An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 122

122. Episode 23 – Between Trash and Masterpiece (5)

[Jin Hee-sung, Cast as Lead in MBS’s ‘Temptation of an Adulteress’… Shedding His Existing Image?]

[Jin Hee-sung Confirmed for ‘Temptation of an Adulteress.’ Jin Hee-sung, with a Pure Image Contradictory to the Work, Indeed…]

[MBS Drama ‘Temptation of an Adulteress.’ Jin Hee-sung Cast as a Married Man Having an Affair.]

[Jin Hee-sung… A New Drama He’s Challenging, Will It Follow the Same Old Adultery Clichés?]

After the drama appearance was confirmed.

Articles flooded the internet daily about me being cast as the lead.

However, the main focus of those articles wasn’t about me being cast as the ‘lead.’

They were filled with concerns that I, who had been cultivating a pure and kind image, would appear in a drama as a married man, an adulterer.

So, the articles were updated even more frequently, every day, no, every hour, and interest in the drama increased.

Even though I was the only one confirmed as the lead.

The fact that I was already receiving this much attention was exciting.

The lead role that I had returned to was receiving attention even before filming began.

At the same time, I was also worried about this attention and the expressions of concern.

I had to meet their expectations.

I further accelerated my drama practice.

After a few hours.

I stretched my stiff body and leaned back in my chair.

Buzzz.

The phone rang all day long.

Acquaintances congratulating me after seeing the articles about the new drama.

Of course, most of them had the same reaction as the articles.

They were contacting me to ask if it was wise to risk solidifying my kindly image by playing an adulterer, a man having an affair.

After closing the message window due to the flood of contacts.

I looked at the articles again.

When I clicked on one of the articles, comments filled the screen.

-Is it even possible for our Hee-sung oppa [term of endearment for an older brother or male friend] to be a married man?

└It’s more unforgivable for him to be a man having an affair than being a married man.

└How can our oppa play such a trashy role.

└ㅇㅈ [short for 인정, meaning ‘I agree’] Oppa, run away!!

-Why does our oppa have to! Play this kind of role!

-Isn’t WG Entertainment doing their job?

-Is it real that the first role he took after transferring is this kind of adultery drama?

-The company needs to do its job. If you’re going to work like this, why did you take our oppa?

-His first drama after transferring is a 막장 [makjang – Korean slang for over-the-top, absurd drama] drama… What is the company doingㅡㅡ

All the comments were saying the same thing.

That they couldn’t believe I took on this role.

And that it wasn’t my will, but the company’s pressure that made me do it.

The fans were directing their concerns towards the company, WG Entertainment, not me.

I had to clear up that misunderstanding.

Because all of this was my choice.

In addition to clearing up the misunderstanding, I had to reassure the hearts of the fans who liked me.

After letting out a long sigh.

I clicked on SNS [Social Networking Service].

And for the fans, I started writing each letter with my heart.

Hello. This is Jin Hee-sung.

I have something to tell the fans, so I am posting this.

I think many of you are worried about the work ‘Temptation of an Adulteress’ that I am going to be in…

.

.

.

It is a work that I chose, not the company’s pressure or instructions.

It was not a work that simply focused on ‘adultery.’

I saw the artistry in it, and I really wanted to be a part of this work.

Despite the company’s opposition, I persuaded them to let me appear in this work.

Dear fans.

I hope you will trust my choice this once.

If you watch the drama, you will understand why I made this choice and why I wanted to appear in this drama.

I have no doubt that you will understand.

I am so grateful and happy to have fans who support me, encourage me, and worry about me wherever I am.

I will continue to be Jin Hee-sung, who will not disappoint the fans.

Thank you for reading my long post.

Ding-dong.

Ding-dong.

Ding-dong.

As soon as I posted the message, comments started pouring in as if they had been waiting.

I shrugged my shoulders and read the comments with a worried heart.

-If it’s what our Hee-sung wants, of course, we have to believe it!

-Oppa, I always support you!!

-Our Hee-sung oppa, do everything you want to do.

-I support Jin Hee-sung’s path.

-Since oppa chose it himself, I won’t worry and wait with trust!

-I respect and support oppa’s choice. I love you!!

-I support this work to be a big hit.

-That’s right. I won’t criticize it just because it’s an adultery drama. Jin Hee-sung fighting!

Looking at each of the comments that came up, my hardened expression finally relaxed.

I felt my lips naturally curving into a smile.

Then, with a long deep breath, I unfolded the script again.

***

“You’re here?”

Choi Seo-bin waved at Manager Bae as he got into the car.

“Yeah.”

He turned and handed Choi Seo-bin a coffee.

“Seo-bin, how’s your condition today?”

“Not bad.”

Choi Seo-bin opened his mouth, taking a sip of coffee.

“After the script reading today, there’s no schedule for tomorrow, right?”

“Yeah, you rest tomorrow and have a commercial shoot the day after. You know that, right?”

Choi Seo-bin nodded at his words.

“I know.”

Manager Bae smiled and turned his body forward.

“Then I’ll get going.”

The car immediately left Choi Seo-bin’s house.

As soon as he got on the road, Choi Seo-bin opened his mouth.

“But this is still a long way off, why are we doing the script reading so early?”

“Originally, we were supposed to be doing the follow-up to the drama that’s airing now, not the next one after that.”

“But it got pushed back?”

Manager Bae nodded and replied.

“Yeah, something went wrong in the middle, and the broadcast of Blackman was delayed a bit. But since we already set the schedule, we decided to do the script reading on the scheduled date.”

“Well… it doesn’t matter either way.”

Choi Seo-bin leaned back in his chair and picked up the script.

Manager Bae, who saw his figure in the rearview mirror, turned off the radio that was playing.

In the car that had been running for a while.

Choi Seo-bin put the script down on the seat next to him.

Then, taking a sip of coffee, he asked Manager Bae.

“Hyung [term of endearment for an older brother or male friend].”

“Yeah, Seo-bin.”

“Is there anything going on at the company these days?”

It was natural for Choi Seo-bin, the most popular actor in the company, to ask about the company.

Because he was already in a high position at WG Entertainment.

It was a question he always asked like a greeting, so Manager Bae answered him without a surprised expression.

“Nothing’s going on.”

Choi Seo-bin nodded slowly at his words.

At that time.

Manager Bae said, snapping his fingers.

“Oh, right, Jin Hee-sung, I heard he got confirmed for a drama.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Choi Seo-bin frowned and replied.

“Yeah, I saw the article.”

“Well, there were so many articles about it. Suddenly, he’s doing some 막장 [makjang – Korean slang for over-the-top, absurd drama] drama, so it was a big deal at the company.”

Choi Seo-bin shrugged his shoulders at his words and asked the next question nonchalantly.

“So, when is the crank-in [start of filming]?”

Manager Bae rolled his eyes quickly and thought.

“Well… I don’t think the schedule has been set yet because the script reading hasn’t even happened yet, but maybe in about three months?”

“It’s still a long way off.”

“You know the drama that MBS started this time, right?”

Choi Seo-bin pulled his body forward and said.

“Yeah, the one that started last week?”

“Yeah, that drama is the next one after the next one. Jin Hee-sung’s drama is completely far away.”

At his words, Choi Seo-bin looked at the calendar on his cell phone.

“Then it’ll overlap with me for about four weeks?”

Manager Bae nodded, widening his eyes.

Then, as soon as he got caught in a red light, he looked at the schedule calendar and replied.

“That’s right. When Jin Hee-sung’s drama finishes episode 8 and starts episode 9, our Blackman episode 1 will start.”

Choi Seo-bin listened carefully to Manager Bae’s words.

And he muttered in a small voice.

“Still, it doesn’t overlap much.”

Manager Bae looked at Choi Seo-bin in the rearview mirror and shook his head.

“Anyway, why did that bastard turn down Blackman?”

At his words, Choi Seo-bin immediately closed his mouth.

Manager Bae clicked his tongue and continued.

“I didn’t think Jin Hee-sung was someone without a sense, but to turn down Blackman with you and go into some 막장 [makjang – Korean slang for over-the-top, absurd drama] drama… geez.”

As Manager Bae continued to speak, Choi Seo-bin glanced at him in the rearview mirror and said.

“He could have turned it down.”

Choi Seo-bin sighed with his arms crossed.

Looking out the window, he muttered in a very small voice that Manager Bae couldn’t hear.

“Well… he’s an actor too, so he must have something he wants to do.”

In Choi Seo-bin’s eyes, recalling Jin Hee-sung, there was no murderous intent.

There was a feeling of regret and disappointment dripping down.

‘I know Jin Hee-sung’s heart, but still, turning down my offer is turning it down.’

Choi Seo-bin twitched his lips and fell into thought.

Manager Bae, who was watching his figure, raised his eyebrows and asked him.

“Are you very angry with Jin Hee-sung?”

At Manager Bae’s worried question, Choi Seo-bin quickly shook his head.

“No. Why would I be angry about something like that.”

Manager Bae and Choi Seo-bin were not just acquaintances.

They were like brothers who had been together for years.

Looking at Choi Seo-bin’s tone and expression, Manager Bae could tell right away.

That he was sulking because he couldn’t work with Jin Hee-sung.

And Manager Bae turned around and raised one eyebrow at Choi Seo-bin, asking playfully.

“Then are you pouting?”

At that moment, Choi Seo-bin’s eyes shook rapidly.

“…Wh, what are you talking about!”

At his words, Manager Bae shrugged his shoulders and smiled.

“Hyung [term of endearment for an older brother or male friend]. I’m Choi Seo-bin. Why would I pout…!”

At Choi Seo-bin’s flustered and rambling attitude, Manager Bae raised one corner of his mouth.

“Ha… geez….”

Choi Seo-bin had a dumbfounded expression, crossed his arms, took a quick breath, and shifted his gaze out the window.

***

This place that I visited a few weeks ago.

It was where I met with the director and writer of ‘Temptation of an Adulteress.’

There was still a long way to go until the script reading.

I had a second meeting at the request of Director Song.

I hurried to the meeting place at his word that there were characteristics of the roles and things to check.

After taking a deep breath, I knocked on the door.

Knock knock.

When I knocked on the door, a staff member, not Director Song, opened the door and greeted me.

“Hello. The director and writer are away for a while, so if you sit down, they will be here soon.”

“Yes, I understand.”

At his words, I went to the seat I sat in last time and sat down.

And then, as I was fiddling with the script on the desk.

The door opened again.

I got up from my seat to greet Director Song.

“Have you arrived?”

When I raised my lowered head, my eyes widened at the sight in front of me.

“Huh?”

The person who was smiling brightly and approaching me.

It was Shin Min-young, not Director Song.

“Ms. Min-young!”

It had been so long since I had met her after the last project.

I was so happy that I reached out to her.

“Ms. Min-young, I was going to contact you after seeing the article that came out today. I’m already seeing you here.”

The story of *baram* [affair] being an affair material and being a *makjang* [Korean slang for over-the-top, absurd drama] drama spread.

So, I was even more curious about the position of the female lead who would come into this drama, and that much attention was focused on it.

But this morning, I was so happy to see the article that Shin Min-young had been confirmed for the casting.

Not only did I become friends with her while working on the project together.

Because her acting was impeccable.

We sat down and started asking each other how we had been, as if we were catching up.

While exchanging conversations.

Shin Min-young clapped her hands and said to me.

“Oh, did you hear about that?”

I tilted my head at her words and replied.

“About what?”

“Seo In-woo is coming here as a supporting role.”

At Shin Min-young’s words, I widened my eyes and exclaimed.

“Seo In-woo?”

The three of us, who were called the Three Musketeers and siblings in the last project.

The fact that we could be together again made me smile.

“Then is it the reunion of the Three Musketeers?”