NOVEL WEB Episode 110 - Reactions
Hwang Min-kwon, an unknown director who had disastrously failed with his debut film, was staring intently at his monitor like many other film industry professionals.
“Hey, isn’t this amazing? You can really feel how our country’s films are making their mark on the world.”
“But that’s only at the level of occasionally getting invited to the top three film festivals. When you work in Hollywood, you feel so ignored it’s almost humiliating.”
Curious, Hwang Min-kwon turned to Jung Yo-han.
“By the way, Yo-han, why did you suddenly come back to Korea? You were gaining quite a reputation as a CG director in the States.”
“Ah, don’t ask. Let’s just watch the ceremony,” Yo-han replied, clearly wanting to avoid the topic.
“I can’t even make a name for myself in Korea, and you were doing so well in Hollywood. Why did you come back?”
Yo-han glared at him.
“I said don’t ask. I came back to make a film with you.”
“Yeah, right. What could you possibly want to do with an unknown director like me? Did you break up with Katie and come back in a fit of rage?”
“…Fine, if you know so much, just get me a beer.”
Hwang Min-kwon looked at his friend for a moment before patting him on the shoulder and heading to the living room. After a quick stop at the bathroom, he opened the fridge and grabbed two cans of beer. Suddenly, Jung Yo-han shouted from the computer.
“Oh! Hwang Min-kwon, come here quickly! It’s a historic moment.”
“What? What’s happening?”
Min-kwon asked, rushing back with the beers. On the monitor, Director Park Chan-hong and actor Ryu Yeon-woo were hugging each other with bright smiles from their seats.
“Did they win an award?”
“The announcer definitely said ‘Golden Bear.’ It looks like they won the Golden Bear!”
“Unbelievable! Hold on a second,” Min-kwon said, quickly pulling out his smartphone to check the news.
“Nothing’s up yet. No articles,” he said, refreshing the page.
“Hey, the journalists are watching just like us. How could there be an article already?”
Just then, as he refreshed the page again, articles started to appear.
“Look, it’s up now,” Min-kwon said, showing his phone to Yo-han.
– [Breaking News] Film 「Sketch」 Wins Golden Bear at Berlin Film Festival, a First in South Korean History. –
Yo-han shook his head in disbelief.
“Wow, we’re witnessing such a historic moment live. But hasn’t our country ever won the Golden Bear before? You’ve been invited so many times.”
“Yeah, I’ve received several Silver Bears before, and a short film once won a Golden Bear. But this is the first time for a feature film in the main competition to win the Golden Bear,” Hwang Min-kwon clarified, and Jung Yo-han turned his attention back to the screen.
On the monitor, Director Park Chan-hong was holding the trophy and delivering his acceptance speech with a bright smile. Hwang Min-kwon watched with a mix of admiration and a sigh of envy.
“I can’t even be jealous. Director Park is in a league of his own, even in commercial films.”
“You’ll get there someday if you keep at it,” Yo-han reassured him.
The screen then showed Ryu Yeon-woo and Seo Ji-eun applauding from the audience.
“Can you imagine? A 21-year-old actor who’s starred in a domestic film with ten million viewers and now has won a Golden Bear abroad.”
“Ryu Yeon-woo is 21? That’s insane.”
Even though the fact that Yeon-woo had also produced and invested in the film wasn’t yet widely known, the addition to his career was nonetheless remarkable.
“Ha, I wish we could cast Ryu Yeon-woo as the lead in our film in the works.”
“Think that’s possible?”
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“…Ugh, I feel like I’m dying.”
Yeon-woo woke up with a hangover after celebrating late into the night at the after-party for the awards ceremony. It was a triumphant night indeed.
He had secretly hoped for a Silver Bear, perhaps for Best Screenplay, and thought it would be amazing to win the Jury Grand Prix, which some considered a second-place award.
“But the Golden Bear…”
He washed his face with cold water. Even after waking up, he could hardly believe the achievement from the night before. The cool water helped clear his groggy mind.
Yeon-woo was busy preparing for another task in Berlin.
“I have to go out without even resting. But at least I’m young.”
If it had been his previous life, even with a body like a combat weapon, the energy from youth couldn’t be replicated, and it would have been much harder than now.
Dressed in a black hoodie and wearing a mask, Yeon-woo stepped out of the hotel. The Lichtenberg Library opened at 7 AM, so he left at 6:30 AM to avoid the morning commuters.
“The flight is at two in the afternoon.”
He had to return to Korea today, so he needed to move quickly to finish all his tasks beforehand. He stopped by Berlin Central Station to check the locker where he had left the payment for the information request.
‘Locker 47…’
He checked the status on the screen of the locker system and saw that it was marked as available. This meant that the contents had been collected. Half of the 2 billion won worth of euros had been used as the request fee, roughly equivalent to 1 billion won in Korean currency. Although it was the minimum amount required for such a request, it was still a significant sum for an average person.
Some might say it wasn’t enough to buy a decent apartment in Seoul, but on the flip side, it was enough to purchase a coveted piece of real estate in the capital of a developed nation. The information about the secret organization in Korea, ‘Baek Sol,’ likely wasn’t highly valued in the shadowy world of information brokers. The value of information depended on how much someone was willing to pay for it.
If the information had been about North Korea and something the National Intelligence Service (NIS) didn’t know, it would have had a guaranteed buyer in the South Korean government, making it highly valuable. However, information about a drug-trafficking organization in South Korea wasn’t in high demand.
‘Baek Sol’ might have some knowledge about the dark web of information brokers, but they likely focused on erasing their traces within South Korea. For these reasons, the information was probably not very expensive abroad, so Yeon-woo had placed the minimum bid.
‘I’m not sure about the quality of the information, but it seems the request has been accepted.’
Yeon-woo hurried towards the Lichtenberg Library.
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Meanwhile, in South Korea, the morning was filled with a whirlwind of emotions due to the flood of news articles. University students gathered in their club rooms, discussing the film 「Sketch」.
“That’s crazy. Did you see the news? Seo Ji-eun’s film won the Golden Bear.”
“But did you even know what the Golden Bear was before this? I only found out from the article.”
“Of course, he didn’t know. He’s just pretending to know after reading the article. And why is it called Seo Ji-eun’s film when it’s co-produced by Director Park Chan-hong and Ryu Yeon-woo?”
“I don’t know. Guys don’t care, and Seo Ji-eun is the lead actress.”
The internet, as expected, was even more abuzz than real life.
“Hello, everyone! This is Wrecker Man Cheol-ju, bringing you the fastest news. Today, I’m here to deliver the breaking news about our country’s film 「Sketch」winning the Golden Bear. Let’s give a round of applause!”
Cheol-ju, a YouTuber known as ‘Wrecker Man,’ was famous for dragging entertainment issues into the spotlight like a tow truck at an accident scene. He had previously tried to milk views from a rumored romance between Ryu Yeon-woo and Seo Ji-eun but had failed. However, the young actor Ryu Yeon-woo had once again provided him with fresh, hot content to discuss.
“You might remember this video from last time. I’ve linked it in the bottom right corner—the one about the dating rumors between Ryu Yeon-woo and Seo Ji-eun! If you haven’t seen it, please check it out. Now, the film we revealed back then was 「Sketch」. Yes, you all know that, right? Of course, you do. It’s been all over the news this morning.”
After taking a brief pause, Wrecker Man continued, displaying photos of Ryu Yeon-woo and Director Park Chan-hong as background images.
“So, what news do I have for you today? It’s about the domestic release schedule and some behind-the-scenes stories of the film’s production. Did you know that actor Ryu Yeon-woo also participated in the production of this film?”
Somehow, he had obtained information that 「Sketch」 would be screened in theaters nationwide starting next week. He also revealed that the film was produced as an independent project, funded entirely by Director Park Chan-hong and Ryu Yeon-woo without any external investment.
These days, YouTubers like Wrecker Man often had more influence than traditional news outlets. Unlike the restrained and factual delivery of news, YouTubers presented information as if they were revealing grand secrets, capturing the audience’s attention more effectively.
This was true even among office workers during their lunch breaks.
“Team Leader, isn’t this amazing? Our country’s films are winning first place at the Berlin Film Festival, just like our idols.”
“Ah, the Golden Bear, right? I saw it on the news this morning. Director Park Chan-hong has always been successful.”
“I heard from a YouTuber that Ryu Yeon-woo co-produced this film. They submitted it as an independent film.”
“Really? That young guy is impressive. Is he the one from 「Master Plan」?”
Team Leader Kim listened to his colleague and then pulled out his smartphone to check his favorite mountain biking community forum.
– I’m so proud of our country. Bartender, close the shop today.
└ Sir, how can we run a business if we close in the morning?
– The majesty of K-culture. Conquering Berlin. (Long post)
└ I’m tired of this ‘K’ thing. Conquering, really?
└ I usually don’t like this national pride stuff, but this time, it’s worth it.
The internet community was even more heated than real life, and the reaction in Ryu Yeon-woo’s fan cafe, ‘Woo’s,’ was like a blazing furnace.
– Our actor is working so hard, even bringing glory to our country. I’m writing this while crying.
– I was getting ready for work this morning with the TV on, and even the water from the shower seemed to dance when it heard the news of his award!
– What’s 「Sketch」 about? How am I supposed to wait for its release? I can’t breathe… it’s coming…
└ Patient, please calm down. I’m a doctor. Where are you? Here?
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As they passed through the arrival gate, a barrage of camera flashes greeted them. The public’s interest in the director and actor returning triumphantly with the Golden Bear from the Berlin International Film Festival was overwhelming.
“As per the director’s request, we’ve arranged a spot inside to avoid inconveniencing other airport users.”
“Good job.”
“Please follow me.”
The associate led the group to a VIP lounge in the airport where a brief interview was to be held.
As the interview began, several journalists eagerly raised their hands.
“The director and actors have just returned and are still tired from their trip. We can only take five questions, so please keep them brief. You, in the front.”
The associate pointed to a journalist.
“Hello, I’m Joo Hye-young from CBC’s entertainment department. First of all, congratulations on your award. It’s known that this film was produced as an independent project. Could you tell us why you chose to go that route?”
Director Park Chan-hong leaned forward slightly, pondering the question.
“Hmm. I wanted to return to my roots with this film. The characters Jay and Nari in the movie, though inexperienced, confront the world with intense passion. I thought, ‘Why can’t I, even as an older person, do the same?'”
After finishing his answer, Director Park leaned back against the sofa but then, curious, spoke again.
“I’d also like to hear Ryu Yeon-woo’s thoughts on the same question. As a director, I’m curious myself.”
As Director Park turned to him, Yeon-woo, who had been listening attentively with his head slightly bowed, looked up. He paused to gather his thoughts, reflecting on his recent trip to Berlin, a city he had once visited in his past life as an agent.
After a moment, Yeon-woo nodded and began to speak.
“I find that things which shine occasionally are more beautiful than those that shine constantly.”
It was unclear whether he was addressing the journalist or speaking to himself. He continued, “In life, those rare shining moments are often created by romance. Romance stands in stark contrast to efficiency.”
Yeon-woo smiled warmly at the journalists before continuing.
“Romance arises when you deliberately choose the harder path, even when you know the easier one. When I read the script, I felt that sense of romance immediately.”
The room fell silent, taken aback by the young man’s mention of ‘romance.’ It wasn’t the kind of answer they expected from someone in his early twenties.
“So, if you want to understand what that romance is, please watch 「Sketch」 in theaters.”
Yeon-woo concluded with a playful wink, breaking the tension and bringing smiles to the journalists’ faces.
“Hey, winking is my thing.”
Seo Ji-eun teased from beside him, eliciting light laughter throughout the lounge.
Manager Kim Min-soo, observing from the back, nodded quietly.
“Ever since that deer antler training at the last fan signing event, he’s gotten quite good at being playful.”
Questions continued to pour in for Director Park Chan-hong and Seo Ji-eun, but as previously announced, they only answered a few before wrapping up the interview. The 「Sketch」 team, still weary from their long journey, decided to postpone any further reunions and went their separate ways for the time being.
A van sent by LN Entertainment picked up stylist Lee Ye-eun, Team Leader Jung Hyuk, Manager Kim Min-soo, and Yeon-woo, driving them back to Seoul.
Upon arriving at his officetel, Yeon-woo unpacked his bags and immediately picked up his smartphone to make a call. It wasn’t to his family, friends, CEO Kim Joo-seong, or even his fellow actors.
– Yes, I’ve received your call.
“Hae-woon, come to Seoul right away. We achieved something significant in Berlin.”
– I saw the news about your return and came ahead of time. I’ll be there in 20 minutes.
After ending the call, Yeon-woo pulled out a note filled with numbers from the inner pocket of his coat, resembling a cipher. He smiled as he looked at it.
“Interesting. These ‘Baek Sol’ guys.”