Chapter 11: A Fresh Start (2)
At first, I didn’t know what to make of it.
Suddenly, a crowd swarmed me, wiping my face with wet wipes. Their eyes sparkled way too brightly as they stared at me, and it felt overwhelming.
“Right?”
I was nervous. Not because of the people lightly tapping my face to apply makeup.
It was because of the person beside them—the director, Mr. Kim-something—who held the authority to decide my pay for today.
“Why couldn’t I recognize this face when I saw it on the monitor?”
“At first, I was wondering how to cast this face in the beggar role,” one of the assistants, arranging actors beside the director, chimed in.
Then the producer suddenly asked me a question.
“Still, isn’t it amazing that they managed to disguise this face? You’ve never done makeup work before, have you?”
“No. It’s just professional know-how.”
“Professional? Oh! Something like being a street performer?”
“Yes, I’ve done that too.”
I had done it secretly in the folk village but got kicked out. I had heard that pretending to be a beggar there could earn a decent living, so I sneaked over a wall—but got caught by a fake beggar. It was actually pretty profitable. But how did this guy know about that…
“Ah, hahaha! Not a street play, but something similar, right? Wrong answer, haha!”
“Oh… uh…”
Ah, so it was theater.
Imitating a beggar for money, even though you’re not really one—it was a sweet spot for earning.
Come to think of it, my previous work experience could be useful here.
But why was Gamdong acting so fidgety, like a puppy about to poop? Did he really not trust me that much?
“Anyway, lucky it worked out. The friend who was supposed to play the inn’s young master got caught by the police on the way…”
Ah, that’s what had happened.
“It was a hit-and-run, right? They ran over a homeless person.”
“Damn that…”
“Huh?”
“…Damn right, a hit-and-run these days.”
“Exactly. Anyway, this works. Let’s go with this person!”
For a moment, I was irritated by a fellow professional’s misfortune.
But, thanks to that, I got this chance.
After a brief explanation, I understood the situation: the schedule was tight, and finding a replacement actor on location in the provinces was extremely difficult. How could I miss the opportunity to get paid even more?
“Again, lost in thought…”
“Huh? PD Joe, what did you say?”
“Oh, nothing.”
Gamdong was embarrassed by the situation. He had brought me along hoping I would be helpful, but he didn’t expect me to end up in even a minor role.
Thankfully, I had done well at previous film sets when it came to delivering lines. Other than my quirky habits, it was actually an advantage. A regular person would struggle even to say a single line naturally.
But Suhan (me) was completely natural. My life had always been acting, apparently.
The director seemed satisfied too, so Gamdong hoped it would go smoothly. And as the director said, as long as the preconceived notion of me being a beggar was removed…
“He is handsome, isn’t he?”
Suhan gave Gamdong a sly smile.
Gamdong clicked his tongue, sharp as ever. His ears were keen.
“Then, let’s start rehearsal!”
“Yes, standby!”
Everyone was tense and silent. Then the director swung his hand. Surprisingly, the most nervous person at that moment was not me, acting, but Gamdong himself.
“Action!”
The inn’s door opened, and Suhan (me) appeared majestically. I looked around, spotted the courtesans, and with a wide smile, delivered my line:
“This must be a flower garden!”
Suhan was immediately surrounded by the courtesans on the monitor. My delivery wasn’t awkward; I was doing well…
“Why does it feel so servile?”
I flinched. Gamdong felt the same.
Even at the previous film set, when I appeared in a suit, similar criticism had arisen.
“That’s… Suhan?”
“Yes! Ask… go ahead!”
Gamdong realized I was about to tell the director I was the producer’s talent. What a chaotic moment.
“You came here for money! So why are you acting servile?”
“Sorry.”
“Again!”
“Wait a second!”
Gamdong ran to me and whispered:
“As I said before, act confidently.”
“Uh… I feel confident in my head, but it feels weird.”
“You say beggar’s a job, right? You use the money to eat at restaurants, yet act servile?”
“Of course! One bowl of soup, please!”
“…Seriously.”
Gamdong looked at me, exasperated. We should have checked this before rehearsal, but there wasn’t time.
“You said you’re starting fresh! Not a beggar! Changing careers?”
“Why are you speaking informally all of a sudden…?”
“Hey! Will you or won’t you?”
Suhan’s face hardened.
There is no nobility or shame in a job!
I had always lived by that.
Of course, Gamdong believed being a beggar was lowly—but I never did it because I liked it. I had just been surviving, and it became a job without me noticing. I never liked it.
So now, with a chance to change, I wanted to take it. I wanted to do something.
Listening to Gamdong, I realized that a fresh start didn’t just involve changing jobs.
“I will.”
“Huh?”
“A fresh start.”
Gamdong looked at me silently for a moment and then nodded.
“Yes. Let’s do well.”
“Yeah.”
Watching Gamdong walk back, I took a deep breath. Alright, let’s be confident. Look at those beautiful people. Spending my money, huh? This is an inn! I’ll act confident…
Then I noticed the other beggars. Their eyes… different from when I had been a master instructor. They didn’t move their lips, but I could hear them:
“Make a mistake! Make a mistake! Make a mistake!”
Damn them. This is my chance, right? No one in the world can be trusted. At this moment, they were just a gang of beggars trying to steal my earnings. I had never lived as a confident beggar who got his bowl stolen!
“Yes! That gaze is perfect!”
“Ready!”
“Okay! Let’s go again!”
With my energetic shout, the producer responded. One second passed. If I didn’t seize this opportunity, there would be no earnings. I would succeed! Begging… no, this time acting!
“Action!”
Let’s go!
“Cut! Good job! Well done!”
Success.
“This must be a flower garden!”
That line was it. I just had to deliver it, link arms with the women, and go inside. Thanks to my experience, I walked in confidently.
Come to think of it, I had been confident before—like when I went to the detention center, marching in defiantly toward the bars, shouting, “This must be paradise!” That experience helped me here.
“Good job!”
“Yeah! I have plenty of confident experiences too!”
Gamdong smiled and praised me. Even though it drew from my beggar days, it didn’t matter. It was fertilizer for my fresh start.
“PD Joe, thanks for coming on such short notice.”
The producer approached us.
“Your name?”
“Suhan Woo!”
“Ah, Suhan, good job today.”
“Always ready!”
“Good, you act well too.”
That was about it. No need to treat me as a child prodigy or savior. That guy’s lip service was weak.
“Even on short notice, you handled it perfectly. I’m really grateful.”
“No problem.”
“Make sure you show up for future schedules. I sent the schedule by email.”
“Yes.”
Gamdong had immediately found work after the previous film ended. He seemed competent.
“Our PD Park was in trouble, couldn’t you imagine?”
“Yes, I heard.”
“Anyway, that’s it for today. Meetings start tomorrow.”
“Yes!”
Gamdong’s voice was strong. I asked about payment as the producer walked away.
“The money?”
“Payment?”
“Yes.”
“It’ll be settled next month.”
Boom! Not thunder—my heart breaking. What nonsense is this?
“But last time, we got it immediately!”
“That was an exception. Normally, it takes one to two months. This isn’t daily wage labor.”
“I wasted it!”
“What?”
“My work uniform!”
Smack! Smack!
“Ouch!”
Was that the famous back-slap? It stung, but…
“Who told you to do that! Just focus on adapting socially while I give you work!”
“Alright! Alright!”
A staff member passing by laughed at us.
“Brothers?”
“No!”
“Absolutely not!”
We both denied it.
Why was Gamdong glaring at me?
“Should I say yes?”
“Who says that! Why are you glaring? What happens if I answer ‘absolutely not’?”
“Then half-brothers?”
“You little—!”
Ugh, curses. I dodged and explained:
“No! I was worried people would think Gamdong had a beggar brother, ruining his marriage prospects! Grandma was so worried!”
“…Cowardly.”
Gamdong paused, looking upset. Did I hit his tear button? I better hit the cancel button.
“…Gamdong, sorry.”
“You @#@$!”
I had to run away again.
“Oh, an edited cut?”
“Oh? Writer Choi, are you here?”
Director Kim answered without looking up, monitoring the edit. Writer Choi Mison was the one who scripted the drama.
“There was an accident, right?”
“Luckily, it was a minor role.”
“Yes, a major role would’ve been a disaster.”
“Right, finding a replacement mid-season is tough.”
They fell silent, watching the monitor. When the beggar scenes appeared, Writer Choi gasped.
“The atmosphere is captured well!”
“Yes, our top beggar instructor was here today.”
“Top instructor? A beggar?”
“Yes. The original footage… look at this. How’s it?”
Seeing the initial footage, Writer Choi gasped again. The clumsiness of other beggars was exposed by one person. In the edited cut, the scene looked like a natural gang of beggars, thanks to Suhan.
“It really is different.”
“Right? This guy had done street performance before. We benefited from him today.”
Director Kim pointed at the monitor; Writer Choi tapped his shoulder with a smile.
“Eh, don’t overstate it. But thinking of future scenes, I guess it’s true…”
“No. He filled in for the missing minor role perfectly.”
Writer Choi frowned.
“But we wanted a handsome guy for that scene! That’s why we cast an idol. Losing a role was unfortunate.”
Director Kim protested.
“This guy is better looking than that hit-and-run idol.”
“Ridiculous. This is a beggar?”
“You don’t believe me?”
Kim played the edited cut again. The inn scene flowed:
[This must be a flower garden!]
