Chapter 33
Chapter 33
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Episode 12. Guest (2)
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A man gripping the steering wheel stared at the line of stalled cars ahead.
Before long, a rough voice began to spill from his mouth.
“Ah, seriously. Why is it so jammed up! This is pissing me off.”
He wanted nothing more than to slam on the accelerator, cars ahead be damned. But he couldn’t bring himself to do it, knowing it would draw even more public backlash—not just to himself, but to Jang Han-seon riding in the back.
As the saying goes, a celebrity’s image isn’t shaped solely by their own actions; the behavior of their associates plays a huge role too.
Parents, wives, kids, and so on.
“That complaining won’t make the traffic move any faster. Calm down a bit.”
His manager immediately apologized at Jang Han-seon’s curt jab from the back seat.
“Sorry, hyungnim.”
“...Nah, forget it. I get that you’re in a rush.”
He continued in a flat, emotionless tone.
Jang Han-seon. To the public, he was etched as a high-energy guy. But in reality, few men exuded such a perpetual low-pressure aura as he did.
The personas celebrities show on air don’t always match their off-screen selves.
Even so, Jang Han-seon’s contrast was extreme.
His manager had grown used to it after years of working with him.
But friends in the early stages of getting close to him often misunderstood his cold demeanor.
They wondered if they’d upset him, making him act so distant.
But that was just a misconception.
That’s simply who he was.
It took quite some time for those misunderstandings to clear up.
Probably the same at today’s HSL Season 2 corner, 4 PM News Table recording set.
Explaining to everyone one by one that “Jang Han-seon’s just like this” had to be getting tiresome by now. But that was the manager’s job.
Jang Han-seon wasn’t the type to step up and say, “This is just my personality.”
After about thirty minutes of grumbling while gripping the wheel,
“We’re here now.”
The BLT Broadcasting Station’s main entrance came into the manager’s view.
He sped inside, parked quickly, and finished up.
“Let’s go!”
“Yeah.”
Nodding, Jang Han-seon hurried after his manager.
They were forty minutes late for the scheduled recording, so urgency was unavoidable.
* * *
Oh Min-tae fiddled with his smartphone in the waiting room and let out a long sigh.
“They’re really late.”
Jeon Yu-hyeon, sitting right beside him, gave an awkward smile in response.
“They said there was an accident. Bound to be a bit delayed.”
“I just wanted to wrap up recording quick and crash. Today’s shot to hell.”
“Didn’t sleep last night?”
“Yeah.”
“What kept you up?”
“Uhmm...”
Embarrassment flashed across his face.
Catching Oh Min-tae’s fleeting expression, Jeon Yu-hyeon was quick to accommodate.
“If it’s hard to talk about, no need.”
“It’s not that awkward or anything...”
“So what was it?”
“Well, you see...”
Scratching his head furiously, Oh Min-tae finally spilled why he’d barely slept.
“Studying.”
“Studying? What for.”
“English.”
“English? You heading abroad or something?”
“Nah. Pretty much forced into it by my parents.”
“Your parents, huh.”
Jeon Yu-hyeon had heard bits about Oh Min-tae’s family situation.
He knew his folks weren’t thrilled about him being a comedian.
Even for the public recruitment exam, he’d fought hard with them before showing up to take it.
“Sucks when your family’s against your dreams. Gotta be tough.”
“Well, I’m used to it now, so it doesn’t faze me much.”
“Tough mentality you got there.”
“Twenty years of steel forged in the fires of home.”
“Haha, wish I had your mental fortitude.”
As they chatted, writer Lee Yeon-sin entered the waiting room looking for them.
“They say Han-seon’s arrived. We’re jumping straight into recording, so get ready.”
“Yes.”
“Got it!”
“But where’s Han-do?”
Kang Han-do, who should’ve been there, was nowhere in sight.
When asked, Oh Min-tae answered for him.
“He’s showing around that woman he came with. Wandering the station for a bit. He’ll be back soon.”
“I see. Okay. Tell him to head straight to the studio then.”
“Sure.”
As writer Lee Yeon-sin headed back into the hallway, a grumble escaped Oh Min-tae’s lips.
“Sigh. Some guys get to bring their pretty girlfriends on station visits. Others pull an all-nighter cramming English under parental pressure just to drag themselves to work. Life sure ain’t fair.”
“Hahaha. Just snag yourself a pretty girlfriend later.”
“Think I could even pull that off?”
“Get famous, and yeah.”
“Famous, famous...”
Of course, they still had a long road ahead.
But.
If they kept plugging away in showbiz, someday the public might remember the three letters of Oh Min-tae’s name.
* * *
Choi Ye-hee, watching the studio set, let out one exclamation after another.
“A broadcasting station is such a fascinating place.”
“You think so?”
“Yes. It’s an environment regular folks can’t easily access. Of course, you’ve probably seen plenty, Han-do ssi.”
“Nah. This 4 PM News Table is my debut program, so what. I’ve still got a ways to go.”
That last bit was a lie.
Though a nobody, Kang Han-do was a veteran comedian with over ten years in broadcasting.
If anyone knew his experience, no one would treat him like a rookie.
As they talked, the studio door suddenly swung open.
And then.
“......”
A man entered with an impassive expression. The moment Kang Han-do met his eyes, a metaphor sprang to mind.
Rotten pollock eyes.
The staff erupted the instant they saw the lifeless gaze.
“Jang Han-seon ssi!”
“You’re here!”
“Alright, prep for recording!!”
For a split second, Kang Han-do wondered if he was seeing things.
His first impression was worlds apart from the vibrant energy on TV, lingering long in Kang Han-do’s mind.
* * *
Those lifeless eyes. Unconsciously, Kang Han-do fixed his gaze above Jang Han-seon’s head.
At the same time, he activated the viewer function to check happiness levels inwardly.
Jang Han-seon’s happiness stat appeared above his head. Kang Han-do gasped on sight.
Jang Han-seon, his happiness level...
‘91?!”
An unbelievable number. He swallowed hard without realizing.
An impossible stat.
Below 100.
Kang Han-do had seen plenty of happiness levels so far, but never a two-digit one.
According to Nemid, dropping to 100 or below meant suicide wasn’t out of the question at any moment.
If that was true...
‘This is bad.’
Jang Han-seon’s mental state was seriously precarious.
“......Hello.”
The staff sensed something off in his subdued voice, whether they knew it or not.
Those feeling the dissonance were surely people meeting him off-camera for the first time.
Jang Han-seon knew it well but didn’t bother defending his demeanor.
His odd vibe made the studio atmosphere awkward for a moment.
Then someone broke the ice.
“Alright! Let’s get to recording!”
“Ah, yes!”
“Yes, got it!”
It was the main PD overseeing the program, Yoo Tae-hwan.
PD Yoo Tae-hwan already knew Jang Han-seon’s energy differed wildly on and off stage.
He knew he’d shape up once cameras rolled, so he hurried the staff along.
Meanwhile, Jeon Yu-hyeon nodded unconsciously at PD Yoo Tae-hwan’s handling.
“As expected of PD-nim. Seasoned move.”
“Seasoned? More importantly, Jang Han-seon ssi, you mad at us or something? Why’s the vibe like this?”
Oh Min-tae cluelessly asked Jeon Yu-hyeon for the backstory. But Jeon Yu-hyeon just repeated to hurry and prep for recording.
“You’ll see what Han-seon’s like once we start.”
“......?”
Oh Min-tae headed into recording clueless.
Sure, some people’s on-air and off-air selves clashed. Jang Han-seon was no exception.
But what bugged Kang Han-do was how absurdly low his happiness stat was.
‘What if Jang Han-seon suddenly goes extreme on us. Worrying.’
Knowing the truth meant he couldn’t help worrying.
* * *
“Please take care of me today.”
Kang Han-do greeted Jang Han-seon first.
Jang Han-seon, still with those rotten pollock eyes, nodded and replied.
“......Please take care of me.”
“......”
The mood sank again.
Would they even pull off the recording properly?
Such anxieties gripped them, but only briefly.
“Viewers, hello. This is Kang Han-do of 4 PM News Table.”
As Kang Han-do, the main anchor, delivered his line, Jang Han-seon’s expression flipped entirely.
And when his turn came.
“Your viewers’ eternal oppa, Jang Han-seon here~!”
His voice pitch changed completely.
Off-recording, it had been a deep, drooping low; now it hit soprano highs that could rival a pro.
Maybe because he was a singer by trade. His powerful voice brimmed with confidence.
Oh Min-tae wasn’t the only one stunned by the 180-degree shift—Kang Han-do was too.
But who was Kang Han-do?
Long no-name days or not, he was a vet with over ten years in the game.
“I hear reporter Jang Han-seon has some news prepared. Is that true?”
“Yes, unfortunate news that singer Jang Mo-goon’s skyrocketing popularity is becoming a social issue. Whoever this guy is and wherever he’s from, I’m jealous. Don’t you agree?”
“H-, haha, really wanna see this mystery Jang Mo-guy’s face.”
“Right?! Me too. Jang Mo-ssi, if you’re watching, hit me up sometime!”
Jang Han-seon boldly reported his own buzz with a straight face plastered on.
Deadpan and serious, but that very delivery was the comedic hook for viewers.
No hesitation, nailing lines flawlessly.
No rehearsal, yet ad-libbing like he’d memorized the script a hundred times.
Even comedians would envy that split-second wit.
Once his segment wrapped, PD Yoo Tae-hwan gave the OK.
“Good take! Great work!”
“......Good work.”
Jang Han-seon’s voice plummeted like a stock crash again.
Just moments ago, he’d unleashed such talent it blurred singer and comedian lines...
But now, back to his usual self.
Seeing it, Oh Min-tae and the other first-timers finally got it.
This was just who he was.