Episode 66

“Actor Ryu Yeon-woo debuted in a drama not long ago, and now you’re cast as the lead in Director Park Chan-hong’s film. How did you feel at that time?”

Kim Min-ah, the announcer, asked as Yeon-woo smiled and took the microphone, opening his mouth to speak.

“Of course, I felt very honored and happy. And coincidentally, you, announcer Kim Min-ah, hosted the production presentation for the drama I debuted in.”

Yeon-woo replied with a smile.

“Oh, you remembered.”

“Of course. Thanks to you, the drama I was in with Actress Han So-hyeon was a success, and I believe that thanks to you, our movie will also perform very well.”

Yeon-woo said smoothly, his words flowing like a mountain stream, as if he was effortlessly continuing the conversation as smoothly as the announcer in front of him.

Indeed, the experience of being a half-speaking undercover agent in his previous life was not in vain.

“As expected, you speak very well. Since we’re talking about the previous drama, Han So-hyeon, who is beside you, how did you feel seeing Ryu Yeon-woo’s portrayal of Pierre Choi, which is completely different from his image in the drama?”

Kim Min-ah smoothly transitioned to the question directed at Han So-hyeon, who was attentively listening to the conversation and quickly grabbed the microphone.

“Oh? Yeon-woo’s appearance? He’s always cool! Oh, his changed appearance? Yeon-woo has the ability to meticulously craft his characters and become that person. When he played Pierre Choi, you could really feel the character alive in his footsteps, gestures, voice, and speech.”

With Han So-hyeon’s answer, the question was passed to Jung Ha-kyun sitting next to her. Yeon-woo, who was not used to other actors evaluating his acting, awkwardly laughed.

Watching Yeon-woo’s reaction, Han So-hyeon playfully nudged his side, teasing him.

Then, after a few more questions, they held an event where they randomly selected an audience member to make a wish to their desired actor using a wish ticket.

Kim Min-ah, the announcer, stood up and approached a female fan who covered her face with both hands and came up onto the stage.

“Which actor would you like to use your wish ticket for?”

Kim Min-ah asked as she handed over the microphone, and the fan, with a voice as small as an ant, called out the name.

“Ryu Yeon-woo.”

The fan’s wish was a hug, and when Yeon-woo approached, Ma Seok-do patted his back, urging him to get up quickly.

“Hurry up and go. Yeon-woo.”

With a cool smile, Yeon-woo approached.

“I’m your fan!”

“Thank you.”

Yeon-woo smiled as he approached and gave her a quick hug, spinning her around.

Squeals erupted at the unexpectedly enthusiastic fan service, turning the production presentation into a sea of laughter.

It seemed that they were fans of the summer wardrobe in the closet, wanting the three of them to shoot together.

Of course, the media representatives also brightened up, each thinking about the title of their articles as they captured the scene with their cameras.

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Lee Jin-ah is the manager of Wooz, Ryu Yeon-woo’s fan cafe.

As soon as she wakes up in the morning, it’s essential for her to check how many members have joined or left the fan cafe. Today, she reached out with groping hands and grabbed her smartphone next to the bed, her eyes struggling to open.

“Ugh?”

Rubbing her eyes, Jin-ah checked the number of fan cafe members again. The morning drowsiness that had been lingering disappeared in an instant as her eyes widened.

Number of Members: 10,107

Just yesterday, they barely reached the 4,000 mark. With this number, they could easily rank within the top 100 in the actor fandom rankings provided by portal sites.

With nimble fingers, Jin-ah quickly typed out a post.

– What’s going on! Tears blur my vision. Sob, sob.

[Author: [Manager] Yeonu-jina]

– Greetings to New Members

– I Joined the Fan Cafe

– Anyone who knows the exact release date of the master plan

– Please approve my upgrade

Although Jin-ah posted happily, she was quickly pushed off the first page by the enthusiasm of the newcomers posting their greetings on the membership board.

Wanting to share the news with her friends who also enjoy fan activities, she closed the cafe app and opened KakaoTalk, only to find a message from LN Entertainment.

‘Oh, a message.’

With trembling hands, she clicked and entered the conversation.

[Hello. Manager Yeonu-jina. I have secured 15 tickets for Ryu Yeon-woo’s ‘Master Plan’ VIP preview through the cafe to provide to the fans. The date is October 2nd, and we ask that only those who can attend participate in a fair selection process.]

“They’ve come.”

Having run the official fan cafe, Jin-ah had decided that if invitations to future events like this came in, she would select participants through a fair lottery.

“Even if I can’t go, I must ensure fairness!”

Making a resolution, she continued reading the message, where a postscript was written below.

– In order to accompany the fifteen fans, the cafe manager must participate. Please let us know if the schedule works for you.

“Wow! Of course, it’s okay!”

Jin-ah quickly replied at lightning speed.

After finishing the production presentation schedule, the next day Yeon-woo joined the filming of The Star Beyond the River.

Staff preparing in the parking lot spotted Yeon-woo getting out of the car.

“Actor Yeon-woo, we watched the movie trailer. It looks really exciting, doesn’t it?”

“Oh, did you see it? Thank you.”

The staff conveyed their congratulations and encouragement to Yeon-woo, saying they were looking forward to the movie.

Given that they work in this industry and it’s the lead actor’s movie, there would be a lot of interest, especially if it succeeds, as it directly correlates with the success of the drama.

Today’s shoot takes place in a bamboo forest in Damyang, Jeollado.

As they entered the inner part of the bamboo forest filming location, they saw Jin Yu-han and the staff preparing for the shoot.

“Oh, you’re here?”

Yu-han greeted as he stretched, spotting Ryu Yeon-woo.

Despite Yeon-woo usually being among the first to arrive at the filming location, Yu-han always managed to arrive before him.

“Yu-han, when did you get here? You always beat me.”

“Oh, it hasn’t been long. I usually come about 5 minutes early.”

Today’s scene involved an action sequence that would be in the middle of the drama. Yeon-woo and Yu-han warmed up their bodies while coordinating their movements that they had practiced in advance.

Just then, cheerful greetings were heard as Seo Ji-eun arrived at the filming location.

“Oh, hello, noona.”

“Hi, Yeon-woo.”

Ji-eun approached with a bright smile, waving her hand enthusiastically.

“Hello, Yu-han.”

“Oh, yes. Hello.”

While they are both friendly with Yeon-woo, they are strangely awkward with each other.

“Since Ji-eun noona is here, should we review the overall sequence again?”

“Sure, let’s do that. Please go over the final sequence here.”

At Yu-han’s call, the stunt team, who had been sitting in the corner, approached with model swords, ready to practice.

“We’ll keep the lines brief.”

Yu-han announced, and the stuntmen nodded in agreement.

Yeon-woo started the scene with his dialogue, pulling out his model sword.

“You guys, whose authority do you carry?”

Approaching Yeon-woo, Yu-han whispered to him while drawing his sword, facing off with the stunt team.

“We need to get out of this crisis first. We also have to protect the guy behind us.”

As if waiting for that moment, one of the stunt team members charged forward according to the prearranged cue.

“Attack!”

With a swift move, Yeon-woo blocked the opponent’s sword at an angle and swiftly cut down the villain in front of him.

This seemed to signal the start, as other team members also rushed in according to the prearranged cue.

As Yeon-woo advanced, Yu-han filled in the space, protecting Ji-eun, and the two switched positions, handling the stuntmen one by one.

In the midst of the chaos, one of them swung the model sword at Yeon-woo, but despite normally reducing the force when striking, this blow seemed unusually forceful.

Yeon-woo managed to block the model sword, but the speed at which it came was alarming, almost causing him to lose his grip.

Despite having to face nearly ten people in succession, they diligently followed the practiced choreography, seamlessly executing the action scene.

“Wow, that was awesome!”

Ji-eun applauded and gave them a thumbs up as the scene ended.

Director Lee Sang-hoon approached them afterward to discuss.

“If this isn’t perfect, I don’t know what is. Let’s get the actors ready for makeup. Once that’s done, we’ll start filming immediately.”

“Yes, director.”

As they walked to the makeup area following the lead actors, a member of the special effects team was heard speaking as if to be overheard.

“Hey, wasn’t Jin Yu-han amazing just now? He was practically carrying the scene, even covering for Ryu Yeon-woo’s mistakes.”

The voice belonged to Park Kyung-wan, who had watched Ryu Yeon-woo at the gym with a sense of resentment.

Responding to his words, a fellow stunt team member chuckled.

“Really? I didn’t get that feeling. They were working together smoothly without any mistakes.”

Hearing this exchange, Park Kyung-wan gave his colleague a disdainful look.

Yeon-woo, only partially listening to the conversation, tapped Yu-han’s back, indicating there was no need to stir up unnecessary rumors before the broadcast.

Jin Yu-han turned around and glanced at Park Kyung-wan with emotionless eyes before turning back and walking away.

“Let’s go, Yu-han. We need to get into makeup.”

“That guy’s a bit weird.”

Yu-han remarked, to which Yeon-woo nodded in agreement.

Every time they went to the gym to practice, he greeted everyone politely and stayed behind like the other stunt team members to clean up.

‘I can’t imagine any staff or stunt team member holding a grudge against me. Well, I guess baseless haters are bound to appear anyway.’

Yeon-woo made a mental note of the man’s face and decided to be cautious during filming.

Afterward, they finished the makeup and filming without incident.

In the story of ‘The Star Beyond the River’, the three who studied under the same master gradually became friendly with each other. Afterward, they investigated the increasing arson incidents strangely occurring in the capital to alleviate the suffering of the commoners as nobles of the capital.

Today’s scene they filmed was about the three discovering a clue during their investigation of the arson and getting surrounded by monsters while chasing it.

However, contrary to Yeon-woo’s suspicions entering the shoot, the stunt team member didn’t do anything strange.

The three actors finished filming and got into the car back to Seoul.