Chapter 552: Director Na Tae-Yang (1)

Park Sang-Gyu, now thirty-eight, had only ever played supporting roles. On top of that, he had been away from acting for two years.

Yet the scene he was about to perform, Scene 23 of

Doppelgänger

, was a highly emotional one, requiring him to portray Kang Chul-Min confronting his twin brother Kang Soo-Ho for the first time in twenty years, consumed by resentment and extreme envy.

However, the moment Park Sang-Gyu began acting, he transformed into the psychopathic killer Kang Chul-Min in the blink of an eye.

Why are you so happy when I'm this miserable?

If I had met your adoptive parents first that day, our lives would've been reversed...

I could've been like you...

Looking straight into the camera, Park Sang-Gyu poured out Kang Chul-Min's emotions, his eyes blazing with a murderous gleam.

『That spot is mine. That woman next to you too...』

The malice in his gaze was so intense that it resembled a starving wolf staring down its prey. Startled by the overwhelming menace, Jung Sang-Bong instinctively stepped back.

Stumble.

His body reacted before his mind, instinctively retreating from the danger. I reached out and placed a steadying hand on Jung Sang-Bong's back. Snapping back to reality, Jung Sang-Bong tightened his grip on the phone he was using to film.

Meanwhile, Park Sang-Gyu kept his fiery gaze locked on the camera as if he might devour it whole.

I stepped in to break the scene. "C-Cut!"

The moment the scene ended, Park Sang-Gyu let out a short sigh. "

Phew~

"

And with that, the heavy tension vanished.

Scratching his head awkwardly, Park Sang-Gyu asked, "So... how was it?"

Straightening my posture, I started clapping. "Wow, hyung-nim. You haven't lost a thing. Honestly, I think you've gotten even better."

Jung Sang-Bong also snapped out of it and pressed stop on the recording before he clapped so hard it echoed. "That gave me chills! Mr. Park Sang-Gyu, sir! That was incredible!"

Flustered by the praise, Park Sang-Gyu waved it off. "Ah, it's not that great... I still think I haven't fully grasped the script. Maybe I should tone it down a little? I might've come off too villainous..."

Park Sang-Gyu seemed weighed down by the pressure of his first lead role, but it was a talent agent's job to steady the actor in moments like this.

"Not at all, hyung-nim. Showing a stark contrast in personalities is actually better. It makes it easier for the audience to follow too."

He glanced at me and cautiously asked, "Yoon-Ho, do you mind if we shoot it again? I think I could do it even better right now."

I was curious to see what else he could bring to the role, but this was only the first round of auditions. And based on what I just saw, he had already far surpassed the cut line. The real performance could wait for next week's in-person audition.

"Let's go with this for now, hyung-nim. The on-site audition is the real one. It'll be more impactful to show an even better version then."

"Alright."

"Then let's move on to Kang Soo-Ho's part in Scene 15."

Since he was playing two roles, we needed two audition videos. With the villain role done, it was time to film the heroic one.

Scene 15 featured the protagonist, Kang Soo-Ho, performing CPR on a colleague who collapsed from cardiac arrest. Set on a mountain trail, he desperately performs CPR for twenty minutes until rescue arrives.

It was the perfect scene to showcase Kang Soo-Ho's kind and selfless nature.

I handed Park Sang-Gyu the tablet and asked him to read through the script again, when he cautiously spoke.

"Yoon-Ho, do you mind if we wait ten minutes before filming?"

At that moment, I knew exactly what he was trying to do.

"You haven't even built your body back up yet. Don't overdo it."

Park Sang-Gyu looked at me, eyes wide with surprise. "You figured out what I was planning?"

"Yes. You want to work up a sweat, don't you?"

Just two minutes of full-force CPR was enough to make one's arms tremble. I had personally revived both actor Jang Joon-Hyuk and HK Apparel's secretary general Kim Sung-Moon, so I knew that better than anyone.

In a life-or-death moment, each second felt unbelievably long. Twenty minutes in that state would be no different from two hours of sheer hell. Sweat soaking through the whole body and the taste of blood in the mouth would be normal.

Park Sang-Gyu looked at me with admiration. "You're not a chief for nothing at your age, huh?"

He clicked his tongue and zipped up his jacket to build up sweat faster.

"

Sigh

~ alright, I'm gonna break a sweat."

"Okay, hyung-nim."

Park Sang-Gyu slowly placed his hands on the supply room floor. He was about to start doing burpees, also known as the devil's workout. A high-intensity routine combining push-ups, squats, and jumps, burpees were notoriously tough.

"Here goes."

I considered stopping him considering his body wasn't in perfect shape., but one look at the determination in his eyes and I couldn't say a word.

Ten minutes flew by.

Drenched in sweat, Park Sang-Gyu collapsed to the floor. "

Huff, huff, huff

..."

Park Sang-Gyu wheezed like he might stop breathing any second. His health wasn't ideal after two years of caring for his sick wife, but he pushed himself like this was his last chance.

"

Huff, huff

... I'll... start right away..."

Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself up with trembling arms. Just then, Jung Sang-Bong grabbed the camera and started to lie on the floor.

That's when I stopped him. "Sang-Bong, I'll do it. You keep filming."

"But Hyung-nim... CPR hurts, you know?"

"It's fine. I used to be a boxer so my abs are probably tougher than yours."

Proper CPR required enough force to break ribs. If Park Sang-Gyu went all out, the person playing the patient could get hurt. I couldn't let Jung Sang-Bong take that hit.

So I lay down and waited for Park Sang-Gyu to start chest compressions. "Hyung-nim, don't worry about me. Just focus on your acting. I can take it."

I braced my core, thinking back to when I used to train by getting punched in the stomach with a basketball.

"

Huff, huff

... I'll be careful."

Park Sang-Gyu's hands gently rested just below my sternum.

'

Is it starting...?

'

At that moment, Jung Sang-Bong shouted with energy. "Ready~ Action!"

And immediately, I heard Park Sang-Gyu's ragged breathing.

-

Huff, huff, huff!

Park Sang-Gyu's breath sounded like it was tearing out of his chest. Nevertheless, I barely felt any pressure on my stomach.

'

Huh? That light?

'

I wondered if this would work, but I couldn't open my eyes mid-shoot.

-

Huff, huff, huff

... Please... please...

His desperate voice rang out. Still, the pressure on my abdomen was no stronger than a cat kneading.

Drip.

Beads of hot sweat hit my skin.

-Don't give up... you can live... Sung-Soo... hey, man! Wake up!

Park Sang-Gyu's earnest voice, in character as Kang Soo-Ho, poured out without end.

Jung Sang-Bong yelled out, "Cut~! That's good. Hyung-nim, you can get up now."

I opened my eyes at Jung Sang-Bong's cue.

Park Sang-Gyu was slumped against the wall, completely drained. "

Huff, huff, huff

... did it hurt at all...?"

"No, not at all. Honestly, you could've pushed harder. Why were you going so easy on me?"

The pressure had been so light it actually worried me. I called out to Jung Sang-Bong. "Sang-Bong, the phone."

"Here you go."

I took the phone and played back the recording. And the moment the footage started, I realized my concern had been completely unfounded.

'

This is unbelievable.

'

On screen, Park Sang-Gyu's expression showed the desperate urgency of someone trying to revive his younger brother from cardiac arrest. Despite what I had felt, his arm movements were intense, dripping with sweat as he pressed down.

Park Sang-Gyu's arms trembled violently and his body shook like it was going to break apart. Maybe it was because he had promised to dedicate this performance to Lee Sa-Yeon, but his emotions were deeper than they had ever been before his regression.

Without hesitation, I gave him a firm thumbs up. "With this, today's audition video is a guaranteed pass."

"Really? That's a relief."

It was 4:50 p.m. I wasted no time sending the

Doppelgänger

audition video to Director Na Tae-Yang's production company by email.

[Email Sent]

[Mail successfully delivered to

[email protected]

]

Before the regression, Park Sang-Gyu had only played minor roles even after joining Hoop Entertainment because he was urgently trying to pay for his wife's hospital bills.

But this time around, I was determined to help him rise as a leading man.

***

At SUN Film's office, Na Tae-Yang was reviewing audition files with his older sister, Production Chief Na Soo-Ji.

"

Phew

~ They sure sent in a lot."

Three years ago, Na Tae-Yang released his first film at the age of 27. His brilliant ideas and unique worlds quickly earned him the title of genius screenwriter.

However, despite his scripts, he hadn't yet become a commercially successful director. Every time people read his screenplays, they claimed it would draw at least five million viewers. But once the films actually hit theaters, they had barely crossed the two-million mark, often blamed on miscast actors.

So this time, he brought in help from his sister, Na Soo-Ji, who until recently had been a production chief at NEX Media Inc. And she had made it clear that for this project, only S-class actors would be cast in lead roles.

Looking over the shortlist she compiled, Na Tae-Yang's eyes lit up. "Noona, Kang Sang-Joon... he's acting again?"

Na Soo-Ji nodded. "Yeah. He was the first S-class to send in an audition video. Said he felt something just reading the script. He thinks it's going to be a huge hit."

Kang Sang-Joon was an actor from Guanwoo Entertainment. He made a name for himself five years ago with

Iron Blood

, portraying the young Lee Bang-Won.

Originally a pretty boy actor who mostly did romantic comedies, Kang Sang-Joon stunned everyone with his overwhelming presence in

Iron Blood

, earning the grand prize at the Hwangryong Film Association.

Since then, he had shed the pretty boy label and was recognized as a serious actor. However, after that huge success, he became extremely selective about scripts. As a result, he had not taken on another project in five years.

Na Tae-Yang smiled with satisfaction. "Kang Sang-Joon would be a solid pick."

Na Soo-Ji pointed to the files of actors she had pre-screened. "Yeah. I also shortlisted four more S-class actors. Take a look."

As expected of a script by a genius screenwriter, the submissions were stacked with big names.

Then, Na Tae-Yang hesitated and spoke cautiously. "Noona, shouldn't we also take a closer look at the other auditions? Even if they're not S-class, if the acting's good enough..."

Na Soo-Ji, expecting this, answered quickly. "Tae-Yang, you've already had three flops. Do you think you'll get another chance if this one tanks too?"

"Well, it's just that... back then, it was Managing Director Jang-Hoon who..."

"I know. I know Director Jang-Hoon interfered a lot with casting. That's why we're only picking S-class actors this time to keep him from meddling again. Anyway, if you don't succeed this time, you might have to give up directing and just stick to writing screenplays."

Na Tae-Yang reluctantly nodded. "Okay. I'll leave the casting to you this time..."

"I'm sorry. Just this once, let's use S-class actors. Once you succeed, you can cast whoever you like. But right now, success has to come first."

"Got it, noona."

Just then, a new email came in one minute before 5 p.m.

Ding!

Na Tae-Yang, who was about to get up, checked the email with a sigh. It was an audition video from an actor named Park Sang-Gyu.

"Noona, ever heard of a guy named Park Sang-Gyu? He's not S-class, right?"

Na Soo-Ji gathered her things and replied, "Nope. Never heard of him. He's not S-class, so pack it up. We've got to go meet Director Jang and pitch the actors we've shortlisted today."

"Okay."

But then, Na Tae-Yang muttered, almost regretfully, "Why would Chief Jung Yoon-Ho recommend someone I've never heard of..."

Na Soo-Ji froze and turned her head. "Wait, did you just say Jung Yoon-Ho? From Hoop Entertainment?"

"Yeah. He's the one who sent the audition."

Instantly, Na Soo-Ji sprang up. "Tae-Yang! What are you doing just standing there? Open it!"

"Huh? All of a sudden?"

Na Soo-Ji stormed over to the monitor. "Even if we're in a rush, it's different when it's from Jung Yoon-Ho!"

"But you were just saying we have to use S-class actors or we won't get any investors..."

"Jung Yoon-Ho could turn poop into gold. You don't know that?"

Na Tae-Yang frowned. "That's gross..."

Na Soo-Ji clenched her fist. "Cut the crap and just open the file already."

"Whoa, whoa, no violence. Okay, I'm opening it now."

Na Tae-Yang hunched his shoulders and played the video. And the moment the audition started, both their expressions hardened.

"This..."

"Yeah. It's amazing."

However, Na Soo-Ji hesitated. After all, Park Sang-Gyu had never made a name for himself in the film industry.

'

Damn. What should I do? Every actor Chief Jung has backed has been a hit...

'

Knowing how infallible Jung Yoon-Ho's judgment had been, she couldn't dismiss it lightly.

"Tae-Yang, what do you think we should do?"

"What about you, noona?"

After a brief pause, Na Soo-Ji bit her lip and answered. She knew Jang Hoon from NEX Media Inc. wouldn't invest in an actor with such uncertain recognition. "This sucks, but... let's pass this time."

Na Tae-Yang's hopeful expression vanished and he nodded with difficulty. He had no other choice, as he needed this project to succeed no matter what.

"Alright. We can't help it."

He closed the browser window with effort and forced a smile as he packed his bag.

"Noona, let's go meet Director Jang. Time to confirm the cast."

"Yeah."

However, as the two of them left the office, neither could shake Park Sang-Gyu's performance from their minds.

***

At Hope Hospital Room 410, I told Park Sang-Gyu and Lee Sa-Yeon that I would be heading out for the day.

"Hyung-nim, I'll take care of the backed-up work over the weekend, so let's go terminate your contract with Ace Entertainment on Monday morning."

"Alright."

Then, I pulled out the two million won I had just withdrawn and handed it to him.

Park Sang-Gyu tilted his head. "Huh? What's this?"

"You'll get a proper signing bonus when you join the company officially. Just use this for now. Treat the hospital staff and nurses to something nice too."

"No, it's okay..."

Park Sang-Gyu tried to give the envelope back, but I held his hand. "Hyung-nim, I can't stand to see my actor walking around feeling small. You're going to be earning a lot soon, so please take it."

After hesitation, Park Sang-Gyu accepted it with trembling hands. "Okay. I'll pay you back later."

I grinned and nodded.

At that moment, I received a call.

[Caller: 010-27XX-97XX]

'

That's Director Na Tae-Yang's number. Could this be... a callback?

'

It hadn't even been ten minutes since I sent the video, and Na Tae-Yang was already calling.

But what he said next was something I never could have expected.