The Face Genius Actor

Episode 159

“Sacred: Prelude to Chaos” begins with a phone call from a morgue.

An unidentified corpse, seemingly used in a curse ritual, has escaped from the morgue.

Yerom realizes something bad has happened and starts tracking.

In the process, he learns that the ritual performed through the corpse was a pure-blood demon summoning.

It’s clear that if a pure-blood demon continues to roam the streets, big problems will arise.

Yerom moves to chase the pure-blood demon, but there aren’t enough clues.

Meanwhile, the city becomes more chaotic due to mixed-blood demons whose desires have been awakened by the pure-blood demon.

Shaia, who was a coroner, deciphers part of the curse inscribed on the corpse.

It turns out Shaia was born with a tiny bit of angel blood.

Yerom gains additional clues by dealing with the leader of the desire-consumed mixed-blood demons.

With Shaia’s help, he succeeds in tracking the pure-blood demon.

However, the pure-blood demon is too strong for Yerom to handle with his original power.

As the battle tilts in favor of the pure-blood demon,

Yerom realizes that this being had dragged his past lover’s soul to hell.

He can’t run away this time.

Steeling his resolve and throwing himself in, a holy light envelops Yerom.

Yerom gains power beyond that of a pure-blood angel and succeeds in defeating the pure-blood demon.

Afterwards, Yerom’s soul slowly starts to leave his body.

Realizing he’s going to heaven, Yerom suddenly curses God.

Thus, unable to go to heaven, Yerom remains in reality.

When Shaia asks why he didn’t go to heaven, Yerom answers:

“Because there’s someone I need to take with me.”

The movie ends revealing that Yerom’s goal is to go to heaven with his lover who was dragged to hell.

This was the rough story of “Sacred: Prelude to Chaos”.

And we had smoothly finished filming up to the scene where the pure-blood demon roams the streets awakening the desires of mixed-blood demons.

It was quite a fast pace, and Frank Borodvin seemed to know this as well, as we were given a few days of rest.

Upon hearing the news of the break, Lugano Bonaventura threw a few uppercuts into the air and then approached me.

“Si-joon! Do you have time tomorrow?”

“Time?”

“Yes. Since we’re getting a break anyway, I was thinking of throwing a party. What do you think?”

“Hmm…”

I reflexively thought of declining, but then realized there was no need to.

Unlike “I Am Not a Villain” or “Toema Hwan Ya Dam”, in this movie I only had to focus on my role as an actor.

‘It’s certainly more comfortable not having to worry about editing.’

With this thought, I opened my mouth towards Lugano Bonaventura.

“Sounds good, a party. Let’s say I’ll attend tomorrow.”

“Great! If Si-joon says he’s attending, quite a lot of people will gather!”

“Is that so?”

“Of course. Ah, this isn’t the time. I’ll go invite the other actors quickly.”

With that, Lugano Bonaventura hurriedly moved to speak to Nancy Crushker.

Nancy Crushker was the actress playing the role of Jenny, Yerom’s past lover.

After Lugano Bonaventura explained something for a while, Nancy Crushker looked surprised and turned her head towards me.

-Did you really agree to attend Lugano’s party?

Nancy Crushker was asking this by mouthing the words, and I waved my hand in response.

There wasn’t necessarily a need to build friendships among actors this way during the break period.

The Hollywood system itself was like that from the start.

Even if they didn’t become close, they could easily focus only on acting.

But I originally liked becoming friends with the actors I was working with.

I believed it helped with acting.

That’s why I accepted Lugano Bonaventura’s proposal, and fortunately, other actors showed interest in this party as well.

Not only Nancy Crushker, but Rachel Collier and Gilbert Razan also expressed their intention to attend.

Somehow, all the leading actors of “Sacred: Prelude to Chaos” ended up attending the party.

As a result, other actors and on-site staff also wanted to attend the party, and Lugano Bonaventura invited everyone with a big smile.

After inviting everyone except those who had to work during the break period, Lugano Bonaventura approached me again and said:

“See! I told you quite a lot of people would gather if Si-joon said he was attending!”

Lugano Bonaventura had a smile on his face, seemingly pleased that the party was going to be grand.

‘Didn’t he say he was the type to get lonely easily, having come to Hollywood at a young age?’

I remembered something Lugano Bonaventura had said before and this thought occurred to me.

Indeed, Lugano Bonaventura was the type who enjoyed mingling with others.

And I liked this personality.

After all, Lugano Bonaventura’s help was significant in my easy adaptation to the set.

“That’s right. Lugano, you were correct.”

I replied, looking forward to tomorrow’s party.

It seemed like I could enjoy the party with my newly made friend.

* * *

And the next day, in the evening.

I arrived at the party venue later than promised.

‘I didn’t expect the casting news for “Sacred: Prelude to Chaos” to break right at this time.’

Normally, it wouldn’t have mattered even if the casting news broke.

Casting news was bound to break at some point no matter how much you tried to hide it.

Moreover, even if the news of confirmed appearance was revealed, there usually wasn’t any issue that I needed to address on my end.

It was just a matter of thinking, “Oh, so the news has broken at this point,” and moving on.

However, Winner Family had included a contract condition requesting an interview through the New York Times when the casting news broke.

As I hurriedly conducted an interview for the movie’s promotion, I had no choice but to be late to the party.

‘I should first find Lugano Bonaventura and apologize.’

Although I had contacted him in advance to explain the situation, it was still different from apologizing face to face.

As I passed through the large gate and entered the party venue, I couldn’t help but be surprised.

The scale of the party was grander than I had imagined.

‘This is no less than a decent awards ceremony party.’

I passed by people drinking alcohol and playing loud music in an enormous swimming pool, and moved a bit further inside.

In the process, I met Gilbert Razan, who was playing the role of Lark, the mixed-blood demon leader.

“Oh! Si-joon! You’ve finally arrived! I heard you’d be late because of a pre-arranged interview with Winner Family.”

“An interview on a day like today… That’s unlucky. By the way, where is Lugano?”

“He should be on the second floor.”

“Then let’s have a drink later.”

“I’ll look forward to it.”

I moved to the second floor of the mansion as Gilbert Razan had told me.

The second floor had a quite different atmosphere from the lower floor where the party was centered around the pool.

It felt like a high-class bar with soft music playing.

And there, I could see Rachel Collier and Nancy Crushker.

“Si-joon!”

“Come over here!”

I walked towards them and asked the two:

“Isn’t Lugano here?”

“He was here until just now, but he received a phone call and hurriedly went to the third floor.”

“The third floor?”

“Yes. He mentioned your name too, it seems something has happened.”

Rachel Collier explained, and I had a somewhat bad feeling.

“I should go to the third floor. I’ll join you later.”

So I moved to the third floor again and finally could meet Lugano Bonaventura.

“Is it believable that I’m holding back my anger because of that monkey-like bastard?”

But Lugano Bonaventura seemed to be in no leisure.

He was talking with a man who looked somewhat familiar, his face flushed red as if he was angry.

‘What’s going on?’

As I was thinking this and approaching the two, Lugano Bonaventura’s conversation partner spoke again.

“Tell me. Why are you defending Lee Si-joon so much? Don’t you have any pride as a white person?”

I hesitated in my steps.

It wasn’t because the man’s statement was too shocking.

Rather, I stopped because I remembered who the man was.

The man was an actor named Ronald Bone, who played the role of Shaia’s fellow coroner in “Sacred: Prelude to Chaos”.

‘An actor I’ve never met on set… Surprising. To face racial discrimination from someone I’ve never even met.’

I felt myself heating up slightly.

I had been satisfied, thinking I had adapted to the set better than I worried, but it seemed that wasn’t the case.

But there was someone who was even angrier than me.

Lugano Bonaventura finally couldn’t hold back and grabbed Ronald Bone’s collar.

At the same time, glasses of alcohol on a nearby table spilled.

Crash!

“Oh my! What’s this? Suddenly?”

“Look, they’re fighting over there!”

Ignoring the commotion, Lugano Bonaventura raised his voice towards Ronald Bone while still holding his collar.

“Watch your mouth! It’s shameful to be the same species as you!”

But Ronald Bone smiled impudently even with his collar grabbed.

“It’s ridiculous that you’re siding with the monkey till the end. Are all Italians monkey trainers?”

“You bastard!”

Just as Lugano Bonaventura raised his fist,

Fortunately, I was able to approach the two, and I grabbed Lugano Bonaventura’s arm.

Lugano Bonaventura, who was about to stretch out his arm, looked at me with surprised eyes.

“Si-joon…”

“Yes, it’s me. Let’s stop this.”

I answered like this and looked at Ronald Bone, who was still being held by his collar by Lugano Bonaventura.

Then I picked up one of the glasses that remained on the table without falling to the floor during the commotion.

It was a strong cocktail based on cognac.

But because I felt like drinking, I emptied the glass cleanly.

Meanwhile, Lugano Bonaventura let go of Ronald Bone’s collar.

Ronald Bone was looking at me with blank eyes.

Lugano Bonaventura spoke to Ronald Bone in a firm voice.

“Get out. I don’t want to see your face.”

“……”

“Didn’t you hear me? I said get out!”

“Handsome… What? Yes.”

Ronald Bone only seemed to come to his senses and respond after Lugano Bonaventura raised his voice.

Then, as if the alcohol was hitting him belatedly, he left the party venue with a flushed face.

Lugano Bonaventura watched him leave and then apologized.

“I’m sorry, Si-joon. As the party host, I showed an unpleasant sight.”

“It’s okay. It happened because you were trying to defend me. More importantly, this place has become a mess.”

“Let’s move to the second floor. I’ll bring out a wine I’ve been saving for today.”

Lugano Bonaventura led the way and I followed.

Then suddenly, I remembered what Ronald Bone had said at the end.

‘What did he say at the end? Surely he didn’t say I was handsome?’

I thought this and then chuckled.

There was no way a racist would suddenly say someone was handsome.

‘By the way, it was Ronald Bone… I should think about how to deal with him after the party ends.’

But there was no need to worry.

A few days after the party ended, a decision about Ronald Bone was made first.