Chapter 77

Villain Only Acting 077

Traditional and Trendy (1)

"Apparently, the Cable TV Art Awards will not only select works from this year but also give awards to actors. They might be trying to grow it like the terrestrial TV year-end award ceremonies."

Seohoon Jeong's van was heading towards the Cable TV Art Awards ceremony venue.

Jeongsun Jeong was frantically scrolling through her phone screen with her long-nailed fingers.

"But since it's a latecomer, I wonder if many actors will come. It would be embarrassing if the venue is too empty for those who bothered to attend."

"If you don't want to appear in cable channels in the future, you won't come. But honestly, cable is more mainstream these days. Who watches terrestrial TV?"

"Even so, terrestrial TV is still more popular among older audiences. Habits aren't easy to change. Anyway, I hope it's not too empty."

Jeongsun Jeong turned to look at Seohoon Jeong, who was sitting behind her.

"They said you're definitely getting either the Best Actor Award or the Best Performance Award at the ceremony."

"Technically, they said you're guaranteed one of the two. They probably won't give you the Best Actor Award. The Grand Prize is out of the question."

"Are they already dividing awards among latecomers? The association is really something."

"That's just my opinion. Since this is the first year they're giving awards to actors at the Cable TV Art Awards, I don't know what they'll do."

The van eventually arrived at the ceremony venue.

Contrary to Jeongsun Jeong's worry that it might be too empty, the red carpet was well laid out, and a considerable number of reporters were in place.

The number of fans gathered to watch the arriving actors easily exceeded a thousand.

As Seohoon Jeong got out of the van, flashes and cheers erupted from all around.

Seohoon Jeong, waving his hands left and right, marched in calmly and found an empty round table inside the venue.

As soon as he sat down, he could hear murmurs from a distance.

"It's Seohoon Jeong."

"Is he really sitting alone at a round table as a newcomer? Isn't that a bit too bold?"

"Shh, be careful what you say. I heard he brought in 300 billion this time. Who would think he's just a newcomer?"

"What? Is he that rich?"

"It's not him; his mentor must be rich. There's a legend that his mentor happily invested 300 billion of his own money for his drama."

"Oh my..."

"Anyway, you should be careful what you say in front of Seohoon. He's not just a newcomer. It's better to see him as an actor and producer who excels in both acting and appearance."

"I should be more careful."

Is it taboo for a newcomer to sit alone at a front round table at an awards ceremony?

Finding it ridiculous to stand up again, Seohoon Jeong sat calmly.

He had been through too many rough battles to care about such trivial matters and the opinions of those around him.

"Are you here?"

"Ah, teacher."

As Min-sung Lee approached, Seohoon Jeong quickly stood up, bowed, and sat down again.

"At least a lot of actors seem to be coming. I was worried it would be too empty if there weren't many guests."

"Even my sister was worried about that."

"Of course, cable channels lack such traditions compared to terrestrial TV."

Actors, singers, and variety show stars started to enter one after another.

It was smaller in scale compared to the terrestrial TV year-end award ceremonies.

"Are you here? Can I sit down?"

"Of course. Please sit down, Miss Jeong."

"Please sit down."

Jung-a Yoo, wearing a red dress that revealed her shoulders, sat down at the table.

The lighting reflecting off her prominent collarbones was dazzling, and her glamorous appearance made her seem like a seasoned actress.

Jung-a Yoo whispered to Seohoon Jeong.

"What do you think of my collarbones? I'm quite proud of them."

"You're too thin. You should gain some weight."

"Really? You never give me the answer I want."

Jung-a Yoo grumbled, and Song Jeong-woo and Kim Sang-hee also joined the round table.

"Wow, Mr. Lee. It's been a while. I heard you were so busy with the schedule that you even went to the emergency room. That's a big rumor."

"That's not true, Director Song."

"I said it wasn't, Director. Ah, hello, Miss Yoo."

Cha Do-jin, who appeared late, looked disappointed at the lack of seats at the table and moved to the next one.

Seohoon Jeong was the closest to him.

"Are you definitely going to the after-party today? No excuses about filming this time, right?"

Seohoon Jeong chuckled and replied.

"Got it."

A popular girl group, Cerubia, took the stage for a congratulatory performance.

Seohoon Jeong quietly watched Han Seo-hee, his period drama partner, standing at the center.

She suddenly looked his way and gave a sweet smile.

Jung-a Yoo whispered from the side.

"What? Did she just give Seohoon a sweet smile?"

"She was probably looking at the camera. There are many cameras, after all."

"It definitely looked like she was smiling at Seohoon..."

Han Seo-hee's movements, synchronized with the refreshing beat, were as natural as breathing, full of vitality.

It was a stark contrast to the static sadness she portrayed as the consort in the drama.

Kim Sang-hee exclaimed in admiration.

"Wow. As expected, the center is taken by someone tall and with long limbs. Her dance is so graceful. I'm a woman, but I could fall for her. What about you, Seohoon?"

"Ha, that's a tough one. I don't think I'll get the Grand Prize. I was just a supporting actor in the film."

"Even if you don't get the Grand Prize, you should still be proud. You've done well."

The ceremony began with the MC's clear announcement.

There were no major surprises.

"Illigal" won the Grand Prize in the drama category, and Song Jeong-woo and Kim Sang-hee received the Directing and Screenplay Awards, respectively.

Seohoon Jeong received the Newcomer Award and returned to his seat. When it was time for the Best Actor Award, a slight excitement rippled through the round table.

"Either the Best Actor Award or the Best Performance Award is definitely yours."

"Since the vice president of CV Group said you'd have good news at the end of the year, let's wait and see."

Seohoon Jeong was nominated in both categories but did not win.

A slight unease began to spread at the table.

"What? Are they only giving you the Newcomer Award?"

"Even on terrestrial TV, it's rare for a newcomer to win multiple awards. But to follow that here as a latecomer?"

"That's ridiculous."

The awards continued without regard for their unease, and finally, it was time for the last Grand Prize.

[The Grand Prize in the drama category goes to... Seohoon Jeong from "Illigal"! Please come up!]

"Wow! The Grand Prize!"

"I'm sorry, Vice President. I didn't expect this."

"I didn't think they'd give the Grand Prize to a newcomer..."

"That's what they meant by guaranteeing one of the two awards. It was a bluff."

Seohoon Jeong received another round of camera attention as he walked up to the stage.

A beautiful actress, who was the female MC, handed him the trophy with a smile.

Despite being a top actor who once dominated the industry and still commands attention, he received the trophy with composure.

'How old is the difference with Mom?'

Seohoon Jeong, with a touch of wit and humor, expressed his gratitude to his family, colleagues, viewers, and fans.

His calm demeanor made it seem like he had won the Grand Prize several times before.

"Lastly, I want to thank Professor Lee Se-jong, who has guided and mentored me for a long time. Thank you, Professor!"

He delivered a heartfelt thank you and raised the trophy to a suitable height, receiving thunderous applause as he returned to his seat.

His composed steps, steady breathing, and calm expression made it seem like he had just returned from delivering a forgotten item to a colleague.

The live broadcast of the ceremony caused a stir on the BeRap fan forum.

[MC MC MC MC Who would think he's only won the Grand Prize once? Haha]

[Haha I didn't expect him to cry, but I thought his voice would at least tremble during the acceptance speech. T_T]

[He's really impressive. Who would think this is his first award ceremony and first Grand Prize?]

[OK, confirmed his mental strength is titanium. I can now follow him with peace of mind. Haha]

[His mental strength didn't collapse, so he didn't lose his cool. Haha]

[It felt like he was acting in a film where the lead actor wins the Grand Prize. Am I the only one who felt that?]

[Haha He's amazing, but I can't see any trace of the real Seohoon Jeong, which is actually better. Haha Haha Haha]

[No! If you call Voldemort casually, he'll appear and take you away. T_T]

[Who's Voldemort?]

[The one he thanked at the end.]

[Oh, OK;;]

***

A few days later, December 31st.

The Baekryong Awards, which honor all dramas and films screened and broadcast in the country throughout the year, were held, boasting the highest authority in the domestic entertainment industry.

The scale was noticeably different from the Cable TV Art Awards.

The number of fans and reporters gathered at the entrance was incomparable.

KBC was even broadcasting it live.

While waiting in the van, Jeongsun Jeong was excited.

"The Baekryong Awards are definitely in a different league. Look at all those cars gathered here."

Hae-sung Ha added,

"The scale of gatherings is different when celebrities come. But our van is the best, right?"

"Of course. It was bought by someone's dad."

"Ah, it's our turn. Seohoon, get ready."

"Okay, hyung."

The van slowly moved to stop in front of the red carpet, and Seohoon Jeong got out.

He received even more flash and cheers than at the Cable TV Art Awards and entered the ceremony venue.

This time, he did not sit at a front round table but chose a regular seat in the back.

As he sat down, a familiar perfume approached, and the sound of a dress brushing against the table indicated someone standing beside him.

"Can I sit here?"

Seohoon Jeong, already knowing it was Ji-hyun Chae, pretended to realize and stood up to greet her.

"Of course. Please sit down."

"Congratulations again on the Grand Prize. I hope you win another one today."

"Ha, that's unlikely. I only had a minor role in the film."

"Was it a minor role? You practically stole the show from the lead."

"Can the lead who was 'stolen from' sit here?"

A deep, mature male voice came from the opposite side.

"Hello, Seohoon. It's good to see you. Please sit down."

Seong-bin Choi, a famous actor known for his youth and peak handsomeness, now in his 40s, greeted with a smile and a slight wave.

"Hello, hyung."

Seong-bin Choi sat down with Ji-hyun Chae in the middle and playfully greeted.

"Hey, our Deputy Director Kim Sujin, who wasn't 'stolen from,' is also here, right?"

"Hyung, it was just a joke. Why are you like this?"

"Hey, we were lucky our screen time wasn't cut. If it had been, we would have been supporting actors, not leads. After we all died, Kim Chan dominated the second half, leaving us with nothing to do."

"Kim Chan's screen time increased a bit, but the leads' screen time didn't decrease. You dominated the screen until the second half."

"Even with that, it would have been different if I had joined from the beginning, not as a replacement."

His voice didn't sound regretful but rather playful.

"Congratulations on the sequel being confirmed."

"Thank you. I already congratulated you then."

"Such things should be congratulated many times. Originally, the film was supposed to end as a short, but thanks to you, a sequel is confirmed. I'm happy too."

"Because the sales of the first film will increase, and you'll get running royalties. That's why hyung is like this, Seohoon."

If the sequel is successful, the demand for the first film will increase.

Seong-bin Choi will steadily earn from VOD, film channel broadcasts, and overseas exports.

Thus, he will earn additional profits.

"Ah, I hope I can appear in the sequel too. It would be a shame to miss out."

"It would probably be a horror or zombie film."

"Could you at least include a prequel scene? I'd be happy with a cameo appearance."

Seong-bin Choi, smiling, covered his mouth and asked.

"You said you don't have an agency. If you're interested in ours, let me know."

"Thank you. I'm focusing on filming 'Hageum' and preparing to return to school for now."

"Seohoon, our agency is better. Remember the team leader you met during the CF shoot? He really takes good care of his actors."

"Yes, he seemed like a good person."

While chatting, the main event of the Baekryong Awards began.

Starting with an idol performance, the year's top works were introduced, and actors, directors, writers, and editing staff were called up one by one.

"Newcomer Award in the film category goes to Seohoon Jeong! Congratulations!"

"Best Supporting Actor Award in the film category also goes to Seohoon Jeong! Congratulations again!"

The film "Illigal" won several major titles, including Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Box Office.

Seohoon Jeong, winning the Newcomer and Best Supporting Actor Awards, achieved a very good result for his first film debut.

Ji-hyun Chae, on the other hand, felt a bit disappointed.

"What a shame. I thought you'd win the Best Performance Award."

"Two awards are more than enough for me."

"Let's aim for more awards in 'Illigal 2.' Got it?"

"Yes, let's do that."

Their conversation was briefly captured by the camera, but the Baekryong Awards concluded without much fuss, welcoming the new year.

***

The new year arrived, and Seohoon Jeong spent his time busy with the filming of "Hageum," CF shoots, and preparations for returning to school.

The filming progressed smoothly, and Han Seo-hee showed even better acting than before, satisfying Jang Seung-won.

Lee Min-sung also demonstrated a more advanced performance, earning genuine admiration from the production team.

"Do you know the writer who went missing? He's back."

"Now? But because of him, the project was almost scrapped. What does he plan to do?"

"He reconciled with the director he had a conflict with and apologized. But the damage is already done. Who would direct a debut work that was almost scrapped? The production company has already branded him as someone to avoid."

Occasionally, small topics of conversation arose, but the new year's winter passed smoothly.

Despite the unusually cold winds, they were all satisfied with the indoor studio shooting, which was only used when absolutely necessary.

"Parju Studio, this is pure gold."

"I hope we can continue shooting here next time. But it's hard to secure such important facilities exclusively like this."

"It's tough. This is only possible because we changed from a weekly to a bi-weekly broadcast due to the station's schedule."

"Other production teams say they can't book anything because we've secured three facilities."

March 1st, Wednesday, Samiljeol.

On the day when the Taegukgi was hung at Parju Studio, people finally gathered in front of their TVs, waiting for the first broadcast of "Hageum."