Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: Iron Man Machinery
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The final shoot for the movie A Sunny Day had wrapped up.
Director Son Tae-min was thrilled that there were still two whole days until the premiere. Normally, that would be woefully insufficient, but right now, two days felt like a luxury.
The mood among the film crew was upbeat as well.
If this movie, which had been pushed to the brink of disaster, turned out to be a success, it would boost the industry reputation of all the staff who had scrambled to salvage the situation.
Son Tae-min called out to the crew.
"I'll take today's footage and finish editing it myself, so everyone else, tidy up the set and go home to get some solid rest! We'll have the wrap party after our film hits theaters. That's when the president will treat us to beef—prime Hanwoo!"
President Lee Tae-ho of the film company and his wife, Jang Mi-jeong, had been waiting at the set for the final shoot to end.
The couple approached Na Gang-in after Son Tae-min called the wrap.
Lee Tae-ho greeted him.
"Gang-in, thank you."
"I did it for the pay."
"Of course we're grateful for your help with production, but..."
Lee Min-ji popped out from behind Jang Mi-jeong and bowed her head politely.
"Uncle, thank you."
Na Gang-in chuckled and ruffled Lee Min-ji's hair with his hand. She quickly stepped back, waving her hands over her head.
"Ack! My hair's a mess now!"
Na Gang-in laughed and asked,
"Looks perfectly fine to me?"
Lee Min-ji grinned back at Na Gang-in.
"Hee-hee."
When Lee Tae-ho first heard that a key supporting actor had been arrested at a drug party, he thought recovering even half the investment budget would be a miracle if the film made its release date.
At the time, reshooting all the problematic scenes within a week and finishing editing seemed nearly impossible.
Yet the shoot had wrapped two days ahead of the premiere schedule. Thanks to Na Gang-in.
Lee Tae-ho bowed again.
"Thanks to you, we saved two whole days. We're truly grateful. This film was directly produced and funded by our company, so it cost us a fortune. Haha."
Lee Tae-ho was in high spirits. He wanted to whisk the entire staff away for the wrap party the director had mentioned.
But that wasn't feasible right now. The crew still had work to do—especially the editing team, who would be pulling all-nighters with the director.
The actors, however, were done. Especially Shin Eun-ha and Kim Yu-chan, who now had time to kill.
Shin Eun-ha prowled the area like a cat eyeing prey.
Lee Tae-ho proposed to Na Gang-in,
"Let me buy you a drink."
Na Gang-in usually spent his time gathering various information about this world.
Na Gang-in nodded.
"Sure."
Shin Eun-ha, who had been lurking nearby, jumped in the moment she overheard.
"I can drink too."
Lee Tae-ho glanced at her.
With the script revisions, supporting actress Shin Eun-ha's scenes had increased dramatically from the original.
The female lead had almost no connection to the drugged-up supporting character who caused the scandal. The few scenes they shared were cut entirely, so she didn't need to participate in reshoots.
Shin Eun-ha, on the other hand, had been right in the middle of the collapsing set scene. And in the revised script, she kept getting dragged into fight sequences.
Son Tae-min would shoot one action scene and add several linked ones, all requiring Shin Eun-ha.
In the end, her role had escalated from supporting to lead-supporting level.
She had worked her butt off on set for it.
The only day she had any downtime was the one they shot the cafe fight.
Lee Tae-ho beamed.
"I heard you worked hard too, Eun-ha. Let's all go together then."
Jang Mi-jeong and Lee Min-ji headed home, while Lee Tae-ho treated them to fine sake in a private room at a high-end sashimi restaurant.
Shin Eun-ha wasn't the only one who tagged along. Lead actor Kim Yu-chan had quietly followed suit.
Shin Eun-ha asked,
"Why are you crashing, Oppa Yu-chan? You make bank—why mooch?"
"Says the one freeloading. What's your angle? You can afford sashimi."
"I have no plans, that's why."
"Me neither."
The four settled at a spacious table.
Na Gang-in sipped from his small sake cup.
The sake was delicious. Great aroma too.
"This is good."
Na Gang-in shared senses like taste and smell with AI Jeon Ji-in.
Na Gang-in chuckled and reached for the sake bottle.
Shin Eun-ha lightly grabbed it and flashed a bright smile.
"Pouring your own drinks means no pretty girlfriend for you."
Kim Yu-chan snatched another bottle and said,
"What is this '88 vintage BS? Move. I'll pour for Gang-in."
"Why the fuss? I'm just pouring for my lifesaver."
"Did he only save you? He saved me too."
"You probably wouldn't have died even standing there when the set collapsed, Oppa Yu-chan."
"What if my face got messed up? My glamorous acting career could've ended in one hit."
"Mine almost ended for real."
"If the movie bombed, my career would've been toast too."
"Was mine not at risk?"
As the two bickered, President Lee Tae-ho poured sake into Na Gang-in's cup and said,
"I always dreamed of being a film director. That's why I hung around the industry since college and made a few indies."
"I see."
Lee Tae-ho gave a wry smile.
"Truth is, all my films flopped."
Kim Yu-chan, edged out of the argument, chimed in,
"Indie hits are rare as hen's teeth."
"They flopped as art too. That's the issue."
"Ah... well..."
Lee Tae-ho took a sip and continued.
"After bombing a few indies, I realized I had no directing talent. Dad wanted me in the family business, but I couldn't leave the industry. So I pivoted to production."
Kim Yu-chan said,
"And the film company succeeded."
Lee Tae-ho laughed.
"With rich parents, funding's never an issue. That's the secret."
Kim Yu-chan waved it off.
"Nah, you're too modest. Producers as solid as you are rare."
"Anyway, if this film tanks, our company goes down, and I'd really catch hell from my parents and brother. Haha."
You couldn't just stuff your face while the host kept talking.
Na Gang-in asked,
"So you started the film company instead of joining your dad's, and if it flops...?"
"Not quite."
Lee Tae-ho shook his head and explained.
"Dad's company does manufacturing—mostly gear for the military and police. Not just domestic; they export a ton. Reputable in that field."
Lee Tae-ho sipped his sake and went on.
"Dad gave me some shares too. Naturally, mine are friendly shares fully backing him and my brother, so I can't sell. But..."
Lee Tae-ho gave an awkward laugh.
"I invested over 100 billion in this film myself. To raise that cash, I pledged those shares as collateral."
"Your dad's company shares?"
"Yeah. If the movie flops, I'll have to come clean to Dad and beg for mercy. But if he finds out I pledged company shares for a movie... he'll probably grab the golf club. Ugh, scary just thinking about it."
Shin Eun-ha, listening nearby, gasped.
"Wait, he'd really whack you with a golf club?"
"Back when I secretly applied to film school—parents thought it was mechanical engineering—got clubbed at orientation. Family business and all."
"Ah... you kinda deserved a few swings."
Lead actor Kim Yu-chan knew the story.
"Heard your dad's company is a real gem. Looks like it—covering over 100 billion in one go."
Lee Tae-ho laughed awkwardly.
"In exchange, I'm golf club bait. Those shares weren't meant to be pledged."
"Bold move, President. What if it flops?"
Lee Tae-ho grinned brightly this time.
"Does it look like it'll flop to you, Yu-chan? Top script, Son Tae-min directing, stacked cast, max theater bookings."
Kim Yu-chan nodded vigorously.
"Right. Without that junkie, we'd guarantee five million viewers minimum."
"That's why I went all-in personally. Still get chills thinking about that junkie."
Na Gang-in wasn't too interested in Lee Tae-ho's woes. He picked up some chewy sashimi.
This sashimi's great.
Shin Eun-ha wasn't either, but tried following along by asking Kim Yu-chan,
"What's your dad's company called, President? Ring any bells?"
"They don't sell to civilians, so probably not. Iron Man Machinery—heard of it?"
"Nope."
Iron Man Machinery was a new name to Shin Eun-ha.
Na Gang-in's expression hardened slightly.
It was indoors, quiet vibe. Short questions were fine, but a long chat with AI Jeon Ji-in would be tricky.
He stood up.
"Bathroom."
In the restroom, Na Gang-in faced the mirror and whispered,
"Report on Iron Man Machinery. Not internet stuff—your original knowledge."
"Outdated by 2082 standards. Production end date?"
Na Gang-in frowned.
"This year."
A question arose.
"By 2082, 60-year-old relics still in use?"
"Fair point. So Iron Man Machinery gear is like that?"
"How so?"
"So Iron Man Machinery makes premium military gear that stays relevant 60 years later. Can't just be the gear—must've mass-produced quality stuff."
"That's why they can front over 100 billion for a movie on a dime."
A vertical crease formed between Na Gang-in's brows.
"But a thriving company stops production after 2022? Did it crash this year?"
"If the company tanked this year..."
Na Gang-in glanced toward the private room. There was a reason it might've collapsed suddenly.
Na Gang-in returned to his seat.
Lee Tae-ho asked,
"Your face looks a bit off. Something wrong...?"
"Not me. It's you, President."
"Pardon?"
"If our movie flops, you lose your Iron Man Machinery shares, putting your dad's control of the company at risk, right?"
Lee Tae-ho laughed.
"That's if I lose the shares. I'd get kicked out, sure, but Dad could sort the share issue."
Na Gang-in shook his head.
"The situation's not that simple anymore."