“Wow.”
The lyrical voice fell gently, like the white snow outside the window, piling softly on the hearts of the women. Not only was the singing impeccable, but the deep gaze that occasionally met the camera was enough to make the camera director swallow hard. As the song ended, cheers erupted.
“Hello, I’m Actor Jang Yeongguk. I know it’s not perfect, but thank you for listening to my song till the end.”
As Yeongguk bowed deeply toward the cast and cameras, applause erupted from all around. Lee Soyeon, an active singer in the women’s team, couldn’t hide her bright-eyed gaze as she looked at Yeongguk.
Though she prided herself on her singing—being a singer by profession—her heart raced the moment she heard Yeongguk’s song. As evidence, her heart was still pounding fiercely.
Gulp.
It was said to be a simple variety show where young men and women gathered to play games and chat. At first, she didn’t even want to participate, thinking it was just a pilot program that might not even become a regular show. But when she saw Yeongguk for the first time, she realized…
Jackpot.
This was going to be a hit. It seemed everyone on the filming team thought the same. Even the rookie director, PD Jeong Jiyong, was clenching his fists with a smile of delight. Seeing how he shook the hearts of women from his first appearance, the title of the “Nation’s First Love” didn’t seem to be a lie.
“Now then, since both the men’s and women’s teams have finished their introductions and charm displays, let’s proceed with the first round of voting. Since it’s based on first impressions, we’ll give each of you a chance to say a final word!”
The women’s gazes were blatantly directed at the last man, Number 4, Yeongguk. The previous male celebrities were also outstanding in looks or humor, but Yeongguk had an aura that naturally drew people’s attention. As Yeongguk’s turn approached, the women’s team leaned forward.
“Noona, aren’t you glad you came today?”
Yeongguk’s bold statement turned the room upside down. Since he was here to help PD Jeong Jiyong, he decided to do it properly. The unexpected, daring, and fresh comment drew the attention of all the female celebrities.
“The results are in!”
The MC, holding the voting results, showed a meaningful expression.
“Let’s announce the women’s team first. Female Number 4, Lee Soyeon, 2 votes. Female number 1, Kim Jimin, 1 vote. And there’s 1 abstention?”
The eyes of the women’s team widened. They never imagined there would be an abstention. But the surprise didn’t end there. When the men’s team results were announced, the male participants displayed a range of emotions—some as expected, others bewildered, and a few utterly shocked.
“The men’s team, well, it’s unanimous. Male Number 4, Jang Yeongguk, 4 votes.”
The reaction was livelier among the female celebrities. They glanced at each other as if to say, “You too? You too?” It even seemed to foster a sense of competition.
The interview.
“Male Number 4, who did you vote for?”
PD Jeong Jiyong became the interviewer, asking Male Number 4, Yeongguk. He scratched his head while facing the camera, relieved that only the camera director, PD Jeong, and himself were in the room.
“I abstained.”
“As expected, I thought you might be the one who abstained. Is there really no one among the female contestants today that caught your interest?”
“That’s not it.”
Yeongguk adds playfully.
“Unfortunately, I didn’t fully understand the concept of today’s shoot. If I had known it was a program where young men and women would gather, I might not have participated. I’m actually quite shy. Everyone is so beautiful that it’s hard for me to pick just one. I feel it would be impolite to vote as a hoobae. Anyway, I’ll focus on being a good matchmaker as the youngest in this shoot.”
* * *
Chop.
With a faint sound like a mouse, the axe slipped off the log. The frozen log didn’t even budge, let alone split. Male Number 3 tried swinging the axe repeatedly, but it just glanced off, as if the log and axe were repelling each other.
Chop.
But the axe didn’t cooperate with him either. As expected in a variety show set in the mountains, they needed to light a fire in the stove to eat and sleep warmly. It’s self-sufficiency, almost like a documentary. This time, the comedian-turned-Male Number 2 stepped up.
“Believe it or not, I majored in physical education before becoming a comedian. Leave the heavy lifting to me!”
He showed off his biceps, exuding masculinity, which earned cheers from the female celebrities. However…
Chop.
Splitting logs wasn’t just about strength. Male Number 3 tried swinging the axe repeatedly, but it just glanced off, as if the log and axe were repelling each other. Only axe marks remained on the unfortunate log. It was then.
“Hyungs, can I give it a try?”
Yeongguk hadn’t planned to step in. As he mentioned in the interview, he intended to just play the role of a matchmaker. But at this rate, they might end up without food or have to sleep in a cold room.
“Yeongguk, can you do it?”
The male celebrities look at him with doubtful expressions, as if wondering what a young lamb who hadn’t even been to the army can do. He probably hadn’t even shoveled before, let alone split logs. But at that moment.
Crack!
The axe hit the log cleanly, splitting it sharply as if it were a magnet with opposing poles. Yeongguk, wearing gloves, swung the axe down, drawing cheers from all around.
This isn’t something you can do with just strength.
In his past life, when shooting historical dramas, perhaps because of his rough atmosphere, he often played roles such a servant or a laborer. Thanks to that, he learned how to swing a sickle and chop logs. The trick to splitting logs was simple: Follow the grain of the wood, and strike from the narrow rings to the wider ones in one go.
Thwack!
PD Jeong Jiyong, like the female celebrities, was stunned and couldn’t close his mouth. While all the male celebrities failed, Yeongguk succeeded spectacularly. It looked so easy that even when the male celebrities tried again, they failed, and the camera captured it all.
He’s really something else.
Even three years ago, during the filming of the Man of August, he was already exceptional. Although he was a child actor with little experience, he blended well with seasoned actors and had a knack for immediately understanding what was needed on set. Now…
He’s completely become a man.
It was hard to find any trace of his child actor days. If he once portrayed the transition between boyhood and youth as the “Nation’s First Love,” his current appearance was that of a full-fledged man.
“Now, you’ll prepare the meal yourselves. According to the draw, Male Number 4 and Female Number 4 are a team!”
Singer Lee Soyeon was inwardly delighted to be teamed up with Yeongguk. She thought it was the perfect opportunity to showcase her charm. However, being terrible at cooking, all she could do was wash or chop vegetables.
“Noona, I’ll do it.”
In the end, Yeongguk couldn’t stand it any longer and stepped in. He had intended to only help with washing dishes and assisting here and there, but the head chef’s skills were clearly lacking. At this rate, everyone would end up eating sugar stew instead of doenjang jjigae.[1]
In contrast, if you included his past life, Yeongguk had been living on his own for over twenty years. This meant there was only one option. As he showcased his impressive knife skills while chopping vegetables, the camera zoomed in on him.
Test of Courage.[2]
It seemed they were trying to get the most out of it, as the filming schedule was so tight it resembled a 24-hour documentary. This time, they were even doing the test of courage, taking full advantage of the enclosed location.
I should’ve asked before agreeing.
Yeongguk regretted it deeply, but it was too late. The bus had already left. Relying on a flashlight, Yeongguk walked the test of courage course. Following closely behind him was his teammate, singer Lee Soyeon.
A VJ followed them, capturing their every move. The filming staff were hidden along the way, playing the parts of ghosts to scare them.
Though the mountain path was dark, it was a course designed for test of courage, so walking wasn’t an issue. Then, suddenly, a ghost in a white hanbok jumped out. But judging by the face…
Jiyong-hyung?
It seemed the PD himself had taken on the ghost role with a self-sacrificing spirit. But no matter how well he was disguised, how could he escape the sharp eyes of Yeongguk? On the other hand,…
“Kyaa!”
Singer Lee Soyeon screamed with her naturally powerful voice, as if she was in charge of the sound effects. At that moment, PD Jeong Jiyong, startled by Soyeon’s scream, stumbled backward, about to fall. It all happened in an instant, but Yeongguk instinctively lunged forward, wrapping his arms around the falling ghost’s waist.
PD Jeong, dressed as a ghost in a white hanbok, clung to Yeongguk to avoid falling, resulting in Yeongguk inadvertently saving the ghost during the test of Courage. The VJ captured the entire scene on camera. Yeongguk, seeing the terrified PD Jeong, stifled a laugh and added,
“Are you okay, hyung?”
PD Jeong, seeing Yeongguk’s genuine concern, thought to himself.
What the heck? Why is he so sweet again?
* * *
The interview.
“How do you feel about receiving unanimous votes in the first impression vote, the night vote, and the final vote?”
In response to PD Jeong’s question, Yeongguk showed a slightly embarrassed expression.
“I didn’t expect this result either.”
It was true. Who would have thought he would receive unanimous votes three times in a row? However, PD Jeong Jiyong already had a knowing look. It was no surprise, as throughout the filming, Yeongguk’s presence was truly outstanding.
It wasn’t that he was trying to stand out, but rather, each of his small actions seemed inherently actor-like. It would be accurate to say his aura was different from others.
“Male Number 4, is there anything you regret about the shoot?”
“I feel like I didn’t fulfill my role as the matchmaker properly. And I’m sorry to the noonas for abstaining from voting three times in a row. Everyone did so well that it was really hard to choose just one.”
His role as the matchmaker ultimately ended in failure. The female celebrities’ attention was solely focused on Yeongguk. Throughout the shoot, the youngest member took care of the noonas and hyungs first and was even friendly to the filming crew, which made him even more likable.
No matter how you look at it, he doesn’t seem like he’s eighteen.
That was the same feeling three years ago when they met on the filming set in Yeongdo. Despite his youthful appearance, his behavior and social skills were arguably better than PD Jeong’s own. Just then, the camera director signaled that he needed to change the tape.
“Jiyong-hyung, I’m sorry I couldn’t help you properly with the pilot.”
“What are you talking about? I think this will be a hit when it airs. Originally, I wanted to gather young male and female celebrities to create something fun, but we ended up with something even better.”
A good picture.
The test of courage scene.
Undoubtedly, if the main broadcast aired, it would cause a stir. It included scenes that perfectly fit the variety show format, ensuring the entertainment aspect was well captured.
And after two days of variety show filming…
“Whew.”
Yeongguk descended from the mountains of Gangwon Province and headed to his agency. He had many questions. As he entered the CEO’s office, CEO Kim Seonghwan was waiting as if he knew Yeongguk would come.
“CEO, why didn’t you properly explain the show’s concept to me?”
“You didn’t ask.”
“That’s true, but it would have been nice if you had mentioned it. Do you know how flustered I was?”
“Did you enjoy the variety show filming? What do you think, Yeongguk? Do you think the pilot will become a regular show?”
“Since it’s a variety format that hasn’t been seen in Korea before, I think it could be quite a hit.”
“Really?”
CEO Kim Seonghwan brushed his nose and added,
“Yeongguk, do you know why I wanted you to appear on that variety show?”
Yeongguk wasn’t unaware of CEO Kim Seonghwan’s intentions. In fact, when he first arrived at the mountain lodge, he was puzzled. Why did he specifically want him to appear on a program where young men and women gathered? There were plenty of variety shows, after all. The reason was simple.
“I know, you wanted me to shed my child actor image.”
CEO Kim Seonghwan gave a faint smile. It wasn’t so much about helping PD Jeong as it was about focusing on breaking away from the child actor image. Yeongguk quickly caught on to that fact as well.
“When I heard the concept for the variety show from PD Jeong, even though it was a dating format, it was quite wholesome. And since it involved young men and women in the entertainment industry, I thought it would naturally create an atmosphere for you, Yeongguk, to transition from a child actor to a young adult. Breaking an already established image isn’t easy. As expected, you’re the only one who understands my heart, Yeongguk.”
Indeed, with all the experience in this field.
“Yeah, since Youth was a work that showed the romance of high school life, it was hard to completely shed the child actor image. Also, just by looking at your build, Yeongguk, you’re an adult, not a kid. We need to gradually change your image before the release of The Priest’s Confession.”
Yeongguk understood CEO Kim Seonghwan’s concerns. There were many child actors in Korea. However, not all of them continued to live as actors. Most struggled to shed their child actor image and found it difficult to continue good acting as adults. This often prevented child actors from being cast in adult roles.
“Yeongguk, here.”
Suddenly, CEO Kim Seonghwan handed him a white envelope.
“What’s this?”
“Lunar New Year is coming up soon. You should go back to your hometown with your hands full. It’s for you to buy your mother a warm coat.”
“CEO, it’s okay. I’m earning money too.”
“It’s not for you, Yeongguk. It’s to thank your mother. She trusted me with her only son and sent you to Seoul, so I should at least repay her this much.”
CEO Kim Seonghwan stood up and forcibly handed him the white envelope. No matter how you look at it, he was different from the agency head Yeongguk has encountered in the past. Meeting someone like him was a blessing for an actor.
* * *
Namhang was bustling in preparation for the upcoming Lunar New Year. Fishing boats and trawlers were bustling through the waters to catch rockfish, and the market was packed with people buying ritual items. My mother’s shop was also full of people. When she saw me, she was startled.
“Son?”
Even though I wore a hat pulled down low to avoid being recognized, my mother immediately recognized me. As a result, the people in the shop also went into a frenzy. After the commotion settled, I was able to reunite with my mother in the now quiet shop.
“You’re busy, why did you come down?”
“I came down to see you, Mom. It’s the holiday, should I be alone in Seoul?”
“What about Teacher Baek Janghun?”
“Grandfather is busy preparing for a movie shoot, so he’s staying in the provinces. It’s quite lonely being in that big house all by myself.”
“Oh dear, when you go back, I’ll pack some food and other things for Teacher, so make sure to take them with you.”
“Got it. Oh, a customer is coming.”
Even though it had been a while since I last handled fish, my skills hadn’t rusted. Customers who visited the shop were surprised by the unexpected appearance of an actor and bought fish while also getting autographs. Watching this, my mother smiled contentedly.
This is nice.
I also exchanged greetings with the market vendors, including Mrs. Yang. It turned out that before the holiday rush, there was a banner at the market entrance.
It read, “Namhang’s Pride, the Nation’s First Love, Jang Yeongguk, Excellence Award for Acting!”
After closing the shop, I returned home with my mother. Walking under the moonlight, stepping on the freshly fallen snow, brought back old memories.
“Mom, isn’t it tiring with so many customers?”
“Tiring? It’s good to have many customers. It’s the holiday season, that’s why. Normally, it’s not this busy. But thanks to you, Yeongguk, today was easier.”
“I’m glad I came down.”
Holding my mother’s hand, we entered the apartment. While my mother prepared dinner, I went to my room for the first time in a while and sat on my bed. Then I took out the script given to me by playwright Jeong Yongdae.
“The greatest Casanova of Joseon.”
I was conflicted. I wondered if I could do the role well. But I wanted to try. As proof, my attention was captured the moment I read the first paragraph of the script.
[Joseon is rapidly changing. The swords and guns that fought against the Japanese invasion are now crumbling, and you can encounter Japanese people strutting around as if it’s their own living room. In this situation where the nation’s fate is waning, what can a mere playboy like me do?]
Just as I was about to read the next paragraph, my mother called me for dinner.
[1] Soybean paste stew
[2] The raw actually called it “Courage/Bravery Training” but that didn’t sound right so I went for “test of courage” instead.
