While I was getting my makeup done, Gi-do hyung was nervously pacing around.
He looked even more anxious than I did.
‘Our Gi-do hyung… He’s really not going to live out his natural lifespan at this rate.’
I purposely kept my eyes closed and said nothing the whole time my makeup was being done.
Even the makeup teacher, who was usually a chatterbox, didn’t say a word to me today.
She must have known about the controversy that broke out this morning.
Some actors I’d known for a while—Lee Young-bin, Kim Un-yul, Ha Je-ban, Sun Ji-yoon, Choi Geon-hyung, and a few others—had contacted me, but instead of asking if the news was true, they all asked if I was okay.
To all of them, I replied, ‘Don’t believe it,’ and then ignored any further messages.
Hyun Saeng-sa’s article would go up ten minutes before the press conference.
‘It’ll be cleaner to reply properly after that.’
When the makeup was done and I looked in the mirror, my face was passable enough.
Since my features were already good-looking, makeup didn’t really change much.
Black pants, a black jacket with a casual suit vibe, and a neat white shirt—simple styling that went well with my striking face.
“Thank you.”
I left my thanks and headed straight to the venue for the press conference.
Thanks to the director giving me a heads-up about where the reporters would be gathered, I was able to avoid them and head straight to the hotel parking lot.
I arrived at 3:10.
As soon as I got out of the car, Hyun Saeng-sa, holding his laptop, rushed over as if he’d been waiting and waved at me.
“Jeon Yeo-hu, actor!!”
Seeing his beaming face as he ran over, it seemed he was really satisfied with the materials I’d sent him.
No matter how many times I saw it, I could never get used to that frankly materialistic face.
Gi-do hyung positioned himself in front of me, warily eyeing Hyun Saeng-sa.
“Hyung, this ahjussi is fine. He’s on our side.”
“Huh? On our side? He’s wearing a reporter’s badge around his neck? You knew a reporter?”
I smiled and introduced him.
“Yes. This is Reporter Hyun Saeng-sa. Of all the reporters I know, he writes the most honest articles. Isn’t that right, Reporter-nim?”
Hyun Saeng-sa grinned.
“Ah, of course. I worked hard to mix together the photos and materials you sent in advance, plus all the info I collected today. I sent you the finished article—wondered if you’d read it—so I came down here to the parking lot for just a minute, just a quick, you know?”
He winked at me, gesturing at the laptop in his arms.
What the heck.
“Yes, I checked it and told you it was good, didn’t I?”
“Oh! I must have missed your reply. Let me check right away. All right… all right! The confirmation’s in, so I’ll schedule the post for 3:50.”
“Yes, if you need anything else, feel free to contact me.”
With that, Hyun Saeng-sa, saying he’d snuck out on the pretense of going to the bathroom and had to get back before his senior noticed, turned to leave—then turned back and quickly grabbed my hand.
He whispered in my ear.
“I’ll be waiting for you to get in touch any time. If you need me, just come find me.”
It was only after Hyun Saeng-sa had gotten more than ten meters away that Gi-do hyung deliberately lowered his voice and called my name.
“Jeon Yeo-hu.”
“Hyung, if you put my surname in front, it just feels so—.”
“Explain to me exactly what’s going on here.”
*****
After hearing the whole explanation, hyung was worked up, saying I should’ve told him about all this beforehand, but since we had to get to the waiting room quickly, he didn’t get to nag much longer.
As he dropped me off in front of the waiting room, he whispered,
“We’ll talk about this later.”
I put off answering Gi-do hyung and entered the waiting room, where several actors immediately turned their eyes toward me.
Ju Tae-gang was already tidying up his clothes, and Han Se-rang was doing the same.
The first to rush over to me was Jung Yun-woo.
“Yeo-hu!”
“Jung Yun-woo.”
“You okay? Hey, look at your face—it’s all sunken in. Weren’t you the best-looking guy in the Korea Art College senior class? How little have you been eating to get this thin?!”
This bastard—wasn’t he just using concern as an excuse to say what he wanted?
“The article came out this morning. I’ve been eating fine. And anyway, I’m sure no one here actually believes that article.”
“Of course not. Han Se-rang sunbae and I both know the truth.”
Jung Yun-woo placed his hands on his waist with a flourish.
He must have explained the situation to the other actors who weren’t so familiar with it.
Since Ju Tae-gang would never have gone out of his way to clear up misunderstandings, it was all thanks to Jung Yun-woo that the atmosphere in the waiting room was even this calm.
“Fifteen minutes to start! Everyone, wrap up and get ready to stand by!”
The actors who tended to go out in front, led by Jung Yun-woo, gathered in one waiting room, and I moved to a different one.
Some of the actors there were seeing me for the first time.
Most of their gazes were tinged with sympathy or pity.
I wondered if they even knew.
‘No, no. Even if someone was going to push the sunbae, it was me.’
Though, one thing that was bothering me was that post by an actor on SNS that I saw in the article earlier.
‘But there’s nothing I can do to cover for that.’
Ten minutes before the press conference.
A few actors looking at their phones started murmuring.
Hyun Saeng-sa’s article had finally gone up.
Fortunately, it was the exact draft he’d sent me.
Having confirmed he hadn’t pulled any last-minute tricks, the press conference began.
*****
“Hello, everyone. I’m ○○, your MC for the most anticipated new Mon-Tue drama production press conference. Great to see you all~. Today’s event will begin with photo time, followed by interviews and Q&A about the drama. Reporters, please take your seats. Now, we’ll start with the photo time. Please give a round of applause as each person comes in.”
The order for photo time started with Ju Tae-gang, then Han Se-rang, then the rest in order of importance.
Jung Yun-woo was around the 8th in line.
Since I was one of the last, far from Ju Tae-gang, I didn’t feel much pressure.
“First, please welcome actor Ju Tae-gang, who plays the righteous prosecutor ‘Kim Yun-sung’—struggling to survive in the world of prosecutors to avenge a friend. That suit looks great on you. Please look at the front. Now to the right, and lastly, a heart. Could we get a hand-heart, please? Wow, very handsome. Very handsome. Now, please move this way for a moment…”
As soon as Ju Tae-gang came in, camera flashes erupted, several times more intense than at an ordinary press conference.
They said only accredited reporters were allowed in, but at this rate, someone must have snuck in.
They must have already checked the rebuttal article, so maybe there wouldn’t be any tough questions.
Jung Yun-woo, shaking so much he couldn’t even register the request for a hand-heart, just smiled innocently as he stepped down.
My eyes nearly exploded from the barrage of flashes, but I finished photo time without issue.
For the next segment, the ten actors and the director sat together, answering questions about the work as if in conversation with the MC.
The MC seemed to be deliberately avoiding any questions about the recent controversy.
“Now then, Ju Tae-gang-ssi, was there anyone who helped you most while playing this role?”
“Hmm… All the cast members helped me a lot. As you know, I went through some tough times while preparing for this drama. The shock was so great at one point I couldn’t even read the script. But thanks to everyone looking after me, I was able to keep filming. I hope we can wrap things up well.”
Since Ju Tae-gang rarely ever gave such gentle and lengthy answers, the reporters’ typing speed increased noticeably throughout the conference.
Next came Q&A with the reporters. Luckily, the rebuttal article seemed to have worked, and most questions were about the work.
“Due to time constraints, this will be the last question. Reporter Han ○○ from □□ Ilbo asks: To actors Ju Tae-gang and Jeon Yeo-hu, how does the atmosphere on set feel in light of the controversy before the press conference?”
“There’s no need to answer—.”
The director tried to cut off the question, but Ju Tae-gang grabbed his hand firmly and stopped him.
Ju Tae-gang scanned the crowd for the reporter who’d asked the question, found Han ○○’s nametag, and answered while looking right at him.
“There was already a clarification article before the conference. I felt fine. I even had a good time with my junior.”
“Ha, haha. Yes… Then, Jeon Yeo-hu, could you respond as well?”
I took the mic and tapped the head of it two or three times.
Like a rookie actor unfamiliar with such conferences, I awkwardly looked around a few times.
“Uh…”
Start with a heavy tone, voice trembling as if the listener should feel uneasy too.
“Ahem. Actually, this drama is the first I’ve put my name on… Though my role isn’t that big, being my first, I was extremely nervous even on the first day of script reading. But at the after-party, everyone told me to just do my best, and I think that helped me relax a lot. Sunbae Ju Tae-gang really took good care of me… he did.”
And now, right here.
“Hey, Jeon Yeo-hu.”
It’s time to cry.
Jung Yun-woo, sitting next to me, saw my tears and hurriedly pressed a tissue into my hand.
Flustered, Jung Yun-woo tried to shield my face, but I subtly turned my head toward the side with more cameras.
Ordinarily, this would have been a broadcast accident for sure.
A rookie actor crying because he couldn’t compose himself after a sudden controversy at a press conference!
“Sunbae-nim was so kind to me. I just went to hang out a lot, sniff, but because I went too often, that’s how the controversy… happened… and now, I feel like I just got in the way of the drama…”
Camera flashes burst all around and frantic typing sounds filled the air.
“He’s always been a crybaby. Hand over some tissues.”
“What’s he doing… Hey, this is live, don’t cry for real.”
“Sob, yes. is really a great drama, and I love it so, sniff, I think viewers will really enjoy immersing themselves in it too. It’s truly an honor to be part of such a wonderful project.”
I gripped the mic tightly in my trembling hands and bowed my head deeply.
After the press conference, Ju Tae-gang gave me a firm hug before leaving.
That day, the two most-viewed articles after the press conference were both written by Reporter Hyun Saeng-sa.
[We were there that day too! Han Se-rang and Jung Yun-woo, behind-the-scenes photos from the day of the controversy released]