Peninsula: I can steal the luck of disgraced celebrities

Chapter 116 United We Stand

"Bang!"

The heavy, bound script fell onto the dusty cement floor.

Zhang Guang pointed at Huang Donghe's nose, his fingers trembling uncontrollably, the gentle and refined manner he displayed that morning when he gave Lin Zhixun the Bible completely gone.

This old man usually doesn't say a harsh word on set, but now the veins on his neck are bulging.

"Damn it! Have you lost your mind? Making me wear only my underwear in front of the kids—" His eyes bulged, his voice rising eight octaves, "This wasn't even in yesterday's script! You changed the script without giving me any advance notice?"

Hwang Dong-hyuk looked down at the monitor and pushed up his black-rimmed glasses.

"It's necessary for the plot."

The voice was soft, but the speaker was unyielding.

"Let whoever wants to act it act it! I'd rather sell my house and pay the penalty for breach of contract than film this kind of filth. Do you think I'm like you?! I have faith!"

"Pooh!"

A thick wad of phlegm landed precisely on Hwang Dong-hyuk's windbreaker.

Zhang Guang turned and left, his leather shoes stomping loudly. As he left, he even kicked over the bench by the door.

The set was completely silent.

The lighting technicians didn't even dare to move the Kino light stand, for fear of making any noise and getting into trouble.

Gong Yoo grabbed a few tissues from the stagehand and went over to wipe the stain.

"Don't take it to heart. Senior Zhang is a Protestant. If you let him do that kind of thing to a little girl, according to the Bible, he'll go to hell."

""

Gong Yoo wiped the tissue very hard, tearing it on his clothes.

Hwang Dong-hyuk didn't take the tissue. Instead, he took out a red pen from his pocket and quickly scribbled a line on the edge of the script.

"That spit was so soulful, it could be added to a play."

Gong Yoo stopped moving and threw the crumpled tissue into the trash can.

"At a time like this, you still have the mind to joke around."

"I'm not kidding."

Hwang Dong-hyuk didn't even look up, continuing to revise the storyboard.

Gong Yoo sighed and turned to walk towards Ms. Seo, a human rights activist standing in the corner.

Teacher Xu watched the whole farce unfold without even raising an eyebrow.

"Teacher Xu, could you please talk to Senior Zhang? I believe you can persuade him."

3

Teacher Xu nodded and followed the direction Zhang Guang had left in.

Less than ten minutes.

Zhang Guang is back.

His face was still dark, but he didn't mention quitting the performance again. He walked silently to the costume department and took off his pants.

Hwang Dong-hyuk picked up the walkie-talkie, his voice echoing throughout the bathroom set: "Attention all departments, try to get it in one take, don't leave any trauma on the young actors."

This is like offering a step up.

Zhang Guang understood, but still didn't give Huang Donghe a friendly look.

The stage manager claps the clapperboard.

Turn on.

Zhang Guang got into the zone incredibly quickly.

That kind of sleazy and perverted nature that emanated from the very core of him overflowed through the monitor screen.

The way he peered into the room while leaning over the doorframe sent chills down your spine.

Standing in the back row, Jung Yu-mi turned her face away, her lips pale.

One take.

Hwang Dong-hyuk watched the replay twice and didn't ask for a single take to be saved.

As soon as the director yelled "cut," the mother of the young actress Yeon-doo rushed into the set, wrapped her daughter in her coat, patted her back repeatedly, and muttered, "That's acting, that's fake."

Night view. The rooftop of the teaching building.

The wind whistled through the rusty iron railings.

Jung Yu-mi sat on the cement steps with her arms wrapped around her knees, gazing up at the night that seemed capable of swallowing everything.

The sound of leather shoes stepping on the cement floor drew closer.

"Are you alone in the cold wind?"

Ms. Xu, a teacher from the human rights organization, came over, sat down next to her, and handed her a cup of hot coffee.

Zheng Yumei took the paper cup, adjusted her trench coat collar, and said, "Teacher Xu."

"Have you encountered a problem you can't solve? I've counseled many children, you can try it too."

"fine."

"Usually, when someone says 'nothing's wrong,' it means something is wrong."

"What if nothing's wrong?"

"They usually don't sit alone on the rooftop, lost in thought, contemplating life."

Jung Yu-mi was amused, lowered her head and took a sip of coffee, the bitter taste spreading on her tongue.

"Teacher Xu, do you really think it's a good idea to make such a cruel story into a movie?"

"Or rather, was it necessary to film so nude?"

Teacher Xu stretched out her arm and put it around Zheng Yumei's shoulder. Zheng Yumei leaned in and closed her eyes.

When she was a child, her father left, and she would lean against her mother's arms, looking up at the Busan night sky looking for stars.

"The fact that you can ask that question shows that you are a good child, and a good child with empathy." Teacher Xu patted her on the back.

"Did Zhang Guang's scene during the day scare you?"

"Yeah. It's so real, so real that it's unbearable to face."

Teacher Xu changed the subject: "Do you know how I persuaded Zhang Guang to come back during the day?"

"What did you say?"

"I told Zhang Guang my story with them."

"Your story and theirs?"

"Yes, the character you're playing is based on me."

The cold winter is silent and desolate.

In the silent night, Jung Yu-mi couldn't find a single star.

Jang Dong-hyuk noticed that after the scene with Jang Gwang, Jung Yu-mi's acting seemed to have reached a new level.

Compared to before when her eyes would hesitate when she was in character, now her eyes are as firm as if she is about to swear an oath under the Bagua flag.

Filming a movie is painful, but it happens very quickly.

Filming is already halfway done.

-

The male protagonist's grandmother sold the house to buy him a job as a teacher for the deaf and mute. However, she discovered that the male protagonist, who always said he was busy at school, was actually busy fighting a lawsuit against the school principal.

Inside the courthouse.

The male protagonist's mother frowned and said angrily, "Take care of yourself first, and support your family properly. Just saying what's right is useless."

The male protagonist did not argue, but instead said, "I'm leaving first," and pulled Yeon-doo from the chair into the courthouse.

"As for you," the male protagonist's mother's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Is that child more important than your daughter, Song'er?"

The male protagonist's daughter, Song'er, suffers from congenital asthma. The opposing lawyer once bribed the male protagonist through his mentor to withdraw the lawsuit, asking him to think more about his family.

The male protagonist refused.

Gong Yoo and Kim Ji-young are both veteran actors, so the scene went very smoothly.

Just as Hwang Dong-hyuk was preparing for the next scene, a stagehand ran over with some news.

"Director, someone outside is looking for you. They claim to be your grandmother."

"Grandmother?" Huang Donghe panicked and hurriedly put down the script in his hand, rushing to the front door.

When Hwang Dong-hyuk arrived at the door, he saw an elderly woman with a full head of white hair carrying a thermos, and the young crew members were politely helping her walk inside.

Hwang Dong-hyuk quickly stepped forward, just so his grandmother wouldn't have to walk so far.

"Grandma, what brings you here?"

Grandmother smiled kindly on her wrinkled face. "I heard from your mother that you're filming some big production and staying up until 3 or 4 in the morning every day, so I made you some ginseng chicken soup."

Zhang Donghe quickly took it, feeling warm inside, but still complained, "Oh, we have everything here, you don't need to bother."

"Nothing outside can compare to homemade tonics. Who knows what they add to those?" Grandmother's words were full of complaints, but her tone was full of concern.

"Didn't you say you were filming some big-budget movie? Come and show me!"

Hwang Dong-hyuk's face stiffened upon hearing this.

Before the furnace, Hwang Dong-hyuk lived in dire poverty.

In 2008, he was even forced to sell his laptop to earn about 4800 yuan for living expenses to pay his daily bills.

He finally got the role in a movie, but to avoid worrying his family, he didn't tell them that it was a film with cruel content and extremely poor commercial appeal.

But Hwang Dong-hyuk had no choice but to let his grandmother stay and watch the next segment he was filming.

In the play.

court.

Yeon-doo stood in the witness stand, but she wasn't even as tall as the defendant's table.

The opposing lawyer was a middle-aged man wearing gold-rimmed glasses. He spoke slowly and deliberately, each word like a knife.

"Yeon-doo, you said the principal assaulted you that day. Then let me ask you," the lawyer pointed to the two people sitting in the defendant's dock, "which of these two is the principal?"

"Regarding the fact that the principal and his brother are twins, it is possible that the defendant at the time was not the principal, but his brother."

"Then Principal Lee Kang-seok can clear his name as a suspect."

The judge agreed with the defendant's lawyer's argument and asked Yeon-doo to identify the principal.

The male protagonist sat in the plaintiff's seat, his palms sweaty.

He turned to look at Yeon-doo, wanting to say something, but then swallowed his words.

Yeon-doo did not answer immediately.

She stared at the two people for a long time, then slowly raised her hands and made a set of sign language gestures.

"If you dare tell anyone, I'll kill you."

This was the principal's threat to her that day, and only the principal would react to this sign language.

Yan Bian was implicated by this incident and became the principal.

Through this court hearing, the male lead's mother came to understand him better and took the initiative to buy some food for him and Yanbian.

On stage.

Hwang Dong-hyuk's grandmother sat in a folding chair, holding a thermos in her hand.

She watched the entire scene from beginning to end.

"Dong-hyuk," Grandmother said, "you lied to me."

Hwang Dong-hyuk nearly dropped the walkie-talkie in his hand.

"Grandmother, I—"

"This isn't a commercially viable film," his grandmother interrupted him calmly.

Hwang Dong-hyuk opened his mouth, unsure of what to say.

Hwang Dong-hyuk thought his grandmother would scold him for choosing to make movies that nobody would watch instead of making perfectly good commercial films.

But his grandmother didn't scold him.

She put down her thermos and turned to look at Hwang Dong-hyuk.

"This kind of electric leg is so much better than any commercial film," she said. "This is the kind of electric leg film that a great director like Gong Sun should be making."

Hwang Dong-hyuk was stunned.

"grandmother----"

Grandmother smiled kindly and said, "Is the crew still short of people? I'm leaving soon too, and I want to leave something useful behind to prove that I've been here."

Hwang Dong-hyuk's eyes suddenly reddened.

He never expected his grandmother to say such a thing.

"Grandmother, you—"

"Don't cry," his grandmother patted his hand. "What's wrong with a grown man like you crying?"

""

But Hwang Dong-hyuk couldn't hold back his tears.

He squatted down in front of his grandmother, burying his head in her knees just like when he was a child.

"Thank you, Grandmother."

"The show just happens to be missing an actress to play the role of the grandmother who is popular with everyone."

His grandmother stroked his hair without saying a word.

Grandmother's decision also changed one of Hwang Dong-hyuk's decisions.

He decided to replace all the audience members, who were originally supposed to be extras, with deaf-mute people during the trial where the principal's crimes were announced.

"Director, isn't this too risky?" asked Assistant Director Yi.

"No," Hwang Dong-hyuk said, "they understand this play better than anyone else."

He looked at the deaf and mute actors on set, who communicated using sign language, facial expressions, and body language.

They don't need lines, they don't need voices, all they need is for Sakura to be there, and everyone can feel their presence.

Towards the end of filming, Gong Yoo encountered two scenes that drove him to the brink of collapse.

The first scene is about smashing a car window.

The script was very simple: smash the car window with your fist.

But Hwang Dong-hyuk demanded authenticity, insisting that Gong Yoo actually smash the car window.

"Director Hwang," Gong Yoo stared at the glass, "are you getting revenge on me for letting you direct this movie?"

"Of course not, don't worry, it's just prop glass," Hwang Dong-hyuk laughed.

Gong Yoo may complain, but he's not afraid to act.

He gritted his teeth, raised his fist, and smashed it against the car window.

"Bang!"

The glass shattered, but Gong Yoo also cut his hand.

Blood dripped down his fingers, staining the shards of the car window red.

-

"Stop!" Hwang Dong-hyuk shouted. "That's enough."

Gong Yoo looked at his hands and gasped.

"No, we have to start over. My facial expression isn't right."

Hwang Dong-hyuk sighed and said to the cameraman, "This one won't work, let's do it again."

Gong Yoo took a deep breath and raised his fist again.

"Bang!"

The glass broke again.

But Gong Yoo was still not satisfied.

"No, start over."

Gong Yoo's hands were swollen like steamed buns, but he didn't stop.

He smashed it again and again until his hands were actually injured, just like in the play.

"Stop," Gong Yoo said, finally stepping in front of the camera. "That take is good."

He collapsed to the ground.

Looking at his bloodied and mangled hand, Hwang Dong-hyuk didn't know whether to cry or laugh.

The second scene is a scene with a high-pressure water gun.

The script describes the male lead being sprayed with high-pressure water.

"Director," Gong Yoo said, looking at the water gun, "this—"

"Don't worry," Hwang Dong-hyuk said, "we'll control the water pressure."

However, the water pressure was not well controlled.

The force of a high-pressure water gun is much greater than you might imagine.

Gong Yoo was thrown about by the water jets, his body covered in bruises.

"Stop!" Hwang Dong-hyuk shouted. "This one won't work, let's do it again."

Gong Yoo got up from the ground, soaked to the bone and shivering from the cold.

"Director, I—"

"Let's do it again," Hwang Dong-hyuk said. "This scene has to be real."

"I know, I meant to say 'CNM'!"

Gong Yoo gritted his teeth and stood up straight again.

The high-pressure water gun sprayed again, and Gong Yoo was knocked down once more.

Once, twice, three times —

Until his body was covered in wounds from being hit by the water gun.

"Stop," Hwang Dong-hyuk said, "This one is fine."

Gong Yoo lay on the ground, looking at the sky, unsure of what to say.

He remembered Zhang Guang's words.

"Is this electric leg treatment really worth it?"

he does not know.

But he knew he had to keep filming.

Because this is his role as an actor.

In a corner of the set, Lim Ji-hoon looked at Gong Yoo's back and legs, feeling a mix of emotions.

This electric leg is not for making money or for fame, but for those who have been forgotten.

For those who have been silenced.

For those who are neglected.

He took a deep breath, turned around, and walked towards the film set.

"Director," he said, "I'm ready for the next scene."

Hwang Dong-hyuk glanced at him and nodded.

"Okay, let's begin."

The lights on set came on, and the camera started moving.

Lin Chih-hsun stepped into the camera's view, into the world that belonged to him.

If they can go to this lengths for this film, then I, as an investor, cannot lag behind.