The Genius Actor Who Brings Misfortune

Chapter 195

The program Sung Lee-jun proposed was a variety show.

It was once incredibly popular and remains a steady seller, the “Healing Travel Program.”

Thanks to his father, who had a wide network of connections, Sung Lee-jun also knew quite a few people in the entertainment industry.

One example was the PD of “Dogs’ Leash,” where Sung Lee-jun played a superpowered character.

And this variety show PD was no different.

“So, the PD approached you first about doing the show?”

“Yeah. He thought it would be great to have a program with both of us. I’d love to go with you, but if it makes you uncomfortable, feel free to turn it down. Just let me know…!”

I quietly thought while looking at Sung Lee-jun, whose cheeks were flushed red.

“A variety show.”

Wuyeon Entertainment, my agency, didn’t particularly like its actors appearing on variety shows.

So, I told him I’d need to get the agency’s approval first.

Sung Lee-jun nodded earnestly, watching my reaction.

“If the agency says it’s okay… are you interested?”

Well…

“Italy.”

It wasn’t a place I ever thought I’d visit.

I hadn’t even traveled domestically much, let alone overseas.

Though I had been to France for the Cannes Film Festival, I hadn’t done any proper sightseeing.

Given my lack of such experiences, saying I wasn’t interested would be a lie.

“To be honest, I’m interested.”

“…! Really?”

“But I don’t want to be treated like that again.”

“Huh?”

Sung Lee-jun looked puzzled.

Seeing his naive expression, I spoke plainly.

“You remember the PD from ‘Dogs’ Leash,’ right? The one you said you followed like an uncle since you were young. He might have been good to you, but he wasn’t to me.”

“Ah…”

Sung Lee-jun’s face turned pale.

He probably remembered, given his good memory.

When Sung Lee-jun made multiple mistakes, and the PD scolded me.

“Yeon-jae, aren’t you here as an extra? No matter how good your acting is, you can’t pretend to be the lead.”

The PD from “Dogs’ Leash” wasn’t a pleasant person.

Well, it wasn’t unbearable.

At the time, I just let it go, thinking, “What’s done is done.”

I didn’t want to meet such a person again and force a smile.

“If we’re going for filming, the production company would cover the costs, so that’s good.”

But why go through the hassle?

I didn’t want to be treated poorly just to save some money.

I’d rather not go at all.

Sung Lee-jun was silent at my remark.

After a long moment of contemplation, he suddenly stood up without any warning.

“Tsk.”

“Hyung, getting up like that is bad for your health.”

I clicked my tongue unconsciously, worrying about his blood pressure.

Sung Lee-jun tried to explain that he was healthy, but then looked at me with a face that said, “That’s not it.”

“Yeon-jae, I’ll make sure that doesn’t happen…!”

“You will?”

“Yeah. The PD who contacted me is known for being really nice in the industry! Even if that’s not the case, I’ll make sure to talk to him in advance!”

Sung Lee-jun gulped.

“And… just in case, if something like that happens, I’ll be the first to confront it.”

“Thanks. But you probably won’t need to.”

I’d confront it before he had to.

That’s what I meant, but it seemed the message didn’t get across.

When Sung Lee-jun asked me again to trust him, I joked if he was running for president.

“Don’t worry, Yeon-jae. I’m good at saying no now…!”

“I said I’m not worried.”

I didn’t have the luxury to worry about Sung Lee-jun, a high school student by Korean age.

I had my own problems to deal with.

I told Sung Lee-jun I’d ask the agency, then changed the subject.

There was a high chance the agency would turn it down anyway.

* * *

“…Really? They said I can go?”

“Yes. The CEO approved it too.”

Really?

“…Why?”

It’s a variety show.

When I asked with my expression, Team Leader Woo replied nonchalantly.

“The incident a month ago, when you collapsed, was quite a shock for us too.”

Ah.

“No matter how much we profit off celebrities, we do have some conscience.”

Especially if you had mentioned feeling unwell even once.

Team Leader Woo clicked his tongue.

“We should have considered your mental health too, but we failed to care for you properly. And it happened because of the script we chose for you.”

“I was the one who ultimately chose the script.”

“And we approved your choice. The CEO gave the final confirmation. So it’s our fault, and the CEO’s fault.”

Team Leader Woo sorted his documents with a nonchalant air.

It was hard to speak at his matter-of-fact tone.

“This decision prioritizes you over the agency policy. I thought you could use a break.”

Team Leader Woo shrugged his shoulders.

“Of course, since it’s filming, it won’t be a complete vacation, but it seems like you’d only go somewhere under the guise of filming.”

“….”

“Am I not just as good as Jin-bae? I’ve got a grasp on your tendencies now.”

Seeing Team Leader Woo’s grin, I smiled awkwardly.

“Yes. You know me well.”

“Even before the Cannes Film Festival, I told you to take a break, but you said it was a waste of money and just stayed home practicing. How much worse would it be after the drama filming ended? You’d just stay holed up at home even more.”

“….”

His words flowed smoothly, leaving me speechless.

“Take this chance to relax. I know the PD, so you don’t have to worry about the editing.”

“Yes. I’ll go then.”

I rubbed the back of my neck and responded awkwardly.

I didn’t expect things to go this smoothly.

When I quickly shared the news with Sung Lee-jun, he had an incredible reaction.

[Sung Lee-jun: H-holy]

[Sung Lee-jun: That’s awesome! Thank you, Yeon-jae! I’ll do my best.]

[Sung Lee-jun: You won’t regret it. I’ll really do well. You don’t have to do anything. I’ll take care of everything!]

What, am I getting married?

His passionate response made me laugh.

Leaving Sung Lee-jun to act like someone who just got engaged, I started preparing for the shoot in my own way.

“Actor, the car is ready.”

“Yes.”

The meeting was scheduled sooner than expected.

The meeting place was a tranquil traditional tea house.

“So, we’ll depart on November 4th. The trip will be for 10 nights and 11 days.”

“Please keep in mind that Sung Lee-jun has an interview scheduled the day after.”

“Yes. Is it okay to go with the concept we sent you earlier?”

The adults’ conversation continued for a while.

Trusting Team Leader Woo, who was meticulously negotiating on my behalf, I picked up my teacup.

It was comfortable to have someone who was good at their job.

“The aroma is nice.”

The tea was bitter at first but left a sweet aftertaste, which was impressive.

As I quietly drank my tea for a long time, it was soon time for the meeting to end.

Team Leader Woo looked at me.

“Yeon-jae, do you have any questions?”

“I do have one question.”

The slightly restless atmosphere settled down at my words.

Everyone looked at me, but I casually looked at the production team.

“If Lee-jun hyung and I aren’t fun.”

“…….”

I saw the looks of disbelief flash across their faces in an instant.

But I felt I had to say what needed to be said.

“No matter how much the concept is healing, if the two of us go, it might end up being more of a documentary than a variety show. I want to know if you have any plans for that.”

The ultimate goal of any program, including variety shows, was ratings.

No matter how good the intentions, low ratings made it all meaningless in this industry.

The production team, who had already worked on several variety shows, would know this well. So why did they choose Sung Lee-jun and me?

The PD seemed flustered for a moment at my question, then smiled.

“It’s okay. We’ll just capture the interesting parts.”

“Sorry?”

“Your faces, that is.”

“…….”

This time, I was the one left speechless.

Seeing my reaction, the other party awkwardly added that it was a joke. A joke, huh.

“Variety shows don’t run on just humor. The subtle chemistry that comes from interactions is also very important.”

The PD added that no matter how funny a comedian is, it becomes boring if there’s no one to play off of.

As soon as he finished speaking, the PD looked at Sung Lee-jun.

“I’ve seen Lee-jun quite a bit these past few days, and every time, he talks so much about actor Lee Yeon-jae.”

“…! PD-nim!”

“Oh, sorry, was it supposed to be a secret?”

Sung Lee-jun’s face turned red.

I handed him a teacup, telling him to calm down.

“Drink this.”

“Okay….”

“It’s hot, so be careful.”

I patted Sung Lee-jun’s back naturally.

But then, I felt the eyes of the writers sticking to my fingertips, so I paused for a moment.

The PD laughed heartily and continued.

“The ‘Yeon-jae’ that Lee-jun talks about is the actor who won the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival in May, becoming the youngest ever to do so. And yet, you disappeared after doing only a few interviews.”

“I decided to do a drama, so….”

Even though I hadn’t intended it, my tone came out as defensive.

The PD continued regardless of my reaction.

“But one day, an actor with no personal social media was suddenly back in the spotlight. It was only a short 30-minute appearance on someone else’s live broadcast.”

Ah, he was talking about the broadcast with Space Se-hyun hyung and singer Choi In-jun.

I knew it caused a stir because of my unexpected bleaching incident.

When I awkwardly smiled, the PD smiled as if he had expected it.

“You might not realize it, but you’re an icon of interest, Yeon-jae.”

“…….”

“To people like us, you’re a star we’d beg to have.”

The PD laughed without reservation.

Although his laughter seemed straightforward, I could clearly see the greed in his eyes.

“I’m lucky that Lee-jun mentioned you, so I got to take a chance. Everyone here knows you’re getting offers from countless places.”

Was he being too honest?

I had heard from Team Leader Woo that I was getting a lot of offers.

‘Even if the contract is signed, flattery won’t change anything.’

Maybe it was because I had seen too many people change their expressions the moment they signed a contract.

The PD’s straightforwardness was refreshing.

‘This will be interesting.’

I was curious how this PD would edit me.

‘Well, I’m not a comedian.’

Even though it was a variety show, it wasn’t my job to be funny.

Since I had already warned the production team, I didn’t need to worry anymore.

Feeling a sense of relief, I smiled broadly.

“Yes. Thank you. I look forward to working with you.”

As I smiled, everyone else smiled along.

At the same time, I felt like a certain barrier in the room had shattered.

It might be just my imagination, but for a moment, it felt like everyone was watching me.

In my mind, I slapped my forehead.

‘I’ve got a real celebrity complex.’

Anyone would think I was a superstar.

As I tried to get a grip on myself, the PD suddenly spoke with a slightly awkward face.

“Yeon-jae, can I ask you a favor before the shoot? You can discuss it with your company and let me know.”

“Sure. What is it?”

The PD gave an embarrassed smile at my question.

“Do you think you could dye your hair a different color before we depart? For example….”

The word that followed was something I hadn’t expected at all.