Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Yeon-seo, Please Retire
[Male Actor] Yeon-seo ㅜ What gives you the confidence to keep acting? ㅠ Is it your face? Is it your face? +472
You can’t criticize Yu Yeon-seo for his face and physique. On the other hand, there’s a hell of a lot to criticize besides his looks. Oh right, you can’t criticize his family background either. Anyway.
I got so pissed off watching ‘Our Moment’ that I decided to talk about Yu Yeon-seo. The show would have been so much better without him, but thank god the writer switched the love line to Go Hyeon-tae at the end and revived it.
He’s not even a supporting actor, he’s the main lead, but he’s so fucking bad at acting that the writer basically swapped the main and supporting roles lol. And why are industry people so desperate to give work to Yu Yeon-seo, who can’t act for shit? As a main lead, no less?
First off, Yu Yeon-seo’s agency, Halo Media, is a small but successful production company and talent agency. Their actors are all top-notch, like Im Hye-seo and Kim Min-seong, who just won rookie awards. They’re good at placing their actors and the projects they produce are good too.
So, did Yu Yeon-seo, who’s terrible at acting, get cast because of his agency’s influence? The answer is no.
Judging from the CEO’s interviews and industry gossip, Yu Yeon-seo isn’t being pushed by his agency. No, it’s more like he’s not accepting their push.
So what’s the real reason?
Surprisingly, Yu Yeon-seo is emerging as the hope for rookie writers, directors, and actors. Why? Because the moment he’s cast as the lead, investments from Juseong Group affiliates and countless sponsorship offers come pouring in. Getting it aired? That gets fast-tracked, of course.
So, writers, directors, and actors who don’t have the backing of a major production company and have no idea when their project will see the light of day reluctantly dial Yu Yeon-seo’s number. And what’s even more infuriating is that Yu Yeon-seo has a damn good eye for scripts, so every project he joins gets decent reviews and achieves above-average ratings and box office numbers. With that acting? Yep, with that acting lolololololol.
As long as Juseong Group doesn’t go bankrupt, Yu Yeon-seo will keep acting. And since South Korea would go bankrupt if Juseong Group did, that’s never going to happen.
Which means, unless Yu Yeon-seo suddenly goes crazy, retires, and takes over one of the Juseong Group affiliates, he’s going to keep acting. A truly unfortunate situation.
P.S.) The Love Letters will swarm this post and get it taken down anyway, so I’m deleting it in 10 minutes. Even I’m scared of Yu Yeon-seo’s fans lol.
└Yeon-seo, let’s just retire.
└└I second this. Yeon-seo, please retire.
└My friend worked on ‘Our Moment’ and said Yu Yeon-seo threw a massive fit at the end because the writer focused on the second lead. As if he forgot he’s the one who can’t act lol.
└I heard Yu Yeon-seo’s estimated net worth is in the trillions.
└└For real?
└└└Damn, I’m jealous.
└Every sentence is a masterpiece. Why say you’re deleting it?
└└Yu Yeon-seo’s fandom is notoriously toxic. Even Harabi is treading carefully lol.
└└└It’s amazing he has so many fans when he’s so bad at his actual job lol.
└└└└His face is a cheat code.
└But seeing the comment above, if his net worth is that huge, why does he keep hiking up his appearance fee? The production staff even released a hit piece asking him to lower it. They were obviously desperate.
└└I heard he’s incredibly greedy.
└└└But his net worth is in the trillions, damn. He has no shame.
└└└└He can’t raise his status with his acting, so he’s probably trying to do it with his appearance fee lol.
└With his eye for projects, can’t he just be an investor?
└└For real.
└Harabi’s right. Can’t they just cast an idol instead? I hear idols-turned-actors get good reactions on set these days. They have solid fandoms and their fees aren’t too high.
└└Pro tip: Yu Yeon-seo is a former idol.
└└└He’s a pigeon, fuck. Let’s not count pigeons as former idols.
└This post is about to be swarmed by Love Letters.
└What, is this a Yu Yeon-seo hate thread? Let me in, damn it. I still can’t forget how he called my favorite actor a ‘beggar’.
└How did ‘Our Moment’ end? I dropped it because of Yu Yeon-seo.
└└The writer focused everything on the second lead. The love line, the narrative—it all went to Go Hyeon-tae.
└└└Shit, I’m gonna go watch it.
└Heol, but Yu Yeon-seo is now...
└Huh?
└Heol, fuck.
What the hell? What’s with these comments?
Han Jun-o, the CEO of Halo Media—the agency mentioned in the post—frowned as he read the ominously cut-off comments.
“What are you looking at, CEO?”
“Manager Park. Just reading a post on Harabi’s blog.”
“Ah, that guy… the well-known Yu Yeon-seo anti?”
“…Doesn’t he hate on every celebrity?”
“He hates on Yu Yeon-seo with a unique passion.”
The man called Manager Park walked over to the CEO’s side and looked at the monitor. The comments were a disaster. If he were Yu Yeon-seo, his mental state wouldn’t just be shattered; it would be completely annihilated.
But our arrogant Yu Yeon-seo wouldn’t get a single scratch from something like this.
“Why are you looking at stuff like this, sir?”
“Just in case.”
“Are you taking screenshots again? That kid is a lost cause. He deserves the hate he gets.”
“Park Sang-tae. Is that any way to talk about one of our actors?”
“But it’s true.”
Manager Park replied sullenly. He disliked Yu Yeon-seo because of his rotten personality.
“Wow… but these comments are harsh. Isn’t Yu Yeon-seo going to sue?”
“He said he won’t. Something about not needing to pay attention to the ramblings of vulgar people?”
“The people at Juseong don’t seem to have any intention of responding either… It’s strange.”
Aren’t they the ones who dote on their second grandson? Manager Park Sang-tae, who had witnessed with his own eyes the miracle of production costs being paid in cash the moment Yu Yeon-seo signed a contract, muttered in confusion.
“How are we supposed to understand the thoughts of those lofty chaebols?”
Despite his words, CEO Han Jun-o was quite fond of Yu Yeon-seo.
The projects that Yu Yeon-seo, with his good eye for scripts, took an interest in were at least moderately successful. The ones he had to pass on due to scheduling conflicts would become huge hits if they were given to another actor at the agency or if the company produced them.
On top of that, Yu Yeon-seo got jobs on his own thanks to his family’s influence, without any push from the agency. He thought he’d gotten a golden goose, but it turned out to be a tiger cub.
Yu Yeon-seo had set a strange condition in his contract: the agency was only to handle the hiring of his staff, including his manager, and was to otherwise leave him alone. Whenever he was displeased, he would talk back sharply and often treated him, the CEO, like a mere manager.
If he acted this way toward his own agency’s CEO, how would he act toward others in the industry? Yu Yeon-seo’s rude speech and behavior stirred up all sorts of trouble. Naturally, his reputation in the industry was in the gutter.
“Is Yeon-seo doing okay?”
“Jong-ho is driving him home after his schedule.”
“Jong-ho? Ah, the new manager… How long has it been?”
“A little over two months.”
“He’s lasting a while this time, huh? Think he can handle Yu Yeon-seo’s temper?”
“I don’t think he’ll last long.”
Manager Park sighed. A string of road managers had quit, unable to stand Yu Yeon-seo’s temper, and until a new one was hired, Manager Park had to fill in. It had been ages since he’d worked as a road manager….
“Yes, this is Park Sang-tae from Halo Media.”
Just as Manager Park, on the phone with a reporter, was about to hang up, his eyes widened in shock as if he’d heard devastating news.
“...What?”
“What is it?”
Manager Park ignored the CEO, grabbed the remote, and turned on the TV.
[Breaking News] Five-Car Pile-Up on Gangnam-daero... Victim Confirmed as Juseong Group Heir
…The driver was killed instantly at the scene, and the passenger has been identified as Yu Yeon-seo (26), an actor and the third-generation heir of Juseong Group.
CEO Han Jun-o rushed to the hospital where Yu Yeon-seo had been taken, only to be blocked by men in black suits in front of the operating room.
“Hey, who are you to block my way?”
One of the men held out a business card. Juseong Group, Strategic Planning Division. CEO Han, who had been about to raise his voice, calmed down.
“I’m the CEO of his agency. Can’t I even wait in front of the operating room?”
“No, you can’t.”
“I’m practically his guardian. Why won’t you let me through?”
“That is precisely why. His real guardian is on his way.”
CEO Han froze. His real guardian? Did he mean his father, Vice Chairman Yu Geon-min? The man, reading his expression with sharp eyes, spoke in a low voice.
“The Chairman is on his way, so you should handle the media.”
“The... the Chairman?”
CEO Han stammered in surprise. Manager Park Sang-tae, who had followed him, also opened his mouth in shock. The Chairman of Juseong Group—a conglomerate that propped up the South Korean economy and ranked high among global corporations—was coming in person?
“Chairman Yu Chang-ho is coming himself?”
“Yes.”
The man who appeared to be in charge of the suited men led Han Jun-o and Park Sang-tae toward the entrance, telling them to leave before the Chairman arrived.
“You must be aware that the Chairman does not approve of the young master’s career in entertainment. It would not be good for you to cross paths.”
CEO Han and Manager Park knew that well; it was a widely known rumor in the industry.
‘Yu Yeon-seo said Chairman Yu didn’t care about him.’
He said he’d been abandoned when he chose to become an entertainer. That they didn’t care what he did, whether he was sick or dead. He remembered a drunken Yu Yeon-seo lamenting this.
Then again, it was a major accident where someone died instantly; it would be strange if his family didn’t show up. CEO Han led the way outside. Reporters who had heard the news recognized him and started taking pictures.
“What should we do about the media?”
“For now, say we’re confirming the details. Tell them to refrain from speculation. If that doesn’t work, tell them Juseong Group will get involved. It seems they’re serious this time.”
“Got it.”
What a disaster. He couldn’t forget the graphic bloodstains in the photos of the scene he saw on social media.
He’ll be okay. He’s the heir of Juseong Group, and with the Chairman himself here, the best doctors in Korea will be operating on him. CEO Han sighed heavily.
After warning the reporters gathered in front of the hospital to behave, mentioning Juseong Group, CEO Han and Manager Park bowed their heads with grim expressions. At least Yu Yeon-seo was still alive; the manager had died instantly at the scene.
“…Where are the bereaved family members?”
“They’re on their way.”
“Haa…. What a mess….”
To think a young man with a bright future had his life cut short. CEO Han resolved to prepare condolence money, even if it had to come from his own pocket.
<Kang Jin-hu, codename Ghost. Confirmed.>
<Hello. I am Time Travel Administrator Alpha-13.>
<Thank you for your sacrifice for humanity in the year 2207. We are processing time travel authorization to grant the hero’s wish: ‘I want to become an actor.’>
<Authorization complete. To prevent the butterfly effect, the artificial intelligence, Beta-9, will accompany you.>
<Searching for a suitable era….>
<Confirmed. Traveling to February 20, 2018.>
<Searching for a suitable body….>
<Confirmed. Yu Yeon-seo, born August 21, 1993. Deceased March 20, 2018, 19:04. Cause of death: traffic accident.>
<Initiating time travel….>
<Implanting the soul of time traveler Kang Jin-hu into the body of Yu Yeon-seo.>
<Interference from the host body detected during implantation. Retrying.>
<Beta-9 has successfully collected the soul fragments. Now collecting past big data….>
<Disabling automatic memory synchronization to prevent body overload.>
<Alpha-13, soul implantation complete. I am now returning to my original time. It was an honor to see our hero off on his final journey. I wish you a pleasant trip….>
“Haa…!”
Kang Jin-hu—now awakened as Yu Yeon-seo—gasped for breath. After catching his breath for a moment, he examined his body. He was in a white hospital gown, his right hand covered by a cast, but two warm, flesh-and-blood hands, not mechanical limbs, greeted him.
Staring at them with unfamiliar eyes, Yu Yeon-seo looked up at the commotion he heard from outside.
“He’s awake?”
The door slid open with a rattle, and someone entered. It was an old man with graying hair. Despite his wrinkled face, he had a formidable presence and spirit.
The old man looked at Yu Yeon-seo’s face, his expression complicated. But only for a moment. He then roared.
“Did I tell you to get your act together or not?!”