* * *
“First, character interpretation!!! Pay attention to the points I emphasize when you act!!!”
Galdaeguk slamd a stack of storyboards down in front of and shouted.
“Good grief, my ears are gonna burst. Lower your voice a little.”
Today, the CEO of Managent Yeonggwang was dressed head-to-toe in a baby-pink suit.
Whether he cared or not, Galdaeguk continued bouncing in place.
Seriously, this man never stopped moving.
“HOW CAN I LOWER MY VOICE WHEN MY BLOOD IS BOILING THIS MUCHHHH!!!”
“Yohan’s one thing, but Baby lon Bread’s gonna end up with hearing damage at this rate.”
At the CEO’s gesture toward , Galdaeguk clamped his mouth shut and seed to think for a mont.
Ma Eungyo tossed him a marker.
He snatched it out of the air.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
With explosive force, Galdaeguk scribbled across the whiteboard.
[1. The Mindset of an Intelligence Agent
No matter where you go, gathering information cos first! Make scanning your surroundings a habit!!! But the important point here!!! What is it???]
‘How can writing alone be this loud...?’
Still, this was much better.
Like a student answering in class, I spoke up.
“Moving your gaze naturally so it looks like you’ve actually received agent training? For example, pretending to check your wristwatch while gathering information from your surroundings.”
[LOOKING AT A WATCH ANS LOWERING YOUR HEAD!!! WHAT CAN YOU SEE FROM THERE!!!]
“The other person’s shoes. You could infer where they’ve been recently from the dirt or dust stuck to them.”
Galdaeguk stopped bouncing for the first ti and waited for to continue.
‘I’d already devoured every article related to Interpol and even read academic papers before I got this script.’
I had received it before filming 〈Dongdaemun Romance〉.
There had been plenty of ti.
“If you habitually observe your surroundings, you’ll rember people’s clothes, bags, shoes, and so on. You might recall where you saw the shoes of the person across from you before, or realize they’re a surveillance tail specifically assigned to you. An elite Interpol agent wouldn’t be entirely free.”
As though I had given the exact answer he wanted, Galdaeguk resud bouncing.
[THEN WHAT WOULD YOU BE MOST WARY OF IN DAILY LIFE!!!]
At that question, even Ma Eungyo’s eyes lit up.
‘This is too easy.’
I had watched every single work created by Galdaeguk and Ma Eungyo.
There was one thing they all had in common.
“Digital devices.”
Ja Sokhwan specialized in period dramas.
A world where you could call soone within three seconds.
A world where evidence could be secretly recorded and obtained.
A world where you could keep tabs on an ex through social dia.
Ja Sokhwan destroyed that convenience.
You couldn’t see soone even if you wanted to.
You couldn’t talk to them even if you wanted to.
You couldn’t know, no matter how badly you wanted to know.
That trait had been inherited perfectly by Galdaeguk and Ma Eungyo.
“OUR MASTER HATES COMMUNICATIONNNN!!! HE BARELY ANSWERS ANYONE’S CALLS, AND HE REFUSES MINE WITH A HUNDRED PERCENT SUCCESS RATEEEEEE!!! NOT JUST IN REAL LIFE, BUT IN HIS STORIES TOOOOO!!!”
“That’s right. Mobile phones are practically devices that shouldn’t exist.”
However, Ja Sokhwan’s disciples weren’t period-drama specialists.
Galdaeguk excelled in action.
Ma Eungyo specialized in romance.
As a result, that shared trait manifested differently.
Electronic devices were never treated as convenient tools people used unconsciously.
Instead, they beca obstacles.
Trials.
Things that tripped characters up at critical monts.
It was the exact opposite of 〈Dongdaemun Romance〉.
Hwang Boseok portrayed mobile phones as a ans of connecting hearts.
Through social dia, people could form good relationships like PinkJoo.
Nam Pyeonghwa could promote the clothes she created.
Jeon Segye spent every day waiting for ssages.
He stared at photos of Nam Pyeonghwa in the gallery and felt his heart flutter.
A late-night phone call could make him feel like his heart was about to explode.
‘A completely positive dium.’
But not for Ja Sokhwan and the Lunatic Duo.
They had a habit of twisting every good thing and every convenience electronic devices could provide.
That was why their modern dramas possessed the sa aching longing found in period dramas.
“SO WE TOO FOLLOW OUR MASTER’S TEACHINGS AND RARELY USE DIGITAL DEVICES IN OUR STORIESSSS!!!”
“Now then. Keep everything we’ve discussed in mind and read the script again.”
I reopened a script I had already morized after reading it dozens of tis.
1. Near Moscow’s Red Square, Outside the State Historical Museum – Exterior / Morning
Crowds bustle through the busy streets.
A man exits a jewelry store.
The cara closes in.
Taeo.
Taeo | “(English) Target acquired. Eleven o’clock.”
He speaks to the owner of a flower stall.
Sergei | “(Russian) It’s a special day. Red roses.”
2. Nearby High-Rise Building – Exterior / Afternoon
On the rooftop of an abandoned building covered in dust.
Soone is there.
Taeo loads a sniper rifle while monitoring the target.
He adjusts the scope.
A small transmitter sits beside him.
3. Near Moscow’s Red Square, Outside the State Historical Museum – Exterior / Morning
The man receiving the roses checks the ribbon tied to the bouquet.
Sothing is written on it.
4. ICC Unofficial Operations Control Room (Safe House) – Interior
Every CCTV feed from the square fills the monitors lining the walls.
The Team Leader anxiously adjusts his headset.
Team Leader | “(English) The mont Sergei makes contact with Natalie, we move.”
5. Café Terrace Near Red Square – Exterior / Morning
Sergei and Natalie finally et.
A waitress casually places a transmitter on a nearby flowerpot.
But because of signal jamming, only static cos through.
Team Leader | “(English) One more.”
They prepare to send in a human observer instead.
At that mont, soone passes through Taeo’s scope.
Forgetting the surveillance operation entirely, Taeo follows a woman through the scope.
The woman leaving with a coffee in hand—
Ria.
Taeo | “....”
A flood of emotions flickers across Taeo’s normally expressionless face.
He follows Ria through the scope.
A crosswalk lies nearby.
The light turns green.
Ria disappears into the crowd.
I continued reading the script, the scenes playing vividly in my mind.
This was the mont Taeo and Ria t again after the child-actor portion ended.
‘It establishes both scale and character in a single scene.’
It showed exactly how elite Taeo was as an agent capable of salvaging a compromised operation.
The catharsis unique to action romance.
Gunfire.
Explosions.
Dangerous missions.
‘And it shows that even an elite agent like Taeo can be shaken instantly.’
This was where the presence of my character, Ria, truly erged.
Ma Eungyo deliberately presented Taeo—a quiet, serious man—from multiple angles.
Team Leader | “(English) Ti! Ti!”
The shout of his code na snaps Taeo back to reality.
He adjusts the angle of the scope and returns his attention to the terrace.
Yet his mind is still following Ria.
His Adam’s apple trembles.
I glanced at Galdaeguk’s storyboard beside Ma Eungyo’s script.
The man looked like he was missing a screw.
No.
Several screws.
Yet nobody was more ticulous.
‘As expected.’
Han Yohan’s left and right sides looked different.
There was a reason genre directors loved him.
He was the perfect actor for portraying the divide between good and evil.
His left side had sharper eyes and monolids.
His right side had softer eyes and a faint double eyelid.
The storyboard indicated that during Taeo’s focused intelligence work, the cara would favor his left side.
After he spotted Ria, it would favor the right.
‘And this profile right here.’
I looked up at Han Yohan’s profile from his right side.
The face I was supposed to fall in love with.
‘You can’t ask for better acting than this.... lt completely....’
I found myself hoping that mont would co during the Russia location shoot.
If I could pull off a career-defining scene in my first romance lead role.
‘Especially here.’
I toyed with the script.
The familiar texture of paper brushed against my fingertips.
Taeo and Ria would et again.
Through cooperation between the ICC and Interpol.
Because Ria was one of Interpol’s prized elite agents, properly investigating her was impossible.
Every system was blocked.
Could she be the sa Ria?
Anyone would have doubts.
But Taeo was certain.
Ria had grown dramatically during the years they were apart.
Many things had changed.
Yet she remained just as lovable as she had been as a child.
Ria | (Stops reading her file and glances sideways. Taeo’s reflection appears in the window. Their eyes et through the glass.) “Are you interested in ? Or are you investigating Interpol to see if you can find anything to criticize?”
Taeo | “....”
Ria | “Either way, it feels like your intentions are questionable.”
Taeo recognized Ria instantly.
Unlike him, she carried all the signs of soone who had grown up loved.
Ria | (Closes the file with a sharp snap.) “Whatever. We’re only connected because of work, so let’s keep it professional.”
Taeo | (Quietly watches her.) “....”
Ria | (As though no amount of staring will change her answer.) “I absolutely hate n who work in the field. It’s way too dangerous. But don’t get discouraged. That’s completely separate from your charms, okay? Ah, and don’t even think about looking down on because I don’t work in the field. I’ve only ever walked the elite path.”
At their reunion, Ria says exactly that.
The early portion of the action romance remains lighthearted.
That way the increasingly heavy story later on hits harder.
Taeo | “....”
Ria | “Ugh, you’re frustrating. Why don’t you say anything?”
Taeo | “When did you get that scar on your wrist?”
Ria | (As if it’s the strangest question in the world.) “No idea. I don’t rember.”
Taeo | “Excuse .”
Taeo grabs Ria’s wrist.
Her slender wrist settles into his grip.
The scar dated back to their days in the orphanage.
Taeo had personally stopped the bleeding.
There was no way he could forget it.
But Ria truly didn’t rember.
The pulse beneath his fingers told him she wasn’t lying.
Her blinking.
Her body language.
Everything confird it.
She had no mories of childhood.
They were all gone.
The past Taeo had dedicated his entire life to uncovering had ceased to exist for Ria entirely.
Ria | (Pulls her wrist free.) “You seem to have a habit of testing people. I know all about that. Don’t underestimate Interpol.”
Taeo | (Looks at her.) “....”
Ria | (Pokes his shoulder repeatedly with her index finger.) “No touching! No personal conversations! And no attempts whatsoever to figure out!”
Thanks to 〈Dongdaemun Romance〉, I could handle this side of the romantic-cody energy easily enough.
‘But I’ve already read all of this over and over.’
I had morized every line.
Every stage direction.
So why had Ma Eungyo and Galdaeguk insisted that I read it again?
‘If they wanted to review it alongside the storyboard...’
Too much ti had passed.
Following the Lunatic Duo’s instructions to reread everything through Volu Four had already taken more than two hours.
The CEO of Yeonggwang had given up fighting sleep and gone out for coffee.
‘And they haven’t said a single thing about character analysis since earlier....’
The two of them rely watched .
Observing.
Studying.
It felt strange.
Then—
“AAAAAHHHH!!! I CAN’T WAIT ANY LONGERRRRR!!! YOU!!! YOU KNOW WHY YOU WERE BROUGHT HERE TODAYYYY, DON’T YOUUUU?!”
Galdaeguk shouted while bouncing in place.
“Everyone may have guessed already, but we’re different from our master. We still can’t recognize you as one of Ja Sokhwan’s kids. You may want the title, but it isn’t given to just anyone.”
I had absolutely not guessed that.
‘When did I ever want the title of Ja Sokhwan’s kid?’
At that mont, I understood exactly why people called these two the Lunatic Duo.
“THAT’S RIGHTTTT!!! IF YOU WISH TO BE WORTHY OF USING HIS NA AS A TITLEEEE!!! YOU MUST PURIFY BODY AND MIND WITH COLD-WATER TRAINING EVERY DAYYYY!!! DURING BREAKS YOU MUST NEVER MISS A SINGLE DAY OF CULTIVATIONNNN!!! CONTEMPLATE HIS TEACHINGS!!! LIVE ONLY BY GATHERING PURE INNER ENERGYYYYY!!! AAAAHHHHH!!!”
“If you go around calling yourself a Ja Sokhwan kid after appearing in only four episodes, it causes us considerable trouble. You’re not even a Ja Sokhwan baby yet.”
Apparently it wasn’t just a nickna.
It was testimony written in blood by people who had actually worked with him.
At this rate, a Han Yeoreum edition would probably be added to the testimony soon enough.
“THAT’S RIGHTTTT!!! AND WATCHING THE LAST WAR FILLED US WITH TRENDOUS EXCITENTTTT!!!”
“We watched you throughout the entire Holy Grail War. I heard you pushed Hong Suryeon aside because you read Hwang Boseok’s script all the way down to its roots?”
I finally understood the rumors circulating through the industry.
‘Han Yeoreum’s character-analysis skills have spread everywhere.’
Please announce things like this with a gaphone.
Make sure the entire world hears.
My satisfaction lasted only a mont.
Ma Eungyo and Galdaeguk dropped a bomb.
“But can you read our work too? This action romance is far more difficult than a romantic cody.”
“FIGURE OUT THE FOUNDATION OF IM RIA’S CHARACTERRRR!!! THERE’S A SCENE IN RUSSIA—A SCENE WE HAVEN’T SHOWN YOU—THAT REVEALS WHO SHE REALLY ISSSS!!! GUESS WHAT IT ISSSSS!!!”
“...What?”
“If you were Im Ria, look at this storyboard and figure out what kind of mont you would encounter in Russia.”
The storyboard Galdaeguk had given was a clue.
A clue to that hidden scene.
A clue to the script they refused to show .
They wanted to discover it myself.
“If you imrse yourself deeply enough, you’ll see what absolutely must happen—even if it isn’t written in this script.”
Ma Eungyo lightly fluttered the pages in her hand.
The remaining script pages.
The ones she still hadn’t given .
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