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

Chapter 214 Yoona's MVP Results Screen
The night scene in Jongno district was fragmented by the fluorescent lights of the authorities.

Even though it was past midnight, some windows on certain floors of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism headquarters building were still lit with cold white lights.

A heavy door was pulled open.

Kang Jae-hoon walked out expressionlessly.

Inside the door behind.

The "special interrogation room," equipped with one-way glass and high-fidelity recording equipment, slowly closed.

The psychological tug-of-war that lasted for nearly eight hours finally came to an end.

The so-called "talks".

Strip away the fancy bureaucratic jargon, and the core message is just one thing:
If he continues to use his status as a public figure to openly challenge "certain rules," then the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will "appropriately" expose certain "minor flaws in his character and private morality" to the public through "suitable" channels.

"Young people are full of energy, so it's only natural for them to have more female friends."

"But think about it, what if your fans, investors, advertisers... all saw these reasonably clear photos and... well, evidence from private conversations between a few of the parties involved... tsk tsk tsk..."

Actually.

Kang Jae-hoon knew better than anyone else.

His seemingly flawless cover-ups with Lim Yoon-ah, Lee Sung-kyung, and Bae Suzy were hardly an absolute secret in the eyes of the well-connected authorities.

Spiderweb-like text message records, overlooked surveillance footage, overlapping travel patterns within specific time periods... if you're willing to dig deep, you can always sketch out an intriguing outline.

The reason why the other party has not yet made a real move is nothing more than two points:
One is the value of timing.

Before the release of "Veteran", Kang Jae-hoon was just a third-rate actor.

A breakout actually helps boost his status.

After the phenomenal success of "Veteran," he instantly became a national sensation. At this point, any scandal involving him would have immense damaging and media value.

Secondly, the demand has not yet materialized.

There is currently no absolute need to immediately release a shocking private scandal of a top celebrity to divert public attention and cover up a larger political or economic scandal, enough to ignite the entire internet!
therefore.

Faced with what appears to be a powerful threat.

On the surface, Kang Jae-hoon pretended to be someone whose vital point was being held hostage, uneasy, and even slightly frightened, nodding repeatedly in agreement and expressing that he "deeply realized his mistake" and "will definitely be more careful in his words and actions."

From the bottom of my heart.

But he was silently sneering and showing disdain.

This year.

In the Korean entertainment industry and even the entire East Asian entertainment industry, are celebrities cheating and having messy romantic histories really considered earth-shattering "big news"?

Look at those "glorious" predecessors!
What level is Lee Byung-hun?
They dared to flirt with women in front of their wives at the dinner table, engaging in incredibly suggestive and ambiguous flirting. Ultimately, they got burned and were blackmailed, causing a huge scandal. Yet, they still have a constant stream of film offers and endorsements.

Chungmuro's top male gods, Jung Woo-sung and Lee Jung-jae, both have rich romantic histories and countless women, yet they are still revered as male gods and movie stars.
Not to mention a certain international action star from Hong Kong who publicly admitted at a press conference that he "made a mistake that all men in the world would make." Although he was highly controversial, his career foundation has never truly been shaken.
Comparing these predecessors' impressive "achievements" and astonishing tactics...

Kang Jae-hoon felt that he could be described as an honest kid.

As long as you don't get married, you won't be involved in bigamy or fraud on a legal level; as long as you don't get involved with married women or minors, you'll avoid the most basic moral depravity.

"Drug kingpins" like Ha Jung-woo, Yoo Ah-in, and TOP (Choi Seung-hyun) have all managed to find opportunities to make a comeback after their scandals. So what is Kang Jae-hoon's situation, which is merely a voluntary, unspoken emotional entanglement between adults?

At most, it's a breach of personal morality.

It's just that it has received some moral condemnation from the public.

These condemnations may temporarily affect his commercial endorsements and "public favorability," but as long as his acting skills remain consistently excellent and his works are of high quality, his foundation will not be shaken.

He may eventually be labeled by the media and the public as a "playboy," a "time management master," or even a "female star harvester."

so what?
This title might even become a badge of male charm in another sense, and behind it lies the deep-seated envy and even jealousy of many men.

Having the ability and skill to navigate relationships with multiple top beauties is, in a certain distorted value system, even considered a form of "capital" and "badge of honor."

Restraint?

As long as you have thick skin and a stable mindset, this is a passport to completely letting loose!
Once exposed.

For him, this would actually allow him to completely break free from the constraints of traditional morality and the moral pretense imposed by his public image.

You will have more freedom to act in the future.

At worst, he can just act with the title of "openly scumbag" and let his resources and box office power speak for themselves!

Who says top actors have to be moral saints?

Chungmuro ​​only recognizes box office revenue, awards, and actual results!

With this insightful assessment in mind, Jiang Zai Xun, under the watchful eyes of the two officials, told them to "be careful."

He bowed slightly.

He bowed slightly.

He turned around and pushed open the heavy door.

He did not leave immediately.

Instead, they stood in the empty corridor outside the door, waiting for something.

Less than a minute later—

A single room away, the dark door of the same style made a soft sound.

squeak-

The door was opened more slowly.

A slightly hunched figure appeared behind the door.

Li Yongguan.

This Busan International Film Festival chairman, a spiritual leader, is in a much worse state than Kang Jae-hoon at the moment.

The "conversations" he experienced were beyond the comprehension of ordinary people in terms of their level, duration, intensity, and the pressure exerted.

That face, which was originally refined and scholarly, was now covered with a visible weariness, and the eyes behind the glasses were bloodshot.

"Chairman."

Kang Jae-hoon stepped forward and bowed in greeting.

Professor Li Yongguan raised his hand wearily:

"I'll be stepping down tomorrow, so you don't need to call me Chairman anymore..."

tomorrow?

He resigned on the second day of the Busan International Film Festival?!
Kang Jae-hoon's pupils contracted instantly.

It's like having your so-called "moral flaws" used as leverage by the other party.

The Ministry of Culture has probably been digging deep in the shadows for a while, and has also dug up some things from this highly respected scholar and father of film festivals that can be packaged as "handles".

Perhaps it was some kind of shady academic funding transaction?
Perhaps the record of a private meeting was misinterpreted?
Or perhaps they fabricated "evidence" that would destroy their reputation for life?
To preserve his last vestige of reputation and prevent his "honor" from being utterly shattered by a barrage of accusations, the old man chose to bow his head in exchange for a relatively dignified ending, completely relinquishing the authority that symbolized the film festival's independent spirit.

A complex mix of emotions welled up in Kang Jae-hoon's heart.

He asked nothing, but simply bowed respectfully again:

"Okay, Professor."

Then, I silently followed Professor Li Yongguan half a step behind, across the cold marble floor, and headed towards the elevator.

The elevator silently descended to the first floor.

The door opens.

Jiang Zaihun immediately jogged forward and pushed open the glass door before Professor Li Yongguan could.

call--!
The wind of early autumn night in early October blew unhindered against Kang Jae-hoon's face.

He instinctively shivered.

But this physical chill was instantly replaced by a psychological chill the moment the view outside the door became clear—

In front of.

A black Mercedes-Benz van was parked quietly at the bottom of the steps.

Li Yongguan's assistant had already opened the back door and was looking at the elderly man with a worried expression.

In the left corner is that familiar black van.

The car window was rolled down halfway, and the glowing crimson cigarette butt could be vaguely seen.

This was all expected.

What truly shocked Kang Jae-hoon was—

Bae Suzy's Porsche 911 appeared at the same time as Im Yoon-a's white pearl sports car!

It's only natural that Bae Suzy would wait here, but—

Why is Yoona here too?!

The reason why Lim Yoon-a was able to appear here was naturally because of Kim Dae-won's "urgent notification".

As Kang Jae-hoon's manager, when he was "invited" to cooperate with the investigation, he immediately leaked the information to Lim Yoon-ah, whom he believed was the most capable of mediating the situation.

At that time, Lim Yoon-a was on her way to have a working lunch with the female president.

after that.

At that seemingly relaxed and pleasant, yet in reality, treacherous presidential banquet.

While chatting and laughing, Lim Yoona took the opportunity to say something "soft" to the head of state, who was also a woman.

Her choice of words was extremely precise, and the core message she conveyed was:
Kang Jae-hoon was merely manipulated and used by some more influential and politically motivated elders; he had absolutely no intention of challenging the rules.

We hope the government can consider protecting and supporting the backbone of the young cultural industry and maintaining the positive international image of the Korean entertainment industry, and earnestly request that he be given lenient treatment so that he can return to his post as soon as possible.

This is the explanation.

This approach both preserved the Presidential Palace's reputation and positioned Kang Jae-hoon as merely a tool to be used.

therefore.

This allowed the Ministry of Culture to transform the "three-day detention-style investigation" that had been prepared in advance into an "eight-hour interview period."

As for the price...

This is the suffocating scene that Kang Jae-hoon is in right now.

……

And just as his figure appeared behind the glass door—

"Click!"

"Click!"

The crisp sound of the driver's side door unlocking rang out simultaneously, and two pairs of delicate feet, wearing different styles of high heels, landed on the ground almost at the same time.

Bae Suzy stood up straight gracefully.

Lin Yoona closed the car door smoothly.

Their eyes were originally fixed on Kang Jae-hoon, who had just escaped.

however.

The instant the toes touched the ground.

It was as if there was some kind of sensation that transcended the laws of physics—

Their gazes inevitably met in mid-air!
—Why is she here?!
The same question exploded in their hearts as if it had been replicated.

The gentle smile on Lin Yoona's face vanished at a visible speed, leaving only her slightly narrowed eyes.

The concerned curve of Bae Suzy's lips suddenly froze and flattened, replaced by a highly aggressive raised eyebrow.

Did they not know of each other's existence?
the answer is negative.

Rather than attributing it to Kang Jae-hoon's unparalleled skill in playing both sides, it's more accurate to say that these two ambitious and intelligent women tacitly achieved a delicate balance.

They tacitly acknowledged each other's existence and accepted the position each other occupied in Kang Jae-hoon's life trajectory, cooperating with each other to put on a seemingly calm and peaceful show in front of Kang Jae-hoon.

As for why they can be so "generous" as to tacitly acknowledge each other's existence without completely tearing each other apart and getting into a fight?
The reason is extremely practical—

The involvement is too deep, the sunk costs are too high, and all parties have a strong speculative mentality.

Leaving aside the complex political alignments and economic interests behind it, let's consider it from a purely personal emotional perspective—

Who would willingly hand over the ideal partner they've painstakingly cultivated and refined, after expending time, effort, resources, and emotions, to someone else?
But both of them were perfectly clear about the cost of their struggle.

No one will be the real winner.

Smart people know how to calculate the optimal solution.

Rather than fighting to the death, it would only benefit the newcomer in the end.

It is better to maintain the status quo.

Each defends his side.

As long as we keep to ourselves.

Whenever I need you, Kang Jae-hoon—

Anywhere, anytime.

You can appear before me immediately and fulfill your obligations as my "partner," whether it's emotional companionship or fulfilling physical needs.

Therefore, "sharing" at certain times seems to have become a tolerable, unavoidable compromise based on maximizing benefits.

but now……

A woman who shouldn't be there has overstepped her bounds and appeared in the area where she should be.

With her arms crossed, Lim Yoona walked straight toward Bae Suzy, who was leaning against the Porsche door, exuding an aggressive aura with every step.

"You go back."

Three words.

Definitely.

It's like a queen banishing a subject who doesn't know the rules and has wandered into forbidden territory.

"Why?!"

Yoona's queen-like demeanor sent the fire in Bae Suzy's chest soaring to the top of her head!

She slammed her car door shut with a loud bang.
"I came first!"

The reason Kang Jae-hoon was drawn into the center of the storm was that, as a "son-in-law of Gwangju," he spoke out for the persecuted Chairman Lee Yong-kwan and voiced his support for the independent spirit of the Busan International Film Festival.

As the "daughter of Gwangju" and his inseparable "other half," it is perfectly reasonable for Bae Suzy to come and rescue him from his predicament!

Yoona believed it was only natural for her to appear as a "savior" because she reduced Kang Jae-hoon's risk of "three days of detention" to "eight hours of torture"!

Both of them had ample reason and position to emphasize that in such a situation, they should be the ones to appear as "partners" to pick up the person.

But Bae Soo-ji, in her fury, used the phrase "first come, first served."

"First come, first served? Ha."

Yoona repeated it softly, her tone slightly raised with a hint of amusement:
"JYP only taught you stage facial expression management?"

She took a half-step forward, closing in on Bae Suzy, her beautiful doe eyes now filled with a predatory pressure:
Do you even understand the concepts of seniority and hierarchy?

The facts are before our eyes.

Regarding age.

Im Yoon-a was born in 1990, and Bae Suzy was born in 1994. The four-year age difference is an insurmountable gap in the strictly hierarchical Korean entertainment industry.

Regarding debut time.

Yoona debuted in 2007 as a member of Girls' Generation, making her a senior member of the second-generation girl groups; while Miss A, the group Bae Suzy belongs to, debuted in 2010 and is considered a late-stage second-generation girl group.

The chronological order of how Kang Jae-hoon met, became acquainted with, established a relationship with, and formed a deep bond of mutual interests—

Without a doubt, Lim Yoona was the real "pioneer," deeply involved in his destiny when he was still unknown.

Logically.

Yoona's words were a killer move!
They directly transformed a scene of two women fighting over a man into an "etiquette lecture" from an industry veteran to a junior who didn't know the rules.

This instantly placed Bae Suzy in a morally reprehensible position, labeling her as "rude," "overstepping her bounds," and "unreasonable."

Identity, qualifications, order...

Im Yoona occupied all the high ground, and her first move was a decisive one!

Bae Suzy: "..."

She can disagree!
She can feel resentful!
She could curse Lim Yoona a thousand times in her heart, "Why does this old woman think she can look down on others just because she was born a few years earlier?"

But the reality is—

She had no reason or position to refute this openly.

then.

Bae Suzy suddenly turned her gaze toward Kang Jae-hoon!
That look clearly said: She's bullying me! Aren't you going to do anything about it? Say something!
The pressure instantly poured down on Kang Jae-hoon's shoulders like a landslide.

His scalp tingled, his mind racing as he tried to figure out how to start a conversation that would both appease Bae Suzy's agitation and reignite Im Yoona's anger—

however.

Yoona didn't give him the chance to be a "master of impartiality" at all.

She wouldn't let it go once she was in the right, pressing her advantage:
"Hey, Bae Suzy. Why are you dragging Kang Jae-hoon into our business? You're so immature."

Bae Suzy suddenly turned her head, her eyes wide open:
"I'm ignorant?!"

Old woman, which eye of yours saw that I was being unreasonable?!

I'm only bullied like this because I'm sensible!
Otherwise you'll see for yourself whether your second-degree black belt in Taekwondo is just for show!

Seeing her so angry yet helpless, Yoona's smile deepened.

"Speak louder."

She glanced meaningfully to the side:
"Let Professor Li listen carefully too."

Bae Suzy stiffly turned her gaze in the direction of Im Yoona's eyes—

Not far away.

Professor Li Yongguan, who should have been sitting in the car, was now resting one hand on the car door frame. Although he was trying his best to maintain the seriousness and dignity of an elder, his slightly turned posture and the focused gaze behind his glasses...

They're clearly just watching a show!

And they watched it with exceptional focus!

They showed absolutely no intention of getting on the bus and leaving!
Bae Suzy: "!!!"

You old geezer, why aren't you home sleeping? What are you doing standing here like a bystander?!

You're watching it with such great interest?!

Don't they have any sense of responsibility as elders?!

This has left me unable to retort freely!
An extremely suffocating feeling, with nowhere to vent it, instantly surged into her heart, making her chest ache!
In front of such a respected elder, who is also a "tragic hero" who has just experienced political persecution, what would it look like if Bae Suzy really started tearing into Im Yoona without any regard for the consequences?
Don't they have any shame?
Yoona's move was absolutely spot on!

Bae Suzy's chest heaved violently as she forced herself to quickly calm her pounding heart and surging emotions.

she knows.

Yoona had the advantage of timing, location, and popular support today; she has lost this round.

Staying here would only make us look unreasonable and even more embarrassing!

then.

She abruptly turned her head away, no longer looking at Yoona's victorious posture, nor at the troublesome old man.

Instead, he fixed his extremely resentful gaze on Kang Jae-hoon's face.

next second.

Without any further hesitation, she flung open the car door, crouched down and sat in the driver's seat, slamming the door shut with a loud bang!
The Porsche 911's engine let out a low, suppressed roar, then shot off like an arrow and disappeared into the distance.

"cough."

The assistant, who had been observing from the sidelines, seemed to have just come to his senses from the drama and whispered a reminder to Li Yong, who was still engrossed in the story:
"It's getting late, you should get in the car and rest."

Li Yongguan suddenly came to his senses, as if only now realizing that his behavior of watching the young people fight like an old man from the marketplace was indeed a bit beneath him.

He cleared his throat very awkwardly, adjusted his glasses as a cover-up, and then patted Kang Jae-hoon on the shoulder:

"You've worked hard, go home and rest early."

How many complex meanings are contained in the word "hard work"?
Is it the hardship of dealing with censorship or the hardship of navigating a chaotic battlefield?

Perhaps only the old man himself knows the truth.

Kang Jae-hoon suppressed the urge to twitch his lips, pretending not to understand the meaningful look in his eyes, and bowed respectfully at a ninety-degree angle:
Yes. Take care. Please take care of yourself.

He remained bowing until the taillights of the black Mercedes van completely disappeared at the end of the street before slowly straightening up.

Almost at the same time.

The black van next to it also turned on its headlights.

Kim Dae-won poked half his head out of the lowered car window, gave Kang Jae-hoon a "good luck" look, and then silently slipped into the night and quickly left.

His presence here today is precisely to provide Kang Jae-hoon with a safe escape route as his manager.

What if the two goddesses reach a stalemate or the situation completely spirals out of control?

He could jump out at any time and, using high-sounding reasons such as "work needs" or "emergency notice," forcibly stuff Kang Jae-hoon into the van and take him away.

Although such "desertion" makes it incredibly difficult to appease people afterward, it's still much better than a "two women fighting over a man" drama unfolding on the street or in front of the Ministry of Culture building.

Fortunately.

Yoona demonstrated absolute dominance.

Straight to the point.

One hit kill.

They didn't give him a chance to make his "escape route" at all.

In a blink of an eye.

In the heart of the bustling battleground, only Kang Jae-hoon and Im Yoon-ah remained, silently gazing at each other from a distance of a dozen steps.

Kang Jae-hoon almost immediately activated his "Little Kang Radar," his face instantly plastered with an extremely sincere and obsequious (survival instinct) smile, and he jogged over to Lim Yoon-ah's side in three steps at a time.

His warm hand grabbed her delicate hands that were wrapped around his chest, held them firmly in his palm, and stroked them affectionately a couple of times.

"I've missed you so much! Really!"

Lim Yoona let him hold her hand without shaking it off.

She slightly raised her chin, the moonlight and streetlights casting a soft glow on her delicate profile, revealing no emotion. Only her clear eyes glanced at him sideways, and her pink lips parted slightly:

"Oh? You missed me?"

"Thinking that I had just gotten off the plane and hadn't even had time to catch my breath before rushing off to find her?"

Having won the battle and completely suppressed her rival, Yoona's mindset is naturally different now.

Although she wouldn't immediately speak coldly or give Kang Jae-hoon a hard time—after all, she had just "won" and needed to maintain the magnanimity of a victor.

But as a woman.

The necessary jealousy and reprimands must be expressed in a subtle and sarcastic way.

(End of this chapter)