Chapter 45. Award Ceremony (1)

"Hey, Yeonwoo, you're really getting the hang of improvisation now."

"Well, it's because you always play along with whatever I throw at you, hyung."

The scene just ended with a high-five, but since Yeonwoo thought Pierre Choi wouldn't high-five with Kwak Ji-cheol, he improvised.

Ma Seokdo, who played Kwak Ji-cheol, perfectly caught the improvisation.

Lately, Yeonwoo has been completely immersed in his role, breaking free from the script and freely acting, which has made him fall in love with the true joy of acting.

At that moment, the assistant director approached Yeonwoo.

"Yeonwoo, I'm checking the schedule. Are you attending the Art Awards tomorrow?"

"Ah, yes. I'm attending."

Tomorrow is the day of the Korean Art Awards.

It is an authoritative award held every April, recognizing all visual creations screened or broadcast from January 1 to December 31 of the previous year.

When they were filming "Summer's Closet," Han So-hyun was worried that Yeonwoo might be disappointed because JNBC didn't have an award ceremony, so Director Kim Han-su suggested aiming for an award.

Yeonwoo has been nominated for the TV category's Best Actor and New Star awards.

While the other nominees for Best Actor, including Son Jin-wook, are formidable, the chances of winning are slim. However, Yeonwoo feels honored to be nominated in his first year.

Among them, Son Jin-wook, who acted in the same work, and Jin Yohan, a well-known child actor, are the leading candidates.

Yeonwoo knows Son Jin-wook well as his closest actor and senior, but he doesn't know much about Jin Yohan.

Finding it interesting that one of the nominees competing with Jin-wook is a 20-year-old young actor like himself, Yeonwoo looked up Jin Yohan's previous works.

Jin Yohan started acting at the age of seven and steadily built his acting skills by playing supporting roles in major films. He achieved a significant breakthrough with his first adult lead role in "Beyond," a time-slip detective drama, which became a major hit in the second half of last year.

"It's good to have a goal to catch up with at the same age."

As the assistant director's question connected Yeonwoo's thoughts to Son Jin-wook and then to Jin Yohan, he thought it would be nice to work on the same project someday.

The next day, the day of the Korean Art Awards arrived.

Even though the sun had set and night had fallen, the exhibition hall of the integrated trade center in Gangnam was brighter than daytime due to the camera shutters and lights.

Ziiing—

The door of the van Yeonwoo was in opened.

"Hi, hi."

"Hyung, please come in."

Son Jin-wook waved his hand and got into the car.

Wearing a neat tuxedo with a bow tie, Son Jin-wook's gaze turned toward the driver's seat.

"Min-su, it's been a while."

"Yes, Mr. Son. You look great today."

Min-su, who was driving, gave a thumbs up to Jin-wook.

"Ugh. I guess I'm getting old; I make noise when I sit down."

"Hyung, you're still young."

As Jin-wook joked while sitting down, he smiled at Yeonwoo.

"Looks like we're competing today?"

"According to the newspaper, your competitor is Jin Yohan."

Yeonwoo's words made Jin-wook laugh.

"Ah, Yohan. I've never acted with him, but I've seen him a few times at award ceremonies and in private. He was a small child, but now he's grown so much."

"He's the same age as me."

Yeonwoo's words made Jin-wook's eyes widen.

"Ah, really? That's right. I knew you entered university this year, but why do you seem older than your age? Yohan has always seemed young because I've seen him since he was a child."

Yeonwoo and Jin-wook chatted for a while.

Min-su's van, where the two were, was waiting in the parking lot.

They were waiting for the radio call to enter in the order of the award ceremony, fully dressed and ready.

At that moment, Yeonwoo's smartphone rang before the radio.

Ding—

"Huh? It's So-hyun noona."

"So-hyun? Answer it."

Yeonwoo pressed the call button on his smartphone.

"Yes, So-hyun noona."

- Yeonwoo! Is the white van next to our car yours?

Hearing So-hyun's words, Yeonwoo looked around and saw a black van on the right.

Ziiing—

Yeonwoo lowered the window, and the window of the black van next to him also went down.

"Yeonwoo! Oh, Senior Jin-wook is here too!"

So-hyun waved her hand enthusiastically.

The window quickly went back up, and So-hyun seemed to be talking to her manager in the front seat. Then the door opened, and So-hyun got out, with Min-su opening the car door for her.

"Ta-da! The leading lady has arrived."

"Hahaha. So-hyun, you look beautiful today."

So-hyun, wearing a white dress that reminded one of a Greek goddess, got into the car.

"Noona, I don't know where to look."

So-hyun's dress had a deep V-neck and a hole on the left side of the waist, making it more revealing than expected.

"Hey! Other actresses are even more daring. This is a Confucian dress."

"Ha. So-hyun, what's a Confucian dress?"

So-hyun's words made Jin-wook laugh, and he continued.

"By the way, I heard you two recently started a movie together. How is it? It's the famous Director Park Chan-hong."

So-hyun smiled at Jin-wook's question.

"Senior, don't even mention it. Yeonwoo is flying high these days?"

"Oh. Your acting skills are blossoming?"

"He's playing a charismatic and mischievous con man, and he's been playing pranks on me a lot lately!"

So-hyun complained to Jin-wook, who was playing along.

Indeed, Yeonwoo, who is possessed by Pierre Choi, has added a bit of mischief to his usually reserved personality.

The target of his mischief is Han So-hyun, who is the most comfortable and fun to react to.

He's already improvising enough with Ma Seokdo when the camera is on, and he doesn't want to get a slap on the back from Ma Seokdo's pot lid-like hand when the camera is off.

Yeonwoo smiled at So-hyun's playful complaint and looked at Jin-wook.

"No, Jin-wook hyung. So-hyun noona is seducing Senior Jung Ha-gyun in a scene, and—"

"Hey! Stop it!"

So-hyun tried to cover Yeonwoo's mouth, and Yeonwoo playfully dodged.

Jin-wook laughed at the sight.

"Hahaha. I don't know what it is, but you two are funny. I wish I could film with you. It was really fun every day when we filmed the wardrobe scenes."

Yeonwoo smiled at Jin-wook.

"Let's definitely work together again."

"Me too? Me too?"

Han So-hyun, who inserted her face between Yeonwoo and Jin-wook, asked.

"Of course. We're the Three Musketeers."

Yeonwoo smiled, and just then, the radio rang.

- Static— "Summer's Closet. Please prepare for the 'Summer's Closet' team to enter."

Beep—

"Three actors from 'Summer's Closet' will enter in one car. We're entering now."

Min-su, who replied to the radio, shifted the gear lever and drove the car.

At the entrance, reporters and security guards were waiting with cameras, and beyond them, many fans were on tiptoe, trying to catch a glimpse of their favorite stars.

- "The car carrying the actors from 'Summer's Closet' has arrived—!"

The voice of the female announcer responsible for the external event was heard, and the car door opened.

The main cast of 'Summer's Closet' appeared.

First, Son Jin-wook got out.

"Ah! He's so handsome!"

"Marry me, Jin-wook!"

The fans' screams were heard, and the camera shutters went off like crazy.

Jin-wook smiled and waved his hand.

Next, Han So-hyun got out in a dress, and Jin-wook held her hand.

The camera shutters went off, making her white dress and porcelain-like skin shine, showcasing her goddess-like beauty.

The fans' screams grew louder as Jin-wook held So-hyun's hand.

Jin-wook and So-hyun walked a bit forward to make space, and a chiseled face appeared through the car door.

"Ah! I love you, Yeonwoo!"

"You're crazy!"

The screams and cheers at the award ceremony entrance were deafening.

Yeonwoo smiled widely and made a heart sign with his fingers toward the cameras of the reporters and fans.

"Look this way, too!"

The mixed requests turned into indistinguishable noise.

Yeonwoo cleverly looked in various directions and posed, then walked over to Jin-wook and So-hyun.

- "Let's welcome the shining actors. Actors from 'Summer's Closet,' please come this way."

Hearing the announcer's words, they followed the staff's guidance and walked onto the red carpet.

"I'm stepping on the red carpet for the first time."

Yeonwoo's words made Jin-wook and So-hyun's eyes widen.

"Really? That's right. You were waiting inside during the press screening."

The three main actors walked in, chatting and laughing, and the announcer live-streamed it for the fans.

- "Yes, they look like they have a great relationship. They received a lot of love last year for their chemistry. Please stand in the center, Han So-hyun."

Han So-hyun walked in and stood in the center of the photowall, smiling and taking photos before entering.

It was Son Jin-wook's turn, and now it was Yeonwoo's turn.

- "Yes, next is the currently hottest actor, Ryu Yeonwoo. Please welcome him."

Yeonwoo walked up with a bright smile.

As he got closer, the announcer took the microphone and spoke to him.

"Actor, please stand in the circle and look to the right for the photos."

Yeonwoo nodded to the announcer and stood in the center of the photowall.

Ryu Yeonwoo, dressed in a tuxedo with a bow tie, smiled brightly and took photos at the reporters' requests.

"You're so handsome!"

"Look this way, too!"

"Ah! Take responsibility for me!"

Ha ha ha.

The fans and reporters burst into laughter at the endless calls for responsibility.

- "Hee hee. Yes, you're getting a lot of compliments for your looks. You can also wave more."

- He is nominated for Best Actor and the New Star division. You're meeting 'Mr. Yun Woo Ryu' right now.

The announcement for foreign journalists was heard, and after a bit more photography, Yeonwoo finished the photowall event and entered the venue.

The red carpet was now noisy with the entrance of another actor.

However, a middle-aged white man in the VIP seats was looking at the entrance where Ryu Yeonwoo had entered, stroking his chin with a keen eye.