Chapter 129: Bling Bling Island
Chapter 129: Bling Bling Island
Monday morning.
On the way to a movie shoot, Team Leader Jo Sehun sat in the passenger seat, busy talking with someone on the phone.
“Yes. Understood. Haha. That’s great news. Yes, I’ll pass it along to Sunho.”
After ending the call in a cheerful voice, Jo Sehun turned around and spoke.
“Sunho, I just spoke with the Ministry of Health and Welfare publicity team leader, and they’re extremely satisfied. They especially said they’re very grateful to you.”
“I just did what needed to be done.”
I had naturally expected the confirmation. After all, we had received positive feedback from the idea stage.
I had spent years in the advertising industry. Predicting something like this was basic.
“Doing what needed to be done? You did more than that. Sunho, you’re an actor.”
Ah, right.
That’s true.
“Why are you two talking like it’s some kind of code? What’s going on?”
The stylist in the back seat asked curiously.
“There’s something. Sunho pulled off another huge move.”
“What is it? Is it more shocking than Nureongi?”
“Hmm… maybe. If you think about it, this kind of thing has never happened before, so the impact might be even bigger.”
“Ahhh, don’t tease us like that—tell us too!”
“Nope. If I explain it out loud, it’ll lose its impact. But you’ll find out soon enough.”
Jo Sehun added while glancing at the rearview mirror.
“Watch the dramas carefully this week. On Monday and Tuesday watch Bling Bling Island, and on Wednesday and Thursday watch Doctor Princess.”
“…Huh? Suddenly?”
Road manager Jung Daeyeop, who had been quietly listening while driving, muttered,
“Did the main characters from the two dramas switch bodies or something…?”
“…!”
I was startled.
It wasn’t exactly correct, but it was surprisingly close.
The stylist burst into laughter.
“Puhaha! Oppa, what nonsense are you talking about? How could something like that happen?”
“In martial arts novels, that kind of thing actually happens quite a lot… It’s called soul-exchange technique. Only sorcerers who’ve reached the highest level can perform it—”
Apparently stepping into his area of expertise, Jung Daeyeop suddenly began speaking faster.
The stylist summarized dryly.
“…But that’s in novels. And even then, the souls only switch within the same story. Switching between different dramas makes no sense.”
“True…”
Jo Sehun and I exchanged secretive glances and smiled.
Just as I was about to return to focusing on the movie script, my phone began vibrating.
Bzz—Bzz—Bzz—
Sure enough, Park Juwon was talking in the group chat.
[Park Juwon Hyung: Sunho, you didn’t send a condolence wreath]
[Park Juwon Hyung: I was secretly expecting one. Disappointed.]
[Park Juwon Hyung: You heartlessly took only my heart… tsk…]
[Moon Ganghyeok Sunbae: I’ll use it carefully^^@]
[Park Juwon Hyung: It’s a high-grade secondhand S-class heart, so please leave a review later, hyung]
Ah, right.
I had completely forgotten in the chaos.
[Ryu Sunho: Should I send one now?]
[Park Juwon Hyung: Too late, I’m already dead]
[Ryu Sunho: Did you die well?]
[Park Juwon Hyung: I died magnificently]
[Park Juwon Hyung: Make sure you watch tomorrow night lol look forward to it]
Judging from the way he talked, Park Juwon seemed pretty excited too.
Then again, it would be strange if he weren’t.
Even I, the one who proposed the idea, felt this excited.
I set a personal goal.
Finish today’s shoot as quickly as possible without NGs.
Then go home and comfortably watch Park Juwon die on television.
Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province.
Film sets were always busy, but today was especially chaotic.
There was a reason.
Since it was an outdoor location rather than a set, spectators had gathered.
The site was private property, rented with a location fee and official city permission. But because it was an open space, there was no way to stop people from gathering like clouds.
“Ryu Sunho is here!”
“Holy crap, amazing. I’ve been so curious what he looks like in real life!”
“They say he literally has a halo.”
“Come on, that’s just exaggeration.”
From teenagers and people in their twenties—
“Nureongi is here?”
“Why are people making such a fuss over a dog?”
“No, not that Nureongi—don’t you know Nureongi from Mystery Singer?”
“Ohhh, that guy who sang Kim Gwanggyun’s song?”
“Yeah, the handsome kid with the great voice.”
—to middle-aged people in their sixties and beyond.
People of all ages gathered just to see Ryu Sunho.
As a result, the assistant director responsible for crowd control was having a miserable time.
“Please don’t interfere with filming! Please step back a little!”
As the crowd pressed closer, the assistant director’s voice grew louder.
“Please don’t take photos! I said don’t take pictures!”
His voice rose into shouting.
Just as friction with annoyed citizens was about to start—
“Whoa!”
“Waaa!”
“It’s Ryu Sunho!”
Ryu Sunho ran over.
“Damn… the rumor about him having a halo in real life is actually true.”
“How do those huge features even fit on such a small face?”
“Good lord, that’s one handsome guy.”
“He looks even better than on TV.”
Ryu Sunho approached and apologized with genuine sincerity.
“I’m sorry. Because we’re filming a movie, taking photos during the shoot is difficult due to security reasons.”
People were about to show disappointed expressions.
At that moment, Ryu Sunho turned to the assistant director.
“But we haven’t started filming yet, right?”
“Uh… yes. That’s correct.”
“Then let’s take pictures quickly right now. One person at a time, please come over.”
The unexpected response moved people even more.
Cheerful screams spread as their faces brightened.
Ryu Sunho maintained a smile and took photos with everyone one by one.
He had come over during the preparation time to quickly provide fan service.
Thanks to that, the brewing complaints subsided.
Meanwhile—
“I brought ice cream. Please take one each.”
He didn’t forget to promote Singgeut, with whom he had just signed a contract.
After the spectators left satisfied, the filming site returned to a tense silence.
Director Baek Junbong sat at the monitor checking camera angles.
Soon the veteran director’s voice rang out.
“Ready… action!”
The atmosphere on set changed completely.
The kind and friendly Ryu Sunho who had just been smiling and taking photos with fans vanished.
In his place stood only the emotionless monster Gu Sunwoo.
The camera rolled.
And Gu Sunwoo began to move.
His footsteps made almost no sound.
Yet the movement was strange.
It was as if each joint were separated and moving individually.
Rather than human, it resembled a meticulously controlled marionette.
Wow… this is insane. How can just walking give me chills?
The staff member holding the boom microphone suddenly felt goosebumps rise along his arm.
It was clearly the same person, yet it felt like the structure of his bones had changed.
Gu Sunwoo approached a man.
His hand slowly rose through the air.
Like a conductor guiding an orchestra.
Or a painter brushing a canvas—smooth and elegant.
But the place his fingertips reached was the victim’s neck.
“…!”
The cameraman held his breath while peering through the viewfinder.
Ryu Sunho’s expression through the lens—
The corner of his mouth trembled slightly, twisting grotesquely.
Yet his eyes were pure and clear like a martyr’s.
Two contradictory emotions coexisted on one face.
How does someone even make that expression? Seriously… it’s disturbingly beautiful.
His gestures were eerie and grotesque.
To draw out the victim’s fear, he bent and twisted his body in unnatural ways.
His head tilted ninety degrees.
Each finger joint bent strangely.
And yet, ironically, from a distance the bizarre movement appeared strangely graceful.
Like a black swan dancing.
The staff on set were so overwhelmed by Ryu Sunho’s acting they couldn’t even breathe.
Is that really the same guy who was smiling and taking selfies a moment ago…
He’s insane… “good acting” isn’t even enough to describe it.
How does a human move like that? Doesn’t his body hurt?
Gu Sunwoo’s hand slid up the victim’s jaw and covered his eyes.
Finally, the victim’s suppressed fear crossed its limit.
“AAAAAAAH!”
The moment the scream burst out—
Gu Sunwoo closed his eyes in ecstatic delight and inhaled the scream like sweet music.
His expression was both devil and artist.
“Cut! Okay! That was good!”
Director Baek Junbong’s shout broke the silence.
Only then did the staff who had been holding their breath release it all at once.
“Wow… director, did you see that? The last expression?”
“Of course I did. That’s exactly what I wanted. No—actually it’s more than that.”
Director Baek watched the monitor with excitement.
The assistant director stared blankly at Ryu Sunho.
At the sound of “cut,” he had instantly returned to his gentle expression while adjusting his clothes.
Just a moment ago he looked like he was about to kill someone… and now he switched off like a light.
That… is a real actor.
Everyone on set thought the same thing.
They were witnessing, up close, the prime of a monstrous genius.
“Great work!”
The two-day shoot had finally wrapped up.
In the van heading home, I fell asleep like I had fainted.
By the time I woke up, we were already back in Seoul.
Fortunately, I made it home in time for the evening.
After showering, I sank deeply into the living room sofa.
The time was 9:55 PM.
Perfect timing.
Episode 12 of Bling Bling Island, starring Park Juwon, began airing.
I had laughed earlier at someone insisting I watch their own death scene.
But honestly, I was pretty excited too.
How the character Cheon Seonghyeon would end his story.
And how that ending would connect to our drama airing tomorrow.
About thirty minutes into the episode, a small hospital room on the island appeared.
[…Haah.]
Cheon Seonghyeon, played by Park Juwon, leaned weakly against the bed and sighed softly.
Outside the window, the gentle sound of waves flowed into the hospital room like background music.
Tap.
Seonghyeon picked up a small photo frame from the table.
Inside was a slightly awkward smiling photo of himself and the female lead Narae.
It was from the day they went fishing and got soaked in the rain.
[…This picture really came out badly.]
Seonghyeon chuckled softly.
But behind the smile lay a thin, transparent sadness.
[…But why do I keep wanting to look at it?]
He gently held the frame with both hands.
His fingertips trembled slightly in the close-up shot.
It was the subtle acting of a patient facing imminent death.
[Narae.]
As if she were really in front of him, he spoke naturally and tenderly.
[Can I say something honestly?]
Looking at the photo, his expression was careful—like someone revealing their true feelings for the first time in their life.
[I used to be scared of dying. And resentful too. Why me? Why now? Thoughts like that… so I had a lot of bad thoughts.]
He slowly inhaled and exhaled.
Then he smiled faintly while staring at the photo.
[But now… I’ve changed my mind.]
His finger gently stroked the face in the photo.
[The time I won’t get to use anymore… thinking of lending it to someone else somehow feels comforting.]
His voice, which had trembled earlier, now became calm and steady.
[Isn’t it nice? It feels very… island-style, doesn’t it?]
He pulled the frame close to his chest.
[If there’s an empty room, you share it… if there’s extra food, you share it…]
His lips trembled.
But he tried to keep smiling until the end.
[…So please share the feelings you have left with someone. They shine too brightly to keep all by yourself…]
Cheon Seonghyeon slowly lay down on the bed.
Still holding the photo frame tightly.
[I didn’t expect this… but I’ve grown attached. To this island… and…]
In the end, he couldn’t finish his final words.
Only the rhythmic sound of waves filled the silent hospital room.
Soon, the hand holding the frame loosened quietly.
His final breath broke apart gently with the sea breeze outside the window.
Thus, Episode 12 of Bling Bling Island came to an end.
I stared blankly at the now-dark screen.
The lingering emotion was strong.
No wonder he told me to watch…
It was quite an impressive performance.
The afterimage lingered for a long time.
When I checked the internet, people’s reactions were intense.
—Nooooo Seonghyeon don’t go
—I’m crying like crazy at my age watching a drama
—Terminal illness trope = emotional nuclear bomb
—Park Juwon’s best acting ever
—That last expression is unforgettable
—That final line about giving your remaining feelings to someone is heartbreaking
└ Dying while hugging Narae’s photo is cheating
And then the reaction I had been waiting for appeared.
—But what did Seonghyeon mean about lending his unused time to someone else?
└ Isn’t that organ donation?
└ Yeah it is. In the epilogue there was a close-up of an organ donor card in his wallet after he died
└ Damn… he went out in style until the end
└ Whoever receives Seonghyeon’s organs better live a long happy life
└ lol he’s not a real person
And the next day.
Following the baton from Bling Bling Island, Episode 9 of Doctor Princess aired.
—and then—
“…Huh?”
“What the hell…!”
“No way…?”
Viewers watching the drama were filled with shock.
.