The Path of a Single Road
The adults seemed to be in high spirits after we’d cleared the sudden, towering hurdle of my first variety show appearance. Strictly speaking, it hadn’t even been a real appearance, yet they were all beaming.
“At the end when they shouted ‘Chapter One!’ I almost screamed along. I had no idea Su-a liked Na-yun’s song that much.”
Her debut tracks had suffered from terrible name recognition, overly long titles that failed to generate buzz, and dismal chart performance, but the songs themselves were genuinely good. Before meeting Oh Na-yun, I had only listened to them a couple of times.
Mom couldn’t quite bring herself to agree with Kwon Du-il’s words and simply offered a gentle smile.
To rescue my clearly uncomfortable mother, I turned to Kwon Du-il, who seemed to have completely forgotten why he’d invited us.
“But you really called us here to eat, right?”
“Ah, shoot! I completely forgot!”
His massive hand slapped his knee with a sound like a drum being struck.
Ji Su-bin and Kwon Jin-ho disappeared into the back room while Mom, Kwon Du-il, Lee Won-seok, and I sat down at the dining table.
Kwon Du-il glanced briefly at the documents he’d brought and muttered under his breath.
“Maybe we should change the company name…”
“What name? Hero Agency?”
“Hahaha, no, not that.”
He chuckled at my joke and slid a sheet of paper toward me. At the top it read Business Proposal, and the company name was written below it.
Hangil Entertainment
An actor-specialized talent agency dedicated to a single path.
Hangil Entertainment. So they went with that name after all.
Even though it had been founded two years earlier than in my previous life, the name was identical. A subtle sense of relief washed over me.
This uncle really hasn’t changed. At the same time, I hoped he wouldn’t have to suffer because of me the way he had before.
I scanned the business proposal, then asked as if I knew nothing.
“What is this?”
Kwon Du-il answered while pretending not to notice that I was pretending not to know.
“Won-seok and I plan to create an agency that specializes exclusively in actors. And we’d like to sign you as Hangil Entertainment’s very first artist.”
“Me? Why?”
“Su-a, even though you’re young, you’re already an outstanding actor. No matter which agency you join, you’ll be treated well and rise quickly. Honestly, going to a major agency with an established, systematic infrastructure might be better for you.”
“Wow, really?”
“Of course. Provided that the company actually recognizes your true worth.”
In my previous life, Kwon Du-il had never praised me quite this highly. Back then I had still been a child in both body and skill, still needing to learn everything from scratch.
Even then, he had seen my potential. He had recognized the talent I possessed and spared no effort to help me draw it out to its fullest.
“As someone who is only now starting an entertainment company, I may be lacking as a president. But I promise you this: I will do everything in my power to create an environment where you can act the way you want. And I will support you without reservation until you become a world-class actor.”
Once again, Kwon Du-il was the first to recognize my value as an actor and once again promised his full support. It was as if he already knew exactly what I wanted to hear. The words fit my heart perfectly.
Mom and Lee Won-seok stared at him with wide eyes. Talking about becoming a global star while discussing a mere ten-year-old child actor was, after all, absurd.
Yet among them, I alone smiled with satisfaction. A world-class actor.
The bigger the goal, the better.
Then I asked my question.
In English.
Surely he didn’t just throw that out there thinking I’d only studied English, right?
The moment natural English flowed from Lee Su-a’s lips, both Lee Ga-hee and Lee Won-seok whipped their heads around so fast it was almost audible.
Lee Won-seok looked at Lee Ga-hee, who had reacted exactly like him, with pure disbelief.
Why is her mother so shocked?
Because I didn’t know!
While the two of them conversed with their eyes, Kwon Du-il answered calmly.
“We need to create opportunities for you to refine and showcase what you already know how to do. Since your acting skills can already be considered complete, we’ll keep formal acting lessons to a minimum and focus on personal training to build your stamina.”
“Hmm. Thank you for thinking so highly of me, but I’ve only read a few theory books and taught myself. Can something I learned alone really be called complete?”
“Complete doesn’t mean perfect. More precisely, I believe the foundation of your acting—the root that carries your own unique personality—is already complete. All that remains is for you to grow through various experiences. And I am confident that this foundation will work on the world stage.”
“You’re that confident?”
“In any field, people with a distinct style tend to stand out.”
Kwon Du-il had once been a boxing champion who dominated the global stage. His fiercely intimidating appearance and physique, his gentlemanly playing style that contradicted that image, and his perfectly timed, devastating punches had all become his trademarks.
Those unique traits had made people recognize Kwon Du-il and, eventually, turn them into his fans.
Having tasted success in exactly that way, Kwon Du-il found Lee Su-a’s future success completely natural.
Of course, he wasn’t trying to recruit her with smooth words alone.
“You might feel uneasy because I only have experience in the sports world. But I want to tell you that my wife, Su-bin, worked as a stuntwoman in Hollywood for over five years. She’ll be a tremendous help to you when you live in America.”
Lee Ga-hee, who had been listening with bated breath, jumped in with surprise.
“Then are you planning to aim for an overseas debut right after signing the contract?”
Lee Won-seok looked at her with eyes full of betrayal.
Not her too! What on earth are they even talking about? This is driving me crazy.
As if to help him, Su-a answered in Korean.
“No. That would be premature. The things Uncle mentioned only shine when you have a proper career to back them up.”
“Su-a is right, ma’am. People say luck plays a huge role in succeeding overseas, but to attract that luck and seize good opportunities, solid fundamentals are essential. And to prove those fundamentals, you need a strong career.”
Seeing both Lee Su-a and Kwon Du-il discuss overseas expansion so seriously left Lee Ga-hee utterly stunned. She was still dazed by the mere fact that her daughter had become an actress, yet the two of them were already envisioning a much farther future.
Lee Su-a added, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world,
“Besides, even if I went now, what kind of role would I get? The typical Asian character? No thank you. It wouldn’t even be fun.”
“Fun. That’s important.”
“I want roles created because they need me, not because they need an Asian person.”
Her words were so arrogant that even Kwon Du-il—who had lived abroad and was an actor himself—along with Lee Won-seok and Lee Ga-hee, were taken aback.
What she was essentially saying was that she would make Hollywood directors or writers create works specifically for her.
Lee Su-a wore a playful smile, but her eyes held not a trace of jest as she asked,
Not can you put me there, but can you follow me there. Lee Su-a was certain of her own potential, and she was looking for someone who would literally support her until that potential became reality.
Raising a child actor into a world-class star was nothing but a wild dream. Yet Kwon Du-il wanted to try. Because in Su-a he saw real possibility, and it felt like something he could actually do.
But helping her until she became a global actress was a different matter. Kwon Du-il hesitated.
It doesn’t feel like she just wants to do this. It feels like she has a clear plan.
If he agreed here, the initiative in the contract would shift completely to Su-a.
Could he really trust the self-confidence of a ten-year-old?
Kwon Du-il suddenly remembered the moments when he had sensed his own punch missing its mark while the opponent’s fist was already flying toward his jaw.
“…Most Korean agencies would probably say they’d do anything if they could just sign you. Korean dramas and films are actively exported overseas through OTT platforms, and K-pop still draws plenty of interest in Korean culture.”
Even though he could clearly see he was about to get KO’d again, why did he feel so good?
“But among them, the one that can support you the longest will be me and Hangil Entertainment. The name Hangil itself was chosen to mean we will walk a single path—the path of acting.”
He had thought that since she seemed to have a talent for variety shows, he should give her a fixed schedule if she wanted one. But now it seemed there was no need.
Kwon Du-il and Hangil Entertainment would cheer Lee Su-a on until the very end of the path she walked as an actress.
Lee Su-a smiled with deep satisfaction.
I had wanted to hear those words again.
A welcome sense of expectation settled on my shoulders. It wasn’t heavy. Because I knew this wasn’t a burden forced on me, but a sturdy support that would warmly protect and uphold me for as long as I needed.
“The contract can be drawn up with a lawyer present, right?”
“Look at her, she knows her stuff. You should never sign anywhere without a lawyer present.”
Kwon Du-il and Lee Su-a shook hands. It was the birth of partners who would walk a long, long road together.