Chapter 179
Chapter 179
He was smiling.
Movie ‘Filicide’ Wins Series of Awards at International Film Festivals
‘Filicide’ Starring Yu Yeon-seo and Park Seung-hwan Receives ‘High Praise’ at International Film Festivals
[Photo] Yu Yeon-seo on the Red Carpet at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival
News of Yu Yeon-seo’s film festival attendance reached Korea. Even paparazzi, realizing his photos were profitable, followed him around, taking real-time pictures.
└ The reviews for Filicide are good.
└ Wow, but Yu Yeon-seo even looks good in foreign paparazzi shots.
└└ Seriously, it’s the first time I’ve seen someone look that good in a Getty photo.
└ Truly a Korean beauty.
└ When is it releasing in our country?
A preview screening was held before the official Korean release, and reviews and star ratings from critics and the press were published.
The diary of a ‘survivor,‘ written in a detached tone - ★4.3
Running away can be an option. For better or for worse. - ★3.9
Whose life is it? The societal weight borne by two men - ★4.6
And then, ‘Filicide’ was officially released. Yu Yeon-seo’s fans booked tickets for the earliest showtimes and posted proof on their communities, and Im Hye-ju, Im Seung-hyeon’s sister, was no different.
“This is it? You got good seats.”
“Of course.”
“It’s a morning show, but there are quite a few people. Aren’t they all people like you?”
That was also a matter of course. Im Hye-ju, who had dragged along a friend with little interest in celebrities and seated her next to her, stared intently at her phone screen.
…What was particularly surprising was the acting ensemble of the two lead actors.
Yu Yeon-seo has shed his title as a bad actor and grown as a performer, but in ‘Filicide,‘ he unabashedly shows his potential for even further growth, much like the character ‘Hwang Min-jae’ he played. Perhaps his acting has improved thanks to the circumstances surrounding the actor Yu Yeon-seo himself.
‘What is this supposed to mean?’
In any case, the acting reviews were unanimously positive. However, the film itself was described as quiet and detached, with words like ‘sadness’ and ‘melancholy’ standing out, so she decided to lower her expectations for the story.
‘I heard somewhere that if critics praise it, it’s boring…’
Besides, his face is entertaining enough, so does it matter? Im Hye-ju, who was posting on social media in real time, suddenly lifted her head and looked at the screen. A familiar commercial jingle was playing—an ad for Juseong Motors’ electric car.
The exclusive model, Yu Yeon-seo, got out of the car, showing off his long legs. Then, he ran his fingers over the car’s hood.
‘How can even his fingers act?’
Im Hye-ju gushed internally.
(We design your life.)
As his handsome face filled the screen, his smooth voice reciting the tagline, groans of admiration could be heard from all over the theater.
“He’s so handsome.”
Seeing him on the big screen really is different. Im Hye-ju, who was covering her mouth and tapping her feet excitedly, had her eyes light up at her friend’s voice.
“Right? The behind-the-scenes footage from that shoot is amazing. He did a photoshoot too, you know? The other versions of this ad are incredible. Want to see?”
“Uh… uh, later.”
The friend gave Im Hye-ju an odd look as she suddenly burst into an enthusiastic, rambling explanation, but then, as if used to it, let her chatter go in one ear and out the other.
After about a ten-minute wait, the theater lights slowly dimmed, and the movie began.
‘I’m so nervous.’
Just as the scene of Hwang Dae-sik’s trial ended and Yu Yeon-seo finally appeared on screen, a dark figure entered her line of sight, breaking her concentration.
“Oh, excuse me.”
The man who had entered the theater late apologized softly and sat down in the seat directly in front of Im Hye-ju.
‘What the… so rude.’
It’s one thing to be late. But it was annoying how he walked in stiffly upright without even ducking. However, that feeling was purified by the sight of Hwang Min-jae’s scarred face on the screen. A character really needs to have a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to look poignant and have a compelling backstory.
‘Wow… oh my god.’
Having decided to just focus on appreciating Yu Yeon-seo’s face because of the many reviews calling the film ‘quiet,‘ Im Hye-ju found herself drawn into the narrative of Hwang Dae-sik and Hwang Min-jae. She was so engrossed in the movie that she didn’t even notice her friend leaving midway to use the restroom.
The movie’s ending showed the back of Hwang Min-jae walking down a long, straight road. Soon, the camera panned to the signs hanging on the buildings. There was a hospital, a photo studio, a flower shop, a private academy, and even a shady establishment. It seemed to signify that, for better or worse, many choices lay before the one who was left behind.
After the movie ended, the two left the theater, sniffling and rubbing their eyes. During the scene near the end where Hwang Min-jae clutched his grandfather’s shoes and sobbed, tears had streamed down like water from a faucet.
“What did you think of the movie?”
“Ugh, I hate these kinds of melodramas.”
“But it wasn’t that melodramatic, was it? It was just… sad.”
With a flood of similarly paced movies in the past, audiences had grown weary of the typical Korean melodrama. The actors would sob until exhausted, sad music would play, and they would recall unrelated, unjust, and impoverished times, wallowing in self-pity to create a sense of desperation.
People had developed an aversion to movies that blatantly spoon-fed them emotions, as if to say, ‘Now, isn’t this sad? Go on and cry,‘ and would often look down on them, dismissing them as ‘just another typical Korean melodrama.’
“If I had to label it, a well-made melodrama?”
Im Hye-ju was one of those people, but perhaps due to her fan bias, she found ‘Filicide’ to be good. There were no unnecessary flashbacks; instead, the ambient sounds were muted to draw the audience deeper into the actors’ performances.
‘Come to think of it, I could hear everything they were saying in this movie.’
Sometimes, even in Korean movies, the dialogue could be hard to understand. Was this also because her actor’s diction was perfect? Im Hye-ju tapped her feet excitedly again.
“Anyway, I don’t like sad movies. If I’m going to watch something, I’d rather it be light and fun.”
“Then let’s go see a movie you like next time.”
As a thank you for coming with her so early in the morning, Im Hye-ju treated her friend to a meal and excitedly showed her pictures of Yu Yeon-seo, trying to win her over.
“By the way, did you see the man sitting in front of us? I could hear him sobbing.”
Im Hye-ju’s concentration had been broken by the latecomer, who had been shaking and making choked sounds. He was so conspicuous that even the person sitting in front of him had turned around to look.
“...No.”
Im Hye-ju sensed something was off from her friend’s expression. Her friend, having gone to the restroom in the middle of the movie, had unintentionally seen the man’s face on her way back.
“What’s wrong?”
“That man… he was smiling. It was creepy.”
“...Really?”
“Yeah. He seemed like a psycho. It was scary.”
Of all times, the scene playing was when Hwang Min-jae was pleading with Hwang Dae-sik, who was contemplating ending his life, not to go.
The man’s lips stretched into a wide grin. He covered his mouth with his hand, thinking he should at least observe proper etiquette, but he couldn’t stop the laughter from escaping.
The person in front of him, sensing the disturbance, turned to give him a look, but was so startled by the man’s appearance that they quickly looked away. The man shook as if convulsing, making choked sounds.
(Don’t... don’t leave me...)
[I’ve never seen you before... Why are you looking for my mom?]
Unable to escape the movie’s lingering impact, the man pulled out the memory of a young Yu Yeon-seo and fell into a state of ecstasy.
‘You’ve grown so much. You’re a real adult now.’
So proud of whose son he is... The man gave a satisfied smile and left the theater.
When Yu Yeon-seo held a ‘guerilla date’ as a promotional event for ‘Snake,‘ he was there. Not only that, but he had also bought information about filming locations and passed by pretending to be a staff member.
He had gradually closed the distance, but simply lingering nearby without being caught no longer satisfied his desires.
‘Wait. Daddy’s coming soon.’
A glint of madness shone in the eyes of the man, who resolved that it was time to start making his presence known.
Despite not being a mainstream film, ‘Filicide’ had a fairly strong opening. It was said that quite a few people who weren’t necessarily fans of Yu Yeon-seo went just to see his face.
- How was Filicide?
- Honestly, it seems like it’ll be very polarizing.
- Wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re a Yu Yeon-seo fan, but his acting was amazing.
- Filicide is a bit dark and heavyㅠㅠ I think I’m more of an entertainment movie person.
Some people reviewed it as a typical melodrama, while others commented that although it was boring, the acting was captivating. What was certain was that it had already surpassed its break-even point.
Yu Yeon-seo’s fans, as if venting their pent-up frustrations, stirred up the online communities, even making strange claims that anyone who didn’t appreciate the greatness of ‘Filicide’ didn’t know how to watch movies.
It was understandable. Just when fans were getting excited about him, Yu Yeon-seo would suddenly give them a heart attack with health issues. That’s why they reacted so intensely whenever new content was released.
- I fucking forgot that Yu Yeon-seo’s fans are also community warlords.
- Like celebrity, like fans, lmao.
- If you say Filicide is boring, they treat you like you know nothing about movies. They’re so extra lol.
- Yu Yeon-seo’s fandom is weird. They’re unlikable, but they donate consistently?
└ It’s like a hot iced americano.
└ Just like their actor.
└ That’s because Yu Yeon-seo banned fan supportㅠㅠ The barrier is too highㅠ
Just as fans were quenching their thirst with his first movie in a long time, new news broke.
[Exclusive] Yu Yeon-seo to Attend U.S. Charity Event with Family
...Actor Yu Yeon-seo will attend a charity event held in L.A. Hollywood and top Korean stars will also participate in this event.
According to sources, Park Geum-ju, Director of the Juseong Museum of Art, and Choi Yu-jin, Vice Chairman of JSENM who is soon to be appointed Chairman, will also be in attendance, leading to expectations that three generations of the Juseong family will gather.
Park Geum-ju, Director of the Juseong Museum of Art, is known to have consistently donated to the development of culture and arts both domestically and abroad. The attendance of JSENM’s Vice Chairman Choi Yu-jin is speculated to be a move to solidify Yu Yeon-seo’s position within JSENM.
Yu Yeon-seo watched his fans’ reactions to ‘Filicide’ with amusement before turning off the screen. Scheduled to attend the charity event in L.A., he was waiting for the person he would be entering with.
“Yeon-seo!”
His stepmother, whom he hadn’t seen in a while, ran towards him in an elegant dress. Yu Yeon-seo smiled faintly.
“Mother. Happy New Year.”
“How is your health?”
Everyone he met asked about his health, so he was used to it by now. Choi Yu-jin grabbed Yu Yeon-seo’s shoulders and examined him.
“You’re all better now, right?”
“I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t.”
Yu Yeon-seo flinched upon seeing Park Geum-ju standing next to Choi Yu-jin.
“You look well.”
“Grandmother. It’s late, but Happy New Year.”
“Yes. You too.”
Seeing the awkward pair, Choi Yu-jin gave a troubled smile. Still, this was better than pretending not to know each other.
“Let’s get in the car for now.”
And so, the three arrived at the event venue in an awkward atmosphere and got out of the car.
“You two, link arms and go in.”
“What about you, Mother?”
“I’ve had my picture taken enough. I’ll go ahead.”
Choi Yu-jin deliberately pushed the grandmother and grandson together before entering first. Yu Yeon-seo stared blankly at her retreating figure as she walked away with long strides, waving leisurely, before awkwardly offering his elbow.
“...Shall we?”
“Yes.”
Park Geum-ju was a prominent figure here as well, so the reporters’ reactions were exceptional. The pairing of Yu Yeon-seo and Park Geum-ju was particularly rare, so even the Korean reporters on assignment were snapping pictures nonstop.
After walking the red carpet, the grandmother and grandson stood before the wall emblazoned with sponsors’ logos and had their pictures taken for a while.
“I enjoyed the movie. Congratulations on the award, too.”
“Thank you. But you didn’t have to come all this way, did you?”
Yu Yeon-seo, leaning down due to their height difference, whispered to Park Geum-ju. In response, the Korean media immediately published articles with headlines describing them as an affectionate grandmother and grandson.
“I heard everything from Secretary Park.”
“...So, did you come to stop me?”
“No.”
Park Geum-ju looked up at her grandson, thinking, When did he get so big?
“I don’t want to make any more mistakes.”
Instantly grasping the meaning behind her words, Yu Yeon-seo paused and watched Park Geum-ju’s retreating back.
‘So, you’re saying… you’re going to help me?’
But why? Though he was filled with questions, his heart still pounded pleasantly.