Life is Easier If You're Handsome novel Chapter 119

The meaning of an action often depends on who is taking it.

In the past, Kim Donghu declining a project didn’t carry much weight for industry insiders.

Actors choosing their roles was just a routine part of the business.

But now—

"Have we heard back? Did we set a meeting?"

When Kim Donghu turned down a project these days, it carried an entirely different significance.

He was, after all, a box-office guarantee.

Even his brief appearances on variety shows managed to hit peak ratings of over 30%.

Every project he participated in was at least a solid hit, if not an outright home run.

Rumors even circulated that he personally chose his scripts.

For a project to be rejected by Kim Donghu was essentially akin to labeling it a flop.

"No, he hasn’t responded. I don’t think we’ll be able to set a meeting."

"Hmm... Maybe if I meet him and explain, I can change his mind."

Director Kim Jihoon sighed with disappointment and reviewed his script again.

He was deeply satisfied with his work, especially the final scene, where the protagonist breaks down in tears with his family.

Even the investors had expressed their approval.

"Is it because of that?"

Kim Jihoon reexamined the details of the script he had sent to Kim Donghu.

It was set during the Joseon dynasty, with the story centered around the titular Tale of Steel. While it featured swords, it also introduced guns, showcasing the power of Joseon artillery.

"The imbalance creates both comedy and action."

Why couldn’t Donghu see its potential? Why would he reject it?

At that moment, Kim Jihoon felt an unexpected resentment toward the young actor.

And the news of Kim Donghu rejecting the project soon reached the ears of another actor.

"...Our youngest turned this down?"

"Yes."

"Really? Even knowing the investment was over 20 billion won, he said no?"

"Yes."

"Then I won’t do it either."

"What?! Why not?"

"I’m planning to join the same agency soon. It’d be weird for me to take on a project rejected by someone from my new agency, wouldn’t it?"

This actor was none other than Seo Jinwoo, who had recently been considering ending his hiatus.

"If Donghu turned it down, then not doing it is the right call."

Having spent his break after his role as a pilot in Flames of the Stage, Seo Jinwoo was planning his return to acting while transitioning to Veritas.

"Whether it was Swordsman Baek Dongsoo, Flames of the Stage, or now..."

Seo Jinwoo had learned to trust his instincts when it came to following Donghu’s lead.

Whenever Donghu made a decisive move, it almost always turned out to be the right choice.

As April unfolded and the flowers began to bloom, the movie was entering its final stages. Only editing remained.

Conversations about Japanese dubbing were already underway.

"The voice actors for the Japanese dub have been mostly cast."

"Already?"

"Yeah, they seem to have prepped this alongside production. Even the recording location is nearly finalized. You’ll probably be in Japan for about six weeks."

"Six weeks..."

"Yeah. I’ll confirm once the final cut is ready, but that’s the plan."

"Got it."

Listening to Seokho-hyung, I gathered my thoughts.

"Six weeks in Japan, huh."

Not bad.

With the possibility of tacking on a Golden Bell overseas trip or something similar, it meant—

"I’ll have at least eight weeks there."

Two months. Even excluding work, I’d be able to enjoy a perfect vacation schedule.

"Sounds great."

Excited for what lay ahead, I went about my routine.

I attended school classes for the first time in a while, learning theory, and fully immersed myself in everyday life—things I hadn’t had time for because of my schedule.

Then came July.

"Donghu, they’ve finished the final cut."

"Wow, already?"

I was surprised at how quickly time had passed.

Maybe it was because so much had happened recently.

Among the big events was this headline:

『 Shocking! Seo Jinwoo’s New Home is Here? 』

『 A Pilot Reunites with the Young Prince! Veritas Welcomes Seo Jinwoo! 』

Jinwoo-hyung joining our agency had been the biggest news.

It was seamless, as if it had always been meant to happen. Jinwoo-hyung transitioned to Veritas without any drama.

Of course, Veritas couldn’t offer him the lucrative deals that larger agencies could.

But Jinwoo-hyung didn’t care about that.

He made one simple request in his contract.

"You really signed for this, hyung?"

"Yeah. That’s all I need. Honestly, it’s the reason I joined. You’ll agree to it, right?"

"Of course. If that’s what brings you to our agency, I’m all for it."

His condition was for me to pre-screen any scripts sent his way.

Essentially, he wanted me to act as his personal script evaluator.

"That’s not hard at all."

The final cut of The Traitor: Roots of Corruption was no exception.

The edits added immense impact, making it rival Star Wars.