NIS Agent Reincarnated as a Genius Actor - Chapter 106

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 106. Gifts

Yeon-woo, Director Park Chan-hong, and Seo Ji-eun finished the film screening and completed various schedules including the autograph session.

After returning to the hotel to regroup, Yeon-woo and his party attended the dinner banquet they were invited to.

 

“Director, the person walking over now is Nicolas Schueller, founder of the French cosmetics company Bellis.”

“Hmm, you’re truly remarkable.”

 

Director Park Chan-hong was busy shaking hands continuously with Yeon-woo’s assistance.

Director Park Chan-hong nodded while listening to Yeon-woo’s whispers and repeated the name several times.

Then he soon shook hands and greeted the approaching elderly gentleman.

 

“Director Park? I was truly moved by the film. This old man even shed tears, how embarrassing.”

“Mr. Schueller. It’s an honor to meet you like this.”

“Oh, I heard you came from Korea, but you know me? Haha. The honor is mine.”

 

From influential figures who usually have an interest in films, to young businessmen and politicians trying to expand their networks by attending such parties.

 

Director Park Chan-hong was amazed by Yeon-woo’s information gathering and memory skills as he identified and informed him about all the famous figures from politics and business while greeting them.

 

Seo Ji-eun had quickly befriended other actors upon arrival and was having conversations in a corner of the banquet hall.

 

Yeon-woo nodded inwardly while watching Nicolas Schueller greeting Director Park Chan-hong.

 

‘Bellis is the company that provided the largest sponsorship among the main sponsors of this Berlin Film Festival.’

 

Yeon-woo stepped forward from beside Director Park Chan-hong and offered a handshake.

 

“Nice to meet you, Chairman. I’m actor Ryu Yeon-woo.”

 

Nicolas Schueller’s eyes widened at the perfect French pronunciation that came from Yeon-woo’s mouth.

 

“Oh, nice to meet you. The name Jay still remains in my head. I enjoyed the film very much. By the way, your French is quite proficient?”

“France is the cradle of cinema, so shouldn’t an actor naturally study French?”

 

A smile bloomed on Nicolas’s face at Yeon-woo’s words.

 

“Hahaha. You think so? I quite like this young actor.”

 

The cradle of cinema (Le berceau du cinéma).

This is what France uses when highly evaluating their domestic film industry.

Although the Lumière Brothers of France first invented ‘cinema’ in 1895, as world cinema history has recently revolved around Hollywood, perhaps due to that backlash, the French people’s pride in cinema has only grown stronger.

 

Yeon-woo stimulated that aspect and scratched the itch of Nicolas Schueller, known as a film enthusiast.

 

Director Park Chan-hong tilted his head watching Chairman Nicolas, who was exchanging words with Yeon-woo in a language he couldn’t understand, then turned away with great satisfaction and a smile reaching his ears.

 

After exchanging a few more words, Director Park Chan-hong spoke to Yeon-woo as they watched Chairman Nicolas turn to meet others.

 

“But I wonder what use all this is. This is my first time attending an overseas film festival. I thought making good films was all that mattered.”

 

Yeon-woo smiled upon hearing those words.

 

“Of course, we just need to compete with our films. But it’s better not to be discriminated against for being an Asian film. To at least start from the same starting line, wouldn’t it be good to build relationships?”

“You’re right. At times like this, you seem just like a seasoned politician. No, I can never believe you’re a twenty-year-old young man even normally.”

“Director. I’m twenty-one now. I got a year older when the year changed.”

 

Director Park Chan-hong chuckled and shook his head upon hearing Yeon-woo’s words.

 

“Twenty or twenty-one, what’s the difference.”

 

 

Director Park Chan-hong, who had greeted countless officials with Yeon-woo’s assistance the previous night, woke up feeling like his arms would fall off.

 

“Politics isn’t something just anyone can do. It’s physical labor.”

 

If shaking hands for one night was this tiring, he found politicians who shake hands thousands of times and bow their heads during election campaigns and rallies newly impressive.

 

And thinking of last night’s Yeon-woo brought a smile to Director Park Chan-hong’s lips.

 

It was like seeing Pierre Choi from 「Master Plan」, with whom he first worked, in reality.

 

Moving freely around the banquet hall, wherever Ryu Yeon-woo approached key figures, smiles would bloom.

 

His rhetoric that controlled the atmosphere.

It was simply amazing how many languages he was fluent in.

 

Ring ring.

 

When the phone in the hotel rang, Park Chan-hong approached it.

 

“Yes, I’m answering the phone.”

– Director! We’re going sightseeing in Berlin city center, would you like to come with us?

 

He smiled at Seo Ji-eun’s cheerful voice coming through the phone receiver, but after rotating his shoulders once and massaging his neck, he answered.

 

“No. I’m tired and need to rest in my room. You young people go and have fun.”

– Yes, Director. I’ll buy you gifts!

 

***

 

When Yeon-woo finished preparing and came down to the lobby, Seo Ji-eun and Kim Min-su were waiting.

 

“These gentlemen are bodyguards assigned by the film festival organizers.”

 

Looking in the direction Min-su pointed, two men with sturdy builds and tall heights awkwardly bowed slightly in an Asian manner.

 

‘Hmm? That mark is…’

 

Seeing the tattoo carved beside the bodyguard’s neck, Yeon-woo extended a handshake.

 

“Please take good care of us today. I see you’re from SEK.”

 

The large man’s eyes widened as he grasped Yeon-woo’s hand for a handshake.

 

“Oh, how did you know? And your German is quite fluent.”

“I could tell from the mark on your neck. Thanks to you, there definitely won’t be any danger today.”

 

SEK is an anti-terrorism unit under the Special Operations Command.

 

With this level of personnel, it felt like the Film Festival Operations Office was definitely taking good care of them.

 

Yeon-woo and his group got in the car and headed to the Downtown Area.

 

“Should I wear a mask?”

 

Yeon-woo shook his head at Seo Ji-eun’s question.

 

“We have bodyguard uncles with us, so wearing a mask won’t hide our identity anyway. Only Korean tourists would recognize us anyway.”

 

As expected, they were able to sightsee comfortably without any fans swarming them.

 

“Hmm, surprisingly even Korean people aren’t approaching us.”

 

If this were Korea, they would have been surrounded immediately and received countless requests for photographs and autographs.

 

“Look behind us.”

 

When Seo Ji-eun listened to Yeon-woo’s words and looked back, she saw a bodyguard watching the passersby around Yeon-woo and Seo Ji-eun with intimidating eyes.

 

The bodyguard walking ahead was checking passersby in advance, while the one following behind was ready to rush forward if anyone approached too closely.

 

“Aha. It’s not that they don’t want to come, but that they can’t.”

 

Seo Ji-eun nodded and freely looked around the surrounding shops.

Then Seo Ji-eun stopped and called Yeon-woo.

 

“Look at this! Isn’t it so cute?”

 

What Seo Ji-eun pointed to was a bear doll inside a glass box.

A polar bear, the mascot of the Berlin Film Festival.

 

The large glass box had “1 EUR per game (Spiel)” written on it, and though the shape was different, judging by the claw, it seemed to be a claw machine.

 

‘Outside of Christmas season, arcade machines like claw machines were hard to find in Berlin.’

 

Since the film festival was also a festival period, it seemed they were recycling machines that had been brought out during Christmas.

 

“But isn’t this the same doll that the organizing committee gave us as a gift when we arrived at Theater am Potsdamer Platz?”

“No! They’re completely different. That one has an expressionless face and is raising its left arm, but this one is smiling and raising its right arm. And it’s cuter.”

 

Yeon-woo scratched the back of his head after hearing Seo Ji-eun’s words.

Although Yeon-woo had much superior keen observation and memory than ordinary people, even after hearing Seo Ji-eun’s explanation, he couldn’t tell if there was a difference.

 

‘Since that doll was from the Official Secretariat, isn’t this one a knockoff…?’

 

He swallowed his words internally in front of Seo Ji-eun, whose eyes were sparkling, and took out his wallet.

He exchanged for 1-euro coins while looking at Seo Ji-eun.

 

“To get this, you have to win it from the claw machine. Can you do it?”

“Well…? Actually, I’ve never tried it before.”

 

Yeon-woo first put money into the machine.

 

“It’s the same concept of grabbing with the claw, so maybe it’ll work if we try several times.”

 

Seo Ji-eun tried first.

 

“I’ve got a feeling. Right here! That’s right, that’s right.”

 

Seo Ji-eun positioned the claw right above the doll’s head and pressed the button.

 

The claw went straight down and grabbed the head precisely, but just as it seemed to lift it up, it opened weakly.

 

“Ahhh! What the heck!”

 

She tried several more times after that, but failed every time.

She glanced sideways at Yeon-woo, then took her hands off the joystick and button.

 

“Yeon-woo, you get it for me. You’re good at everything.”

“Well… I’ve never done this in my life either.”

 

Yeon-woo took over and tried.

 

‘Hmm, bears are carnivorous animals among mammals, so to target this guy, I should probably aim for the neck from behind in one swift move.’

 

Having thoughts that seemed completely unhelpful, he used his spatial awareness to the maximum and positioned it where the sharp claw could bite into the guy’s neck in one go if it dropped straight down.

 

‘Now’s the time.’

 

Click!

 

When Yeon-woo pressed the button, the claw went down and instantly grabbed the neck of the bear lying on its side and smiling.

 

And the bear slowly being lifted up.

 

“Ahh! You got it!”

 

But simultaneously with Seo Ji-eun’s exclamation, the bear doll slipped from the claw and fell helplessly to the floor.

 

It even fell with its head buried downward, making it even harder to grab than before.

Yeon-woo scratching his cheek.

 

“Ah. I messed up.”

“Ahem. Sorry.”

 

Now the doll was stuck upside down in the pile, and he couldn’t even get a sense of how to grab it.

 

That’s when a deep voice was heard.

 

“Hehe, I went to the restroom and found you here.”

 

Yeon-woo and Seo Ji-eun turned around simultaneously to see Manager Kim Min-su smiling.

His intense presence seemed to shine with an intangible aura rippling around him.

 

“Whoa, what is this. There’s a dazzling halo behind Min-su oppa…”

 

Indeed, as Seo Ji-eun said, the sunset glow shone behind Kim Min-su standing at the entrance, adding to his intense presence.

 

Having returned from the restroom and washed his hands, he approached with both still-wet hands raised like a doctor entering an operating room.

 

The sunlight reflected off the moisture, making Min-su’s hands sparkle particularly brightly.

 

“This little guy is in a difficult position. I’ll handle it. I have quite a history with claw machines.”

 

Ever since he made tremendous contributions during a crucial moment while filming “Master Plan” in Paju, claw machine operation had become Manager Kim Min-su’s secret hobby.

 

Kim Min-su passed by Yeon-woo and Seo Ji-eun, who had naturally stepped back due to his inexplicable overwhelming presence, and reverently placed his hands on the joystick and buttons.

 

“Hmm, this one, you see. Since this little guy is stuck upside down like this, it’s a rather special case.”

 

Kim Min-su positioned the claw above the target white bear doll and wielded the joystick with flashy hand movements.

 

Then the claw spun around.

 

“By rotating it like this, when that movement is maximized.”

 

Click!

 

When he pressed the button, the claw descended while continuing to rotate.

 

It rotated around the side of the white bear that was stuck upside down doing a headstand, and the claw grabbed the torso at a right angle.

 

And the white bear was lifted up, clearly different from all previous attempts.

 

“Ohhh.”

 

Before they knew it, not only Yeon-woo and Seo Ji-eun but also German elementary school students had gathered around.

 

The bear doll was smoothly transported to the entrance and dropped.

 

Clunk!

 

“Here it is.”

 

Clap clap clap!

 

Seo Ji-eun applauded.

It seemed louder than when the ending credits of “Sketch” rolled yesterday.

 

“That was amazing and cool. Thank you!”

 

Seo Ji-eun hugged the bear doll and smiled brightly.

 

 

While Yeon-woo and his group were focused on the claw machine, Director Park Chan-hong, who was resting at the hotel, woke from his nap to the sound of a phone ringing.

 

“Hmm, are they back already?”

 

Thinking it was a call from Ryu Yeon-woo or Seo Ji-eun, he got up with his stiff body and picked up the phone by his bedside.

 

“Hello.”

– Did I catch you at a bad time? Sir.

“No problem.”

 

Director Park Chan-hong straightened his posture at the deep voice from the Phone Receiver, and during the conversation, he suddenly stood up.

 

“Really? Yes, I understand. Have a good evening.”

 

Director Park Chan-hong nodded greatly while looking at the sunset beyond the hotel balcony.

The sunset light seemed to move his heart, just like the content of the scenario he had written.

 

“I don’t know what gifts Yeon-woo and Ji-eun will buy, but I think my gift will be bigger.”

 

Director Park Chan-hong grinned, remembering how Seo Ji-eun had said in a cheerful voice before going out that she would buy gifts.

 

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