Chapter 230
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 230
Chapter Title: A Farewell Photo and a Surprise Visit
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“Cut! OK!”
At Director Ryan’s voice signaling the end of the shoot, the staff, who had been watching with bated breath, silently threw their arms in the air in celebration.
A glance at the clock showed they had finished earlier than scheduled. Pleased with the early wrap, Jonathan shouted cheerfully.
“Great work, everyone! Let’s pack up quickly!”
No matter the profession, clocking out was always a joyous occasion. The staff swiftly gathered the camera equipment set up inside Geunjeongjeon Hall and tidied up the long cables.
Seojun, who was on his way to change, burst out laughing at the sight of the staff moving as if they could fly. Richel Hill and Evan Block couldn't help but laugh as well.
By the time he changed and came back out, most of the cleanup was already done. Even without a word from the Cultural Heritage Administration officials, the staff were meticulously tidying up every corner.
Seojun smiled as he watched them pick up everything from the crucial storyboard papers to the candy wrappers from their snacks. It seemed that visitors to Gyeongbok Palace today would find no trace of the Shadowman team.
A short distance away, Director Ryan and Jonathan were talking. When Director Ryan nodded, Jonathan ran over to the staff, who were finishing up, with a bright expression.
Seojun asked Director Ryan.
“Is something going on?”
“They asked to take a group photo. I thought it’d be a nice memento, so I told any staff who wanted to join to come. What about you, Jun?”
“I’d love to!”
Seojun eagerly nodded at Director Ryan’s question.
The chance to take a picture with a film crew, a foreign one at that, with Geunjeongjeon Hall as the backdrop would be a rare one, even in the future.
It was bound to be a photo that would be mentioned whenever Hollywood filmed in Korea.
‘As an actor, I can’t miss this!’
It seemed many of the staff shared Seojun’s sentiment, as they began to gather one by one in front of Geunjeongjeon Hall after finishing their cleanup. Evan Block and Richel Hill, having changed their clothes, joined in as well. With the actors’ managers and the Korean staff also assembling, the area in front of the hall became bustling.
One of the Cultural Heritage Administration officials, who had been observing the Shadowman team from a distance, seemed to realize something, took out his phone, and ran outside. The Director-General needs to be in this picture!
Seeing this, Director Ryan gestured to Jonathan, who was adjusting the camera.
“Then let’s take it quickly before the government official gets here.”
At Director Ryan’s words, everyone let out a small chuckle.
It was surprisingly easy for a simple commemorative photo like this, with no hidden intentions, to become someone’s ‘great achievement.’
Jonathan, holding the camera, shouted loudly.
“Okay, I’m taking the picture!”
Standing next to Director Ryan, Seojun beamed.
Click!
The image of the brightly smiling Shadowman team was captured perfectly in the camera.
That day marked the end of Shadowman 3’s filming in Korea.
* * *
After leaving Gyeongbok Palace, Seojun, Evan Block, and Richel Hill got into Seojun’s car. One by one, the other cars that had filled the palace parking lot began to depart. The car carrying the three actors also headed for the hotel.
“So we have free time until our flight, right?”
“Our flight is just tomorrow afternoon.”
Having wrapped up all their work in Korea, the Shadowman team was scheduled to leave Korea on a flight to LA the next afternoon.
“What are you and Evan going to do, Richel?”
“We’re planning to go to the Escape theme park.”
At Seojun’s question, Richel Hill’s eyes sparkled. She handed Seojun a sheet of A4 paper she had prepared at some point. It looked like she had printed it at the hotel.
[(Recommended) How to Experience the Escape Theme Park]
“This is apparently the most popular way to experience it in Korea. So Evan and I decided to follow this guide. Director Ryan and Jonathan are coming too.”
“Isn’t the theme park by reservation only?”
“Hehehe.”
Richel Hill laughed like a villain. Evan Block scratched his cheek.
“The CEO of Film Dream invited us. As a thank you for our cameo, he insisted we visit the theme park at least once.”
“That’s great. It’s really well-made.”
“I have to see the ‘Bird’s Nest Go Joowon’!”
“Ahahaha.”
Seojun burst out laughing at Richel Hill’s words.
The Go Joowon model that attracted all sorts of birds had come to be known as ‘Bird’s Nest Go Joowon.’
“What about you, Jun?”
“I’m going to stop by my house for a bit.”
Subin and Eunsu were coming over. It felt like just yesterday that the two babies were cooing and giggling, but now, 6-year-old Subin and 4-year-old Eunsu were bursting with energy. Still, they were just adorable little siblings, so Seojun couldn't help but smile fondly and dote on them.
“That’s a good idea.”
“Oh, Evan, Richel. Do you want to go see a play tomorrow morning?”
“A play?”
“Yeah. A theater troupe I know just put on a new production. The story is quite interesting.”
At Seojun’s words, Evan Block’s eyes lit up. It seemed the idea of seeing a Korean play, performed by Korean actors in Korea, was especially appealing to him since he had never done so before.
“Sounds great. Let’s go.”
Seojun and Richel Hill had to stop Evan Block, who looked ready to leave that very instant.
“Tomorrow. Tomorrow.”
“We have to go to the theme park now!”
And that evening.
At Seojun’s house.
“And so, spring from the Blue Dragon…”
*Hoo… hoo…*
Seojun, who was reading a storybook, paused. Subin and Eunsu, who had been bouncing with excitement since they saw him, had finally quieted down.
Just as Seojun got off the bed to cover the two children with a blanket, his bedroom door opened slightly. It was Seo Eunsu’s father, Seojun’s uncle, Seo Eunchan.
“Asleep?”
“Yeah.”
“Phew.”
The sigh of relief that escaped him was quite loud, and Seo Eunchan quickly covered his mouth. Seojun smiled and tucked the two children in. The spacious bed was more than big enough for a six-year-old and a four-year-old to sleep comfortably.
When he came out of the room with Uncle Chan, the adults were all staring at his door.
Seo Eunchan said.
“They’re asleep.”
“You did well, Seojun.”
“You went through a lot.”
Seojun couldn't help but burst out laughing at the adults' sincere words.
After the children fell asleep, the adults gathered in the living room to talk. The conversation was mostly about Kim Subin and Seo Eunsu—stories about kindergarten, their friends, and their daily lives.
Seojun listened with delight to the stories about his cute younger siblings.
“Subin’s starting violin lessons next week.”
At Kim Huisang’s words, Seojun’s parents, Seo Eunchan, and Kim Sooryun gasped in admiration.
“Takes after his mom?”
“Looks like it.”
Kim Subin’s mother, the pianist Choi Sohee, shook her head.
“It’s because of Seojun.”
“Seojun?”
Seojun, who had been peeling a tangerine, blinked in surprise at being suddenly singled out.
“We showed him ‘Over the Rainbow’.”
Ah.
At Kim Huisang’s words, everyone nodded in understanding.
No one could count how many children had picked up a violin bow after ‘Over the Rainbow’ was released. It was such a phenomenon that there were even news articles about music academies being filled to the brim with kids.
“But hasn’t it been a while since ‘Over the Rainbow’ was released?”
“He’d seen it often before. But this time was different. He didn’t move an inch from his spot until the movie ended.”
Watching ‘Gray Vainie’ play on screen, Kim Subin was like a statue.
“It was to the point where we worried if he was even breathing.”
At Choi Sohee’s words, Seo Eunhye and Lee Minjun simultaneously thought of a certain child who often did the exact same thing. Their son, Lee Seojun.
As his mom and dad stared at him, Seojun, still peeling his tangerine, tilted his head.
‘No way. It can’t be.’
Could a six-year-old really have decided his future already?
“Isn’t it fine? He wants to learn.”
“Kids usually want to imitate cool things they see. Maybe that’s all it is for Subin.”
At Seo Eunchan and Kim Sooryun’s words, Seojun popped a tangerine slice into his mouth and nodded.
“That’s right. He might change his mind when he’s older.”
At Seojun's remark, the adults all looked at him. Then it dawned on them.
Right here was Lee Seojun, the boy who had filmed Shadowman 1 at the age of six and had been singularly focused on acting ever since.
“Seojun and Subin aren’t even brothers… really…”
“Will Eunsu be like this too?”
Seo Eunchan and Kim Sooryun, parents of the now 4-year-old Seo Eunsu, suddenly felt a sense of dread for what was to come in two years when he turned six.
As it grew late, Kim Huisang’s family and Seo Eunchan’s family went home. They decided to pick up the soundly sleeping Subin and Eunsu the next morning.
Seojun spread a futon on the floor below the bed where Subin and Eunsu were sleeping. He searched for articles about Shadowman 3 on his phone and read the comments.
-Went again today. Not a single scrap of paper left. Do they always clean up this thoroughly after a film shoot?
=Depends. Some crews leave a mess, others clean up well.
=Shadowman 3 probably cleaned up thoroughly for security reasons.
=Heard there were Korean staff members too. Anyone willing to drop some spoilers?
=Welcome to the land of lawsuits, the USA :)
=My bad;;;
Just then, messages about their Escape theme park experience arrived from the Shadowman team.
>Richel: Bird’s Nest Go Joowon! (Photo of Go Joowon with a crow perched on his head)
>Evan: I left my autograph in the resting room with the padded jackets.
The two actors, who had witnessed Seojun’s acting firsthand, sent their impressions of other things rather than the zombie experience.
>Director Ryan: …It’s well-made.
>Jonathan: So scary!! Why is it so scary!?!!
The two directors, who had only seen the movie, were left speechless by the unexpectedly intense zombie experience.
Seojun let out a small laugh. As he replied to their messages, Kim Subin, asleep on his bed, was happily playing with someone in his dreams.
* * *
The next morning.
While his parents focused on cooking, Seojun and the kids carried the side dishes to the table. The two children were scheduled to go home after breakfast.
“Hyung. You know what? I saw a fairy in my dream!”
“A fairy?”
Subin, who was helping Seojun move a dish to the dining table, suddenly brought up his dream. Eunsu, who was carefully placing spoons and chopsticks on the table, had his eyes sparkle. A fairy!
“Really? What kind of fairy was it?”
“It was small and it flew. The fairy really loves the violin too!”
Violin. At that one word, Seojun looked at Subin, thinking, *could it be?* A distinct trace was visible on Subin, who was now happily chatting with Eunsu about the fairy.
‘…How could I not have seen such a clear sign?’
It seemed the violin dream fairy that had appeared in Jayden Moore’s childhood dreams had found its next target in Kim Subin.
* * *
Seven years ago, Troupe Baram, which had started to gain fame through the recommendation of Lee Seojun and Lee Jiseok, had staged many productions starting with ‘My Neighborhood.’ The troupe, which had only seven members, had grown immensely, to the point where a good number of actors in dramas and movies were from ‘Troupe Baram.’
Among them, the most well-known were the director, Kim Seon-gon, the lead actress at the time, Han Jia, and the youngest member, Kim Sungwoo.
“It’s nice not having to sell tickets outside anymore.”
“You’ve lost your rookie spirit, you have.”
“…Can you really call that ‘rookie spirit’?”
Han Jia and Kim Sungwoo bickered. The other troupe members, preparing for the performance, burst into laughter at the familiar scene. The director, Kim Seon-gon, was also suddenly reminded of the old days.
“If it weren’t for Seojun back then, we might have gone bankrupt.”
…As Kim Seon-gon began his story, the members started to edge away.
“The director is great and all, but whenever that story comes up…”
Whenever that story came up, he would ramble on for ten or twenty minutes, from the tale of their breakfast that day to the moment Lee Seojun and Lee Jiseok left. Seeing the members shaking their heads, Han Jia spoke up.
“Director. We need to prepare for the performance.”
“Right when he took off his hat… Ah, right.”
Kim Seon-gon checked the time and scratched his cheek.
“Alright then…”
Kim Seon-gon extended his hand forward. Han Jia and Kim Sungwoo, recognizing the signal, habitually placed their hands on top of his. The other members, finished with their preparations, all gathered and placed their hands on top as well.
It was a ritual that had, at some point, become a tradition for Troupe Baram.
“Our Mansion People!!”
“Fighting!!”
* * *
To see Troupe Baram’s production, ‘Our Mansion People,’ Seojun, An Daho, Evan Block, and Richel Hill headed to the Milky Way Center.
“Blue Dragon!”
Richel Hill, wearing a black wig and a hat, exclaimed in fluent Korean and ran towards the Blue Dragon statue. Seojun and Evan Block, wearing masks and hats, followed her.
“The line starts here.”
“Thank you.”
They took a picture with the Blue Dragon statue, which was still so popular it had its own queue, looked around the Milky Way Center, and sat down in their seats just before the play began.
A moment later.
A beep signaled the start, and the curtain rose.
“Gold bars! Gold bars!!”
‘Our Mansion People,’ which began with Han Jia’s shout, was a story about the residents of a mansion called Our Mansion getting entangled with each other as they vied for gold bars discovered in the basement.
Evan Block and Richel Hill, who understood well even without a translator, were completely engrossed in the play. Seojun also watched the stage with sparkling eyes.
* * *
“Excuse me. Director Kim Seon-gon, just a moment.”
“Ah, yes.”
After the play ended, the members of Troupe Baram, who were taking a short break before the afternoon performance, watched as Kim Seon-gon left the dressing room at the call of a Milky Way Center staff member, then started to talk.
“Did you see the audience today? Weren't there some people watching really intently?”
“I saw them too. They really stood out from the stage.”
“Right? I wonder if they’re actors?”
“They were wearing masks and hats, so they looked like actors.”
“Could be aspiring actors. Maybe they came to see our play because they want to join our troupe?”
“That could be it! I watched most of Baram’s productions because I wanted to join too!”
Everyone smiled like proud parents at the cute new member’s words.
Just then, the dressing room door opened. It was Kim Seon-gon.
“Director?”
Kim Seon-gon, looking dazed, slowly stepped aside, revealing a boy in a hat and mask. *Hey, that’s the person from the audience…*
The boy slowly took off his hat and mask.
“Huh?”
Han Jia and Kim Sungwoo felt like they had seen a similar scene before. It was seven years ago, on the day that the future of Troupe Baram and the two of them had changed.
“Uh, uh?”
While the two of them were at a loss for words, the other members tilted their heads in confusion. Seojun, having removed his hat, smiled and greeted them.
“Hello!”
…!
“Seojun!”
“Ack! It’s really Lee Seojun!”
The dressing room of Troupe Baram erupted into chaos at the unexpected appearance of the superstar they never thought they would see here.
Someone covered their mouth, while another pinched their own cheek in disbelief. The new member, with tears of emotion welling up, suddenly recalled something.
The director’s story about Lee Seojun and Lee Jiseok coming together.
‘Did he come with him this time too?’
There were indeed people behind Seojun. As the astonished members’ attention shifted, Seojun smiled and introduced the two people standing behind him.
“Hello. I’m Evan Block.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Richel Hill!”
The arrival of the two Hollywood actors made the dressing room of Troupe Baram at the Milky Way Center explode.
* * *
[Shadowman 3 Safely Wraps Up Filming in Korea!]
[The Shadowman Team Departed Today on a 4 PM Flight!]
[Fake? Real? Evan Block and Richel Hill’s Autographs Left at Escape Theme Park!]
[What Are They Doing Here? The Shadowman Team Spotted at the Milky Way Center!]
[The Connection Between Troupe Baram and Actor Lee Seojun!]
-The airport was packed when they left, too.
=And as always, Lee Seojun’s fans were perfectly orderly lol
-They went to the Escape theme park? Evan Block and Richel Hill?
=Yep, yesterday apparently.
=Someone posted a before & after of the wall. With and without the signatures lol
-Lmao Richel Hill posted a pic with the Go Joowon model on her SNS.
-A lot of foreigners go to the Escape theme park, so it’s believable they weren’t recognized.
=^^^ Yeah, a lot of foreigners visit.
-But it’s pretty rare for foreigners to go see a Korean-language play, isn’t it?
=Evan Block and Richel Hill speak Korean well, though.
-The Milky Way Center? They went to the Milky Way Center? I went to the Milky Way Center and saw the Baram play today! We were in the same theater!?
=^^^ Me too, I saw it today! They could have been sitting right next to me?
=^^^ Who pays attention to the person sitting next to them during a play…!
-Whoa. There’s a picture with the Blue Dragon on their SNS too.
-They must not have been recognized because of the wig, hat, and mask!
=Plus, they were speaking Korean, so who would think they were Hollywood actors lol