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Chapter 320: Beyond the Boundary Screening (2)

The audience, so captivated by Lee Tae-Poong\'s successful image transformation, forgot the need for silence and continuously expressed their admiration.

Moments later, the shirtless Lee Tae-Poong breathed heavily and began running alone through a rain-soaked training ground.

Rainwater flowed between his defined, bronze six-pack abs, eliciting gasps from both men and women in the audience.

"Wow, look at that body. I\'m so jealous. No matter what I do, I can\'t get that."

"Isn\'t it just unfair to have that face and that body?"

"I wish the movie was just full of Mr. Tae-Poong..."

"Look at those abs. Is he even human or some kind of beast?"

"Ahem!"

Only after Choi Sung-Moon cleared his throat did the audience snap back to reality and quiet down.

In the next scene, Lee Tae-Poong appeared in North Korean special forces attire as he crossed from China into North Korea.

Half-submerged in the cold and fast-flowing waters of the Amnok River, Tae-Poong\'s face painted black for camouflage barely peeked above the water\'s surface.

His piercing gaze visible just above the waterline was as sharp and chilling as that of a wild dog, sending shivers through the audience.

Everyone was enthralled by Lee Tae-Poong\'s intense expression and felt the tension in their own bodies.

As the scene transitioned to his infiltration into North Korea for a mission, a relentless series of action sequences unfolded.

Despite not using a stunt double, Lee Tae-Poong executed moves with such intensity and precision that one might have thought a professional action actor was on screen.

In a subsequent scene where North Korea\'s State Security Department\'s investigation into the protagonist\'s dual identity tightened, Lee Tae-Poong performed hair-raising escape scenes that left viewers on the edge of their seats.

Everyone in the audience was sweating along with the action on screen.

As the movie moved past its midpoint, romance began to blend into the previously action-driven plot.

After successfully rescuing a brilliant North Korean nuclear physicist and his daughter and bringing them safely to Seoul, Lee Tae-Poong received orders from his superiors to live with the rescued daughter and personally protect her.

At that moment, Lee Tae-Poong\'s character who had been stern and stoic since the beginning of the film began to show a different side.

Awkward speech, lack of expression, hesitant body language, and a series of clumsy attempts at orchestrating romantic gestures unfolded.

Every time Lee Tae-Poong\'s character made a fumbling mistake as he had never dated a woman before, the audience couldn\'t help but burst into laughter at the sheer absurdity of it.

Lee Tae-Poong\'s portrayal of a man experiencing his first love was so detailed that it was both endearing and amusing.

However, this was a reflection of Lee Tae-Poong\'s true self. After all, Lee Tae-Poong had never dated anyone else except for an ex-girlfriend who once blackmailed him.

As this elite National Intelligence Service agent raised as a killing machine gradually regained his humanity and became an ordinary man of his age, the audience marveled once again.

Lee Tae-Poong fully embodied the diverse character traits of the protagonist in Beyond the Boundary.

Gone was the Lacking David image that had once defined him. Now, it was all about Lee Tae-Poong, the acting fanatic.

Finally, the film reached its climax.

When Lee Tae-Poong\'s love interest was taken hostage by North Korean operatives, he slammed his head into the ground and screamed in agony.

Moved by Lee Tae-Poong\'s heartbreaking performance, the audience covered their mouths and began to cry.

At that moment, I knew Beyond the Boundary would surpass ten million viewers, and that Lee Tae-Poong would become a top star.

***

[CAST]

National Intelligence Service Agent Choi Sung-Ha / Lee Tae-Poong

North Korean Major Choi In-Sol / Lee Tae-Poong

As the movie ended, the names of the cast began to roll on the screen during the closing credits.

Taking the top spot was my actor, Lee Tae-Poong.

I started filming with my phone to capture this emotional and meaningful moment.

\'Tae-Poong, you did great,\' I remarked inwardly.

Perhaps because of the overwhelming emotion, my hand holding the phone was trembling slightly.

Meanwhile, the lights came on to guide those who wanted to leave the theater first. However, not a single person got up to leave. Everyone was still sitting, sharing their thoughts on the film as they watched the ending credits.

"The movie was really well made."

"I\'m coming back tomorrow to watch it again."

"Did you see Lee Tae-Poong\'s scream earlier? Wow, it made my heart drop."

"Lee Tae-Poong\'s acting has improved so much, hasn\'t it? Whether it\'s action or romance, he doesn\'t miss a beat."

As the audience murmured among themselves, the ending credits finished and the lights in the theater turned on completely.

At that moment, Choi Sung-Moon, Lee Tae-Poong, and the supporting actors, who were all seated in the front row, stood up.

Seeing the audience still in their seats, Choi Sung-Moon called out loudly, "Did you enjoy the movie?"

The theater erupted in cheers at once.

"Yes~~!!"

"It was amazing!"

"Mr. Choi, it looks like your movie will hit ten million again!"

Lee Tae-Poong kept bowing repeatedly with tears welled up in his eyes, and his parents couldn\'t contain their joy as they listened to the overwhelming praise from those around them.

Suppressing my own happiness, I joined the staff in guiding the audience toward the exits.

Until this moment, I thought the VIP screening had ended as a complete success.

***

Whenever there was a VIP screening, a photo zone was set up near the theater exit because the impressions shared by celebrities and regular attendees were often used for publicity purposes.

Given the positive viewing atmosphere, I expected nothing but good words to be exchanged.

However, as I led Yoo-Jin and Miso out of the theater, I spotted someone in the photo zone spouting some absurd opinions.

It was Jo Jae-Kyung.

The so-called genius director was standing there with a dissatisfied look as he shared his thoughts on the movie.

"As expected of Mr. Choi Sung-Moon, the movie featured fast-paced storytelling and thrilling action. However, it was hard to overlook how the movie\'s filled with clichés which makes it feel somewhat outdated."

Caught off guard by the unexpected comment, the reporters quickly asked for clarification. "Did you just say it felt outdated?"

"Yes. To be honest, it seemed like it was too focused on catering to popular demands resulting in a work that feels boxed in. More content with the present rather than striving for innovation, wouldn\'t you agree?"

A young, internationally awarded genius director throwing a challenge at a director known for his ten-million-viewer films was bound to make headlines.

Eager for a scoop, the reporters began typing furiously on their laptops.

However, Jo Jae-Kyung\'s critique didn\'t end there. "Oh, and I\'ve read plenty of articles claiming that Mr. Lee Tae-Poong\'s acting has improved. Do you all agree with that sentiment?"

For a moment, the reporters\' hands stopped typing in unison.

Jo Jae-Kyung enjoyed the expectant looks of the reporters curious about his next inflammatory statement and continued. "To me, he just seemed like an average action actor. Is it just me? Oh, but I have to admit, he\'s still incredibly handsome! Seeing him in person, his face alone is definitely the top in Korea."

My blood boiled and anger surged inside me. With just a few words, Jo Jae-Kyung was belittling someone\'s earnest effort and dragging it through the mud.

This is why I despised that man so much. He was indifferent to others\' pain and only cared about himself.

The rising fury made me start to tremble unconsciously.

Just then, I felt a warm and soft little hand tugging at my sleeve. When I turned, Miso was looking up at me and blinking her eyes. "Uncle Yoon-Ho."

Miso\'s eyes were filled with concern. "Don\'t be angry!"

"Huh?"

"Uncle Yoon-Ho, your face looks really scary right now!" Miso exclaimed.

Ever since I was young, my expression would completely disappear whenever I got truly angry. For this reason, people often couldn\'t tell when I was angry because my expression would go completely blank.

However, Miso was reading my emotions perfectly with her keen eyes.

"I\'m…not mad… though," I replied.

"Lying is bad! You look really angry, like this!" said Miso as she made devil horn shapes with her index fingers.

Seeing this, Yoo-Jin also stepped in to calm me down. "Oppa, remember what you said before? There are plenty of people like him in the entertainment industry. Just let it go. Relax, relax~"

Oddly enough, her words brought a sense of relief and my anger started to subside.

I took a deep breath and said, "Alright, I\'ll do as Miso says."

Miso smiled broadly. "Yeah! They say holding back is winning!"

Nonetheless, I still felt differently on the inside. Just because I restrained myself didn\'t mean Jo Jae-Kyung would appreciate it. He\'d likely see it as a sign of weakness and push even harder.

So confronting Jo Jae-Kyung was inevitable.

After reassuring Yoo-Jin and Miso, I began to mentally organize my next steps. With Jo Jae-Kyung stirring up trouble, the media would be quick to publish related articles.

At this point, it was impossible to stop the press from writing about it. The goal now was not to be overshadowed by Jo Jae-Kyung\'s narrative.

\'How do I balance this out?\' I thought hard.

Just then, Ju Yung-In approached me with quick steps. "Oppa, don\'t fall for it. That guy is doing this on purpose."

"I\'m sorry?"

"There\'s a rumor that he completed a film while in the U.S." she continued.

\'No way. Could it be? Did Jo Jae-Kyung return early because he finished producing The Thousand-Year Fox ahead of schedule?\'

The future had shifted in ways I wasn\'t aware of.

"So this whole stunt is something coordinated with CK Entertainment?" I asked.

"Bingo. He probably sees this as the perfect opportunity to go head-to-head with Director Choi."

It was a clever move to target the period when other studios were avoiding releasing their films against Choi Sung-Moon\'s.

The Thousand-Year Fox hadn\'t even released a trailer yet, so it would likely be at least three weeks before it hit the theaters. That meant I also had to go all out during that time.

Thanks to Ju Yung-In, I now had a clear grasp of the situation. I turned to her and expressed my gratitude. "Thank you."

Ju Yung-In seemed taken aback and her eyes widened. "Do you really mean it?"

"Yes. Thanks to you, I\'ve cleared my head."

At that moment, she blinked and spoke up. "Um… if that\'s the case, could you do me a favor?"

"If it\'s within my capabilities."

"It\'s not too hard. When we go to China, could you come with me? Director Wang Long said he\'d like you to come along too. Look at this."

Ju Yung-In pulled out her phone and showed me an email from Wang Long.

She was scheduled for a meeting in China soon because of her role in the upcoming film Wolf of the Battlefield.

Since Ace Entertainment didn\'t have a talent agent who spoke Chinese and because of my close relationship with Wang Long, he had requested my presence.

While it wasn\'t a difficult favor, leaving Yoo-Jin behind made me hesitate.

She continued, "For this trip, I\'ll leave the Chinese agency\'s revenue in your hands, Mr. Jung. I\'ll also send a cooperation letter to Hoop Entertainment to make it official business."

Though the president of Ace Entertainment might not be pleased, Ju Yung-In didn\'t seem bothered.

She pointed out that Ace Entertainment hadn\'t played any part in securing her role in Wolf of the Battlefield, so they wouldn\'t have much to complain about.

That\'s when Yoo-Jin chimed in from beside me. "Oppa, you should go."

"Huh? Really?"

"Yes. You have an appointment to meet with Wang Long oppa and his father, and you mentioned you wanted to see Ling Ling too. It makes sense to get everything done while you\'re there."

"Well, that\'s true. But… are you really okay with that?" I asked Yoo-Jin.

Yoo-Jin nodded. "Yes, I\'m fine with it."

It was impossible to read her thoughts because she was smiling brightly. Given the circumstances, I agreed to Ju Yung-In\'s proposal.

I turned to Ju Yung-In. "Under one condition: I\'ll arrange the schedule. And let\'s focus on dealing with that guy first for now. We\'ll talk about the rest later."

After finishing our conversation, I headed back to the theater to summon someone who could handle Jo Jae-Kyung.

Just then, Choi Sung-Moon came out of the screening room after finishing his greetings.

"Team Lead Jung, what\'s going on? What\'s with that look on your face?" Choi Sung-Moon asked.

"Mr. Choi, you came out at just the right time."

If anyone could stand up to Jo Jae-Kyung, it was Choi Sung-Moon. I immediately informed him that Jo Jae-Kyung was belittling Beyond the Boundary.

As soon as he heard this, Choi Sung-Moon shouted loudly at Jo Jae-Kyung, "Director Jo! What on earth are you saying right now?"

Jo Jae-Kyung shrugged nonchalantly with a smug expression. "Can\'t I have an opinion as a fellow director?"

No matter how much of a genius Jo Jae-Kyung was, there was no way Choi Sung-Moon would stand being insulted by a much younger hoobae.

"What? Fellow director? Where does a brat still wet behind the ears get off talking like that?" Choi Sung-Moon snapped.

Known for his fiery temper, Choi Sung-Moon pointed his finger at Jo Jae-Kyung and approached him aggressively.

In response, Jo Jae-Kyung escalated his provocations even further. "That\'s a bit harsh, don\'t you think? Let\'s be honest here—it\'s true that your works are a bit too formulaic, Mr. Choi!"

With voices raised, it seemed like the two might come to blows at any moment. I quickly held onto the agitated Choi Sung-Moon as my goal was to silence Jo Jae-Kyung, not to create headlines about Choi Sung-Moon\'s involvement in an altercation.

I whispered directly into Choi Sung-Moon\'s ear while ensuring only he could hear. "Mr. Choi, I have a way to bring Director Jo down. So please calm down for now and redirect the reporters\' attention toward us."

Fuming, Choi Sung-Moon asked me, "You really have a way to take down that bastard?"

Knowing Jo Jae-Kyung\'s weaknesses, I confidently replied, "Yes, Mr. Choi!"

"Alright then, let\'s do it."

Choi Sung-Moon took a deep breath and began to compose himself.

Just at that moment, Jo Jae-Kyung boldly made an explosive announcement to the reporters as he felt like he had won the argument. "Oh, by the way, my first commercial film, The Thousand-Year Fox, will be released nationwide next week. My film features a much more sophisticated direction, so I suggest comparing it with Beyond the Boundary."

The screening venue erupted in chaos in an instant.

Instead of congratulating the team on their movie premiere, Jo Jae-Kyung had shamelessly promoted his own film.

As Ju Yung-In had said, CK Entertainment was seizing this moment to position Jo Jae-Kyung as a rival to Choi Sung-Moon.

Of course, it was clear that Jo Jae-Kyung had eagerly volunteered for this role. In my past life, Jo Jae-Kyung had a history of climbing to the top by trampling on other directors.

I scoffed. \'Is that how you want to play it, Jo Jae-Kyung?\'

I stared at Jo Jae-Kyung as he declared war against Beyond the Boundary, and began to recall every piece of information I knew about him from my past life.

I was determined to bring him down.

Ristretto\'s Thoughts

Ristretto: Damn. Jo Jae-Kyung messed with the wrong person

Maggy: HAHA can\'t wait to see how Jo Jae-Kyung is gonna regret this. Also,I feel like at this point, Yoo-Jin and Jung Yoon-Ho are unofficially a couple lolol