Translator: Dreamscribe
The words spoken by the bald, bespectacled man in his 60s among the group of foreigners to Director Ahn Ga-bok: ‘Director, we want to entrust you with the megaphone for our film.’ These words meant they wanted him to be the director.
Director Ahn Ga-bok, his face full of wrinkles, sat in silence as he looked at the group of foreigners sitting across from him.
“……”
His expression was firm. Serious. His emotions were thoroughly restrained. If one were to imagine a heavyweight figure, it would look exactly like him. It was truly an aura befitting a veteran.
On the other hand, the team members who came with him were different.
The CEO and executives of the management company. Unlike Director Ahn Ga-bok, their eyes were brimming with excitement.
‘We did it! Finally!’
‘To think the day would come when I’d witness this scene in person!’
It was because they were genuinely thrilled. The scene of Hollywood offering Director Ahn Ga-bok the role of director was playing out before them. Director Ahn Ga-bok, a legend and a piece of history in Korean cinema. He had won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival with his 100th movie and had left significant marks both domestically and internationally even before that, a titan among titans.
However, even for someone like Ahn Ga-bok, this moment was unprecedented.
In fact, the very idea of an Asian director holding the megaphone in Hollywood was rare. Even if it happened, it was only a select few, and there were no Korean directors among them. In short, if Ahn Ga-bok accepted the offer, he would be the first. This, too, would carve a monumental mark in the history of Korean cinema.
Director Ahn Ga-bok had broken several records this year.
‘To think it took me until this age… to get here.’
This moment was one of the goals he had set decades ago. But it had taken far too long. Toward the end, he had nearly given up. He had resigned himself to the fact that it was due to his lack of ability.
The interesting thing was:
‘Kang Woojin – since meeting that friend, he’s surpassed my decades of career in just one year.’
Ever since Woojin became connected to Director Ahn Ga-bok, everything had changed and turned upside down. ‘Leech’ was merely meant to be a graceful finale. He was also curious to see just how far Kang Woojin’s influence would extend. That’s why Director Ahn Ga-bok willingly volunteered to act as a ‘stepping stone’. It was just that kind of feeling. And yet, oddly enough, it seemed that Director Ahn Ga-bok’s directing career was only now beginning to blossom globally.
‘Is he my benefactor? Indeed, if it weren’t for Kang Woojin, would ‘Leech’ and I have received this much attention?’
From a broad perspective, it was true that both Kang Woojin and Director Ahn Ga-bok had benefited from each other, but if Woojin hadn’t taken on the role of ‘Park Ha-seong’ in ‘Leech’, today’s moment would never have come. At least, that was what Director Ahn Ga-bok thought.
‘Who else could have surpassed the ‘Park Ha-seong’ in that script?’
‘Leech’ shone several times brighter because of Kang Woojin. After being lost in thought for a moment, Director Ahn Ga-bok shifted his gaze. All the foreigners sitting across from him, prominent figures even in Hollywood, were staring at Director Ahn Ga-bok. Normally, one would eagerly accept at this moment.
But the veteran Director Ahn Ga-bok cooled his boiling blood.
“Thank you for giving me such an offer.”
The idea of becoming the first Korean director to hold the megaphone for a Hollywood movie was indeed tempting, but Ahn Ga-bok was too old to recklessly jump in for that reason alone. Well, at least that was his personal belief.
“However, may I ask why you’re giving me such a proposal? There are many excellent directors in Hollywood, aren’t there?”
His question was conveyed to the foreigners across through the interpreter. All four foreigners, who were clearly executives, smiled leisurely. The meeting room where Director Ahn Ga-bok sat was with executives from Hollywood’s distribution and film company ‘Columbia Studios’. Columbia Studios, one of Hollywood’s so-called ‘Big Five’.
It was clear they hadn’t approached casting a director without meticulous preparation.
Among the foreign executives, the bald foreign man who appeared to be in his 60s spoke while looking at Director Ahn Ga-bok.
“Of course, there are many outstanding directors in Hollywood. However, the director we are looking for is not just excellent or great. We need a director with sharp instincts and insight into society.”
-Sss.
He placed two thick bundles of paper on the desk.
“To be honest, we did take into account your achievement at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Cannes is a prestigious and honorable film festival, and the results you achieved there are not easy to come by. Numerous filmmakers there acknowledged you and ‘Leech’, Director Ahn Ga-bok. And I, too, watched your ‘Leech’.”
Soon, the two executives sitting beside the bald man nodded as well, signaling that they had also seen it. This meant they, too, had attended the Cannes Film Festival.
“I couldn’t take my eyes off it for even a second. I knew immediately that you had to be the director for our project. As soon as we returned, we began preparations. It was all to cast you as the director.”
The bald foreign man, having finished speaking, slid the two bundles of paper toward Director Ahn Ga-bok.
“These are the official scripts. If you accept, there will be a meeting with the producer soon.”
Director Ahn Ga-bok, who had been calmly listening to the explanation, lowered his gaze. He looked at the scripts. Flipping through them briefly, he understood why there were two copies. One was in English, and the other was a translated version in Korean. At that moment, the bald foreign man spoke again.
“Once you read it, you will understand why we want you.”
The treatment was exceptional. Having the completed script translated into Korean beforehand, their courteous demeanor, and the detailed explanations provided for casting the director all reflected this. Director Ahn Ga-bok, with his wrinkled lips, finally spoke.
“……’Leech’ you couldn’t take your eyes off was not made by me alone.”
“Of course. You can bring your team on board as well.”
“If I take on the role of director, will I be allowed to participate in the casting of the actors?”
Looking at Joseph Felton as an example, in Hollywood, casting actors was typically the responsibility of the executive producer rather than the director. However, the bald man answered as if it wouldn’t be an issue.
“There are quite a few differences between the filmmaking systems of Korea and Hollywood, but it’s not entirely unheard of for directors to be involved in casting actors here. However, it would require agreement with the producer or the company. It’s possible.”
“What amplified the quality of ‘Leech’ was-“
“Are you referring to Kang Woojin?”
“That, and the actors in ‘Leech’. In other words, I want to ask about the level of freedom in casting actors.”
Simply put, he was asking if they were open to casting Korean actors. At this, the bald man with glasses smiled casually and replied immediately, as if it was a foregone conclusion.
“Kang Woojin, his name is already on our casting board.”
Monday, November 1st. Early morning.
October had ended, and November had begun. Before the sun had even risen, the van carrying Kang Woojin was heading toward Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province. It was en route to the set of ‘Beneficial Evil’. Several stylists were nodding off, half-asleep. In contrast, Kang Woojin, with his poker face, gazed out the window with a calm expression.
Of course, that was just on the outside.
‘Ah- my eyes feel like they’re going to fall out. This won’t do. I better hit the void space first.’
Today would be another day packed with filming, with more scheduled late into the night. Just as Kang Woojin reached for the script of ‘Beneficial Evil’, which had a swirling black square attached to it and was lying nearby,
-Wooong, wooong.
Kang Woojin’s phone abruptly lit up, displaying the caller ID. A call had come in. The caller was Director Ahn Ga-bok. Woojin tilted his head in curiosity.
‘Old man- no, it’s Director Ahn? What’s this about?’
After subtly clearing his throat, Kang Woojin pressed the phone to his ear. Perhaps because his voice was hoarse, his tone came out lower than usual.
“Hello, Director-nim.”
From the other side of the phone came the aged voice of Director Ahn Ga-bok.
“Yes. Are you able to talk right now?”
“Yes. Please go ahead.”
“I’m in LA right now. Ah, is it early morning in Korea right now? Were you asleep by any chance?”
Huh? LA? Director Ahn Ga-bok is in Hollywood? Woojin hadn’t heard anything about it, but with all the buzz surrounding the Cannes Film Festival, he quickly understood.
“No, I’m on the move. It’s fine.”
“Hmm, there’s something I’d like to ask you.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
“Have you received any scripts from Hollywood recently?”
There had been a few, like ‘Jurassic Land 4’, but he had already turned them down, so he could honestly say no. Ah, but there was still Joseph’s project in the pipeline, wasn’t there? Woojin answered.
“No. But there are ongoing discussions.”
“Is that so? Hmm, then one more thing.”
“Yes.”
“If you start working on a Hollywood project, will you approach it with the same intensity as you’ve had with your domestic projects? I mean, are you thinking of overlapping at least two projects at the same time?”
Woojin had heard something about this from Choi Sung-gun. The Hollywood system was actually more convenient for shooting multiple projects simultaneously. For Woojin, who had the Void Space at his disposal, nothing would change just because he entered Hollywood.
“Of course.”
Soon after, a faint chuckle came from Director Ahn Ga-bok on the other end of the phone.
“I see. Well, having more works increases the likelihood of being nominated for the Academy Awards.”
“……”
A question followed.
“When I return to Korea, I plan to meet with you first. Can you spare some time?”
Meanwhile, in LA.
Although it was morning in Korea, it was early afternoon in Los Angeles. Inside a room in a five-star hotel in LA, Director Ahn Ga-bok, who had just finished his call with Kang Woojin, exhaled softly and sat down on the sofa. His gaze then fell on the two scripts on the table in front of him, which he had received from the executives of ‘Columbia Studios’.
“……”
After a brief silence, Director Ahn Ga-bok suddenly recalled the meeting with those executives. More precisely, the part of the conversation with the bald foreign executive.
It was from the moment Kang Woojin’s name came up.
“Shim Han-ho and Oh Hee-ryung, as well as the other actors from ‘Leech’, were all impressive. But, of course, Kang Woojin, who won the ‘Best Actor Award’ at Cannes, was the most intriguing to us. It’s only natural that his name is on our casting board. In fact, I’m certain that various corners of Hollywood are already clamoring for him.”
“……”
As Director Ahn Ga-bok slowly nodded in apparent satisfaction, the bald man spoke again.
“However, aside from Kang Woojin, there are many other actors on the casting board. Here, regardless of an actor’s status, nearly everyone goes through auditions. Not for skill verification, but for determining how well they sync with the character. For that, we conduct 100% dialogue readings and screen tests. You must know that many actors go through this process before the most suitable actor is selected.”
Director Ahn Ga-bok was well aware of the fierce competition among Hollywood’s top actors. Screen tests were famously rigorous. No doubt, many Hollywood A-list stars would be part of this.
‘But such things won’t be an issue for Woojin.’
Firmly believing in Kang Woojin, Director Ahn Ga-bok asked the executives of ‘Columbia Studios’ another question.
“One more thing. Is this film aiming for an Academy Award?”
Once again, the answer came from the bald foreign man with glasses.
“To be honest, that is our ultimate intention.”
Recalling the conversation he had with the giants of ‘Columbia Studios’, Director Ahn Ga-bok let out a deep breath as he leaned back into the sofa.
And then.
“Hm-”
He let out a short hum. The offer to direct the project, and the conversation with the executives of ‘Columbia Studios’, had contained many critical points, but what left the strongest impression on Director Ahn Ga-bok was the mention of the ‘Academy Awards’.
“I see.”
Director Ahn Ga-bok then glanced down at the two scripts on the table in front of him, folding his arms as a habit.
“‘The Academy Awards’ being their ultimate intention… It’s not entirely clear, but was this project written from the beginning with the explicit goal of targeting the Academy Awards?”
The remarks from the executives of ‘Columbia Studios’ certainly pointed in that direction.
While Hollywood films come in various forms, when excluding those explicitly aimed at mainstream success and box office hits, most films seem to have the Academy Awards in mind. Of course, there are also films that unabashedly aim for the Academy Awards from the outset. While such films often sacrifice some degree of mainstream appeal, Hollywood has seen no shortage of cases where those types of films also perform surprisingly well.
In other words, Hollywood is unpredictable.
If one were to analyze, the film for which Director Ahn Ga-bok was being offered overall creative control was highly likely to be explicitly aimed at the Academy Awards, at least based on his conversation with the executives of ‘Columbia Studios’. However, completely abandoning mainstream appeal was also out of the question. Ultimately, it all came down to the director’s skill.
The veteran Director Ahn Ga-bok brushed his wrinkled forehead.
“Haha. It feels like I’m being swept up into some massive whirlwind in the twilight of my career.”
Had this been ten years ago, the blood in his veins would have boiled with excitement, but the current veteran Director Ahn Ga-bok was calm and composed. Although he had engaged in lengthy discussions with the ‘Columbia Studios’ executives, he had yet to give them a definitive answer. First, he needed to read through the script, didn’t he?
As he touched his wrinkled cheek, Director Ahn Ga-bok recalled his conversation Kang Woojin, with whom he had spoken just a few minutes earlier.
“I’ve already laid some groundwork, but if the project doesn’t resonate with me, there’s no way that monster of a guy would find it worthwhile.”
Ahn Ga-bok suddenly remembered the extremely cold and rational Kang Woojin he had first met in Vietnam. Woojin had looked straight at the legendary Director Ahn Ga-bok and said he ‘wasn’t interested in Cannes.’
“He’s strangely detached yet polite, but when it comes to acting or choosing a project, he’s utterly ruthless.”
If Kang Woojin didn’t find this project to his liking, he wouldn’t hesitate for even a second to reject it, no matter the background or scale of the film. Director Ahn Ga-bok knew this better than anyone.
Therefore, the script first had to pass Director Ahn Ga-bok’s own judgment. Only once he decided whether or not to take on the project could he confidently present it to Kang Woojin. Unfolding his arms, he reached for one of the two scripts. Naturally, he chose the one translated into Korean.
The title of the project was printed on the cover.
-‘Pierrot’.
About an hour later.
-Flip.
As Director Ahn Ga-bok read through the script of ‘Pierrot’, a smile appeared on his wrinkled lips.
“To see a ‘Pierrot’ running around in reality…”
His voice was filled with conviction.
“This is something only that monster can pull off.”