GalaxyTL
The Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival had traditionally flown under the radar, recognized within the film industry but lacking widespread public appeal. However, that all changed when Kim Dong-hoo joined the scene.
『Is Kim Dong-hoo taking over cinemas too? Bold moves ahead』
With Kim Dong-hoo already a household name thanks to High Dream and his role as the face of Brilliant school uniforms, his four awards at the festival sparked significant attention. Even for those who might not have cared before, this was impossible to ignore.
Particularly:
『Director Lee Seong-deok’s social commentary? Is The Hero the film society has been waiting for?』
Since the film posed subtle yet impactful questions about society, the ripple effects were substantial. It even reached the top 10 on real-time search rankings, peaking at 9th place, which is a remarkable achievement for a short film.
ㄴKim Dong-hoo is a machine—how many bodies does he have? ㄴIs he superhuman? Is he really just fifteen? ㄴCan I download The Hero through torrent? ㄴHey, get lost, you freeloading trash! ㄴHe really is absurdly good-looking. Every time I see him, I’m shocked at how handsome he is. ㄴFrom boosting High Dream’s ratings to winning four awards at Mise-en-scène? His career trajectory is wild. LOL.
People couldn’t help but speculate—how far would he go? Was there really no end to the work coming his way?
That same evening, while these conversations were circulating on online communities, viewers at home saw an intriguing movie trailer on TV.
"...Endless Frontline?"
The trailer clearly showed scenes reminiscent of the Korean War, with soldiers embroiled in fierce battles.
"Do you know how many times this frontline has shifted?" "How many died just to capture that hill?"
Then, a shot of Han Tae-gun, showcasing his striking appearance as he commanded the screen amidst the chaos of war. The brutal reality of the battle for a single hill was palpable.
"...Is it true that they have white rice and meat soup in the South?"
The trailer ended with a brief narration, accompanied by a black screen. Normally, this would be the moment viewers tried to guess who the voice belonged to. But everyone already knew that voice from just a few days prior.
“Is that... our Dong-hoo oppa appearing in this movie?”
Just as Kim Dong-hoo had proven his acting chops in the short film world, he now appeared in a commercial film trailer. The timing couldn’t have been better—people were already buzzing about him.
In less than 10 minutes after the trailer aired, real-time search rankings shifted dramatically.
Kim Dong-hoo-related terms dominated the top spots.
+++++
The Endless Frontline premiere was set for the following week, giving me a rare bit of downtime in between.
There was only one clear way to spend that time: attending school.
‘I should at least show some effort in keeping up with my middle school attendance.’
As soon as I arrived at school, Yeri welcomed me with open arms.
“Dong-hoo! It feels like it’s been ages since I’ve seen you at school.” “Yeah, I guess that’s a bit of a problem, huh?”
I put on a serious expression as I approached Kang-sik.
“H-hey, Dong-hoo. H-hi.” “Kang-sik, how’s the game going? How much progress has Min-hyuk made?” “Oh, um, I’ve been away for a while, so Min-hyuk just took over everything…”
"...!"
That bastard Kim Min-hyuk.
How dare he do such a thing?
‘Back when we played cops and robbers during lunch, I let him get away a few times.’
And this is how he repays me? I shook off the shock and enjoyed a leisurely day at school.
I ate lunch in the cafeteria for the first time in a while, hid out in the library when I was about to be caught during tag, and...
Dong-hoo, sorry for the sudden message. But I think your decision is the most important here. Are you sure you don’t want to attend our school?
I also received the usual text from Principal Edward Park.
With the second semester of my second year in middle school fast approaching, it was time to seriously think about high school.
‘I should start considering an arts high school now so I’m not too late.’
Honestly, I didn’t need to think too hard about it. The obvious choice was a school that best managed attendance for entertainers.
<Of course, I’ll be attending. Thank you for your support.> <Dong-hoo, you’ve made a great decision. Your musical talent is truly...>
I quickly stuffed my phone into my pocket before I could read any more of Principal Park’s overly enthusiastic compliments. I could only handle so much flattery at once.
‘So, I guess my high school is pretty much decided now?’
That means I’d be going to the same school as Soo-jin next year.
‘She’s a year ahead of me, so she’ll be my senior.’
Soo-jin as my senior...
Just as I was thinking about that, I received a text from Jae-rin.
Dong-hoo, have you decided on a high school? Are you going to an arts school? <Yeah, I’m planning to go to the Korean Arts School.> Oh, I see. Got it.
Her response was short, leaving me wondering if she had already been expecting my answer. It seemed like she had nothing more to say.
‘Wait, isn’t the Brilliant uniform event coming up in a couple of weeks?’
Maybe she was holding off on saying more until we met in person again.
‘You’ve been pretty quiet lately.’
In my free time, I checked the messages from [Sims – The Real Life].
Usually, I’d get some sort of mission or task by now, but things had been oddly silent the past few days.
Just as I was thinking that...
Ding! Ding! Ding!
A long-awaited message from [Sims – The Real Life] popped up.
-[Q: What happens when a loving couple becomes closer?] -[A: A second child is on the way!]
“...”
A completely unexpected announcement. I found myself laughing in disbelief as I thought of my parents, who had been acting especially close lately.
‘So that’s what’s going on with them.’
Learning I might have a younger sibling through a text was... a bit shocking, to say the least.
++++++
Time flew by, and the day of the Endless Frontline premiere arrived. The event was set up as a VIP screening for maximum promotional impact.
Especially since...
‘The public is already eagerly awaiting Endless Frontline.’
With the heightened attention from Kim Dong-hoo’s four wins at the Mise-en-scène Festival, the idea was to add expert praise on top of that to generate even more buzz.
Click, click, click!
Flashes went off as famous figures appeared on the photo wall. Despite the blinding light, everyone smiled and greeted the cameras cheerfully.
“Wow, he’s really handsome.” “I’d be happy just to see him up close.”
Though the general public couldn’t attend the film screening, just seeing the actors at the event was enough for many.
Then...
“KYAAAA!”
Excitement exploded as Han Tae-gun, who played the lead role of Kim Soo-ha in Endless Frontline, made his entrance.
Alongside Han Tae-gun were Seo Myung-woo and Go Chang-sik, all lead actors, greeting the crowd with light interviews.
“What do you think is the key point viewers should focus on in this film?”
As soon as the host asked this question, Han Tae-gun smiled faintly and replied immediately.
“Pay close attention to the actor playing the unnamed role.”
The unnamed role? Who could he be talking about?
While people began wondering, a murmur spread through the crowd as someone made their presence known.
“There he is, our secret weapon.”
Waving enthusiastically toward the boy approaching from a distance, Han Tae-gun grinned as the figure returned the greeting with a bow.
It was the mysterious figure that had been kept hidden in the Endless Frontline trailers. Everyone knew who it was, but it was still being kept under wraps as a “secret.”
“Was it true? Kim Dong-hoo is in Endless Frontline?!”
Kim Dong-hoo had arrived at the VIP screening.
Though everyone knew, actually seeing him there in person had a different impact. The shock left people flustered, unsure of how to process what was happening.
They couldn’t even remember how they had entered the theater or how the actor introductions had gone—it was all a blur of excitement.
Then...
Thunk!
The theater lights dimmed, and the movie began, finally allowing the VIP guests to regain some focus.
As Endless Frontline reached its halfway point...
‘What’s going on? Why hasn’t he appeared yet?’ ‘Is Kim Dong-hoo really in this?’
The audience grew confused.
They knew Kim Dong-hoo had greeted them before the film started, yet there was no sign of him on screen.
Just as the doubt began to creep in...
“What is revolution, that we live like this?”
The scene suddenly shifted.
Thud. Thud.
Though nothing appeared on screen, the sound of something being stabbed could be heard.
Thud. Thud.
The sound of something being shaken, as if dirt was being brushed away from the camera lens. The scene brightened, revealing the situation.
The first thing the audience saw was a cold, lifeless body clutching a supply pack.
“Yeah, I took it. But so what? Is that a problem?”
Then, a blood-soaked boy came into view. His appearance left no need for an explanation—he had clearly killed his comrade for food. With a grim expression, he stomped on the corpse.
“What’s the point of dying here? The one who survives should eat.”
Crack!
A sickening sound as something snapped under his foot.
An overwhelming entrance.
‘...That’s Kim Dong-hoo?’
The sheer intensity of the scene sent chills down the audience’s spines. They could feel fear crawling over their skin.
“Namen.”
The boy breathed out, his breath visible in the cold air.
“Is it really true they have rice and meat in the South?”
For just a moment, the boy’s eyes, filled with both longing and despair, flashed across the screen. A hint of humanity beneath the monstrous violence. All the audience could do was gape in awe.
Meanwhile...
There was one person in the audience who was practically gripping the armrest as though he was going to rip it off.
‘Kim Dong-hoo...!’
It was Director Kang Sang-hoon, watching with admiration as he witnessed Kim Dong-hoo’s performance again.
‘The break-even point for Endless Frontline is about 4 million tickets sold...’
But at this rate...
‘I can see it.’
Endless Frontline hitting 10 million.
If that happened, Kim Dong-hoo would not only be a four-time winner at the short film festival, but his debut commercial film would also make him...
‘A 10-million-tickets actor?’
How far was this kid going to go? It was beyond anyone’s imagination.