Chapter 209
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 209
Chapter Title: Midterms and a Movie Release
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There are many ways to promote a movie.
Internet articles, interviews with the cast and director, TV and online ads, and appearances by the actors on broadcast shows.
Variety shows, in particular, were blowing up Cocoa Entertainment's phone lines.
“Just get one of them! We just need one!”
Landing Lee Seojun would be a jackpot, but if they could get Kim Jongho or Lee Dajin, they could still draw out stories about Seojun by asking about behind-the-scenes episodes from filming. Writers and producers alike, with gleaming eyes, were mobilizing all their connections and reaching out everywhere.
“Ugh. Lee Seojun. It's not looking good for this month.”
“What? Why?”
“Why not!?”
At the producer's words, the production team, who had been busy making casting calls, snapped their heads up. Their eyes were gleaming, almost predatory.
“...He has exams.”
“Exams? TOEIC? TOEFL? A Korean proficiency test?”
“Lee Seojun's English is great, so he shouldn't need to.”
“A Korean history exam?”
“Isn't it for a computer certification?”
“Ooh. How about we film that?”
Seeing the noisy production team, the producer continued.
“He's taking his midterms.”
“...What?”
“Middle school. Midterm. Exams.”
The producer showed the laptop screen to the team.
Was it just their imagination, or did the word [Midterms] on the Yeoul Arts Middle School academic calendar seem unusually large?
A shadow fell over the production team's faces. As the once-boisterous team fell silent, other teams took notice. Word spread, and soon all the variety show teams that had hoped to cast Lee Seojun grew somber.
“Ah. Right, Lee Seojun is a middle schooler...”
“...Midterms are important, I guess?”
“You need good middle school grades to get into an arts high school, right?”
“Wouldn't someone like Lee Seojun get a free pass?”
“Maybe, but maybe not.”
Lee Seojun and his family probably thought the same.
“...So April is a no-go.”
“Wait. There are final exams, too.”
“...And there's the second semester.”
The appearance of this unexpected obstacle plunged the variety show department into silence.
They weren't the only ones who had discovered the Yeoul Arts Middle School academic calendar. Reporters who had been keeping an eye on Seojun also started writing articles about the interesting phrase 'midterm exams.'
[Actor Lee Seojun, First Midterm Exams!]
[Middle School Midterm Season! A Superstar Takes His Exams!]
-I don't know if this is newsworthy, but... he's already old enough to take midterms.
-He's a second-year, not a first-year? Back in my day, in elementary school...
=222 lol
-But is Lee Seojun good at studying?
=Seeing how he memorizes scripts, he's probably good at memorization.
-I have exams too. It's weird to think Lee Seojun is also taking them lol
=I'm a high schooler, but it's still really strange haha
April.
The time came for the second and third years of Yeoul Arts Middle School to put down their scripts, instruments, and paintbrushes.
When Seojun said he wanted to focus on his exams until midterms were over, An Daho patted his shoulder with a proud expression before heading to the office.
Seojun went into his room, spread his textbooks and workbooks on his desk, and sat down.
Just because he loved acting didn't mean Seojun planned to focus solely on it. He wanted to be diligent in both his school life and his acting career. He had no intention of neglecting other responsibilities using acting as an excuse.
“Seojun. Time for dinner.”
“Okay.”
Seojun, who had been cooped up in his room solving problems, came out at his mother's call.
Seo Eunhye and Lee Minjun watched their son eat his dinner with a strange look in their eyes. They were proud to see him studying diligently like any other kid, but also felt a little sad that studying was cutting into his acting practice.
“Are you only practicing for 30 minutes today, too?”
“Yeah. Just for 30 minutes before bed.”
“You can do more if you want. You've always been good with your studies.”
Thoroughly preparing and reviewing.
Because he was busy acting and learning sports he was interested in, Seojun didn't attend regular cram schools, so he always studied diligently on his own.
“It's okay. It's my first exam, so I want to do my best.”
Well then.
Seo Eunhye and Lee Minjun couldn't help but smile at Seojun's words.
Seojun chattered away while eating the fruit served for dessert. He said some kids were nervous because it was their first exam, while others who attended cram schools seemed quite used to it. Seo Eunhye and Lee Minjun also shared their own stories.
When Seojun, now fully rested, was about to head back to his room, his parents spoke.
“Still, if you want to act, just do it. Don't worry about your grades.”
“Your mom and I just want you to do what you love.”
At their heartfelt words, Seojun beamed and hugged his parents tightly.
“Mom, Dad. Thank you.”
Seo Eunhye and Lee Minjun hugged Seojun back just as tightly.
Two weeks passed like that, and the day of the exam arrived.
Amidst the tense students, Seojun solved the problems with a relaxed expression. The proctor's gaze was drawn to him as he worked through the questions without a moment's hesitation.
'It doesn't look like he's guessing...'
But he wasn't taking long either.
Watching Seojun solve the problems as if he knew all the answers, the teacher found themself growing curious about the grades he would receive in two weeks.
After the three-day exam period ended, An Daho brought over a collection of scripts that had piled up. It seemed word of Seojun's midterms had gotten out, as the number of scripts that came in over the past two weeks was small.
Seojun smiled at the look in An Daho's eyes as he set down the box.
His parents often had the same expression when he came home after an exam. A look that said, 'I want to ask how you did, but I'm not sure if I should.' An expression that became stiff in an attempt to hide it.
“I did well on the exam.”
“You did?”
“Yeah. A lot of questions I knew came up, so it was easy.”
Though, in reality, he knew all of them.
When Seojun grinned, An Daho finally broke into a bright smile.
Reading the scripts and synopses An Daho had brought, Seojun felt like he was finally back to his daily routine after the exams. An Daho smiled at the sight of Seojun humming as he read.
“By the way, when does *Escape* premiere?”
An Daho replied as he packed the scripts and synopses Seojun had finished reading into a box to take back to the office.
“The CG work is done, and they're in the final stages of editing. Probably around June.”
“June, huh?”
“Oh, and they're not doing a premiere screening.”
Seojun, who had been wondering what he had scheduled for June and if he should go see it with his friends, widened his eyes at An Daho's words.
“No premiere screening?”
“That's right. They're planning an internal screening for people who already know about Richel and Evan's appearance, but they're not doing any public or press screenings.”
Seojun nodded.
“So they're keeping it a complete secret until the release.”
“Even if they ask everyone to keep it a secret, with Evan and Richel in it, people will be itching to talk. I know I am.”
Seojun burst out laughing at An Daho's comment.
***
May.
*Beep-beep-be-be-beep*
Hearing the unusually cheerful sound of the door lock, Seo Eunhye, who was preparing a snack for Seojun, smiled.
His report card was coming out today, and she had prepared his favorite snack just in case he was disappointed with his grades.
'But it seems like he's fine.'
The door burst open. Seojun, wearing his backpack, walked in with a bright smile.
“Mom! I got a perfect score!”
“Wow! Really? In Korean? English?”
Korean, since he read scripts so well, and English, since he'd been learning it from a young age.
She had expected his grades in those two subjects to be better than the others. Hearing the happy news of a perfect score, Seo Eunhye asked as she dialed Lee Minjun at his office.
Seojun fidgeted, eagerly waiting for the call to connect.
-Hello? Is something wrong?
It's Dad!
Seojun's eyes sparkled as he quickly spoke.
“Everything!”
“Seojun... what?”
-Seojun? Eunhye?
“I got a perfect score in all my subjects!”
Seojun's voice carried over the phone.
Seo Eunhye and Lee Minjun, who had been blinking for a moment, shouted at the same time.
-...What?!
“...What?!”
That evening, an impromptu celebration was held for Seojun's incredible feat of getting a perfect score in all subjects.
Family members who had rushed over upon hearing the news were all smiles.
“Oh my. Our little puppy. So smart.”
“Hahahaha. A perfect score in all subjects! A perfect score!”
“How did you not get a single one wrong? You were so calm and did so well.”
Seojun's cheeks flushed red as he giggled at the praise from his grandparents. Winning awards for acting was great, but his family's praise was just as wonderful.
***
A few days later.
The news everyone had been waiting for was finally released.
[*Escape* to be Released in Mid-June!]
[The Movie Starring Kim Jongho, Lee Dajin, and Lee Seojun! *Escape* to be Released in Mid-June!]
[The Movie *Escape*, No Premiere Screenings?!]
[No Public or Press Screenings! Why?!]
-I thought it would come out in July or August... but June!
=So you don't like it?
=When did I say that?!
-I knew my luck was crap even before I had a chance to test it haha
=22 For real lol. How unlucky do you have to be to lose without even entering?
=Feels like getting dumped before we even started dating...
-Who's the production company? Who's the distributor!
=The production company is Film Dream. But *Escape* has been like this from the very beginning lol
=What the hell is with this promotion...! I could do a better job than this!
-I was looking forward to a Q&A with the audience...! How dare they take away our chance to see Lee Seojun!
-So are you not going to see it?
=...So when is the release date again?
-That last headline... the reporter feels the same way I do lol
[*Escape*. Simultaneous Release in Korea and the US!]
[*Escape*. Simultaneous Release in 24 Countries Including the US, Germany, the UK, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada!]
-Wha... t... You're going this far?
-The power of Plus+ Korea was incredible.
=?? At this point, didn't Plus+ headquarters get involved?
=The power of Plus+ Korea to move the head office was incredible.
-But isn't this a bit sudden for a worldwide release?
=22 Since Seojun is in it and it's a zombie movie, I thought it might get one or two more countries than *Yeok*. But suddenly 24 countries?
-Well, *Shadowman 3* will probably have a simultaneous worldwide release, so it's less than that.
=That's a Hollywood movie. And it already has a huge fanbase from the first two films.
=When is *Shadowman 3* coming out T_T
-The *Escape* poster is out! (Link)
At the same time, the poster for *Escape* was released.
First, the individual character posters.
Go Joowon's back was visible. Dressed in blood-stained clothes and tightly gripping his bow, he seemed to be using a wall as a shield, peering out at something. The tense grip of his hand on the wall alone showed how desperately he wanted to run out.
Im Jangwoo was shown at the steering wheel. Biting his lip and turning the wheel with all his might, he looked as if he had made a grave decision, making viewers swallow hard.
Yeon Jaehee was seen rummaging through documents. Though it was just a still photo, her hands seemed to be flipping through the papers frantically. Her eyes, shining with a chilling blue light, were fixed on the documents with frightening intensity.
And then, the group poster.
Unlike the serious character posters, this one showed all three of them smiling comfortably. The blood-splattered background looked almost out of place.
[*Escape* Posters Revealed! Three People, Three Different Colors!]
[Archery Club Member Lee Seojun, Detective Kim Jongho, Graduate Student Lee Dajin!]
[*Escape* Trailer Released!]
-The posters are so cool. I have to get all four!
-The actors and their roles are a perfect match hahaha
-Seojun doing archery!! Is he good with a bow?
=According to eyewitnesses, he's amazing. A perfect marksman lol
-The trailer just seems like an extended version of the posters. No new plot details revealed.
=Feels like I'm going to see a movie I know nothing about lol
-Hurry up and be released!
[*Escape* Pre-orders Open! And Immediately?!]
[*Escape* Pre-order Rate Hits 90%! Mostly Sold Out!]
-haha I guess I see now why they cast celebrities with ticket power in movies.
=Same. The promotion was so minimal you'd wonder if they spent any money on it... but 90% haha
=It was a movie so shrouded in mystery that people were desperate for information.
-Someone I know said this.
=??? What did they say?
=They said it's best to watch *Escape* on the first day.
=Isn't that true for most movies? If you want to avoid spoilers?
=But most places are sold out, so where do you get first-day tickets?
=Me. Go. Countryside. First day. Watch. *Escape*.
=lol you're crazy lol
=Is it really worth all that? lol