Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Premiere Screening
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Son Tae-min wrapped up editing and post-production right on schedule. The film was set to release on its original date as planned.
All the scheduled preview screenings from the past week had been canceled. They'd reshot the movie during the time slots meant for those previews.
The film company's PR team had put out some promotional videos online during that week. But they were just tweaks to pre-existing footage—adding and cutting a few scenes—so there wasn't much buzz.
Still, they couldn't skip a premiere entirely.
The Sunny Day premiere was scheduled for one showing the night before the official release.
A few tickets came Na Gang-in's way.
He asked Cha Eun-seo, the niece of the PC bang owner.
"Wanna catch a movie tonight?"
Cha Eun-seo first widened her eyes in surprise, then broke into a huge grin. She quickly schooled her expression into something haughty and checked the time on her smartphone.
"Hmm. Let me see how my evening's shaping up..."
"No pressure if you're busy."
Cha Eun-seo backpedaled fast.
"Oh wow, I've got tons of free time. Nothing on tap tonight at all."
Yoon A-reum, on night shift, stomped her feet beside them.
"Oppa! What about me? What about me?"
"You're on night shift. Not working?"
"I don't work every night of the week. Tonight's my day off."
"Fine, you come too. Got plenty of tickets."
"Yesss!"
College hacker part-timer An Seong-hwan raised his hand too.
"Hyung, if there are extras, hook me up."
"You on break too?"
"I only pick up shifts when it's slammed. The rest of the time? Playtime."
Na Gang-in asked,
"So if none of you are working today, why are you all hanging out here?"
Yoon A-reum declared proudly,
"Hoping oppa might make dinner?"
"Dinner's on me tonight. After the movie."
Yoon A-reum let out a cheer.
"Score! Na Gang-in superstar's treating for his debut!"
"I'm not an actor. Haven't debuted."
"Stuntmen count as actors too."
They all knew Na Gang-in had been off shooting the movie all last week. He'd been absent a lot because of it—no way they missed that.
But they figured he'd just been working as a martial arts stunt double on set.
Yoon A-reum said,
"It's a premiere for a movie you're in, oppa. Of course we're going."
"Tickets are free too."
"Right? Free tickets!"
"Knew it. Free tickets are the real draw."
"Nah. Gotta grab that post-movie meal you're buying too. Throw in some booze while we're at it. Chimaek sounds perfect. Man, it's been forever since I had some."
"A-reum, you'd never starve even if the world ended."
Yoon A-reum beamed.
"Hear that all the time. Hehe."
Na Gang-in and the PC bang trio took the subway to the theater hosting the premiere.
It was a last-minute event the night before release, but they'd still set up a photo zone for promo shots.
The actors posed there in order of arrival. The film had plenty of hype, and thanks to the PR team's hard work, reporters swarmed, flashes popping nonstop.
Yoon A-reum peered at the photo zone from the back of the crowd and asked,
"Aren't you gonna stand up there, Gang-in oppa?"
"Why would I? My face never even shows in the movie."
"True. Stunt doubles don't get photo ops."
They hung back, watching the actors pose.
A new face appeared, and Yoon A-reum clapped.
"Oh! It's Kim Yu-chan!"
Lead actor Kim Yu-chan stepped up to the zone.
He waved to the reporters, then spotted Na Gang-in in the crowd behind them.
Kim Yu-chan waved big at Na Gang-in with a wide smile.
Yoon A-reum freaked out.
"Did you see? Kim Yu-chan smiled right at me! Waved huge!"
Hacker An Seong-hwan shut her down from the side.
"Not at you. He's waving to the reporters that way."
The reporters thought he was waving at them too.
"Kim Yu-chan's turning into a real gentleman."
"Such manners."
Na Gang-in said,
"We've seen enough. Let's head in."
He led the PC bang crew inside. In the lobby, they bumped right into Shin Eun-ha.
Shin Eun-ha lit up at the sight of him and rushed over.
"Ah! Gang-in oppa! You came!"
They'd dropped formalities over drinks after seafood last time.
Na Gang-in replied,
"Four free tickets came my way."
Yoon A-reum and An Seong-hwan had met Shin Eun-ha at the PC bang before. Cha Eun-seo knew her from the old neighborhood.
Cha Eun-seo waved quietly.
"Unni, hi?"
"Hey! Why didn't you bring your uncle along?"
"Uncle's busy."
Yoon A-reum grinned wide and shouted,
"Whoa, Eun-ha unni, you're so pretty!"
Shin Eun-ha touched her pinky to her red lips and smiled coyly.
"Hee. I know I am."
"Hehe. Facts!"
Lead actor Kim Yu-chan approached.
"Gang-in, I waved at you like crazy back there, and you just breeze past without a glance? I'm hurt."
"How do you play it cool with all those reporters around?"
"Was hoping to give your face some exposure."
Yoon A-reum gaped, looking back and forth between Kim Yu-chan and Na Gang-in.
"Whoa, Gang-in oppa's chatting with Kim Yu-chan like equals."
Cha Eun-seo chimed in, wide-eyed.
"Gang-in oppa's a big deal now. Buddies with Kim Yu-chan."
"Eun-seo unni, should I try acting too? Do extras get buddy-buddy with stars?"
"Nah, they won't even know your name."
"Then how's Gang-in oppa buddies with him?"
Cha Eun-seo thought for a sec, then clapped with big eyes.
"Got it! The food!"
"Huh?"
"Oppa started out catering on set, right? Kim Yu-chan must've tasted his cooking."
Yoon A-reum nodded vigorously.
"Aha! Oppa food magic. Yeah, that tracks."
Sudden quick footsteps. They turned.
Kid Lee Min-ji came running up with a patter and hugged Na Gang-in tight.
"Snack uncle!"
Na Gang-in hugged her lightly back.
"It's only been days. We've texted. Why so excited?"
"Hehe. Feels safe like this."
Lee Tae-ho and his Rose Thorn wife approached.
Lee Tae-ho smiled.
"Saved you good seats, Gang-in."
Na Gang-in checked his invite.
"Our seats are..."
"Leave those empty."
Lee Min-ji bragged,
"Snack uncle's right next to me!"
Yoon A-reum gaped at the scene.
"Whoa, he knows Rose Thorn too! Eun-seo unni, should I learn cooking and do extras?"
Cha Eun-seo yanked Yoon A-reum back.
"Gang-in oppa, we'll watch on our own. You go ahead."
Na Gang-in and Lee Min-ji sat in the second row from the front.
The very front was for the director and leads.
The PC bang trio sat farther back. The sweet spot for viewing was around there anyway.
THO Entertainment pulled out all stops to milk this one-and-only premiere for promo. That's why big-name actors not in the film showed up in droves.
Cha Eun-seo glanced around, then whispered tensely to Yoon A-reum,
"A-reum, actors everywhere—front, back, sides."
"I know. Love 'em all, but chasing autographs would be rude."
"We're not Seong-hwan. No dumb moves."
Yoon A-reum peeked forward and grabbed a hand excitedly.
"Ah! Guy in front of Gang-in oppa—it's director Son Tae-min. Turning back, chatting him up."
"Whoa, Son Tae-min's smiling while they talk."
"Gang-in oppa's food is killer. Probably telling him to bring the truck next time. Should I learn from him and drive one?"
Cha Eun-seo shook her head.
"Can't learn Gang-in oppa's style. No measurements, just eyeballs and dumps. Swings those huge pans and woks like nothing. You?"
"No way. And that max-heat mass-cooking? Unique. Normies can't copy."
Director Son Tae-min said to Na Gang-in,
"Would be awesome if you joined the stage greetings, Gang-in. Changed your mind? Come out with us."
"Not an actor. Public face would wreck my daily life."
Son Tae-min got recognized a lot outside too. No subway for him. Kim Yu-chan and Shin Eun-ha? Forget it.
"Fair enough."
Stage greetings were Son Tae-min and a few actors. Quick Q&A with reporters, lights dimmed, film rolled.
The movie had way more action than the original script. But it meshed perfectly.
Audience dove right in. Even with reporters and actors, barely any chatter.
Lights up post-credits, reporter questions flooded.
Director and cast hits took the stage for Q&A.
Guest actors slipped out.
They raved,
"Thought it was straight romance. Wrong genre."
"Action romance?"
"Why Sunny Day? Good Day to Fight for Your Life fits better."
Talk turned to performances, especially action.
"Kim Yu-chan's fights. So fluid."
"He's a klutz. Stunt double."
"Yeah. Who's the martial arts director? Zero awkwardness in the fights."
Some cast members emerged.
A guest actor spotted one and called,
"Hyung-jun!"
"Ah, hyung. You came."
"Dude, romance is solid, but action steals it. Elevated the whole film. Son Tae-min delivers."
"Heh, same here."
"Martial director?"
"Don't have one."
"Huh? What?"
"It's rom-com. No martial director needed."
Nearby actor asked,
"Rom-com? That's action rom-com."
"Reshoots after the bust added action."
Rumors flew about a supporting actor's drug bust forcing week-long reshoots. Other actors heard, but not details.
One raised a hand lightly.
"Wait. Those action scenes were reshoots? Not original?"
"Yeah. Script had just arguments, light punches."
"Tons of action though."
"Yep. Rewrote, shot, edited in a week. I skipped reshoots, didn't see filming."
Questioner marveled,
"Son delivers. Insane."
Skeptic butted in.
"Even for Son, c'mon. Choreo ain't simple. Syncing moves? How in a week?"
Actor shrugged sheepishly.
"Results speak. Believe it or not..."
Another swallowed hard, excited.
"Okay, buying it. So who choreographed and directed action that week?"
"Food truck uncle."
"Pardon?"
"Heard he helped in downtime between cooking."
Actors blanked.
"Shaolin chef?"
"Wild, right? But it happened."
A white-haired vet joined in.
"Back in the day, films dropped weekly sometimes. Shot like that."
Actors bowed heads.
"Ah, Teacher Park. Hello."
He asked,
"Eun-ha's kidnapping rescue—building collapses. That too, last week?"
"Heard so."
"Don't know new tech well, but I know timelines. No time for CG."
"Wasn't CG."
All actors froze. Those scenes are CG standard.
"How'd they handle effects?"
"Real deal."
"What?"
Actor bowed politely.
"Heard they filmed Eun-ha rescue as the set actually collapsed."
White-hair asked,
"Debris falling, batting it away with pipe to escape. Real too?"
"All real..."
"How?"
"Pulled it off. Son Tae-min rewrote big action after seeing."
Vet gawked, then cautious,
"How many died?"
"Pardon?"