Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 039
Chapter Title: End-of-Drama Party (1)
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[What great sin must I have committed...? Her brother left us so young, and now even our Yeojin has ended up like this....]
The woman wiped away her constantly flowing tears as she stroked the face of the person lying there. Following her hand, Kim Taehoon received a massive shock. The woman lying there looked exactly like So Yeojin's spirit. Stunned, Kim Taehoon hurriedly went off to find the Grim Reaper. The 16th episode ended with the Grim Reaper turning around as Kim Taehoon burst open the door to the office.
"People are way too sharp these days. Viewers these days are like they have a sixth sense or something."
Mireuk my ass, Mireuk. The writer, Min Suji, who said that looked utterly exhausted. Just like the chaos erupting across various communities and SNS, the Grim Reaper character played by Yeonwoo was facing death. More precisely, he chooses to sacrifice himself for the female lead, So Yeojin. Not yet, but the next week's episodes 17 and 18 would unfold that plot.
"If Yeonwoo just said one word asking to keep him alive, we'd save him right away... Can't we make it happen somehow?"
"Yes. We can't."
"Why not...!"
"You know twisting the story forcibly would ruin everything, right?"
"That's true, though...."
Min Suji knew that better than anyone. She knew which direction led to higher completion and more dramatic perfection. But public opinion was one thing, and she'd grown attached to the character too. To the Grim Reaper that Yeonwoo was playing.
"But ending it like this feels too regrettable, doesn't it? We could just pivot and make Yeonwoo the male lead outright!"
"No thanks. I don't want to ruin this drama's integrity."
"Ahh... You're so cold...."
Kwon Sung-hyun was always like a playful puppy around Yeonwoo, but after acting together, it became clear. Why he was called a top actor. Why Kwon Sung-hyun was the irreplaceable, one-of-a-kind actor everyone talked about.
'It was suspicious once his specialties surpassed five, but...'
When acting, Kwon Sung-hyun wasn't Kwon Sung-hyun anymore—he was Kim Taehoon himself. Even using Frame Composition, impeccable pronunciation, and Intent Discernment, the best Yeonwoo could do was not get swept away. Actor Kwon Sung-hyun was on another level, one slip and you might get completely overwhelmed.
'Well, thanks to that, I learned a ton.'
It was partly thanks to his special abilities, but Yeonwoo had picked up quite a bit from Kwon Sung-hyun's acting. It was like having a top actor give him one-on-one tutoring right beside him.
"But Yeonwoo... You really think that highly of it? I'm getting all touched here."
Yeonwoo just smiled brightly without a word.
'Because that's how it'll be remembered as a timeless masterpiece.'
A botched ending tanks the whole drama. No matter how solidly built up to the finale, a bad end turns it into all hype no payoff—or worse, all hype all crash.
'This needs to be a smash hit to solidly kick off my career.'
It was a pretty self-serving reason.
"At this rate, I'm really gonna live forever..."
"Well, it's not a total death, right? It'll be fine."
The Grim Reaper dies. But the finale Min Suji had hinted at before finalizing the script...
"Yeah. I'll trust you, Yeonwoo, and go with it as is...? You sure it's okay?"
"Yes."
"Sigh. Other actors beg to tweak scripts to keep their roles alive longer or squeeze in more scenes even if they're dead. But you? Not a peep about that. Sigh. Sigh."
Min Suji muttered regretfully.
"Huh? Min Writer, heading out?"
"Yeonwoo gave the green light, so I'll wrap it up clean and send the script over. Wait for it."
Min Suji shuffled off with her notebook in hand.
And a few days later.
"Great work, everyone!"
"Great work!"
"It's over! Great job!"
"Finally, wrap party time!"
The final shoot on set wrapped up.
***
"Yeonwoo, you made it?"
"You're here with Sung-hyun too."
After all filming ended. The wrap party at a Yeouido meat restaurant. As Yeonwoo and Kwon Sung-hyun entered, all eyes from the staff turned to them.
"There were a ton of reporters out front—how'd you get in okay?"
"I thought I was at a film festival, not a BBQ joint..."
"Red carpet, paparazzi swarm—hits right up there with one, yeah."
Just as the welcoming staff said, the front of the restaurant was a total madhouse.
"Well... It was fine."
Yeonwoo shrugged as he replied.
"Really? That's not like them..."
These days the public beats them down so they've toned it down, but they're still a hyena pack at heart, the assistant writer muttered.
"For real. They just snapped pics from afar. Made it super easy to slip in."
Kwon Sung-hyun answered.
-Yeonwoo. See them outside? Ninety percent chance reporters swarm when we get out. Lots of eyes, so they won't go too wild, but some'll toe the line. Stick right by me, got it?
-Yeah, sure...
Before stepping out of the van, Kwon Sung-hyun had warned him like that. But after they got out.
Kwon Sung-hyun witnessed a parting of the seas.
"Come to think of it, Yeonwoo, how'd you do it? Reporters couldn't even approach."
"Well... I just looked at them, that's all."
Not entirely a lie. He did look at them.
'I did infuse a tiny bit of spiritual power, though.'
Of course, regular folks can't handle even that much aura. Someone like Kwon Sung-hyun brushed it off no problem, but the reporters? Not so much.
"Anyway, glad you made it. Now just Min Yerin's here and we're all set!"
No sooner had she said it than Min Yerin pushed open the door, looking drained.
"Sorry I'm late. Way too many people outside..."
"Huh? Yerin, the reporters got you?"
"Yeah, there were so many."
"Wait, what? Yeonwoo and Sung-hyun waltzed right in... Huh?"
"......?"
No one knew the reason.
[You're the only one who'd use spiritual power in a place like this...]
Aside from the Child Spirit wasting his on turning into animals.
The restaurant buzzed with energy. Filming was done, ratings steadily climbing. Everyone was hyped debating if the finale would hit peak.
"I think it's gonna flop..."
One person was digging her own grave. Min Suji.
"Writer, why the long face? It's fun! And it's not a full death, so it'll be fine!"
"Yeah, Min Writer, quit worrying. This drama's gonna be your masterpiece, mark my words."
The director consoling Min Suji spotted Yeonwoo and the other two.
"Oh! The drama stars have arrived! Perfect timing! Come sit over here!"
The staff jumped up to guide Yeonwoo and the pair.
As he went to sit,
"Sit by me."
"Sit next to me."
Two voices spoke at once.
"......?"
Kwon Sung-hyun and Min Yerin smiled. But for some reason, a chill ran down his spine.
'Was it that trivial ghost clinging to the corner when we came in?'
But no, it was too far away, and barely any spiritual power—just a trivial ghost?
"Oho, the three leads side by side all chummy! Picture perfect!"
Caught off guard, Yeonwoo ended up with Kwon Sung-hyun on his right, Min Yerin on his left. As the final trio settled, Director Heo chuckled heartily and shot up from his seat.
"Alright, everyone worked their asses off filming and acting! Forget the worries—just eat, drink, and party hard tonight!"
"To our drama's success!"
"Cheers!"
The rowdy wrap party kicked off.
***
Word of the drama team's wrap party spread like wildfire. With it dubbed a full-on "syndrome," attention was insane. Especially the photo of Yeonwoo and Kwon Sung-hyun side by side—it pulled massive eyes, heating up not just variety shows but the entire internet.
-Saw the pic? First time a wrap party shot's hit Naver realtime top ranks! That's Sung-hyun-nim class for ya!
-OMG, is this a news pic or a photoshoot? Reporters famous for gritty shots, but Sung-hyun-nim? Zero unflattering angles lololol
-Just slap this in a fashion mag as-is and boom, photoshoot done
-Sung-hyun-nim came with our Yeonwoo? He's lowkey looking out for him huh
-Lowkey? Nah straight up openly
-Didn't ya know? Sung-hyun-nim's Yeonwoo's #1 fan...
-Sung-hyun-nim's a successful stan right there doing his thing lolololol
-That proud look tho? Bet he personally coordinated Yeonwoo's fit that day lololol
-I remember that outfit—he said it was his fave once. Designer-made, killer texture and color, he bragged
-And our Yeonwoo’s rocking it...? Sung-hyun-nim... Gotta admit it. Total Yeonwoo stan supreme lololol
-He stanned Yeonwoo so hard the fandom's got Sung-hyun-nim in it? Real?
-Y'all gotta drop the "our" when talking Sung-hyun-nim;;; Big trouble;
No humiliating shots even off a pro shoot. Eye-cleansing just to look at. Pure mental healing pic, they said. Every fancy descriptor thrown in.
-Y'all see this? Someone dropped an article amid the hype.
-Lololol why's the area around them so empty?
-Article says reporters couldn't get close...
-See our Yeonwoo's glare? Pic looks cool, but article... Speechless (article link)
-Wtf lololol reporters straight scared now? Article admitting it?
-Yeah, thought the Grim Reaper descended or some shit
-Reporters who've seen it all, scared that bad? How intense was it?
-Glad our Yeonwoo skipped the all-black look. Would've had 'em all keeling over
-Told ya drop "our" lololol
[[Photo] 'Grim Reaper Descent!' Dear My Ghost Wrap Party Scene]
-Actors Kwon Sung-hyun and Kang Yeonwoo attending the MBS drama 'Dear My Ghost' wrap party at a Yeouido restaurant on the Xth. (Photo) (Photo) (Photo)
Actors Kwon Sung-hyun and Kang Yeonwoo, known to be very close, showed up together. Actor Kang Yeonwoo, who played the Grim Reaper, exuded his signature intense charisma even at the wrap party, causing a minor reporter fluster.
-As a level-1 journo-speak expert: "causing a minor reporter fluster" = scared shitless. That about sums it up
-Saw the candids from that day—reporters looked shrunken. Pitiful...
-Making bank off dudes ain't easy lolol
-But no payback articles? Means Yeonwoo did jack and reporters just punked themselves
-Yep. Normally you'd get cocky, arrogant, showoff smears. But clean as hell.
-I saw it. Reporters were properly spooked lolol
-But seeing these articles, guess the drama really ends. Was hoping for extension...
-Me too, straight 20 eps no extension ㅠㅠ
After the wrap party lit up every media outlet.
Finally, the drama's finale aired.