Original subtitles

WE ARE ALL TRYING HERE

When was

the hardest time in your life?

I see

you've never talked about it before.

My friend and I were taking the subway home after dinner

when they suddenly asked,

"When was the hardest time in your life?"

My heart suddenly started pounding.

I couldn't answer for a long time,

and before I burst into tears,

I just got off.

That day,

I sobbed all the way home.

When I thought about it,

I realized I'd never said out loud what had happened

back then.

The most terrifying part was that,

even at a young age, I was conscious.

I knew being conscious meant I was experiencing this vivid fear,

but I didn't know how to make it stop.

All I could do was endure that fear in vivid detail,

completely helpless and overwhelmed by it.

What I wanted the most

was to grow up quickly

so I could leave at any time, as if it were nothing.

CLOSED UNTIL THE END OF DECEMBER

I thought about how nice it would be

to reach an age where walking alone at night

was normal.

I was just sitting there…

when my nose started to bleed.

Crows kept gathering outside the window.

I thought,

"I must be dying."

That's…

when my dad came home

after 28 days.

And my mom…

never came back.

I've never once

talked about what happened then.

I think I lived by consciously blocking it out.

And then

when my friend asked when the hardest time of my life was,

I felt a surge of rage, as if it had just happened yesterday.

Before that,

I didn't feel much whenever I saw my mom's face

pop up in random places,

as if she had nothing to do with me.

But once I felt that rage…

I couldn't stand to look at her face.

The cause of all my pain.

What happened then…

and the one behind it.

Mom.

The one who left me behind…

was my mom.

Being over 30 means you've lived more than ten thousand days.

But whenever anything happens,

I end up going back to those 28 days,

as if they are what made me who I am today.

I hate talking about wounds.

It feels like the language of the weak.

But…

that's what I'm doing right now.

Whenever something goes wrong,

I tell myself I was shattered back then,

and that's why I'm like this now.

I connect everything back to that time.

But…

if my life had worked out…

would I still be holding onto and struggling with what happened then?

Am I constantly bringing up my past as an excuse…

for why my present situation isn't working out?

How can you not bring up your past?

Aren't you being too hard on yourself?

But you don't do that.

You don't bring up the past

to make excuses about the present.

I don't have a past to bring up.

You may not believe it,

but my family

was pretty well-off.

We were a pretty happy family…

until my sophomore year in college.

When my father's business went under,

all that wealth disappeared overnight.

Then my mother

and father

passed away one after another.

I didn't know everything could collapse in an instant.

I'm sure many people found some satisfaction

in seeing our family collapse.

I get it.

It's only fair if things go back and forth.

What's the point of carrying on

what our parents' generation built?

All of our belongings from when we were well-off

have been sitting in storage

for the past 20 years.

We pay a hefty rental fee every year.

I see you can't let go of those memories.

They're not so much memories

as proof we used to be well-off.

Without that…

I feel like I have nothing to lean on.

I feel like

I can only let it go once I've improved even a little.

Once I debut with a bang,

I'm going to throw everything away.

Was that

the hardest time in your life?

No.

I see…

you've never talked about it before.

My favorite sound in the world…

is my brother's snoring.

When I hear him snore…

I feel at ease.

"Oh."

"He's sleeping."

"I can sleep now too."

But if I don't hear anything,

I wonder why he can't sleep.

My life has to improve even a little.

I have to achieve something on my own, even a little.

That way, I can let go of the past and my wounds.

That way,

I won't feel anxious about you, Ms. Byeon Eun-a, rising to the heavens,

or worry about why Jin-man can't sleep.

I can't just let go.

Not until I see what I've achieved.

Not until I see what I'm capable of.

Bounce, bounce!

Go, go, go, go, go!

Safe!

Let's go.

Hello.

Thank you.

HANKUK UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

Hello.

Goodness, two strong men to carry things and help me?

I feel so special.

There's no place like home.

I'm usually not the type to ask for compensation,

but fixing teeth is expensive.

I got a partial denture, not an implant.

I'll get an implant myself

after I make some money.

Send it to my bank account.

DEPOSIT AMOUNT: 1,200,000 WON SENDER: MA JAE-YEONG

My youngest aunt has two daughters.

Whenever her reckless sons-in-law give her a headache, she says,

"If my girls had an older brother, those two wouldn't act like that."

Some assholes think

a women-only household is easy to deal with.

Just so you know,

it's not just women at Eun-a's house.

I can't go into details,

but…

if you mess with Eun-a,

you'll be

in real trouble.

I'm serious.

Forget about Knock knock knock.

Your film career

could be destroyed.

Just remember that I warned you.

Don't come back later saying I didn't tell you.

See you.

Episodes five and six synopses ready?

Will you knock before you come in?

Why?

Were you playing games?

I wasn't playing games.

Does it look like I have time to play?

Why isn't Writer Park here?

Why isn't she here?

We decided to write separately.

Why?

You really think we should work face-to-face?

- Listen carefully. - Just say it!

My hearing is fine.

What are you, threatening a kid?

"Listen carefully."

I regret yelling at you.

I'm sorry.

You were on a roll for once, but I ruined it.

I should've just let you be until you were finished,

but I lost my temper.

I'm sorry.

Just ignore me and keep writing with that same excitement.

I mean it.

And…

let's get divorced when the time is right.

I've never once brought up divorce

since we got married.

I told myself not to say it out of habit,

but to say it when the time comes.

I think now's the time.

In order to write,

you have to dive into different emotions,

moving from one to the next,

or sometimes be just downright dirty.

You have to use every version of yourself.

But with your wife looking over your shoulder…

you can't just go for it.

You're boxed into being a man who won't raise moral questions.

There are couples who freely accept each other's emotions

and even support them.

But you and I

aren't built like that.

Everyone knows ruthless women write well, and ruthless men direct well.

If you can't let go of that half-decent guy in you,

you won't get anywhere.

So getting a divorce

and just going for it is the right thing to do.

I'm not saying divorce is easy.

I know I'm the one who brought it up,

but I'm not sure if I can actually do it.

But…

I'm just putting it out there

because I want to set you free.

Don't tie yourself down to me.

Just go for it.

It may be hard right now…

but in time, parting will feel natural.

Let's part ways then.

You need to crack into the watermelon.

A sweet, juicy one.

So just go for it, okay?

She really knows how to make a threat.

I went to a dollar store

and asked an employee where something was.

But they said they didn't know because they haven't been there long.

They said the exact same thing last week,

and then they said it again this week.

If it were me,

I'd have focused and memorized it all in two days.

I knew they wouldn't be good at their job.

Their face

was slack.

It was as if it couldn't hold any focus.

It was slack.

My friend works at a dollar store too,

and they always want to meet in front of one.

They'll come ten minutes early

and observe the store's layout and how the merchandise is displayed.

- They're an assistant branch manager. - Oh, really?

They became assistant branch manager in just five years.

They could be working the same job,

but what separates someone who makes it from someone who doesn't

is focus.

I might be scatterbrained and all over the place,

but once I focus, I go all in.

Look at my face.

All my focus is right here.

We can start shooting in the second half of next year.

I already have all the shots and scenes planned out in my head,

so we can start filming next year, no problem.

From now on,

get straight to the point.

Tell me the conclusion first.

Then I'll decide whether to listen to the details.

If you talk like this on set,

it'll take all day.

Got it. Straight to the point.

And I don't care if you film next year or not.

Based on my schedule, it's two years from now

because I'm doing a film with Director Park Jin next year.

But I heard Director Park's screenplay is still being revised.

You read my screenplay, right?

No, I haven't!

Why would I read something that won't be filmed for two years?

I haven't even been paid.

There's nothing to revise. It's perfect.

And the investors are already on board.

Be quiet and shut your mouth.

And from now on,

don't come to the set under any circumstances.

I can't stay in character.

Stand up.

Come here.

Now, lower your head.

Let's just do ten laps today.

Begin.

- One. - Louder!

One!

- Two! - Louder!

Three!

Four!

He wants to film two years from now.

I'm going insane. I'd start tomorrow if I could.

A whole year will go to waste!

You've waited 20 years. Can't you wait another year?

I've waited 20 years, so of course I can't wait!

Who knows what kind of mess Noh Kang-sik will get into again?

I just want to be done with it before he causes trouble.

Releasing steam.

Okay. I'll call you later.

What's ingan in English?

What is it in English?

Human.

There's another word after that.

Mankind?

Human being.

B-E-I-N-G.

Not "human doing." It's "human being."

So just be still and exist.

Quit rambling about

what you did or didn't do.

Stop running around "doing" things.

Practice "being."

Just be still.

Do you know how hard it is to be still?

Why don't you stop drinking and just be still?

Did you watch it?

The AI-made movie, that is.

Just a two-line command,

and it pumps out a movie with an insanely good story and visuals.

What should take years of effort is done in just a few minutes.

I mean, I knew the AI era was coming,

but I didn't expect it to catch up this quickly.

Is this the end for us now?

We can't beat machines.

Everyone's racing to catch the last train before their screenplays go to waste.

I heard they're just throwing them at investors.

Looks like Gyeong-se will catch the last train.

They're filming next year.

The streaming company likes the script, so they're casting right now.

His scripts are always good.

They just never get shot the way they're written.

Once they start shooting, it all goes to chaos,

and everything falls apart.

Then the actors get tense and ask,

"Wait, are you sure

this is right?"

That's why he ends up becoming enemies with the actors.

- I wouldn't say "enemies." - Hey.

Name one actor he's worked with that he's still close to.

Jang Mi-ran?

She's still seething

about being fooled by his writing.

The rumor spread among actors, so casting won't be easy.

It'll be freaking hard.

The only reason he's still a director is that Hye-jin went around begging

and gave it everything she got.

If it weren't for her,

I'd say he wouldn't have made it.

He would've been executed.

You're here.

Hello.

Cham, cham, cham.

If you ever

go meet an actor without my permission, you're dead.

Any meetings with actors

or whatever movie-related work goes through me first. Got it?

Get up already.

Go upstairs and write.

I said go upstairs and write.

Damn it.

What is it?

Did you bad-mouth him without knowing he was here?

What did you say?

Whatever.

Do you want a drink?

It's all your fault.

- What did I do? - Why did you say he caught the last train?

But I…

Gyeong-se, have a drink.

Everyone out.

Leave, all of you.

Close up and head home.

They're worse with people around.

Right now?

Start talking after we leave.

I said get up.

Right, we should go. Let's go.

- Hey, where are you going? - Home, of course.

Sorry, I didn't know.

I wonder

when they'll close your coffin.

This will end.

Our tiresome relationship will eventually come to an end.

I wonder how it'll end for you, and how it'll end for me.

"So he dies in the end."

"After all that bullshit about never dying,

he dies after all."

I want to end it,

but I don't know how, and it drives me to tears.

Every night, I dream of dragging you

into the age of duels.

If we were in the age of duels…

In the age of duels, where everything ends in a single blow…

I used to think while watching foreign films,

"Why would anyone risk their life over something so trivial?"

But now,

I want to risk it.

I'm so sick of this endless cycle.

I'd rather end it once and for all.

I've thought about why you piss me off.

It's because you have a sixth sense

for where it hurts me the most.

You know exactly what my weak points are,

and you stab right into them

while laughing.

If I were a bigger man,

I'd laugh along with you, but I can't.

And it frustrates the hell out of me.

Everyone stakes their whole life on being seen as a decent person.

But you always wreck that.

Your sharp tongue keeps stabbing them like a broken blade.

I was just saying it for fun.

Talking trash about others is just for laughs.

You'll keep doing it for fun,

and I'll keep bleeding from the blade you stab me with for fun.

Let's just stop, Dong-man.

Okay?

I know you don't like me.

Let's end this.

You want to go on a trip?

How about a four-day trip?

Just the two of us.

Let's spend those four days

letting out all the stuff we've been holding against each other,

and see who comes out on top from all this.

I won't hold it against you if you do.

Let's end this.

Please.

Okay?

Let's just

end this.

Done.

It's over.

Dong-man.

Dong-man?

Dong-man.

It's over.

Dong-man.

Let's end this.

Dong-man.

Let's end this.

Damn it.

Dong-man, let's just end this!

I just got my tooth fixed!

This isn't new for you.

It's not the first time you've heard people say

you're a director

who's made five films with no style, no taste, and no signature work.

You're just pissed because it's coming from me!

Someone who hasn't even debuted yet!

What, if you're not doing well, you can't talk trash?

You're just scared that a pathetic loser like me might catch up to you.

Stop thinking about crushing the people below you,

and just focus on catching up with the ones above you!

And let's find out

how you die

and how I die

when the coffin closes.

It's over! The end!

Satisfying! So satisfying!

Damn it.

REGRET

How is this "regret"?

Gyeong-se.

I'm sorry.

I was wrong.

I'm trying

not to talk trash about others.

I really

want to stop talking trash about someone

I used to be close to.

But it's not easy.

There's only one way

for us to get back to

being close.

I have to debut.

We need to be on the same level.

That way, you won't dismiss what I say,

and I won't take your words the wrong way.

When we were on the same level,

when we were both nobodies…

we were freaking amazing.

We were full of energy

and stayed up all night roasting lousy veteran directors.

We were on our knees like this

and watched Billy Elliot.

We watched it repeatedly,

crying every time.

Remember Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind?

After watching it…

we felt sentimental for days.

Half of the movies I've watched in my life

were with you.

I've been trying so hard to get close to you again,

trying to be the same as you,

so we could be close again.

But you've been trying hard to become different from me.

Gyeong-se.

Let's just be the same again.

Please.

I'll debut and come back so we're on the same level.

Let's just be the same again.

Please?

Let's be the same.

You're here now,

so just apologize and move on.

Think of it as acting.

You're shooting one apology scene

and making 100 million won.

Damn it!

Come on.

There you go.

I'll talk her down and get her to apologize somehow.

Don't worry.

Ms. Oh, it's time to go.

How many times do I have to say I'm sorry?

You call that being sorry?

Yeah, this is me being sorry!

This is how I act when I'm sorry.

I go on the defensive when I'm sorry.

What, you want me to cry and beg?

I can't do that because it makes me cringe.

I was wrong, I've committed a grave sin, and I'm sorry!

Here, I'll let you hit me.

Go ahead.

Just hit me as hard as you want.

Get on your knees and repeat after me!

- "I'm a crazy bitch." - Yeah, I'm a crazy bitch.

"Jung Hyeon-u never liked me."

For crying out loud.

No? Then go ahead and tank your career.

I'd rather you just hit me.

I'll die at your hands.

Go ahead and hit me! Come on.

It's just as I expected.

Idiots who don't know how to apologize or how to accept an apology.

Is Jung Hyeon-u into stupid women?

I bet you think you can just vent, quit, and live like any ordinary person.

Having your face out there is a curse.

People will always remember you.

If you open a café,

you'll be the celebrity who tanked their career

after a hair-pulling fight with Jang Mi-ran.

If you open a restaurant,

you'll be the celebrity who tanked their career

after a hair-pulling fight with Jang Mi-ran.

Even when you become an old grandma,

you'll be the celebrity who tanked their career

after a hair-pulling fight with Jang Mi-ran.

It'll follow you forever.

Why would my career get tanked?

The person who grabbed my hair is the one whose career would tank.

You'll both go down.

If you can't live an ordinary life,

wouldn't it be better to keep appearing

on the big screen or on TV?

I'd be open to doing that,

but your daughter

refuses to apologize properly.

What a joke.

She can't act.

You'll never get the apology scene that will satisfy you.

Just drop it.

Jang Mi-ran won't be engaging in any public activities for the next year.

She won't take part in overseas promotion for the drama.

She'll just pay the penalty and skip it.

The settlement amount will be delivered separately

to avoid any contact with Jung Hyeon-u.

Is there anything else you want?

Other than her apology, that is.

If there's nothing else, we're done here.

I came in the middle of a shoot.

You'd think she was your real daughter.

Why don't you just cut ties

with your troublesome husband and stepdaughter

and start taking care of your long-neglected biological daughter?

That's how most celebrities deal with troublesome family members.

This is your chance.

I'll release the CCTV footage for you.

Hey.

All right.

Release it.

Do it.

I watched the footage countless times

and wondered how ordinary people would react to it.

You speak quietly until Mi-ran walks in.

Then you show just how petty you are

by laughing over the top, tossing your head around.

Don't even think about editing it. Release the whole thing.

I'm sure you know

Jung Hyeon-u is known for using acting as an excuse to get into situationships.

When you heard rumors about him and Jang Mi-ran,

you tried to shut them down by labeling her a crazy woman

who can't separate acting from reality.

I've met every actress he's done that to.

They said they'll back us if this gets out.

You have to see it through with idiots who can't tell when to back off or quit.

Get up. Let's go.

You seem curious, so I'll tell you.

My biological daughter

is far more impressive than the likes of you.

You don't even compare.

She doesn't cling to anyone for support.

Not men, and not even her parents.

Bye.

Why do I keep getting caught up in these unpleasant emotions?

Feeling abandoned

and feeling hurt…

I want to stop writing stories like this.

What do you think makes a story feel real?

Emotions.

How did you feel when you accurately identified an emotion

that appeared on the emotion watch?

A bit…

A bit thinned out.

That's right.

Negative emotions are easier to manage once they're accurately identified.

At the very least, they won't snowball

into more distorted thinking.

As your emotions thin out,

the story naturally loses its strength.

Eun-a,

you've practiced identifying emotions enough

that you can probably do it without the emotion watch now.

You should give it a try.

Practice accurately identifying emotions.

- Hello. - Hello.

- Hello. - Goodness. Welcome, Ms. Oh.

This way, please.

Go in.

Hello.

This is Producer Byeon Eun-a. She's one of our development producers.

She has pretty great ideas.

I'm sure she'll be helpful in this revision meeting.

Take a seat.

Is the writer still against me playing the role?

No, it's not that they're against it.

They just want to think it over more carefully.

They seem a bit full of themselves

because it's a good screenplay and all the actors are after it.

Please tell the writer

that they're not in a position to turn me down.

It's well written for a beginner, but it's not first-rate yet.

I'm sorry.

I'm not sure how much of the writing comes from the director versus the writer.

But you should hear this, Director Ma.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK BY MA JAE-YEONG, BYEON EUN-A

Go home and count how many times "like crazy" appears.

"Run like crazy," "Eat like crazy,"

"Swear like crazy."

"Like crazy" means

the actor is expected to overact and make up for an empty scene.

Scenes that should be carefully thought through and developed

are reduced to one very lazy direction.

Why should an actor work like crazy over such lazy writing?

There are quite a few parts like this

that pretend there's substance and gloss over it.

If you strip them away,

you'll see

the emptiness underneath.

This isn't the time to argue about

whether the protagonist should be female.

When unpleasant emotions surface…

try to pin them down precisely right then

so they don't get out of hand.

The feeling of having been attacked.

Even if it's an idiom, don't use it if you're not familiar with it.

Fear.

And then

examine the root.

What is the root of this emotion?

This is what beginners do.

However…

I will not die.

I'm not someone…

who can be killed by your words.

It's okay.

I understand.

You don't have to explain.

I hope you know

that I really enjoyed working with you.

Whenever I tried to write,

it felt like 100 people were waiting in line to criticize me.

But seeing you get excited over my writing and ideas,

I thought, "Hey, I guess I'm not bad at writing."

I'm enjoying writing again,

like a teenage girl.

All right, I'm off to choir practice.

I've been trying too hard for a while,

so I'm just going to pretend to sing and ride on their coattails.

Being a writer is really brutal.

You're on your own from the start, so you can't ride on anyone's coattails.

In our next life,

let's just do something where we can ride on someone's coattails.

I'm sorry!

Promise me

that you'll take all the credit!

Don't share and claim every bit of credit!

Why did you fire Writer Park?

- Please knock before you come out. - Why did you fire her?

Have you ever seen a bastard share credit?

I'm writing alone and taking full credit.

All the glory and criticism will be mine alone.

No one will say it's good if two people write it.

Just wait.

I'll show you how ruthless and downright dirty I can be.

I'll show you

someone who's truly filthy and vicious.

Damn it.

CEO KO HYE-JIN

I was wrong.

I'm sorry. I was wrong.

You did nothing wrong.

I was wrong.

You did nothing wrong.

I was wrong.

I'll just

aim for third place.

I may not be able to take first place…

but I can take third.

Those are pretty.

Why don't you wear heels?

Because it feels rude.

The clicking sounds.

It attracts attention.

But that's why you wear them.

To attract attention.

You know what?

I've never seen Oh Jeong-hui wear anything but heels,

except when she's acting.

She uses the clicking sounds to intimidate people

and changes the atmosphere in an instant,

while exuding this energy that she's going to win, no matter what.

That's why no one can beat her.

I respect that about her.

When I get old, even if I don't take care of my father,

I'll take care of Oh Jeong-hui to the very end.

You know,

like the way you care for your grandmother.

What does it mean to be impressive?

I know what it means to be cool.

What makes a person impressive?

Oh Jeong-hui said her biological daughter was impressive.

What does it mean to be impressive?

Huh?

What's wrong?

What's wrong?

What is it?

I'm Byeon Si-on.

I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner.

It's a good thing

I didn't raise you.

You turned out well.

Thanks.

WEATHER MAKER BY HWANG DONG-MAN

Hello, sir.

Hey.

Are you sure we can start shooting next year?

Yes, I'm sure.

All right.

I'll postpone Director Park Jin's film and do yours first.

Thank you!

Thank you!

Focus.

And be ready, Hwang Dong-man.

Yes, sir! Hwang Dong-man reporting!

I'll focus and be ready, sir!

Will do, sir!

My film's going into production.

Noh Kang-sik will be in it.

I think spring is coming.

HYOWON MANSION

I'm going to be busy now.

I might not make it home often.

But I'll call every day.

What's your purpose in life?

What's your purpose in life?

Humor.

I'm just going to live life

with a sense of humor.

You passed.

KICKOFF CEREMONY FOR A SAFE SHOOT AND GREAT SUCCESS FOR WEATHER MAKER

I had no idea I'd see that leather coat even in the middle of summer.

WEATHER MAKER WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY HWANG DONG-MAN

KICKOFF CEREMONY FOR A SAFE SHOOT AND GREAT SUCCESS FOR WEATHER MAKER

Hello, everyone.

I'm Director Hwang Dong-man.

Hwang Dong-man!

Hwang Dong-man!

I'm honored to be working with you.

I just have a few words to say.

First off,

- let me tell you a story about this coat. - Goodness gracious.

- This took part in World War II… - Come on!

Is there anyone here who doesn't know?

Please just listen.

- There's a twist. - That damn bastard.

Do whatever you want.

I bought this at a flea market when I went to the Berlin Film Festival

and was told that it was worn by a Russian soldier during World War II.

I thought if I wore the clothes of someone who stood in the center of history,

maybe I could step into history myself.

I paid a fortune for it

and made a point of wearing it for every important occasion.

Then I got into a life-or-death fight with someone I absolutely hated,

and it got torn.

Oh boy.

That's when I saw

a date clearly stamped into the leather.

It said 1998.

That's right. I was scammed.

Of course.

So did I lose my affection for this coat?

Nope.

This coat came with a story full of twists,

so I ended up loving it even more and more and more and more.

This is what we do. Storytelling.

We love,

we get hurt,

and we regret.

We might as well be dead without stories.

We got it, Director Hwang.

Keep it short!

Okay.

My brother

doesn't watch movies.

Even when his younger brother pitches an absolute fit to make a movie,

he doesn't care.

He doesn't watch them.

He said

he doesn't like stories.

All stories

are just cries that we exist.

"I exist in such a painful way."

"I exist in such a sad way."

"I exist in such a depressed way."

"I exist in such a humorous way."

We get 100 years at best.

Everything disappears in 100 years…

so does anything truly exist if it disappears?

To lay those doubts to rest…

you end up desperately writing stories.

- We're in sync. - In sync.

If you have to write stories…

for as long as you live…

you might as well make them humorous.

I couldn't live that way…

but you can live with humor.

We'll run into many obstacles while filming,

but I'll barrel through them like a maniac!

Thank you!

Make it big!

Quiet on set!

I don't know how far this film will reach,

but I'm praying with all my heart.

I hope it never wounds anyone.

I hope it can make a sad person smile…

Ready.

- …if only for a moment. - Scene 23, shot 1, take 1.

I hope it becomes a moment that opens someone's heart.

Action.

Two, three, up!

NAM GYU-CHEOL

The person you are trying to reach is on another call.

You will be redirected to voicemail.

Charges will apply once you are connected.

NAM GYU-CHEOL

I'm sorry, Jin-man.

I won't ask for this kind of favor again.

It's just that there isn't a poet like you that I know of.

It was announced as two hours,

but you can just do one.

Poet Hwang Jin-man, I heard critics were very excited

when you made your literary debut.

But…

it's been ten years since your last poetry book came out.

I'm curious why you stopped writing.

I heard you've been drifting between manual labor jobs.

Is it that you don't have much to write about?

Or that a welder who writes poetry is more striking than just a poet?

Are you trying to give your identity a stronger presence?

I'd like to know.

What does "drifting" mean?

"Drifting."

"To move from place to place without deciding on a destination."

I've decided.

It's welding.

When there's no work,

I harvest napa cabbage and radishes.

It's fine to move from place to place without deciding on a destination.

I shouldn't get hung up on words like this,

but the fact that I still do

means I have a ways to go.

This is what I don't like.

I don't like the distorted view

that poets who become welders do it to build some special identity.

If that's such a great identity,

then let's all just quit

and become welders.

To be honest…

I like welding more than poetry.

I guess I should say

it suits me better.

Writing poetry was a continuous cycle of frustration and self-loathing.

But with welding…

I just keep running the torch, and it gets the work done.

My mind isn't restless.

When I put the welding rod down and walk away,

all sorts of thoughts

come rushing back again.

But while I'm welding, they don't surface.

It feels like I'm resting for the first time.

I'm working,

but it feels like resting.

So yes.

I like welding

more than poetry.

Hello.

Hello.

It's been a long time.

Excuse me.

What is it now?

Did Dong-man ask you to check whether I'm drinking?

No.

It's not that.

I have some fans overseas.

So?

I heard some things, so I posted something on social media

to look for Yeong-sil.

I'm sorry I did that without asking first.

But I received a DM from someone in Finland.

They say their child was born in 2012, and her name is Hwang Yeong-sil.

I deleted part of her first name,

and only mentioned her as "Hwang Blank-sil,"

but they replied with the exact full name, "Hwang Yeong-sil."

Spring always waits

It waits for the first snow

It waits for the autumn sky

It waits for every season

But it's right now

Spring, summer, fall, winter

It's all right now

Leaves move in the wind

Flashing white

As they turn

DIRECTOR HWANG DONG-MAN

Don't freak out, okay?

Apparently,

Dong-man has gone quiet.

I think he's having a mental breakdown.

None of the scenes are going as planned,

and the crew is starting to lose faith in him,

so Noh Kang-sik has been giving cues and running the set for the past few days.

Directors go through this sometimes.

It's not unusual, but…

I was just wondering how to handle this.

Hey, you.

Get up.

Listen.

Do you want to die by my hand today, or do you want to film?

Choose one or the other.

Do you want to film?

Or do you want to die?

Do you want to film?

Or do you want to die, you bastard?

If you have to write stories for as long as you live…

Start filming already, you bastard!

Start filming!

If you have to write stories…

for as long as you live…

Crazy bastard.

Ready.

Action!

Do you know

what weather is?

Do you know how terrifying…

uncontrollable nature can be?

I like how uncontrollable things

exist

in the world.

It makes me feel like…

I might be

something uncontrollable

as well.

It makes me feel like

I might be something…

uncontrollable as well.

- Please enjoy! - Thank you.

- I had to sit, but-- - Let's hit ten million!

What did they say about the movie?

- Well, they… - Oh man.

I finally adjusted to digital from film.

But what the hell?

Now it's AI.

So I thought long and hard about whether to give up,

but today,

I saw Dong-man's film and made a decision.

AI era or not,

I'm going to keep writing.

I'll keep writing to the end,

and keep filming to the end!

Let's do it!

That was great. Well said.

Hwang Dong-man.

I knew you'd turn out--

Don't say you knew I'd turn out well!

You guys know, right?

I never miss out on a sure bet.

Let's sign a contract!

I'll pay you top rate.

You're annoying to the very end.

I love you.

I love you!

What an amazing guy.

He pulled it off!

What the heck?

What is it?

Do you want to have conversations with me now?

You know what?

I love this bastard.

I think I can even kiss him.

Stop it!

What's wrong with you?

Hey, Gyeong-se.

So? Do you like the movie?

- I love it. - Yeah?

You know, Dong-man told me the protagonist is you.

What?

"A sentimental punk who can't be ruthless when it counts

and ends up perishing."

He said that's you.

I've acted a lot in my life,

but I never thought I'd act out your life.

Sir, I've written 14 screenplays over the past 20 years.

Twelve of them are about Park Gyeong-se.

He's the most pathetic,

and the most…

lovable guy in the world.

Just you wait.

There are 11 more Park Gyeong-se stories yet to come out.

Do you know The Lustful Bottle Opener is about you?

Hey, I'm not that pathetic!

It's about you.

No, it's not!

Now that we're on the same level, are you ready for some roasting?

- I sure am. - Are you ready?

I sure am. Are you ready?

All right, then. Ready, action!

There's this scene where Mr. Noh meets Yeong-hun.

As he ran, I wanted to follow him with a Steadicam like this,

but the DP insisted on using a camera dolly

and following horizontally.

And you know Mr. Noh does whatever he wants.

So he just goes to the front, and the DP had laid out the camera dolly until…

I wish I could spend my whole life just watching you.

Hey, that's nothing!

- Remember that car explosion scene? - Yeah.

Even if you don't create anything great…

Cut. Okay!

It's always comedy with you, like now.

Even when you step into a burning pit, it's still comedy.

And the makeup team.

- Wait, wasn't it Jun? - Yeah, Jun!

Depressing stories,

sad stories,

tragic stories…

I want to keep watching you turn everything into a comedy.

The 48th Korean Film Awards

Best New Director Award goes to…

Hwang Dong-man for Weather Maker!

48TH KOREAN FILM AWARDS BEST NEW DIRECTOR AWARD

Congratulations, Hwang Dong-man!

Jin-man!

I won an award!

You can look me up online now!

Yeong-sil!

You can look up your uncle online now!

Eun-a!

Thank you so much

for being with me.

From here on,

I'll work even harder!

Thank you!

WE ARE ALL TRYING HERE

Ready.

Action.

Subtitle translation by: Jenny Kim