Chapter 185
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 185
Chapter Title: A Hollywood-Sized Suggestion
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Director Choi Daeman, Park Jaemin, and Lee Hansol were completely stunned. To the three of them, who had at best been considering foreign actors residing in Korea, these were names they had never even dreamed of.
“When they came to Korea last time, they both said they wanted to appear in a Korean project.”
Whether he knew the three adults were holding their breath or not, Seojun, excited by the fun prospect, enthusiastically pitched the two Hollywood actors. An Daho had worn a look of resignation ever since Evan Block’s name was mentioned.
*Hollywood actors are going to be in my movie? This suddenly?*
It was something he hadn't even considered just thirty minutes ago. Director Choi Daeman’s hand, clutching the script, was trembling noticeably.
*No, that can't be right. They're Hollywood actors. Aren't they incredibly busy?*
Seojun’s schedule was flexible since he had to attend school, but the two actors might be different. Thinking as realistically as possible, Director Choi Daeman managed to speak.
“Aren’t… aren’t Evan Block and Richel Hill busy?”
“I messaged them yesterday, and they said they’re on vacation. They’re scheduled to film *Shadowman 3* next year, so they don’t have any other shoots planned for this year. Just some minor things.”
Seojun answered perfectly with a bright smile.
As if to say, *There’s no escape for you, Director,* Seojun's smile made Director Choi Daeman swallow hard. No, really? Is this actually happening? While the director’s eyes darted around, Assistant Director Park Jaemin, who had regained his senses, was perfectly calm.
No, actually...
*I’m so glad I decided to stick with Daeman!*
He was doing an inner dance. My god. A Korean movie starring three Hollywood actors—even participating as an assistant director would surely send his reputation skyrocketing.
Lee Hansol, the CEO of the production company Movie Dream, also slowly processed the situation.
*The movie was already set to be a blockbuster with just Seojun, but with Evan Block and Richel Hill… Isn't this movie insane?*
CEO Lee Hansol covered his mouth. The potential profits were so enormous he felt like screaming. If he shared this news, the head of Plus+ Korea would surely let out a scream-like cheer as well.
Hehehe. He had always been the one amazed by the branch manager’s scale, but now he could finally repay the favor… It felt so satisfying.
Watching the three fail to manage their expressions, Seojun could roughly guess their thoughts. As for An Daho, he was always in a state of letting Seojun do as he pleased.
Grinning, Seojun continued.
“What do you think, Director? If you’re okay with it, I’ll send the script to Evan and Richel right away. Oh, of course, Evan and Richel might say no.”
“!”
At Seojun’s last words, Director Choi Daeman’s trembling hand stopped. Assistant Director Park Jaemin, who had been internally dancing about the rosy path ahead, and CEO Lee Hansol, who had been imagining huge profits and the branch manager’s shocked face, also froze.
*That’s right.*
Why hadn’t they considered that the other side might refuse?
A look of immense disappointment washed over the faces of Assistant Director Park Jaemin and CEO Lee Hansol.
Director Choi Daeman let out a sigh he couldn't hold back. It was a sigh mixed with relief and disappointment.
*I was so nervous just a moment ago… why do I feel so let down now?*
As much as he was intimidated by the idea of Hollywood actors starring in his film, it seemed a part of him had unknowingly been looking forward to it.
Director Choi Daeman looked down at the script in his hand. He had gripped it so tightly in his shock at the mention of Evan Block and Richel Hill that it was now heavily wrinkled.
[Escape]
It was a script he had worked hard to conceive and write. For a moment, Director Choi Daeman questioned his own work.
*Will a Hollywood actor like this?*
He felt like he was being put to the test. Just like when he had shown the script to Seojun, his palms felt sweaty. As Director Choi Daeman sank into thought, Seojun quietly waited for his answer.
Seojun liked *Escape*. Enough to want to recommend it to Evan and Richel.
It was a good project. With good actors, it would surely become a good movie.
As he carefully smoothed out the wrinkled script, Director Choi Daeman looked up at Seojun. Their eyes met, as Seojun had been watching him the whole time.
*Ah.*
Director Choi Daeman was suddenly reminded of who the actor in front of him was.
There was already a Hollywood actor who had chosen his work. His project wasn't so bad after all. The thought put the director's mind at ease.
“Then, could you contact them for me?”
At Director Choi Daeman’s reply, Seojun beamed.
“Okay.”
Now, the chances were fifty-fifty. Praying for a positive response, Lee Hansol spoke up.
“We’ll need to get the script translated into English…”
“I’ll do it. I’m good at English.”
Everyone nodded at Seojun’s words.
After the storm of Evan Block and Richel Hill passed, the dishes they had ordered for dinner arrived.
Once the dinner was set up, the adults took their seats and began to eat the delicious food with tired faces.
“I don’t feel like we did much, but I’m incredibly exhausted.”
“I think it’s because we were so on edge.”
Everyone nodded in agreement with An Daho’s words. Unlike the mentally and physically drained adults, Seojun was in high spirits, having received the finished script and thinking he might get to act with Evan Block and Richel Hill.
*This salad is delicious!*
Crunch, crunch.
Normally, he would have eaten steak or some other meat dish, but lately, he had been strangely drawn to vegetables.
*I think the elf transformation is having a weird effect.*
His ears hadn't grown long like an elf's, and he didn't feel his body changing, but it seemed something inside him had.
While some elves ate meat, the elves from [(Good) Elf Archer's Archery] were strictly vegetarian.
*Not that I’ve completely stopped eating meat.*
The chicken in the chicken salad was still delicious. The crispy fried chicken with the sweet and sour dressing was perfect. Seojun devoured the chicken salad with a happy expression.
The sight of Seojun eating so heartily caught the adults' attention. They all unconsciously reached for the chicken salad. CEO Lee Hansol took a bite and marveled.
“This is delicious.”
“You’re right. I had it yesterday too, but why is it so good today?”
Director Choi Daeman and Park Jaemin, who had been staying at the hotel and eating all sorts of hotel cuisine, tilted their heads in confusion but didn’t stop eating. The chicken salad quickly disappeared at the hands of the adults.
*Hmm. I’ll just eat something else.*
Seeing the chicken salad almost gone, Seojun turned his attention to the salmon salad.
On Seo Eunhye’s advice that Seojun had been eating a lot of vegetables lately, An Daho had ordered several vegetable dishes for dinner.
The tender salmon, the dressing, and the crisp lettuce and vegetables brought a happy smile to Seojun’s face. Then, the adults, having cleaned the chicken salad plate, targeted the salmon salad next.
This repeated several times.
After finishing all the generously ordered dishes, Seojun and the adults wore satisfied expressions.
“The food at this hotel… is it always this good? I’d get some to go if they offer takeout…”
“It seems especially delicious today. I was getting a little tired of it until yesterday. I even bought some cup noodles to eat instead.”
At Lee Hansol’s words, Park Jaemin pointed to a corner of the living room. All sorts of cup noodles were stacked there.
“They’ll probably do takeout if you call ahead.”
“Then I should order some.”
“Me too. I’ll get some for Mom and Dad.”
The adults smiled warmly at Seojun’s words.
For a while, they made small talk (mostly about Evan Block and Richel Hill) to digest and rest, and then Lee Hansol spoke up.
“I’ve looked into domestic special effects makeup teams.”
While other things could be changed, the ‘zombie’ element was fixed, so he had been able to research this even before the script was finalized.
“I looked into domestic teams, and since there will be a lot of zombies and the makeup will take a long time, I think we’ll have to hire quite a few. We’ll also need a main team to oversee all the other special effects makeup teams.”
The others, sipping on their preferred teas, nodded. Seojun, who had chosen orange juice, agreed as well.
Lee Hansol handed out a list he had prepared.
It detailed everything from the number of members in each special effects makeup team to the dramas and films they had worked on. There were even photos of their makeup work to showcase their skills.
“Director Choi, which team do you like the most? We can choose that one as the lead team.”
At Lee Hansol’s question, Director Choi Daeman scanned the photos and scratched his cheek. They were all impressive and skilled.
“Well, what I had in mind was something like *Death Wall*…”
*Death Wall*.
At those words, Seojun and the three others looked up at Director Choi Daeman. Finally understanding the kind of ‘zombie’ the director envisioned, Park Jaemin felt an odd sense of betrayal and said.
“You’re scared of Hollywood actors, but a Hollywood makeup team is okay?”
“No. Not at first, but since the head of Plus+ said he’d help…”
Director Choi Daeman avoided Park Jaemin’s gaze.
When he was writing the synopsis, he thought the skills of a domestic makeup team would be sufficient, but as he worked on the script, he grew a little more ambitious.
“*Death Wall*… *Death Wall*…”
An Daho and Seojun simultaneously pictured the zombies from *Death Wall*.
*Death Wall*.
It was a Hollywood zombie movie that had just barely avoided an R-rating. Zombies were rotting everywhere, things were bursting out of their stomachs…
As a former zombie who had rotted in a grave and been resurrected several times as a low-level undead by a necromancer's magic, Seojun wasn’t fazed by even the most grotesque zombies.
He had popped his own eyeballs back in and had painstakingly stitched his own torn stomach shut. Since he was surrounded by similar-looking zombies, he never found them particularly disgusting.
*The ones in* Death Wall *are pretty tame, all things considered.*
He had seen much worse. Seojun smiled wistfully, recalling the zombie friends he had read about in the Library of Malice who used to play soccer with their own heads.
Unlike the unconcerned Seojun, the internet had been in an uproar at the time. *Death Wall* was like a ‘zombie’ documentary, vividly showing the slow transformation from human to zombie.
Recalling the zombies from *Death Wall*, CEO Lee Hansol said in alarm.
“It can’t be R-rated, Director!”
“No, just the feel. Just a similar feel. The setting is a hospital, so if the makeup is too light, it won’t feel like a zombie movie. It needs to be appropriately heavy.”
Director Choi Daeman’s words calmed Lee Hansol down. But he didn’t forget to repeat himself once more.
“It can’t be R-rated, Director.”
Anything else was fine, but a rating that would drastically reduce the audience was absolutely out of the question.
“I know.”
Once Director Choi Daeman nodded, Lee Hansol finally let out a sigh of relief.
Looking through the various photos, Park Jaemin said.
“So you’re saying there isn’t a team here that you like?”
“It’s hard to compare since these aren’t pictures of zombie makeup, but… yeah, it’s a little disappointing.”
The three fell into thought.
Just then, Seojun spoke up. There was a very easy and certain solution.
“How about we hire a Hollywood special effects makeup team to lead the project?”
“…Hollywood?”
Hollywood, here?
The head of Plus+ Korea had mentioned it once, but Lee Hansol hadn’t thought about it since. He looked surprised.
Hearing the words he had been waiting for, Director Choi Daeman’s face lit up. Park Jaemin gave the director a cold look. Scared of Hollywood actors, but fine with a Hollywood special effects team… what a strange man.
“Plus+ said they would help us, right? We can get their help to make an even better movie. A Hollywood special effects team sounds good, doesn’t it?”
Seojun smiled brightly, creating a second ‘Hollywood special effects makeup team storm’ following the first ‘Hollywood actor storm.’
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