Riiiing! Chaos at the Agency and the First Vacation
“Aaaargh!”
Kim Tae-gon, the team leader, let out a short scream. And so began another “refreshing”(?) morning in the management team office at Flower Entertainment.
Riiiing.
As soon as official working hours kicked in, the team members’ cell phones and the office line erupted in a frenzy of ringing.
“Flower Entertainment’s Deputy Manager Lee Min-seong speaking. Yes, Director! How have you been?”
Lee Min-seong let out a brief sigh before instantly switching his expression and tone to pick up the call—a skill honed from plenty of practice.
“Yes, yes… Of course, Actor Baek Woojin’s opinion is the most important. We’ll discuss it internally and get back to you soon. Thank you.”
With each new credit stacking up in Woojin’s filmography, the volume of calls flooding in during his off-season was climbing steadily. Compared to the time after Wanted, it felt at least five times busier.
For the management team, a flood of work meant their actors were thriving—a cause for celebration, arms wide open. But…
This was too thriving!
Riiiing.
“Enough with the calls alreadyyy!”
Clutching his head, Kim Tae-gon scowled and jabbed the answer button on his phone.
“Yes, hello… This is Flower Entertainment Management Team Leader Kim Tae-gon sp—ea—king…”
“Team leader, it’s Woojin.”
The voice on the other end belonged to Woojin.
Crash! Thud!
“Gah!”
Kim Tae-gon, who’d been leaning back in his chair, jolted upright and toppled over backward with it.
Lee Min-seong, seated diagonally across and mid-call, caught the sight and spat out the water he’d been sipping with a muffled “Pfft!”
Kim Tae-gon immediately raised a fist, mouthing, We’ll settle this after you hang up.
Lee Min-seong dropped his gaze dejectedly.
“Hello? Team leader?”
“Uh… yeah, Woojin! What’s up?”
“You okay? I just heard a loud thud like something crashed…”
“No, no. Nothing happened here.”
A spark of life flickered in Kim Tae-gon’s weary eyes, drained from a morning of nonstop casting calls. After an endless barrage of those, hearing from his actor felt like a breath of fresh air. Why did it feel so damn liberating?
“What’s going on?”
“Oh, just checking. Besides the interviews booked through next week, are there any new or pending schedules in discussion?”
“Your phone’s blowing up with casting offers right now, but nothing’s locked in beyond what we’ve already set.”
“Got it. That’s great!”
His voice rose cheerfully at the end. Great? What’s so great about that?
“Perfect timing, actually. I have something to tell you.”
“Yeah? Shoot.”
“My next project… I want to decide later.”
Kim Tae-gon’s eyes widened involuntarily. His gaze drifted slowly to the stack of scripts piled on the corner table.
Woojin continued.
“I need a vacation.”
For the first time in over three years of nonstop running—even counting his previous life’s fifteen years as a nameless actor—the word “vacation” finally passed his lips.
* * *
‘Breaking Records Every Day’… The Storm and Phenomenon Brought by Indie Film Burnt and Hidden Marks
Korea’s Hope for ‘Diverse Cinema’! Reasons to Applaud the Beautiful Farewell of Baek Woojin’s Starred Film Burnt and Hidden Marks
Burnt and Hidden Marks Leaves an Unprecedented Mark in Indie Film History… Final Audience Score Hits a Staggering 8.42 Million!
Actor Baek Woojin, ‘Heartfelt Thanks to Audiences Who Loved Burnt and Hidden Marks and Firefighters Nationwide’… Handwritten Letter Goes Viral!
The very week after Justice wrapped, the tiny film Burnt and Hidden Marks—which started in just a handful of small theaters—made its “humble beginnings, glorious end” exit. It hit theaters nationwide in over 800 screens, clocking a final audience of 8.42 million. An unprecedented, indescribable mega-hit.
Even Woojin, who’d heard the news straight from Director Ra Ho-chan ahead of everyone else, was stunned. Of course, it had already notched 3.2 million in his previous life, so he’d never doubted its success. He just hadn’t anticipated it tripling that—nearly quadrupling.
“VOD service starts March 1st.”
Tap.
“Anyway! No thinking today. Let’s celebrate properly!”
Visitors were a rarity in his now-empty home these days. Buzzing with excitement, Jun-an swiftly set up bottles of booze and mouthwatering snacks in front of Woojin with a flourish.
Woojin offered to help several times, but “Just sit there, actor-nim, please!” Jun-an wouldn’t even let him lift a finger.
A moment later—
Clink!
Glasses touched. A sweet, rich aroma rose as the liquor slid down his throat.
“Man, the booze is going down so smooth today. Wait, it’s booze, so of course it’s ‘smooth’! Kahaha!”
Woojin chuckled at Jun-an, who cracked the terrible pun to himself and burst into laughter. Damn, he’d cracked up at nonsense. Ego bruised.
“Seriously, great call. I’ve been telling you forever—you need a break.”
Jun-an refilled his empty glass and pressed on. “How long you planning to rest?”
“Hmm… It’s my first time even thinking about it, so I’m not sure.”
“Once you actually try, resting feels like work itself, right?”
Woojin nodded at Jun-an’s question. Not just the three years since his return, but the fifteen as a struggling actor before—days of scrambling for any shot, no real rest ever.
Maybe that’s why trying something unfamiliar felt so daunting.
“Am I just used to you now too?”
“Huh?”
“The CEO called me personally yesterday. Said you’ve worked hard, so take a long vacation.”
“Nice! You’ve had it rough because of me too, hyung. Rest up proper.”
“Honestly? I don’t know. Not that I hate it, but it’s not exactly thrilling either?”
Jun-an downed his glass in one go.
“Sleeping comfy in bed at home ain’t as fun as waiting for you on set and crashing uncomfortably in the car. Stuff keeps popping into my head, y’know?”
“Should we… skip the break then?”
“No way, Woojin. You need this. Undeniable fact!”
Jun-an waved him off emphatically. Woojin burst into giggles this time.
How long had it been since they bantered like this, pouring out their hearts over drinks?
“What’ll you do on break? Travel?”
“Yeah, travel sounds good.”
“No plans yet, huh.”
“Wanna try overseas, but no clue where.”
“Anywhere’s fine—just go everywhere. Timing’s everything with travel. Go while you can.”
“You’ve done a lot?”
“Me? Once, backpacking Europe before enlistment.”
“Ooh!”
“Ah, suddenly the most beautiful chapter of Song Jun-an’s life floods back—the epic love story!”
Just like that, Jun-an launched into his one-and-only overseas adventure from his “glorious”(?) twenties.
A solo backpacking trip across seven European countries over a month. But three days in, in Florence, Italy, he’d teamed up with a woman he met.
“Her name was Amanda…”
Jun-an’s earnest tone and expression as he spun his tale(?) kept Woojin hooked. Lost in rapture, he reminisced about their beautiful memories.
“…And so, on the fateful final day! We stood at the crossroads. As the sunset perfectly kissed the Eiffel Tower’s peak!”
“And then!”
“No time to waste—I had to rush to Paris airport. So I mustered my courage and asked Amanda. That one line held our entire month like a panorama.”
“What’d you say?”
Gulp.
The story hit its climax, dry swallow inevitable.
“…Kuh!”
Suddenly, Jun-an scrunched his face and face-planted on the table.
Cliffhanger here? Peak Korean ragebait.
Woojin jumped up, shook the slumped Jun-an wildly. “What happened?!”
“Dunno… I dunno…”
“Hyung!”
What started with vacation talk veered wildly, ending in Jun-an’s teary sniffles.
Amanda had replied to his “let’s keep in touch” plea: “Memories should stay memories. It was fun, Mr. Song. Thank You, The Man Like Love-Song.” A kiss on the hand, and she coolly said goodbye.
No contact since, naturally. Buildup to a bit of a letdown.
But, “Jun-an Song, Love Song. Kinda touching, actually.”
“Right? Even you’ll remember it forever.”
Over ten years later, still vivid—how precious a memory.
“That’s why you gotta travel. Go this time, no excuses. Who knows?”
“Knows what?”
“Like how I reunited with Amanda by chance and spent time together—you might meet a miraculous connection too.”
Full circle, his half-baked love story(?) boiled down to: “Cherish fateful encounters with strangers on the road.”
Woojin nodded quietly. Yeah, let’s do it. Could meet a great friend regardless of gender, build beautiful memories like hyung’s, or spark a business tie.
Like Jun-an said, who knew what connections travel might bring? That uncertainty, that anticipation for healing—that’s backpacking’s charm.
“Okay, I’ll look into it!”
“That’s it—drink up!”
More shots followed, moonlit terrace glow as their side dish.
* * *
The third week of February, Burnt and Hidden Marks’s final day in theaters. After wrapping the last scheduled interviews, Woojin’s official slate finally cleared.
Time for that declared break…
Riiiing.
“Ah, Uncle Yeongjae! How’ve you been?”
…Almost. A call postponed his rest just a bit. From Uncle Yeongjae.
“Doing well, Woojin. You too?”
“Of course! Sorry I’ve been MIA with the busy excuse.”
“No worries. No news is good news. Hearing all the great stuff lately. Watching your work.”
“Thanks, Uncle. Oh, I’m schedule-free starting today! Let me know when you’re good—I’ll come by anytime.”
“Let’s set a date. Been a while.”
No awkwardness, no lulls in their long-overdue chat. Chit-chat flowed.
Then—
“Hmm, Woojin. Your agency’ll get a call tomorrow, but I wanted to ask you first.”
“Huh? What about?”
“Well…”
Uncle Yeongjae continued slowly. When he finished—
“Yes. Count me in, no question.”
Woojin answered firmly, no hesitation.
And on March 1st, as Burnt and Hidden Marks launched on VOD—
The embargo lifted.