Free Web Novel{How does it feel to become popular and famous, kyung?}
“Well...”
Yoomyeong was aware that he was being unusually calm despite gaining something he had never experienced before.
Back when he had gone hungry, he used to think he would be happy as long as he had enough to fill his stomach.
‘I am happy. But I don’t think that should be my purpose in acting. It’s something that comes along with acting...’
{Really?}
The power of acting, the power of a character, and the power of the media.
Several factors came together to create the elusive illusion called ‘popularity.’
Even a highly talented actor might never become popular if they weren’t cast in a good role. And even a good character could be hated if that role happened to be the villain.
Then what should actors pursue through acting?
Yoomyeong knew the answer.
It was the audience’s reaction immediately after the performance.
The dazed eyes of people unable to escape the emotions they had shared,
and the power to draw out and immerse others in genuine human emotions, whether ‘love,’ ‘hatred,’ or ‘sadness.’
He had already experienced that level of acting through the mysterious being wearing the cute animal mask before him.
{Hmm...}
Miho made a strange expression.
It was odd. A human who had once been overjoyed just to act or land a supporting role for the first time was now unexpectedly indifferent toward the most addictive aspect of all.
He didn’t even seem to realize that he himself had created this situation.
{Leaving that aside, your filming set feels a bit strange, kyung~}
‘Why?’
{The drama is doing well, and the actors all have good energy, so there should be more residual energy after filming... but there’s less than I expected.}
‘Really?’
{Yes, kyung~ There isn’t none... but since you’re also an unusual case who received my presence, I suppose that could happen...}
‘Hmm... Aren’t there any other acting spirits besides you?’
{Spirits like me aren’t common, kyung. Besides, the others usually stay away when I’m around because my presence suppresses them.}
‘Really? That’s impressive...’
Miho’s tail lifted proudly and swayed from side to side.
{Anyway, don’t worry about that and just focus on your acting.}
‘Okay.’
It was mid-January, the final day of filming for .
“I won’t deny that I’m attracted to you, senior. But right now, your influence is too strong. I think I’d just be dragged along and associated with you the way iron filings cling to a magnet. I don’t want to be known as Kwon Do-jun’s girlfriend. I want to stand on my own as the actress Kim Hana.”
And just like that, three years passed in the blink of an eye.
During that time, Hana became a famous actress, while Do-jun repeatedly confessed his feelings only to be rejected every time.
As for Bohyung... he returned home, but he remained Hana’s warm supporter.
And then came the final scene.
Hana was cast as the female lead opposite Do-jun in the same production, and the two engaged in a fierce acting battle as equals.
The reviews called it ‘a showdown between the male and female leads.’
Meanwhile, Bohyung watched her from afar.
“You’ve grown a lot, Hana.”
“She’s become a great actress.” fгeewebnovёl.com
“That’s right. I realized it back then, when she called my name in so many different ways. I knew she would become a great actress.”
He muttered as though brushing away faded memories.
“Aren’t you... going to tell her?”
“What do you mean?”
When the manager awkwardly fell silent at the seemingly innocent question, Bohyung let out a mischievous laugh.
“I’m not going to tell her.”
“May I ask why?”
“Because I have good eyes.”
The manager’s expression darkened.
Although it might seem as though Bohyung had easily navigated life thanks to his ability to understand people’s hearts and thoughts, he had never used it to manipulate others or force things to go his way, not even as a child.
And it seemed he had no intention of forcing anything this time, either.
“The outcome is too obvious. It would be like drinking something refreshing for a brief high, only to pay a gruesome price afterward.”
“...”
“If she never calls me ‘Bohyung’ in that voice again...”
The manager’s brows furrowed.
He had taken care of Bohyung since childhood, but he had never heard his voice sound like this before.
The smile that always seemed permanently etched across Bohyung’s face had vanished.
“I can’t help it. Even though I know it’s a bitter pill to swallow, it feels like I’ll wither away if I don’t take it.”
“...You won’t die, though.”
“Yeah, I know that logically, but...”
“...”
“I wonder if I’m really sure I won’t die.”
Bohyung softened the end of his sentence with a laugh, but it was steeped in deep obsession.
It was a feeling that had shifted from skepticism toward people in general into affection for a single person.
That was why he buried his feelings deep inside.
Rather than breaking her, he wanted to place her behind untouched glass where he could still watch her.
“Besides, I didn’t want my feelings to become distorted because of a confession that was doomed to fail. It’s not like I helped her because I had some hidden agenda from the start. I just wanted to give her the opportunity she worked so hard for.”
The manager quietly nodded and accepted his conclusion.
“I guess Hana is going to meet Kwon Do-jun today.”
Countless emotions lay buried within Bohyung’s calmly spoken words.
“Cut! Great work, Bohyung!”
“Nicely done, Bohyung.”
“Wow, Bohyung wrapped up early today. I’m so jealous!”
“Bohyung’s fans are going to cry after today’s episode airs.”
The final scenes of Bohyung watching Hana had already been filmed earlier that morning.
Although there was still one more episode left, Bohyung’s scenes ended with episode 15.
Yoomyeong bowed deeply to the people he had spent the last five months with.
“Thank you.”
It was the final day and wrap-up party for .
One by one, people arrived through the bitter cold. Of course, Yoomyeong still considered himself a rookie, so he arrived thirty minutes early and took photos one by one with each staff member.
Click.
Click.
He happily complied with the staff members’ requests, as they all wanted a commemorative photo together after working on the show.
“The director is here~”
The CP arrived early alongside the head of KBK’s Drama Department.
Watching them arrive ahead of everyone else and greet each staff member with pats on the shoulder, Yoomyeong could tell just how excited KBK was about the drama’s success.
It was understandable. Yesterday’s viewership rating had reached 44.7%.
It might not have reached the level of ‘Jewel in the Palace’ or ‘Lovers in Paris,’ but after debuting at 18%, the drama’s ratings had soared rapidly, to the point where people were now calling it a national drama.
After struggling for so long, it seemed KBK’s Drama Department could finally breathe easy.
“Oh, Mr. Shin Yoomyeong!”
The director hurried over as soon as he spotted Yoomyeong.
“Hello, Director.”
“Yes, I really enjoyed the drama. My daughter is a huge fan. Could you sign this for her?”
“What’s your daughter’s name?”
Someone handed him a pristine sheet of paper, and Yoomyeong signed it. He had become quite used to giving autographs by now.
“Brother.”
Cha Harin arrived, followed by Jung Junhee and Baek Seunghyo.
Lee Kyu-seong sent word that he would be absent due to illness.
Those who knew the real reason couldn’t help showing their displeasure, but without his uncomfortable presence, the atmosphere became noticeably lighter.
“The broadcast is starting!”
Episode 16 unfolded just as expected: the ending where Hana and Do-jun finally got together.
— Now, I feel like I’ve become a small magnet too. I’m still small, but now I have my own influence and strength, so I’m confident I won’t be dragged around by either acting or love. Let’s both do our best, Kwon Do-jun.
With confidence, Hana held out her hand and met Do-jun’s gaze directly.
Her confession resembled a declaration of war more than anything else, a war where the two of them would endlessly trade victories and defeats.
Fortunately, there was no unexpected twist ending.
That was because writer Yook had once asked, with a glint in her eye, ‘Isn’t the ending of Lovers in Paris wonderful?’ which had secretly worried Yoomyeong.
Wow—
As the ending scene played in the background, the drama’s theme song began to swell, and the team, who had spent five months together on this journey, burst into cheers.
It was over.
Then writer Yook approached Yoomyeong’s table.
“Mr. Shin Yoomyeong, let’s have a drink.” freewebnovёl.ƈom
“Yes, writer Yook. Please, have a seat.”
Already flushed after receiving drinks from table after table, writer Yook emptied the glass Yoomyeong poured for her in one gulp.
“Isn’t this the first time we’ve talked properly since then?”
“Yes. You were busy writing, weren’t you? You couldn’t even come to the set.”
“Yes, I was busy. And then there was the fight with KBK over extending the drama to twenty episodes.”
“But you didn’t extend it in the end.”
“Wouldn’t it have ruined the drama if I had? They said they’d already secured a lot of airtime for it, but they backed down after I threatened to make this both my first and last project with them.”
“Haha, you’re really something, writer Yook.”
“But things worked out well between me and KBK this time. I was very satisfied because everything looked exactly the way I imagined while writing the script. Especially episode 10, where Bohyung falls for Hana because of the ‘trigger.’ When I first wrote it, I didn’t think you’d be able to pull it off, but... every time I watch you, you surprise me, Mr. Shin Yoomyeong. No, Actor Shin Yoomyeong.”
She narrowed her eyes slightly as she emphasized the word ‘actor.’
“That’s because the script and the character were good.”
“That answer was pretty good too. Let’s just agree both were good.”
“Haha, alright.”
Yook Mi-young didn’t mind people who praised both themselves and others. It was the kind of confidence only a truly capable person possessed.
“So let’s work together again someday, Mr. Yoomyeong. And when that time comes, think positively about it, because I’m definitely casting you as the male lead. Of course, that means you’ll have to keep showing us great acting until then.”
“If you write a good script, I’m in anytime.”
She burst into laughter at his confident reply.
“Sometimes you remind me of Director Bang, even though you’re only twenty-four.”
“I’m twenty-five now.”
Yoomyeong had just become a year older.
“We’ll now cut the cake~”
Beneath a banner reading [KBK Showbiz Studies Finale Party], a large cake had been prepared, and the actors gathered in front of it.
Baek Seunghyo and Cha Harin cut the cake on behalf of the cast and staff.
Wow—
A loud cheer erupted, and the wrap-up party continued late into the night.
Because of its initially low ratings, the drama’s average viewership rating settled at 34.8%. Still, no matter how anyone looked at it, was the clear winner of the 2004-2005 year-end and early-year drama season.
It was the drama that established the image of a female lead who ‘wasn’t saved,’ but instead stood shoulder to shoulder with the male lead as an equal.
It was also a drama where the second male lead received more love than in almost any other series.
— Bohyung... T-T
— Bohyung, are you thirsty? Noona will call you. Bohyung-ah, Bohyung-ah, Bohyung-ah, don’t cry...
— Isn’t the love line messed up? Wasn’t the female lead supposed to end up with Bohyung?
There were still many people who remembered him more as ‘Yoon Bohyung’ than ‘Shin Yoomyeong,’ but it was also the drama that firmly established his value as an actor.
Yoomyeong came to the company for a scheduled interview.
He had given Ho-chul several days off after months of hard work. Driving himself to the company, Yoomyeong finished the afternoon interview.
Then he ran into Baek Seunghyo in the hallway.
“Yoomyeong.”
“Yes, senior.”
“Want to grab dinner?”
At the company gathering earlier that year, Baek Seunghyo had spoken to Yoomyeong.
He was rough and masculine in appearance, but there was also a surprisingly gentle side to the way he spoke. Yoomyeong nodded readily.
The two sat across from each other at a restaurant near the company, ordering army stew and a bottle of soju as they chatted casually.
“Did Lee Kyu-seong say anything after that?”
“No. He glared at me, but he didn’t say anything.”
“Your manager must’ve handled it well.”
Baek Seunghyo also seemed fully aware of Director Moon’s resourcefulness.
After talking about various things for quite a while, Baek Seunghyo suddenly paused.
His expression suggested he had something important to say.
“So, Yoomyeong.”
“Yes, senior.”
“Can I ask you a favor?”
“Of course, if it’s something I can do.”
“Can you properly act out the confrontation scene between Eunseong and Wolgong?”
It was an unexpected request, but Yoomyeong had a feeling he understood the reason. It seemed ‘that Wolgong’ still lingered in Seunghyo’s mind.
“You mean my Wolgong, not Tak Gyumin’s Wolgong?” Yoomyeong asked.
“Yes. Your Wolgong.”
“I see.”
After finishing their meal, they returned to the company.
Their destination was the practice room on the second floor.
“Is this your first time here?” Baek Seunghyo asked.
“Yes.”
Good Entertainment’s practice rooms were well-equipped. There were separate spaces for physical training and acting practice, and even practice clothes were provided.
Baek Seunghyo rummaged through his bag in the empty practice room.
“Here’s the script. Tell me when you’re ready.”
He handed Yoomyeong two A4-sized script pages.
It was the script for , containing only Eunseong and Wolgong’s lines.
Yoomyeong sat in one of the «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» chairs and began internalizing Wolgong’s dialogue. There was only a limited amount of information available, so he had to construct Wolgong’s foundation from that and flesh it out with his imagination.
Thirty minutes later, he spoke.
“I’m ready.”
On the empty stage with no audience, the two actors who had prepared intensely faced each other.
