Chapter 54: Three Directors
Friday evening, the first week of April.
Kwon Taeoh sat on the living room sofa at home and turned on the TV.
He opened the NetPlus app with the remote.
He barely had to scroll before a familiar poster appeared.
Low Ceiling.
Taeoh chuckled.
He picked up his phone and took a picture of the title page.
He didn’t send it to anyone.
He simply saved the photo and put the phone down.
At that moment, it vibrated.
A message from a staff member.
[Director. Confirmed the release.]
[We’ll organize the initial response after the weekend and report back.]
Taeoh replied.
[Okay.]
[Include overseas response too.]
[Yes, Director.]
Taeoh put down his phone.
The Low Ceiling poster was still on the television.
He stared at it for a moment, then picked up the remote.
He pressed Play.
The familiar opening scene began.
He couldn’t even remember how many times he had watched the movie.
He had seen it during editing.
At the premiere.
In theaters.
But today felt slightly different.
Taeoh leaned back and watched.
At first, he simply intended to watch the movie.
About ten minutes later, he leaned forward.
He picked up the phone on the table.
Opened Notes.
“Why did I direct this part like that?”
He wrote a short line.
A little later, another.
The movie was already finished.
He couldn’t change it now even if he wanted to.
But next time, he could do something differently.
“This part was a little long.”
Taeoh focused on the screen until the end credits.
Only after the movie ended did he look down at the phone.
His notes had become much longer than expected.
After the weekend, Monday.
When Taeoh entered his office, a thin report lay on the desk.
The cover read:
[Low Ceiling - Initial Global Release Response]
Taeoh opened it before even taking off his jacket.
The movie had already entered NetPlus’s film rankings in several countries.
He read several translated audience reactions.
Many overseas viewers were discussing scenes that Korean audiences had focused on less.
A staff member entered a little later.
“Did you see the report?”
“I’m reading it now.”
“The response is rising faster than expected.”
“You think the ranking will go higher?”
“That’s our expectation.”
“Okay.”
“Keep monitoring the NetPlus rankings.”
“Yes.”
At the same time.
Filming on The Last Witness had begun.
Moon Taeseok sat in front of the monitor.
The slate left the frame.
The camera began rolling.
Seo Jiwan listened to the other actor.
He lowered his gaze briefly, then raised his head again.
The dialogue continued.
Moon Taeseok watched without looking away.
“Cut.”
The set stopped.
Moon Taeseok continued,
“Jiwan.”
Seo Jiwan looked toward the monitor.
“Yes.”
“You’re too suspicious right now.”
“Should I lean more toward wanting to believe him?”
“Yeah.”
“At this point, you’re not yet certain that he’s lying.”
Jiwan nodded.
“Understood.”
“One more.”
They filmed again.
This time, Jiwan waited a little longer as he listened.
His eyes were different too.
Moon Taeseok watched to the end.
“Cut.”
He checked the monitor briefly, then nodded.
“Okay.”
“Let’s move on.”
While the next scene was prepared, they had a short break.
As lighting was reset, Jiwan sat and drank water.
Moon Taeseok turned away from the monitor.
“Jiwan.”
“Low Ceiling is doing well on NetPlus.”
“I heard the rankings are high overseas too.”
Jiwan smiled.
“I heard about it.”
“This is why you work with a top star.”
“If a top star appears in a movie, they help promote it automatically.”
“The film itself had a good concept and was fun too.”
“Did you get any overseas interview requests?”
“A few.”
“I’ll do them as long as they don’t interfere with filming here.”
“Don’t worry about that.”
“Just let me know ahead of time.”
“Yes.”
The assistant director approached.
“Director, the next scene is ready.”
Moon Taeseok stood immediately.
Seo Jiwan closed his bottle and stood too.
As Moon Taeseok returned to the monitor, he said,
“Jiwan.”
“Let’s make ours good too.”
Jiwan smiled and nodded.
“Yes, Director.”
TS ENM.
On his way to a meeting room, Geonwoo heard a familiar voice from one side of the hallway.
It was Jung Hyunsoo.
Hyunsoo stood beside a senior member of the directing team, looking at a schedule.
“Then we’ll contact this side first in the morning.”
“If possible, we’ll confirm it in the afternoon.”
“Good.”
“Share the answer immediately when it comes in.”
“Understood.”
Hyunsoo marked the document.
After the senior employee walked away, Geonwoo approached.
“Hyunsoo.”
Hyunsoo looked up.
“Oh, hyung.”
Geonwoo looked at the papers in his hands.
“You’re busy.”
“Things have been crazy lately.”
Still, Hyunsoo looked happy.
“How’s work?”
“Fun.”
His answer came quickly.
“It’s completely different from Before the Light Reaches.”
“Back then, if something was needed, I just ran around getting it.”
“Now I have to understand why something has to be done first.”
“You must be learning a lot.”
“Yeah.”
“There’s still a lot I don’t know.”
Hyunsoo smiled and continued,
“By the way, aren’t you tired?”
“You just came back from Switzerland.”
“I slept well on the plane, so I’m fine.”
“I heard you got inspired during the trip and started writing something new.”
“Is that true?”
“Who told you?”
“Who else?”
“Taejun hyung.”
Geonwoo chuckled.
Hyunsoo continued,
“What kind of story is it this time?”
“It’s still in the planning stage.”
“Anyway, good timing.”
“I had something to give you.”
“To me?”
“Yeah.”
Geonwoo took a paper bag from his own bag.
“This.”
Hyunsoo accepted it.
“What is it?”
“A gift from Switzerland.”
Hyunsoo looked inside.
A small magnet was there.
His face immediately brightened.
“Oh!”
“This is cute.”
“You were disappointed you couldn’t come with us, so I bought you one.”
“Someday, get invited to a film festival with your own movie and go yourself.”
“Thanks.”
“I’ll work hard so I really can.”
“I’m putting this on my refrigerator at home.”
Hyunsoo put the magnet back into the bag.
A senior employee called from a distance.
“Hyunsoo!”
“Yes!”
Hyunsoo immediately answered, then looked at Geonwoo.
“Sorry.”
“I have to go.”
“Go.”
