After coming out of the movie theater, Choe Daeman searched for Shadowman William on his phone. It seemed that everyone had already searched for it, as it appeared in the auto-suggestions.
[Shadowman William]
[Shadowman William as a child actor]
[Shadowman William Lee Seojun]
He glanced at the passing text.
Lee Seojun.
Suddenly, the image of the adorable baby from long ago flashed in his mind like a bolt of lightning. Choe Daeman unknowingly opened his mouth.
"Lee Seojun? Lee Seojun!?"
Choe Daeman's finger pressed the search button.
A character information window appeared. In the window, which displayed the most famous person with the same name, there was a photo of a smiling child.
Although he had grown significantly since Choe Daeman saw him four years ago, his bright eyes and distinct facial features were still recognizable.
"Really Seojun!?"
It was Lee Seojun, who had appeared in the Elephant Milk commercial with Choe Daeman.
He felt a chill. Although he had thought Seojun was a genius, he had expected him to act in bigger roles, not to go to America and appear in a Marin Company movie.
"Truly a genius."
Choe Daeman entered a nearby cafe, ordered an iced Americano, and sat down. He then started browsing the internet about Shadowman and Lee Seojun.
There were plenty of articles about what had happened in the past month, including the Elephant Milk commercial, [48 Hours with Brownblack and Jun], which Choe Daeman had watched because Seojun was in it, and [Shadowman].
WNET was airing a rerun titled [48 Hours with the Hollywood Child Actor Lee Seojun!].
There were also many clickbait articles like "Youngest Korean Hollywood Child Actor!" and "Korean Chosen by Marin Company!"
While there were some malicious comments saying, "He's just an extra," there were also many comments praising him.
As Choe Daeman read the screen, he soon made a phone call.
"Ah, it's been a while. Team Leader Kang Sora."
The recipient was Team Leader Kang Sora from Elephant Company.
* * *
"So, I came to talk to you about it."
Seojun sucked on his orange juice. Uh, sure. Team Leader Kang Sora, who was sitting in front of him, laughed lightly.
"There's nothing we can do about the law."
"I'm really sorry."
Seo Eun-hye shook her head. Since the law was set, there was nothing Team Leader Kang Sora could do.
Every year, they sent gifts for Seollal and Chuseok, and they also sent gifts for Seojun's birthday. It was already good enough that she came to explain in person.
"Then, will the milk commercial not be shown at all?"
"No, people will come up with loopholes. But we plan not to air the commercial at all."
"I see."
The milk commercial was banned. Not only in Korea, but in over 120 countries that were members of the WHO, there was an international regulation banning milk commercials to prevent the misuse of formula. This led to the end of the formula CF that Seojun had filmed.
There was another reason. With the advancement of technology, there was a significant difference in TV quality.
While the commercial was effective, it was not suitable for future customers other than parents of babies. It was already a significant achievement to air the CF that was filmed four years ago for four years.
To break the somber mood, Kang Sora spoke up.
"Ah, I saw Seojun in the movie. You did an amazing job."
"Seojun likes acting, so I'm thinking of sending him to an acting school these days."
Team Leader Kang Sora's eyes rolled.
"An acting school? If Seojun, who has already filmed a Marin Company movie, goes to an acting school... "
It would cause a commotion. Posters would be put up on the walls of the acting school, and the school principal would appear on TV to promote it using Seojun's name.
Besides that, many other things would happen, but they would likely not be good.
As Team Leader Kang Sora trailed off, Seo Eun-hye, who had guessed what she was worried about, smiled bitterly.
"That's why I'm considering it. Acting isn't something you can do alone. Neither I nor Seojun's father know much about acting, and we can only awkwardly play opposite roles."
Seo Eun-hye looked at Seojun, who was watching a movie-related documentary on his phone while drinking orange juice, and continued.
"I wish there was a friend who could play opposite roles or a teacher who knows acting well."
"I see."
"Moreover, scripts are coming in for Seojun, but I don't know which ones are good."
Since the connection between Seojun and Brownblack became known, proposals were pouring in to Seo Eunchan, Brownblack's manager. It was surprising how many companies made commercials.
Additionally, many scripts and synopses were coming in from drama and movie producers.
Since she couldn't distinguish between good and bad, she had rejected all of them. Seojun also shook his head, seemingly not finding a script he liked.
At that moment,
Buzz, buzz—
Feeling the vibration from her handbag, Kang Sora picked up her bag and stood up.
"Just a moment."
"Take your time."
Kang Sora, who was talking on the phone in a corner of the cafe, returned to her seat with a subtle expression.
"Seojun's mother."
"Yes?"
"I... Do you remember the director from the last CF we filmed?"
"Yes, I remember."
Seo Eun-hye and Seojun nodded. It was their first CF filming. Every moment was etched in their memory. They remembered the kind director who called Seojun a genius and offered to help, even giving them his phone number.
"Director Choe Daeman wants to meet you. What should we do?"
"Why would the director suddenly want to?"
"The director is making a movie and wants you to read the script once."
Kang Sora spoke cautiously. Seojun was already a famous child actor, with articles online saying that scripts were flying in from Hollywood. She wondered if it was appropriate to ask this.
"I want to read it!"
"Since you're already reading most of the scripts, it should be fine."
At the mention of the script, Seojun raised his hand.
Perhaps because his bright smile in Shadowman left a deep impression, or because they didn't believe in the acting ability of a 6-year-old, most of the scripts coming in for Seojun were roles where he stood still and smiled. They were all rejected as they were uninteresting.
Seo Eun-hye also nodded. It wasn't a request to appear in a movie without a plan, but a request to read the script and make a judgment. Moreover, it was a director they had a connection with, so she felt more inclined to help.
"Should I give you the director's phone number? Or should I forward it to you by email?"
"Can you give me the director's phone number?"
Four years ago, the note with Director Choe Daeman's phone number, which Seo Eun-hye had kept for Seojun's future, was still between the pages of her notebook.
However, it might have changed in four years, so Seo Eun-hye entered the number given by Kang Sora into her phone.
Seo Eun-hye first sent a text to Choe Daeman to find out when he was available for a call. She wanted to talk when both Lee Min-joon and Seojun were present. Choe Daeman replied that any time was fine.
After dinner, the whole family gathered around their phones. Seo Eun-hye made the call.
"Ah, a mystery movie."
Seojun and Lee Min-joon looked at their mother talking to Director Choe Daeman.
"A mystery movie."
"Mystery?"
Seojun searched for mystery genre movies with his father. There were more genres than he thought. From ghost movies to those with supernatural powers or detective stories.
"Horror movies are included. If it's a horror movie, will Seojun play a ghost?"
"Sure! Am I a ghost?"
"Maybe. In Japanese movies, children have played ghosts. Or, in a detective movie, maybe a victim?"
"Victim?"
"Hmm, someone who is hurt by the villain?"
While looking at the search results, the two discussed the roles Seojun might play. There were many genres and roles that Seojun could play.
"What role will Seojun play?"
Seo Eun-hye asked, and Choe Daeman responded. After hearing the answer, Seo Eun-hye had a puzzled look and quietly put down her phone.
Lee Min-joon and Seojun, curious about the conversation with Director Choe Daeman, peeked at Seo Eun-hye, who had a dazed expression.
"Why?"
"Mom, what role am I playing?"
"A ghost? It's a mystery movie, right?"
Is it that surprising? Seo Eun-hye, who had been looking Seojun up and down, finally spoke.
"A shaman."
"......What?"
To Lee Min-joon's puzzled question, Seo Eun-hye repeated.
"A baby shaman who exorcises ghosts."
Shaman?
"What's a shaman?"
Seojun, holding his parents' hands, asked while looking at them with a complicated expression.
At 6 years old, Seojun had never seen a shaman on TV, in newspapers, or in storybooks. In fact, it was the first time he had heard the word.
Seo Eun-hye printed the script she received from Choe Daeman. It was not the entire script but the part where Seojun appeared. She also printed a file with the story of the baby shaman set by Choe Daeman.
"Does a shaman wear this kind of clothes?"
"Yes, colorful, right?"
"Why do they wear it?"
"......I don't know? Dad doesn't know either?"
Meanwhile, Lee Min-joon explained about shamans to Seojun. When they searched for images of shamans, there were many photos of people in colorful, elaborate clothes with their arms spread wide. Seojun frowned as he looked at the photos.
"What are they doing?"
"That's......"
Lee Min-joon quickly moved to the next photo, unable to say, "They're riding a spirit boat."
"This is something Seojun won't do."
Even without reading the script, he knew. Who would make a 6-year-old ride a spirit boat?
The next photo was no better. It seemed to be a shaman with messy hair, dancing wildly, leaving a chaotic trail. Lee Min-joon sighed.
"Is this dancing?"
"This is....... a ritual."
"Ritual?"
"It's a dance to drive away evil spirits from a person's body. It's a dance to make all the bad things disappear."
Lee Min-joon explained as much as he knew. Seojun blinked.
"What happens to a shaman?"
"A very powerful god enters the shaman's body. The shaman uses that power to tell fortunes."
"Doesn't that make the shaman a bad ghost?"
"......Help!"
Lee Min-joon threw in the towel. Seojun laughed, finding it amusing. Although he didn't know the word "shaman," he thought he understood it from his father's explanation. So, it was like a priest or an archangel.
"Okay, Seojun. Shall we read the script?"
"Sure!"
Everyone sat on the sofa, and Seo Eun-hye slowly read the script. The part where the baby shaman appeared was not long but very important.
Seo Eun-hye's calm voice, like reading a bedtime story, stopped. She asked Seojun, who was listening intently.
"What do you think? Do you want to do it?"
"Sure!"
Seojun nodded. Unlike other scripts, this one had lines, and he wasn't just standing there smiling. Moreover, it was a climactic part of the movie.
"Got it. I'll contact the director."
Seo Eun-hye picked up her phone and called Director Choe Daeman.
Seojun handed the A4 paper with the printed script to his father, who was sitting next to him, and climbed onto his lap.
"Why?"
"Read it with me. I need to memorize the lines!"
Lee Min-joon, who had opened his eyes wide, smiled and patted Seojun's head.
"Already practicing? Okay, I'll help you."
Seojun leaned against his father's chest and looked at the script his father was holding. He skipped the scene numbers and background descriptions and read only the directions and lines he needed to know.
"Suhyuk knocks on the door. No other sound is heard. Then......"
"How many times?"
"How many times did he knock? Creak, the door opens, and a young child appears. Suhyuk, is this Yong?"
"Yonghan."
"There's a powerful shaman here......"
Lee Min-joon helped with the parts that had final consonants or difficult words. Seojun slowly read through the script.