Chapter 623
* * *
“Aaaaaaaaargh!”
With a thunderous roar unlike anything before, Gong Mujin dropped to his knees. The emotional weight carried by the phrase ten million was beyond anything he had imagined.
The sleepless nights he'd spent crying, terrified that this film might fail to match the dazzling success of his previous work, flashed before his eyes like scenes from a lifetime.
“We finally hit ten million!!!”
Gong Mujin threw himself to the floor, forehead pressed against the ground.
He wasn't the only one overwhelmed.
The distribution team and the JC ENM staff—half hopeful, half already bracing themselves for disappointment—covered their mouths with trembling hands.
“It actually happened...”
“It really happened...”
But unlike Gong Mujin, none of them dared celebrate without restraint.
“There's still a long way to go.”
“Exactly...”
A tentpole film of this scale stayed in theaters for at least a month and a half, even with a relatively short run. If they stretched out the final screening period, it could remain in cinemas for as long as three months.
Which meant...
If they'd already reached ten million—
“We might even set a new record!”
“Hahahaha! This is unbelievable!”
...
Yun Hyeonjo, Kwak Cheolsik, and Jun Cedric Valentian all felt the same thing.
〈Faster Than the Law 3〉 wasn't just the strongest entry in the series.
It was also the fastest-selling one.
“We might even reach fifteen million!”
One of the distribution team members voiced the most optimistic prediction the data could support.
“Please don't put that kind of pressure on me now that I can finally breathe... I seriously thought my stomach was going to tear apart. Every morning it felt like I was coughing up bile. You know that bitter taste in your mouth, right? You get what I mean?”
Director Gong sprang to his feet after fully savoring his joy on the floor.
“Ah, this isn't the time! I've got to share the good news!”
Without hesitation, one person came to mind.
At that moment, everyone was thinking of the same actor.
After all, the miracle of three ten-million films couldn't be explained without her.
“She must be incredibly busy. What's the point of calling?”
“Are you kidding? That little rascal's gonna be over the moon!!! It already sucks she isn't here to share this moment!”
“...She probably already knows.”
Ignoring everyone else, Director Gong called Han Yeoreum.
The call connected after only a few seconds.
Since it was a video call, the face they'd all been hoping to see soon filled the screen.
“You little brat!!!”
Kwak Cheolsik snatched Director Gong's phone.
“Hey! We've got great news!!!”
“I told you she already knows...”
“Have you adjusted to the time difference yet?”
“Hey! That's my phone! Miss Yeoreum! Can you hear me? Miss Yeoreum!”
The waiting room for the 〈Faster Than the Law 3〉 team instantly became noisy.
Just one more person joining the conversation filled the room with life.
“Aren't you curious what the good news is? Huh?”
—What is it? Besides us hitting ten million?
“Ha! She already knows!”
“I told you she would.”
“Have you eaten?”
“Miss Yeoreum! Which day are you coming back? Once we're done with the stage greetings, let's all get together! Can you hear me? Miss Yeoreum!”
The phone was still firmly in Kwak Cheolsik's hands.
Unable to help herself, Han Yeoreum burst into laughter at Director Gong's desperate attempts to be heard.
—I'll be back in Korea next Monday after Fashion Week is over!
“Oh! Fashion Week! Look at you, little rascal. You're really making it big now.”
“Did you pick out your outfits? You left in such a hurry.”
“Wear comfortable shoes.”
“Miss Yeoreum! Just let us know once you've recovered from the trip! It'd be too sad if we waited until the movie left theaters before meeting up! No, no—we absolutely have to film the promise video when we hit twelve million! Miss Yeoreum! Can you hear me?”
Watching everyone talk over each other, the distribution team couldn't help smiling.
The bond within the 〈Faster Than the Law 3〉 cast was something special.
—I've got to board my flight now! I'll contact you once I get to New York!
On the screen, Han Yeoreum was clearly hurrying somewhere, laughing between quick breaths.
—By the time I leave, make sure you've already hit eleven million!
Her smile spread to the four people watching the screen.
Every one of them found themselves grinning.
—Have a good trip!
The call ended with nothing more than an ordinary farewell.
And yet, something inside each of them tightened with emotion.
The JC ENM employees, remembering Han Yeoreum's earliest days after her debut, found their eyes growing moist.
Knock, knock.
“What are you all doing?”
“Huh? We're... feeling emotional.”
“You have another stage greeting to attend. This isn't the time.”
A theater staff member stepped into the waiting room.
It was time to meet the audience of 〈Faster Than the Law 3〉 once again.
Fifteen million...
As the team walked down the theater hallway, the exact same goal occupied every one of their minds.
It sounded impossible.
But for some reason, it no longer felt unattainable.
The power of belief was stronger than people realized.
After all, someone who constantly proved everyone wrong was standing closer to them than anyone else.
“We'll now begin the stage greeting for 〈Faster Than the Law 3〉. Please take your seats.”
The theater attendant addressed the audience.
Amid the familiar, pleasantly chaotic atmosphere, the 〈Faster Than the Law 3〉 team walked forward with brighter smiles than ever before.
* * *
The moment 〈Faster Than the Law 3〉 crossed the ten-million mark, the entire internet erupted.
The first place the news spread was the 〈Faster Than the Law 3〉 Minor Gallery.
[〈Faster Than the Law 3〉 Minor Gallery]
[I think this one's got the biggest audience yet. It'll probably reach thirteen million.]
The production quality is the best in the series, and since they clearly put the most effort into it, the general audience loves it lol.
The hate before release was absolutely insane, but the second it came out, all that disappeared. Honestly, it feels so satisfying.
Anonymous (11.7): Thirteen million might be pushing it. I think it'll end somewhere in the high twelve millions.
Anonymous (28.221): The audience numbers still aren't dropping, so thirteen million looks totally possible.
[If they do stage greetings for twenty more weeks, two thousand million is possible lol.]
Please.
Anonymous (12.3): Holy shit, that's actor abuse.
Anonymous (2.881): JC, are you watching? Hurry up and schedule it lol.
Fans excitedly spread the news of 〈Faster Than the Law 3〉 reaching ten million everywhere.
Thanks to the stage greetings that had strengthened the audience's attachment to the cast, the news spread at an extraordinary speed.
[Drama & Movie Actors TALK / No matter how much people criticize it, there's still no movie like Faster Than the Law lol.]
It's a crime movie, but somehow it doesn't have those creepy sexual harassment jokes only the writers find funny, random women stripping for no reason, or brutally murdered female corpses. Honestly, movies like that are harder to find these days.
—Anonymous 1: Seriously. Add a male lead without any scandals and it's practically an endangered species...
↳ Original Poster: Every movie has to throw at least one of those in.
↳ Anonymous 4: ...Moment of silence.
—Anonymous 9: Looking at it like this, Faster Than the Law really is the perfect combination. I hope they keep making them like this forever.
[HOT / The Faster Than the Law 3 cast after achieving three ten-million movies today.jpg]
(Director Gong performing a deep bow.jpg)
(The entire cast performing a deep bow together.jpg)
They're bowing even lower now.
—Anonymous 1: Holy shit, I'm dying lololololol.
—Anonymous 5: I came in here expecting some new controversy with the biggest frown on my face.
↳ Anonymous 12: Same... ^^ I thought something had exploded again.
↳ Anonymous 26: I was actually there. The atmosphere was amazing. It was just... "Alright, alright, Mujin. We'll see you again tomorrow," kind of feeling lol.
↳ Anonymous 42: It's hilarious. I totally get it. Mujin never acts like he's trying to lecture the audience. He just feels like one of my friends who's finally getting the success he deserves.
View (@fromyoureyes)
(Article about Han Yeoreum achieving three ten-million films.jpg)
Quite an extraordinary career for someone still in her twenties.
Reposts: 2,212 Likes: 3,291
↳ The lineup of 〈ParCheHi〉, 〈Strange Tales〉, and 〈War with the Rule of Law〉 is honestly ridiculous. It's like heaven personally decreed that she absolutely had to become an actress.
↳ Seriously. Thank you, Jesus~~!
[Today's BEST / The profile badge only actors with three ten-million films receive.jpg]
(Kwak Cheolsik's portal profile photo.jpg)
(Yun Hyeonjo's portal profile photo.jpg)
(Han Yeoreum's portal profile photo.jpg)
A gold trophy means one ten-million film.
Three ten-million films earn you a white star on top of it.
—That's insanely cool lol.
—Getting even one ten-million movie is hard enough. Three is absolutely insane...
—Han Yeoreum's still only in her mid-twenties. Her career is absolutely unbelievable.
↳ (Han Yeoreum's awards list.jpg) Looking back, she really worked like an ox.
↳ I thought Yeon Huijae was already her peak, but how did she improve this fast...
—I saw Han Yeoreum in person during the stage greetings for 〈Faster Than the Law〉 years ago. Someone seriously needs to grab the cinematographer by the collar. She's unbelievably cute, adorable... honestly, just an angel.
—Isn't Han Yeoreum basically a legendary actress at this point?
The online buzz exploded in real time.
Receiving the reports, Jegal Rok simply rested his chin on one hand and scrolled through them as though nothing about this was particularly surprising.
An expected success.
There wasn't much else to say.
“So the next step is...”
Not another supporting role that happened to become part of three ten-million films.
She needed to take the next leap as a true film actress.
Jegal Rok examined every screenplay that had arrived at JC ENM, every script circulating around Chungmuro, and even every award-winning screenplay from public competitions.
Among them, one stood out above the rest.
“Eom Gyun.”
Kim Bomi in 〈Good Times〉 was the perfect role for shedding Han Yeoreum's previous image.
It would be the perfect opportunity to show not only the public but critics as well...
...that Han Yeoreum had no limits.
If, after achieving three ten-million films, her next movie also surpassed ten million admissions, no one would ever be able to call her merely an A-list actress again.
From then on...
She would truly stand at the very top.
Just as Jegal Rok was about to finish reviewing the reports, the internal phone beside his nameplate rang loudly.
“Yes?”
He answered calmly.
But moments later, the news he heard left him speechless.
The scale of it was beyond anything he had imagined.
It almost felt as though Han Yeoreum had personally announced it to him in advance.
Even someone like Jegal Rok couldn't have predicted this.
It was completely outside the bounds of expectation.
“Who exactly is the head?”
She had only just taken her first step into the American market.
Yet JC ENM's only signed actress was already making an extraordinary entrance.
A single star opening the door to a new market had produced results far beyond anyone's imagination.
* * *
Maeng Byeonggwan's hands trembled as he watched the public reaction.
“Damn it! Who the hell gave them permission to call her a legendary actress?!”
The moment Han Yeoreum secured her third ten-million film, article after article flooded the internet.
After all, she had become the first person in her twenties ever to achieve the feat.
Naturally, Maeng Byeonggwan's articles were buried beneath the avalanche.
['Teen Gambling Depicted Far Too Explicitly'... Is the Overly Provocative 〈Faster Than the Law 3〉 Really Acceptable?]
[Targeting Young Viewers? 〈Faster Than the Law 3〉's Open Mockery and Ridicule... "We Get Hurt Too," Say Teenagers Afraid of Making Mistakes]
["Painfully Predictable"... Harsh Criticism Pours In As 〈Faster Than the Law 3〉 Dominates Theaters, Leaving Korean Cinema Shaken]
Instead of the carefully crafted "facts" Maeng Byeonggwan had strategically written, articles designed to curry favor with JC ENM occupied the front page.
[Han Yeoreum Tops Actor Brand Rankings... "An Undisputed Trendsetter," The Majesty of Three Ten-Million Films]
[From Web Dramas to Blockbuster Films... "I Just Worked Hard." Han Yeoreum's Astonishing Filmography Behind Her Triple Ten-Million Achievement]
[The Irreplaceable Scene-Stealer of 〈Faster Than the Law 3〉... Han Yeoreum's Precious Triple Ten-Million Milestone]
“Triple ten million, ten million, ten million... Is that all they can say?!”
This couldn't be happening.
Who was Maeng Byeonggwan?
A journalist among journalists, capable of making celebrities fall to their knees with nothing more than the threat of his razor-sharp pen.
But now...
As though all of that belonged to the distant past, his articles were being pushed further and further down.
The headlines that had always occupied the top position disappeared one after another without resistance.
—I'm seriously looking forward to Han Yeoreum's next project. I completely trust her eye for scripts.
↳ Same lol. Thanks as always, Yeoreum. That movie was amazing.
↳ She's officially in the "guaranteed great actor" category now.
The gap in pre-release buzz between 〈First-Year General〉 and 〈Code Name: Time Seven〉 had already become enormous.
Once Han Yeoreum returned from America, the first broadcast wouldn't be far away.
...
Maeng Byeonggwan came to a decision.
Things couldn't continue like this.
No matter how powerful JC ENM was in the cultural industry, he still wielded a weapon sharper than any blade—the pen of an intellectual.
Works that tackled social issues weren't supposed to be treated the same as ordinary romance stories.
“This'll be perfect to turn into a social issue.”
March had just begun.
It was the season when students were at their most anxious, and parents weren't much different.
Maeng Byeonggwan decided to exploit the social atmosphere.
After all, JC ENM wasn't the only one skilled at attracting attention.
“And seriously... a movie star? Go ahead and keep pushing that narrative.”
He knew something.
The wall of Chungmuro wasn't so easy to climb.
“You'll have a spectacular fall soon enough!”
He shouted the words like a vow.
Meanwhile, Maeng Byeonggwan's flushed face grew redder and redder as his articles continued sinking further down the rankings.