The Birth of Gomza
“Ah, no. What is this? A birthday present?”
It felt like only yesterday they’d held the first-birthday party, and yet here they were again.
Or was that already some time ago?
CEO Seo hurriedly checked the calendar, then, as if struck by a sudden revelation, set it down again.
No, that wasn’t the important part.
What were they supposed to give him?
CEO Seo clicked the post in a rush.
Forum Post: Discussing birthday gifts for Gongza.
First Poll Results
1) A forest in China made in Gongza’s name
2) A star named after Gongza
3) Donation and volunteer work at the orphanage where Gongza used to live
4) Hauling briquettes in Gongza’s name
5) Building a school in Africa in Gongza’s name
These people were completely serious. CEO Seo blinked.
It does seem like the culture of giving gifts to celebrities is starting up, though...
He never thought he’d end up seeing this because of Gongza.
Usually it’s idols who get this treatment. Gongza isn’t an idol; he’s a kid...
What was he supposed to do about this?
No, well, they do seem like people who genuinely want to support Gongza...
CEO Seo checked the number of people in the cafe again.
Still, this is a lot. Way too many.
Even Soo-jung’s fandom hadn’t felt this extreme.
He kept looking through the cafe, here and there, until he found a particularly eye-catching post.
We’ve decided to call ourselves Gomza by vote.
1. Gomza
2. Gongza Devotee
3. Confucian Sect
4. Gongrim School
5. Public Figure
CEO Seo let out a soft groan.
They’re really doing this in earnest.
The voting had already ended.
Gomza, huh.
So this was because Gongza liked bears?
CEO Seo propped his chin in his hand and clicked another post. There, in the photo, was the child asleep in Han Woo-jin’s arms, breathing softly.
“Gongza, you’re in serious trouble.”
He muttered at the child on the monitor.
“You’ve got bear ladies now.”
Well, there might be uncles too, not just ladies.
“I don’t know if it’ll last, but Gomza... seriously?”
For some reason, the fan club name sounded incredibly powerful.
CEO Seo tilted his head.
I feel like I just witnessed the foundation of a legend...
Maybe it was just his imagination.
Of course the Gongza in the photo gave no answer. CEO Seo exhaled.
Still, popularity is a good thing.
He smiled a little. But that wasn’t the real issue.
It’s the programs Gongza can actually join.
Ah.
CEO Seo forced a smile, then lowered his head. Yes, this was a problem too.
Every program with child actors in it keeps calling us.
Even with Soo-jung filtering them, there was a limit. So now he was doing the first round of screening himself.
It’s basically my job to pass only the best ones on to Soo-jung.
He couldn’t block calls from people important enough to ring directly, like Jung Re-ri, but still.
Just then, the office phone rang.
“Yes, go ahead.”
He focused on the call, then pressed a hand to his forehead.
“Yes, yes. I’ll get back to you right away.”
CEO Seo hung up and sighed.
I thought it was strange how calls had been coming in from everywhere asking us to let Gongza appear...
But this one was unexpected.
Not some entertainment company, but a government agency.
He let out a long breath. Honestly, this was very hard to refuse.
I should tell Soo-jung.
He picked up his smartphone at once. Maybe it was because of Gongza, but for some reason, he felt like his own scale had grown bigger, too.
CEO Seo: “Looks like they’re filming a Korean promotional video this time. They asked whether you and Gongza would both be interested. You know as well as I do, Soo-jung, things like this are incredibly hard to get chosen for.”
Ma Soo-jung: “What? They film that kind of thing too?”
CEO Seo: “Looks like they do. They asked about you and Gongza both. Since you know how these things go, I’m telling you, it’s genuinely hard to get picked.”
Ma Soo-jung: “I know. We can always work around the schedule. I roughly get it, but how is Gongza supposed to appear?”
CEO Seo: “Well, since it’s a Korean promotion video, maybe he’ll turn up in hanbok?”
Ma Soo-jung: “They’re not going to make him do anything weird, are they?”
CEO Seo: “It’s a government promotional video. They’re bringing in big-name sports stars and entertainers, so why would they make him do something strange? It wouldn’t even fit the budget.”
Ma Soo-jung: “Fair enough. They’d probably keep it classy.”
CEO Seo: “This is one you should do. You know that, right? Not just anyone gets to appear; the fact that you’re in it means you’re representing Korea.”
Ma Soo-jung: “I wouldn’t go as far as calling it an honor, but it’s something like that. Still, our Gongza as a representative? He’s still just a kid.”
Ma Soo-jung: “Well, if we’re talking about being the cutest representative, then yes.”
CEO Seo: “It’s for promotion, anyway. I heard they’ll be putting it in Times Square and places like that.”
Ma Soo-jung: “Yes, go ahead and proceed. And once you have the storyboard or the script, send it over through Mi-jin.”
CEO Seo: “All right. I’ll tell them you’re in.”
Ma Soo-jung ended the call.
“A Korean promotional video, huh.”
And Gongza would be in it with her?
Just then, her manager, who had been listening from the side, said, “Unnie, I couldn’t help overhearing, but if it’s a Korean promo, they’ll probably have him carrying a cheongsachorong lantern, right?”
“Like the Olympics?”
“Yeah. They’ll probably have him in hanbok too.”
Ma Soo-jung rolled her shoulders and said, “Gongza would look adorable.”
“He really was beautiful at the first-birthday party.”
“There isn’t an outfit Gongza can’t pull off.”
The manager laughed. “You’re not even thinking about what you’re going to be wearing. You’re only worrying about Gongza.”
Ma Soo-jung looped her arm through the manager’s and said, “That’s because I can just wear whatever they hand me.”
“If I had to guess, a Korean promo video starts with a kid like Gongza running through a field.”
Ma Soo-jung nodded.
“Our Gongza would be so cute.”
“Still, even if it’s a promo video, what if foreigners end up thinking Korea has kids as cute as Gongza everywhere?”
Ma Soo-jung laughed, her whole body shaking. “Ahahaha! Exactly!”
“A kid like Gongza only exists once.”
“Right. Gongza’s unique.”
Ma Soo-jung kept stretching as she spoke.
“My angel. What’s he doing right now?”
“Filming, I guess?”
“Yeah. The movie’s passed five million.”
“Isn’t Gongza incredible?”
“He is my son, but yes, I think so too. Hey, Mi-jin.”
“Yes?”
Ma Soo-jung tipped her head back and said, “Do you think Gongza’s acting career will ever surpass mine?”
“Uh, I mean...”
“Don’t you think he’ll beat me before he’s even an adult?”
The manager blinked. Ma Soo-jung smiled faintly.
“Could it happen even sooner?”
“No way.”
“I don’t know when it’ll be, but if it does happen, I think I’ll be really happy.”
A staff member called her over, and Ma Soo-jung immediately ran off. Watching her back, the manager smiled a little.
Unnie looks happy.
After Gongza came into her life, Ma Soo-jung had become so much more passionate.
Her career’s getting better, too.
For the actor you managed to keep getting bigger and bigger jobs, it was a thrilling thing. The manager swayed slightly to some internal rhythm with her fingers and turned away, feeling inexplicably pleased.
Did Yoon even have a scene like this?
The assistant director hurried over the moment he arrived on set.
“Gongza, we’re going to add a few shots. Don’t worry. You just have to walk from here to there.”
Deok-su craned his neck to look over the filming location.
“It’s a flower road.”
So all he had to do was walk through a path lined with flowers.
It really isn’t much.
The assistant director pressed on his tired eyes and said, “It’s okay, right?”
“Yup!”
“Goodness, how cute. The local government only gave permission for today, so we’ve got to film everything. The moment he saw it, the PD said Gongza walking through it would look great on camera.”
Ah.
So it wasn’t in the script.
Well, the more scenes they added, the better.
“If Gongza’s tired, we can cut it.”
Goodness. That was incredibly considerate.
“Gongza’s fine!”
“Really? Then let’s shoot quickly!”
“Yup!”
I stretched my neck to look at the place where they were filming. The road was covered in unfamiliar flowers, and it was quite pretty.
The crew member straightened the hood of the costume I was wearing and said, “You look excited.”
“I am!”
“Do you like filming, Gongza?”
Like it?
My heart’s pounding.
To love acting so much that you lose track of time—people really do that.
Acting had always been like that for me.
I love it. Always.
Why was it so wonderful to become someone else? Even after living through life twice, I still couldn’t figure it out.
So in this life, I’m going to run only the lead-actor road.
I told the crew member, “Gongza wants to act forever.”
“I see.”
“My dream is to become a veteran actor!”
And if possible, to be respected too.
A staff member waved me over.
“Gongza’s going now!”
“Be careful and shoot well.”
“Yup!”
I ran to the set. The staff watched me and laughed.
“There goes our vitamin.”
Wow. That was a fresh way to put it.
“Gongza, I heard the movie’s doing great?”
Oh, was it? The numbers had climbed quite a bit.
How many weeks has it been since release?
With no smartphone and no TV to check, I really had no way of knowing.
“They say it’s broken six million now.”
Wow.
It was supposed to be a flop, and now it’s a hit!
I grinned.
“Hee-hee!”
“What’s the point of saying that to a kid?”
“Why not? He’s smiling. Honestly, Gongza is way too cute. Just looking at him makes me happy.”
“If it weren’t for Gongza, the screen wouldn’t look this bright.”
Heh. I see.
Compliments are always nice.
More, please, staff members.
Then PD Seonwoo Yeongjae said, “So let’s take good care of him.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Got it.”
Huh?
“Is something wrong?”
When I tilted my head, everyone averted their eyes.
Why won’t anyone tell me?
I looked for Deok-su. Sure enough, Deok-su wasn’t taking his eyes off me while he listened to the staff say something to him.
What, did some weirdo show up?
PD Seonwoo Yeongjae shouted, “Everybody knows the rule, right? Don’t take your eyes off our vitamin.”
So there really was something.
Did someone send a crime warning or something?
For a little kid like this?
No way.
Between my last life and this one, I haven’t made any enemies anywhere.
The mood had grown stiff. One staff member was even rubbing a rosary bracelet around his wrist.
This is serious.
What happened? I want in on this too. I’m curious.
Then one of the staff members made the sign of the cross and muttered, “Hwa, stay away. God and Buddha. The shaman said a child might get hurt on our set. I haven’t been to church in over thirty years, but please, I’m begging you.”
Oh, no.