Superstar From Age 0

Chapter 399

1:50 a.m.

Song Yujung sat in front of the television, with Lim Yena next to her.

They both held light sticks that sparkled in their hands. 

The light sticks had cute green sprouts on them, and behind them were their favorite profile pictures of Seo-jun.

“It’s all over SNS.”

Thanks to their experience of watching [Survivors-Director’s Cut] at 1 a.m. last summer, or maybe because they were naturally nocturnal, they uploaded photos of themselves with Seo-jun’s light sticks on SNS, along with the KBC channel that was showing a lot of commercials.

“There are foreigners too.”

“It must be nice to have daylight over there.”

Song Yujung yawned loudly.

“Some people say they’ll only watch the awards ceremony.”

That would be around 3 a.m., a vague time to stay up or wake up early. Of course, it didn’t matter to Song Yujung and Lim Yena, who planned to watch from the red carpet.

“It’s starting!”

2 a.m. in Korean time.

6 p.m. in French time.

The Cannes Film Festival closing ceremony red carpet began.

More dazzling than ever, the red carpet was filled with directors and actors who hoped to win awards.

Flashes flashed, people greeted each other and took pictures. 

The brands of the clothes worn by the directors and actors were announced and every photo was uploaded as an article.

As they waited and watched the glamorous stars, they soon saw familiar faces on the TV screen.

-They’re here!

-They all came together!

They all waved their shiny light sticks.

***

Kim Hanseok got out of the car and smiled.

“I think I’m getting used to it.”

“Yeah? That’s good.”

Seo-jun smiled brightly at his words.

The others seemed to feel the same way, as they walked lightly. 

Maybe they were overshadowed by the joy and nervousness of possibly winning an award.

There were Korean reporters where the flashes were especially enthusiastic. Of course, foreign reporters also paid attention to the two teams with high chances of winning.

They received flashes all over their bodies as they posed for photos, when a large camera and microphone appeared in front of them. 

It was a live camera broadcasting to the world.

The two directors and one child actor who had gotten used to walking froze stiffly.

Seeing that, Lee Jiseok, Kim Jongho, and Seo-jun took the interview first.

They skillfully expressed their feelings about attending the closing ceremony and their impressions of the Cannes Film Festival. 

Then, they remembered the interview questions prepared by [Flowing Away]’s production company and [One Shot]’s distribution company, and awkwardly conducted the interview.

Kim Hanseok followed suit and stuttered his answers, then the camera moved to the other team.

“…Seo-jun hyung. I thought I was used to it, but I guess not.”

Kim Hanseok, who seemed to have lost his energy in an instant, said with a shrug. Seo-jun and the adults laughed.

“It’s okay. You did well.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

Seo-jun’s answer made Kim Hanseok look relieved.

The two teams passed the red carpet and headed inside the Lumiere Grand Theater.

They took their seats in their assigned seats. 

The [Flowing Away] team was in front of the [One Shot] team.

“Did they arrange the seats on purpose?”

“I think it’s convenient.”

Lee Jiseok’s words were followed by Seo-jun’s from behind.

People came into the theater one by one and soon all the seats were filled.

“I’ve only seen it in photos or videos, but I’m nervous.”

“Me too. It feels completely different from when it was screened.”

Kim Hoyoung said and Kim Hanseok nodded repeatedly.

“Seo-jun hyung. Was the opening ceremony like this too?”

“Yeah. It was similar.”

Seo-jun answered Kim Hanseok’s question as he looked around the theater.

“But maybe because there’s an awards ceremony. The closing ceremony feels more tense.”

Some people were genuinely happy to participate in the closing ceremony without knowing it, and some people sat as if it was natural for their works. 

The Lumiere Theater was filled with their excitement and anticipation.

‘There’s no need to go far.’

Seo-jun felt that way, and so did the [Flowing Away] team and the [One Shot] team.

‘What award will we get?’

Screenplay Award, Best Actress Award, Best Actor Award, Director Award, Jury Prize, Grand Prix (Jury President Award).

And the Palme d’Or.

The names alone made his heart pound.

***

A little later.

The Cannes Film Festival closing ceremony proceeded.

First, they awarded the short film category, followed by notable categories. Directors who were new or familiar went up on stage.

Clap clap!

Seo-jun had seen more than half of the movies that he enjoyed at this Cannes Film Festival win awards. 

The tastes of the judges seemed to match Seo-jun’s.

And then the competitive category awards began.

The tension began to flow in the Lumiere Theater, and in Korea, far away, people who heard the news of the competitive category awards rubbed their eyes and got up to turn on the TV.

The Korean reporters in the press room put their hands on their laptop keyboards.

The first award was the Screenplay Award, the last of the seven awards.

“It’s us, right?”

“I think so.”

Kim Juhyeong, the director, said and Lee Jiseok answered.

Their ratings had risen to second place, but the judges’ evaluations could vary.

The [One Shot] team, who was behind the [Flowing Away] team with the highest ratings, also looked at the judge who was opening the envelope and listened carefully.

‘I hope it’s the Screenplay Award, but…’

Seo-jun wanted a higher award, as his ratings and reactions in Cannes were good.

“/The Cannes Film Festival Screenplay Award goes to… Two Doors, Carol Anderson!/”

The [One Shot] team, who had expected to win the Screenplay Award before the closing ceremony began, blinked their eyes at the judge who named another movie and clapped their hands without knowing it at the sound of applause.

“…It wasn’t us?”

“I guess not.”

Kim Jongho said and Lee Jiseok answered with a surprised look. Kim Juhyeong, the director, didn’t need to say anything. 

He clapped his hands mechanically with a blank face.

The Korean reporters in the press room smiled and deleted the articles titled [‘One Shot’, Cannes Film Festival Screenplay Award!], [‘Flowing Away’, Cannes Film Festival Screenplay Award!] with ease.

“Then is it the Director Award?”

It wasn’t that either.

There were no actresses, so naturally there was no Best Actress Award.

“Then, the Best Actor Award?”

But there was an actor who showed the most impressive performance at this Cannes Film Festival, sitting behind Lee Jiseok and Kim Jongho. 

People’s eyes turned to Seo-jun once in a while.

“Is it Seo-jun?”

“Is it Seo-jun hyung?”

The Screenplay Award and the Director Award, which could be shared, had already gone to other movies, so if he won the Best Actor Award, he would automatically lose the Jury Prize, the Grand Prix, and the Palme d’Or.

But Min Hye-kyung, the director, seemed rather relieved.

If Seo-jun won the Best Actor Award, she thought she would know why they were invited here.

-Is it the Best Actor Award?

-Seo-jun!!

-Anyone can take it!!

-Why is the awards ceremony so tense

The press room, and the people who were watching the live broadcast in Korea, couldn’t take their eyes off the judge who was opening the envelope. 

Song Yujung and Lim Yena also silenced their voices and waved their sprout light sticks.

“This year’s Cannes Film Festival Best Actor Award goes to…!”

Everyone listened to his voice.

Three letters passed by and an unfamiliar name was heard.

-Huh. It’s not him.

-Too bad

It wasn’t the Best Actor Award either.

The Korean reporters deleted the articles they had written in advance with regretful faces, and the light of the light sticks held by the sprouts seemed a bit wilted.

Seo-jun sent applause to the male actor who went up on stage with a bittersweet face.

As an actor, he wanted to win the Best Actor Award, but that meant his movie was not good enough to win the Jury Prize or the Grand Prix, so he felt relieved that he didn’t win.

Work award or acting award?

He thought he would always have to think about it if he came to Cannes Film Festival, where co-winning was impossible.

“Hey. If we could have won both, Seo-jun hyung would have definitely won the Best Actor Award.”

Kim Hanseok looked more disappointed than anyone else.

“That’s right.”

Min Hye-kyung, the director, said and Kim Hoyoung and Choi Hyunhee nodded seriously. 

That made him feel a little less sorry.

Seo-jun smiled brightly and said.

“But that means our movie will get a better award. The work award means that the actors, directors, and staff all did well, so it’s better.”

At that, everyone smiled and looked at the stage.

The judge received an envelope and [One Shot] team and [Flowing Away] team tensed up. 

They were told to attend the closing ceremony, so they would get an award, but they ranked higher than expected.

“What if they called us by mistake?”

“I hope not…?”

Kim Juhyeong, the director, said and Min Hye-kyung, who was sitting right behind him, also felt uneasy. 

She remembered a story of a work that was invited to the closing ceremony by mistake from Cannes Film Festival and went back without any awards.

Seo-jun looked around and answered.

“It won’t be. There are only three directors left in the competitive category.”

Three awards left.

Three directors left.

The two directors felt their hands sweat.

Then, the judge opened his mouth.

“/This year’s Cannes Film Festival Jury Prize goes to…!/”

Wow!

The director and actors whose names were called got up from their seats with bright faces. 

The audience cheered and applauded them.

But there were people who couldn’t congratulate them because they were too surprised.

-…Huh? Then…

-Huh…??

The camera showed the French director who went up on stage, but the Koreans who were watching live broadcast and the reporters who were writing articles in the press room thought of the two teams that were not on camera.

[One Shot] and [Flowing Away]

Everyone was confused by this unexpected situation.

-Really???

-Wow… Who should I root for?

-This is the first time this happened I can only laugh

[The Cannes Film Festival, One Shot VS Flowing Away, who will win the Palme d’Or!?]

[Korean movies decorate the end of Cannes Film Festival!]

Similar titles were uploaded on Korean sites in an instant. 

More houses turned on their TV early in the morning because of these interesting articles.

-This will last forever in Korean film history.

-This is the first time I feel relieved

-I’m relieved but more nervous

“/Now, Mr. Jury President. Please announce it./”

The jury president stood in front of the microphone.

Leaving only one award behind, he looked around at the excited audience for a moment. 

The jury president briefly gave his overall evaluation of the judging.

“/As the world progresses, we have more ways to express ourselves. But at the same time, new problems have arisen. It’s a world where everyone can know ‘me’, but also a world where anyone can hide ‘me’ better than anyone else. And it’s a world where everyone can say ‘their opinion’, but also a world where they can easily ‘flow away’ to ‘someone else’s opinion’ more than ever./”

There was a small laugh at the word that slipped out.

Everyone knew that the only remaining work was [Flowing Away].

The camera caught Min Hye-kyung, the director, and Seo-jun’s faces. Next to them, Kim Hanseok, Kim Hoyoung, and Choi Hyunhee’s faces were also captured. 

A little ecstasy, a little joy, and a little expectation were on everyone’s faces.

Even though they knew the result, everyone’s hearts were pounding.

The people who were watching the live broadcast, the sprouts who didn’t blink their eyes and clenched their light sticks, and the reporters who were waiting to upload.

They waited for one sentence.

“/This year’s Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or goes to…!/”

The jury president raised his voice.

“/Flowing Away! Min Hye-kyung!/”

Wow!

As if they had been waiting, applause and cheers erupted.

“Congratulations! Director!”

“Palme d’Or! You have to go up!”

“Trophy! You have to get the trophy!”

Min Hye-kyung, the director, who had been sitting with a stunned expression since [One Shot] team won the Grand Prix, got up hesitantly with Seo-jun and the actors’ encouragement. 

The [One Shot] team and the filmmakers around them also clapped and congratulated her.

She looked incredulous as she appeared on the camera, when,

“/And!/”

The jury president raised his voice again.

The screen showed the jury president.

…?

The people who were clapping stopped their hands in mid-air and looked at the jury president in front of the microphone with bewildered faces. 

They also turned their heads to look at the eight judges who were sitting on one side of the stage. 

Their peaceful expressions seemed to indicate that they didn’t find anything strange about this situation.

‘And’…?

The jury president, who enjoyed looking at everyone’s puzzled faces, smiled cheerfully and continued.

“/The actor who made us love ‘Jung Ga-ram’,/”

Suddenly.

The Lumiere Theater, as well as everyone who was watching the live broadcast of the Cannes Film Festival awards ceremony, stopped their eyes, movements, and breaths.

“/Lee Seo-jun!/”

As if he knew in advance, the camera moved to Seo-jun, who was standing next to Min Hye-kyung, the director, and congratulating her.

Seo-jun appeared on the screen.

He looked truly surprised with his eyes wide open.