Chapter 13: Ribs, Reunion, and Rising Stakes

It was barely June, but the weather already felt like the height of summer, with the sun blazing fiercely.

Feeling the harsh heat of early summer intensified by global warming, I headed alone to a pork ribs restaurant located in a market alley near Dongdaemun Station for lunch.

The moment I opened the door to the pork ribs place, the refreshing air from the air conditioner greeted me, clearing the suffocating heat that had been clinging to me.

I had deliberately come a bit past lunchtime, having heard that this was a famous eatery, so the atmosphere inside was quite relaxed.

“Is it okay if I eat alone?”

“Welcome! Please sit wherever you like.”

“May I sit somewhere close to the kitchen?”

“Of course.”

Following the warm guidance of a kindly-looking ajumma, I sat near the front where the air felt coolest.

After ordering two servings of ribs, the side dishes were soon laid out.

I took a bite of the stir-fried white kimchi with pork fat, and the rich, savory flavor filled my mouth, whetting my appetite. This really was a reputed spot.

Of course, I wasn’t here just to leisurely enjoy a meal at a famous restaurant, so I straightened my back and turned my head toward the kitchen.

Through the kitchen doorway, I saw An Yu-seok standing in front of a large sink, scrubbing the grill with a three-bristle brush.

He had told me last time, after I watched his play, that if I ever came to the meat restaurant where he worked, he would definitely give me a discount, so I came to check it out—and luckily, it was a working day.

I wasn’t here just for the discount, though; I wanted to see his face once more.

I had watched An Yu-seok’s documentary <안유석> so many times on Gatflix that I felt I could draw his face with my eyes closed.

* Seriously, do I have to know someone else’s life, especially a man’s, this well?

Under the intense heat unique to the kitchen, An Yu-seok, fully dressed in rubber gloves, boots, apron, and hat, was cleaning the grill, sweat streaming down his face.

“Man, that guy really lives hard, whether in the documentary or in real life.”

An Yu-seok stood up, stretching his back.

Catching his breath, he rubbed his face, then turned his head and met my gaze.

“Uh? Writer?”

The moment he spotted me, he hurriedly took off his rubber gloves and came out of the kitchen.

“I didn’t think you’d actually come. You made quite a trip, writer.”

“It’s a famous restaurant. I’ve only tried the side dishes, but they’re amazing.”

“I’ll pay for everything, so eat as much as you want.”

“I didn’t come just to eat your meat. I came because of you, Yu-seok. Could you spare a moment?”

“Of course! Could you wait a bit? I’m almost done here.”

An Yu-seok put his gloves back on and went into the kitchen, grabbing the scrub brush again to clean the grill.

He quickly scrubbed the remaining grill spotless.

Now dressed in his casual clothes, he returned to the table.

Then, the kindly ajumma brought out a mountain of ribs and a whole bowl of sikhye (sweet rice drink).

“If Yu-seok has a guest, he should’ve said so earlier. I wouldn’t have charged for the meat, so eat all you want. And this cool sikhye is homemade—on the house~”

“Hehe, thanks, ma’am.”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

I placed the ribs, marinated in a sweet and savory sauce loaded with plenty of green onions and garlic, onto the grill.

As the meat sizzled, its distinct, tantalizing aroma filled the air.

If the ribs were overcooked or the marinade burned, the meat would have a bitter taste, but thanks to An Yu-seok’s skillful timing and flipping, the flavor was exquisite.

“The ribs themselves are delicious, but Yu-seok, you really know how to grill meat well.”

“I’ve tried everything, but I used to work at a meat restaurant often. I’ve been here for two years now.”

“Cleaning the grill must be hard work. That’s a long time.”

“If you want to make a living, you have to do this much. The boss treats me really well, so I have nothing to complain about.”

After filling my stomach somewhat, I watched An Yu-seok place new meat on the grill and brought up the main reason for my visit.

“Is the owner here your mother?”

“Haha, no. She treats me like family, so I call her mom, but she’s not my real mother.”

“Then is your real mother in your hometown?”

“Um… no.”

An Yu-seok paused the meat flipping, then resumed with busy hands as he continued speaking.

“I actually grew up in an orphanage. I lived there until high school, but the other kids were so mean that I left early.”

* So even An Yu-seok’s past was just like in the documentary.

I nodded as I listened.

“I lost my parents in an accident when I was in high school, so I have some understanding of how hard it is to live in an orphanage without family.”

Life in a facility that protects children who lost their parents isn’t as smooth as school.

Especially for someone gentle and sensitive like An Yu-seok, enduring the cruelty must have been even harder.

My visit wasn’t just for the Gatflix quest reward; it was more than that.

One of the details from An Yu-seok’s documentary.

* Unlike me, An Yu-seok’s mother was still alive.

After losing young An Yu-seok, his mother searched for him for a long time, but due to various circumstances, she couldn’t find him.

Later, as An Yu-seok made a name for himself as an actor, his mother recognized him and they reunited.

An Yu-seok’s sturdy acting foundation was essential to his growth as a top actor.

But the steadfast support of his reunited mother was also crucial.

At least I knew this from watching the Godflix documentary <안유석>.

Even if it’s unrealistic for him to star as the male lead in , with his mother’s help, he could focus solely on acting without needing part-time jobs.

An Yu-seok’s mother had just that much power.

“If that happens, the timing for Yu-seok to become a leading actor will come sooner.”

That was why I came to the meat restaurant where An Yu-seok worked.

“Yu-seok, how would you feel if you met your mother again?”

At my question, An Yu-seok put down the tongs he’d been using to grill the meat.

He took off the hat he’d been wearing, as if recalling something, and slowly brushed his hair back.

He spoke in a voice barely holding back tears.

“If I could just meet my mother again, I’d do anything. Because she’s my mother.”

Hearing that, I steeled my resolve.

With his acting talent and such a pure, upright young man, I thought it wouldn’t be so bad to push a little.

At that moment, a large group of customers rushed into the pork ribs restaurant.

Seeing this, An Yu-seok wiped his damp eyes and immediately stood up without hesitation.

“I should help with the customers. Writer, please take your time.”

“Take care of things comfortably. And Yu-seok, only good things will happen to you from now on. I’m rooting for you.”

An Yu-seok smiled brightly and bowed politely.

“Thank you, writer.”

After he left, my eyes fell on the hat he had taken off earlier.

Inside, damp with sweat, were several strands of hair stuck to the fabric.

“I was wondering when to get a haircut.”

I carefully picked up a few strands of An Yu-seok’s hair.

「 Excuse me for a moment.」

Back when I was a backup writer, I never imagined I’d be the one shooting a scene usually done in the final episode of a drama.

Still, seeing the sturdy white roots attached, this was definitely hair that could play the part.

I carefully placed An Yu-seok’s hair into a transparent plastic bag I’d brought in my pants pocket.

On my way back to the office from the meat restaurant, I stopped briefly at the post office.

After jotting down a short message, I attached An Yu-seok’s hair inside a folded letter and sealed the envelope.

Following my online search, I neatly wrote the address and recipient’s name in clear handwriting on the envelope.

9-gil 5, Sangil-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul, Taeyang Building New Wing

Recipient: CEO Jung Se-jin

***

It wasn’t even a week after my visit to the meat restaurant that I met An Yu-seok again.

“Hello, writer!”

“Good to see you. Nothing unusual happened, right?”

“No! Nothing at all.”

He smiled as usual, looking like he hadn’t received any special contact yet.

We entered the building together in front of the Ace Studio, and the hall inside looked busier than usual.

Of course, today was the first script reading day for .

After exchanging brief greetings with the studio staff, we entered a room set up with tables arranged in a U-shape.

Following a staff member’s guidance, we sat at the assigned seats, and I spotted Seo Ji-won already there on the right side.

Seo Ji-won quietly nodded and greeted me with a slight smile.

If it had just been the two of us, we probably would have chatted endlessly, but with supporting actors and staff present, everyone seemed to keep their voices down.

At the head of the table, Director Kim Seung-pyo organized the thick script and glanced around.

“Is everyone here?”

“Actor Park Tae-won hasn’t arrived yet.”

“Hmm, then let’s wait a bit. We’ll start as soon as Park Tae-won arrives.”

Though there was still some time before the scheduled start, everyone except Park Tae-won had arrived.

But Tae-won was late even after the appointed time.

* His manager sent a brief, unilateral message: ‘Traffic is bad, so he’ll be late.’

Only after thirty minutes did he arrive on set.

However, Tae-won sat down with a sour expression, not apologizing, closing his eyes, and stretching his neck slowly.

“Everyone’s waiting. Tae-won, please try to come earlier next time.”

“Y-yes, yes, I understand.”

Director Kim Seung-pyo’s face stiffened at the indifferent response.

He hesitated to say more but clicked his tongue softly and immediately started the script reading.

“Let’s start with the first scene.”

The opening scene began with narration from the perspective of the protagonist, Sung Jae-il.

“I have an older brother who looks like me but lives a completely different life.”

“Wait, stop.”

After hearing Park Tae-won’s narration for just one line, Director Kim stopped the reading.

“Tae-won, even for narration, you need to do it properly.”

“Well, since it’ll be re-recorded later, can’t I just do it comfortably now?”

“Okay, fine. Let’s move to the next scene where the twin brothers talk.”

Tae-won continued throughout the reading with the same indifferent attitude.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t act; he acted like this reading was a complete waste of time.

His poor attitude was obvious not just to me, but to all the actors and staff present.

“I thought you’d at least do your best when it comes to acting.”

Director Kim, frowning deeply, suddenly shouted at Tae-won for continuing without emotion.

“Hey, Park Tae-won! What do you think you’re doing now?”

“Why waste so much energy during the reading? Isn’t it enough to do well on set?”

I had sensed his avoidance of the time during our previous meeting, but this was more blatant.

‘Is he trying to start a power struggle?’

Because of Tae-won’s careless attitude, no matter how passionately the other actors performed, the script reading made little progress.

“Let’s eat first and talk later.”

“Who do you think you are, interfering? It’s my life.”

“Who said that? Don’t talk like that.”

^ Can’t understand? Don’t be cocky, punk.

Even lines that required emotional highs and lows were read as if reading a textbook.

Since they were twins, the older and younger brothers’ tones should have been distinct, but no one could tell who was who.

As the uninspired reading dragged on, not just Director Kim and I, but the staff’s expressions also stiffened.

When the first episode’s script reading finally ended, everyone must have thought:

“This atmosphere is totally ruined.”

Meanwhile, Tae-won, the last to arrive, was the first to stand and call his manager.

“I’m leaving first. I have another schedule.”

In short, the first script reading of  was a disaster.

The male lead Park Tae-won, who accounted for more than half of episode one’s script, made that inevitable.

After the reading, everyone quietly expressed dissatisfaction as they left.

I also returned to the office with a heavy heart.

***

Late at night, after the script reading ended, I returned to the office.

I stripped, tossed my clothes into the laundry, and took a shower.

I deliberately turned the cold water on and soaked myself, refreshing my mind as my hair dried and endorphins kicked in.

Feeling rejuvenated, I sat on a plush, high-end office chair I had recently ordered.

“I knew top actors had diva behavior, but Park Tae-won takes it to a whole new level.”

Since Tae-won was confirmed as the male lead, there was no turning back now.

“Ugh... there really is no one like An Yu-seok.”

If An Yu-seok had been the male lead, clearing the quest would have been easier, and I’d have received an incredible reward and upgraded membership rank.

“An Yu-seok. How to make An Yu-seok the male lead...”

Suddenly, I had a thought.

Does it really have to be the male lead of ?

The Gatflix quest was ‘Cast An Yu-seok as the protagonist,’ not specifically ‘Cast An Yu-seok as the male lead of .’

I immediately opened my laptop and created a new document.

“Good! I, writer Lee Jeong-hyeok, am going to quickly write a new script for An Yu-seok!”

Easier said than done.

“Hmm... not easy.”

No brilliant ideas came to mind, and I just stared blankly at the white screen, watching the blinking cursor in the shape of an exclamation mark.

For hours, I scribbled and organized new ideas, but whether they could match the quality and fun of  was uncertain.

Just as I was about to clear my head, tossing my hair back, my phone lit up.

It was a KakaoTalk message from Kim Chang-su, a urologist and old friend.

Hey, it’s amazing! O Media’s stock skyrocketed!

How do you know O Media’s stock went up?

I checked the conversation but got no reply, so I suspected something.

Did you buy O Media stocks?

A friend got shares, so I’m following them to see what happens. Hehe.

“Wow, you look even more excited than when I told you I signed a drama contract.”

Curious about how much the stock had risen, I opened the stock app I had set as my background.

[O Media]

[Previous Close: 126,400<8//]

[Today’s Close: 128,548<0//(<1.7%)]

“What? It went up by 1.7%?”

The overall stock market was in a slump, with most stocks trending downward.

But the O Media stock, in which I owned a tiny 0.01%, showed a sharp upward graph from the afternoon, making me feel good yet oddly uneasy.

It was nice that the stock price was rising, but it also meant my ex-wife’s company was doing well.

I didn’t want to be someone who just took money and walked away, but I knew I’d have to come up with a plan someday.

Ideally, a plan that starts in the head and ends at the feet would be best.

“But why did the stock suddenly go up? Any news?”

I searched for O Media on the internet, and headlines quickly appeared.

One headline caught my eye at the top.

[Writer Park Eun-sook’s massive new work, ‘The Queen,’ confirmed for 780 episodes!]

A massive production that will shake the drama scene has arrived. It’s the 180-episode drama ‘The Queen.’ Written by Park Eun-sook, one of Korea’s top writers, and directed by Jang Byung-hyun. The production cost is expected to reach a rare 35 billion won for a Korean fantasy drama...

Apparently, the news that writer Park Eun-sook’s new work was getting a 35 billion won budget caused the stock price to rise.

Since the production company was O Media, the broadcast timeslot would surely be perfect, and with Park Eun-sook and director Jang Byung-hyun—currently at their peak—the drama was expected to be a huge hit.

“Thanks to Park Eun-sook’s new work, the stock went up. Lucky.”

As I happily searched more about Park Eun-sook’s new project, news was updated about the confirmed main cast.

Full of anticipation, I clicked the article.

The main leads of ‘The Queen’ are skilled actress Lee Soo-jin, who debuted as a Miss Idol, and Park Tae-won, making his screen comeback after a long time...

“What? Park Tae-won?”

The male lead announced for Park Eun-sook’s new drama was none other than Park Tae-won—the same actor confirmed as the male lead for our .