Chapter 157: Moonless Village (2)

Translator: Dreamscribe

In fact, 'Moonless Village' had already been causing quite a stir several hours before its official release.

-I vote it’ll be boring as fuck ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-↑There’s always an asshole like this wherever you go ㅋㅋㅋㅋ dumbass

-I’m waiting so I can watch it the second it drops yup

-Ha......Seriously, I just hope it’s at least as good as House of the Daytime Moon

-House of the Daytime Moon is the high point though ㅋㅋㅋ if Moonless Village is even half as good, that won’t be bad

-I’m watching it either way

-Will the trailer turn out to be everything it has to offer, or will it show us something even better

-So much hype, so much hype ㅋㅋㅋㅋ why does this feel like an empty wagon making the most noise

-Who the hell are these assholes already rating it when it hasn’t even been released yet ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Public opinion was split roughly down the middle. It would succeed, or it would flop. 'Moonless Village', in particular, was the hottest topic in the domestic animation industry.

"Phew- I really hope 'Moonless Village' does well."

"Who knows. Plenty of things have made this much noise only to flop and disappear without a trace."

"It needs to succeed. 'Moonless Village' is still the hope of Korean animated films. If 'Moonless Village' does well, it’ll give the rest of us some breathing room too."

"Right, no matter what, we do owe 'Moonless Village' and 'MEG' some gratitude. Things are still tough, but at least they got money flowing into the domestic animation market."

"Our market definitely changed a little after 'House of the Daytime Moon', and the barrier for general audiences to watch animated films dropped a lot too."

"Setting an audience record with 'House of the Daytime Moon' was huge."

"Now go set a proper record with 'Moonless Village' too!"

Naturally, Executive Director Heo Seong-jin of Netflix Korea also very much wanted 'Moonless Village' to succeed.

''Moonless Village' has to do well if we want to take it beyond Korea and release it overseas.'

Netflix headquarters would decide whether to launch 'Moonless Village' worldwide based on the domestic response. Once 'Moonless Village' was released, it was obvious that Netflix headquarters in the U.S. would also be checking the reactions by the minute. In any case, for Executive Director Heo Seong-jin, 'Moonless Village' was practically another make-or-break project following the 'One-Act Drama Project'.

On the other hand, Director Hong Man-seop, who had created 'Moonless Village', surprisingly did not let himself get carried away.

"I’ve done everything I can, so whatever result comes out, I have to accept it."

He simply settled into a solemn frame of mind, let go of his greed, and emptied his thoughts. That way, he would not be disappointed no matter what result came out. The words of Director Kim Ha-jae from his agency, 'MEG', had been a great source of strength.

'Even if 'Moonless Village' doesn’t do well, it’s fine, Director-nim. We plan to keep investing in the projects you direct. Until Korean animated films can reach overseas markets.'

'MEG', and Director Kim Ha-jae, were fully backing Director Hong Man-seop. With his agency supporting him like that, Director Hong Man-seop could hardly remain idle.

"Next. Onto the next one."

'Moonless Village' had just been released, but Director Hong Man-seop immediately moved on to his next project. Meanwhile, Choi Ri-na, who had served as the music director for 'Moonless Village' as well as composed and sung its main OST, was waiting in her studio. The hulking Go Chun-seok was with her.

"Ahhh, I’m nervous, I’m so nervous!"

"It’s fine. It’ll do well."

"Right? It’ll do well, won’t it??"

"Yeah. Don’t worry."

"Okay! Ah! It’s starting!!"

And so, 'Moonless Village' was officially released. Countless people started playing 'Moonless Village', and the opening appeared. It began with narration from the male lead. Along with it came gentle music featuring a gayageum.

The atmosphere was heavy and gloomy.

When the male lead’s narration ended, the angle changed. A mountain forest with an abandoned house came into view. The eerie sound of wind. The season was winter. Bare branches swayed. The angle that had been showing the branches shifted back toward the abandoned house.

A rough-skinned female shaman emerged from the abandoned house.

There was something strange about her gaze. Snake-like pupils. The female shaman, exuding an uncanny air, smiled. The tempo of the gayageum music playing underneath quickened, and the screen soon changed. It showed the male lead wearing a gat, and he let out a quiet sigh.

["Something smells off."]

The male lead stopped in his tracks and abruptly changed direction. Before long, he found the abandoned house. An eerie wind soon blew past, and after staring at the abandoned house for a moment, the male lead seemed to sense something.

["Come out. Stop hiding."]

After speaking, he drew his weapon. It was the Four Tiger Sword. At the same time, the female shaman smashed through the abandoned house’s door and charged out. Her face gradually began to change. She was a yokai. The male lead also gripped his Four Tiger Sword and rushed at the yokai.

'Moonless Village' opened with a striking action scene right from the start.

By this point, all sorts of online communities were going wild.

-Fuck what is this ㅋㅋㅋㅋ it’s fun as hell right from the start

-The atmosphere in Moonless Village is fucking insane

-Feels way heavier than House of the Daytime Moon

-Korean folk-belief fantasy!! Delicious, absolutely delicious!

-I came when the Four Tiger Sword showed up

Around the middle of the runtime, during a fairly intense yet spectacular scene, it played for the first time.

-♬♪

The public reaction exploded again when 'Wolhyang', the main OST of 'Moonless Village', started playing.

-The OST is fucking amazing

-What’s the title of the song that plays in the middle?? The quality is insane

-I got chills

-Fuck, this gets me so fucking hyped ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-Who sang the main OST for Moonless Village, this is fucking amazing

And just like that, the roughly 100-minute runtime of 'Moonless Village' came to an end. At the same time, online communities, social media, and everywhere else began blowing up. Countless people who had watched 'Moonless Village' flooded in to share the thrill and catharsis they had felt.

By then, Kang Jae-ha at Leon had also watched 'Moonless Village'.

"Did they polish it a little more before the official release? It’s even better than it was during the screening test."

Apparently quite satisfied, he smiled.

"There’s no need to check every single public reaction to this."

He figured that everyone who had watched 'Moonless Village' by now would be completely satisfied. Kang Jae-ha also thought of Choi Ri-na.

'The song 'Wolhyang' is basically singer-songwriter Choi Ri-na’s first declaration to the world.'

'Moonless Village' was also Choi Ri-na’s debut as a singer, rather than as a music director or composer. If 'Moonless Village' succeeded, singer Choi Ri-na’s name recognition would naturally skyrocket as well.

At that moment.

-Bzzzz, bzzzz.

His phone on the desk vibrated. Kang Jae-ha smiled after checking the caller. It was Director Baek Jeong-ha, whom he had recently tried to recruit. Jae-ha stepped out of Team 4 into the hallway and brought the phone to his ear.

"Yes, Director-nim."

Director Baek Jeong-ha’s voice over the phone carried firm resolve.

"I’ve made my decision about the recruitment offer you gave me."

"Yes."

"I’ll join 'MEG'."

Following Director Yu Gil-tae, Kang Jae-ha had now brought Director Baek Jeong-ha into the fold as well.

Afterward.

While everyone was still buzzing over the official release of 'Moonless Village', on the internet.

《Illegal Propofol Use 'Jeon So-hee', How Much Will She Face in Breach Penalties Over This Scandal?/ Photo》

Articles about top actress Jeon So-hee, who had been plunged into hell, were still pouring out. It had only gotten worse after her press conference. The media hammered Jeon So-hee even harder, and her public image had already been shattered to pieces.

Then, the following afternoon, Kang Jae-ha left Leon and headed straight for 'MEG'. Before long, Director Baek Jeong-ha, who had managed to squeeze out a little time from filming, entered the 'MEG' conference room.

"Welcome, Director-nim."

"So this is 'MEG's' headquarters."

Naturally, she was there to sign the contract. Kang Jae-ha and Lee Chan-hoo took part in Director Baek Jeong-ha’s contract meeting, and after talking for a while, Director Baek Jeong-ha finished signing the agreement. With this, another heavyweight director had been added to 'MEG Story', the subsidiary for directors, writers, and others.

After briefly shaking hands with Kang Jae-ha and Lee Chan-hoo, Director Baek Jeong-ha made a request.

"Please don’t overdo the Media Play, I’m not a fan of all the noise."

"Of course. Even with moderate Media Play, the industry will catch on quickly."

Kang Jae-ha, wearing his mask, smiled faintly.

"Feel free to send it whenever you like, I’ll read it and give you the most objective opinion I can."

"Oh, that already sounds scary. But I like that kind of thing. Rather than feedback mixed with lies, something cold and ruthless but truthful is a hundred times better."

"Now that you put it that way, I’ll have to work even harder."

"It’s been a long time since I felt like this, it’s refreshing somehow. Everything about it."

Along with feeling as though she was being properly looked after, Director Baek Jeong-ha was also reminded of the mindset she had when she first started out. Whatever the case, it was positive. A fighting spirit had entered her eyes.

Around this time, the media began hammering 'GOO Production' after Jeon So-hee.

《[Issue Talk]National Tax Service Detects Signs of Offshore Tax Evasion at Jeon So-hee’s Agency 'GOO Production'》

《More Trouble for 'GOO Production' After Jeon So-hee? Tax-Evasion Signs Flagged by National Tax Service》

No, rather than the media, it was practically Kang Jae-ha himself shaking 'GOO Production' down until the dust flew. From Jeon So-hee’s downfall to striking directly at 'GOO Production's' weak points, all of it had been Jae-ha’s doing.

《Did 'GOO Production' Siphon Funds to Shanghai, China?》

In any case, with disaster after disaster piling up, 'GOO Production' had no time whatsoever to mess with 'The Cooking Teacher of Joseon' or 'MEG'.

No.

《Illegal Propofol Use by Jeon So-hee Plus Fund Concealment? Industry Says 'GOO Production' Is "Beyond Recovery"》

At this rate, it might simply go under.

Early afternoon.

About a day had passed since 'Moonless Village' was released at noon the previous day. And now Netflix Korea had updated its rankings.

[Today's TOP10 Content in South Korea]

1. Moonless Village

2. House of the Daytime Moon

3. A Gore-filled Day

4. Gossip Man

5. Murder Is a Qualification Too

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.

.

.

.

'Moonless Village' had immediately risen to number one overall. Only a day had passed, so it could have been number one purely on the strength of its buzz, but judging by the current state of the market, that did not appear to be the case.

Not just on YouTube.

-Domestic Animated Film Released Yesterday!! This Is Seriously Insane! (Moonless Village) | MovieHotspot33

Praise and rave reviews for 'Moonless Village' were pouring across social media, online communities, and everywhere else. People said the quality was far better than 'House of the Daytime Moon', asked for it to be released in theaters as well, and so on and so forth. Some of them were undoubtedly existing fans of 'House of the Daytime Moon', but there were far more newcomers.

All of this after just one day.

Although it was still early, Kang Jae-ha predicted that 'Moonless Village' would become a massive success.

"If this keeps up, by next week Moonless Village will have swept everything."

Meanwhile, something else was exploding in popularity alongside 'Moonless Village'. Choi Ri-na. Or more precisely, the main OST of 'Moonless Village', 'Wolhyang'. People who had watched the film were clamoring for the song 'Wolhyang' everywhere.

-Uploading the Moonless Village OST edit I made so I could listen to it! Netflix, hurry up and release the official trackㅠㅠㅠ

Netflix Korea made its move around noon the next day, the 14th.

-[new!] Wolhyang/ Rina('Moonless Village' OST Part 1)

Choi Ri-na’s first song as a singer was released to the world.

The main OST of 'Moonless Village', 'Wolhyang', was released simultaneously across various domestic music platforms. With 'Moonless Village' already becoming such a huge topic, people immediately swarmed to its main OST, 'Wolhyang', as well.

-Moonless Village OST finally officially released!!! Gonna listen to it 10000 times

-I kept wanting to hear this after watching Moonless Village, so I’ve been listening to an edited version on YouTubeㅠㅠㅠㅠso gooood

-I came from the gayageum intro alone

In an instant, people came flooding in.

*****

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