CHAPTER 045: A Drama Is for the Actor
CHAPTER 045: A Drama Is for the Actor
After visiting the Vacuum State set, Han Seungwoo couldn’t get Ryu Sunho’s acting out of his head for several days.
He’d gone to watch for fun, but the shock of witnessing raw talent up close was intense.
“He’s an interesting bastard, seriously.”
As Han Seungwoo lay on the sofa in his office, someone knocked.
“Come in.”
Team Leader Yoo entered cautiously, holding a thick bundle of scripts.
“Division Head, the first-round results from JTBN’s drama script contest came in. There are seven final candidates.”
Team Leader Yoo placed the seven neatly organized script booklets on the table.
Choosing the final winner was Content Trinity’s responsibility.
And the one with final decision authority was him.
“Good work. You can go now.”
After Team Leader Yoo left, Han Seungwoo picked up the script on top.
He crossed his legs and flipped through it page by page.
“…Hmm.”
Maybe because they’d already been filtered in the first round, but they were all interesting.
He tried to separate the gems from the junk with a sharp eye, but honestly, they all felt like more or less the same thing.
“Should I just fold them into paper airplanes and rank them by how far they fly? Luck is a skill too, right?”
Just as Han Seungwoo was about to write the drama titles on the pages and fold them into airplanes, his father’s face flashed through his mind.
A hallucination of tiger-like eyes glaring at him with icy fury.
A chill ran down his spine.
“…Was about to say that.”
For now, he needed to refrain from doing anything that would catch his father’s eye.
Hadn’t he said that what he did from here on out would decide the future of management rights?
Then he should judge more ideally—more like his father would.
The imperial posture his father taught him, lesson two.
“A leader doesn’t need to become a genius. He just needs to know how to use the geniuses around him well.”
A genius like that nearby…
“There is.”
A face came to him immediately. Ryu Sunho.
A genius actor with good instincts was right there.
He’d heard Ryu Sunho had guessed the exact first-episode ratings for Divine Investigation.
Not just acting skill—he had a solid sense for reading scripts, too.
Right.
Medicine goes to a pharmacist, and drama goes to an actor.
Han Seungwoo quickly got dressed and left the office.
Then he started the deadly-looking McLaren parked underground.
“I brought the sports car out for the first time in a while, so let’s go somewhere together. I need your help a bit.”
“…Right now?”
“Don’t want to?”
“…No, it’s fine.”
Perfect timing, honestly.
The foundation of a cooperative relationship is give-and-take.
If he needed help, I should help willingly.
It’s not like I had any other schedule today.
“Okay. I’ll come pick you up now. Tell me your home address.”
After that, the McLaren’s door lifted upward to greet me.
The moment I got in, my body sank into the premium leather seat.
As the car launched with a booming vroom, the scenery outside the window turned into a blurred afterimage in an instant.
“How is it? Deadly, right?”
“…It’s brutal.”
Maybe he liked my answer—Han Seungwoo snickered.
The car left the crowded city center and turned into a quiet alley somewhere in Cheongdam-dong.
When we pulled into the underground parking lot of a sleek building, he parked, got out, and said,
“Arrived at deadly speed.”
“Where is this?”
“My hideout. A place where I play or work.”
“Play or work?”
Can those coexist?
“Play or work, while dodging my father.”
“……”
Is his relationship with his father not good?
Well, he probably has complicated circumstances. No need to dig.
Han Seungwoo opened the fridge and asked,
“Anything you want to eat? If you really want chicken and beer, I’ll order it.”
“I need to keep my weight for my film role. It’s fine.”
“Feels a bit bad to not feed you anything.”
When I made a puzzled face, Han Seungwoo smiled.
“I’m going to get some help from you, and it feels wrong to take it for free. I should at least bribe you with something. You like sushi? Want me to call an omakase master over? Or protein is okay, right? Want me to call someone who grills steak well?”
“Really, it’s fine.”
“Well, if something comes to mind later, tell me.”
Even better.
Settling it with food would be a waste.
Better to put a real IOU on his heart.
But what is he even trying to ask?
Han Seungwoo pulled out seven bundles of paper from his briefcase.
When I looked at them, he shrugged.
“What you need to help with.”
When I flipped through them, each had something like a drama title written on it.
“These are works that came in for the drama script contest. I wanted to hear a professional opinion too. An actor would know good drama better than anyone. And from what I’ve heard, you seem to have a pretty good sense for reading scripts.”
Han Seungwoo paused, then said,
“Also, calling you ‘you’ the whole time feels too awkward. Let’s sort out how we address each other. How old did you say you were?”
“I’m twenty-one.”
“Oh, same age.”
Huh?
He was that young?
“I’m thirty-three. We’re twelve years apart, so I’ll speak casually.”
“…Yes.”
You scared me.
You didn’t look twelve years older at all.
Then how should I address him…
“Should I call you hyung?”
“Hmm, that’s a bit much. I’m a leader running a company.”
Han Seungwoo tilted his head for a moment, then said like he’d had a good idea,
“Call me Division Head hyung.”
A very ambiguous form of address.
But he looked like he liked it.
“Yes, Division Head hyung.”
“That’s it.”
I sat on the comfortable-looking sofa and started reading the scripts Han Seungwoo handed me.
“……”
Most of them were unfamiliar scripts.
Then they were probably works that either never got made into dramas in my past life, or failed to succeed.
Still, I didn’t dismiss them and read diligently.
Like I was studying scripts.
I coolly organized my evaluations, writing notes in a notebook about each work’s strengths and weaknesses, the characters’ appeal, marketability, and so on.
I picked up the last bundle.
This one’s title was—
Doctor Princess
“……!”
My hands froze.
The pen I’d been using to take notes slipped across the paper.
“Doctor Princess…? Don’t tell me.”
Forcing myself to act calm, I turned the first page.
But the moment I read through the synopsis, I was sure.
The setup of a British princess coming to Korea and becoming a doctor.
Meeting a genius surgeon with middle-school-syndrome energy.
Everything matched my memory.
“No way. It’s real.”
In a hurry, I checked the writer’s name.
It said “Joo Hanbit,” an unfamiliar name.
“Joo Hanbit? Not Choi Jeongin?”
What was going on?
Choi Jeongin wouldn’t have co-written with an unknown writer and submitted it to a contest.
“Then did a writer named Joo Hanbit steal Choi Jeongin’s work?”
No—the risk was too huge.
A work by a writer everyone in Korea knows, and submitting it to a contest hosted by a major production company?
The moment you’re caught, you’re permanently out of this industry.
And Choi Jeongin isn’t an idiot. Would she just let that happen?
“Wait. Then what if it’s the opposite?”
If Choi Jeongin stole an unknown writer’s work?
Then everything changes.
No matter how loudly an unknown writer claims it’s theirs, people won’t believe them easily.
Proving it is like picking a star out of the sky, and with massive power, it could be buried before it ever becomes public.
That feels more realistic.
“But why am I even thinking about this?”
What Han Seungwoo asked for wasn’t a verdict—it was judging.
The truth fight wasn’t something I needed to worry about.
That would be handled properly by a legal team full of experts.
I’d strayed for a moment, but anyway—now that Doctor Princess had appeared in the contest, judging became much easier.
“I finished reading.”
“Oh, yeah? What was the most fun?”
“Doctor Princess.”
If you’ve already seen the answer key on the last page, you’d be an idiot to pick something else.
“Really? That was the most fun one for me too.”
From your reaction earlier, it didn’t look like that.
“When two geniuses agree, the grand prize goes to Doctor Princess.”
Han Seungwoo glanced at his watch with a satisfied expression and asked,
“It’s already been three hours. Aren’t you really hungry?”
“No. I’m not hungry.”
“Tch. I’ve never owed anyone in my life. It feels off.”
“Then…”
Should I make him repay that IOU I put on his heart right away?
“Then instead of food, can I ask you for something else?”
“What? Say it.”
“I want to talk about this film, Vacuum State.”
While Ryu Sunho was fiercely working his brain even in places no one could see, for the sake of the film’s success,
another actor who had to carry the film with him—Park Juwon—was working his brain for a completely different reason.
“Ah… should I just play one round…?”
Amid the mess of delivery food containers, Park Juwon was gripping a mouse instead of a script, agonizing.
Lately, his acting life couldn’t have been more satisfying.
After receiving praise for his acting through Divine Investigation, where he’d burned his acting soul for the first time in a while, his shoulders were lifted with pride.
Keeping that momentum, in the film Vacuum State he was currently shooting, he felt like he’d found the role of his life.
After always playing roles where he acted cool and posed, playing an eccentric character similar to his real personality made the set feel like a playground.
“Divine Investigation hit big, Vacuum State is going smoothly—at this point, can’t I rest a little?”
Soaked in satisfaction, Park Juwon—
his lazy self started to awaken, little by little.
“The lazy Park Juwon who died a few months ago. Revived like a dog again!”
In the end, Park Juwon couldn’t resist the temptation and turned on his computer.
[‘I’mParkJuwon’ has logged in.]
As he awkwardly moved the mouse after not logging in for a while, a “ding!” sounded and a purple whisper window popped up on one side of the screen.
RonaldoWorldCupWinner: hi
RonaldoWorldCupWinner: Actor Park, you’re logging in after a long time?
It was his game friend “RonaldoWorldCupWinner,” who knew Park Juwon’s identity.
Which made sense, because the other person also worked in entertainment.
After they’d randomly run into each other at a broadcasting station and confessed they gamed, the two became close gaming buddies.
RonaldoWorldCupWinner: look at your level lol
RonaldoWorldCupWinner: stop living reality and live the game
Seeing a game addict worse than himself made Park Juwon shrink back.
He defended himself hard.
I’mParkJuwon: been busy filming;;
RonaldoWorldCupWinner: filming what? divine investigation ended already, didn’t it?
RonaldoWorldCupWinner: ah, that new movie you said you’re joining? vacuum state?
I’mParkJuwon: yeah
RonaldoWorldCupWinner: but i’m filming a movie too lol excuses lol
Park Juwon’s self-defense didn’t work much.
Instead, “RonaldoWorldCupWinner” started poking him, little by little.
The effect was huge.
I’mParkJuwon: i’m gonna work hard again;
I’mParkJuwon: but why are you filming a movie?
RonaldoWorldCupWinner: got offered a cameo so i decided to do it
RonaldoWorldCupWinner: first screen debut hehe
Trying to patch up his bruised pride, Park Juwon tried to act like a senior actor.
But—
I’mParkJuwon: oh where are you filming—
His character suddenly got attacked by a swarm of monsters and died.
I’mParkJuwon: ah f**k i died while typing;
RonaldoWorldCupWinner: blaming others lol
I’mParkJuwon: so where are you filming
RonaldoWorldCupWinner: hanam yeah
I’mParkJuwon: huh? i’m filming in hanam tomorrow too
I’mParkJuwon: no way, is the movie you’re in ‘Youth Blue’?
RonaldoWorldCupWinner: yeah, shoot starts 5 a.m.
I’mParkJuwon: ours is 1 p.m. call
I’mParkJuwon: then you can come to our set after you’re done
I’mParkJuwon: juhak and some others said they’re coming too
RonaldoWorldCupWinner: i don’t sit with scrubs
RonaldoWorldCupWinner: i’ll think about it
In real life, the two lived wearing masks,
but as game friends, they borrowed the power of being online to trade shameless words.
Even in the middle of this, Park Juwon’s character was still wandering the hunting ground as a soul.
He could revive in town, but then he’d have to walk all the way back to the hunting ground, and the experience loss would be pretty big.
So Park Juwon begged “RonaldoWorldCupWinner” earnestly.
I’mParkJuwon: uh.. but could you use revive once for me?
RonaldoWorldCupWinner: hmm..
RonaldoWorldCupWinner: i’ll ask a question—if you get it right, i’ll revive you
I’mParkJuwon: oh thank you
RonaldoWorldCupWinner: the greatest player in soccer history, the GOAT, is?
I’mParkJuwon: messi?
[‘RonaldoWorldCupWinner’ has logged out.]
In the end, Park Juwon swallowed his tears and revived in town.
The next day,
at a film set in the Misa District of Hanam.
Today, the Vacuum State set was far more crowded than usual.
Because the actors and director of Youth Blue, who’d finished shooting nearby earlier, had come to visit the Vacuum State set.
Park Juwon—an entertainment-world social butterfly—was greeting Youth Blue’s actors.
“Kuhaak, hyung! What’s with those glasses? Don’t tell me you’re wearing that in the movie?”
“What’s wrong with you. This is going to be my life character.”
“This hyung really changed a lot. Guess you’ve let go a lot. You’re not even the lead, but you’re doing a role like this.”
“It’s not that I let go. My mindset finally leveled up. You don’t do movies out of greed, punk.”
Then Seojuhak, an actor from Youth Blue who had been talking with Park Juwon, gestured with his eyes toward somewhere and said,
“By the way, hyung, you should get more immersed in your acting today.”
“Why?”
“Because a fun guest came today.”
“Who?”
“Look over there. Everyone’s going crazy.”
“Huh?”
Where Seojuhak pointed, people were gathered.
As if they’d made a promise, every staff member was looking at just one person.
“Um… I’m really a fan, Yuna.”
“Ahaha, thank you!”
It was Lee Yuna, the leader of the girl group idol “Luckily,” who had taken over Korea.
She was in light casual clothes, not her glamorous stage look, but her presence felt like it changed even the air around her.
A small face, doll-like features.
She looked so unreal it felt like well-made CG rather than a person.
Looks that wouldn’t shrink next to most actors.
When she smiled lightly and greeted them, you could see color return to the faces of male staff who’d been exhausted.
Spotting her from afar, Park Juwon shouted loudly.
“Yoo! RonaldoWorldCupWinner!”
Everyone looked confused.
Then Lee Yuna slowly walked up to Park Juwon.
A bright, beaming smile—just like an active idol.
“Hello, Actor Park Juwon.”
Then she stepped a little closer and whispered,
“…If you don’t want to get infinite PK’d, don’t call me by my nickname offline.”
Something he’d done to restore his bruised pride from last night.
But faced with Lee Yuna’s hardline response, Park Juwon swallowed and hurriedly stitched on the rest.
“…It’d be nice.”
Then the men around Park Juwon murmured.
“…Huh? He wants Ronaldo to win the World Cup?”
“What, is Hyung Juwon still a Ronaldo fan?”
“Didn’t Juwon go watch in person during the Sangam no-show incident?”
“After that, he’s still ‘Ronaldo little bro’?”
Even while suffering the unfair misunderstanding, Park Juwon couldn’t say anything.
It was a disaster caused by his loose mouth.
Meanwhile, Lee Yuna wore an innocent smile and busily looked around.
“Looking for someone?”
“No, I’m just looking around the set.”
As she hid the truth with that line,
Lee Yuna’s eyes sparkled.
Because she found the person she was looking for.
Park Juwon also spotted him and waved.
“Oh, Sunho. You came?”
It was Ryu Sunho.
“……!”
The moment Lee Yuna saw Ryu Sunho, strangely, it felt like she was being pulled toward him.
What… what is this? He feels different than when I watched him in the drama. I felt overwhelmed for a second… I’ve never felt this even when I see really famous visual idols… Is this what it means that actors are different?
It was thanks to the aura Ryu Sunho had, but Lee Yuna had no way of knowing that.
Trying to infer an answer from limited information, her autonomic nervous system activated its sympathetic nerves, and her heart rate sped up.
Lee Yuna perceived that complex process simply as a pounding heart.
“Why am I like this?”
As Lee Yuna misunderstood the strange change happening to her,
elsewhere, Director Yoon Gyeonghwan and Director Ji Seongwoo—two disciples of Director Baek Junbong—greeted each other.
“Seongwoo, you been well?”
“Uh… yeah. Gyeonghwan, it’s been a while.”
“Is the shoot going well? You rolled around everywhere saying you couldn’t handle that script.”
“Well… it’s my first film… It’s not a mainstream kind of thing, so I’m trying not to expect too much…”
“That’s why I told you to revise it a bit. You haven’t even made your debut yet—why are you so bull-stubborn?”
After clicking his tongue, Director Yoon Gyeonghwan turned his head, looked at Ryu Sunho, and continued,
“So, how is it? Actually using that guy Ryu Sunho in real life, the one who ditched me. Does he have the chops?”
“Ditched you… The timing probably just didn’t work.”
Then Ji Seongwoo paused for a moment.
Could someone as inarticulate as him describe Ryu Sunho’s acting?
Words like “a monster” or “insane” were too simple to fully capture it.
“…Sunho’s acting… it’s hard to explain in words.”
“What, is that a yes or a no? Are you saying once you actually tried him, he wasn’t much?”
“Just… you’ll see later. The scene we’re shooting today is Vacuum State’s most important scene.”