An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 79

79. Episode 17 – Surviving is Winning (1)

“Hello!”

With MC Yoo Myunghyun’s opening remarks, all the cameras lit up, their recording lights turning red.

“This is Yoo Myunghyun from Mystery Family.”

He bowed, and the regular celebrity panelists next to him followed suit.

“Wow, the weather is really nice today, isn’t it?”

Comedian Lee Cheolmin chimed in from beside Yoo Myunghyun.

“That’s right. On such a beautiful day, we have amazing guests who have joined Mystery Family!”

At Yoo Myunghyun’s announcement, the celebrities, including Lee Cheolmin, began to whisper amongst themselves.

“Who is it?”

“Hehe, I already greeted them earlier.”

Jih Hanwoong, the oldest member of Mystery Family, blurted out, immediately drawing playful jeers.

“Oh, Hanwoong. How can you spoil something you already saw?”

“Hanwoong *hyung* [older brother/male friend] totally killed the mood.”

Jih Hanwoong scratched his head and smiled sheepishly.

“Haha! Sorry, everyone. I was just so excited because I really like the guests who came out today.”

They had been working together for years.

Every conversation they had was enough to make the production team laugh.

Me, Baek Younghoon, and next to us….

“Now, let me introduce our guests for today’s Mystery Family!”

Yoo Myunghyun shouted, pointing towards us, where we were waiting.

“The best top actress of this era, Song Yoona. The rising acting genius, Jin Heesung. And Baek Younghoon, who nails every role he plays. Please welcome them!”

Receiving the signal from the staff, we quickly walked in front of the cameras.

Song Yoona.

She was the actress I would be appearing on a variety show with for the last time.

A variety show guest lineup consisting only of HS Entertainment artists.

The company was planning to send me and Baek Younghoon for drama promotion.

Since it wasn’t just actors from one drama appearing, but rather artists from the agency,

It seemed they had requested to include top-tier actress Song Yoona, who had no promotional purpose.

And so, Song Yoona joined HS Family on the variety show.

“Nice to meet you.”

Yoo Myunghyun shook hands with each of us.

Jih Hanwoong and Lee Cheolmin started cheering as they saw Song Yoona.

“Song Yoona! Song Yoona!”

Song Yoona smiled brightly at their reaction.

She bowed her head and stood in her place.

“Alright, everyone. It’s not just Yoona. Heesung and Younghoon are here too.”

Yoo Myunghyun restrained Jih Hanwoong and Lee Cheolmin, eliciting laughter.

Lee Hyunyoung and Jang Minji, the comediennes next to them, smiled shyly and spoke up.

“Oh my, Heesung is so handsome.”

“I really enjoyed the drama. So… what’s your ideal type?”

Me and Baek Younghoon burst into laughter at their greetings.

As expected, it was MC Yoo Myunghyun’s job to verbally wrangle the regular celebrities.

“Our HS Family members have come to visit Mystery Family, so please give us a greeting.”

Finally, it was our turn to speak.

Song Yoona bowed first.

All eyes were on her.

“Hello, Mystery Family viewers. This is actress Song Yoona. Nice to meet you.”

“Wow!”

Cheers erupted at her greeting.

One of the staff members was clearly a fan of hers, as a loud cheer could be heard.

“Hello. This is my first time greeting Mystery Family. This is actor Jin Heesung. I’ll work hard to solve the mystery missions today!”

Applause broke out at my greeting.

“Hehe, Heesung, have you watched our show a lot?”

“Of course. I haven’t been able to catch every episode live, but it’s always a program I enjoy watching.”

“Of course. How could someone as busy and famous as you watch it live?”

“Oh, so Hanwoong has been watching it live all the time?”

They playfully bickered, showcasing their unique comedic style.

“Haha, let’s move on.”

After Baek Younghoon finished his greeting.

We had a short promotional time before the opening ended.

“I heard you’ve been busy filming a drama, how about you, Heesung?”

Yoo Myunghyun’s comment was clearly pre-planned.

Mystery Family only had a general outline and a short rundown.

There was no script for any of the games.

But the only thing that was scripted was the opening.

Even that script wasn’t like a drama where every word was written down.

Only a questionnaire was given as a script.

I opened my mouth as if I had been waiting for the cue.

“Yes, I’m filming a drama called ‘So Good at Cooking’ on KTS.”

“Oh, a cooking drama is a genre I enjoy watching. What role do you play, Heesung?”

“I play the main character, Im Junki.”

Yoo Myunghyun nodded and asked the next question.

“This is the only time for drama promotion. Please hurry and promote it quickly.”

At his words, I smiled and began my pitch.

“‘So Good at Cooking’ is a Monday-Tuesday drama on KTS. It airs at 10 PM the day after the Mystery Family broadcast, so please give it a lot of attention.”

Yoo Myunghyun smiled, seemingly satisfied with my words.

“That’s right. You all know that our KTS dramas are always fun, right?”

A connection as the same broadcasting station.

“Please watch a lot of the drama starring our Heesung.”

Next, it was Baek Younghoon’s turn.

Since it was a competing drama in the same time slot as KTS’s ‘So Good at Cooking’.

As expected, he couldn’t promote it at all.

It was as expected.

Because he had to promote only the KTS drama I filmed.

“Then, what about Yoona these days….”

Before Yoo Myunghyun could finish speaking, she interjected.

“I’m resting. I came out here for the sake of our HS Entertainment family members, Heesung and Younghoon. Everyone, please give a lot of love to our Heesung and Younghoon’s dramas.”

At Song Yoona’s words, using the expression ‘family’ to me on the broadcast, I smiled and nodded.

And I knew very well that it was just a performance for the cameras.

Because the moment the camera turned off, she didn’t approach me and Baek Younghoon.

Clap-.

The opening ended with comedienne Lee Hyunyoung’s slate clap.

As expected, Song Yoona disappeared like an arrow to her manager, ignoring me and Baek Younghoon.

***

After a short break, the real filming began.

“The first mystery mission is… Chain it Up!”

At Yoo Myunghyun’s words, we all paid attention to him.

In Mystery Family, winners and losers are determined through missions.

The winner gets a prize.

The loser gets a penalty.

That’s why we focused intently, our eyes burning with the desire to win the mission.

“If you win this game, you get 1 point. The loser gets minus 1 point.”

“Yes!”

“Then the first game is… Chain it Up!”

“Ugh, that’s too difficult.”

Jih Hanwoong shook his head while grabbing his head.

I rolled my eyes and recalled past episodes I’d watched.

It was a game that I had already encountered several times on the broadcast and enjoyed watching.

I smirked and raised the corners of my mouth.

“When I shout two letters, you have to say the next word within 3 seconds.”

Yoo Myunghyun looked at me, Song Yoona, and Baek Younghyun and elaborated.

“For example, if I say ‘Mona,’ you all….”

I raised my hand at Yoo Myunghyun’s words.

“Lisa!”

Jih Hanwoong exclaimed and clapped his hands.

“Oh, that’s right, Mona Lisa. Heesung has amazing reflexes.”

“Haha, thank you.”

The camera zoomed in on my smiling face.

I made a V sign with my fingers and waved at the camera.

The game started with us standing in a line.

Through several rounds, Song Yoona and Jih Hanwoong were eliminated.

And the game started again.

“Okay, let’s start. The order is Minji, then Heesung….”

At Yoo Myunghyun’s signal, we opened our eyes wide and focused.

We immersed ourselves in the game to avoid being eliminated.

As my heart beat faster and faster, I swallowed hard.

Yoo Myunghyun reached out and looked at Jang Minji, throwing out a word.

“Let’s start. Riddle….”

Jang Minji quickly rolled her eyes.

“One, two….”

Before Yoo Myunghyun’s count ended, she shouted.

“Cake!”

“Riddle, that’s correct. Minji almost got eliminated because she was late.”

She took a sigh of relief.

All eyes were on me, the next in line.

“Heesung, back….”

“…….”

At the prompt, I looked at Yoo Myunghyun with a flustered face and opened my mouth.

He started counting with a stiff face.

“One, two, three….”

His slow counting, considerate of me, the guest.

My heart rate was getting faster and faster.

I shouted without even swallowing my saliva.

“Hurts!”

In an instant, laughter filled the set.

The sound of giggling poured out from the celebrities, including the staff in front.

“Haha.”

“Does your back hurt? Hahaha.”

I also burst into laughter right away.

The scene was so full of laughter that the game couldn’t continue.

Even the camera director who was filming me burst out laughing, causing the camera to shake.

Lee Hyunyoung, who was next to me, smiled to cover for me and said.

“Back hurts. Isn’t that what everyone always says?”

“Hey, Hyunyoung. Even if you’re trying to cover for Heesung. How can ‘back hurts’ be the answer. Hahaha.”

She shook her head and said to me.

“Heesung, I don’t think I can shield you on this one?”

I scratched my head awkwardly.

“The answer is hurricane. Heesung, you have so much talent for variety shows? Haha.”

All the cameras moved to film the celebrities gathered around me.

***

The program filming continued all day.

Before I knew it, the sun had disappeared outside and it was getting dark.

Song Yoona crossed her arms and stared at Jin Heesung, who was waiting far away.

‘Why do I keep running into Jin Heesung?’

Then she quickly turned her head away.

She started walking towards the scene where the filming would begin soon.

Filming started right away, and Song Yoona smiled again, as if she had never complained.

“I was so honored to be on Mystery Family, which I really wanted to be on today.”

Applause poured out for Song Yoona.

“It was such an amazing and happy experience for me to be able to film Mystery Family. Thank you for inviting me, and if you invite me again next time, I’ll come running anytime.”

“Heesung, so if this drama gets good ratings, you’ll come again?”

Yoo Myunghyun asked Jin Heesung.

He opened his mouth right away with a bright face.

“Of course. If you just call me, I’ll come.”

“Then, finally, please say a word to our viewers.”

Jin Heesung nodded and said.

“Mystery Family viewers. Please always love Mystery Family, and please give a lot of attention to the KTS drama ‘So Good at Cooking,’ which will premiere tomorrow.”

The broadcast date of the variety show filmed today was scheduled for the day before the first episode of the drama.

The main PD nodded at Jin Heesung’s words.

Then Jang Minji and Lee Hyunyoung shouted.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

“I’ll definitely watch it live.”

Jin Heesung raised the corners of his mouth at their greetings.

Song Yoona hid her boredom and looked at the camera.

After Baek Younghoon’s greeting ended, Yoo Myunghyun announced the penalty takers.

“Today’s losers are… Jih Hanwoong and Song Yoona.”

As soon as Yoo Myunghyun finished speaking, their respective cameras zoomed in on Jih Hanwoong and Song Yoona’s faces.

Song Yoona quickly relaxed her slightly distorted face.

“And the winners are Lee Cheolmin and Jin Heesung.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Lee Cheolmin loosened his wrists and shouted at Jih Hanwoong.

“Okay. I’ll do Hanwoong *hyung’s* penalty today!”

Lee Cheolmin spoke with a playful expression.

Naturally, Jin Heesung took on Song Yoona’s penalty.

“Then today’s penalty is a water bomb. The winners, Cheolmin and Heesung, will burst the water balloons above their heads.”
The penalty was set up right away.

Song Yoona sat down with a faint smile.

Then she stared intently at Jin Heesung.

‘Still, I’m a senior and an actress, so he’ll know how to avoid me and spray water gently, right?’

Whether he knew her mind or not, Jin Heesung stood behind her with an excited face.

Splash-!

At that moment, water poured over Jih Hanwoong’s head.

His styled hair was drooping, and the scene was a sea of laughter at his pathetic face.

“Haha, Hanwoong *hyung*, I’m sorry.”

Lee Cheolmin apologized to Jih Hanwoong with a mischievous face.

“I’ll see you next week, Cheolmin.”

He shouted a declaration of war and eventually smiled.

And then it was Jin Heesung’s turn.

Whether Song Yoona firmly believed in Jin Heesung’s consideration or not, she didn’t take any defensive posture with her hands.

Splash-!

The water burst over her head.

She expected the water not to fall directly on her head, but that was not the case at all.

“Hahaha!”

The scene burst into laughter at Jin Heesung’s playful expression.

Song Yoona squeezed her eyes shut and gritted her teeth.

‘That Jin Heesung….’

Jin Heesung handed a towel to Song Yoona.

She wiped her face with a towel.

Yoo Myunghyun, who looked at her stiff face, spoke to her.

“Oh, Yoona, you’re not angry, are you?”

Song Yoona quickly relaxed her stiff face into a smile and looked at the camera with her teeth clenched.

“Angry? It’s a variety show. Haha.”

The corners of her mouth trembled slightly.

‘Haa- This is so annoying.’

Song Yoona answered brightly and had to swallow a sigh inside.

“Then we’ll be back next week with more fun and laughter!”

Clap-!

After the slate was hit, Jin Heesung began to greet the panelists.

“You’ve worked hard.”

And he approached Song Yoona.

“Yoona, I’m sorry. Are you okay?”

At his words, Song Yoona glared at him sideways.

“Haa, no.”

As she left the scene right away,

Song Yoona’s manager, Chief Choi, was running towards her like an arrow.

The first car to leave the scene,

Without exception, it was Song Yoona’s car.