'Hyung-nim, Have You Been Well?'
Lee Kang-sik bowed at a perfect ninety degrees, greeting Jeong Jae-min with genuine warmth.
In his early sixties, Jeong Jae-min was entering the ranks of the venerable elders. These days, he made occasional appearances in dramas and films, but he'd spent most of his career on the theater stage. A founding member of Actor's Yard, one of the deepest-rooted theater troupes in Korea, he now served as its leader. There was a time when people openly said that if film had Lee Kang-sik, theater had Jeong Jae-min—a senior renowned for both his skill and reputation. It was Woojin's first time meeting him.
"It's an honor to meet you, sunbaenim! I'm Baek Woojin. I look forward to working with you!"
Woojin bowed even lower than Lee Kang-sik had, his voice booming with sincerity.
"Aigoo, nice to meet you."
"Please, speak comfortably!"
Jeong Jae-min let out a hearty laugh at the bright, affable expression on his eager junior's face.
"Haha, alright. Kang-sik here wouldn't shut up about you when we started cranking. I was curious what kind of guy you were, and sure enough, you look like a natural actor."
"Haha, son! Get real close with sunbaenim this time. When you wanna do theater someday, no one's got connections like hyung-nim~"
"You got it, Dad! Thank you, sunbaenim!"
Most actors in their twenties shrank in the presence of such veteran seniors in their fifties and sixties. But this junior approached without a hint of intimidation—polite yet friendly, exuding charm. Jeong Jae-min seemed taken with him and immediately asked for Woojin's phone number.
Come to think of it, Woojin had never even stood on a theater stage as a trainee. He'd always thirsted for it. And now, through this opportunity, he'd connected with someone as ideal as Senior Jeong Jae-min.
It was true he'd been running nonstop without a break, exhausted and worn out. But that was precisely why he always craved the bustling energy of a crowded set—the biggest reason he breathed easiest there.
— Senior Jeong Jae-min has arrived! —
The voice of the assistant director crackled from the walkie-talkie in the waiting room. The staff's real-time prep updates flowed to the actors.
"Shooting's about to start."
"Wanna run lines quick?"
"Once or twice, super fast?"
"Sounds good, hyung-nim!"
"Haha, takes me back! How long's it been since we ran lines like this?!"
Seniors Jeong Jae-min and Lee Kang-sik were from the same theater department. Back in their theater days, the hierarchy between seniors and juniors had been far stricter than today. Yet despite being five grades ahead, Jeong Jae-min had always treated Lee Kang-sik like a blood brother, no pretenses. Woojin had heard that Jeong Jae-min's influence was the biggest reason Lee Kang-sik joined Actor's Yard right after graduation.
They'd endured the hungry, bitter life of nameless theater actors together. Memories seemed to flood back—of late nights at the theater, sharing a shot of soju and a cigarette while running lines.
Lee Kang-sik, eyes subtly reddening, hid behind his script as he matched lines with Senior Jeong Jae-min. The senior, sensing his beloved junior's emotion, pretended not to notice, sparing him embarrassment.
Watching the two veterans' rehearsal, steeped in natural nostalgia, Woojin's nose tingled too. A fleeting wish crossed his mind: May the Baek Woojin of thirty years from now have a comrade by his side, sharing irreplaceable memories from an acting life like theirs...>
— Shooting starts now! Bringing the actors out! —
The all-clear came from outside. The upcoming scene would capture the peak of tension built from prior footage—the moment Lee Jin-tae and Son Min-seok confronted each other in the utterly unforeseen space before the Blue House main building.
The two seniors, fresh from their self-rehearsal, called out excitedly.
"Let's go!"
"Yeah, hyung-nim. Time to really cut loose after all these years!"
"Hell yeah, let's have some fun!"
To Woojin, the seniors striding to set looked just like young Jeong Jae-min and young Lee Kang-sik from their Actor's Yard days. Like singers waiting in the dark backstage, stepping into the spotlight the moment the melody swelled. No hesitation—just pure theater actors heading to the stage when their cue came.
The thrill alone of witnessing their live acting ensemble lightened Woojin's steps toward the monitor room. God, this is insanely good.
* * *
Woo Seung-hyun PD, the assistant director, martial arts supervisor, and writers briefed the seniors on final blocking one more time. After monitoring a test shoot with stunt doubles, Woo PD and Kim Soo-rim gave Jeong Jae-min specific directions.
"Sunbaenim, just handle your lines like you do on stage—nice and easy."
Like you do on stage. It sounded simple, but it hid layers of nuance: Don't hide your theater style. Let some of it show on screen.
The gap between screen and stage acting was vast. Screen acting captured everything from full shots to close-ups, with endless replays possible. Mics picked up subtle sounds, so no need for big projections—less physical strain than stage.
Thus, screen acting couldn't be overdone. Even tiny gestures filled the frame.
Stage acting was one-shot only—no do-overs. Unlike uniform screen views, theater audiences saw different angles and distances. To grab every eye, voices and actions had to be big.
That's why theater vets struggled transitioning to screen. The stylistic shift was huge, but here...
"Keep movements small, but go with your theater tone—nice and natural."
Unlike most sets, Justice directed Jeong Jae-min toward his theatrical delivery.
"Less for me to worry about—feels good. But will the tones blend?"
"It's fine. We want a slight mismatch in the Lee Jin-tae and Son Min-seok framing. It's my request to the director, and he approved."
Kim Soo-rim smiled. They intended that theatrical edge in Jeong Jae-min's lines. To make the duo's ensemble feel off-balance.
At the long-awaited fruition of Lee Jin-tae's vengeance, irony struck: their tonal clash created subtle dissonance. A quiet question: Revenge started justified, but stained by innocents' blood along the way. Can you still call it just?
Jeong Jae-min's tone, plus shaky solo shots, would mesh with the direction, amplifying Lee Jin-tae's unease. Directors and writers' details are unreal, Woojin thought, as always. No wasted frame or line.
"Got it! Let's roll."
"Yes, sunbaenim. Shooting starts!"
Direction and intent fully conveyed. Sketch done—time to paint.
Moments later:
The man who first shook the eyes of vengeance incarnate, Lee Jin-tae.
"Jin-tae, stop here."
The V.I.P. president appeared.
* * *
— Whoooosh. —
November's chill wind sliced the air. With Lee Jin-tae and Son Min-seok facing off at the front, security and Reclum operatives snapped into formation, guns trained.
The standoff silence shattered with Lee Jin-tae's out-of-place words, devoid of greeting.
"Cold out?"
"Even if it is, can it compare to the lost souls of our agents drifting unknown seas?"
Seeing Son Min-seok's wind-reddened face, he chuckled dryly.
"Jin-tae, I get it. So..."
"Shut your filthy trap!"
Lee Jin-tae's roar echoed. Everyone flinched, but he pressed on.
"If you really understood, you wouldn't have done the same shit in 2010."
"That was..."
"Enough. It'll just get uglier."
Slowly—one step, two—Lee Jin-tae closed in on Son Min-seok.
"P-President! Back up! It's dangerous!"
The security chief's trigger finger twitched.
"...Lower it."
"Mr. President! But..."
"Please. Put it down."
At Son Min-seok's gesture, the chief bit his lip and dropped his aim to the floor.
Lee Jin-tae smirked meaningfully.
"Message received, I see. Still got your instincts, Director."
Not "president," but "Director"—his old title at the National Security Planning Department. A key line: his watch still frozen thirty years back, that day until now.
Lee Kang-sik's flawless delivery drew every eye, Woojin's included.
"...Follow me."
Son Min-seok's stone face turned toward the Blue House building. Lee Jin-tae followed.
As the two laid the cornerstone to end their festering grudge...
"Woojin-ssi, get ready."
"Yes, Director."
Next up to carry the torch. Woojin prepped for his "deployment."
— Thud thud. —
The moment Lee Jin-tae and Son Min-seok entered the office...
At the Blue House's cordoned main gate, controlling the crowd...
"Huff... huff..."
Lee Jung-hyuk arrived, gasping ragged breaths.