Chapter 66: Fans and Antagonists

"Actor Ryu Yeon-woo, although you've only been in the drama industry for a short time, you were cast as the lead in a film by the renowned director Park Chan-hong. How did you feel at that moment?"

Ryu Yeon-woo, who had been smiling, took the microphone and began to speak.

"Of course, I felt very honored and happy. Coincidentally, the drama I debuted in was also hosted by Announcer Kim Min-a at the press conference."

"Oh, you remember that."

"Of course. Thanks to that, the drama I did with actor Han So-hyun, who is sitting next to me, was a box office success. I believe that this time, thanks to Announcer Kim Min-a, our movie will also have great box office success."

Yeon-woo's smooth words flowed out like a stream, continuing as smoothly as the announcer in front of him.

Indeed, the experience of being an infiltrator who lived half his previous life by words was not something that could be easily forgotten.

"Indeed, you really have a way with words. Speaking of the past drama, how did you feel about actor Han So-hyun seeing Ryu Yeon-woo's role as Pierre Choi, which is completely different from your image in the drama, during this film's shooting?"

The question directed at Han So-hyun, which flowed naturally, made her quickly pick up the microphone, having been listening in a daze.

"Yes? About Yeon-woo? He's always cool! Oh, about the changed image? Yeon-woo has the ability to set a character in detail and become that person. When he plays Pierre Choi, his steps, movements, voice, and tone of speech make me feel like Pierre Choi is really alive in front of me."

With Han So-hyun's answer, the question moved to Jung Hae-gyun, who was sitting next to her.

Yeon-woo, who was hearing his performance evaluated by another actor for the first time, smiled shyly.

Han So-hyun, seeing such a Yeon-woo, poked his side and played around.

After a few more questions, an event was held where a randomly selected audience member could write a wish to their favorite actor, and a winner was chosen.

Announcer Kim Min-a stood up and approached the female fan who was walking up to the stage, covering her face with both hands.

"Which actor will our fan write a wish to?"

Passing the microphone, the fan, with a voice as small as an ant, said 'Ryu Yeon-woo.'

The fan's wish was for a hug, and Ma Seok-do, patting Yeon-woo's back, urged him to get up quickly.

"Go ahead and do it, Yeon-woo."

Yeon-woo, smiling awkwardly, got up and approached the female fan, who covered her mouth with one hand.

"I'm a fan!"

"Thank you."

Yeon-woo smiled and approached, lifting her up and spinning her around once.

Squeal!

The fan service, more passionate than expected, elicited a scream, and the press conference hall turned into a sea of laughter.

Yeon-woo and So-hyun happily came out to take a selfie with the female fan, who also requested a photo with the three of them.

Judging from her request to take a photo with all three, she seemed to be a fan of the summer wardrobe.

Of course, the media representatives also gleamed with excitement, thinking of the headlines for their articles and capturing the scene with their cameras.

***

Lee Jin-a is the cafe manager of Woo's, a fan cafe for Ryu Yeon-woo.

Her essential daily routine is to check if the number of fan cafe members has increased or decreased when she wakes up in the morning. Today, as usual, she grabbed her smartphone from the bedside table with fumbling hands as soon as she woke up.

"Ah?"

Rubbing her eyes, Jin-a checked the number of fan cafe members again.

The morning sleepiness that wouldn't go away disappeared instantly, and her eyes widened.

- Number of Members: 10,107

Just yesterday, the number was barely in the 4,000s. This number would place the fan cafe in the top 100 of the fandom rankings for actors provided by the portal site.

Jin-a, moving her fingers quickly, started writing a post.

The nail tips she had uploaded to SNS yesterday, praising them, felt bothersome today.

- What's happening! Tears are blurring my vision. GGWuluk

【Author: [Manager] Yeonujina】

- New member greeting.

- Joined the fan cafe.

- Anyone know the exact release date of Master Plan?

- Please approve my level upgrade.

Jin-a posted a joyful message, but it was quickly pushed off the first page by the flood of new member greetings.

She wanted to share this news with her friends who usually enjoyed the same hobbies, so she closed the cafe app and opened KakaoTalk, only to find a message from LN Entertainment.

'Oh...!'

With a trembling heart, she clicked to enter the chat room.

- Hello, Manager Yeonujina. We have secured 15 VIP screening tickets for Actor Ryu Yeon-woo's "Master Plan" and would like to provide them to the fans through the cafe. The date is October 2nd, and we ask that only those who can definitely attend be selected.

"Here it comes."

She had made up her mind to always select participants for events through a fair lottery when running the official fan cafe.

"Even if I can't go, I will definitely be fair...!"

While making this resolution, she continued reading the message, and a postscript was written below.

- To lead the 15 fans, the cafe manager must participate. Please let us know if your schedule is available.

"Yaaah! Of course, it's fine!"

Jin-a typed her reply at a blazing speed.

After finishing the press conference schedule, Yeon-woo joined the filming location the next day.

The staff preparing in the parking lot noticed Yeon-woo getting out of his car.

"Yeon-woo, I saw the movie trailer. It looks really interesting!"

"Oh, you saw it? Thank you."

The staff congratulated and encouraged Yeon-woo, saying they were looking forward to the movie.

Since they were in the same industry and it was the lead actor's movie, they were naturally interested in its success, which would directly affect the success of the drama.

Today's filming was to take place in the bamboo forest in Damyang, Jeolla Province.

Entering the shooting location inside the bamboo forest, Jin Yu-han and the staff preparing for the shoot were visible.

"Hey, you're here?"

Jin Yu-han, who was stretching, greeted Yeon-woo.

Although Yeon-woo usually arrives at the filming location early, Yu-han always arrives first.

"Yu-han, when did you come? You always arrive before me."

"Yeah, not long ago. I usually come about 5 minutes early."

Today's scene is an action scene that will be placed in the middle of the drama.

Yeon-woo and Yu-han, who had practiced the movements in advance, were warming up, matching their movements.

At that moment, Seo Ji-eun arrived, greeting them cheerfully.

"Ah, sister, you're here."

"Yeon-woo, hello."

Seo Ji-eun approached, waving her hand widely with a bright smile.

"Hello, Yu-han."

"Ah, yes, hello."

Both were close to Yeon-woo and spoke informally, but they were awkward with each other.

"Since Ji-eun is here, let's go over the overall movement again?"

"Sure, let's do that. Please set the final overall movement here."

At Yu-han's call, the stunt team, who had been sitting in the corner, came over and started warming up with mock swords.

"I'll keep the lines brief."

The stuntmen nodded at Yu-han's words.

Yeon-woo started with his line.

Drawing the mock sword, Yeon-woo shouted.

"It's you guys. Whose order is this?"

Yu-han, who had been approaching Yeon-woo, drew his sword and stood opposite the stunt team.

"We need to get out of this crisis. We also need to protect Hong Lang behind us."

Yu-han whispered to Yeon-woo.

At that moment, one of the stunt team members, as if waiting for the cue, charged forward.

"Haah!"

With a short battle cry, Yeon-woo deflected the charging opponent's sword at an angle and cut him down.

Following the prearranged choreography, other team members also charged.

When Yeon-woo moved forward, Yu-han filled the gap to protect Ji-eun, and they alternated positions to take down the stuntmen one by one.

One of them swung at Yeon-woo, and although it's normal to pull back the strength when practicing, this one was unusually powerful.

Zing─.

The speed of the mock sword was alarming, and Yeon-woo had to use force to block it, or he might have dropped it.

Despite the chaotic movement, where they had to face nearly ten people in sequence, they performed the action scene flawlessly, as they had practiced diligently.

"Wow, that's amazing!"

At the end of the scene, Ji-eun, who had been standing behind, clapped and gave a thumbs up.

Director Lee Sang-hoon, who had been watching, added his comments.

"That's perfect. Please get your makeup done. We'll start filming right after."

"Yes, director."

Following the lead actors, they moved to get their makeup done. A special effects team member, as if trying to be heard, spoke loudly.

"Hey, Jin Yu-han was amazing just now. He even helped Ryu Yeon-woo when he made a mistake, carrying him by the collar."

The speaker, Park Kyung-wan, who had felt threatened by Ryu Yeon-woo at the gym, made sure only the three lead actors walking in front could hear.

His colleague, a stunt team member, tilted his head in response.

"Really? I didn't get that feeling. They matched each other perfectly without any mistakes."

Park Kyung-wan glared at his colleague.

Yeon-woo, hearing this, let it go in one ear and out the other, but Jin Yu-han, who had been walking in front, stopped and looked back at Park Kyung-wan with a cold, emotionless gaze.

Yeon-woo, not wanting to create unnecessary gossip before the show's release, patted Jin Yu-han's back.

Then, Jin Yu-han turned and continued walking.

"Let's go, Yu-han. We need to get our makeup done."

"That guy is weird."

Yeon-woo nodded in agreement with Yu-han's comment.

Every time they went to the gym to practice, Park Kyung-wan would bow deeply to everyone and stay to clean up like the other stunt team members.

'I don't really have any grudges from the staff or stunt team... Well, I guess baseless antagonism can happen.'

Yeon-woo decided to remember this person's face and be cautious during future filming.

After getting their makeup done, they completed the filming without any issues.

In the drama "Beyond the River, the Stars," the three, who studied under the same master, gradually became closer to each other and, as nobles of Goryeo, began investigating the increasing arson incidents in Kaesong to alleviate the suffering of the common people.

The scene filmed today was about the three discovering the arsonist and being surrounded by strange people, leading to a fight.

However, during the main filming, the stunt team member Yeon-woo had suspected did not act strangely.

The three actors finished filming and got into the car to return to Seoul.