Chapter 556
Chapter 556
The movie Steal the Stars began its journey amidst a whirlwind of scandal.
It was a complete mess; the release was delayed at the last minute after one of the supporting actors stepped down due to a sex scandal. Rumors even began to circulate that the person filling the vacancy was a rookie from LeTi, a company famous for its idols.
Eventually, the new release date was announced through news articles.
However, instead of taking their time to find the perfect window, they had rushed to set an early date.
April.
The off-season for cinemas, when both school vacations and public holidays were over!
To anyone watching, it looked like they were just tossing it into an empty slot to get it over with. Everyone lowered their expectations.
The jeering grew even worse when word got out that LeTi was the production company behind the film. People assumed it was a case of "since it’s already ruined, let’s just shove our own guy in to pad his filmography."
Public opinion was at an all-time low. Movie communities, which already tended to look down on holiday films aimed solely at the masses, lost interest entirely. All that remained were people who wanted to watch it just to talk about how bad it was.
The date approached amidst this lukewarm atmosphere.
However, on the day of the release...
The moment the lid was opened, everything changed.
Steal the Stars was a scenario that added a uniquely Korean cinematic sensibility to a typical phantom thief story.
First, a simple, innocent couple living in the countryside discovers a meteorite that fell onto a corporation’s land. Although they are rushed to the intensive care unit after being caught in the explosive impact of the fall, they could live a life of luxury once they recovered.
This was because a meteorite belongs to the person who first discovers it. And this meteorite received a staggering estimated appraisal value.
[It is a large, rare meteorite never before discovered on the Korean Peninsula, with an estimated value of 300 million dollars, which is over 300 billion won...]
However, they were subtly killed in a "medical accident" by the conglomerate that coveted the meteorite. The "first discoverer" was swapped out for a chaebol from the corporation who had come to inspect his own land.
And all that remained of the deceased couple was one brilliant son.
[This makes no sense...]
But no one believed the high school student’s claims. After dropping out of a prestigious high school and growing up in a destitute environment, he became a famous con artist.
The plot followed him as he set out to reclaim the meteorite that should have belonged to his parents. To achieve this, he gathers criminal specialists from various fields.
[Those bastards still haven't sold the meteorite. They realized it contains a substance not found on Earth, so they can name their price.]
[Which means?]
[Exactly. As long as we steal it, we’ll find a way to sell it.]
The structure was a well-balanced mix of emotion, comedy, and the thrill of a satisfying "cider" moment.
What was surprising was that the reshoots actually contributed to this success in their own way. While they were at it, the production company also filmed scenes to replace several parts they had been concerned about.
As a result, much of the feedback from the internal private screening was incorporated, making the story’s verisimilitude even more solid. Thanks to this, the audience was able to focus on the first half of the movie without any hiccups, as the plot flowed smoothly.
The backstories of the members gathered to steal the meteorite were introduced just right.
[A hacker, a con artist, a forger, a gambler, a cop, a mercenary... who else do we need?]
[Someone with fast hands.]
And finally, one taciturn supporting character joins this loud, personality-filled party. A young man with a dark impression who looks to be in his mid-to-late twenties.
[You could say he’s the only specialist in Seoul without a criminal record.]
[...]
He was a pickpocket.
Extremely quiet and composed, he could empty anyone’s pockets in an instant, providing plausibility between scenes. And he even served as the comedic relief!
[Hey, you! Listen up. We don't have a getaway vehicle, we don't have disguises, and we don't know the way around here, right? So what do you mean, 'proceed with the operation'? Stop talking nonsense and let's withdraw—]
Clatter. The pickpocket poured car keys and disguise kits out of his sleeve.
[...]
[...]
[Hey, kidnapping is technically a form of pickpocketing if you look at it broadly, right? Let's just grab one employee over there who knows the way...]
[Stop.]
Furthermore, he gets a magnificent scene in the latter half. His death.
[Go.]
The pickpocket had a tragic childhood, much like the protagonist. Because of that, he already knew what he wanted to do if he made a lot of money.
[So, you’re going to take your 45 billion won and donate it all to an orphanage?]
[...]
[You idiot. Just set up a foundation yourself. You know? Like an international relief foundation.]
[Okay.]
As this fact is revealed through the middle and latter parts of the film, he forms a strange bond with the protagonist. That bond became the catalyst.
[God dammit!]
While fleeing after stealing the meteorite, the group is discovered and pursued due to the betrayal of one member. The corrupt corporation tries to kill them all to bury the information.
That’s when the pickpocket steps up. To ensure the protagonist can escape alive, he handcuffs himself to an enemy who has boarded a helicopter and falls out of the helicopter with him.
[Hey!!]
[It’s water down there! He can survive! Just fly the helicopter for now!]
And just as he said, the pickpocket fell into the water.
Bubble, bubble...
However, something unexpected happens. Because he was tangled with the enemy as they fell, the pickpocket’s hand gets caught in the enemy’s handcuffs, and he can’t escape.
After several attempts to free his hand, the pickpocket’s movements gradually slow down, and finally...
His strength gives out right before the end.
[...]
A close-up shot.
Submerged in the quiet water, bathed in the light reflecting from the surface, the pickpocket blinks. His expression slowly fades away. With the blue searchlights pouring over him from above—a direction that made it look as if he were being forgiven for the sins he had committed—the scene fades out.
[Ooooooh—]
And just like that, the pickpocket exits the play.
“...”
Now, let’s summarize.
Due to the nature of the character, he has little screen time and few lines. Thus, it’s a role with less pressure on the actor. Yet, he gets all the impactful scenes, and his end is incredibly powerful.
‘It’s the kind of role a rookie would put their life on the line for.’
If you could pull it off, there was nothing better. And thanks to the blessings of Bae Se-jin and Keun Se-jin, I had milked it for all it was worth.
Like this.
It meant I did a pretty good job. Many reviews noted that because he was a new face with no previous works, there were no overlapping characters, which helped with immersion.
That was the rational reaction of movie buffs and cinephiles toward a mainstream film.
And as for the general public...
It was a massive hit.
Steal the Stars drew 3.5 million viewers in its first week of release, and as it entered its second week, it showed incredible momentum, surpassing 5 million.
‘It originally surpassed 8 million.’
Back when I was in university, I’d heard people saying that if this movie had been released during peak season, it definitely would have surpassed 10 million, and the sentiment was the same now.
Thanks to that, my stock was rising like crazy. Which is why I was doing this.
“Actor-nim, you’re going up now!”
I nodded to the staff member and climbed the stairs onto the platform.
Waaaaaaah—!
It was a stage greeting.
Originally, the three lead actors were supposed to do it alone, but additional schedules were set just four days after the release, and then a whole string of promotional schedules was attached.
‘Just as expected.’
I looked at the audience seats with a fresh perspective. Normally, I would have taken my position in a formation to start a performance, but now I quietly took the microphone and sat in a chair.
“Steal the Stars! All seven phantom thieves who gathered to steal the meteorite have come up for the stage greeting!”
Flashes went off, cheers erupted, and cameras were visible everywhere. Even so, it proceeded more calmly than what I was used to. The requests and questions were more polite, too.
“Then, let’s hear a word of thanks from our cast members~”
I looked at the camera rotating in front of me. And I smiled inwardly.
‘Promotional appearances.’
You’re not an idol if you can’t do this.
*
The rookie actor from LeTi who made a name for himself at once by appearing as an impactful supporting character, the pickpocket, in a blockbuster movie!
His name was ‘Ryu Moon.’
It was the stage name Park Moon-dae had eventually received.
Many people found it strange, saying the name sounded too much like a LeTi idol, but the agency stood firm, refusing to reveal his real name until the end, which became a minor topic of conversation. So, movie fans eventually accepted the name, albeit with a bit of reluctance.
And everyone unconsciously associated the character of the pickpocket in the movie with the actor’s personality, vaguely convincing themselves in their heads. That he would likely be the stiff, quiet, and naive type of actor.
However, the moment the stage greetings began...
[Steal the Stars Stage Greeting Ryu Moon, “The genius pickpocket is here to steal the audience’s hearts ♡” (Photo HD)]
The rookie actor boasted perfect hearts and camera contact. He wasn't embarrassed at all.
He was indeed quiet and composed. But it was the kind of composure and brazenness of someone who looked like they had lived and breathed in front of a camera for about ten years.
[Steal the Stars 5 million promise, “Let’s all do the Popcorn dance!”]
He even joined in on the 5-million-viewer promise made by the other actors at the MC’s urging on the spot and pulled it off shamelessly well. It meant he performed the Popcorn dance incredibly well with his long limbs.
People were confused! But as time went by, they started to find the fact that they were confused amusing. It was a pleasant kind of confusion, wasn't it?
The positive image he gained from playing an impactful role in a successful movie served as a great foundation for his popularity. Thus, Ryu Moon, in his role as the pickpocket, began to go viral across the social media and communities that were popular at the time.
[Check out the pickpocket’s charms lol]
[The rookie actor who makes you realize he’s from an idol agency]
[I’m watching the Steal the Stars actors' interviews right now lol... The pickpocket is something else...]
This was a time before viral marketing had fully established itself as a business. However, with his years of experience, Park Moon-dae knew how to hit that sweet spot with incredible precision.
“Gun-woo... no, Ryu Moon-ssi! The reaction lately is so good, you know that, right?”
And it worked.
‘This is it.’
Park Moon-dae waited patiently. If he laid the groundwork like this during media exposure and garnered a good response...
“Hello, sunbaenim.”
“Ah, our Moon-ie~ Welcome!”
I knew it.
On the fifth day of the promotional schedule, Park Moon-dae smiled inwardly as he received a greeting from a lead actor who had now become openly friendly.
‘Right. You have to get on speaking terms with someone who can benefit you.’
As expected, the world people lived in was much the same, whether it was the idol world or the acting world.
This was where it truly began.
“Sunbaenim, are you by any chance interested in whiskey?”
Park Moon-dae proceeded with his plan quickly. And the time it took for him to discover the actor’s weakness was a mere two weeks.