Scene number #.
Jung Hwan, who used to inflict excessive violence on Hyo Won after cornering him in the classroom.
In the end, Hyo Won wasn’t able to overcome the assaults and lost consciousness. When he saw Hyo Won, who was bleeding and breathing weakly, Jung Hwan came to his senses.
However, too many things had happened by that time. They couldn’t be undone.
Jung Hwan, staring blankly at Hyo Won who had his eyes closed, wasn’t able to overcome his anger and wailed as he threw a chair from one of the desks at the lockers.
In the middle of Jung Hwan’s anguish.
The security guard who was guarding the school came running towards him, debris from the chair that hit the locker flying everywhere.
Then, blood started dripping from Do Wook’s cheeks. It wasn’t a planned scene. However, the camera didn’t lose the moment and did a close-up.
Scene number #.
Jung Hwan was on the roof walking precariously on the railing.
If he stretched his foot out to the left, it would be inside the roof, if he stretched his foot out to the right…he felt dizzy.
A street with not many people, there were trees lined in a row.
The leaves were fluttering, and the red sunset like the sunset he used to watch with Hyo Won in the past was coloring the sky.
Jung Hwan slowly closed his eyes as he looked at the scenery and stepped forward.
It ended with the view becoming blurry as the scene cut.
THE END.
As the subtitles came up and the screen went dark, the people in the theater started to get up one by one and applauded.
As the standing ovation poured out, Director Yoon Sung Ah, Park Hyo Won, as well as Do Wook stood up from their seats. When they turned around, they could see the numerous people who were clapping for them.
Most of them were locals, and many people flew in like Do Wook to enjoy the Cannes Film Festival from various countries.
Getting applauded by non-Koreans, who had different eye and hair colors, stirred up strange feelings.
They were people they couldn’t communicate with besides saying hello.
It was so amazing that those people were impressed by the Korean project called < Blue Whale > and gave a thumbs-up and applauded.
“The reactions are…”
“Really good. Wow…”
Director Yoon Sung Ah finished the sentence Do Wook, overrun with emotion, muttered. However, neither of them were able to finish their sentences.
The sensuous video and direction of < Blue Whale > overwhelmed the audience at the Debussy Hall.
It was a story of Korean adolescents, but anxiety and violence* during adolescence was something everyone could easily understand no matter what country.
The narrative, direction, and acting were all harmonious. Nitpicky experts paying close attention noticed a few inexperienced parts, but even that could be interpreted as a metaphor for the rough puberty years.
The other parts were so incredible that the flaws didn’t seem like flaws.
The applause continued uninterrupted for over 10 minutes. Honestly, there were people who considered standing ovations to be customary in Cannes. This was because most of the dozens of works at the Cannes Film Festival received standing ovations.
It also expressed people in the film industry’s affection for the film and respect for the film crew participating in the Cannes Film Festival. The fact that the project made it to the Cannes Film Fest in itself meant that it had proven itself.
However, most doesn’t mean all. Sometimes, there were no standing ovations if the public didn’t find the movie satisfactory. Even if there was a standing ovation, it was only about 3 minutes out of courtesy.
Therefore, it was difficult to regard an applause that lasted over 10 minutes as just out of courtesy. Heartfelt praise was pouring out from the eyes of those who were clapping.
Based on the response, it was undeniably a success. The trio were full of joy from releasing a movie that was satisfactory in the eyes of the public, who had high standards,
‘We even made it to somewhere like here…’
Do Wook thought absently as he heard the deafening applause and looked at the people.
‘I feel like I’ve passed the midpoint of a mountain. It feels like I’m heading towards the peak…which I hadn’t been able to see because it was covered by clouds. Something I can’t easily predict anymore…’
He thought he had risen to a certain point, but it felt like it had somehow gotten further away.
Still, it wasn’t an unpleasant feeling. Just like this place he never dreamed he’d reach. His expectations rose higher. Of course, it wasn’t that he had no worries. Nevertheless, his expectations were higher than his anxiety because he was ready to push himself even more.
There was an immediate local response. Distributors in the United States and more than 10 European countries expressed interest in < Blue Whale >. They were already set to be screened overseas as soon as they came to Cannes, but there was an even bigger interest.
They received interview requests from the local media.
Along with the interpreters assigned by the production company, Director Yoon Sung Ah, Park Hyo Won, and Do Wook were also interviewed by local media outlets.
‘Daily’, a leading French daily newspaper, also requested an interview.
Interest in < Blue Whale > was more ardent than anticipated. They were not even in the competition category, so the three of them didn’t expect the response to be this good.
In particular, there was a lot of interest in Do Wook. The eyes of the reporter doing the interview twinkled as he asked Do Wook a barrage of questions.
Various articles always included praise about Do Wook’s acting while talking about the sensuous visual beauty of < Blue Whale >.
Various expressions such as ‘The feeling of anticipation flowing out of the black eyes that pull you in’, ‘Charisma that’s like a black hole’, ‘The boy from Korea that you can’t take your eyes off of’ were used to describe Do Wook.
After they were done with interviews with the local media, the last scheduled event in Cannes for the three of them was none other than a MyTube live interview.
It was something HIT Entertainment suggested as Do Wook’s agency, as well as < Blue Whale >’s second investor.
In Korea, it had only been 2 weeks since < Blue Whale > premiered. Even though Do Wook was in it, it wasn’t as if he had ticket power as an actor, and due to the nature of the movie genre, it couldn’t attract a large audience.
It wasn’t a commercial film, but from an investor point of view anything that could bring in more profit was a good thing.
Because it was well received at the Cannes Film Festival, they planned to do PR as hard as possible during the time left. Films well received at foreign film festivals often became popular domestically in response too.
The Mytube live interview was planned as part of that PR.
It was called an interview, but there was no reporter assigned. The three of them would ask the questions to each other and just talk in a comfortable environment.
Fans of < Blue Whale >, who became fans from watching the domestic screenings, as well as a significant number of Do Wook’s fans, signed on to MyTube to watch the MyTube live.
“Hello!”
“How are you?”
The MyTube live broadcast started as the three of them waved at the camera.
The filming was done outdoors. Equipment was installed on the roof of a tall building next to the Debussy Hall. Low buildings and Cannes’ sea were spread out below the roof.
Do Wook was wearing a light blue shirt. Wearing a bright-colored shirt, comfortably disheveled hair, and sunglasses to avoid the sun, Do Wook’s appearance was dazzling today too.
It was a live broadcast of MyTube, so fans’ reactions were also delivered to the three of them in real-time.
Director Yoon Sung Ah read the fan reactions that were popping up on the screen.
“Do Wook…you’re so handsome, wow…all the comments are about how handsome you are.”
“Hey, here it says ‘the Hyo Won actor’s acting was good’. Why are you only reading the ones about Do Wook?”
“Park Hyo Won, you know that you can’t curse here, right?”
Director Yoon Sung Ah and Park Hyo Won bickered as they looked at the screen.
“The two of them are very close. Thank you for the compliment.”
Do Wook clarified the relationship between the two of them in a positive way.
“Thank you so much for loving Blue Whale! Everyone watching this has seen our movie, right? Our movie is…fun. You enjoyed it, right?”
“Haha. Do Wook! It looks like you’re forcing them!”
Director Yoon Sung Ah stopped Do Wook, but Do Wook shook his head and muttered with confidence.
“But it’s true that it’s fun.”
Park Hyo Won said as he laughed,
“That’s true. The acting was particularly good too.”
“Wow, you two actors are totally…snobby?”
“Is it ok for you to say that word, Director?”
When Park Hyo Won sharply criticized Director Yoon Sung Ah, Director Yoon Sung Ah racked her brain to find another word for “snobby”. During that time, Do Wook replied instead.
“It’s confidence! Right, Hyo Won?”
“That’s right!”
Park Hyo Won and Do Wook were already in sync.
Do Wook was in a very good mood due to the keen local reaction. Of course it wasn’t just Do Wook, but everyone else was too. However, considering Do Wook’s personality, which was usually calm, it was easy to notice that his mood was currently very elevated.
Even if something good happened, Do Wook just smiled rather than laughed out loud. The MyTube channel was about to blow up when Do Wook smiled brightly and waved his hand like a child on his first birthday.
-Do Wook, are you happy^^??
-Why does Kang Do Wook look so happy lolol It looks like he’s manic lolol
-Cannes…makes…even Kang Do Wook…dance
-Won’t the members be sad? haha Do Wook seems like he’s close to actor Park Hyo Won haha
-It’s nice to see that the three of them seem close hoho
-As expected, there’s a reason a movie is successful…!!!
-Hello!! uki oppa!!*
(TL note: This was written in English. It’s a non-Korean person saying Wook, as in Do Wook, and ee, which just confirms that’s what you’re talking about or who you’re talking to.)
-Director Yoon Sung Ah! You’re gorgeous~!
-Could you please do a greeting in French since you’re in Cannes!
-Please do a line from Blue Whale!!!
-Do Wook, please curse!! You were so good at cursing, do you usually curse a lot? lol
-Attention seeker, nono
-Park Hyo Won, what project will you do next? I’m a longtime fan.
-How does it feel to be in Cannes? Is the air different there in Cannes?!
“How does it feel to be in Cannes…Can you see the ocean there? The weather is so nice…it feels like both the weather and the people are welcoming us…it’s so nice!”
Do Wook extended his arm to lift the camera and show a panoramic view of the ocean outside the rooftop.
In terms of communicating with these fans, Do Wook, an idol, was bound to be more natural and proficient. As Do Wook proactively led the responses, Director Yoon Sung Ah and Park Hyo Won kept the conversation going more comfortably.
“Park Hyo Won, do you have any plans for your next project?”
When Do Wook asked like a reporter, Park Hyo Won responded.
“There’s nothing yet. There are a few places that have reached out, but…I’d like to get a lot more offers in the future.”
“As expected, you’re very greedy, sunbae.”
Director Yoon Sung Ah laughed at what Do Wook said and read one of the questions that were moving rapidly.
“A greeting in French…Bonjour? Haha. That’s all I know. Do either of you speak French?”
Park Hyo Won made an X with his arms.
“I can’t even speak English well. No, not even Korean well yet.”
“Hmmm…it’s not a greeting but I…”
Do Wook seemed to think it over a little bit, and then opened his mouth. He wanted to leave a memorable interview video, and before he could be calculating about that, he had an spontaneous idea. He was feeling that good.
At that moment, Manager Oh Baek Ho, who was watching the interview from behind the camera, received a call from Gu Chul Min in Korea.
“Hey, what’s wrong?”
“Sir, you weren’t checking your messages, so…”
“Do Wook is live right now. What’s going on? Is it urgent?”
“Ah, it’s just that we received a casting request, but it sounds like they urgently need confirmation.”
“Casting? What kind of casting is it? We won’t do anything other than award ceremony events.”
“It’s an award ceremony event…”
They had already finalized the scheduling for all the award ceremonies. Manager Oh Baek Ho asked what he meant.
The sound of Do Wook’s sweet singing voice reverberated on the rooftop.
They couldn’t understand the meaning, but it was a beautiful song even just by the pronunciation. It was a famous French song that everyone would know the melody to.
It was ‘La Vie En Rose’.
—
Next chapter: Do Wook amazes people again, this time by singing in French. Things aren’t such smooth sailing once he returns home though.