Chapter 58
Chapter 58
Don’t You Believe in Ghosts?
Lee Han-gyeol and Park Min-woo cheered and ran to Yu Yeon-seo’s side, followed by the supporting actors from Team B who had been eliminated earlier.
“Ah, it’s because we let our guard down.”
“But did you see those moves just now?”
“So Yeon-seo was the one who eliminated me earlier.”
The entertainers from Team A, who had been sitting in a daze, stood before the camera and instantly lifted the mood.
“Our newcomer, please introduce yourself.”
“Honestly, does he even need an introduction? Everyone knows who he is. Am I wrong?”
“Our oldest member probably doesn’t know.”
“Hey, I know him too! Isn’t he the third-generation chaebol who acts as a hobby?”
While one group bickered, grabbing each other’s wrists, the others casually rearranged themselves.
Ah… so this is what variety shows are like. Reading the room, Yu Yeon-seo stood in the center and faced the camera.
“I’m Yu Yeon-seo.”
He smiled gently and introduced himself concisely. The entertainers collapsed with laughter as if it were the funniest thing they’d ever heard.
“Wow, did you see that? Most actors say, ‘I’m actor so-and-so,’ but he has the class to just state his name.”
“He doesn’t need any other description.”
It was the typical guest-hyping characteristic of variety programs. Yu Yeon-seo simply maintained a smile. He had taken Lee Han-gyeol’s advice: think twice before speaking to avoid being rude, and if you have nothing to say, just smile.
‘Was it really that shocking?’
The entertainment program he appeared on to promote White Tiger had been streamed live. After his accident, news of his condition was belatedly revealed, and Yu Yeon-seo’s name shot to the top of the real-time search rankings. Photos of his car, not just half-wrecked but completely crumpled into a metal ball, resurfaced.
It might have been heartbreaking for his fans, but he wondered if it was truly that shocking. In any case, he survived unscathed, so that should have been enough. As always, this body drew far more attention than necessary.
“By the way, how did you do that earlier? Are you a survival game addict like Yeong-jae?”
“Do you train separately or something?”
“I just did it, and it worked.”
Yu Yeon-seo wore an expression that seemed to ask, ‘Why is this so hard?’ Everyone looked at each other as if they’d misheard before asking again.
“You just did it, and it worked?”
“Yes.”
The entertainer who had been eliminated first by Yu Yeon-seo gushed about how cool he was. They didn’t need to praise him so much… Making a living is tough, Yu Yeon-seo thought, crossing his arms.
“We’ve also given up on trying to understand him.”
The screen transitioned slightly after Lee Han-gyeol and Park Min-woo shook their heads, leading into the closing remarks.
“Yes! And with that, we wrap up ‘Killing Time’… Yeon-seo, how was it for you?”
“I had a lot of fun.”
“Min-woo, any last words?”
“Yes, please give White Tiger a lot of love.”
Thanks to Yu Yeon-seo’s performance, swooping in at the end and wiping everyone out, online communities exploded right after the broadcast.
Yu Yeon-seo’s First Variety Show Outing... ‘Killing Time’ Exceeds Expectations, Achieving Highest Ratings in its Time Slot
[Recap] Yu Yeon-seo of ‘Killing Time’ Appears Casually at the End, Defeats Bae Yeong-jae to Claim Victory
-He’s actually really good?
-Wow, he’s a one-man army.
-Did Yu Yeon-seo finish his military service? His form is perfect.
└Yeah
└But I heard he had connections so he had it easy.
-Is White Tiger any good? Should I check it out?
└The action high is real. I’m about to watch it a second time.
The promotional variety show appearance paid off handsomely. The following week, Yu Yeon-seo was scheduled for a series of stage greetings to promote White Tiger.
-Why is getting tickets for the White Tiger stage greeting so hard?
└Look at that actor lineup. Did you expect it to be easy?
└I heard this is Yu Yeon-seo’s first stage greeting. That’s probably why it’s blowing up.
└You have to be on standby even at dawn. It’s a bloodbath for ticketsㅠㅠ
└Hope they announce the second round of stage greetings soon.
-It’s my favorite actor’s first stage greeting. Is there anything I should bring?
└Bring? Are you in your right mind?
└Just get ready to scream.
└If your seat is far, bring binoculars.
└└I’m in Row C, I should bring them, rightㅠㅠ?
└└└Stop flexing;;;
With Yu Yeon-seo’s first-ever stage greeting, combined with rising star Park Min-woo and One Seven’s Lee Han-gyeol—actors with solid fanbases—the event sold out in an instant. Fans were clamoring for the release of second and third-round schedules.
“We’re here.”
Stage greetings varied depending on the day’s situation. If the schedule was packed, the production company would rent a bus to transport everyone. If there were only a few locations, the actors would travel individually.
Today’s schedule wasn’t too demanding, and the theaters were close to each other, so they moved separately.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been to a movie theater. You too?”
“I don’t know.”
Yu Yeon-seo gave a simple reply to Lee Tae-gyeom’s question.
I’ve never been here before, so how would I know? Besides, the original owner of this body probably would have watched a pre-release copy leisurely at home rather than in a theater.
“Did you get the tickets?”
“Yeah, here.”
He had requested tickets from the production company in advance for the theater where the first stage greeting would be held. It was a dual-purpose arrangement: watch the movie with the audience and then head straight to the stage afterward.
‘Come to think of it, I haven’t been to a movie theater once since coming to this era.’
In the year 2207, there were no such things as movie theaters, so today was his first time. In any case, Yu Yeon-seo was quite excited about his first visit.
“Yu Yeon-seo, over here.”
“Hyung!”
Hearing that Yu Yeon-seo was going, Park Min-woo and Lee Han-gyeol had excitedly gotten tickets as well. To avoid drawing a crowd, the three stars of White Tiger gathered in a small waiting room provided by the theater.
“Hey, we got an offer for a commercial for that game after our ‘Killing Time’ appearance.”
“Really? That’s great.”
“You guys will probably get offers too. Wow, look at this.”
They seemed to have grown quite close, their eyes fixed on their phones without a hint of awkwardness, the conversation flowing ceaselessly. They watched a fan-made video that stylishly edited Yu Yeon-seo’s highlights from ‘Killing Time,’ their mouths slightly agape.
“Guys, did you know?”
“What?”
“There’s a rumor that this movie theater is haunted.”
“Is that so?”
Seeing the nonchalant response, Park Min-woo felt something was off and continued trying to scare Yu Yeon-seo.
“It’s not just one or two people who’ve claimed to see a ghost. They say a ghost sitting in the front row will turn its head all the way around to look at you…”
“That’s right. I heard that too. It’s pretty famous. Didn’t someone who works at this theater hear a ghost’s voice through their walkie-talkie?”
“Right? It’d be fun if we saw a ghost while watching the movie.”
But Yu Yeon-seo remained indifferent. Doesn’t this guy fear ghosts? With a fed-up expression, Park Min-woo narrowed his eyes and stared at him.
“You don’t believe in ghosts, hyung?”
“Is there a reason I should?”
In truth, he was more curious about what a movie theater was like than about ghosts, but he gave a half-hearted nod. Aren’t things that have a physical form scarier than those that don’t?
“Actors, you may enter now.”
“Thank you.”
They entered about ten minutes after the audience had been let in. They were assigned seats in the very back row, near the entrance.
‘The commercials are long.’
Even though they entered late, the screen was still showing a stream of ads. Yu Yeon-seo took the opportunity to look around and observe the theater.
‘I bet it’s easy to get immersed watching in a place like this.’
It felt strange to watch a movie on a giant screen after being used to watching videos on a hologram in his small home in 2207.
“It’s starting.”
Finally, the theater lights dimmed, and the logos of the production and distribution companies appeared, accompanied by the grand movie OST. A black letterbox appeared, seemingly to adjust the aspect ratio, and then, out of nowhere, Yu Yeon-seo’s name flashed on the screen in the list of investors in the opening credits. He frowned.
‘Why are they showing that?’
He wished the movie would just start. They could have put it in the ending credits instead. Only later did he learn that this, too, was something the original owner of his body had requested.
The film began by showing someone’s distress signal, followed by news of a missing naval ship. The incident had occurred in the waters bordering North Korea.
The military immediately dispatches the battleship White Tiger to assess the situation and rescue any potential survivors.
(Of all the times to get on a ship, it had to be right before my discharge.)
Petty Officer Park Ji-won, played by Park Min-woo, was a Navy communications specialist about to be discharged. The camera then briefly shows SSU Master Sergeants Lee Hyeon-jun and Kim Woo-jin, played by Lee Han-gyeol and Yu Yeon-seo, preparing in the background.
(Could it really be the work of the North Korean army?)
(As of now, that’s the most likely possibility, isn’t it? The weather conditions that day weren’t bad…)
Their comrades were also on the missing ship. The scene shows their fighting spirit burning even before the ship has departed.
As the ship sets sail, the film continuously misleads the audience with suspicions and plausible clues pointing toward North Korea.
(What… is that.)
A loud roar echoes through the ship. Not North Korean soldiers, but an unknown monster appears, causing the audience to hold their breath and become engrossed in the ensuing battle scene.
‘Oh…’
Yu Yeon-seo was no different. Acting on set and watching the final footage were two very different experiences. And a movie felt different from watching Dreaming live on broadcast.
The director had boasted about being an action and military aficionado, and it was clear that he had poured significant effort into the editing and sound design.
‘But that’s not acting… it’s just… me.’
Traces of Kang Jin-hu’s habits, noticeable only to himself, remained in the footage. It was good to have experience to draw upon, but relying on it too much wasn’t ideal.
(What is this…?)
(Do we continue with the mission?)
After repelling the unknown monster that attacked the White Tiger, the film moved into its second act. A virus spread by the monster begins to infect the soldiers on board one by one, turning them against their own.
(What—what are you doing?)
Isolated on the ship, people begin to lose their minds. They witness a close comrade become infected and turn into a monster. Driven mad by the sight, one soldier screams and slams his body against a wall before shooting himself in the temple.
(Aargh! Die!)
Petty Officer Park Ji-won, who had been trembling while clutching his gun, hardens as he experiences the series of events unfolding on the ship. And by his side are Master Sergeants Lee Hyeon-jun and Kim Woo-jin.
(Securing the communication room is the priority.)
(Go on ahead! I’ll handle this!)
And then, that scene finally came. It was Yu Yeon-seo’s one-take action sequence, which critics and audiences who saw the premiere had praised unanimously.
It was the desperate action scene he performed to keep from truly losing his mind after pushing his memory synchronization to its limits—the day he heard the original body’s question from that synchronization: was Lee Hui-seo’s accident really a suicide?
‘Why is this happening again all of a sudden?’
Thinking of that day, Yu Yeon-seo felt his heart pound unpleasantly and scowled. He had a bad feeling about today.
White Tiger had barely passed the censors, so while it didn’t show things explicitly, it used precarious camera movements to show Master Sergeant Kim Woo-jin being impaled by the monster.
(Hhuk… heook…)
The monster moved on to find another target, walking down the ship’s corridor. Left behind, Master Sergeant Kim Woo-jin continues to cough up blood, his breaths labored and shallow. His breathing grows faint, the life drains from his eyes, and he dies.
“Wow…”
“That looks so real.”
The audience, captivated by the intense one-take action scene, finally let out the breath they had been holding. Even Lee Han-gyeol and Park Min-woo, who had witnessed the filming firsthand and knew what was coming, exhaled sharply.
‘That’s a relief.’
Yu Yeon-seo let out a small sigh. He would have been disappointed if he hadn’t gotten at least this kind of reaction after literally coughing up blood for the scene.
The scene changed, showing the desperate battle of Lee Han-gyeol and Park Min-woo as they headed for the communication room. Petty Officer Park Ji-won, who had always been a liability, has a moment of awakening and skillfully provides cover for Master Sergeant Lee Hyeon-jun.
(Uh, Master Sergeant.)
And just as they were cornered by the monsters, Kim Woo-jin, who they thought was dead, appeared before them, alive.