Chapter 48: A House Full of Holiday Guests

During Seollal, many broadcasting stations prepare special programming.

In the variety scene, celebrities dress up in hanbok a week before Seollal, finish their shoots, and then offer viewers their best wishes for the new year.

On the drama side, they often present special drama shorts, or unlike usual, schedule featured movie programs to play high-quality domestic and international masterpieces non-stop all day.

Part of the goal is to make sure everyone in the country has a fulfilling holiday, but hidden in all this is another reason.

‘Because even people at the broadcasting stations need to rest sometimes.’

For the assistant directors, camera operators, and writers who are busy all year shooting dramas, variety shows, and other programs, it's only right that they have some leisure time for the holidays.

That's why I, too, decided to give Im Seonghee and Jeong Taemi a 4-night, 5-day vacation for Seollal.

Yet, the expressions on their faces as they packed and prepared to leave were full of concern.

“Author, you’re planning to go down to your hometown for Seollal, right?”
“No? I just plan to rest here for a change.”
“Still, wouldn’t it be nice to be with your family in your hometown for once… Ah.”

With pure concern, Jeong Taemi asked after my well-being, only for Im Seonghee to gently tap her arm.

They’d realized my situation—divorced, estranged from my ex-in-laws, and with no trace of my own birth family left, I had nowhere to go.

Even if I did return to my hometown, it would just be me alone in the house, so from the start, I had no plans to go anywhere and intended to enjoy a comfortable holiday at my studio—no, my home.

“Don’t worry about me. By the way, do you want me to drive you both? You must have a lot of luggage.”
“It’s fine. Our hands may be full, but if it’s with this much, we’re happy.”
“Really. I never imagined you’d go this far for us. Thank you, Author.”

For the two who’d worked so hard for me all year, I made sure to prepare solid holiday gifts.

A set of 1++ grade premium Korean beef, with its fantastic marbling, and a limited-edition set of premium yakgwa made by a master Korean chef—famous in Yeouido and only produced in small quantities for the holiday.

Of course, that wasn’t all. Using the pretext of “holiday rice cake money,” I also sent each of them one million won in cash.

I didn’t regret a single won spent on those gifts.

‘They’ve always worked so hard for me, from household chores to scriptwriting.’

So, as the two hesitated to leave, I gently patted their backs and personally opened the door to see them off.

“See you next week. Have a great Seollal holiday.”
“You too, Author~”

Thus, on the second day of the Seollal holiday.

I woke up at my usual time and, out of habit, went early in the morning to Omega Coffee on the first floor of The Sharp Officetel, as I always did.

[Closed for Seollal holiday.]

“Hmm. Looks like this place is closed too.”

So, after wandering for a while searching for a café that was open, I eventually gave up and bought a 500ml bottle of black coffee from a convenience store, then returned home.

As I closed the front door and stepped into the living room, the studio—which was usually full of the warmth and sounds of people—was strangely quiet and unfamiliar.

Doing my best to stay nonchalant, I went to my room as usual, turned on my laptop, and tried to open up my remaining script files to write.

But the “I”-shaped cursor on the white screen just blinked silently, unable to produce any words as usual.

After sitting idly for about an hour, I recalled those days in the past when I couldn’t write a single proper script and wasted my time.

Well, maybe after a nonstop year, I was a bit burned out.

By 2 p.m., after lunch had passed, hunger came naturally.

Thinking of ordering something for the first time in a while, I opened the delivery app, but nearly every restaurant near Yeouido was closed for Seollal.

I wasn’t thrilled, but I was hungry, so I rummaged through the kitchen for anything I could cook.

In the unnecessarily large double-door refrigerator, there was only bottled water and basic side dishes like kimchi.

In the cupboard, just a few packets of instant ramen, some tuna, and a can or two of Spam.

Recently, even the assistant writers had more scripts to work on, so no one had time to cook much.

‘Let’s just get by.’

I took out a packet of ramen and put water on to boil.

As I waited for the water to boil,

Ding-dong—the doorbell rang.

Who could it be at the very start of the Seollal holiday? Looking at the video intercom, I saw a familiar face.

-Author! You’re in, right?

Maybe he was coming back from a shoot—An Yuseok, dressed head-to-toe in a beautiful hanbok set for Seollal.

With a warm smile, I opened the door to greet him.

“Yuseok! What brings you all the way here?”
“Author, have you been well? Uh, could you please take this first?”

Without even his manager, An Yuseok had carried up to the studio by himself several boxes and bundles.

Taking the heavy-looking gift box from him, I asked, bewildered,

“What is all this?”
“Oh, my mother packed these for you, Author. There’s wild ginseng from Jirisan and abalone handpicked by Jeju Island haenyeo.”
“How on earth did she get such rare things?”

“You know, my mother’s an expert at finding these precious ingredients in Korea.”

As expected of Jeong Sehee, Korea’s top F&B entrepreneur—the gifts she sent were truly things you only ever see on TV.

“You could’ve called before coming. Wait a second. I don’t have anything to give you…”
“It’s fine. I just wanted to see you, Author. You’ve already done so much for me—how could I want anything more?”

Having no other choice, I opened a 2+1 instant coffee bottle I’d just bought at the convenience store, poured it into a cup, and sat him at the table.

“Were you about to eat? Ramen… you were going to eat ramen?”

An Yuseok asked carefully, seeing the ramen and pot I’d left out on the kitchen shelf.

“I just suddenly felt like having ramen.”

“Author… If you were going to be alone, you should’ve contacted us.”
“Oh, hey? Don’t look at me with those deer eyes! I swear, it’s not that I was lonely and going to just make do. I just wanted to eat ramen.”

Having witnessed, against his will, the pitiful sight of a single man living alone, An Yuseok sympathized and suggested we go to his house for the holiday, where Jeong Sehee would lay out a festive spread.

As a star drama writer, I wanted to maintain my dignity, but at the same time, I couldn’t help but look forward to the famous Mom’s Food representative Jeong Sehee’s holiday feast.

For a moment, I almost replied “Should I pretend to be unable to refuse?”—

Ding-dong, ding-dong—

The doorbell started ringing loudly, over and over.

I could already hear a noisy commotion outside, so it sounded like several people this time.

-Author! Please open the door~

Seo Ji-won and Manager Woo, who had starred in Twin Love, along with Park Sang-tae from the current Macho Restaurant project, all barged in together.

Like they owned the place, Seo Ji-won entered, taking off her shoes, and asked after me even before I could ask how she was doing.

“You haven’t been doing well, have you? I have, but I thought you probably haven’t.”

“These days, do young people just show up at other people’s homes for the holidays without calling?”

“What, someone else got here before us?”

Standing up from the table, An Yuseok, fully dressed in hanbok and full makeup, gave a polite bow.

“Sunbae, Director, welcome. Long time no see.”

“Oh my, Yuseok! Good to see you. Wow, your hanbok—amazing.”
“Hey, so An the actor was here too? I knew you’d turn out well. Hahaha.”

At the back, I saw Manager Woo quietly carrying the heavy luggage into the kitchen, and I shook my head.

“Manager-nim, working hard even on the holidays.”
“I just squeezed in a visit during Ji-won’s holiday schedule.”
“Are you not going down to your hometown?”
“No, that’s just how this work is. I’m taking a vacation next week, so it’s fine.”

With actors, director, and manager all gathered in the house, it became more boisterous than ever.

Especially since I rarely saw Seo Ji-won, An Yuseok, and Park Sang-tae in private, though we’d occasionally met at official events, they acted like old friends at a neighborhood meeting, all updating each other at once.

But while it made sense for Twin Love’s leads, who became top stars thanks to me, to show up, I didn’t really get why Director Park Sang-tae was here. Quietly, I sat beside him and asked,

“How’s filming for Macho Restaurant going?”
“Perfectly. Everything’s smooth.”
“Oh, and Director Kim Seung-pyo… he’s doing well, right?”
“Ah…”

As soon as I mentioned Kim Seung-pyo, Park Sang-tae’s complexion turned as yellow as someone with hepatitis B.

“If that guy ever comes back to Korea, I’ll… I’ll give him a very warm welcome.”
“Haha.”

Feeling that asking for more details would mean he’d never leave my house today, I let it go and stood up.

‘Still, having all these people here really makes it feel like a holiday.’

Even though all we had was bottled water and instant coffee, the cheerful mood wasn’t so bad.

At least, until two more people arrived.

Ding-dong—

Now feeling familiar with the situation, I opened the door without even checking the intercom.

The cold late winter wind rushed in through the wide-open door, instantly chilling the atmosphere.

“Ah… Uh. Hm.”

There, standing together, were Jo Minseong from Ten Enter and Hong Juhee from H Studio.

Before I could even ask, Hong Juhee spoke with her trademark impeccable logic.

They’d each packed Seollal gifts at their respective companies and happened to run into each other in the parking lot, so, delighted, they decided to visit my studio together.

From her explanation and tone, both were scrupulously polite and formal, using strictly businesslike language.

‘Ugh, suffocating.’

The subtly uncomfortable, oppressive, dark, and clammy atmosphere between the two made everyone tense up.

As everyone who’d been exchanging cheerful words fell silent, the youngest, An Yuseok, ended up asking carefully,

“President Hong, do you two know each other?”
“Yes, we used to know each other well.”
“Oh my, not anymore—just someone I used to know.”

Seeing their conflicting answers, I, Lee Junghyuk, the master of this house, had a sudden realization.

‘So they were like that back in the day.’

I nodded, finally feeling like it was a true holiday atmosphere.

“Macho Restaurant’s ratings are better than I expected.”
“‘Better than expected?’ With a script by Lee Junghyuk, of course it is.”
“You’re misunderstanding my point. I was talking about something other than the writing.”
“There’s nothing to worry about, not a single thing. Hoho.”
“Haha, it’s worrying because you haven’t changed one bit from the old days.”

Holidays, after all, are about sharing food and warmth from house to house, until a tipsy uncle or aunt steps up with a flushed face and says—

‘Damn it, so why’d you do that to me, hyung?! Who do you think ruined the family, blowing all of dad’s money?!’

Only after someone shouts in frustration and the mood sours can you call it a true Korean holiday cliché.

Looking at it that way, this Seollal was shaping up to be quite eventful.

The awkwardness soon melted away as we all worked in the same industry.

Hong Juhee, back to her efficient strategist self, suggested we take a “family-like Twin Love team” photo to set the mood.

Manager Woo, saying it was a great idea from the company’s perspective, naturally volunteered to take the photo.

Hong Juhee, An Yuseok, Seo Ji-won, and I all gathered around the dining table in the best layout for a group photo.

“Okay~ On three. One, two, three.”

Click, click—after dozens of camera shots, Seo Ji-won and Hong Juhee picked one to upload to SNS.

“Doesn’t it really look like a family photo?”
“For a family photo, there are too many people in full makeup.”
“Author, there you go again, always looking at things sideways.”

As Hong Juhee smiled proudly at having subtly excluded Jo Minseong from the family circle,

Just like that, another family photo was added to my collection.