“Reporter Park, are you leaving already?”
Although the job of a reporter allowed for flexible working hours, it was still too early to be leaving. Park Seong-bae shook his head while packing his things.
“I’m going on a business trip.”
“What kind of business trip? Did you get any new leads?”
A fellow reporter perked up his ears.
It was understandable, as the entertainment weekly they belonged to thrived on the private lives of celebrities.
From behind-the-scenes stories at filming locations to celebrity scandals.
“Does a chef ever reveal his recipes? I’ll treat you if I get a good scoop when I return. Please put in a good word with the editor-in-chief for me. I’ve been going on too many business trips lately, and if I ask, he won’t approve it.”
“Are you dumping your work on me because you’ve gained some experience?”
“I’ll bring back something big for you. This one is quite significant.”
“Really?”
Park Seong-bae nodded briefly and hurriedly left the editorial office. He quickly started his car and headed for the highway. His destination was none other than Busan.
-Is this really certain?
-I’m telling you, Reporter Park. When have my tips ever been wrong? This is 99% certain. Jang Youngguk and Yeonsu are in that kind of relationship. If you move slowly and someone else scoops it first, don’t blame me.
He couldn’t be entirely sure if the information he got from his source was reliable. After all, Jang Youngguk and Yeonsu were both top actors among South Korea’s youth stars.
Especially Jang Youngguk, who was receiving numerous love calls from the international film industry. If their scandal were true, it would be the scoop of all scoops.
‘Well, I’m heading to Busan, but how am I supposed to catch them..?’
He needed undeniable photographic evidence. Since it was near the filming location, just holding hands or talking wouldn’t be enough proof.
Of course, this was all contingent on the information being true.
If they were just colleagues and not in a relationship, it would all be a wasted trip.
Park Seong-bae looked at his camera on the passenger seat and prayed.
“Please, be dating!”
The Merman Prince.
The success of a drama often hinges on the reaction to its first episode.
Especially for a work like The Merman Prince, which garnered public interest even before its broadcast.
If the first episode fails to meet viewers’ expectations, the disappointment could be as high as the anticipation.
“Everyone, it’s starting soon!”
Everyone from the filming site had gathered at a barbecue restaurant to watch the broadcast without having to pull an all-nighter.
At the assistant director’s voice, everyone’s attention was drawn to the large screen set up in the restaurant.
As the commercials ended, a bright light shone from the screen.
The first episode began with Yeonsu. Her glamorous appearance and intellectual demeanor during conversations perfectly depicted the daughter of a conglomerate family.
The story revolved around the only daughter of a conglomerate family becoming the president of a hotel in Busan.
-Director Park, I appreciate the guidance. But don’t you think you’re overstepping?
Her sharp retort to the older director trying to teach her was vastly different from Yeonsu’s usual demeanor.
In the drama, Yeonsu flawlessly portrayed the role of Han Myeojeong.
The highlight was her line to a guest who was sexually harassing a hotel staff member.
-Sir, do you think it’s okay to grope the female staff like that in broad daylight? Don’t you know you can be punished for sexual harassment?
-Punished!? When did I ever sexually harass her? I was just complimenting her like a daughter! Shouldn’t the customer always be right?
-Do you grope your own daughter like that? And by the way, if you’re the king, I’m the emperor. Director Park, call the police and our lawyer immediately! Don’t let this perverted old man escape!
Yeonsu, who was sitting in a corner of the barbecue restaurant, seemed too embarrassed to watch her own acting.
But the exhilarating performance of Han Myeojeong in the drama brought cheers and laughter to the restaurant.
After the broadcast ended. The first episode was undoubtedly Yeonsu’s solo stage.
Her straightforward and bold character perfectly showcased the essence of her role.
Moreover, the appearance of the merman prince Lee Soo (Youngguk) washed ashore at the end of the first episode made viewers eager for the next episode.
Splash.
The sound of waves gently echoed. The two walked from the bustling barbecue restaurant to a quiet dock.
It was already late, and with the twilight settling in, no one could recognize their faces. It was Yeonsu who spoke first.
“Oppa, how was the broadcast today?”
She seemed curious as a fellow actor. No matter how much monitoring she did, the feeling of watching the broadcast on TV was entirely different.
“It was great. I thought I did well recommending you.”
“Thanks for recommending me. But you do know that in terms of acting experience, I’m your senior, right?”
Youngguk just let out a short laugh, as he couldn’t exactly talk about his past life experiences.
It had been years since he first met Yeonsu. The little girl who used to have a runny nose had grown so much, making him realize how much time had passed.
“To be honest, I think I’ve been able to continue my acting career because of the advice you gave me back then.”
“Advice?”
“The pine tree thing. You told me not to get too hung up on the script and that if I kept acting steadfastly like a pine tree, the script would eventually become mine. You don’t seem to remember, do you?”
He vaguely remembered saying something like that.
As an actor, one inevitably encounters various turning points. From the disillusionment of relationships to doubts about acting.
Youngguk had experienced all of that in his past life. So, he often gave advice to many people during his acting career. Yeonsu was one of them.
“Oppa, are you going to Hong Kong next week?”
“Yeah, since the movie is premiering in Hong Kong first. As the lead, I should at least show my face. But I feel so bad for the filming team and you. You’ve been pulling all-nighters because of me lately.”
“You don’t have to feel bad. It’s inevitable. Besides, the PD is expecting some benefits from you regarding the export rights.”
Youngguk, who had caused a Hallyu wave in Japan with his past drama Youth, was attracting significant interest overseas with his return to drama.
Especially in Japan, where they were already in talks with MBS Drama Station. If the movie Chupungsa, premiering in Hong Kong, became a hit, it could even be exported to China.
Under the streetlights, the two sat on a bench with cans of beer. The cool sea breeze and the lights used to catch squid were a feast for the eyes. It was then.
“Squeal!”
A small crab had climbed onto Yeonsu’s leg from the breakwater, causing her to drop her beer can and cling to Youngguk. He quickly brushed the crab away. Then.
Click.
“Huh?”
Youngguk tilted his head, looking around. He was sure he heard something, but there was nothing in sight.
“I really wanted to go this time, but now that I’m a manager, my workload has doubled… sigh.”
Driving the car, Lee Bong-chun smacked his lips regretfully, probably thinking about Hong Kong’s dim sum.
“Jeongbong, make sure you protect Youngguk well in Hong Kong. Got it?”
“Yes, manager!”
In the passenger seat sat the road manager who would accompany Youngguk in Hong Kong. Fortunately, he was fluent in both Cantonese and English.
Lee Bong-chun, who was driving, was already giving a lengthy lecture.
From what foods Youngguk likes to the values a road manager should uphold.
The road manager in the passenger seat even took out a notebook to jot down notes.
As he gazed out the window at the passing scenery, Youngguk recalled his conversation with Yeonsu the previous night.
-Oppa, what kind of actor do you want to be in the future?
He couldn’t easily answer the question of what kind of actor he wanted to be. In his past life, he would have said without hesitation that he wanted to be an actor who masters the art of acting.
But in this life, he was already so happy.
After some thought, Youngguk finally said one thing.
-I hope that when I look back at my life, whether professionally or personally, I have no regrets.
-And?
-So I want to try everything I want to do. I want to be an actor with no regrets.
While it might be impossible to have no regrets in life, he wanted to minimize them as much as possible. He never wanted to hurt or burden the people around him again.
The same went for acting. He vowed to give his best in any role he took on.
“Huh? Manager? Is it always this crowded at the airport?”
The van was approaching the airport. The road manager, sitting in the passenger seat, widened his eyes at the scene outside. Lee Bong-chun, the driver, did the same.
Although many fans and reporters usually showed up when Youngguk was leaving the country, this was unprecedented. It was like a national soccer team going to the World Cup, with a massive crowd of reporters.
“According to the notice we received yesterday, it was supposed to be the usual number of people.”
Then.
Lee Bong-chun’s bulky phone started ringing. As he answered the call, his expression changed rapidly. Then, he immediately made a U-turn, leaving Youngguk and the road manager bewildered.
After hanging up the call, Lee Bong-chun glanced at the rearview mirror and spoke seriously.
“Youngguk, we still have some time before your flight. Let’s talk for a bit.”
“Hyung, what’s going on?”
After leaving the airport, Lee Bong-chun parked the car on the shoulder of a quiet road.
He then turned to look at Youngguk with a very serious expression.
“Youngguk, are you seeing someone these days?”
What kind of nonsense was this?
“Not a celebrity, but dating? When would I have time to date? I’m always pulling all-nighters, and I’m on my way to a schedule today.”
Lee Bong-chun scratched his head, looking puzzled.
“Right? It doesn’t make sense to me either. But…”
“What’s going on?”
“A photo was taken. It seems the reporters have already heard about it and gathered. The agency received a preliminary settlement offer, but it’s so ridiculous that the CEO wants to verify the facts first.”
Most scandals follow this pattern. Celebrities’ scandal photos taken by paparazzi are first offered to the agency for a settlement before being released to the public.
If the settlement terms don’t match, the photos are made public.
But what photo were they talking about?
At that moment, Lee Bong-chun added, looking at Youngguk.
“There’s a photo of you hugging Yeonsu.”
