Awards Ceremony (1)
"Whoa, Yeon-woo. Your ad-libs are completely free-flowing now."
"Only because no matter how I throw them, hyung-nim catches every single one."
The scene they'd just finished was supposed to end with a high five, but Yeon-woo had decided that the Pierre Choi he envisioned would never high-five Kwak Ji-chul — so he'd tossed out an ad-lib instead. And Maseok Do had caught it perfectly, as if they'd rehearsed it a hundred times.
Lately Yeon-woo had been stepping completely off the page, immersing himself so fully in the role that he could act with total freedom. He was discovering the purest joy of performance.
That was when the assistant director approached him.
"Yeon-woo, I'm checking schedules — you're attending the Arts Awards tomorrow, right?"
"Ah, yes. I'll be there."
Tomorrow was the Korean Arts Awards. Held every April, it was a prestigious ceremony honoring every film and television production that had screened or aired between January 1st and December 31st of the previous year.
Back during the filming of Summer's Closet, Han So-hyun had fretted that JNBC had no awards ceremony of its own and that Yeon-woo might be disappointed — and Director Kim Han-su had suggested they aim for this one instead.
Yeon-woo himself had been nominated in the television category for Best Actor and Best Newcomer. The Best Actor field was stacked with heavyweights including Son Jin-uk, so his chances of actually winning were effectively zero — but being nominated in his debut year was an honor in itself, and that was how Yeon-woo chose to see it.
Among the frontrunners were Son Jin-uk, who had co-starred with him in the same drama, and Jin Yu-han, a famous former child actor. Yeon-woo knew Jin-uk well — he was both his closest actor friend and an older-brother figure — but he knew almost nothing about Jin Yu-han.
A rival candidate going up against Jin-uk who happened to be the same age as his reincarnated self, twenty years old… Yeon-woo's interest was piqued enough that he sought out the actor's previous work.
Jin Yu-han had started acting at seven, steadily building his craft through major film roles as a child actor — an elite among elites. His first adult leading role, a time-slip crime drama called Beyond, had detonated all the potential he'd been accumulating, turning into one of the biggest drama hits of the previous year's second half.
Having a target running ahead of me at the same age… I like that.
The assistant director's question had set his thoughts drifting from tomorrow's ceremony to Son Jin-uk, then from Jin-uk to Jin Yu-han. Yeon-woo found himself hoping that someday they'd meet on the same project.
And so the next day arrived — the day of the Korean Arts Awards.
The sun had set and night had fallen, but the plaza in front of the COEX Convention Hall in Gangnam blazed brighter than midday under the relentless flash of camera shutters and floodlights.
The van door slid open with a soft whir.
"Hi, hi."
"Hyung, come on in."
Son Jin-uk climbed into the vehicle, waving cheerfully. Dressed in a sharp tuxedo with a bow tie, his gaze drifted toward the driver's seat.
"Minsu-ssi, long time no see."
"Yes, Actor Son. You look fantastic tonight."
Minsu gave Jin-uk a thumbs-up.
"Ugh. Getting older means I make that sound automatically every time I sit down."
"Come on, hyung. You're still young."
Settling into his seat with a theatrical groan, Jin-uk looked at Yeon-woo and smiled.
"So we're competing tonight, huh?"
"Please. The papers are saying your real competition is Jin Yu-han — in giant headlines."
Jin-uk laughed.
"Ah, Yu-han. I've never actually acted with him, but I've run into him at awards shows and private gatherings a few times. He used to be this tiny little kid, and now look at him."
"He's the same age as me, apparently."
Jin-uk's eyes went wide.
"Is he? You're right. I know you just started university this year, so why do you always feel older than you are? With Yu-han, I've watched him since he was a child actor, so he still feels young to me."
Yeon-woo and Jin-uk fell into easy conversation. Minsu's van sat waiting in the parking lot, the three of them fully dressed and ready, listening for the radio call that would tell them it was their turn to enter.
Then Yeon-woo's phone rang first — before the walkie-talkie.
"Huh? It's So-hyun noona."
"So-hyun-ssi? Pick up."
Yeon-woo hit the answer button.
"Yes, So-hyun noona."
Yeon-woo glanced left and right and spotted the black van on his right. He rolled down his window; the window of the car beside them rolled down in answer.
"Yeon-woooo! Wait — Jin-uk sunbae is there too!"
Han So-hyun waved enthusiastically. A moment later her window went back up as she exchanged a few words with her manager in the front seat. Then her door opened and she stepped out; Minsu held the van door for her.
"Ta-da! The leading lady has arrived."
"Hahaha. So-hyun-ssi, you look beautiful tonight."
So-hyun climbed in wearing a white dress that called to mind a Greek goddess.
"Noona… I don't know where to look."
The deep V-neck and the circular cutout at her left waist made the dress more revealing than he'd expected.
"Hey! Other actresses wear way more than this. This is practically a Confucian dress."
"What even is a Confucian dress?"
Jin-uk snorted at her defense and changed the subject.
"Come to think of it, you two just started a film together, right? How is it? Working with the legendary Director Park Chan-hong."
So-hyun grinned.
"Sunbae, don't even get me started. Yeon-woo has been flying lately."
"Ohhh. His acting blossomed?"
"He's playing this charismatic, mischievous con man — and lately he's been messing with me constantly!"
Han So-hyun complained to Son Jin-uk in a mock-sulky voice. It wasn't an exaggeration. These days Yeon-woo seemed possessed by Pierre Choi, a spoonful of mischief stirred into his usually mild temperament. And the primary target of that mischief was Han So-hyun — the person he felt most comfortable with, and whose reactions were the most entertaining.
With Maseok Do, he got his fill of ad-lib teasing while the cameras were rolling. Off-camera, he had no desire to personally verify the hardness of a hand the size of a pot lid.
At So-hyun's playful grievance, Yeon-woo grinned and looked at Jin-uk.
"No, Jin-uk hyung. So-hyun noona had this seduction scene with Jeong Ha-gyun sunbae, and get this—"
"Yaaaah! Don't you dare!"
So-hyun flailed to clamp a hand over Yeon-woo's mouth; Yeon-woo playfully dodged. Watching the two of them, Son Jin-uk burst out laughing.
"Hahaha. I have no idea what it is, but you two look hilarious. Man, I wish I were filming with you. Shooting Closet was genuinely fun every single day."
Yeon-woo smiled at him.
"We'll definitely work together again."
"Me too? Me too?"
So-hyun shoved her face between them.
"Of course. You're the flower of the three musketeers."
Yeon-woo smiled warmly — and right on cue, the walkie-talkie crackled to life.
Static— Summer's Closet. Summer's Closet team, please prepare for entry.
Minsu keyed his reply.
Summer's Closet team — three actors, moving as one vehicle. Entering now.
Minsu shifted into gear and pulled forward. Before they knew it, they had arrived at the entrance. Beyond the security detail, reporters waited with cameras raised, and beyond them a throng of fans stood on tiptoe, desperate for even one more glimpse of their favorite stars.
The female announcer handling the outdoor proceedings called out, and the car door opened. The leads of Summer's Closet stepped into view.
Son Jin-uk emerged first.
"Kyaaaaah! He's so handsome!"
"Marry me, Jin-uk!"
Fan screams erupted as camera shutters went berserk. Jin-uk smiled with easy composure and waved.
Han So-hyun followed in her dress, and Jin-uk offered his hand to help her down. Under the exploding flashbulbs, the white gown and her porcelain skin shimmered, her beauty almost divine. The moment Jin-uk took her hand, the fans' screams redoubled.
Jin-uk and So-hyun stepped slightly ahead to clear space — and through that space, a sculpted face emerged from the car door.
"AAAAAAH!"
"I love you, Yeon-woo!"
"He's insane!"
Screams and cheers loud enough to shake the entrance of the awards hall. Yeon-woo beamed and waved toward the cameras of reporters and fans alike.
"Look this way too!"
Countless requests blended into an unintelligible roar. Yeon-woo read the room, turning evenly in every direction and striking a variety of poses before walking over to join Jin-uk and So-hyun.
Following the indoor announcer's cue and a staff member's guidance, the three of them walked the red carpet.
"This is my first time on a red carpet."
Jin-uk and So-hyun both looked surprised.
"Is it? You're right. Even at the press screenings, you went in early and waited inside."
As the three leads chatted and laughed their way in, the indoor announcer narrated live for the fans.
Han So-hyun walked to the center of the photo wall, flashed a bright smile for the cameras, and headed inside. Son Jin-uk's turn followed, and then it was Yeon-woo's.
Smiling softly, Yeon-woo strode forward. As he drew near, the announcer lowered her microphone and spoke to him directly.
"Actor, please stand inside the circle and look to the right first for photos."
Yeon-woo smiled, gave her a light bow of acknowledgment, and took his place at the center of the photo wall. In his tuxedo and bow tie, he grinned radiantly and posed as the reporters called out their requests.
"Look at the camera and give us a wink!"
"This way too!"
"Aaaah! Take responsibility for me!"
The completely baseless demand that he "take responsibility" sent both fans and the press corps into peals of laughter.
Haha. Yes, we're hearing a lot of "handsome" out there. Feel free to wave a little more.
He is nominated for Best Actor and the New Star division. You're meeting Mr. Yeon-woo Ryu right now.
A guide line for the foreign press followed, and after a few more shots Yeon-woo finished at the photo wall and entered the hall. The red carpet was already growing noisy again with the next actor's arrival.
But one person wasn't looking at the next arrival at all. From the VIP seats, a middle-aged white gentleman watched the entrance Yeon-woo had just passed through with a hawk's eyes, stroking his chin thoughtfully.