In the traditional fairy tale “The Woodcutter and the Fairy,” one might wonder if the woodcutter felt this way. Writer Minsu Jin and PD Kim Woo-hyung were silently watching a man swimming in the blue sea.
If a merman took the form of a man, would he look like this? Minsu Jin couldn’t close her mouth in amazement at the sight of the young man swimming through the waves.
“Wow.”
The young man gliding through the blue jewel-like waters under the shining sun looked like a scene from a painting. Even the small fish, avoiding human touch, swam around him as if welcoming him.
Watching this scene felt like dreaming. Even the gentle waves and the seagulls’ chirps seemed to sing for him.
Thump, thump.
Minsu Jin’s heart was pounding. It felt like she had met the protagonist from her script in real life. Seeing the young man walking out of the water, Minsu Jin’s cheeks turned red.
Droplets of water dripped from his wet hair, smoothly running down his firm chest.
Although his pants were soaked, the dark color made them look like a sleek swimsuit, so it didn’t seem strange.
Rather, the sight of him walking barefoot on the ground felt more like a scene from a pictorial the more she looked at it.
“Found him.”
At Minsu Jin’s whisper, PD Kim Woo-hyung, who was watching with her, nodded vigorously.
Eventually, the young man walked out of the water and climbed a small cliff. As he grabbed his shirt hanging on a branch and shook his head vigorously, he spoke.
“How long are you going to keep watching me like that?”
Minsu Jin and Kim Woo-hyung felt their hearts drop for a moment. It felt like being caught stealing.
The young man turned his gaze towards the two who had been secretly watching him. It was none other than PD Kim Woo-hyung who stepped forward, leaving the hesitant Minsu Jin behind.
“I’m sorry, we came here because we heard there were few people around, but we didn’t expect you to be swimming.”
“No need to apologize. This isn’t my land. I was just curious. You two seem like a couple. Are you on a trip to Busan?”
Minsu Jin became even more certain at the young man’s bright smile.
There are many good actors. But being immersed in a character from a script is another matter.
The young man in front of her seemed like he had just stepped out of her script. Even if he lacked acting skills, it felt like something that could be compensated for.
“Ah, we’re not a couple. But have we met somewhere before…?”
Just as Kim Woo-hyung was about to continue, Minsu Jin stepped forward and approached the young man.
“Hello, I’m Minsu Jin, a writer from MBS Drama Department!”
At that moment, Kim Woo-hyung, standing behind Minsu Jin, widened his eyes at the sight of the young man pushing back his wet hair.
“MBS?”
Young-guk looked at the woman handing him a business card. He had a deep connection with MBS Broadcasting Station. He had started his career as a child actor there, filming “Youth,” and had even won an acting award with “Yeonsan, The King’s Secret.”
“Minsu Jin.”
He didn’t know all the writers in the drama department. It was natural since writing was largely a freelance job. Just like actors, writers’ positions varied based on viewership ratings. If they became famous, all the major broadcasting stations would be eager to hire them. That’s why the term “star writer” was coined.
On the other hand, unknown assistant writers often disappeared without a trace. The working environment was harsh, and the pay required passion, so it was no wonder.
“I’ve never heard of this name.”
No matter how much he tried to recall, he had no memory of hearing the name Minsu Jin in the MBS drama department. Even if he didn’t know the name, he should have recognized the face given his frequent visits to the station.
At that moment, Minsu Jin, who handed him the business card, added.
“I was deeply impressed by your swimming in the sea just now. If it’s not too much trouble, may I ask what you do?”
“I’m in acting.”
“Really!”
Minsu Jin visibly rejoiced and screamed. Young-guk felt quite embarrassed at her reaction.
“Does she not know who I am?”
He wasn’t one to boast about being famous. But he thought he was quite well-known domestically. After all, he had achieved great success with two adult-rated films and was often referred to as a guaranteed hit in dramas.
Moreover, he had received an acting award at MBS, so it didn’t make sense for someone in broadcasting not to recognize him.
“We’re currently scheduling a drama. Are you majoring in theater and film in college? Or are you auditioning? Oh, what’s your name, if I may ask?”
“Uh, Miss Min…”
“PD Kim, wait a moment! I feel like I’ve discovered a hidden gem in the sea today. I knew it the moment I saw him! Moreover, since he’s aspiring to be an actor, this must be fate!”
“Miss Min!”
At Kim Woo-hyung’s shout, Minsu Jin finally stopped talking. Kim Woo-hyung, looking pale, silently mouthed words to Minsu Jin.
Minsu Jin squinted her eyes and carefully observed Kim Woo-hyung’s lip movements.
“Jang… Young… Guk…?!”
At that moment, Minsu Jin’s head snapped towards Young-guk.
“Gasp.”
The sea breeze blew through the old pub. Under the worn-out sign, amidst the laughter of boisterous sailors, one table was particularly glum.
Writer Minsu Jin let out a deep sigh as she rubbed her face with her fingers.
“PD Kim, I should just die.”
Minsu Jin, filled with self-deprecation, picked up a soju bottle and poured herself a full glass. PD Kim Woo-hyung tried to stop her, but it was too late. She downed the soju in one gulp.
Instead of feeling the effects of the alcohol, Minsu Jin’s mind seemed to become clearer.
“How could a TV writer not recognize actor Jang Young-guk’s face? Ugh.”
She had been too mesmerized by Young-guk cutting through the blue waves. She couldn’t immediately recognize his face. It was like a fantasy, as if he had walked straight out of her script, which made her overlook the fact that he was actor Jang Young-guk.
“Don’t be too hard on yourself. I didn’t recognize him at first either. It happens when you’re not in the right state of mind.”
Kim Woo-hyung tried to comfort the self-reproaching Minsu Jin. Just then, the pub’s aunt brought over a plate of bindaetteok.
But Minsu Jin, without touching the food, downed another glass of soju.
“It would have been fine if I just didn’t recognize his face. But not knowing he was actor Jang Young-guk, I asked if he majored in acting and said I found a hidden gem in the sea. How embarrassing.”
“You can take it as a compliment, meaning he has many faces. Don’t think too negatively. He’s known for having a good personality in the broadcasting industry.”
“Do you really think so?”
“Well, if the stories circulating in the broadcasting industry about him are true.”
“Ugh, really!”
Minsu Jin sighed again.
Actors have strong egos. Some actors, incomprehensible to ordinary people, occasionally get angry over trivial matters. There’s a famous story of an actress who never spoke a word to the staff on set. It wasn’t so much a sense of superiority but rather a lack of manners.
Actors’ temperaments are fickle. The only saving grace was that actor Jang Young-guk was known for his good personality both in the broadcasting industry and in Chungmuro.
Then, Minsu Jin asked Kim Woo-hyung.
“PD Kim, Jang Young-guk is out of the question, right?”
Kim Woo-hyung, about to sip his soju, spat it out at the unexpected question. The soju sprayed like mist across Minsu Jin’s face.
“Miss Min, you have to make sense. Do you even know how much Jang Young-guk’s fee is?”
In a small apartment in Yeongdo, the smell of savory kimchi fried rice spread. Jisoo, taking a big bite of the kimchi fried rice made by Young-guk, widened her eyes.
“Oppa, you’re good at cooking too?”
Young-guk gave a faint smile. He had to take care of Jisoo while his mother and stepfather were away on their honeymoon.
It had been a while since he showcased his cooking skills, and Jisoo seemed quite satisfied. Given his life experience, it wasn’t surprising; he had been living alone for decades.
“It’s really delicious. Our oppa can get married now!”
“Stop talking nonsense and eat up, then brush your teeth and finish your homework.”
“You’re just like Dad. And I’m in high school now. I’ll be a college student in a few years.”
“Not just anyone can get into college. You have to do well on the CSAT to get into the college you want.”
Jisoo wanted to retort but couldn’t. After all, Young-guk, smiling across from her, was the first to get a perfect score on the CSAT. From looks to brains, he seemed to have it all.
“Dad said you’ve been going to concerts of singers on TV instead of studying.”
“That’s just because I’m a fan.”
“But you even broke your piggy bank to go to a concert in Daegu. You’re fearless.”
Jisoo pouted. Seeing this, Young-guk smirked and added.
“If you get good grades on this final exam, I’ll get autographs from the singers you like.”
“What? Really?”
Young-guk nodded briefly, and Jisoo quickly finished the kimchi fried rice in front of her. Then she chugged water and stood up.
“Oppa, I’ll be in my room studying. Don’t disturb me!”
“Huh.”
Young-guk shook his head as he watched Jisoo dash to her room. Was she really that into idols? Young-guk then sat at the dining table and pulled out a small booklet.
-Thank you for reading it even once!
It was the booklet that writer Minsu Jin had handed him that afternoon. She seemed so flustered about not recognizing Young-guk’s face that she stammered as she gave him the booklet.
Back home, he checked it out and found it was a drama synopsis. Her preparedness was something to be acknowledged.
“Let’s take a look.”
Young-guk’s eyes scanned the synopsis.
How much time had passed?
At first, it was mere curiosity. After all, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that there were piles of synopses for dramas and movies at his agency.
But the more he turned the pages, the more he couldn’t take his eyes off it. Contrary to her clumsy image, the synopsis seemed to draw him in.
