Peninsula: From a supporting actor to the best actor in Chungmuro

Chapter 201 Yoona's Stress Test: On the Compatibility of 001 with Music Show Stages

August 15th.

Inside that old, dilapidated apartment building deep in the alley of Shengshuidong, where I've lived for nearly seven years.

The room was filled with moving boxes.

Lee Sung-kyung sat motionless amidst a mountain of debris that nearly submerged her ankles, her hair stuck to her forehead with sweat.

My gaze swept across—

A faded teddy bear lay askew, its earless body missing; several out-of-season fast-fashion jackets, long since no longer worn, exuded a faint smell of camphor and dust; a pile of miscellaneous kitchen utensils... and in the corner, there was even a box of unopened toilet paper that had been stockpiled during a sale.

Seven years.

Time has fermented in every inch of the air here, solidifying into these lingering material remnants. Each item seems to tell a story of the past.

She stared blankly—

It turns out that "leaving" is a hundred times heavier than "staying".

Kang Jae-hoon navigated around the obstacle course piled on the floor, his sweat-soaked black vest clinging to the taut lines of his muscular back.

He had just sealed a cardboard box full of her prized fashion magazines when he turned around and saw her frozen in the middle of the mess:

What are you spacing out for...?

Lee Sung-kyung didn't respond, but Kang Jae-hoon understood the meaning in her eyes—reluctance to part.

His gaze was not judgmental, but rather calmly swept over the pile of "the past" that almost occupied his living space:
"It's time to say a proper goodbye to these old times. Then hold your head high and greet the brand new you, clean and beautiful."

Hear the words.

Lee Sung-kyung's breathing rose and fell, and the confusion in her eyes was gradually replaced by clarity.

She nodded silently.

then.

This brutal process of "decluttering" has begun—

Clothes you no longer wear, those that are faded and misshapen, or those stained with unknown dirt? Throw them away!

Those decorative items that've been gathering dust for over a year and are just an eyesore? Throw them away!
Duplicative, cheap, and low-quality kitchen utensils? Throw them away!

That box of promotional toilet paper? Throw it away!
Cosmetics and medicines that have expired for many years? Throw them away! Throw them even further away!

When the last batch of garbage bags was dragged downstairs and disposed of, Lee Sung-kyung stood in the center of the suddenly empty living room, with only a few neatly packed new cardboard boxes remaining, and miraculously felt a sense of lightness as if a heavy burden had been lifted off her shoulders.

……

Moving trucks rolled across the Han River Bridge, leaving the past of Seongsu-dong completely behind.

Upon arriving at the new residence.

Jin Dayuan instructed the moving company employees to handle the cardboard boxes containing valuable items with care.

Taking advantage of a break in the moving, he wiped his sweat and quickly walked over to Jiang Zai Xun, who was checking whether the decorations in the entryway were intact.

"Report on the progress."

Jin Dayuan pulled a folder from his shoulder bag:
"As planned, we acquired seven units in the first round, one row on the east and one row on the west."

He poked at the sketch of the land distribution with the stub of a pencil:

"In the east, in the Ahara and Dobeng districts, we specifically selected small, old houses with good average prices. They are all old buildings from the 1990s and have room for renovation."

Turn the page.

These are several photos of the indoor assessment from different angles.

The walls are peeling and the floor is old.

"I'm currently haggling with several renovation companies, but their quotes are inflated, and negotiating is giving me a headache. I'm looking for a standardized renovation process, with uniform hard furnishings and prefabricated model rooms for soft furnishings, a streamlined operation that saves money and time."

Kang Jae-hoon's gaze swept quickly across the photos, his finger pointing to the empty rooms in the pictures, indicating the interior decoration:
"For furniture and interior design... we can ask Kwang-soo to explore some ideas."

Kim Dae-won's eyes lit up: "Lee Kwang-soo?"

"Correct."

Kang Jae-hoon nodded: "His father is a major shareholder of the Dauning furniture brand. His family's furniture factory in Nanyangzhou is a source manufacturer, and their purchase price is only lower than that of the wholesale market. You can explain the purpose to Kwang-soo hyung, and there shouldn't be any problem."

"As for the renovation company..."

Kang Jae-hoon tapped the "Renovation Assessment" section:

"His factory is so big, he must have had a stable and well-coordinated renovation contractor over the years. The quality control and construction schedule are reliable."

He handed the folder back to Jin Dayuan:

"You should contact both sides and make a detailed comparison. We're not doing one-off deals; finding a long-term partner is the most important thing. Price and service are both essential. After all, we... are also looking at the long term."

There's no such thing as avoiding being ripped off during home renovations; it's just a matter of how much.

Jin Dayuan nodded knowingly and quickly jotted down the key points in his notebook:

"...Understood, I'll contact Lee Kwang-soo later."

……

The voices and footsteps finally faded away completely.

As the soft "click" of the door closing and locking fell, the vast space was instantly enveloped in a huge and warm tranquility.

Lee Sung-kyung walked step by step to the window, turning her back to the mess in the room and gazing into the distance—

The setting sun melted into gold, generously framing the Namsan Tower on the opposite bank of the river, the winding steel frame of the Banpo Bridge, and the shimmering, gold-like surface of the Han River into the entire huge floor-to-ceiling window.

Is this my new home?
A new life?

My chest tingled slightly from an unexpected, full, and unfamiliar sense of abundance. My eyes felt hot, and my throat tightened.

She raised her hand and gently touched the glass, as if to confirm that the dreamlike, magnificent river view flowing outside the window was real.

at this time.

A pair of arms silently encircled her from behind, tightly encircling her slender waist and body in a reassuring embrace.

His chin rested gently on her shoulder, which exuded a faint fragrance, and his warm breath caressed the fine hairs on her sensitive earlobes and neck.
"Like it?"

"Ah."

Lee Sung-kyung's senses were enveloped by his breath, soothed by the shimmering light outside the window, and she leaned back more relaxed, sinking deeper into his embrace.

"...When are you moving in?"

Cardboard boxes left behind by the moving company are still piled up in the corner of the living room.

The air still smelled of dust from the new house.

But this brand-new world is already eager to welcome its male owner.

"After filming this movie, there's another movie I've signed a contract for. I'll move out once we've wrapped up the rest."

"Oh."

Lee Sung-kyung responded, sounding fairly satisfied.

She savored this moment of tenderness. But her thoughts suddenly drifted back to a few hours earlier, to the fragment of a conversation she overheard between Kang Jae-hoon and Kim Dae-won, their voices hushed.

"Rental apartment," "principal," "leverage," "renovation"... a few fragmented words popped into my ears.

Now it's quiet.

Those words popped up again.

"What was that all-room rental you were talking about with Kim Dae-won just now?"

"That... it's just some financial investment. A small business."

An understatement.

It seems they didn't want her to worry too much.

Lee Sung-kyung frowned slightly.

Having navigated the industry for many years, she is all too familiar with the complex entanglement of money and human nature, especially when it comes to "commissions," "cooperation," and "huge sums of money."

She grabbed Kang Jae-hoon's wrist with her other hand:
"Don't... be so foolish as to believe everything others say. You can't see into someone's heart!"

"Don't end up getting sold out and still helping them count the money!"

"..."

Looking at her anxious, protective manner, Jiang Zaixun felt both touched and amused.

It also didn't explain the complex investment strategies.

He leaned in and, without saying a word, planted a kiss on her slightly parted lips, which were still trying to "teach her a lesson."

"I understand, I will listen to our family's Bible... and pay attention at all times."

The words have not yet fallen.

The hands that were still wrapped around her waist began to wander upwards, slowly following the graceful curve of her body.

Lee Sung-kyung felt a surge of passion rising within her from the gradually warming kneading:
"ah!"

Her cheeks flushed red.

Struggling to turn away from the increasingly tight and escalating embrace, she forcefully pressed her hands against his wolfish paw, which had already climbed below her sensitive area and was about to invade:

"no!"

Staring into his lustful eyes:

"The room is such a mess..."

She looked around angrily at the scattered, haphazard battlefield of cardboard boxes:

"...We need to clean up first!!"

Jiang Zai Xun seized the opportunity to flip his wrist, taking control of her resisting wrist and pressing it against the French windows.

The cold glass made Lee Sung-kyung's delicate body tremble.

"good……"

His lips brushed against her flushed cheeks as he whispered, his hot breath making her flinch.

"I called a cleaning service."

what? ! ! !

Lee Sung-kyung's pupils suddenly widened.

She was stunned by this flimsy solution, which reeked of the decadence of capitalism!

"Why waste money like this!"

Kang Jae-hoon paid no attention to her protests, but was instead aroused by her "thrifty and virtuous housewife" demeanor, which aroused even deeper desire.

"Our hands in the Bible are not for doing these things, but for..."

(An indescribable scene should flash by here)

"--ah!!!"

A scream of shame and anger burst from her throat, and the hand that was about to cover his mouth was grabbed just as she raised it.

next second.

There was a sudden spin.

Lee Sung-kyung gasped as she was lifted into the air and carried horizontally!
"good!"

Kang Jae-hoon, his breathing already unsteady, strode towards the only bedroom that had been tidied up:

"The cleaning staff won't be here for a while!"

He looked down at the beautiful woman in his arms, who was filled with shame and anger, her eyes glistening with tears as she glared at him: "We... need to hurry..."

The door was kicked shut behind me, and the lock clicked softly.

The golden rays of the setting sun were kept outside the door.

The Han River flows gently through Seoul at dusk, its shimmering surface reflecting the sky ignited by the setting sun.

……

The mess left behind by the moving company was completely conquered by the professional cleaning team that arrived.

bright and clean.

The well-organized new space now only retains the atmosphere of Lee Sung-kyung's gradually settling life.

The dust has settled.

Like a migratory bird that only pauses briefly before quickly changing course, Kang Jae-hoon unhesitatingly shifted his focus to another direction awaiting "appeasement."

—Lim Yoon-a.

Bae Suzy is caught in the double bind of the intensive promotional period for "The Song of Peach Blossoms" and the upcoming Fendi show in Milan, keeping her extremely busy and with no time to spare.

However, in "Descendants of the Sun," Sergeant Seo Dae-young's scenes entered a relatively quiet period. The filming schedule was no longer as intensive and demanding.

It had almost all the advantages of favorable timing and location.

An even more wonderful "human element" follows—

In the lead-up to the release of her album "Lion Heart", Yoona's schedule suddenly had a... rather luxurious blank space.

then.

This couple, who had been temporarily separated by their busy schedules, suddenly lost all real obstacles and excuses.

The long-suppressed desires and the desires they had longed for were like the cap being pulled from a bottle. Night after night of revelry became a kind of law.

The lights of the convenience store downstairs in the apartment building became a faithful witness.

After another passionate embrace at the first light of dawn.

Yoona's long, sweat-dampened hair clung messily to her smooth neck, her cheeks flushed. Nestled in the cage formed by Kang Jae-hoon's well-defined chest and arms, she playfully scratched his chin with her pinky finger.

"Na..."

"Why don't we just move in here? That way we won't have to..."

She was vague, but the omitted parts were vividly descriptive.

Is it the hassle of traveling back and forth late at night?

Is it the regret of embracing something tender yet having to pull away and leave?

Is it that she craves a more complete and thorough sense of possession at this moment?

……

The heart in Jiang Zaixun's chest, which had been beating rapidly due to the lingering effects of passion, felt as if a can of liquid nitrogen had been suddenly shoved into it, and even the arms wrapped around her smooth back froze for two seconds.

Refuse to be particular about art.

The grand-sounding "itinerary," "work," and "avoidance of suspicion" routines form a perfectly logical closed loop in Lee Sung-kyung's case.

But the one in front of me.

Standing before Lim Yoona, who grew up in a brutal training room, debuted at her peak, is used to storms and scheming, and has both high IQ and EQ...

That's so fake.

There's no way to hide it.

Therefore, he chose a simpler solution.

— Hitting the sore spot.

"No."

The person in his arms immediately squirmed in dissatisfaction: "Why?"

"If you live together, will you still have the energy to record music show performances?"

"Are you questioning my professional ethics?!"

Lim Yoona even wanted to prop herself up and glare down at him:
"I didn't..."

She wanted to say, "But we're still doing normal activities," but then she remembered that the so-called "activities" were nothing more than staying at home and sleeping until she naturally woke up!
His confidence vanished instantly.

"...Weren't we doing just fine before?"

"Before?"

Kang Jae-hoon raised an eyebrow slightly, and a meaningful smile curved his lips:

"That was because I was too considerate of you before."

"—Too much restraint."

restraint?!
A flame, a mixture of excitement, curiosity, and an intense, defiant spirit, instantly overwhelmed all reason.
“If you have the ability…”

"...Don't just hold back all night and let me see you!"

This statement is both a provocation and an invitation.

But often, practice is the sole criterion for testing truth.

This night.

Driven by a strong desire to prove that she is "still in stable condition" and "will not be drained and affect her work," Yoona was unusually dedicated.

Kang Jae-hoon was also pleased with the outcome.

We'll see this through to the end.

……

When the sky outside the window turned a bluish-green color.

Yoona struggled to force herself to turn on the camera from her sleep.

—My eyelids felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead, my thoughts were shrouded in a thick fog, and my body felt as if it had been disassembled and reassembled.

She forced herself to sit up, threw back the covers, and got out of bed. The moment her feet touched the floor, a sharp, uncontrollable cramp shot through her inner thigh!

Fortunately, she grabbed the edge of the dressing table next to her to steady herself, otherwise she would have slipped and fallen to her knees.

Yoona stared blankly for a few seconds.

This damn competitive spirit...

at last.

When that feeling of shame in my heart was about to cross the threshold.

She sighed softly.

Extremely slowly and cautiously, they moved towards the bathroom, each step seemingly fraught with a deep pit.

……

8 month 19 day.

The clock had just struck midnight.

A name that has been brewing enough storm—

Lion Heart.

With overwhelming force, it officially exploded at the top of all music charts on Melon, Genie, and Bugs.

Parachuting in! Reaching the summit! Sweeping through!

This powerfully proclaims the enduring weight and brilliance of the Girls' Generation name!

Just two hours.

The music video for the title track, a visual feast that blends retro disco sparkles, elegant waltz transitions, and the captivating charm of the girls' eyes, has seen its view count explode and relentlessly surpass 400 million!
The comment section completely turned into a sea of ​​celebration, with the screen scrolling so fast that only blurry afterimages of praise could be seen.

"The Queen is back!"

"Yoona is so beautiful it makes me cry!"

"Taeyeon's high notes are the whispers of an angel and the devilish high notes that save your eardrums!"

"Yuri's gaze killed me!!!"

"..."

Yoona, the center of the storm.

Having just endured several nights of "brutal practice" in which her soul and body were completely reshaped and all "courage to question" was drained, she was now slumped in a massage chair, the massage rollers pressing against her aching back with a force that seemed to crush her bones.

My phone kept vibrating.

Congratulatory text messages, work group notifications, and a barrage of ecstatic screams from teammates...

however.

Her gaze, however, was fixed on the "music promotion schedule" line on the timetable that was about to turn red—

M! Countdown, Music Bank, Inkigayo, media interviews, radio recordings...

If this continues, I'm afraid I'll only be able to stand in front of the camera like a human cardboard cutout.
They can't even manage a smile!

No!

Absolutely not!

Lim Yoona picked up her phone.

Gritting his teeth, with the tragic grandeur of "cutting off the tail to survive," he decisively sent a message to the contact whose contact was labeled "[The Great Demon King]":

[Lim Yoona]: Notice/Warning—No Sexual Activity During Promotion Period! Effective Immediately!!!

at that time.

Even through the screen, Kang Jae-hoon could almost see her with her exquisite stage makeup, seriously tapping her phone screen with her fingertips to send a warning.

He chuckled and shook his head at his phone screen, tapping lightly with his fingertips:
【Yes, sir! (Salute emoji)】

Put away your phone.

But I'm happy to be able to relax.

While satisfying their desire for conquest, they can also rest and recuperate, and build up their reserves.

after all……

If you count the days, Bae Suzy's triumphant return from Milan Fashion Week is numbered.

……

The next day.

The film *Veteran*, which was watched multiple times by moviegoers and denounced by brainless haters as "smearing the chaebol," has finally—after fulfilling its dual mission of raking in huge profits and generating explosive buzz—

Officially announced that it has been taken off the air!

The final number of viewers was 1341 million, and the total box office revenue exceeded an astonishing 1054 billion Korean won!
What made the entire industry take notice and even feel envious was—

It's an incredibly small investment cost!

Compared to the investments of other giants, which often amount to tens of billions, "Veteran" achieved a terrifying return of 16.7 times with a production cost of just over 60 billion!

Director Ryu Seung-wan perfectly illustrated the miracle of "leveraging a large market with a small budget" with a textbook-level business operation.

As soon as the news came out.

The entire Chungmuro ​​area and even the entire entertainment industry were shaken!

Countless production companies held meetings overnight to analyze scripts, dissect elements, and study the secrets to achieving high viewership with low budgets.

The key success elements of "Veteran," such as "black tycoons," "violent thrills," "golden supporting characters," and "satirical commentary on reality," are repeatedly dissected and analyzed.

For a while.

Screenplays on the theme of corrupt chaebols, which were initiated in response to the trend, sprang up like mushrooms after rain.

The chaebol film industry seems to have temporarily lost its deterrent power.

because.

A whirlwind of "tough love" against chaebols swept through the market.

That afternoon.

Tina, the editor-in-chief of W Korea magazine, contacted Kang Jae-hoon, wanting to do an exclusive interview with Hwang Jung-min.

As for the reason?

There's absolutely no need to say more.

Hwang Jung-min is currently the undisputed pillar of the Korean film industry, a force to be reckoned with.

Every movie he stars in is a hit!
From the elevator god in "New World" to the tragic father in "Ode to My Father", and then to the mad dog detective in "Veteran"...

She has a wide range of acting roles.

Her aura was fully unleashed.

The box office appeal is terrifying!
Even award-winning actors of Song Kang-ho and Lee Byung-hun's caliber have to deliberately avoid his presence during filming schedules to prevent being crushed in a direct confrontation.

His October cover interview was a bombshell for W Korea's resources of the year!
"No problem at all."

Kang Jae-hoon readily agreed.

Editor-in-Chief Tina had already extended her goodwill by using the opportunity of exposure in the September issue of the magazine.

Return the peach.

The basic rules of interpersonal relationships.

That day, filming for "Descendants of the Sun" wrapped up.

Kang Jae-hoon took off his training uniform, drove his unassuming silver Santa Fe, and picked up Editor-in-Chief Tina and her filming and interviewing team. Destination—the set of "Asura".

After finishing filming "The Wailing" at the beginning of the month, Hwang Jung-min immediately jumped into the crew of "Asura".

This spirit of model worker can be regarded as a benchmark in the industry.

As for the script for "Asura," Kang Jae-hoon has indeed read it. It deeply analyzes the complexity of human nature and the workings of power, and it's very well written.

The main antagonist played by Hwang Jung-min—Mayor Park Sung-bae—is said to be based on the current mayor of Seongnam, who invited him to be an "ambassador for preventing school violence" in the real world.

Speaking of this legend.

A performance art piece that caused a sensation on the peninsula was staged just two days ago—

This is in protest against the Park administration's intention to impose an additional 1000 billion won in taxes on Seongnam.

This "Peninsula's No. 1 Running Man" actually headed straight for Gwanghwamun Square, lay down on the ground, and, in front of media cameras and onlookers, began an earth-shattering—

Hunger strike in protest!

I don't know if I've lost weight or not.

The trending topic was quickly overshadowed by #Who exactly is that scumbag lion in Girls' Generation's MV?#, making it seem absurd like a dark comedy.

(End of this chapter)