Chapter 84
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 84
Chapter Title: The Little Giant from Korea
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Finally, the day has arrived.
A reporter who had taken a seat with a large camera bag in tow scanned the bustling auditorium and remarked.
Hey, isnt that the editor-in-chief from MAKE?
This show really is the talk of the town.
This was one of the larger theaters in the West End.
One by one, all the seats were filling up with audiences.
The West End in England, hailed as the true home of theater.
The one gracing the stage today was the renowned Jessica Brown.
What she was staging was the live-action adaptation of Rainbow Pictures RUN, the production that had dominated Broadway and Hollywood.
It was a work that had already succeeded in localizing across the globe, shattering box office records.
With this show finally landing in England, it was impossible for it not to generate buzz.
Hey, that guy over there... isnt he the manager from Queens Theatre?
And not just himprobably all the West End theater affiliates are swarming here today.
Well, this production deserves it.
It had been a hot topic ever since the UK run was confirmed, but this performance was even more special.
England marked the final stop of RUNs worldwide localization tour this season, but the real reason top journalists and critics from every media outlet had flocked to this theater was something else.
Amid the already sky-high expectations, an Eastern boy had been cast in the lead role.
And the boy in question, Han Siu, was only five years old by British reckoning.
With its storied history, the West End drew crowds with broad and varied experiences.
Bold casting choices werent unheard of here, but Han Sius selection was undeniably the hottest topic.
The lead in West Ends most anticipated show of the year... a five-year-old child actor from the East
The rising star who made RUN a smash hit in Koreahow will he fare in the UK?
The theater mecca of England hands the starring role to a small Eastern nation
Given the circumstances, not just the UK theater press but mainstream media outlets were zeroing in on Han Siu.
Countless reporters voiced concerns, worries, and boundless curiosity about this pint-sized lead.
Not a few felt their national pride wounded at the thought of a local actor losing the spot, hardening their critical gazes.
I think Jessica Brown messed up this time.
But didnt the originally cast kid bail?
Thats why. She made a hasty blunder in a pinch.
Even among the seated audience, debates over Han Sius involvement showed no signs of stopping.
But still, isnt he the lead who brilliantly spearheaded the very first localization of RUN?
One person pointed out the smash success of RUNs Korean run.
As he said, the Korean triumph had propelled the localization project worldwide.
Yet those around him just shook their heads or tilted theirs skeptically.
I cant gauge the gap between Korean and UK production quality.
Hardly anyone knows much about the Korean show anyway.
With just over ten minutes until curtain, the auditorium buzzed with doubts, speculations, and faint hopes swirling around the five-year-old Eastern actor named Han Siu.
How many in that crowd of two thousand could watch a five-year-old Eastern boy step onto Jessica Browns stage without any preconceptions?
In the two thousand seats, people of diverse races fixed eyes filled with mingled anticipation and skepticism on the stage.
Man, the West Ends still got life in it. Pulling off a stunt this bold.
Shh, keep it downdont let the Brits hear. They say all the top theater folks are here today.
But its true, right? Well see how it plays out once the show starts, but its already a hit for buzz alone.
Those not from England watched with comparatively lighter hearts, voicing their excitement for the main event.
Five years old is just astonishing.
The youngest lead in a Rainbow Pictures live-action stage show was probably eight, right?
And right beside them came another conversation.
It was in English thick with an American accent.
They spoke of Jessica with easy familiarity as they continued.
Jessica mustve made a big call on this.
What on earth did she see in him to put him on stage? If we could figure out what captivated her, thatd be something.
Hard to tell on opening night. Hes just too young. Doesnt he need more polishing? Time to adjust to the stage, too. And English isnt even his first language.
The group, who seemed like industry pros, delved into a deep discussion.
Amid the rampant speculation about Han Siu from all corners, one group listened quietly.
Didnt they just say Sius name again?
Shh. Im gauging reactions right now.
Wow, you actually understand all this, sis?
It was Han Sius family.
Han Sius father, who had arrived at Heathrow that morning and rushed straight here, sat in the premium seats alongside his uncle and mother.
Whats with that? You said Siu learned English from TV, right? We watched it together.
...Not everyone can just pick it up like that, honey.
Shh, they just said Sius name again.
Han Sius mother, Jiyeonhwa, pressed her index finger to her lips to signal quiet.
At that, the two men clamped their mouths shut and turned their eyes to the stage.
The stage looked twice as vast as the one back in Korea.
The RUN set, familiar yet strangely alien, lay shrouded in gentle darkness.
Ji Dongwook, who had experience on theater stages himself, recalled the Korean RUN set and felt a jolt of awe.
It wasnt some intimate black boxthis was a massive stage hed have to fill alone in places, and he suddenly worried if his young nephew could handle the pressure.
He nailed rehearsals, but live...
Everyone seems half-worried, half-excited.
Really?
After finishing her English eavesdropping assessment, Jiyeonhwa let out a sigh.
At her words, Han Sius father, Han Taeho, exhaled in relief.
He had only seen a RUN performance once, back in Korea.
Beyond that, hed only heard snippets about his young son, which made him all the more tense.
They said he was doing great in rehearsals, adjusting well.
Hed never witnessed it firsthandalways secondhand tales.
No wonder a vague anxiety gnawed at him about whether his boy was truly okay.
Our Siu... he wont get stage fright, right? Hell do great?
Of course, bro-in-law. Hes got your sisters iron heart.
Even stronger than mine.
Sensing Han Taehos tension, Ji Dongwook and Jiyeonhwa reassured him.
Having always been by Han Sius side, they could speak with full confidence about his efforts.
Right...?
Yeah, dont worry.
Whos his dad? Of course he will.
As the three comforted one another, the auditorium filled to capacity.
Pop.
Then, every light in the theater went out.
Bravo!
As the final curtain fell, the theater erupted in thunderous applause and cheers that threatened to bring down the house.
After a brief blackout, the stage lit up, and the actors emerged one by one for curtain call.
After the supporting cast had bowed, Gordon, who played Nixon, grinned broadly, waving both hands in greeting.
Then, with a gentlemanly gesture, he pointed to the wings.
Out came the stars of the night.
Han Siu as Jonathan and Emily Lee as Bella, hand in hand, stepped onto the stage.
Waaaaah!
Whooo!
Their entrance set the audience ablaze even hotter.
Jonny! Perfect! Excellent!
Bella! Bravo!
Amid deafening roars, endless praise poured toward the pair.
Standing ovations swept the house, shouts of the leads names echoing everywhere.
On stage, Han Siu clasped hands with Gordon and Emily, bowing once more to the crowd.
Bathed in unrelenting applause, the cast exited with radiant smiles.
As curtain call wrapped, the auditorium hummed with delighted chatter.
Whew, what an incredible show.
Hey, whered all those worriers go? Did they slink away after seeing perfect Jonny?
No, nomore than that, is he really from Korea? Not raised here in England?
Exactly! His British accent was spot-onpure magic!
Conversations laced with prior doubts had flipped to euphoria.
In an instant, skepticism about the young Eastern actor had transformed into utter faith.
And his look was straight out of the source material! Isnt he just too adorable?
That curly brown hair was to die for. Now I think Han Sius Jonny feels more real than the original Jonathan.
Praise for Han Sius appearance flowed on, as if the afterglow refused to fade.
They seemed to have forgotten entirely that this tiny talent was Eastern.
Above all, his acting was unreal. Really five years old? Not a hint of nerves.
You could see the savvy that only comes with tons of stage time. Insane to feel that from a five-year-old.
We have to admit itJessica Brown knew what she was doing.
After a Jonny like that, no other Jonny will measure up. Weve seen the finished product!
Even the experts buzzed with excitement, words tumbling out as they dissected his performance.
Their faces, as they filed out of the theater still gushing analytical praise, shone brighter than before the show by miles.
Thats praise, right? They said he did great?
Yeah, yeah! Amazing, fantasticthats all I keep hearing. Wow, our Sius conquering England too?
Han Taeho, who had been quietly listening to the surrounding chatter, asked his family in a daze.
Ji Dongwook gazed back at the stage with a face full of pride.
His nephew was growing into a colossal figure, making his own sacrificed dreams feel worthwhile.
Our son feels so... distant now.
Bro-in-law, how much of the dialogue did you catch?
...Enough to follow the gist and enjoy it. Maybe I should study some English.
He had only felt sorry for not joining them in England, but pride swelled in him now for the son who had triumphed without him, reddening his eyes.
Phew... what a relief.
Jiyeonhwa, who had witnessed the whole triumph, wiped away tears with a sigh of relief.
The image of Han Sius beaming final smile lingered in all three their minds.
The very next day after opening night.
A small article appeared in the corner of newspapers carried by West End street crowds.
The little giant from Korea. The anticipation grows for how vast a wave hell send through the West End.
The piece lavished praise on the UK RUN premiere.
It introduced Han Siu as the actor Jessica Brown had chosen not once, but twice.
A small photo of the Eastern actor from Korea was included.
Jonathans face, beaming under a curly brown wig.
And this article was merely the start of the massive wave Han Siu would soon send rippling through West End streets.