Life is Easier If You're Handsome-Chapter 213

"So, are you saying you want to put Kim Donghu on Broadway? In The Phantom of the Opera?"

"Yes, that's exactly it."

"His face is already well-known, but... still, in the U.S., Kim Donghu is seen as a boxer."

"That’s true, but his ticket sales are guaranteed. Even the top athletes have mentioned him."

"So, you’re saying that everyone will definitely come just because a boxer is doing a musical? Don’t you think you’re being overly optimistic?"

At that, there was a brief pause in the conversation.

Honestly, when I first heard this plan, it seemed incredibly idealistic.

‘Sounds good, sounds good, but it’s all a little too perfect.’

Berry Lad Ice knew the world didn’t work that easily.

"Okay, so you’re saying with your agency’s power, you’ll set up the stage and promote it. But what if the ticket sales don’t meet expectations?"

"Is that what you’re worried about?"

"Of course! Even though it's the off-season, there are still plenty of people who will come to see the musical."

Even though it was the off-season,

there were many promotions aimed at surviving that period.

While new attempts are often made during the off-season,

it was unprecedented to cast an Asian actor as the lead.

And to do so in one of the best-selling musicals, The Phantom of the Opera?

These kinds of events usually last about a month to a month and a half.

The moment the first show fails, they’ll be looking at a huge loss.

"This is a double-edged sword. If it succeeds, it could be a solid foundation for Disney... but if it fails..."

If Tarzan fails,

it may never even be brought up again.

At that point, it might be better to just raise their voices and keep pushing forward.

Berry Lad Ice considered this.

"I didn’t know you were this timid."

"What?"

"How did you manage to make your movies successful up until now? You’ve always done whatever it takes to succeed."

Berry Lad Ice was caught off guard by the sudden shift in tone.

What? Why is he saying this now?

‘Of course, this isn't an issue that will persuade me.’

There’s no direct connection between The Phantom of the Opera and Tarzan.

If the musical succeeds, it’ll add weight to their words. If it fails, it’s over.

There's no need to worry about the pros and cons; it’s all about the results.

But why is he provoking me like this, even with a phone call?

‘He probably wants to raise CAE’s standing in Disney.’

He saw himself as the bridge between the two, subtly pushing for me to align with CAE rather than Disney.

And further than that...

‘He probably wants to push Evelyn as well.’

Evelyn, despite her talents, had relatively few followers on social media.

Given the trend where ticket power is often linked to social media following, CAE saw this as a chance to remedy that by leveraging the support of a major production company.

‘To break into movies and expand her career, this is probably the better path.’

There’s no denying that CAE is a major agency,

but they’re not powerful enough to dominate the entire industry.

Anyway,

As Berry Lad Ice sorted out his thoughts, preparing to speak again...

"If you’re worried, you can come see for yourself."

"...?"

The other person continued.

What was with this confidence?

Berry Lad Ice, puzzled, listened as the conversation continued.

"We’ve already seen the rehearsals and experienced it firsthand."

The words from the CAE representative ended the call.

What did they mean by "experienced it"?

Berry Lad Ice couldn’t understand, but an intense curiosity began to grow.

***

Kim Donghu had broken the record for the most audience members in Korea.

Everyone was wondering what his musical talents were like.

After finishing his jet lag, he immediately jumped into rehearsals.

Initially, they weren’t going to start rehearsals right away.

The plan was to spend more time practicing together to sync up.

But then...

"We can go straight into rehearsals. Please trust me."

The Korean actor, Kim Donghu, claimed he had already memorized the script.

Of course, there was plenty of time.

The script had been given to him in October of the previous year,

and now it was early January 2019.

If he wanted, he could have memorized it by now and practiced enough.

But that didn’t mean rehearsing with others was the same as practicing solo.

Still, he asked them to trust him.

Considering the cost of rehearsals,

this request should have been denied.

‘But why ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) did they accept it...?’

It was because of his face.

His looks were so captivating that it was hard to refuse him.

It wasn’t just that the staff responded quickly to his words.

They were moving as if enchanted by his appearance.

In that situation, how could anyone say no?

"But I didn’t think he’d actually be this good."

"Honestly, it wasn’t like he was perfect."

After the rehearsal, people realized.

"He really brought The Phantom of the Opera to life."

It was as if the real Phantom appeared on stage.

The Phantom, who loves Christine with an obsession,

showed his true self, hating himself while loving her.

What was most surprising was his singing ability.

He had never formally studied music, yet he was able to produce perfect musical vocals.

When Kim Donghu proved his abilities completely,

the Phantom of the Opera team could feel the tension evaporating.

As if on cue, scandals regarding the original Phantom actor began to spread.

With accusations of sexual assault and harassment,

the lead actor’s career plummeted, and to fill that gap, The Phantom of the Opera immediately started promotions.

So, on January 15th,

at a theater on Broadway,

the first show of The Phantom of the Opera with a new lead actor opened.

***

The Phantom of the Opera is so famous that it goes without saying.

It has been made into a movie, and it’s something that’s often played during elementary school music classes.

So I thought I had a good grasp of the emotions behind it.

‘But when I actually entered the script, it was on a completely different level.’

The obsession with the woman I’ve watched since childhood.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

The intense possessiveness, love, and the desire to create a stage for her.

I realized that those emotions were far deeper than I had imagined.

Thud!

The moment the stage lights hit,

I immediately became Erik, the Phantom.

And a woman appeared in front of me.

‘Christine.’

She was the one I had nurtured with an angelic voice since I was a child.

I had loved her, felt her potential, and believed that she was the only one for me.

She, too, should have only looked at me, but suddenly, a man appeared and disrupted everything.

I wanted to kill him.

She was mine.

She was my possession, and only I should have had her.

Those deep emotions spread through my body.

Slowly, I began to dominate the stage.

Having already experienced the stage through the theater troupe Flame,

I knew exactly how to take control of this space.

This was my domain now.

I had to show the audience who came to see The Phantom of the Opera

why they called me a monster, why they referred to me as a ghost.

It was time to show them clearly.

***

"...!"

As Kim Donghu portrayed the Phantom,

Berry Lad Ice’s eyes were wide open, so much so that he forgot how to blink.

‘Is he crazy?’

The first thing that caught his eye was the overwhelming physical presence.

His height appeared to be around 185 cm, but the muscles that couldn’t be hidden by his clothes made him look even more intimidating.

He could see this powerful figure obsessing over one woman.

Begging for love, pushing toward her as if to overwhelm her, but never causing any harm.

And seeing this,

Berry Lad Ice unconsciously thought of Tarzan.

The unfamiliarity when he first saw Jane,

and the emotions he realized as he fell in love with her.

Those parts oddly reminded him of Tarzan,

and he wasn’t the only one thinking this.

‘This is what it’s really like?’

‘Watching The Phantom of the Opera and thinking of Tarzan...’

‘No, more than that, why is he so handsome in the first place?’

Even those from Disney, who came hoping for The Phantom of the Opera to fail,

were now all entranced by Kim Donghu’s charm.

After about 2 and a half hours of the performance,

the staff, filled with excitement, spoke to Berry Lad Ice.

"We need to sign him now."

"As expected, you were right. Tarzan should be Kim Donghu..."

"To have found such an actor early, no wonder you’re called the best producer..."

Idiots.

They should have taken the easy route from the start.

Berry Lad Ice clicked his tongue in his mind but smiled brightly on the outside.

In the end, he had gained everything he could.

By early February, when The Phantom of the Opera was over,

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the Disney production team arrived at the Tarzan studio to meet Kim Donghu.

"Wait, wait, are you saying you want to do all that without a stunt double?"

"Yes, is that a problem? I think doing it myself would be much more effective."

"But no matter how you put it... rope stunts are something only circus performers can pull off."

"What’s going on?"

He noticed the strange atmosphere.

It didn’t take long for him to figure out what it was.

"So, you’re saying all the action will be done without a stunt double?"

Why did he get the feeling that another actor might need to be prayed for,

one who could meet an unfortunate end?

He couldn’t figure it out.