Ice Comes from Water
Two weeks had passed since Han Ye-seul began her reign of terror.
But of course, an ordinary person(?) like her couldn't catch up to Kang Min just by steeling her resolve.
[Kraaak!]
[Keurgh!]
[Kuhuk...!]
"........."
...In fact, it would have been weirder if she could even keep up.
"Cut."
"Y-yes...?"
"Actress Yoo Ji-yu, your balance is off. You're both drinking poison at the same time. Pay a little more attention."
"Yes..."
"Let's go again."
"Hic..."
As always, Han Ye-seul tormented Kim Ho-jin and Yoo Ji-yu like rats in a trap, but she couldn't help brooding over it.
She thought she knew Kang Min pretty well, but the more she tried to understand him properly, the more she wondered if she didn't know him at all.
Han Ye-seul bit her lip.
What the hell does that guy see in his eyes?
How can he act without a shred of doubt? What makes him so certain...!
What is it? It can't just be that he wants to do death acting...!!
As always, enlightenment slipped away just before she could grasp it.
And on top of that, the bald guy who realized the gravity(?) of the situation was diligently sabotaging the work with his subordinate CP.
"H-Han PD, this is already plenty great. No need to push harder, right?"
"Yeah, yeah! The Earth's doomed to end anyway!"
"........."
Han Ye-seul was suffering.
Yoo Ji-yu and Kim Ho-jin, whom she was tormenting, were suffering too.
Director Kim Kang-hyun, terrified of another Unbelievable incident, and his boss were suffering.
Only Kang Min was happy amid the past two weeks, and Han Ye-seul's bold New Year's resolution to "show them what for"—with the shelf life of a smoker's quit vow—was gradually fading.
Maybe...
the vice president and the bald guy's words were right?
Maybe actor Kang Min wasn't overreaching his place?
Someone like PD Yu Ho-hyeon or writer Baek Chae-i might have the credit of spotting him first, but what had she done besides punching her pillow when he debuted?
Her confidence was dwindling by the day.
It was around then that Kang Min inquired about his shooting schedule.
Having heard the situation, Han Ye-seul unwittingly gaped.
"Director Gonzalez?!"
"Yes. They suggested doing a more global PSA. But since we're in the middle of shooting..."
"Oh my god...!"
Han Ye-seul was momentarily speechless.
Even setting aside the recent reviews, how could she not know a director of worldwide fame? Lloyd Gonzalez was less a senior to her and more a mentor or goalpost.
And that man had personally named Kang Min.
Han Ye-seul said urgently.
"You have to take it! Of course you do!"
"Hmm, but the shooting schedule..."
"We still have some leeway! No, even if we don't, you have to go! Do you have any idea what kind of opportunity this is?!"
Han Ye-seul slammed the desk in excitement.
Steel-Wiztone Studio, where Lloyd Gonzalez belonged.
It housed world-class directors like Harry O'Mahher and Eddie Gelman, as well as scriptwriters whose names alone rang bells, like Steve Leonard and Shirakawa Saito.
And above them were the legendary directors who inspired the studio's name. This was a chance to connect with them!
Real monster talents that someone like Han Ye-seul could never reach the toes of, even in a lifetime—!
"........."
Her excitement was short-lived.
Han Ye-seul suddenly felt her head cool in an instant.
The rationality she'd been ignoring for the past two weeks returned abruptly.
...Right. With those monsters.
Yes. The actor stroking his chin with a casual "hmm" in front of her belonged in their realm.
He'd achieved this much in less than a year. Who knew how far he'd go next? She couldn't even imagine.
But undoubtedly, somewhere far beyond where she could ever follow.
"........."
A bit,
of her drive deflated.
Han Ye-seul tried to hide it.
"Ahem, anyway, it's four days, right? That's manageable. I'll adjust the schedule, so go ahead."
"Got it. But."
"But...?"
"They said if there's someone essential to my shooting, they could come along."
"? Then just do that."
Han Ye-seul tilted her head, and Kang Min nodded in satisfaction.
"Understood. Thank you for saying so."
"Yes..."
"Then let's go."
"...Pardon?"
Han Ye-seul, who had been moping, blinked blankly.
And two days later,
she blankly presented her passport, blankly boarded the plane, blankly received a friendly welcome from the immigration officer—"Welcome, we look forward to your great work"—and found herself blankly standing in a California city in the US.
Kang Min looked around and let out a groan of genuine dismay.
"Hmm. Looks like we arrived way earlier than the appointment."
"........."
"At least there's a cheesesteak place over there. Want to grab some?"
At the intersection of Lankershim Blvd and Victory Blvd in Burbank,
in a somewhat shabby neighborhood where even truck rental companies sported North Hollywood stickers, Han Ye-seul blinked vacantly.
......?
#
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Kang. Thrilled to have you here."
"The honor is mine, Director Gonzalez."
"Good to see you. First time since I got burned? Never thought you'd actually fly out for a PSA."
"...Yes, good to see you, President."
Kang Min shook hands with the two awkward people and cleared his throat lightly.
Contrary to Han Ye-seul's thoughts, it wasn't natural for even Kang Min to fly to a distant foreign country in just two days.
This was his first time in the US since Seo Bom had insisted on a "family trip" to celebrate her lead role debut.
Kang Min had happily chipped in money, and the family—including his orphanage siblings—had been overjoyed, jumping around.
But for some reason, Seo Bom herself had looked utterly dazed even as her little sisters hugged her...
Well, whatever. No backing down now...!
Kang Min steeled himself.
His position was still perilously unstable.
Die to Live and the PSA Quartet had somehow succeeded, but they were one-offs. Without carving out his own program, the King of Death Acting's peace would never come.
Thus, he couldn't miss a chance to show the world how serious he was about death acting.
Well, no need to shrink back anyway.
He'd brought a solid ally, after all.
"???"
Though that solid ally was still blankly shaking hands with a "where am I, who am I?" face.
Gonzalez laughed heartily, building rapport briefly, then turned serious and got to the point.
"As I mentioned, Kang, I was deeply impressed by your PSA Quartet."
"Thank you."
"Not just lip service. People focused on your acting skill—and it was astonishing—but what caught my eye was the hook itself. Absurd acting pulls them in, then kicks them out. They feel scammed, but crucially, they'll never forget it."
It was genius—Lloyd Gonzalez's voice was measured but brimming with conviction.
The confidence of a world-renowned director who knew exactly what he could do.
"I pride myself on having an eye for talent."
"Yes."
"Oh, not empty words. Ten years ago, I gave some advice to a rookie Korean director clashing with his broadcaster. Like cheering on a promising junior. Know what happened? That rookie piled up insane achievements, became a monster, and now he's my boss."
Though the company name's kinda lame—Gonzalez chuckled, thumping the S&W (Steel&Wiztone) executive badge on his chest.
And then,
"I have the same gut feeling about you, actor Kang Min."
"........."
"Seeing you in person confirms it. You'll soon be an actor I bow to and beg for a role."
"Thank you."
Kang Min was nonchalant—but that fancy movie won't kill me per shoot, right?—while Han Ye-seul couldn't help swallowing hard. She never imagined Lloyd Gonzalez would say something like that.
Already intimidated, she shrank further. Especially since she'd been the one griping "what's with those PSAs?" back then.
She couldn't help feeling like she didn't belong here...
"Good. Let's talk business."
Gonzalez clapped, steering back.
He pulled out a notebook scribbled with random words and doodles, like stream-of-consciousness notes.
And atop them, decisive keywords:
Guns, drugs, public education, health insurance, anti-intellectualism—
"Kang, I want to surpass your PSA Quartet."
"Yes."
"Ah, not hard, in my view. That ad wasted a great actor, but with the designer here footing a huge budget, it'll be fine. Though we'll have to strong-arm some clothing sponsorships, unfortunately."
"I promise it'll suit you more than enough."
Marie Ray smiled faintly.
She seemed highly satisfied with the situation.
But Kang Min frowned slightly.
"Not sure what you mean by 'waste.'"
"Oh, don't get mad. No intent to insult your friend. I know she's too good for such a shabby setup."
Gonzalez smiled thinly.
"That's why you brought director Shim Yoo-hyeon here. His visual expertise will hugely benefit our project."
"?"
"......?"
Kang Min tilted his head, and Han Ye-seul blinked blankly. Did he just mistake me for that bearded guy?
Gonzalez looked slightly flustered at their reactions.
Kang Min cleared his throat.
"This is not director Shim Yoo-hyeon. This is producer and director Han Ye-seul."
"...Oh, the overall producer for the PSA Quartet and Die to Live...?"
"That's right."
"Hmm..."
"?"
"...To be frank, I don't get it."
Lloyd Gonzalez furrowed his brow.
No malice or bias—just pure, objective bafflement.
"Why bring this utterly ordinary (run-of-the-mill) person? Honestly, I don't see her helping our project at all."
"······."
Han Ye-seul
suddenly felt choked.
To her stunned freeze, the world-class director delivered his cold assessment.
"What I felt from the PSA Quartet was that the director wasn't supporting the actor and VFX—she was dragging them down. It was awful. Shackled by common sense, her direction let me confidently say 'I'll top it.' Otherwise, who knows. Bluntly, she hindered it from becoming a masterpiece."
"······."
"Not blaming her. In a normal show, a showrunner holds the center admirably. But obstructing genius out of incomprehension? That's different. I don't see her helping us—or you, Kang—especially."
"Th-that..."
Han Ye-seul reflexively opened her mouth to retort.
But her lips only trembled; no words came.
The past two weeks' experiences, Director Kim Kang-hyun and the vice president's "no talent" words, and above all, the weight of this world-class director's judgment crushed her.
She'd known it all along, hadn't she?
Just,
maybe it was time to admit it.
Han Ye-seul cast her eyes down limply.
"...Hmm."
And Kang Min, conversely, lifted his head.
#
Meanwhile, at the Steel-Wiztone Burbank office where Kang Min and Han Ye-seul were,
one of the co-presidents had returned after a while.
With a wild chin beard, he rubbed his hands, heard the news from the rushing writer, and frowned.
"So, Hyun-seok's off in Europe as a Cannes jury member again?"
"Yes..."
"Damn it. Outshining me now, that bastard. Always cherry-picking others' know-how...!"
The grumbling middle-aged man didn't seem truly upset. Knowing that, Shirakawa the writer smiled lightly and moved on.
Kim Cheol—Steel&Wiztone co-president and Korea's legend who conquered the Big Three film festivals—fanned himself in the heat and slumped into a chair. The writer hurriedly fetched drinks.
Gulping one down, Kim Cheol asked curtly.
"So, no big issues?"
"No."
"Any new buzz?"
"Well... Director Lloyd's hooked on another weird thing—shooting a PSA. Brought a Korean actor."
"Huh? Korean? Who?"
"Actor Kang Min."
"Kang Min? That guy?"
Kim Cheol narrowed his eyes and stroked his chin for some reason.
The watchful writer ventured.
"Not thrilled? He's a rookie, after all..."
"...Nah, no. Haven't seen much, but he's already solid. Insane potential. Just... gives off a familiar vibe."
"Pardon?"
"Nah, probably not. No way there are two lunatics in the world who look sane outside but are batshit crazy inside—"
*Bang!*
"?"
"···?"