Pension Trip
After an unexpected reunion at the musical, Yeon-woo had come home exhausted and collapsed straight into sleep. Only when he woke the next morning did he finally check the flood of articles that had poured out since the previous evening.
“So the announcement dropped yesterday.”
Yeon-woo scrolled through the comment reactions.
While he was still reading the comments, a call came in from Min-su. Yeon-woo stretched, then got ready to head out.
“Ah, come to think of it, I never actually got to watch any of the musical.”
Shaking off the memory of the night before, he dressed and went down to the parking garage. Min-su’s car was already waiting; Yeon-woo climbed in.
“Good morning.”
“Morning, Min-su hyung.”
Min-su pulled out of the lot as he spoke.
“Actor-nim, it’s barely been a month since your last project wrapped and you’re already back at it without resting more?”
“Come on, hyung. You love it when I start a new project too.”
“Hahaha.”
Min-su, who hated being stuck behind a desk at the company, laughed because Yeon-woo had hit the bull’s-eye.
They arrived at the LN building not long after. Up on the third-floor conference room sat Team Leader Jeong Hyeok, the casting manager who had helped Yeon-woo land the lead in Master Plan.
“Oh, Actor Ryu. It’s been a while.”
“Yes, Team Leader Jeong. Everything been all right?”
As Yeon-woo entered, Team Leader Jeong rose to shake his hand.
“All right? Feels like the Master Plan audition was only yesterday, and now we’ve already wrapped. Time really flies the older you get.”
They exchanged a few more pleasantries and sat down. Team Leader Jeong then laid out several prepared scripts in front of Yeon-woo.
“Is there a particular genre you’re thinking about? Frankly, the company recommends waiting until after Master Plan opens and your guarantee goes up before taking the next project.”
In other words, even though Master Plan had not yet been released, the flood of articles had already raised Ryu Yeon-woo’s market value while his fee remained the same—making him the most desirable casting choice for every producer right now.
Leaving that complicated calculus aside, Yeon-woo, who had never truly rested even in his previous life, found sitting still harder than working. He simply wanted to start a new project as soon as possible.
“Genre… more than genre, I want something where the story or the character pulls me in. Let me take a careful look.”
Team Leader Jeong nodded, said he would be downstairs in the office if Yeon-woo had any questions while reading, and left.
Yeon-woo began reading through the scenarios Team Leader Jeong had prepared. Not every script would necessarily go into production, but most of the ones recommended here already had a certain level of coordination with broadcasters or production companies.
Hmm.
After scanning the scripts for a long while, one title caught his eye.
Star Beyond the River
“‘Star beyond the river’… a historical drama.”
Almost out of habit, Yeon-woo rubbed his chin as he sank into the scenario.
Interesting material.
It told the story of Seo Hui, the shining star of Goryeo history who, when Liao’s Xiao Sunning led a great army across the Yalu River, walked alone into the enemy camp, secured a diplomatic victory that turned the entire Liao host around, and even received the Six Provinces of Gangdong as a gift in return.
A subject that, despite its achievements, had never once been treated in visual media. Probably because, beyond the famous diplomatic triumph, there was little known conflict to dramatize.
“A trendy faction historical with romance mixed in… I never really considered a sageuk before.”
Reviewing the script, he saw it was an original creation by writer Kim Jin-ju, focusing less on Seo Hui’s famous anecdote and more on his youth, love, and growth.
As he examined the structure and reached the final page, his hand stopped.
Without hesitation Yeon-woo pulled out his smartphone. Team Leader Jeong came back up at the call; Yeon-woo handed him the scenario.
“Hmm, Star Beyond the River, is it?”
Jeong Hyeok took a notebook from his pocket and flipped through it.
“Ah, here it is. A sageuk that KBC Channel 1 will produce. Quite an interesting piece.”
He continued while scanning the notes.
“KBC’s historical dramas have mostly stuck to orthodox sageuk, so they’ve been struggling in the ratings lately. This is their bold attempt—a historical with a young romantic feel and fusion elements mixed in.”
Yeon-woo nodded as he listened.
“The fact that it deals with Master Seo Hui was what interested me.”
“True. Seo Hui…”
In his previous life as an agent, Yeon-woo had most often entered foreign countries under diplomatic cover; he had spent a great deal of time around embassy and foreign-ministry personnel. The profession of “operations officer” was, in truth, that of a “diplomat of the shadows.”
And when anyone spoke of Korea’s greatest diplomat, the name that always came up was Seo Hui. The National Diplomatic Academy even had a statue of him.
Watching Team Leader Jeong nod while flipping through the script, Yeon-woo went on.
“And the way it reaches the ending is interesting.”
“The way it reaches the ending?”
Team Leader Jeong flipped to the latter half of the scenario.
The early part began with Seo Hui and his close friend Yi Ji-baek both gradually falling in love with Hong Ui-yeon, a female disciple who entered under the same master while they were studying together in their youth. The middle section covered Seo Hui’s growth into a diplomat. In the latter half, Yi Ji-baek, having gone to Song as an envoy, brought back intelligence; together with his wife Hong Ui-yeon and Seo Hui, they meticulously analyzed the international situation of the time and crafted a perfect diplomatic operation, then persuaded the royal court and the ministers. The drama ended with the image of Seo Hui alone, raising a cloud of dust as he galloped on a single horse straight into the enemy camp where the massive Liao army was stationed.
“Wow. Since everyone already knows the story of Seo Hui’s diplomatic negotiation from the textbooks, ending it this way is fresh.”
Yeon-woo nodded at Team Leader Jeong’s words.
“So I really want to do this project, Team Leader Jeong.”
“Given the current situation, KBC will probably welcome you with open arms. I’ll make contact first and get back to you.”
Yeon-woo thanked the ever-diligent Team Leader Jeong and stepped out.
Min-su, who had been playing a mobile game in the waiting room, came over.
“Actor-nim, finished with your schedule?”
“Yes. You could’ve come in and looked with me.”
At Yeon-woo’s words Min-su scratched the back of his head and laughed.
“What would I know even if I looked? Haha. Being stuck inside an office just makes me feel trapped.”
Kim Min-su truly never changed in his dislike of offices.
“Then, heading back to your place, Actor-nim?”
“Yes.”
Yeon-woo nodded, and they went out to the parking garage. As the car neared the residence, Yeon-woo’s phone rang.
Already contacted KBC?
He pulled it out and saw “Woo Seong-sik” on the screen.
“Oh, Seong-sik.”
“Yeon-woo! You busy these days?”
The moment the call connected, Seong-sik went straight to the point.
“No? Filming’s done; I’m on break.”
“Ooooh! We just finished the semester too—let’s hang out. With Jun-su and Yu-ri noona.”
“Hang out? Where?”
“It’s summer—we gotta do a pension trip! Considering our celebrity’s privacy, I booked a whole private house.”
“Hmm, sure. I’m in.”
Looks like Jun-su and Yu-ri noona’s relationship has progressed quite a bit while I wasn’t looking.
As Yeon-woo nodded, thinking of the two, Seong-sik’s voice came again.
“But Yu-ri noona’s the only girl, so it might feel a bit awkward?”
Seong-sik’s words naturally brought back the camping trip and what Yeon-woo had said to Su-yeon—that if the chance came, they should hang out with his friends.
“Hmm, then should I bring one more person? I’ll have to ask first whether she can come.”
“A girl? Who?”
“A friend named Jeong Su-yeon. I met her while filming Spring’s Lover. She played young Ha Ye-ri.”
“Hmm, who was that again? Feels like I should remember. Anyway, I’m all for it. Sounds fun!”
Seong-sik hung up in a flurry of excitement, and Yeon-woo called Su-yeon.
“Umm… I am pretty shy around new people, but if they’re your friends, they’re probably nice, right?”
“The kids are good. There’s also Yu-ri noona, so it won’t be too uncomfortable.”
“…Okay. I want to go!”
With his usual drive, Woo Seong-sik checked with the rest of the group and booked everything for two days later in a flash.
On the morning of the trip, Yeon-woo picked Su-yeon up and waited in front of his officetel. Seong-sik arrived driving a van he had borrowed from somewhere.
Rattle-rattle—.
Clunk—.
The sliding door of the van, its diesel engine loud and rough, slid open.
“Yeon-woo!”
Jun-su and Yu-ri, already inside, greeted Yeon-woo after the long stretch without seeing him. Seong-sik and Jun-su he had run into on the occasional day off, but this was the first time since the premiere for Yu-ri.
“It’s been a while.”
Smiling, Yeon-woo climbed in, Su-yeon following right behind. Her face flushed red as she got into the van; she offered a tiny greeting.
“Hello…”
“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh!”
Fortunately Yu-ri beamed warmly, pulled Su-yeon into the seat beside her, and chattered nonstop.
“This is huge. I’ve watched every web drama Su-yeon-ssi was in, you know? At the premiere you were so pretty I thought you were an actual angel…”
Whether she was deliberately trying to ease the awkwardness or not, Yu-ri talked without pause.
“Um, unnie, please just speak comfortably.”
Under Yu-ri’s full-frontal praise attack right in front of her, Su-yeon’s ears turned scarlet and she ducked her head.
“Aww, so cute! Okay, then I’ll drop the formalities, Su-yeon-ah.”
Yu-ri clapped, declaring she had gained an actress little sister.
Yeon-woo naturally took the seat beside Jun-su in the back.
“Was Yu-ri noona always this friendly?”
“Come on, Yu-ri noona’s a second-year now too.”
At Jun-su’s answer, Yu-ri’s face popped up over the front seatback.
“Yaaah, Kim Jun-su. Don’t say weird stuff in front of my ultimate bias!”
“Hey, what did I even say?”
Jun-su shrugged at her. Yeon-woo watched the two bicker in their cute, fresh way, then asked Yu-ri,
“Then who’s your ‘second bias’?”
“Hmm, I dunno? Jin Yu-han?”
The same-age actor who had beaten Son Jin-uk for the Excellence Award at the Korea Arts Awards. Yeon-woo nodded at her answer.
“I’ve looked up a few of his works—his acting’s really good.”
Hearing that, Su-yeon, sitting next to Yu-ri, spoke up.
“Among the child actors, Yu-han was always called a monster. He prepared every single scene perfectly.”
Then she added in a small voice,
“…But I still think Yeon-woo’s better.”
Su-yeon believed that the aura that seized an entire set belonged far more to Yeon-woo.