Chapter 42

42. Sangdeokgu

"Please look from the left, I would be very grateful~"

Seunghyun bent one knee to close the height difference and sat next to Siwoo.

Although he could have lifted Siwoo, he chose to sit down himself to avoid any potential danger.

Click! Click! Click!

"Please continue to look at the center and right as well~"

Siwoo and Seunghyun posed magnificently in the direction the host indicated.

Click! Click! Click!

After the photo time ended, the host approached Siwoo and Seunghyun.

"Please wait a moment~ First, our Seunghyun, tell us your thoughts on the past year and give a New Year's greeting to the audience~"

The microphone was handed to Seunghyun.

"Kyaa~!"

"Wow~!"

"Keep growing like that~!"

Seunghyun waited for the cheers to die down a bit before speaking into the microphone.

"Hello, I'm Seunghyun. This year has been full of both difficult and good times. I'm very happy and grateful to be able to finish the year safely and to have the opportunity to attend such a wonderful event again. Happy New Year~!"

As Seunghyun gave his final greeting, a female fan's shout made everyone burst into laughter.

"Show us how to make water drop dumplings on TV later~!"

Through behind-the-scenes videos of "The King's Path," Seunghyun's water drop dumpling story was already known to the fans.

Seunghyun, whose face had turned red, laughed awkwardly along with the fans.

"Now, let's meet our Yoon Siwoo, who coined the term 'baby actor'~ How old are you~?"

The host held the microphone in front of Siwoo's mouth.

Siwoo, addressing the fans who had come to the red carpet and the viewers watching the MBS Acting Awards on TV, answered loudly.

"Three years old!"

"Oh! That's right! Our well-mannered Yoon Siwoo. Look at the camera over there…"

The host pointed to the camera.

"Can you say the popular phrase 'Aboji~!' to the viewers on the other side of the camera? Can you do it?"

The host was unsure if the baby would understand, but Siwoo responded perfectly.

"A~ Bo~ Ji~!"

The immediate response came.

"Kyaa! So cute!"

"Call me 'Unnie' just once~!"

The fans on the red carpet screamed.

Siwoo, looking at the high school girls in front of him, paused for a moment before shouting.

"Un~ Nie~ Ah~!"

Siwoo's babyish voice spread through the red carpet via the microphone.

"Kyaa~! So pretty~!"

"Sure~! I'm your unnie~!"

"I'll send you a trendy gift~!"

With the atmosphere heated up, Siwoo and Seunghyun finished the photo time, said goodbye to the fans, and left the stage.

"Yes~ our Sangdeokgu! Sanggeumi! Seunghyun and Yoon Siwoo! Now, let's continue… Three people are entering together~ They are receiving a lot of love for the drama 'The Witch Doesn't Cry'…"

Siwoo entered the MBS hall and met his mother inside.

"Siwoo, you did well. Are you not cold?"

"Yes! I'm not cold. It's fine~"

Next to his mother were Director Lee Honggyun, actor Hwang Dongshik, and other members of "The King's Path" team, who had been instrumental in the success of MBS dramas this year.

"Seunghyun and Siwoo, come over quickly~!"

"Our Siwoo has grown so much? You'll be four in a week? You'll be going to kindergarten soon~"

"Wow, just kindergarten? Elementary school will be quick too~ Kids grow so fast."

"No way~ If our baby grows up too quickly, this auntie will be sad~!"

The atmosphere became even more warm and friendly with the arrival of Siwoo and Seunghyun.

A middle-aged male actor said,

"Jungyoung is late because of his flight schedule. Once a few more lead actors arrive, we'll go in first."

Director Lee Honggyun nodded.

"Sure, let's do that… Why is Jungyoung so busy every day? Even today, he has an overseas schedule?"

"He's at the peak with 'The King's Path.' You have to make money when the tide is high. Hahaha."

While waiting for the other actors, Siwoo spent time with Seunghyun, and Hyunju spent time with Seunghyun's mother on a long bench.

"The kid asked to be taught how to make water drop dumplings. I asked Seunghyun a few times if it was really about making water drop dumplings, as I couldn't understand why he would need to know that for his role as Deokgu and the Crown Prince."

"Ah, Mom~!"

"Then he said it was true and asked if I could also teach him how to make bibimbap dumplings. He must have thought water drop dumplings were like cold noodles or something."

Clack-

Clap, Clap, Clap-

Suddenly, Siwoo clapped his hands and laughed.

Seunghyun's mother looked at Siwoo with a puzzled expression.

"Um… our Siwoo… Ah, is he understanding and laughing? Just laughing? How old is he?"

"He's almost 32 months old."

"Already 4 years old?"

"Yes."

"Hmm~ Siwoo is so smart. They say he's almost a genius?"

"Ah… Ha, ha… No, he's just normal… Thank you for the compliment."

"Smart, pretty, kind, oh~ so cute! Our Seunghyun was like this too, but now he's in his rebellious phase…"

"Mom~!"

"Yelling at me like that~"

Hyunju felt a connection with Seunghyun's mother, unlike with Jungtae's mother.

While they were laughing and chatting, the female lead of "The King's Path," actor Han Yoo-ri, arrived.

"Hello~ Director! Hello~ Seniors!"

"Oh~ Yoo-ri~! Your dress is so beautiful~!"

"No~! Your dress is more beautiful~!"

Yoo-ri greeted everyone energetically and joined the "The King's Path" team.

Seunghyun stood up to greet the senior, and his mother and Siwoo also stood up.

A woman in a sparkling off-shoulder white dress walked towards the children with a regal gait, stumbled slightly, regained her balance, and smiled brightly.

Han Yoo-ri, a 29-year-old actress who had recently risen to prominence as a rival to Lee Sujin, was riding the popularity of "The King's Path."

Yoo-ri, who had appeared from episode 8, had not met Siwoo before, as he had not attended the wrap party.

"Seunghyun, hello~! You look great today~!"

"Hello, senior!"

"You can call me 'unnie.' And… Sujin unnie… The child she dotes on is you, right?"

Siwoo, who was sensitive to subtle changes, noticed that Yoo-ri's voice became slightly sharper when mentioning Sujin.

'There's a sense of competition. Well, with the media calling her a rival to Lee Sujin, it's natural for her to develop some ambition.'

Objectively, Han Yoo-ri had always been slightly more beautiful than Lee Sujin since her debut.

She possessed a beauty that made the term "the most beautiful" in the entertainment industry, filled with countless beauties, seem entirely fitting.

However, her acting skills were far behind Lee Sujin, and she was consistently overshadowed. Her popularity soared after meeting Director Lee Honggyun in "The King's Path" and receiving praise for her acting.

"Your name is Siwoo? Yoon Siwoo."

Yoo-ri, lifting her dress slightly to keep it from dragging, bent slightly towards Siwoo.

"I heard you call Sujin's mother 'Sujin's mother.' Do you know Sujin's mother?"

Siwoo, looking at Yoo-ri's face, answered.

"Yes~"

"Really? You remember her. That's amazing. It's been over a year since you filmed together. Siwoo, look at me. Sujin's mother is pretty~ Unnie is pretty~?"

Siwoo sighed inwardly.

'…Am I the mirror in Snow White?'

To the representative beauty of Korea, Han Yoo-ri, who was making her best effort to look beautiful in front of him, Siwoo delivered the facts in a cute voice.

"I'm~ the prettiest~"

Then, he gave a charming smile.

The "The King's Path" team burst into laughter.

"Right! He's the prettiest!"

"Oh my! Look at that expression! Oh, what a show-off!"

"Yoo-ri! Neither you nor Sujin can beat him~!"

Yoo-ri slowly straightened her back.

Her cheeks were flushed.

She opened her mouth.

"Wow, I'm completely smitten right now. That's why Sujin unnie… is so beautiful~! Yes, you're the prettiest. Who am I to compare! Wow… charm… Can I hold the baby once, ma'am?"

Siwoo, who was gaining a new fan with every step he took, was still charming.

The MBS Acting Awards began.

The "The King's Path" team sat around a large round table and watched the ceremony.

The leading actor, Song Junyoung, who was a strong contender for the grand prize, barely made it in time for the live broadcast.

"Wow~ It snowed in China, and the flight was delayed. Plus, it's the end of the year, so the roads were really congested~ I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

The star of Asia, Song Junyoung, apologized to the other actors and sat down in an empty seat next to Hwang Dongshik, who was holding Siwoo.

Junyoung, who had slicked back his hair, extended his hand to the famous baby Siwoo, whom he was meeting for the first time.

"Yo! Let's high-five! Mini mini Deokgu! Hi five~!"

Siwoo, thinking this was some character, gave him a high-five.

Clap!

"Ah! Ouch… My hand is broken…"

"…"

"Is it not funny? Senior Dongshik, do kids not like this?"

Junyoung, who was overacting while holding his hand, stopped when he saw Siwoo's lack of reaction.

Hwang Dongshik answered.

"Kids are different. The ceremony has started, so be quiet. You might be caught on camera."

"Got it. I hate being quiet the most."

"Junyoung, are you noisier than a three-year-old?"

"I'm sorry. He looks so well-behaved and adult-like."

"Siwoo might be more mature than you. Learn from him."

"Okay…"

Junyoung, who was more noisy than usual due to his late arrival, felt embarrassed.

Once Junyoung was quiet, the "The King's Path" team could focus on the ceremony again.

The first award was for the one-act drama category.

Under the smooth guidance of the MC, who was a former news anchor, the winner was announced, and a middle-aged actress presented the trophy.

Siwoo, sitting on Dongshik's lap, clapped his hands every time the audience applauded.

Clap, Clap, Clap, Clap-!

Junyoung, who was fascinated by Siwoo, spoke to Dongshik again.

"The director said this kid is very smart. He doesn't even cry…"

"Shh."

"Got it…"

Dongshik, knowing that once he started talking, it would never end, was cautious.

The one-act drama awards were completed.

The MC's voice was heard.

"Next, we have the popular child actor award. The presenters are last year's child actor winners, Kim Sungbin and Choi Seulgi. Please give them a warm round of applause."

With music, two children who looked like they were in the upper grades of elementary school walked onto the stage.

"Hello, I'm Kim Sungbin."

"Hello, I'm Choi Seulgi."

The children introduced themselves, and the audience applauded.

Clap, Clap, Clap, Clap-!

The children, following the script, awkwardly exchanged greetings and continued the ceremony.

"Let's meet the nominees for this year's popular child actor award."

"Let's see them on the screen~"

A video played on the big screen.

The first nominee was Seunghyun.

After a few more nominees, Siwoo's face filled the screen.

At that moment, the loudest cheers of the night erupted.

Several videos of Siwoo were edited together.

With each scene change, the audience's cheers grew louder.

The famous chicken soup eating scene and Siwoo's swollen face were the last images in the nominee introduction video.

The two presenters returned to the microphone.

"Let's announce the winner. The winner of the MBS Acting Awards Popular Child Actor Award is…"

Oh