NIS Agent Reincarnated as a Genius Actor - Chapter 29

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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 29. Cameo

The variety show that seemed like it would never become familiar had already finished filming all the way to the 4th week.

 

And time had passed, with May approaching.

 

The variety show’s 3rd episode had aired yesterday, and reruns seemed to be on almost every day.

 

‘Now when I flip through TV channels, I see myself appearing.’

 

Thanks to that, it felt like even more people recognized him than when the drama was airing.

 

Of course, the reaction at school was much more heated too.

 

‘Now even going to the acting academy is…’

 

Since people would glance at him even on streets that weren’t in the downtown area, taking public transportation to Jeong Cheol-min’s acting academy was naturally difficult.

 

But today, he was riding in his father’s car after work, heading to Jeong Cheol-min’s academy for the first time in a while.

 

“Son, how long has it been since you went?”

“Hmm, I think it’s been three months already.”

“The teacher was saying he misses seeing you.”

 

Yeon-woo smiled at those words.

 

“But he sees you often instead, Dad. You’ve gained a good drinking buddy.”

“Haha, we just meet up occasionally.”

 

He had heard from his mother that the two, who had become quite close, would meet up to drink together whenever they had time, as if they had known each other for years.

 

When they arrived at the academy, students could be seen peeking their heads out from the entrance.

 

“Whoa! It’s Ryu, Ryu Yeon-woo!”

“Amazing! He really is from this academy.”

 

Seeing those students, Yeon-woo smiled lightly and greeted them.

 

“Hello.”

 

As Yeon-woo entered the academy, the commotion among the students grew louder.

 

“Hey, come out quickly. Ryu Yeon-woo is at the entrance right now!”

“Um, could you possibly take a photo with us?”

 

As soon as he took a step, he was surrounded by students rushing toward him and was busy taking photos.

 

“Ahem, kids. Our Yeon-woo is troubled by this. Let’s take photos a bit later.”

 

Jeong Cheol-min came out from the director’s office due to the commotion outside and protected Yeon-woo.

 

“Let’s go inside first, Yeon-woo.”

“Yes, teacher.”

 

Jeong Cheol-min took Yeon-woo into the director’s office.

 

Then he patted Yeon-woo’s shoulder and smiled brightly.

 

Thanks to his student’s brilliant activities lately, he felt full even without eating.

 

“Wow, anyway, I’ve been watching your variety show well these days. The popularity is quite different from when you only did dramas.”

“That’s right. I wonder if this is the power of variety shows.”

 

He was actually feeling that way too.

 

He was realizing that far more people recognized him than when only the drama was airing.

 

Meanwhile, Yeon-woo sat on the sofa in the director’s office and took out a script from his bag.

 

“Teacher, this is the script for Director Kim Han-su’s new work.”

“Ah, the cameo that senior mentioned last time? ‘Spring Lover.’ Spring comes after summer, huh.”

 

As Jeong Cheol-min said, since Director Kim Han-su liked to express distinct seasonal feelings in his works, Yeon-woo ended up filming 「Spring Lover」 after finishing 「Summer’s Closet」.

 

Jeong Cheol-min took the script and flipped through it while speaking.

 

“Hmm. The role he requested is the child actor version of Ji Woo-hyeok.”

“Yes. Since it’s my first time as a child actor and my first time on screen.”

 

Saying that, Yeon-woo smiled awkwardly.

 

‘Normally, you’d start with child roles and move on to adult roles. I’m going in reverse.’

 

Yeon-woo had been offered the role of the male protagonist’s high school days in Director Kim Han-su’s new film, and he had visited the academy to seek advice about it.

 

When the director asked for the cameo, he said it was the role of the female protagonist’s first love, but when he actually looked at the script, it was the child actor version of the male protagonist.

 

Of course, since they were referring to the same person, it wasn’t wrong.

 

“Hey, you handle things well on your own now, so what.”

 

Though he said that, Jeong Cheol-min was already seriously looking at the script and taking notes on several things.

 

“Hmm, first, is the adult role casting confirmed?”

“Yes, I heard that Kang Ju-won senior is taking the role of Ji Woo-hyeok.”

 

Hearing Yeon-woo’s words, Jeong Cheol-min nodded as if he understood.

 

“So that’s why he asked you.”

“Pardon?”

 

When Yeon-woo asked back, Jeong Cheol-min looked at Yeon-woo’s face once and nodded.

 

“Your atmosphere is strangely similar.”

“Similar to Senior Kang Ju-won, you mean?”

 

At those words, Jeong Cheol-min nodded.

 

‘Hmm, is that so?’

 

Kang Ju-won is South Korea’s top handsome actor, acknowledged by everyone.

 

He debuted as a youth star at Yeon-woo’s current age and is already in his late thirties.

 

He’s not just an actor with a handsome face, but one with a brilliant filmography who has been sufficiently proven for his acting ability across various genres.

 

To think he resembled such a Kang Ju-won, he hadn’t considered that external factors might have influenced the cameo offer…

 

Now that he heard it, he thought it might be possible.

 

“Right. For a cameo, it has quite a bit of screen time and is an important enough role. In a way, this is your screen debut.”

“Mm, I heard the release is scheduled for late this year or early next year. Filming already started last month.”

 

Jeong Cheol-min took notes and explained to Yeon-woo step by step.

 

“First, movies are different from dramas in that the running time is short and everything must be revealed within that time. The level at which the audience immerses in the character must be that much stronger.”

“The continuity from child role to adult role would be important.”

 

At Yeon-woo’s answer, Jeong Cheol-min nodded and continued.

 

“So you need to analyze the adult Ji Woo-hyeok character in the story and understand the background of why that character was formed.”

“They didn’t give me any separate background about the childhood period, so what should I do in this case?”

 

“In such cases, the actor must create it themselves to some extent so the narrative makes sense.”

 

At Jeong Cheol-min’s answer, Yeon-woo muttered.

 

“Create it myself…”

 

Jeong Cheol-min, who had been looking at Yeon-woo fondly, added.

 

“Here’s the most important tip: actors with solid filmographies like Kang Ju-won find it hard to change their acting tone and unique atmosphere no matter what role they take.”

“Ah! Then Ji Woo-hyeok is important, but I need to analyze and act as Senior Kang Ju-won himself?”

 

Jeong Cheol-min patted the head of Yeon-woo, who understood perfectly, and nodded.

 

“As expected, you’re a smart kid who understands well.”

“That’s all thanks to learning from you, Teacher.”

 

After contacting his father, Yeon-woo said goodbye to Jeong Cheol-min and went down to the parking lot, taking selfies every three steps from the director’s office to the entrance.

 

When he got in the car, his father handed him a thermos containing plum tea he had personally brewed, saying it was important for “our actor’s throat,” and asked.

 

“How was it? Did you get a refreshing solution?”

“Yes. Teacher Jeong Cheol-min is indeed different.”

 

After hearing Jeong Cheol-min’s story, he definitely got a sense of how to prepare.

 

After returning home with his father, Yeon-woo would invariably binge-watch works from Kang Ju-won’s filmography after finishing school and personal study each day.

 

The process of analyzing Kang Ju-won’s voice projection, expressions, and actions while acting.

 

‘Honestly, this kind of thing is my specialty.’

 

This was part of behavior mimicry he used to do for building intimacy, or rapport, with targets when performing infiltration missions to extract information, so it was actually an area he was more confident in than any veteran actor.

 

On the other hand, he also pondered about Ji Woo-hyeok in the role.

 

‘Though not mentioned in the work, why did Ji Woo-hyeok decide to become a firefighter? Then what kind of personality did Ji Woo-hyeok, who decided to become a firefighter, have as a student?’

 

Yeon-woo added imagination to the work and completed the narrative of Ji Woo-hyeok that he newly constructed.

 

While analyzing both the character and the actor, the filming day soon approached.

 

***

Slide—.

 

“It’s been a while, Actor Ryu.”

“Min-su hyung. It’s been a month. I missed you.”

 

At Yeon-woo’s bright greeting, Kim Min-su grinned.

 

When there were variety show filmings, they still met every week, but now that variety show had also finished filming a month ago, so next week would be the final broadcast.

 

“I hear you’ll do makeup on set. It’ll probably take about an hour and a half to get there.”

“Yes. Then I should read the script one last time.”

 

Kim Min-su’s car carrying Yeon-woo entered an abandoned school in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province.

 

Though called an abandoned school, it was being used as a set, so it seemed better maintained than when students actually attended.

 

Yeon-woo, who arrived earlier than the scheduled 11 o’clock time, got out of the car and headed to the filming set with Kim Min-su.

 

He could see Director Kim Han-su filming at the water tap area in the corner.

 

After quietly waiting in a corner so as not to disturb the filming, Yeon-woo approached when the okay cut came out.

 

“Director.”

“Oh, who is this? Yeon-woo. You must have had a hard time coming such a long way.”

 

Director Kim Han-su warmly opened both arms to welcome Yeon-woo.

 

Then he turned around and introduced Yeon-woo to the staff on the filming set in an exaggerated manner.

 

“Everyone, this is the rising star who came to help with our filming today.”

 

Then applause could be heard from various parts of the filming set.

 

‘Hmm, I guess they take better care of cameos since they’re here to help?’

 

Of course, since most activities including cameo appearances were his first time, there was no way to know.

 

When Yeon-woo looked around, he could see many familiar staff members throughout the filming set.

 

As expected, Kim Han-su’s Production Team.

 

“So handsome! Ryu Yeon-woo!”

 

When one of the staff shouted Yeon-woo’s name loudly, laughter flowed through the filming set.

 

Since it was a school scene, most of the extras and child actors were young actors or aspiring actors, so they seemed very interested in Yeon-woo.

 

Of course, since it was a filming set, they didn’t swarm around him like when he visited Jeong Cheol-min’s academy, but he could feel the gazes of the extra students gathering in groups and looking at him curiously.

 

“Ye-seul. Please guide Yeon-woo here.”

“Yes, Director.”

 

Yeon-woo followed the on-site manager who had been with him since Summer’s Closet to go get his makeup done.

 

“It’s really been a long time since Hawaii. Right?”

“That’s right. Have you been well, Sister?”

 

Chatting warmly, when they entered the makeup room set up in the school building, there was Ju-hee’s team who had previously been in charge of Yeon-woo during the ‘Summer’s Closet’ filming.

 

“Oh my. It’s Ryu Yeon-woo.”

“Ah, hello. You were Sister Ju-hee, right?”

“Yes, yes?”

 

Ju-hee was startled when Yeon-woo called her name.

Memorizing names and faces was an old habit of Yeon-woo’s that started from his past life.

 

“You even remember my name, it’s such an honor! I’m actually a member of Woo’s.”

“Oh, really? Then I definitely shouldn’t forget.”

 

Yeon-woo smiled brightly seeing Ju-hee reveal that she was a member of his fan club Woo’s.

 

Ju-hee couldn’t help but praise her past self for coming to work despite being sick that day.

 

“Last time I couldn’t tell you because you were doing a personal interview, but could we maybe take a selfie… after the makeup is done?”

“Of course. Let’s take a million shots.”

“Really?”

 

Yeon-woo answered as kindly as possible to Ju-hee who asked cautiously.

 

Since this was his first time actually meeting a Woo’s member, Yeon-woo was also very grateful.

 

‘So people who like me as fans actually exist in reality.’

 

Of course, he had seen countless fan reactions online, but it didn’t feel real, so having a fan who revealed herself as a member of Woo’s actually exist before his eyes felt strange.

 

Meanwhile, Ju-hee seemed to have adapted somewhat as she applied base makeup to Yeon-woo’s face and talked about various things.

 

“I came today without much expectation since it was school filming, but I never thought I’d meet you here!”

“Ah, I came for a cameo appearance at the Director’s request.”

“Amazing!”

 

Even though it wasn’t much of a story, she was delighted whenever Yeon-woo opened his mouth.

 

Yeon-woo was filled with gratitude, wondering what made him worthy of such affection.

 

“But what role are you playing today?”

“The role of Ji Woo-hyeok.”

“Ah.”

 

Since they didn’t know the movie’s content, it was natural that Ju-hee and her team members didn’t know what kind of role it was even when he mentioned it.

 

“Um, it’s Kang Ju-won’s high school days.”

“Ah! Wow, amazing.”

“Now that you mention it, you do seem similar to that actor. In atmosphere.”

 

Only then did Ju-hee and her team members clap their hands and chat excitedly.

 

“There, all done! Actor.”

“Thank you, Sister Ju-hee.”

 

Yeon-woo, who didn’t forget to take photos and took many for a while, changed into his school uniform and went out to the filming set when a staff member came to get him.

 

“Amazing. Look at Ryu Yeon-woo. Rising actors really are different in person.”

“Ah, we’d definitely get in trouble if we take photos with our phones, right? I want to brag in the group chat.”

“Take photos after filming ends. We’ll get scolded if we make noise for no reason. We’ll probably get a chance, right?”

 

Yeon-woo passed through the murmuring extras and arrived at the filming team.

 

Meanwhile, Director Kim Han-su nodded seeing Yeon-woo’s appearance.

 

“Hmm, as expected, it perfectly matches the image in my head.”

 

Then he pointed to the side and introduced.

 

“Yeon-woo, this is Jung Su-yeon who will play your counterpart today.”

“Ah, hello. I’m Jung Su-yeon.”

 

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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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