"Two large beers, a bottle of soju, and one order of fried chicken, right? If you need more soju, just let me know."
The restaurant owner approached us first as he recognized us regulars.
"Yes!"
Both Jun-seong and I answered almost simultaneously, and I pulled out the notes I had written earlier in my room from my bag.
"Here's the synopsis, and this is the storyboard."
For something put together in such a short time, it was quite a lot. Jun-seong's eyes widened with surprise.
"You actually had all this in your head? Wait, you put this together in just a few hours?"
"Just read it."
Jun-seong began slowly reading through the synopsis. His expression wasn't great. In fact, his face seemed to scrunch up more and more as he went on.
"Hey."
"What? You don't like it?"
"Are you really Kyung chan-Hyun?"
After placing the synopsis on the table, Jun-seong glared at me.
"Yesterday, weren't you the guy going on about how movies are art and should be crafted like literature? What the hell happened to you…?"
"Don't make a fuss just from reading the synopsis. Check out the script and storyboard too."
Jun-seong's eyes moved quickly.
It was as if he was simulating the shots in his head, thinking through the angles as he studied the storyboard.
"So, this is... a thriller, right? Do you have the rest of the story planned? This could really turn into a full-length film.
There's not enough time to properly build up the protagonist's character, and there are plenty of things that feel lacking.
But that's just a limitation of the short film format. If you could turn this into a feature-length…"
His reaction was completely different from when we worked on Blue Moon.
Jun-seong wasn't the type to feel any sort of inferiority toward me in the first place.
He came from a wealthy family that no one would envy as long as he lived a regular life.
Despite his parents' strong opposition, he applied to the film department and ended up
living with us without any financial support from them. It's admirable if you think about it, but also kind of foolish.
Back in our first year, he had some interest in directing and even admitted to feeling a little inferior to me. But not anymore.
He gave up on directing and focused entirely on film production.
While we were both in the film world, we had clearly chosen different paths.
Before my regression, I had no idea about any of this at this point in time.
Jun-seong hid it well, and he once told me that he hated how people treated him differently if they found out he was rich.
I vaguely recall learning about his background after wrapping up Blue Moon. He got completely wasted at the wrap party and accidentally let it slip.
"So, is the synopsis okay?
"It's not just okay; it's amazing! Do you see me getting this worked up over anything? This could be a groundbreaking new genre!"
"A locked-room thriller?"
"Damn, you've already come up with the genre name?"
"Well... yeah."
"That's a good name. A locked-room thriller. Way better than Blue Moon. I'm no expert in artistic merit, but commercially speaking, there's no comparison.
This is the kind of story that multiple production companies would be fighting over. You could even screen it as a short film at your dad's theater."
"We haven't even started shooting yet."
"Cheers!"
Jun-seong raised his beer glass to me. I lifted mine and clinked it against his.
"To Kyung chan-Hyun's locked-room thriller, The Woman in the Locked Room!"
The guy was shouting in the bar like he was already drunk, even though we hadn't had much to drink.
When the stares from people around us started to gather, he bowed his head apologetically.
Watching him, I couldn't help but laugh.
I had crossed more than 20 years of time, and here I was, having serious conversations about film with the young Jun-seong once again.
Even in a world where skilled directors had disappeared, Jun-seong's commercial insight into films remained sharp.
"When I look at the graduation projects from the seniors as a producer, there are barely any that would break even at the box office.
The direction is weak, and there are even projects still using Hitchcock's dolly zoom technique. Can you believe that? It's so outdated."
The dolly zoom technique is a method where the size of the subject remains the same while the background changes.
But wait.
I crossed my arms and fell into deep thought.
Stanley Kubrick exists, and so does Alfred Hitchcock.
So, do the famous classic directors exist, but there's a gap in between?
"Am I wrong, or right, huh?"
With his face flushed red, Jun-seong continued his passionate speech.
At this point, if we had one more bottle of soju, he'd probably spill his family secrets or confess the inferiority complex he used to have toward me in our first year. But I already knew all that, so what was the point of listening again?
"Of course, you're right."
"Eh? Why are you acting like that?"
I could feel the alcohol starting to hit me as well, making my head feel fuzzy.
Being young didn't make me stronger against alcohol. Compared to Kyung chan -Hyun in his 40s, I was actually worse at handling it in this younger body.
"What do you mean?"
"Usually, at this point, you'd be talking about how cinema is the culmination of past legacies or how the Nouvelle Vague was revolutionary. You'd also be ranting about how film critics today only care about commercial value."
"Oh...? Ah, right."
"What's going on? You're really acting weird."
I couldn't exactly tell him, "I met the god of cinema in 2022, traveled back in time, and that's why my thinking has changed."
Even if I said it, he wouldn't believe me and might think I was crazy. Heck, I might even end up in a mental hospital.
Instead, I decided to humor him with a performance that the old Kyung chan-Hyun would've given.
"Hey! Cinema is a comprehensive art form! Jean-Luc Godard! Claude Chabrol! Eric Rohmer! You can't just see films as a tool for making money!"
At my exaggerated rebuttal, Jun-seong smiled brightly and nodded his head in agreement. Then, his expression turned puzzled.
"But, wait... who's Jean-Luc Godard?"
"...."
I really need to watch what I say. I still haven't gotten used to this world.
___________________________________
The next morning, my mom was yelling at the two men who reeked of alcohol.
With drowsy faces, we both came out of our rooms to her voice.
Upon seeing me, Ms. Bong Ji-yoon exclaimed, "Oh my gosh, I can't live like this!" and smacked me on the back.
But the dried pollack soup on the table was steaming hot.
Jun-seong and I quickly finished the soup and headed to school.
We were known as the film-obsessed duo in the department.
One of us was crazy about the artistry of films, while the other was obsessed with making successful ones.
The former was me, and the latter was Jun-seong.
It might seem like we were complete opposites, but it wasn't hard to combine the two.
We had the best thing in common.
We were both crazy about movies.
As soon as we got to school, we threw ourselves into casting actors.
We posted casting calls on the school bulletin board. The Woman in the Locked Room would only require three characters.
The lead would be a fragile-looking woman, but she'd also need to be able to portray a strong, intense gaze.
The other two roles were for male actors. One needed to have a rough, thug-like appearance, and the other had to be good at playing a sleazy, underhanded character.
We posted our casting notice and left our contact number, asking potential actors to meet with us. We handed them the lines for the audition when they called.
Although the old-school analog method from the early 2000s was slow, it still felt like there was a sense of human connection left.
"Did you watch the videos of the people who applied? Anyone catch your eye? We need to send out rejection texts before the auditions."
Jun-seong asked.
"Hey, even Jae-hoon hyung applied."
"Wouldn't it be better to exclude him?"
Jun-seong suddenly got serious.
"Why?"
"His appearance is too ordinary. Don't you think he doesn't really suit a delinquent role?"
"No, I think he'd fit the part perfectly."
Jae-hoon. He was a year older than us because he had taken a gap year.
"Huh? That guy gives off more of a kind older brother vibe. He'd fit that kind of role, not a robber."
No. In the movie that comes out eight years from now, Jae-hoon hyung becomes quite the successful gangster actor, transitioning from his nice-guy image.
Because of his smiling expression, people at school think he's just a kind person, but he's an actor with countless personalities inside him.
With just one change in his expression, he can alter the entire mood of a scene.
"Let's just call him in for the audition. I really want to see it."
"Hmmm… What about Se-jin?"
"I think Se-jin would pair well with Jae-hoon hyung. The synergy between the two could be great."
"Hmm… If it's just Jae-hoon hyung alone, it might be a bit bland, but together with Se-jin, it might actually work."
"Let's just hold the auditions. Who knows, maybe we'll find someone better."
After narrowing down the list of male actors to audition, I moved on to the female leads.
Then I saw the name 'Kim Hyo-seon,' someone who wasn't even close to Jun-seong's top choices.
"Let's go with Hyo-seon for the female lead."
"Hyo-seon? No way, man. She's like fifth on the list. The top pick is Yeon-ji Kwak from the acting department! She's the campus queen! Are you crazy?"
"No, Hyo-seon is the one. That's a final decision."
"A final decision? Man, if we cast Yeon-ji Kwak, it's like hitting the jackpot! She even had a supporting role in a drama! There were articles calling her the next big thing!"
"We're not making a big commercial film here. As long as we get the audience to immerse themselves for 15 minutes, that's enough."
"What about the auditions…?"
Jun-seong looked disappointed.
In the past, I would've ignored anyone's opinion if I had solid information. But in this life, I wouldn't make that mistake.
It's better to collaborate and prove it instead of stubbornly rejecting other views.
There's nothing to lose from just holding auditions.
"Alright, let's include Yeon-ji Kwak in the auditions."
"Really? The guy with the stubborn streak is all grown up."
"But hey, you're not picking Yeon-ji out of personal interest, right?"
Jun-seong's face turned slightly red, and I couldn't help but laugh at the sight.
____________________________________
On audition day, we borrowed one of the classrooms at school.
There were about 15 people auditioning in total, but many more were waiting outside the classroom.
"Why are there so many people here?"
"It's because of Yeon-ji Kwak. I told you, she's already a star. They're probably just here to catch a glimpse of her."
Jun-seong organized the crowd and handed out the order numbers.
"Let's get started. Director Kyung, Yeon-ji Kwak asked to go first since she has another schedule."
"Alright, let's get started quickly."
In the empty classroom where we had cleared the desks, we welcomed the first applicant, Yeon-ji Kwak.
"Hello, I'm Kwak Yeon-ji, auditioning for the role of Jung-min."
"Alright, you can start when you're ready."
"Yes!"
The most important aspect of Jung-min, the protagonist in The Woman in the Locked Room, is her will to survive.
Her expression needs to convey that she would do anything to stay alive.
"Help! Please, help me!"
Yeon-ji Kwak's performance was terrible. Even in such a short line, she made a lasting impression.
The role of Jung-min isn't about looking pretty, but Yeon-ji seemed to have focused on practicing how to flaunt her beauty rather than understanding the character.
She completely misunderstood the essence of the role.
"Thank you for your time."
"Thank you! I'll be leaving now!"
Yeon-ji left the audition room with a confident expression, convinced she had nailed it. Jun-seong awkwardly smiled as he watched her leave.
"I told you she wasn't right."
"She's better suited for supporting roles…"
"That's not it. Back then, she fit the role, but for this one, she's just not the right fit."
In the recent drama that had gained a lot of attention, Yeon-ji had played a character that was basically her real self, so acting skills weren't really necessary.
Once Yeon-ji left the audition, most of the crowd disappeared along with her.
We finished auditioning the first four actors on the list, and then Hyo-seon finally walked into the room.
"Jun-seong, watch carefully. You'll see my keen eye for talent."
"Wait, are you already friends with Hyo-seon?"
"I plan to be."
"…?"