NIS Agent Reincarnated as a Genius Actor - Chapter 101

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Episode 101. Berlin Film Festival

“Yeon-woo!”

“Oh, you’re here?”

 

When he headed to the lounge, Director Park Chan-hong, Seo Ji-eun, and the Assistant Director were waiting.

 

Including Yeon-woo and Manager Kim Min-su, there were five people in total.

Yeon-woo tilted his head.

 

“But you came alone without your manager?”

“Yeah. The company is too busy debuting a girl group right now. Since there are many people in the group anyway, I said I’d come alone. Min-su is here too.”

 

At Seo Ji-eun’s words, Min-su smiled gently.

 

“Of course. I’ll take care of everything for you.”

 

It seemed like Seo Ji-eun’s agency lacked the capacity to provide proper care, just like during the stalker incident and dating rumors.

 

‘After we come back from Berlin, I should suggest she move to a better agency. LN Enter would be good too.’

 

Having filmed together, Yeon-woo knew well about Seo Ji-eun’s potential.

She was an actress that CEO Kim Ju-seong would definitely like.

 

“Well, shall we board soon?”

“Yes, Director.”

 

When Director Park Chan-hong stood up, everyone else followed to board.

 

“Do you also get scared of airplanes or get motion sickness, Sister?”

“Huh? Not at all!”

 

For a moment, remembering the trip to Hawaii, he asked Seo Ji-eun who was like little Han So-hyeon, but that aspect seemed different.

 

– Boarding for flight LH0719 to Munich will begin soon···.

 

Hearing the announcement, the group headed to the boarding gate.

 

***

 

Since there was no direct flight from Incheon to Berlin, they first went to Munich, then transferred to a domestic German flight and arrived at Brandenburg Airport in Berlin.

 

“Yawn! I’m tired from being on airplanes all day.”

 

Assistant Director Lee Woo-kyung stretched.

Seeing this, Yeon-woo laughed and asked the Assistant Director.

 

“You should go to the hotel and rest well now. Woo-kyung, are we moving around on our own in Berlin?”

“Huh? No, no. The organizers said they’d send someone. They’ll probably be waiting when we pass through the immigration hall.”

 

As the Assistant Director said, after collecting their luggage and passing through the immigration hall, a local staff member approached them.

 

However, unexpectedly, there were also Korean residents and local reporters gathered to welcome their arrival.

 

“Wow. It’s Seo Hee!”

“Please give us your autograph!”

 

Foreigners passing through the immigration hall looked at Yeon-woo and his group with puzzled expressions.

 

“I’ll give you autographs. Thank you for coming.”

“Then I’ll be back in a moment.”

 

Yeon-woo and Seo Ji-eun approached the Korean residents, and Kim Min-su followed to provide security.

 

“Wow! I’m a fan. I really enjoyed watching 「Stars Beyond the Stream」!”

“Thank you. I didn’t know there would be people who recognize us in Germany.”

“The Korean Wave is popular in Germany right now too. There will probably be many locals on the streets who recognize you.”

“Is that so?”

 

He gave autographs to the fans and nodded quietly with a smile.

 

Although it didn’t seem like anyone would recognize him walking around the streets, the growing popularity of the Korean Wave seemed to encourage the Korean residents to some extent.

 

After giving autographs to all the Korean residents who came to support them at the airport, they followed the guide.

 

After arriving at the hotel and unpacking, jet lag hit them.

 

“Ugh, I’m tired.”

“What time is tomorrow’s event?”

 

When Yeon-woo asked the Assistant Director, he took out his smartphone to check and answered.

 

“Um, we enter at 2 o’clock local time. That staff member will come pick us up around 1 o’clock.”

 

Hearing this, Seo Ji-eun held her head.

 

“Ugh, then I need at least two hours to get ready, so I should sleep quickly.”

“Still, if you sleep from now, you’ll get at least six hours of good sleep.”

“Right. Everyone go in and rest. See you tomorrow.”

 

Yeon-woo also went into his room, briefly organized his luggage, and closed his eyes.

 

Although he hadn’t slept for many hours, Yeon-woo opened his eyes feeling refreshed.

 

“Youth is really great.”

 

Making sounds like an old man, he stretched and went out for breakfast, but as expected, none of his companions were out yet.

 

After finishing his meal and returning to his room to wash up, the bell rang and a hotel staff member brought the clothes he had left for pressing yesterday.

 

“Nicht schlecht. Dankeschön.(Not bad. Thank you.)”

“Oh, you speak German well. Please make yourself comfortable.”

 

Receiving the clothes from the staff member and entering the room, Yeon-woo dressed according to the coordination that stylist Lee Ye-eun had repeatedly emphasized when departing from Korea.

 

He wore a dark green shirt with a black suit and completed the coordination with dress shoes in the same color as the shirt.

She also styled her hair simply with a blow dryer, following the instructions Lee Ye-eun had given her.

“Hmm, should I head out and wait?”

There were still about 30 minutes left before departure, but I decided to go down to the lobby first and wait.

When Yeonwoo went down to the first floor, the other members of the group had already come down, except for Seo Jieun.

“Wow, Yeon-woo, you look amazing. I’d think you were the only one who went to the salon.”

 

He chuckled at the Assistant Director’s words.

 

“By the way, she’s an actress so she’ll have a lot to prepare, I wonder if she can do it alone without an expert.”

 

Everyone nodded thinking about Seo Ji-eun who hadn’t come down yet.

Everyone nodded, thinking of Seo Ji-eun who still hadn’t come down.

At that moment, Seo Ji-eun steps out of the elevator looking absolutely perfect, making all the previous worries seem pointless.

“Oh, this one really looks like she went to a salon? She looks exactly like when filming.”

“Ta-da! I’m here!”

“Oh, this one looks like they actually went to a salon? It looks exactly the same as when they were filming.”

“When I’m filming, I usually do it myself.”

Yeonwoo tilted her head at Seo Jieun’s words.

He should definitely make a proposal when he returns.

 

While waiting briefly in the lobby, the staff member who came yesterday opened the front door and entered.

 

“Is everyone here? Shall we depart?”

While waiting briefly in the lobby, the staff member in charge who had come yesterday opened the front door and entered.

“Is everyone here? Shall we get going?”

“Yes, please go ahead.”

Led by the director, everyone followed and split up into two cars.

“As expected, it’s Germany. All the cars on the street are German cars.”

Both Yeonwoo and Seo Jieun burst into laughter at Minsu’s exclamation as he gazed out the window.

“That’s right. It’s Germany, after all.”

Watching the scenery flash by outside the window, Yeonwoo also became lost in memories.

In my previous life, I had worked in Berlin for quite a long time.

‘It wasn’t exactly a good memory, but seeing it again after so long makes me miss it. I guess memories do get romanticized over time.’

“Even two years ago it wasn’t this packed.”

***

Film student ‘Neil Benson’, who was majoring in film at California State University, looked around with his friend ‘Chris’ in admiration.

 

“Korean culture’s position has definitely risen.”

Neil Benson, a film student majoring in cinema at California State University, looked around in admiration with his friend Chris.

“The status of Korean culture has definitely risen.”

“That’s probably why we came here too.”

Filmmakers packed the Theater am Potsdamer Platz today to watch the premiere of “Sketch,” an invited work in the competition section.

It had the characteristic of not being expressible in just one genre.

 

It seems like a crime entertainment film, but it’s also full of touching codes and humor.

It was hard to express exactly in words, but it had a charm similar to K-POP, which is popular these days.

It had the characteristic of being impossible to express through a single genre.

“We don’t know what the film is about. I heard it was shot as an independent film.”

I thought it was just an ordinary healing movie, but then it suddenly shifts into a thriller halfway through.

There were many times I was surprised when watching movies without any prior information.

“This is what’s good about Berlin. Cannes and Venice don’t do this. Those places feel more like real festivals.”

“I don’t know what the movie is about. I heard it was filmed as an independent film.”

“Oh, so Korea does make independent films too. I didn’t know that since all the recent ones being translated and released are just commercial films.”

At that moment, a camera feed showing the theater entrance appeared on the main screen.

“Oh, looks like the director and actors are here?”

“This is what I like about Berlin. Cannes and Venice don’t do this kind of thing. How should I put it… those feel like real festivals.”

“Really? I like that idea too. Drinking champagne in the summer and wandering around freely.”

While chatting, two black vehicles appeared on the screen showing the outside of the theater, and from them, Director Park Chan-hong, Ryu Yeon-woo, and Seo Ji-eun stepped out one by one.

“Probably so.”

 

 

Meanwhile, Yeon-woo and his party entering the theater.

Neil nodded at Chris’s words.

“The Asian people behind me went absolutely crazy screaming when that guy appeared on screen earlier. They must be Korean, right?”

“I suppose that’s how it would be.”

Meanwhile, Yeonwoo and his group enter the theater.

 

“Ji-eun sister. Wave at that camera that’s filming us. The audience in the theater is probably watching in real time.”

“Really? That’s amazing.”

“By the way, can Actor Ryu speak German in addition to Italian?”

 

The group looked at Yeon-woo with curiosity as he naturally conversed and laughed with the officials as soon as they arrived at the theater.

 

“Ah, I learned various things at school and academy since I might need them someday.”

“Ho, quite versatile. Educational institutions these days are more capable than in my time.”

 

Director Park Chan-hong accepted this explanation, though the high school teachers in Daejeon and Jeong Cheol-min would have tilted their heads in confusion if they had heard it.

 

Following the organizers’ guidance, the group entered the theater, signed autographs on posters hanging on the stairs, and entered the screening room.

 

When Seo Ji-eun, wearing a white dress with a yellow jacket, linked arms with Yeon-woo, who looked sharp in a clean black suit, and entered the center of the audience seats, everyone turned to look and applauded in unison.

 

“Wow, this feels overwhelming.”

 

Seo Ji-eun’s body trembled slightly as the audience in the Theater am Potsdamer Platz screening room, which was about four times larger than a typical Korean theater, all turned their heads to focus on them.

 

In contrast, Yeon-woo smiled as if nothing was wrong and waved to those around him.

 

“Aren’t you nervous?”

“We’re confident in our movie. I’m not nervous.”

 

Upon hearing Yeon-woo’s words, Seo Ji-eun’s trembling stopped as if by magic.

Director Park Chan-hong, following behind, also patted Yeon-woo’s shoulder.

 

“That’s right. We’re confident. Our movie.”

 

Following the guidance, they walked along the red carpet in the middle of the audience seats and took their seats. A staff member approached with an interpreter and handed a microphone to Director Park Chan-hong.

 

“If you have anything brief to say to the audience before the movie starts, please go ahead.”

 

Director Park Chan-hong took the microphone and smiled as he began to speak.

 

“This is a movie I’ve cherished since my debut, and I’ve finally found the right persona to present it to you all. There’s no complex interpretation or profound philosophy. I just hope you enjoy it as you see it.”

 

When the interpreter conveyed the director’s words, applause erupted from the audience seats.

 

“We’d also like to hear a word from the actors.”

 

When they looked at Yeon-woo and Seo Ji-eun and offered the microphone, Seo Ji-eun waved her hands and said to Yeon-woo.

 

“Yeon-woo, you do it. I’m embarrassed.”

 

Yeon-woo nodded, took the microphone, and began to speak.

 

“It’s an honor to be invited to Berlin today. Since I have the microphone, I’d like to throw in a decent joke, but my joke license hasn’t come through yet, so I’ll substitute with words of gratitude instead.”

 

The Germans applauded and laughed, surprised by the Asian actor speaking in high-level German pronunciation.

 

It was one of the famous German jokes that all Germans who had been stationed in Germany would know.

 

“What? What did he say that made everyone laugh?”

 

When Yeon-woo explained to Seo Ji-eun what he had just said, her expression became strange.

 

“Ugh, what’s that? A dad joke…?”

“Germany’s kind of like that originally. It’s customized service.”

 

Well, he was technically an old man too…

 

Soon the venue darkened and the screening of 「Sketch」 finally began.

 

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————