The rumors about Jo Yoo-shin were neatly resolved.
-Haha, so that photo…
-Yes, it was an incident. I was just joking around with my senior, and it seems that moment was captured.
-Ah, and there were also talks of conflicts among young male actors…
-Conflict? Is there such a thing? To be honest, I’m still a rookie, so I have a lot to learn from seniors like Jo Yoo-shin and Lion. Both of them are very pleasant individuals, so filming has been enjoyable.
-What about Lion?
-To be honest, I’m still surprised. When Siwoo suddenly appeared addressing his senior, I thought there must be something wrong.
-That’s right. I was completely shocked at that picture moment. Even knowing Siwoo is his junior, it still felt strange to see him suddenly apologizing like that.
-Haha, Siwoo seems subtly mischievous.
-Still, he’s incredibly mature in everyday life. His attitude towards acting is serious. Even though he’s my junior, I think there’s much to learn from him.
Interviews-wise, both are pros.
On set, they quarrel, but when the camera comes in, they’re the best of friends.
The hypocrites of the Orthodoxy will probably call these two “senpai” when they see them.
Because they’ve never seen anyone more shameless than themselves.
In any case, following me, even Lion cleared Jo Yoo-shin, and thus the “character issue” about him died down.
After being toned down, Jo Yoo-shin focused solely on filming.
Since then, both Jo Yoo-shin and Lion have avoided approaching me. At this point, it’s almost like being treated as if I have a contagious disease.
Sure, Jo Yoo-shin behaves like that, but why is Lion acting like this?
It’s quiet and pleasant, but there’s an odd feeling about it all.
The drama was proceeding much smoother than I expected.
With each episode, viewership ratings kept increasing meaningfully, and by the 9th episode, it finally broke the legendary 20%.
This was a better result than the “Genius Copywriter, Yoon Seo-eun” that I remember.
And rather amusingly, Elder Yoon was still leading the ratings.
-Come on, this is what love is.
-Grandpa, I’m dying!
-It’s time to embrace and accept Ji-woo’s love, Grandpa.
-No romance… this is delicious.
-Judging by the original version’s good looks, let’s make some proper romance later.
The no(老)manse between Senior Kang Ji-woo and Elder Yoon provided extra entertainment for the audience, thus capturing even more attention once again.
Frankly, I also found this part somewhat surprising. Ji-woo’s loyalty and Elder Yoon’s poignant rejection while understanding her own feelings resonated well with audiences.
From my standpoint, I don’t see how this could happen, but both Director Yoo and Writer Min nod approvingly, making it seem this was the planned plot all along.
“Who would have thought Elder Yoon would go this far? And the ending too…”
Moreover, the surprising ending was breathtaking.
Yoon Elder finally gathered his supporters, ousted the conventional current management, and convened a new board.
Yoon Seo-eun also received recognition for her talents, resulting in a dual promotion.
Even in the epilogue, 10 years later, Yoon Seo-eun became the CEO of Planet, making this truly an Elder Yoon dominance story.
Of course, the two male leads also rose to become executives in the company, supporting Yoon Seo-eun, which is understandable since they’re leads.
But Elder Yoon?
When a supporting character hogs all the spotlight, it’s frustrating for the main actor.
Honestly, I think Jo Yoo-shin would be completely justified in kicking me in the leg if this situation persists.
If I hadn’t crushed Jo Yoo-shin’s spirit earlier, this drama might have ended in a disaster.
“Isn’t it almost time to wrap up the filming?”
“Yes, there are only two days left, right? For Elder Yoon’s storyline.”
“Right. So, here’s a contact. It’s a casting offer directed at you. Think carefully and decide on a good place.”
“Ah, right.”
“Right? Hey, do you know how much effort I put in while managing this for you?”
“Probably… I really appreciate it.”
Given my position without any agency support, PD Yoo was effectively managing all the requests directed at me.
I wanted to avoid any major incidents during filming, so kept everything on hold, but now that filming is winding down, it’s time to collect the offers.
This was genuinely a huge help.
As Elder Yoon’s performance built up and the drama’s popularity grew, offers for me became increasingly hotter.
PD Yoo must have been exhausted managing it all while juggling the production of the drama.
Given how low I was valued at the beginning, I knew companies weren’t just sitting idly by.
The fact that I didn’t hear any of these offers shows how earnestly PD Yoo must have been blocking them.
Deciding it’s better than having my concentration shaken while acting, even if it was more annoying for her; thanks to her, I could focus on my acting.
“Whenever you’re thankful, come running when I call you.”
“If PD Yoo calls me, I’ll come. Right?”
“Haha, funny. You’re clearly not that type of character.”
“Even so, I’ll consider the role before coming.”
“Alright, that’s probably better.”
I’m unsure how PD Yoo sees me, but this is partially sincere.
I wouldn’t just come at the call of anyone, but if the same conditions apply, PD Yoo is my first choice.
If she ever asks for a cameo, I’ll come without hesitation.
I recognize that I’m a pragmatic person, but I don’t forget favors either.
After expressing my gratitude to PD Yoo and receiving the business cards she passed to me, I went home to check which companies had contacted me, finding several well-known ones, including a major agency.
Apparently, these people had acknowledged my value to some degree.
Especially noteworthy was the inclusion of Jo Yoo-shin’s SD.
Wow, SD? What are these people thinking by handing me business cards like this?
I skipped SD and carefully went through the other cards.
“What’s this unfamiliar company? ‘Heaven Actor’?”
Then I noticed a particularly flashy business card.
It shone as if covered in gold foil, impossible to ignore.
Never encountered one like this before, so I couldn’t help but search what ‘Heaven Actor’ does.
Once I found out, I learned:
“Heaven Actor. CEO… Heavenly Yuah. Attached actors, Heavenly Yuah… This is Heavenly Yuah’s personal company, right? The name is quite…”
This turned out to be a one-person agency led by none other than Heavenly Yuah herself.
Why throw a business card at me if you’re a one-person agency intending to handle everything by yourself?
Anyway, I immediately filtered this one out too.
The flashy card for Heaven Entertainment went straight into a drawer, and I continued carefully reviewing the others.
“Indeed, this is a crucial decision — the agency.”
I had momentarily forgotten this due to the strange circumstances on set, but the original reason I agreed to play a 70-year-old in the drama was to secure a good agency.
There’s a world of difference between starting fresh through auditions as a novice and signing deals after proving your potential.
All my hard work up to this point was aimed at this very moment.
“Definitely should start with the majors.”
The first contacts I initiated were with companies categorized as “majors.”
Starting with idols, encompassing actors and MCs, even venturing into production — the major companies guarantee far more than expected once you’re onboard.
Though SD seems like it doesn’t automatically mean top-notch, “major” is still a dream for aspiring actors, so I decided to check the terms and attended meetings first.
“Doesn’t look like it’s going to work.”
After meetings with two famous agencies, it became clear that the majors weren’t the right fit.
Predictably, the financial terms were tough — I knew this already.
Though I’m promising, I still have much to prove, and the majors often return effort based on how much you’ve given.
A bigger issue was the lack of authority over scheduling.
This is akin to: “We’ll make you a star if you just do as we tell you.”
Given the notorious rigidity and overload of major agencies’ schedules, the rejection was immediate.
Sure, I’m in this business to make money, but a life with no work-life balance is…
Take the New Religion Cult, for example. They paid outrageous salaries.
But hey, the New Religion was an organization with unimaginable wealth.
But seriously, what’s the point of piling gold in a warehouse if you don’t have time to enjoy it?
After being burned by a black-listed company once, priorities shifted — it’s not just about money anymore.
Especially when I have a certain confidence in my skills now.
“Then, maybe mid-level robust options are better? There’s something familiar…”
I spent five years in this industry as an aspiring actor, and back then, I explored many companies.
Most people only know the actors, not their agencies or which ones are strong.
This knowledge is reserved for professionals in the field, naturally necessary.
I was exceptionally sincere about this aspect.
Hence, I still vaguely remember good companies, like the one I considered top-notch at the time, which wasn’t even established yet.
It was likely a couple of years down the line when they began gaining renown.
“Perhaps I should find a temporary home first before planning a transfer?”
Realizing the best choice isn’t even established yet, deep thoughts arose.
Then, PD Yoo called me.
She informed me the series finale party was set, and also delivered a new proposal with a contact.
“…Flame. Flame already exists?”
Coincidentally, the last contact provided was Flame Entertainment, which I revered in the past.
I thought they were only set to launch in two years, but it seems they were already in the preparation phase.
“This is worth looking into. Flame.”
Even at the early stage, Flame is Flame.
Given the undeniable recognition, I immediately made contact and scheduled a meeting.
