Ghost-seeing actor

The car ride to Seoul was eerily quiet.

Taejoo sat in the passenger seat, tense and silent.

Team Leader Kwon Gi-do was driving.

[This guy, Taejoo, can’t even fall asleep despite being tired. We have a shoot tomorrow, so he needs to manage his condition.]
Lee Jung-hyeop glared at Kwon Gi-do.

[Taejoo, if you’re sleepy, just sleep. I’ll handle this guy driving the passenger seat. Don’t worry.]
‘How are you going to handle it?’

[Well, with the power of the Captain Ghost, I can make him stiff as a board. At least he won’t turn to you.]
‘Thanks for the gesture, but if that happens, we’ll crash, old man.’

It happened then.

From the backseat, Kang Jae-ha, who seemed asleep, leaned forward.

“Not tired? You ended up sitting next to Team Leader Kwon.”

His question made the yawn Taejoo was about to release disappear.

“I’m fine, very comfortable.”

“Come on, you must be exhausted from doing two scenes today. By the way, where did you learn that swordsmanship? Did you attend an action school?”

“No, I practiced on my own.”

“Come on, stop lying. You can be honest with me.”

Kang Jae-ha’s face was right next to Taejoo’s now.

“You’re the heir to a martial arts family, aren’t you? Defying your family to become an actor, right?”

“That’s some novel-level questioning!”

Kwon Gi-do quickly interjected.

“Jae-ha, grow up. You have a radio schedule at ABS tomorrow at 7 a.m.!”

“I get it. I’ll sleep, I’ll sleep.”

With Kang Jae-ha donning an eye mask and falling asleep, Kwon Gi-do finally focused his attention on Taejoo.

“Jae-ha isn’t entirely wrong. You did well in that action scene earlier, Taejoo.”

“Too kind.”

“Kind, my foot. If there’s a 21-year-old who can pull off action and swordsmanship like that in Korea, they better show themselves. And the action actors trained in schools always carry the shadow of institutions. Just like how Jung-hyeop’s actors have a sharp, refined line. But with you, Taejoo, there’s nothing like that. It felt like real combat martial arts.”

On the fast highway.

Kwon Gi-do praised relentlessly.

“Honestly, if you were just good at action, I wouldn’t be paying so much attention. When you stood in for Jae-ha’s back, your expression was delicate and perfect. Jae-ha’s asleep now, but seriously, I was more drawn to you than to Jae-ha.”

“I-I’m not.”

The continued praise was starting to make Taejoo feel awkward.

But after a long time, hearing praise like this felt good.

[Hey, watch out for people buttering you up like that. Those are the ones you have to be wary of. People like them are scammers. Hey, Han Taejoo, are you listening? Taejoo!]

Lee Jung-hyeop’s desperate voice was ignored, slipping into one ear and out the other.

Taejoo’s face, mesmerized by Kwon Gi-do’s words, slowly relaxed.

‘I’ll take whatever words of praise I can get. If it means recognition, I’ll gladly accept it.’

He had been yearning for recognition. No, for today, it was okay to be acknowledged.

Knowing that someone had noticed his hard work meant the world to him.

Kwon Gi-do continued with a warm tone.

“Tired already? Rehearsing again will be tough.”

“…You knew?”

Startled, Taejoo asked.

“Haha. Even though I look like this, I’m the team leader of the Artist Company. Trying to go solo is going to be tough, there’s a lot to manage.”

“It’s fine for now.”

“Sure, it’s fine now, but give it a little time, and you’ll struggle. That’s why companies exist. I’ve already figured it out for you. For now, you’ll start as a supporting role in terrestrial dramas. Gradually, viewers will start recognizing you, and then you’ll solidify your place as a lead.”

“Even in small productions, I can give a good performance.”

“Short films? Indie films? Waste of time. To succeed, you need to aim for the major leagues. Staying in the underground will get you nowhere in this industry.”

Suddenly, Taejoo’s mood plummeted.

‘Major? Underground? What even are these criteria?’

I just want to act in the roles I love. Why are you judging me?

Yet, paradoxically, a desire to rise began to stir.

He didn’t want to become a star, he wanted to be an actor.

However, deep down, he still longed for the recognition of his craft—not just from a select few, but from many people.

“Taejoo, didn’t you want to start acting seriously again? Then, our company would be perfect for you.”

The sudden offer from a major agency caught Taejoo off guard.

Artist Company is one of Korea’s top entertainment agencies.

They housed stars like Yoo Jung-shin and Kang Jae-ha, and had a successful track record in drama production.

Kwon Gi-do smiled confidently.

“Our company is really good. And we don’t offer contracts to just anyone. We manage our actor pool well. Like Kang Jae-ha, and Lim Kang-hyun. These are the actors who get major roles in dramas and ads.”

“Lim Kang-hyun, the child actor Lim Kang-hyun?”

“Yeah, that Lim Kang-hyun. Most child actors get demoted to supporting roles as adults, but Kang-hyun is still going strong as a lead. That’s all thanks to how we’ve managed him strategically.”

Kwon Gi-do winked and added.

“And we’ll do the same for you, Taejoo.”

Taejoo’s eyes flickered slightly at the mention of his childhood rival, Lim Kang-hyun, being there.

***

7:30 a.m.

“He’s not an ordinary kid. Looks like a century-old cunning fox is inside him.”

Kwon Gi-do shook his head as he stepped out of the car.

“Well, I got his phone number, so I’ll try contacting him again. No tree won’t fall with ten tries.”

While driving Taejoo home, Kwon Gi-do playfully teased him in an attempt to recruit him for the company.

Yet, the kid wouldn’t budge easily. Most kids would have already signed a contract by now.

“You’re going to consult before answering? What’s so cautious about it? Artist Company is the #1 entertainment agency for actors.”

The sign for “Artist Company” on the parking lot entrance gleamed brightly.

“After years away from acting, do you even know the value of our agency’s name? Casting for dramas, ad deals—it’s all about the power of the agency.”

Grumbling, he walked toward the office, greeting early-arrived staff members.

“Hello.”

“Good morning, Team Leader.”

“Good morning.”

As he entered, he spotted a pale-faced actor across from him.

“Oh, II’mKang-hyun! What brings you here so early? Isn’t today a day for your morning class?”

“Filming an advertisement. Everything is crammed into the mornings.”

Im Kang-hyun nodded slightly, his fair, milky skin and gentle eyes catching his attention. His subtle double eyelids and model-like physique made him stand out.

Recently, he gained popularity as a “milkman” or a younger man, captivating fans with his charm.

“Didn’t your recent movie hit 4 million viewers?”

“Yes, it did.”

“Releasing during the off-season and hitting that number is impressive.”

“The movie itself was well-crafted. Even top stars can’t save a film if it’s not engaging.”

Im Kang-hyun subtly boasted, and Kwon Gi-do chuckled at his confidence.

“Oh, by the way, Kang-hyun, what happened to the ‘First Love of the Vampire’? Did you get fixed for it?”

“I was about to have a meeting with the director.”

Im Kang-hyun was about to leave when Kwon Gi-do stopped him.

“Do you remember a guy named Han Taejoo?”

“Han Taejoo?”

“Yeah, Han Taejoo. You know, the one from 10 years ago, the same age as you. He was a talented child actor from ‘Ssanggapdong Family,’ your rival in the child acting scene.”

“You’ve seen him?”

“Yeah. I saw him yesterday while he was filming as Kang Jae-ha’s body double. Looks like he’s back to acting. Good looks and great acting skills. I’m thinking of bringing him on board.”

At that moment, memories of Han Taejoo flashed rapidly in Im Kang-hyun’s mind.

There was a time when he and Han Taejoo were the twin stars of the child acting scene.

They had only shared the screen once in their youth.

EVS’s children’s drama, I’m a Detective, featured both of them working as detectives’ assistants.

The details of the story are vague in memory, but the set remains unforgettable.

Han Taejoo, who had arrived on set with his mother, appeared exceedingly happy.

Unlike himself, who had always acted alone, Taejoo seemed to thrive in the presence of others.

Taejoo always appeared happy, always enjoying acting.

As the saying goes, “Hard work beats talent.”

Taejoo seemed to embody that phrase perfectly.

His beginning was different—unlike Taejoo, who started acting to gain his parents’ attention.

Thus, he was never fond of Taejoo.

At times, he thought it was good that Taejoo disappeared from the entertainment industry.

It was easier without that annoying presence.

Yet, deep inside, he was curious.

What had Taejoo been doing all this time?

Why did he suddenly return to acting?

Why was Kwon Gi-do even mentioning his name?

However, part of him didn’t want to know.

The past years without Taejoo were peaceful. Memories from their childhood acting days were burdensome.

It wasn’t that he disliked Taejoo.

It was the rivalry, the tension, that he despised.

He didn’t want to relive those days of competing as rivals.

Thus, the best words he could offer were simply:

“I don’t know.”

“Oh?”

And then, impulsively:

“I’m not interested.”

Im Kang-hyun tried to maintain a nonchalant expression.

However, he was overlooking something.

Strong denial often leads to strong affirmation.

***

Early morning bustle in front of the Chinese restaurant.

“Alright, today’s the last shoot! Let’s give it our all!”

“Fighting!”

Seo Dongrak boosted the morale of the Last Battle crew.

As always, the set buzzed with energy.

However, Taejoo had a slightly distant, blank expression.

Seo Dongrak lightly taps Taejoo’s shoulder.

“What’s wrong? Still not awake?”

“Ah, sorry.”

“You should’ve worked harder yesterday. Don’t tell me you’re going to mess up today’s shoot. This is the last one. You know you have to give it your all, right?”

“I know, I’ll do my best.”

Yet, despite the words, his mind was tangled with thoughts.

Kwon Gi-do’s offer, Im Kang-hyun’s presence, and more.

A sudden hurricane swept through his calm thoughts.

The exhilaration of being recognized by others for his hard work kept resurfacing.

Even at Yoon Lee-do’s director set, that exhilaration was unforgettable.

‘No matter how hard I act, if no one notices, does it even matter?’

Should he join a management agency?

While childhood friend Im Kang-hyun was already at that level, wasn’t he falling behind?

No, he chose this path because he loves acting.

[Why are you so distracted today? You need to focus when shooting! Go wash your face or something! Hurry up!]

Finally, with a stern voice from Lee Jung-hyeop, Taejoo jumped up.

“I’ll be back after washing my face.”

Apologizing, he quickly made his way to a nearby bathroom.

That’s when it happened.

Ding— Ding—

The phone, set on vibrate, started ringing, and Taejoo’s eyes widened upon checking the screen.