acting. You understand, right?]
“Yes!”
[Very well. See you on the shooting day. Get some rest.]
Shortly after my phone call with PD Kim Mansoo, I received a text message.
——
Contact Information:
- Kim Cheol AD: 010-5532-XXXX
Audition Details:
- Title of Work: Undisclosed
- Casting: Japanese police officer and 1 other
- Audition Content: Free acting / No script
——
“The name of the project hasn’t been disclosed, and they’re looking for roles like Japanese police officers and others?”
It’s not uncommon for the title of a drama to be kept confidential during auditions. However, it’s typically expected to have a detailed description of the roles.
“Why name it ‘Japanese Pure Temple’ if it’s about Japanese police officers?”
Nevertheless, this wasn’t the time to dwell on such matters. I needed to collect a script for a drama set in the Japanese colonial period and start practicing right away.
I felt quite exhausted, likely due to the company dinner, but I relied on my mental strength to push through.
“It must have been like that…”
Before I knew it, I had drifted off to sleep.
***
I found myself in a familiar white space.
Perhaps it’s because I’m in a dream, but I had a sensation of floating in the air.
“Who called me again?”
After a while, two figures emerged from a distance.
One was an elderly man.
Despite his unruly gray hair, his posture was upright, and he walked with confidence, reminiscent of a soldier.
The other person was a high school-age girl. One might assume she was the elderly man’s granddaughter, but she had a notably distinct aura compared to the other two.
“Hello. My name is Yeonmi Kim.”
“She’s a formidable god.”
Kim Yeonmi was amicable, but Kang Hoshin greeted him with a somewhat imposing demeanor.
“Hello. This is Kang Jinseok.”
As she respectfully bowed, Kang Hoshin introduced me.
“I was recommended by Minsu.”
“Ah, I see. Minsu, huh…?”
“You’ve gone to a good place. I’m very appreciative of you.”
“Okay.”
‘It seems like those who have passed away depart once their wishes have been fulfilled…’
As I contemplated this silently, Yeonmi Kim spoke once again.
“I apologize for insisting on calling you like this, but I believe this can be of assistance to Jinseok oppa.”
“It’s not a problem. On the contrary, I’m thankful.”
I replied with a faint smile, and Kim Yeonmi’s face brightened.
Next to Kim Yeonmi, Kang Hoshin spoke to me in a hushed tone.
“Forgive me… you’re a different individual. He is an actor. This time, he’s portraying a Japanese police officer.”
“I haven’t taken charge of the role yet. I’ll need to audition first, and only after that can I consider taking charge…”
“Alright. Regardless, isn’t the role supposed to be that of a Japanese police officer?”
Kang Hoshin interrupted me as if he were growing impatient. He seemed to be a man of older age who often steered the conversation towards himself.
He gazed at me quietly and spoke in a resigned tone.
“First, let me introduce myself briefly… To my shame, I was once an enforcer for the Japanese Empire, wielding guns and swords against my own people. It wasn’t until later that I realized my mistake and sought redemption, but I still couldn’t cleanse the sins I had committed. I never even properly apologized.”
“Ah…”
“Just as Minsu assisted you, I’m going to lend you a hand this time. With my support, you’ll be able to authentically portray what a ‘genuine’ Japanese police officer was like.”
Kang Hoshin spoke with confidence, but there was a hint of hesitation in his demeanor, likely stemming from his discomfort with his pro-Japanese past.
Kang Hoshin went on to say, “Instead, you should offer an apology on my behalf.”
“If it’s an apology… to whom?”
When I inquired, Kang Hoshin promptly responded.
“to Insook.”
“to Insook…?”
“You might not be familiar. Lim Insook was an independence activist who left no trace of his name. He was like most independence activists.”
Kang Hoshin gazed into space for a moment with distant, unfocused eyes. Then, he refocused on me and continued speaking.
“I’ll explain the details to you later. We don’t have much time, so for now, pay attention to what this gentleman has to say.”
“Understood.”
I shifted my attention to Kim Yeonmi, who spoke with a cheerful smile.
“Jinseok oppa, you’ve been contemplating whether to attend college or not these days.”
“Yes, that’s right. It’s a bit of a dilemma.”
“Just speak freely. I passed away when I was nineteen.”
Minsu was similar, but did all ghosts behave this way?
Kim Yeonmi also appeared to be unconcerned about her own death. It might be appropriate to consider them as quite well-informed.
In that case, it would likely be best for me to engage with them like I would with any other person.
“So, let’s chat openly. As I mentioned, I’m contemplating going to college… There’s a practical issue though. Money is a concern, as well as the circumstances of my life.”
“Yes, I understand. I apologize for making such a request… Can you at least consider taking the entrance exam?”
“Do you want me to consider taking the entrance exam?”
“Yes…”
Kim Yeonmi paused, glanced at me, and then resumed her narrative.
“To be honest, my dream was to become an actor like my brother. That’s why I had plans to attend college to study acting.”
“···.”
“But on the day of the practical exam, she was involved in a car accident and passed away… In the end, I couldn’t pass the exam. I was so devastated by that, which is why I’ve come to ask this of my elder brother who is still contemplating whether to attend college or not… Even so, there was no other option but to turn to my brother. I’m sorry.”
Yeonmi Kim bowed her head as if making a request.
Then she gently raised her head, looking at me with earnest eyes, glimpsed through her neatly arranged hair.
“University… I’m still undecided about whether to attend or not, but if it’s like this, I suppose I’ll have to at least consider taking the exam.”
As I pondered the decision of whether to attend college or not, this request came my way. Even if I decided not to attend college, it felt like I should, at the very least, take the exam to help ease this girl’s sense of regret.
“Alright. I will take the exam for you.”
With his decision made, she replied calmly.
“Thank you! Oh, but can I make one more request?”
“What kind of request?”
“You can apply to other universities, but please be sure to take the entrance exam for Seoguk University. My father is a professor there. He will likely be present during the interview as well.”
“···.”
“I want to showcase my acting to my father. Please!”
Yeonmi Kim bowed her head once more.
‘I guess her desire isn’t just about attending college… she wants to demonstrate her acting skills to his father?’
Nevertheless, there’s only one thing for me to do.
“Alright. I will certainly take the entrance exam at Seoguk University.”
“Thank you! And don’t worry about the entrance exam. After I passed away, I spent about 10 years preparing for the entrance exam.”
“You dedicated 10 years to preparing for the entrance exam…?”
“Yes! I continued to refine my fundamentals, just in case an opportunity like this ever arose. Thank you for coming!”
After expressing her gratitude, Kim Yeonmi glanced somewhere. Then, with a hint of regret, she pouted and said, “Our time is up. I’ll see you again when I can visit your dreams.”
“Make sure it’s a challenging one.”
“Of course, then until later…”
As we were conversing, I heard an alarm sounding from somewhere.
***
Rumbling!
I woke up as soon as I heard their final words. I had felt it before, but after encountering the ghosts in my dream, my body felt unusually refreshed. I wasn’t sure if the ghosts were aiding me or if it was just my mood, but good things are good things, so I had no reason to complain.
“Now, I should start by applying for the audition.”
I reached for my phone and dialed the contact number for ‘Kim Cheol AD’ that I had received the previous day.
Turrrrrrr…
“Hello?”
“Hello! I’m Jinseok Kang, a new actor. I received your contact information from PD Kim Mansoo.”
AD Kim Cheol’s cheerful voice came through the receiver.
“Oh, this is the actor recommended by Producer Kim Mansoo. Thank you for reaching out to us. You’re contacting us regarding the audition, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
[Yes, yes. We have a full audition schedule today… I’m a little busy next week, so I think I’ll only have time on the weekend. Is that okay?]
“Of course. Anytime is okay.”
Actually, it wasn’t always okay because part-time jobs were already full. But that’s something that can be adjusted.
[All right. Then, I will check the schedule and send you a text message.]
“Yes, thank you!”
As soon as I hung up the phone, I immediately sent a text message to Senior Lee Narin, to her personal contact information, not her manager’s.
‘Did you go home safely yesterday? Please provide a letter of recommendation for Seoguk University… This should be enough.’
I edited the long, carefully written text several times.
Wooooow.
“Why is this person calling?”
About 5 minutes after sending the text, the name ‘Senior Min Kyungsoo’ appeared on my phone.
“Yes, Senior. This is Kang Jinseok.”
As soon as I answered the phone, what I heard was Senior Min Kyungsoo’s calm voice, as if he was truly sad.
[Hey, Jinseok! I’m really disappointed.]