Chapter 85
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: The Final Scene and the First Bow
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As the air date for *Naeuiwon* drew near, KBC began its promotional campaign. They promoted it more fervently than any other drama.
The public's response was so enthusiastic with every promotion that it felt more rewarding than ever.
Park Seojin of Brown Black, who was now active as a solo artist, sang the OST for *Naeuiwon*.
Thump-thump—the heavy beat of a drum resonated in the heart.
A brush, heavily coated in black ink, wrote the words ‘Naeuiwon’ across the screen.
It began with Lee Jiseok, diagnosing a patient with a cold expression, followed by King Taejong drawing his sword with a fearsome look, Yangnyeong drinking, Hyoryeong and Queen Wongyeong praying to Buddha, and then Chungnyeong reading a book. And then,
It was over. The broadcast date was announced, and the next commercial immediately followed.
-?? What about Seongnyeong?
-Hey! I think you forgot someone!
-I was waiting just for the trailer, and they cut it off like this?!
-Lee Seojun isn't in any of the other promotional videos either!
* * *
“Daho hyung. Today’s the last day, right?”
“Yeah.”
An Daho nodded at Seojun’s question. Today’s shoot was the last one before the show aired. Even though he had Seojun’s schedule memorized, An Daho pulled out his phone to double-check.
“The press conference is on Monday, and the show airs on Wednesday and Thursday at 10 PM. You can get a good rest, and then we start filming again the week after.”
“It’s finally airing!”
“I know. Everyone’s been crying while they wait.”
“Ahahaha.”
Seojun had also seen the posts on the fan cafe. Many fans were crying, saying they had waited for a long two months from February to April because the promotions started too early, and he wasn't even in the promotional videos. Still, the occasional photos of Seojun that were posted served as some comfort.
“Jong-ah! We’re starting!”
“Yes!”
During the filming of *Naeuiwon*, Seojun had many scenes with Grand Prince Chungnyeong, or with King Taejong and the Queen. And of course, he was always with the protagonist, Lee Jiseok.
Kim Jongho, who was generous to those he liked, sometimes called Seojun by Grand Prince Seongnyeong’s name, ‘Jong.’ Seojun smiled and said to Kim Jongho.
“If you say ‘Jong-ah’ a little forcefully, doesn’t it sound like a dog’s name?”
“Jjong?”
“Yes.”
“Then should I call you Jjong-ah from now on?”
“No!?”
Everyone burst into laughter at Seojun’s horrified reaction. Park Dohun, who had come to watch the filming, also smiled.
Producer Choi Minseong, who had been laughing heartily, raised his voice. The laughter subsided at his call.
“Alright, we will now begin the last shoot before the broadcast. Let’s film one last great scene, get a good rest, and then hit the ground running again!”
Applause erupted from all around. Seojun clapped enthusiastically as well.
“Let’s begin filming!”
At the assistant director's voice, everyone moved to their positions.
Seojun headed to the set. A staff member waiting in front of the set lightly spritzed his face with water.
“Keep this with you, and if it starts to dry, spray a little more.”
Taking the small spray bottle from the staff, he went inside. The filming location was Grand Prince Seongnyeong’s residence.
Seojun lay down on the soft bedding laid out in the room and covered himself with a warm blanket. He hid the spray bottle out of the camera's view and used a hand mirror An Daho had given him to check if the water droplets were still on his face. The sight made the people around him smile.
“Are you ready?”
“Yes!”
“Yes.”
Seojun and Lee Jiseok answered the assistant director. After checking the cameras, Producer Choi Minseong raised his voice.
“Ready, action!”
Upon hearing that Grand Prince Seongnyeong had caught a cold, King Taejong and the Queen visited his residence. The royal physician, Heo Yuseon, stepped aside to a corner, avoiding the forceful steps of the approaching king and queen.
Grand Prince Seongnyeong, who was lying in bed wheezing, welcomed the two. Seeing his pale face force a smile, the hearts of King Taejong and the Queen ached as they quickly sat beside him.
“Grand Prince Seongnyeong. Your mother is here.”
“Seongnyeong. Are you in much pain?”
“I’m… alright.”
Feeling pity for their mature son who was smiling faintly, King Taejong and the Queen simply stroked Grand Prince Seongnyeong’s small hand without a word. He had such a high fever that his hand was hot and his face was flushed red.
Kim Jongho and Lee Jihye wondered if Seojun was actually sick, feeling the heat from his hand. The filming continued, so they carried on with their acting, but just as they were thinking, *Is he really sick?*, Producer Choi Minseong shouted.
“Cut, OK!”
The moment they heard his voice, the color returned to Seojun’s face. The previously listless atmosphere bloomed with life like a flower in an instant. Witnessing the change, Kim Jongho and Lee Jihye were at a loss for words.
The temperature of the hand he was holding was now perfectly warm, almost miraculously so. They had thought he was a great actor, but he became more surprising the more they saw.
“Seojun. Do you act with your body temperature too?”
Knowing how foolish her question sounded, Lee Jihye couldn't help but ask. Seojun flinched at her question. *How did she know?*
[(Good) Red Slime Core - Low Grade]
This is the core of a Red Slime.
The core of a slime that uses fire as its primary attack is hot.
While holding the core, you gain resistance to fire (high temperatures).
The intensity of the fire (temperature) can be controlled.
It was the core of a Red Slime, which could also be used as a heating device. Since it was low-grade, it couldn't emit flames outside the body, but it could control body temperature. Plus, the resistance meant it had no adverse effects on his body.
In response to Lee Jihye’s question, Seojun could only smile and pretend he didn't know. And so, the final shoot before the broadcast came to an end.
The cast of *Naeuiwon* decided to have dinner together. Kim Jongho invited Park Dohun. Park Dohun, who always had a script in hand during filming, came to the restaurant today with his script tucked away in his bag.
Kim Jongho and Lee Jiseok smiled warmly at the sight of a more relaxed Park Dohun.
“Hello! Dohun hyung!”
“Hey, Seojun. Did the shoot go well?”
“Yes. Did your interview go well, hyung?”
As Seojun smiled and waved at Park Dohun, Park Dohun sat down next to him. The shimmering Young Lion emblem above Park Dohun’s head was noticeable. It was a sign that Park Dohun belonged to Seojun’s pride.
‘The fact that he’s still in the pride must mean he’s recovering very slowly.’
Seojun had a feeling that once all the filming for *Naeuiwon* was over, Park Dohun would regain some confidence and leave the pride. Knowing the right time for a member of the pride to leave seemed to be another instinct of the young lion king.
A short while later, samgyetang was served. The managers sat at a different table in the same room. While eating the hot ginseng chicken soup, Lee Jiseok, who had been listening to Lee Jihye and Kim Jongho talk about Seojun’s body temperature, spoke up.
“Perfect for faking sick.”
The actors and managers burst into laughter. Seojun, who was diligently separating meat from the bones, also laughed before shaking his head.
“I don’t fake sick.”
“At your age, you’re supposed to fake sick once or twice because you don’t want to go to school.”
“My mom and dad would be so surprised. I’ve never once been to the hospital for being sick.”
“……What?”
The actors and the managers eating samgyetang behind them turned to look at Seojun in surprise. An Daho nodded. It now made sense why he had never heard Seojun complain of being sick since he’d known him.
Seojun giggled, “Ehehehe.” It was all thanks to his abilities.
He had never caught the fevers that all babies go through, nor even a common cold. Not only that, but his advanced motor skills meant he never fell while playing, and he never got cuts or minor scratches.
“I’ve been for check-ups because they were worried if it was okay for me to be so healthy, and for vaccinations, but never because I was sick.”
“Really?”
“Yes. So if I faked being sick, my mom and dad would be incredibly surprised.”
It wouldn't just end with surprise. If he had been normally sick and gone to the hospital since he was a baby, it would be one thing, but if the perpetually healthy Seojun claimed to be sick now, all hell would break loose.
“So I don’t fake sick. Because my mom and dad would worry.”
“Wow. Seojun, you’re such a good son.”
Over samgyetang, the four actors and Seojun chatted. Among the many topics, the one that interested the five of them the most was, of course, acting. Kim Jongho nodded.
“Method acting, huh. No wonder it was so easy to immerse myself when acting with Seojun. When one person is that immersed, it makes it easier for others to focus on their roles.”
“You felt that too, hyung? That’s why I wanted to act with Seojun more. He really seemed like a Grand Prince this time. And I, a mere royal physician.”
While filming with Seojun, Lee Jiseok found it easier to immerse himself in the role of physician Heo Yuseon. He tried his best not to forget that feeling even in scenes without Seojun.
To both Kim Jongho and Lee Jihye, the brightly smiling Grand Prince Seongnyeong felt like their own son once filming began. For Park Dohun, too, though it was a bit nuanced due to his ability, he felt that Seojun was an incredibly reliable younger brother.
“Ah, was the rise in body temperature also because of method acting?”
At Lee Jihye’s words, everyone nodded, thinking it could be possible.
* * *
“We will now begin the press conference for the KBC Wednesday-Thursday drama, *Naeuiwon*. I would like to thank all the officials and reporters who have joined us, as well as everyone watching the press conference via live stream.”
As the MC spoke, people watching online started posting comments. The comments, filtered by the staff, appeared on the screen set up behind the stage.
-Been waiting! For the press conference! Waiting! For this Wednesday and Thursday!
-Two months felt like two years ㅠ
“Then, let’s welcome to the stage the director and actors of the KBC Wednesday-Thursday drama, *Naeuiwon*, for which everyone has been waiting as if two months were two years.”
At the MC's words, the side door of the stage opened and Producer Choi Minseong appeared. The reporters in the audience began snapping photos. With each actor that appeared, flashes went off brilliantly.
Countless comments flooded in. The staff's eyes moved busily, filtering out profanity, criticism, and malicious comments while searching for witty ones.
“First, shall we hear an introduction of the roles you’ve taken on?”
First to speak was Lee Jiseok, who played the protagonist Heo Yuseon. He held the microphone and looked at the camera.
“Hello. I’m Lee Jiseok, and I play the protagonist of *Naeuiwon*, Heo Yuseon. Heo Yuseon is the son of a nobleman's concubine whose mother died early, leaving him to live a lonely life. He became a physician solely for success and entered Naeuiwon to become the Royal Physician, the highest position among physicians. However…”
-It’s not going to be that easy, is it!
-Hardship and trials! A must for any protagonist!
The actors burst into laughter as they read the comments appearing on the monitor in front of the stage. When Seojun laughed, the comments exploded.
-Seojun! So cute!
-He laughed at my comment!
“Yes. As the viewers have said, it won’t be that easy. Please cheer on Heo Yuseon as he navigates the hardships and trials to come.”
Lee Jiseok sat down and passed the microphone to Seojun. Seeing his dignified demeanor, unfazed by the many reporters, everyone smiled with pride.
-The whole cast has parental smiles on their faces lol
-So do we.
“Hello. I’m Lee Seojun, and I play the role of Grand Prince Seongnyeong.”
-Grand Prince Seongnyeong ㅠㅠ
-Your Highness ㅠㅠ
“Grand Prince Seongnyeong is a very happy character who grew up receiving love from his affectionate parents and wonderful older brothers. He loves to play and also loves to study. He’s a character who loves his family very much. I ask for your support and love.”
Seojun sat down, and Kim Jongho, who played King Taejong, took the microphone. As if waiting for this moment, cheerful comments began to appear.
-After staging all those coups, you’ve finally become king!
-Congratulations! Chief State Councilor! No, Your Maaaajesty!
-King Taejong, who brings a storm of blood, really suits you!
“Ahem. I am Kim Jongho, playing the role of King Taejong. Yes. After all the coups I’ve staged, I’ve finally succeeded.”
His remark made everyone burst into laughter. Kim Jongho continued.
“Still, I think King Taejong in *Naeuiwon* will be quite different from before. You’ll be able to see him as a father who loves his family, a man who governs the country with a cool head but adores his youngest son and wishes only for his children's health.”
The actors’ introductions continued, and finally, Producer Choi Minseong took the microphone.
“It’s a pleasure to be here. I am Choi Minseong, the producer of *Naeuiwon*. The drama *Naeuiwon* looks closely at the daily life of the royal family—their routines from morning to evening, their meals, their moments of rest—rather than politics or treason. Through the eyes of physician Heo Yuseon, we see the life of King Taejong and the life of a father. The life of royalty and the life of a person. And the death of one person.”
Death. At that word, everyone recalled the articles they had seen plenty of over the past two months. A death that even royalty could not escape.
The comments, which had been scrolling by furiously, paused for a moment as if everyone was hanging on Producer Choi Minseong’s words.
“And we depicted the lives of those left behind. There are no flashy scenes like battles or wars, but it is my hope that this will become a drama that remains deep in the hearts of our viewers.”
Applause came from all around at Producer Choi Minseong’s words.
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