NIS Agent Reincarnated as a Genius Actor - Chapter 222
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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 222. Awards Ceremony (1)
Crackle─.
A signal sounded from the radio that Manager Kim Min-su was holding, and the voice of a staff member could be heard.
– You may enter now.
This experience was already the third time.
The 57th Korean Arts Awards ceremony was being held.
‘When I first came, I entered together with Jin-wook hyung and So-hyeon sister.’
And Yeon-woo had received the Rookie Award, while Son Jin-wook and Jin Yu-han competed for the Male Excellence Award, which Jin Yu-han ultimately won.
‘Come to think of it, Yu-han and I didn’t know each other back then.’
There had been many changes during that time.
And at the second awards ceremony, in the awkward situation of whether to sit with the “Master Plan” team or go to the side where the “Stars Beyond Garam” team was, they eventually sat with Yeon-woo in the center and the two teams on either side.
‘Back then, Ji-eun sister and So-hyeon sister were meeting for the first time.’
Surprisingly, he learned that Han So-hyeon couldn’t move a muscle against Seo Ji-eun and was completely overwhelmed by her.
It was widely reported as a remarkable achievement of being the first to win Male Excellence Awards in both drama and film categories, but in fact, last year he was focused on planting hacking tools in Jung Tae-seon’s smartphone, so the awards ceremony was secondary.
‘And now it’s the third awards ceremony.’
A lot had changed in the past year as well.
If until last year he was an actor under LN Enter, now he was an actor and at the same time practically the leader who led Saebyeol.
He had moved nests while simultaneously becoming the mother bird.
“Well then, shall we go see the baby birds?”
“Excuse me?”
Yeon-woo smiled while looking at Kim Min-su, who asked back at the incomprehensible words.
“Never mind. I’ll be going then.”
The van’s automatic door opened, and as Yeon-woo stepped down and walked on the red carpet, so many flashes went off that it could be mistaken for broad daylight.
***
Yeon-woo entered while posing for photos and giving a brief interview before entering the venue hall.
Now in his fourth year as an actor, he had quite a few juniors.
As Yeon-woo appeared in the venue hall, he could feel countless gazes from around him.
Senior and junior actors were paying attention to the entrance of the currently most successful star.
A familiar figure approached from far away.
“Hey, younger brother.”
It was Ma Seok-do, who had filmed “Master Plan” together with him.
“Seok-do hyung, have you been well? I heard you were filming in America.”
“The filming is finished, but it’ll probably take quite a while before it’s released. Anyway, it’s nice to see you after so long, right? We should go camping again sometime.”
Seeing Ma Seok-do’s unchanged appearance, Yeon-woo smiled slightly and nodded.
After greeting Ma Seok-do, who patted his shoulder, and following the guide into the venue hall again, various actors caught his eye.
After briefly bowing and arriving at his assigned seat, it was the table where the “White Blood” team was sitting.
“Hey, you’re here?”
“Yes, teacher.”
Jeong Cheol-min, wearing a neat black suit with a gold-accented bow tie, welcomed Yeon-woo.
The other expedition members beside him also waved their hands as if pleased to see him.
With everyone gathered wearing outfits coordinated in black and gold, they seemed to have quite an impressive aura.
“Has the captain arrived?”
Dong-ha joked while looking at Yeon-woo.
But as Dong-ha said, when Yeon-woo sat in the center of the table, it felt like the harmony of the White Blood team was completed, as if the last piece of a puzzle had been fitted.
“Come to think of it, they must have arranged for Ji-eun sister to be placed here too?”
Seo Ji-eun could be seen sitting next to Jung Su-yeon.
Since she wasn’t part of the “White Blood” cast, she would normally have sat elsewhere, but since the cast of “Sketch” consisted of only Yeon-woo and Seo Ji-eun, it seemed they had arranged for Seo Ji-eun to be placed at this table as well.
“Yeah. They probably also considered that we’re from the same agency.”
It was Seo Ji-eun who had suggested matching the dress code, so it would have been unfair if she had to sit alone elsewhere.
Then Jin Yu-han could be seen entering through the entrance.
While following the guide, he spotted Yeon-woo and the members, stopped briefly, and exchanged some words with the guide.
Then the guide radioed somewhere and nodded.
And Jin Yu-han came to the table where Yeon-woo was.
“Hm? Yu-han.”
“I asked if I could sit here, and they said it’s fine.”
“What about your musical team?”
At Yeon-woo’s question, he casually shrugged his shoulders and sat down in the chair brought by the production staff.
“We weren’t really that close to begin with.”
Yeon-woo chuckled at Jin Yu-han’s answer.
This wasn’t a high school sports festival – who would sit with people they’re close to?
Well, if he wanted to sit here, there was no need to stop him.
Jin Yu-han’s outfit was also coordinated in black and gold like the other Saebyeol actors, so there was no sense of discord at all.
No, rather, with Jin Yu-han joining them, the value of this table had increased even more.
‘Everyone’s gathered except Jin-wook hyung.’
Son Jin-wook, the protagonist of last year’s concluded drama “Prisoner,” couldn’t abandon his seat and come over here.
Seeing Jin Yu-han sitting at the table and his coordinated outfit, the reporters and entertainment industry officials sitting on the 2nd floor began murmuring.
“Jin Yu-han doesn’t have much time left on his contract, right?”
“Yeah. Has he already agreed to join Saebyeol?”
The reporters rolled their eyes looking for story material, and agency representatives who had been preparing to snatch him up if Jin Yu-han came out as a major free agent were also watching the table closely to understand the situation.
However, it seemed difficult to deny Jin Yu-han’s joining.
Even though there was that somewhat talked-about small theater performance, Jin Yu-han hadn’t filmed any movies or dramas together with them last year, so there was no reason for him to sit together with actors from another agency while even matching the dress code.
Unintentionally, Yeon-woo had made a declaration of war to the industry that he would take Jin Yu-han.
Then the lighting dimmed and the host’s announcement flowed out.
– Thank you to all the distinguished guests who attended. We will now begin the 57th Korean Arts Awards ceremony.
Along with the announcement, the large screen at the front of the stage began showing brief introductions of key scenes from movies and dramas that aired last year, as well as musicals and plays that were staged.
“Ah! I just appeared!”
When Han Byeol sitting next to him pointed her finger toward the screen, Yeon-woo smiled.
“That finger pointing just now was probably caught by the broadcast camera. Camera directors like spontaneous actions.”
At Yeon-woo’s words, Han Byeol hastily withdrew her hand.
Seeing this, Yeon-woo tilted his head.
“Why? It’s good to be caught on camera.”
“No! It’s embarrassing…”
Then Dong-ha poked Han Byeol’s shoulder with a mischievous expression.
“Oh, Han Byeol has something to be embarrassed about?”
“Today there are many other actors here, and so many people I’ve only seen on TV are gathered together, so it feels embarrassing somehow.”
“But you know what?”
“What?”
Dong-ha quietly pointed to Yeon-woo next to him and continued.
“The person that all these actors you mentioned are looking at most curiously is this hyung.”
As Dong-ha said, Yeon-woo had felt gazes pouring in from all directions since entering the awards ceremony venue.
Until last year, this level of attention hadn’t been focused on him.
But after making “Sketch” and “White Blood” mega hits, his subsequent moves could be seen as eccentric in a way.
When he came out with some LN staff to establish an agency, people thought it might be a one-person agency, but contrary to expectations, he began absorbing famous actors and the company kept growing larger, so naturally industry officials and fellow actors couldn’t help but pay attention to this table dressed in matching black and gold.
While the surroundings were noisy with officials talking about the table where Saebyeol Entertainment was sitting, the table where they were actually sitting was quiet, like the calm eye of a storm in South Korea’s entertainment industry.
Yeon-woo looked at his agency actors and then shifted his gaze to the stage.
‘I hope our actors win a lot of awards today.’
Among them, the first to be called to the awards ceremony stage was Han Byeol.
– Last year I felt the excitement that the nominees must be feeling right now. Then I’ll announce it. Congratulations on the Drama Category Female Rookie Acting Award. Han Byeol from “White Blood.”
The moment Han Byeol’s name was called, cheers erupted from the audience seats located on the 3rd floor.
Several actors were surprised by the loud cheering and looked back at the audience seats.
It seemed there were quite a few fans who had hoped for Han Byeol’s win, riding on the drama’s popularity.
Han Byeol, who didn’t expect to win, had been busy looking around at other actors participating in the awards ceremony when she was startled and stood up with wide eyes.
“Congratulations, Han Byeol.”
“Our youngest is getting an award!”
“Huh? Me?!”
When Yeon-woo and the members stood up to congratulate her, she finally seemed to realize it was real as tears already began glistening like large pearls in her eyes.
She hadn’t even graduated middle school yet, so what awards could she have received besides perfect attendance?
‘No, she’s been missing school for filming, so she probably couldn’t even get perfect attendance.’
Yeon-woo escorted Han Byeol, who still couldn’t collect herself, to the point a few steps ahead where the red carpet began.
Han Byeol, who had gotten on stage, approached the presenter with a slightly dazed expression, taking quick small steps.
It wasn’t any particular action, but Han Byeol’s appearance was so cute that gentle laughter could be heard from various actors in the audience seats.
“Congratulations, Miss Han Byeol.”
“Th-thank you!”
Han Byeol bowed her head politely, received the award, and stood in front of the microphone.
Though Han Byeol was always spirited and sharp-witted, stepping onto an awards ceremony stage for the first time in her life left her completely dazed.
“H-hello. I’m Han Byeol.”
Thunk─.
“Ah!”
Standing in front of the microphone, she bowed her head in greeting and bumped her forehead against the microphone.
Then laughter erupted from the audience seats again.
They weren’t laughing because it was funny that she hit her head on the microphone. They were laughing because Han Byeol herself, who had entered this space full of adults with her twin-tailed hair, was simply adorable.
The broadcast camera captured Yeon-woo, who was watching Han Byeol with a fatherly smile, and the Saebyeol Entertainment actors beside him in turn.
Han Byeol, having regained her composure, continued speaking.
“First, thank you to Ryu Yeon-woo sunbae for making it possible for me to be here…”
At Han Byeol’s words, the camera focused on Yeon-woo again.
Some might think it strange that she mentioned Ryu Yeon-woo first when there were directors and other actors present, but the entertainment industry insiders in the audience nodded knowingly because they understood the reality.
While some general audiences might not think this way, industry insiders knew better than anyone how disastrously Korean fantasy films had performed until now.
Therefore, they believed it was a work that couldn’t have succeeded without Ryu Yeon-woo from the beginning.
In fact, until the production news was heard, everyone honestly thought it could become a blemish on Kim Ju-seong’s success story and actor Ryu Yeon-woo’s career.
For someone who had gone up on stage looking completely dazed, Han Byeol delivered her acceptance speech quite coherently and well.
When she came down from the stage and returned to Saebyeol’s table, the company actors hugged their youngest member Han Byeol once more.
“I was really, really nervous I thought I was going to die.”
“Aww, were you?”
Seo Ji-eun patted Han Byeol as if treating a child.
After that, other awards continued, and during this time, Yeon-woo followed a staff member backstage.
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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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