Chapter 82: Hoshi-jeol's Final Premiere Ends, Word Spreads
The final premiere of Hoshi-jeol had concluded. With the VIP screenings, general premieres, and all event screenings involving the production team wrapped up, only the main theatrical run for general audiences remained.
That's when the word of mouth started spreading.
"...You reserved Hoshi-jeol, right?"
"Is it any good?"
"My little sibling went to the premiere, said you'd regret it forever if you don't catch it in theaters."
"Come on, forever's a bit much."
"For real."
"Didn't look that impressive, honestly. And aside from Seol A-yoon, there aren't even any other decent actors."
"What? There's Cheon Yoo-seong and Lee Tae-gyu."
"I don't think Cheon Yoo-seong's acting is that great, personally. And Lee Tae-gyu? Totally overhyped."
"Really?"
"Everything that's blown up so far has been thanks to the roles, in my opinion. Real acting talent shows when you go straight-laced instead of those quirky parts."
"Huh. That's weird."
"Why?"
"Nah, I heard Lee Tae-gyu's performance is on another level—like he's possessed. You gotta see it in theaters to get the full effect. That's why they said go to theaters."
"No way."
"They say even Seol A-yoon gets overshadowed."
"...Come again?"
The buzz from premiere attendees began rippling outward through their circles. The embargo hadn't lifted yet, but piled atop the promotional articles flooding in, these vivid reactions were stoking curiosity.
‘Hoshi-jeol’ premiere done, brothers...
One word: Get saved by watching Hoshi-jeol.
Tae-gyu's fans from the [Daecheonkyo Acting Gospel] cafe—er, congregation—were going wild.
Post-premiere, they swarmed every Hoshi-jeol promo article, dropping comments.
This barrage of cheerleading sparked backlash. The classic "fans creating haters."
Some film fans, already irked by the blatant promo flood online, started criticizing Lee Tae-gyu.
Doubters rejecting Lee Tae-gyu's straight-role challenge clashed with [Daeyeonboks] fans' wild cheers, turning comment sections into chaos.
DK Entertainment's planning team milked even these conflicts for promo.
The atmosphere built. Lee Tae-gyu—the rookie who'd played gambler and cult leader—now faced scrutiny: Can he handle a proper role?
Public curiosity swelled. Extremes like that naturally provoke: What's the deal?
And so, with endless promo and buzz driving reservations...
"Reserved it?"
These folks were curious too.
"...Yeah."
"Good."
"But, like, is it that must-see?"
"Vibe's off."
"Fair."
Grad students in history at OO University. More precisely...
"Just hate how the film and drama crowd twists everything. It's right there in the records, but they warp it to their taste. That's historical distortion."
"Eh, it's fiction anyway."
"Problem is they don't own that position! Didn't you see Im Chae-hyeok's piece?"
"Oh, that critic?"
"Yeah."
"Dude acts like an expert on Jeongjong without knowing jack."
"...Yeah, that rubbed me wrong too."
"Slipping in 'Let me reveal Jeongjong's hidden truth' promo in this climate—doesn't it grate?"
They were researching Yeomal Seoncho materials. Especially the hothead—their thesis was on Jeongjong.
"Yeah... non-experts posing as authorities and riding the wave annoys."
"Film history's sloppy too. Consult us properly or don't half-ass it, then act all authoritative."
"Even surface stuff looks problematic."
"Right?"
"Still, let's watch."
"Sigh."
"Gotta see to know."
A touch of jealousy and anger at Hoshi-jeol stealing their spotlight.
A month flew by after the last premiere.
"...How much did they twist it?"
Hoshi-jeol officially opened.
A theater in Seoul.
"Yes, entering for ‘Hoshi-jeol’~"
Audience filed in per the ticket checker's guidance. Already packed. Eyes sharp, tensed.
History buffs ready to judge the extent. Film fans there to vet the actor.
Theater's chill air and sweet popcorn scent enveloped them.
Blackout—Hoshi-jeol began.
Dark theater.
Then, from the massive screen emerging in the gloom, thunderous cheers erupted.
WAAAAAAAA—!
Clack.
Goryeo Uwang 6th Year - 1380
Blood sprayed over the era subtitle amid the roar.
Yes. Hoshi-jeol sucked viewers outside the screen into a brutal battlefield.
- ━━━━━, ━!
- ━━━!
- ━━━━━━━━!
This was war. Vibrating stench of blood, severed limbs without owners, swords and arrows embedded like graves, fresh recruits passing out from the thick killing intent blanketing the field...
- ━━!
- ━━━!
- ━━!
This was close combat. Soldiers with dilated pupils filled only with murder howling like beasts. Ghostly screams from blood-soaked figures boiling the sky like a furnace with killing intent.
- KRRRAAAAAHHH!
Terror-struck self-harming, morale-broken calling for parents, allies and foes tangled, stabbing wildly.
Pure hell.
But all that changed with the arrival of the sword demon, hair unbound.
━━━━━━━━SLASH!
A man sliced through three helmeted officers like rice sheaves.
Red blood fountained.
Slinging his blood-drenched greatsword over his shoulder, grinning wide—his entrance sparked cheers from one side of the field.
- C-Captain!
Japanese with Korean subs below.
- Captain?
- We're alive! We lived!
- Captain's here—surviving ain't the issue! Kill 'em all!
- Yeah, slaughter those bastards!
- We won!
The frontline flipped instantly.
The greatsword sword demon. At his appearance, Goryeo troops drenched in red retreated across the splashing blood-river shallows, clutching wounds, screaming in horror.
- Vice captain's dead!
- Ajibaltoda!
- A-Ajibaltoda!?!
Rocks soaked red, snapped trees, corpses and broken weapons filling the crimson riverbank.
Waegu mixed with Goryeo troops scattered at the sword demon's word.
- Fall back.
Blood splashing as Waegu retreated before him, the sword demon slowly raised his greatsword.
Ajibaltoda. His elite status among Waegu was clear from the massive greatsword he swung effortlessly, eight feet tall.
Whoosh.
A mere spin tore the air, flinging blood everywhere.
Cracking his neck, Ajibaltoda spoke.
- I'll show mercy to those who surrender.
His booming late-Goryeo dialect echoed. Quite fluent for a Waegu raider.
- So now...
- Nonsense!
A giant burst from the hesitant Goryeo rear.
As huge as Ajibaltoda. Eight-feet tall, one shoulder and arm fitted with a massive forge-made shield.
- Filthy Waegu... Die!
Iron behemoth shield, sized to match the greatsword.
But.
Snort.
Ajibaltoda smirked, swinging.
━━━━BOOM!
Metal clashing exploded.
Goryeo troops recoiled in shock.
Too late for regret.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Relentless blows buried his feet, shield crumbling—he could only block.
Inexplicable.
No one spoke.
How could that door-sized greatsword, smashing boulder-like iron shield like eggshell, be called a sword?
━━━━Thud!
The bold giant collapsed pathetically.
- ···············!
- ···············!
- ···············!
- ···············!
- ···············!
Terror and shock etched on watching Goryeo faces.
Defeat loomed.
As that spread—
Waegu poised to cheer their unflinching captain who'd crushed the giant shieldman.
- All back.
Ajibaltoda shook blood from his greatsword, head tilting slowly.
Rumble rumble rumble!
From beyond the battlefield, under the blood-red sunset, an eerie noise with it.
Pebbles vibrating underfoot.
- Everyone move!
Ajibaltoda bellowed.
Shouts from Waegu rear.
Hyah————!
Waegu parted left and right.
Victory sensed—then ghostly screams, blood fountaining amid them.
- G-Gabyeolcho!
A Goryeo spotting the distant fluttering flag muttered.
- W-We lived!
- Gabyeolcho!
- Ga-Gabyeolcho! We lived!
- We won!
- Gabyeolcho's here!
The battlefield shifted.
Doom-laden field. Lee Seong-gye's private troops charging like tempest from the rear.
- H-He came···············!
Spotting the leader—He came————! WAA————!
Beyond shift, Goryeo roared victory.
Clop clop.
Ajibaltoda saw the lead man galloping through parted Waegu toward him.
- ············Finally.
Feigning calm, voice raised—his hand trembled.
First clash intuition. One exchange decided.
Gulp.
The Waegu captain who'd just smashed a Goryeo gulped dry for the first time.
The Goryeo warrior dismounting within sight.
He realized: Dismounting meant fighting as equals—warrior's confidence.
Two men's gazes locked mid-air.
Ajibaltoda gripped greatsword for finale, asked.
- Name?
- Lee Seong-gye.
Head up at answer.
Starry ink-blue sky, vast Milky Way mocking human life-death.
Feral laugh—shoulder heaving with Goryeo blood—Waegu captain Ajibaltoda.
- You mock this duel!
Raising greatsword toward the man, asked again.
- Heard it too. Rumor of Goryeo's ghost roaming battlefields for father's glory.
Your name... true name!
Staring at bloodied greatsword.
U unmoved by dozens of blades around, slowly opened mouth—the Goryeo warrior.
- ·········Yi Bang-gwa.
His sword-grip eyes flashed white-hot, paling even night sky.
Flash————!
“··················!”
“··················!”
“··················!”
Toward frozen audience beyond screen.
Hoshi-jeol slapped its first historical twist.
End of Chapter 82 (Free to here).