Chapter 1176: Movie Star (4)

In North America, every industry had its own most prestigious awards ceremony.

The Emmys, considered the highest honor in television.

The Grammys, the music industry’s greatest awards.

The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, the most prestigious ceremony in film.

And the Tonys, considered the pinnacle of musical theater.

Together, those four were so important to popular culture and the arts that someone who won all of them was said to have achieved an EGOT.

Then what were the Golden Globes?

“TV dramas? After the Emmys, we’re next!”

In television, they were considered the second most prestigious awards after the Emmys.

“If you want to reach the Oscars, you’ll have to get through us first. Hehehe!”

And in film, they were regarded as the second most important ceremony after the Academy Awards.

They ranked second in both film and television, but combining those two categories into one ceremony gave the Golden Globes tremendous stature.

“It’s kind of like an awards ceremony version of you, Wooju.”

“?”

“Second-best vocalist, second-best dancer, second-best rapper, second-best actor—but when you combine all of that, you get one terrifying monster.”

“…Is that how it works?”

It was not exactly wrong, but hearing the word second four times in a row left me with mixed feelings.

In any case, perhaps because of that prestige, the atmosphere in the hall was fairly solemn.

Actors dressed in dazzling tuxedos and gowns sipped water with elegant expressions.

[Please welcome tonight’s host!]

A stand-up comedian in a tuxedo walked onto the stage and began his monologue.

Jiho and I laughed and nodded along with jokes that included the sharp political satire typical of North America and teasing aimed at the guests in attendance.

I think I only understand half of what he’s saying.

Just laugh when everyone else laughs.

The political satire in particular was tied to recent events in America, so even when I understood every individual word, I still had trouble grasping the joke.

After thoroughly entertaining the audience, the comedian began introducing the evening’s lineup.

“…And we can’t leave out tonight’s stars. Sound of the Sun, the film that showed us one seriously incredible sun.”

“Waaaaaaaaah!”

“You can see Sunny smiling as brightly as the sun, can’t you? Anyone planning to make an enemy of that young man had better prepare themselves. He’s the man with seventeen million behind him. Even if every furious Souffle punched you once per second, they would have to keep going for two hundred days.”

Senior Lee Gyeonwoo, the other actors, and I all burst out laughing as the camera focused on us.

While we nodded in response to the applause from industry figures, the host called out Director Robert McGinnis.

“And Robert, our beloved friend. You’ve brought us the wonderful West Hollywood. Please tell us you’re going to reverse your retirement announcement.”

The irritable-looking director appeared on camera and firmly waved his hand.

Everyone erupted into laughter, and the veteran filmmaker shyly waved away the applause that continued pouring toward him.

“It seems everyone is ready. Then let us begin the 76th Golden Globe Awards!”

The Golden Globe Awards began amid thunderous cheers.

Although this was my first time attending, the Golden Globes were similar to the awards ceremonies we had attended before.

A presenter appeared, showed a video of the nominees, opened an envelope, and announced the winner.

The notable difference was the lack of delay that seemed typical of American award shows.

At a Korean ceremony, they would say, “And the winner is…” and let the drumroll build before making the announcement.

Here, the presenter simply opened the envelope and called the name immediately, almost anticlimactically.

[The award for Best Supporting Actor in Television goes to Will Tucker. Congratulations!]

A middle-aged man in a tuxedo stepped onto the stage, accepted the trophy, and gave his speech.

[Oh my God, a Golden Globe…]

I smiled as I watched the overwhelmed actor deliver his remarks.

Hmm.

How should I put it?

As someone nominated tonight, I found myself wondering what I was supposed to feel if I actually won.

Perhaps it was because this was still an unfamiliar awards ceremony to me.

If it had been the Korean Arts Awards or the Hyunmu Film Awards, I would have covered my mouth in shock.

Before Sound of the Sun was nominated, however, I had not even known what the Golden Globes were.

I had never imagined I would stand at a film awards ceremony, either.

But…

[I never imagined I would stand at this ceremony. In twenty years as an actor, I truly never dreamed that I would win a Golden Globe.]

As one acceptance speech followed another, their feelings began to reach me.

[…This is incredible. I can’t believe it. To all the people who loved my drama…]

An actress in a blue dress spoke with tears glistening in her eyes.

[Congratulations! Sonia Chase of Miami 13!]

“Waaaaaaaaah!”

The cast leaped from their seats and embraced one another the moment the winner was announced.

[Until last year, I watched the Golden Globes at home on television with my wife. But now I’m standing here.]

A wife covered her mouth and sobbed as her husband gave his acceptance speech.

Every time I heard a winner’s story, another thread seemed to weave itself into a single complete picture.

Before attending in person, I had needed to keep reminding myself, It’s an important ceremony… It’s an important ceremony…

Now, I no longer had to.

“This place…”

I whispered what I had realized to Jiho.

“I knew it in theory, but… this really is a huge ceremony.”

“That’s right. For some people, this is the awards ceremony of their dreams.”

Only then did I understand the expressions of everyone involved with Sound of the Sun.

Senior Lee Gyeonwoo, surrounded by unfamiliar foreigners yet looking as happy as though he were dreaming.

Director Kim Bora, holding her father’s wrinkled hand and smiling as though one small nudge would make her burst into tears.

The staff members dressed in dazzling formalwear and enjoying themselves.

They all looked like guests at the greatest party on Earth.

“……”

It was a strange feeling.

For someone like me, who had mostly attended music awards and stage events until now, it felt as though an entirely new stage had appeared.

The joy, tears, disappointment, and happiness surrounding each award traveled through the air and reached me intact.

“How is it, Wooju? I’m so excited right now.”

“…It’s nice.”

I simply liked this atmosphere.

Every awards ceremony was similar in that sense, but acting awards seemed to carry an extraordinary kind of energy in the speeches.

Perhaps the emotions were larger.

I thought I understood why.

Unlike singers who promoted and performed on stages throughout the year, these were people who spent an entire year focused on a single project, waiting in the darkness.

No one even knew what the result would be.

Some experienced failure.

Others found success.

And every nominee in this room had endured that time and arrived here after achieving success.

I could understand that emotion too.

The project called Sound of the Sun.

At first, I had recruited a director for a project no one wanted to support, helped secure the production budget, brought in a legendary producer from the industry, and rearranged Dad’s songs into a musical.

It felt like only yesterday that I had spent the entire preparation period worrying, Will this really work…?

“Wooju?”

“Yeah?”

“What were you thinking about?”

“I’m just happy.”

I smiled at Jiho.

At last, I felt as though I had adjusted to the stature and atmosphere of the Golden Globes, which had seemed so unfamiliar at first.

Right then—

[We will now announce the winner for Best Screenplay in a Motion Picture.]

[Sound of the Sun!]

The first win for our film was announced.

As the screenwriters of Sound of the Sun rose from their seats, we all stood and applauded enthusiastically.

“Congratulations!”

“Waaaaaaaaah!”

Joanne Yoon, the head screenwriter, and the other Korean American writers stepped onto the stage and delivered polished acceptance speeches.

Since they had all either won Academy Awards for screenwriting before or attended the Golden Globes more than once, they smiled lightly and enjoyed the moment without appearing overwhelmed.

“Congratulations!”

“Waaaaaaaaah!”

After handing bouquets to the screenwriters as they returned from the stage and congratulating them, the awards continued.

Best Comedy Performance, Best Stand-Up Performance, and so on.

“Oh. They really take good care of comedy here too.”

“Right? That’s nice.”

We watched with fascination at the fact that comedy received separate recognition.

After Best Foreign Language Film and the television acting awards came Best Director in a Motion Picture.

Several directors appeared on the screen, followed by the three major contenders of the evening.

[Rebecca Charlton, Miami 13.]

She was an emerging director whose film followed an impoverished single mother who became involved in illegal work to pay her living expenses.

[Robert McGinnis, West Hollywood.]

A Hollywood master who had made a bloody bank robbery film as his retirement project.

[Deborah Kim, Sound of the Sun.]

And finally, our own Director Kim Bora, who had leaped from independent cinema to become a rising star in commercial film almost overnight.

The presenter opened the envelope and read the name from a lineup in which any winner would have made sense.

Gulp—

While every member of our staff swallowed nervously, the actress’s red lips moved.

[Deborah Kim. Sound of the Sun.]

We sprang to our feet.

“Waaaaaaaaah!”

“Waaaaaaaaah!!”

Several nearby actors and industry figures also stood to applaud, but Director Kim Bora remained seated.

Her face was blank with confusion.

While her father took her hand and helped her stand, Director Robert McGinnis, seated nearby, smiled and flicked his hand upward.

As if telling her to hurry up and go accept it.

“Uh…”

Director Kim Bora rose with a dazed expression, and her father gave her a brief hug.

Then, at his gesture urging her toward the stage, she began walking.

“Director!”

“Congratulations!”

Wearing a black dress, Director Kim Bora stepped onto the stage, accepted the trophy, and embraced the presenter.

“Um…”

Everyone laughed.

Her makeup was already slightly smudged.

Her face flushed from tears, the director opened her mouth.

“First of all…”

Director Kim Bora sniffled as she spoke.

“If anyone looked at my father and me and imagined a story like, ‘An immigrant father finally witnesses his daughter’s success after running a laundromat for thirty years,’ I would first like to clarify that this is not the case.”

Everyone burst out laughing at the joke pointing out the racial stereotype.

But I saw it.

The Americans around us flinched.

“My father is a lawyer. As you all know, sending a child to film school requires far more than ordinary tuition. I love you, Dad.”

The film industry figures laughed in sympathy.

The director wiped away her tears and continued.

“And there is another person’s father in this movie as well. Yes, Sunny’s father.”

The camera turned toward me, and I smiled.

“As recently as last January, I was a small independent filmmaker presenting a movie at Sundance. That was until Sunny came to me one day and asked whether I would consider directing this film.”

The director looked at me.

“At first, the pressure was overwhelming. Sun Myungjoo, of all people. Many of you here may not have known him before this film, but to us, he was an idol.”

Every Asian American in attendance nodded.

“…Making a film about someone like that was not an easy task. But thanks to the help of many people and several strokes of good fortune, this movie was able to make it all the way here.”

Director Kim Bora mentioned the people credited on the film and acknowledged their contributions one by one before raising the trophy.

“Finally, I dedicate this trophy to my father, who raised me alone after my mother passed away, and to our protagonist, Sun Myungjoo. Once again, let’s hear it for our ‘incredible’ sun!”

Thunderous cheers erupted.

We stood and applauded as the director kissed the trophy and raised it high.

Senior figures in the industry showered the young director with encouragement as she came down from the stage.

“Congratulations!”

Perhaps because it was still rare for a female director to win, fellow nominee Rebecca Charlton embraced Director Kim Bora with an expression even happier than the winner’s.

They spoke too quietly for me to hear, but Director Robert McGinnis also smiled and said something to her.

Once Director Kim Bora finally managed to calm her tears, her eyes turned toward me.

Thank you.

For what?

I answered with a smile in my eyes.

And so, while Sound of the Sun took home Best Screenplay and Best Director, West Hollywood continued its dominant run.

Together with Miami 13, the three films formed a close three-way contest.

[The next category is Best Actor in a Motion Picture.]

[Dale Brennan, Miami 13.]

The actor, who had reportedly lost forty-three kilograms to portray an AIDS patient and delivered the performance of his life, won Best Actor.

That meant Senior Lee Gyeonwoo did not receive the award.

“…That’s a shame, Senior.”

“No. Not at all.”

Senior Lee Gyeonwoo took a sip of water.

“I knew he would win.”

“Y-You did?”

“Yeah. Actors can tell when they watch a film. You know who’s going to win an award.”

The awards continued one after another.

At last, they reached the category in which I had been nominated.

[Next is Best Original Song in a Motion Picture.]

There was no upset.

Even before the result was announced, everyone was already looking at me.

The presenter opened the envelope.

[Like The Sun!]

“Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

“Waaaaaaaaah!”

Senior Lee Gyeonwoo jumped to his feet and patted me on the back, while Jiho bounced up and down, shouting.

The staff and actors from our film seated at other tables also stood and applauded, and congratulations poured in from the people around us.

“Congratulations. Really good work!”

“Thank you.”

I accepted the trophy from the presenter and stood on the stage.

I could feel the actors seated around the dinner-style tables staring intently at me.

I approached the microphone.

“I prepared so many things to say, but I think Director Deborah Kim already said all of them for me.”

There seemed to be no need for me to speak separately about the film.

So after thanking executive producer Frank Chow, the music director, my grandmother, and the others—

“There was one scene I dreamed of while making this film. I wanted everyone to know the names of my father and mother, names that most people had probably forgotten so completely that they could barely remember them at all.”

My eyes gleamed as I looked around at the audience.

“So if my parents could see this moment now…”

I glanced briefly toward the ceiling.

“I’d like to show them.”

Everyone seemed to know what I was about to do.

I removed the acceptance-speech microphone from its stand for a moment, closed my eyes, and sang a single line.

“Behold—”

Then I extended the microphone toward the audience.

Everyone in attendance sang together.

“Your radiant sun—”

Though every voice was different, the powerful harmony of actors and film industry figures rang through the hall.

I opened my eyes and grinned.

“Thank you. My dream has come true.”

Whistles and cheers erupted.

Amid them, I lifted the trophy toward the high ceiling.

Can you see?

Everyone is calling both of your names.

That day, Sound of the Sun took home a total of four Golden Globe trophies.

Best Screenplay, Best Director, Best Original Song, and Best Motion Picture in the Musical category.

“Congratulations!”

“Congratulations!”

At the Golden Globes after-party held once the ceremony ended, everyone embraced one another and celebrated.

Director Kim Bora, tipsy from drinking, sobbed openly, while everyone else reeked of alcohol and danced joyfully to the music.

Normally, I would have gone home early.

But in celebration of successfully completing a project that had lasted more than a year, I joined in and enjoyed myself.

Of course, the younger members attended the after-party too.

“Waaaaaaaaah!”

“A Golden Globe winner!”

“Waaaaaaaaah!”

Surrounded by my excited underlings as they bounced around beside me, I happily returned to the hotel room.

Still floating in a dazed, almost intoxicated happiness, I received a new piece of news.

“What?”

The news snapped my eyes open instantly.

I blinked and asked,

“…Did I hear that correctly?”

“Yeah.”

“Really?”

The bespectacled math demon across from me showed no change in expression.

Only his expression had not changed, though. He was still grinning like a Hahoe mask.

“Congratulations, Wooju.”

As if confirming it, Seokhwan repeated the news.

“The Academy Awards have requested a celebratory performance of Like The Sun.”

“…!”

Every member turned toward me with a shocked expression.

“Wooju!”

“Wooju, this is…!”

I stared blankly into empty space.

All at once, it felt as though a wind had begun blowing from somewhere.

It was a wind carrying me toward the greatest film awards ceremony in the world.

The Academy Awards.