Managing the Korean entertainment industry: I have superpowers, but I won't say.

Chapter 115 Hollywood Discrimination

The video conference on A24 was scheduled for 9:00 AM. When Su Yu arrived at the company, Jin Dongxu was already in the conference room setting up the equipment. The microphone icon on the screen blinked a few times, and Rachel's face appeared on the screen.

"Good morning, Representative Su."

"morning."

The scene cut to Mark entering the room. Then came director Jason, in his fifties, with gray hair and black-rimmed glasses. He had previously won an award at Sundance, and A24 had spent a considerable sum to hire him. Su Yu had video-chatted with him twice, and each time the other hung up first.

"Representative Su, I have an idea regarding the casting for 'The Last Song'." Jason tapped his fingers twice on the table. "I've looked at some profiles of Korean-American actors, and a few are quite good. But to be honest, they grew up in the US and don't speak Korean well. I'd like to use white actors to play the father and mother, and a Korean-American for the daughter. That way, it will be easier for the audience to connect with the character."

Su Yu looked at him. "Are you serious?"

"Of course," Jason said naturally. "It's an American story. American audiences will feel more connected to American actors. Besides, the Korean actors' English pronunciation..."

"The Korean actors' English is fine," Su Yu interrupted him. "The problem is your prejudice."

There was a moment of silence on screen. Mark picked up his coffee cup, took a sip, and said nothing. Rachel glanced at Su Yu, then at the director; her lips moved, but she remained silent.

Jason's face darkened. "This isn't prejudice. This is the market."

"You filmed a Korean immigrant family. The father is a taxi driver, and the mother works in a laundry factory. They've lived in the US for twenty years, speak both Korean and English, but they are Korean." Su Yu's tone remained unchanged. "Using white people to play Koreans, how are Korean audiences supposed to feel about it? How are Korean-Americans supposed to feel about it?"

"Representative Su, I've been directing plays for twenty years—"

"You've been directing for twenty years, but you don't sell tickets in the Korean market." Su Yu leaned back in his chair. "This film is meant to be sold in Asia. Asian audiences won't go to the cinema if they see white people playing Koreans."

Jason took off his glasses and wiped them. "So what do you suggest we do?"

"We need Korean actors. They must be fluent in Korean and speak English. Our company has them."

"An actor from your company?"

"Chae Soo-bin, Park Ji-yeon, and Kim Go-eun are all eligible to audition."

Jason glanced at Mark. Mark put down his coffee cup. "Representative Su's opinion makes sense. Let's consider it."

"No need to consider it." Su Yu stood up and placed his hand on the table. "Either use Korean actors, or terminate the cooperation. The decision is yours."

The air in the conference room froze for a few seconds. Su Yu stared at the three images on the screen. Rachel opened her mouth but didn't speak, Mark's expression remained unchanged, and Jason's face turned from red to white. Su Yu turned to leave the screen.

"Wait a minute," Jason's voice came from behind.

Su Yu stopped but didn't turn around.

"I agree. Use Korean actors."

Su Yu turned around and looked at the screen. "Okay. The audition time is set. I'll have someone send it to you."

He sat down, and the meeting continued. Jason didn't mention the white actors again and began discussing the details of the script. Su Yu listened, nodding occasionally. Rachel's expression relaxed a little, while Mark's remained unchanged throughout, as if he had been waiting for this outcome.

After the meeting, Kim Dong-wook came in from outside. "You're really daring. What if they actually terminate the cooperation?"

"Won't."

"Are you so sure?"

"We've already invested $1.5 million. Pre-production has started. If they terminate the partnership, they'll suffer a bigger loss than I will." Su Yu turned off the screen. "And they need the Asian market."

Kim Dong-wook shook his head. "You've calculated everything."

Su Yu didn't reply.

In the afternoon, Su Yu called Cai Xiubin, Park Jiyeon, and Kim Go-eun to the company. The three sat in the conference room; Cai Xiubin and Park Jiyeon chatted, while Kim Go-eun looked at her phone. Su Yu pushed the door open and entered, and the three looked up.

"A24 co-production, 'The Last Song.' Audition. You three, get ready."

Park Jiyeon paused for a moment. "The three of us? The female lead?"

"The female lead is the daughter. We'll be casting different actresses for the parents. You'll be auditioning for the daughter and supporting roles."

Kim Go-eun put down her phone. "When?"

"Next week. The script will be sent to your email. Prepare well."

Cai Xiubin looked at Su Yu. "Did you choose us because we're your actors, or because we're a good fit?"

Su Yu looked at her. "You two are a good match."

Cai Xiubin smiled. "Okay."

Park Jiyeon looked down at her phone, then opened the script she received and read a few pages. "All in English?"

"Hmm. English lines. Any problems?"

Park Jiyeon frowned. "I need to find a teacher to practice with."

Kim Go-eun said, "My English is alright." Park Ji-yeon glanced at her and said, "Of course you're good at it since you've lived abroad." Kim Go-eun smiled.

Su Yu stood up. "Choi Min-soo is handling the auditions for you. Prepare well, don't embarrass me."

The three nodded. Su Yu left. Park Jiyeon leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling. "Hollywood auditions. I've never even considered it."

Cai Xiubin patted her hand. "With Su Yu here, what's there to be afraid of?"

Park Jiyeon glanced at her and smiled. "Yes. He's here."

That evening, Su Yu returned home. Cai Xiubin was on the sofa reading a script, muttering to himself in English.

"Are you practicing?"

"Hmm. My daughter has a few lines that I've read several times, but her pronunciation is off." She looked up. "Could you listen to them for me?"

Su Yu changed her shoes and sat down next to her. Cai Xiubin cleared her throat and began to read. Her English wasn't great, but she was willing to practice, and she pronounced each word with great effort.

"You don't understand. I'm not Korean. I'm American."

After listening, Su Yu said, "The stress on the last 'American' is wrong."

"Then read it once."

Su Yu read it aloud once. Cai Xiubin followed along and read it three times, getting it right on the fourth try. She smiled.

"When did your English become so good?"

"What I learned before."

"When was 'before'?"

Su Yu thought for a moment. "University."

Cai Xiubin stared at him for two seconds, then didn't ask any more questions. She leaned on his shoulder and continued reading. She got stuck on the third paragraph, repeatedly mispronouncing a single word.

"fragile. The stress is on the first syllable."

"fragile?"

"Um."

Cai Xiubin read it twice more, getting the whole passage flowing smoothly. She closed the script and shut her eyes.

"Su Yu".

"Um."

"Thank you for giving us this opportunity."

"You're welcome. If it suits you, give it a try. If it doesn't, then don't try."

Cai Xiubin opened her eyes and looked at him. "When you said we were a good match, did you really just think we were a good match?"

Su Yu looked at her. "Otherwise what?"

Cai Xiubin smiled. "No. I was just asking."

She leaned back against his shoulder. The night view of the Han River outside the window was quietly lit. Su Yu ignored it all, focusing only on the person in his arms. Her eyes were closed, her eyelashes fluttering. She was still clutching the script in her hand, her knuckles tightening, crumpling the paper. Su Yu reached out and snatched the script away.

"We'll practice again tomorrow. Let's rest today."

Cai Xiubin didn't argue, burying her face in his chest. Two ice cubes fell from the ice maker in the kitchen refrigerator with a soft clatter. She heard the sound and laughed.

"The ice maker in the new refrigerator is so loud."

"Have someone come and adjust it tomorrow."

"No need. You'll get used to it."

Su Yu didn't speak. The living room was quiet, with only the sound of their breathing. Occasionally, the sound of a car could be heard from outside the window, distant, like something from another world. Cai Xiubin's fingers slowly traced circles on his chest, a few times, then stopped.

"Su Yu".

"Um."

"Do you think that when we have children in the future, they will feel like they are American, just like the daughter in the movie?"

Su Yu looked down at her. "Will our child be Korean or Chinese?"

Cai Xiubin raised her head. "It's your decision."

"He's Korean, right? You gave birth to him, so he'll stay with you."

Cai Xiubin smiled. "So, do you want to become a citizen?"

"No."

Why?

Su Yu thought for a moment. "I am Chinese. And I always will be."

Cai Xiubin stared at him for a few seconds. "Will you miss home in the future?"

Su Yu paused for a moment. "Home is wherever you are."

Cai Xiubin paused for a moment, then laughed. "Did you take the wrong medicine today? Why are you talking so much?"

Su Yu's lips curved into a smile. He lowered his head and kissed her forehead, then stood up.

"I'm going to take a shower."

"it is good."

Su Yu left. Cai Xiubin sat on the sofa, clutching the crumpled script in her hand, watching his retreating figure. She had looked at his gait, the curve of his shoulders, the hair at the back of his head—hundreds of times—and still couldn't get enough. She lowered her head, smoothed out the script, and read that line aloud again.

"You don't understand. I'm not Korean. I'm American."

There was no card this time. She smiled, put the script on the coffee table, turned off the light, and went to the bedroom.

Su Yu was already lying on the bed. Cai Xiubin snuggled under the covers, leaned closer, and placed her hand on his chest.

"Su Yu".

"Um."

"If there's a kissing scene next time, would you let me film it?"

Su Yu opened her eyes. "No."

Why?

"Because you don't need it."

Cai Xiubin smiled and pressed her face against his chest. "Mmm. I don't need it."