Chapter 35
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 035
Chapter Title: Brilliant Sky END (3)
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Waaah! Yi-han—!
Kyaaak! Haneul!
Whoa, insane! Shin Yi-han!
Amidst the cries alternating between his real name and his character's, the camera flashes erupted.
Click-click-click—! Click! Click!
Shin Yi-han was bombarded with camera flashes.
It was almost as rapid as the shutters for the lead actress—no, nearly matching Ham Yeon-jeong's.
The crowd's intense reactions caught him off guard for a moment.
Of course, that only lasted briefly. After taking a few steps forward, he quickly grew accustomed to the lights.
Shin Yi-han couldn't help but marvel inwardly.
'Ah.'
He was honestly surprised.
'This is pretty dazzling.'
Perhaps because the sky had already darkened.
Truth be told, compared to formal events like award shows, it wasn't even that many cameras.
Yet the camera lights felt brighter than ever.
'It feels like standing right under a spotlight.'
And beyond that glow, everyone was smiling up at him.
Indeed, watching from inside the car and actually standing here were worlds apart.
'Yeah. Completely different.'
Bathed in the pouring lights, Shin Yi-han ended up grinning broadly. It was pure joy.
And that was when his lips curved upward—the camera shutters grew even louder.
Click, click-click-click—! Click-click!
As if they couldn't miss capturing that exact expression.
'......!'
The reporters reflexively snapped away.
Truth be told, at first, even the reporters hadn't planned to shoot this enthusiastically.
Sure, Brilliant Sky had been a hit, but their main target was top star Ham Yeon-jeong.
Her photos were guaranteed clicks. Her fanbase was rock-solid from her heyday dominating the industry.
As for Shin Yi-han?
He was just a rookie whose face had recently gone viral among the younger crowd.
Especially after getting shipped with idol Ryu Gi-on during the Flames drama era—his name had trended online for a while.
Like with Park Mu-gang, they figured they'd snag a few decent shots and call it a day.
But then...
The moment Shin Yi-han appeared, everything changed.
'Uh...'
A long coat half-covering his legs, paired with a black turtleneck.
Just the right amount of effortless styling. Clean attire.
Nothing particularly flashy about it.
Yet for some reason, the reporters couldn't tear their eyes away from Shin Yi-han.
'Why does his face glow like that...?'
'Shin Yi-han... his real-life looks are insane...'
That was exactly the thought crossing their minds.
'That's really Lee Ha-neul from Brilliant Sky, right?'
'Is it because he's not in uniform...? This is way too different from the drama.'
At first, it threw them off.
'How did someone with that physique look so pitiful? This is beyond comprehension.'
'His acting must've completely overshadowed his looks...'
It wasn't the image they'd expected.
Shin Yi-han, who had perfectly embodied that pitiful high schooler Lee Ha-neul in the drama,
now just looked like a brilliantly shining actor.
'J-just shoot it!'
He was tall—too tall. Instinctively, they felt they had to capture him first and think later.
Even through the camera lens, his face looked impossibly small.
'This can't be real. The lighting flatters him perfectly.'
'Damn. His image shifts every time he smiles.'
Before they knew it, the reporters were snapping away with fervor.
Honestly, a face like this?
You don't see it often these days.
With all the unique, edgy faces dominating the young actor scene, classic handsome types were drying up.
An actor who genuinely made you gasp at their raw beauty was a rare gem.
'Yeah. This is what actors are made of. Right?'
'This kid's gonna blow up for sure.'
The more they shot, the more his future potential excited them. Their seasoned instincts were tingling.
"Over here too!"
"Haneul! Great work!"
"Yi-haaan! Kyaaak!"
As soon as they'd gotten their shots, the crowd started calling out to Shin Yi-han.
Hearing his name, he turned, flashing a bright, innocent smile.
Gasp. Those facing him head-on screamed reflexively—a cheer of pure delight.
Shin Yi-han waved back at their voices.
Compared to hearing them from the car, their cheers up close made him keep breaking into smiles.
'Whoa...'
'Shin Yi-han is crazy.'
The people facing him couldn't help grinning ear to ear either.
'Shin Yi-han in casual clothes? I can't handle this...!'
'Why is his smile so pretty?! Ugh!'
'I almost regretted not coming!'
'All those online real-life encounter posts were hyping it up... now I get why. Insane.'
They were floored inside.
They waved back just as enthusiastically, phones still in hand.
That thrilled Shin Yi-han even more.
What could he say?
The people he'd only seen in online comments were right there, greeting him—and returning his waves.
It felt magical.
And soon enough,
Shin Yi-han bowed politely, wrapping up the photo op. He habitually touched his face as he headed into the restaurant.
All at once, he felt a rush of heat.
His face right now, the crowd's reactions.
His heart was pounding curiously.
'...Whoa.'
Truth be told, he was enjoying it quite a bit.
Sure, it was just a mini photo session on the street—not even a proper small fan meet...
But still.
'I like this kind of thing.'
Facing people up close felt entirely different.
The moment he stepped inside the restaurant, those already seated welcomed him warmly.
"Well, if it isn't our very own Shin Yi-han actor!"
Director Pyo Nam-un first.
"Yi-han!"
"Actor Shin Yi-han!"
Then writer Yoon Si-a and PD Kim Geun-tae.
It was great seeing these familiar faces after so long.
Ah, and over there were faces he'd seen just yesterday and this morning too. They'd come up from his hometown together.
Shin Yi-han's gaze naturally drifted toward his sister. She was at the far end, gathered with the junior PDs, thumbs up high.
'Awesome.'
That was exactly what her lips were mouthing. She'd clearly heard the cheers outside.
Shin Yi-han couldn't help but chuckle.
And the others were much the same.
"Whoa~ The reaction outside was no joke!"
"Placing the restaurant in such a busy district drew way more people than usual."
"But admit it—when Yi-han walked in, it went extra wild, right?"
"Oh, that's a given! It's our Haneul, after all!"
Hahaha! The veteran lead actors teased and chimed in upon spotting Shin Yi-han.
The lively atmosphere erupted in seconds.
Shin Yi-han kept smiling, bowing and greeting everyone. Their praises embarrassed him but filled him with joy.
"Hey! Yi-han, sit here! I've got so many questions for you!"
"Yeah! Haneul's mom is here too! Mom and son should share a table!"
"Exactly right!"
He naturally took the seat they gestured to among the lead actors.
"We've been waiting. Come on in."
Ham Yeon-jeong welcomed him brightly from right across.
"Hey, why'd you take so long?"
Park Mu-gang, who'd entered first and apparently waited, immediately claimed the seat beside him from the corner.
The table was instantly bustling, drawing laughter already.
Once everyone had arrived, the proper wrap party kicked off.
The menu? Premium Hanwoo beef.
Everyone eagerly grabbed their tongs.
Sizzle— sizzle— The sound of Hanwoo searing filled the air from all sides. The savory aroma had them salivating, eyes glued to the grill.
"Kahaha! I knew I could count on you! Our writer too! The director! All our actors!"
The wrap party vibe was pure celebration.
"You know what I love most, right?! Especially our Shin Yi-han actor! Let's work together again next time! Promise!"
Even as PD Kim Geun-tae bellowed in delight, everyone just laughed.
"Thank you all so much. Thanks to every single one of you, Brilliant Sky... truly lived up to its shining name."
Yoon Si-a teared up a bit while sharing her thoughts.
"Aw, cut it out! No time for speeches—let's eat and drink!"
Director Pyo Nam-un swiftly raised his beer glass and shouted.
"Cheers!"
Cheers! Toasts and sentiments were brief; soon everyone was chattering away.
Shin Yi-han's table was no different.
Where to vacation after all their hard work, how their drama was the best, what projects next—endless topics flowed.
Conversations they'd missed amid the hectic shoot poured out.
"Oh, by the way, what have you been up to lately, actor Yi-han?"
Especially updates on Shin Yi-han couldn't be skipped.
"You wrapped that indie film recently, right? Any other upcoming projects?"
At the mention of next projects, all eyes turned to him.
"Yeah, time to branch out beyond indies!"
"Totally! Perfect timing now! Any good roles coming your way? They must be!"
And it was the well-connected veteran actors leading the talk.
"I heard about that one! A director throwing a fit to cast you as the male lead!"
"Whoa! For real?"
They knew everything.
"Yeah! I heard it too recently!"
"Is it true? They asked you to take the lead role?"
"Uh... well."
Shin Yi-han smiled awkwardly.
Because it was all true.
How did they know so well? Recently, a few had indeed sent scripts begging him to star.
A relatively small-scale project, a debut feature from some director.
But a straight-up male lead offer.
With firm commitment, no less.
For someone who'd only done bit parts so far, it was incredibly generous.
"What was that film's title...? It made waves with casting offers recently."
"Oh, you mean Summer Confession?"
"Yes! That's it!"
Spot on.
"Yeah. They kindly offered me the chance."
Shin Yi-han nodded right away.
"Whoa! Knew it!"
"Jackpot! That role suits you perfectly!"
"It'd build that fresh image too! Spot on!"
"Dong-ho and Haneul, now summer vibes?! Total likability boost!"
That was true too. As they said, it probably fit him well.
The title alone promised something ticklish and innocent.
The synopsis had hooked him from the start.
One summer, a girl travels back in time to the past.
A girl who looks just like her mom sets out to find her mother's first love.
If she could make them connect, her mom would surely be happy.
That's what she planned.
But apparently, she wasn't the only one who'd time-traveled here.
A boy arrives through time just like her. And the girl falls for him—her first love.
It was summer.
A youthful romance film just like that.
It was a movie he'd liked back in the day too.
And it had done well.
With his indie shoot wrapped, the timing was ideal.
Joining now would definitely stamp his name in the public's mind.
However.
"So you accepted the lead, right? Yeah?"
"Sigh! You have to! I go way back with that director from his assistant days—he's got real talent! This is your shot!"
Even as they praised it as a smart choice and offered senior advice,
Shin Yi-han didn't nod.
"Actually, I turned it down."
He just stated it plainly.
"Huh? You did?"
"...For real?"
Everyone was stunned at Shin Yi-han casually kicking away such a golden opportunity.
Park Mu-gang—who'd been enjoying the story most—looked the most shocked.
"What?!"
He even shot up from his seat.
"I... I...!"
Pointing at himself, Park Mu-gang said,
"I accepted Summer Confession!"
He'd apparently taken the casting call.
"Oh. The sub-male lead, maybe?"
"Uh... yeah!"
"Suits you. That role's got a bit of a delinquent vibe. You'd nail it."
"True that."
Park Mu-gang nodded at Shin Yi-han's words.
"...No, wait."
But he quickly snapped back to reality.
"You said you were positively considering it! Wasn't that what they told me? They even confirmed you'd given the green light!"
"I was never positive about it..."
"...?!"
Shin Yi-han shook his head.
How naive can you be?
Just ask directly. Don't take the production company's word at face value.
"Damn. Did they totally play me?"
Realizing late it was production hype, Park Mu-gang raked his hair.
"Ugh, whatever. Accept it now! It's not too late!"
His stubbornness made Shin Yi-han laugh.
But accept now? No way.
"No! Then what about you?!"
Park Mu-gang pressed urgently, ready to follow whatever he said.
But that might be tricky.
"Mm. I'll wait a bit longer."
Since the drama didn't exist yet.
Shin Yi-han smiled faintly.
"Gonna do the acting I really want first."
"...?"
That was his actual choice.
Not missing out on the role he truly craved.
Sure, Summer Confession would be fun and fresh.
'But not as much as this.'
Something hellish was about to open casting soon.
An audition drawing top contenders left and right, destined to be Newflix's biggest hit of the year.
One drama.
Shin Yi-han was determined to land that role.
And it really wasn't long after.
Just as Shin Yi-han predicted, a Newflix original drama entered production.
Produced by drama specialists, Scene Studio.
"This is driving me nuts! Who do we cast?! Picking candidates is the hard part."
Director Gil Mi-jin was clutching her head.
The drama,
penned by Korea's top thriller/suspense author Go Ji-sook, who'd already peaked in the genre.
Newflix's self-produced pick amid their string of Korean successes.
The lead was locked with a top star boasting solid acting chops, and the budget was lavish.
It was starting at the top, practically.
But maybe that's why.
The pursuit of perfection made it all the more grueling.
'This role especially is killing me!'
Director Gil Mi-jin rubbed her dry face repeatedly.
Yoon Dong-jin, maybe?
No, his acting style doesn't mesh with ours.
Actor profiles littered the table as her eyes darted around.
Park Mu-gang?
No way. Too obviously thug-like.
Choi Gyeol, then!
...The writer pushed hard for him, but
he's her last resort.
Child actor background means decent skills, but something's off. No spark, no pull.
Argh, whatever.
Might have to clash with the writer, but on hold for now.
"Seriously, Director!"
Her assistant director finally piped up, tired of the solo agonizing.
"Why not just open auditions ASAP? Call everyone in! It's such an appealing role—they'll all kill for it!"
Solid advice for such a strong project.
"That way, we can blame it on auditions if the writer pushes Choi Gyeol!"
"Ahem. True, but that's why we need solid candidates first. That's the issue..."
"Ah."
Director Gil Mi-jin had her standards.
Especially for this role in the drama.
It might be the most crucial.
The pivotal one that shakes the protagonist to the core.
'Pure evil.'
Seemingly ordinary at first.
But reveals a horrific true nature in an instant.
A mad character who drags even the protagonist into hell.
And for such a chilling figure...
They needed a face blending good and evil, capable of expressing that eerie craving.
Acting on par with a sub-lead, too.
Especially since the protagonist was Baek Eun-won.
With Baek Eun-won's fame, the lead needed a fresher face—not too familiar.
Yeah. Fresh face.
Ideally someone without a lead role yet.
But subpar acting wouldn't cut it. They needed a powerhouse with a killer edge no one could match.
"Uh... Director? Hold on. Is that combo even possible?"
The assistant director was baffled by her mumbling.
Honestly, among young supporting actors, someone who could stand toe-to-toe with Baek Eun-won's acting...
Wait.
Isn't there...?
"Crazy! Shin Yi-han!"
The assistant director suddenly shouted as it hit him.
Dong-ho was great, and Lee Ha-neul was killer too!
"What about Shin Yi-han for Director?!"
"Ah. Shin Yi-han?"
Director Gil Mi-jin looked up at the suggestion.
"Yeah, I checked him out on Nutube briefly. His acting's legit. Gave me chills for the first time in ages."
She picked up Shin Yi-han's profile.
A photo that looked hastily taken at some acting academy caught her eye.
Not the best pic, but she had to consider him.
His skills warranted a spot, even in another role.
However...
"His face is way too pure."
Shin Yi-han didn't fit her vision.
"The role he's doing now aside—he looks like he'd get beat up all the time! And righteous to boot!"
Similar issue as Park Mu-gang. Image overrode talent; it clashed with her protagonist foil.
"My villain's not that vibe!"
"Huh?"
The assistant director tilted his head.
"Nah, I don't think so? Shin Yi-han isn't righteous at all."
"What're you talking about."
"Come on, Director. You haven't seen this yet, have you?"
The assistant director pulled out his phone confidently.
And played something.
[First Public 'Murder's Delusion' Trailer]
A 2-minute trailer.