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

Chapter 218 The Empress's Intimidation Has Moved From the Trailer to Reality

October 18th.

Zakynthos, Greece.

On the set of "Descendants of the Sun".

Filming in Greece is nearing its end, and the focus these next few days is on the final climax of the story – the ultimate mission of the Alpha team, including Yoo Si-jin and Seo Dae-young, to rescue the hostages.

The filming set became a makeshift battlefield.

The scene being filmed right now is the brutal ending:

Although the operation itself was successful, the evacuation helicopters had to prioritize transporting the wounded and hostages due to their limited capacity.

Therefore, Captain Yoo Si-jin and Vice Captain Seo Dae-young volunteered to stay behind and wait for the next helicopter to pick them up.

However, just as the roar of the helicopter engine had not completely faded away—

"boom!"

"boom!"

Several gunshots shattered the brief silence. Song Joong-ki, who played Yoo Si-jin, suddenly stiffened, his chest instantly stained red with a "blood pack," and he staggered backward.

Kang Jae-hoon, who plays Seo Dae-young, instantly lost all color in his face and let out a heart-wrenching scream:

"team leader!!"

He scrambled over and dragged the already wounded and fallen Yoo Si-jin behind a broken wall.

The camera zooms in on Kang Jae-hoon's face.

Tears, mixed with dust and sweat, surged out without warning.

His trembling hands pressed futilely against the "wound" from which "Yoo Si-jin" was constantly gushing "blood." His eyes, which were usually as sharp as a hawk's, were now filled with immense grief, fear, and a sense of powerlessness as he watched his most trusted brother's life slip away. He was so desperate that he almost burst into tears.

at this time!

"boom!"

Another shot rang out!
Kang Jae-hoon's character, Seo Dae-young, jolted violently, his face freezing in despair. His eyes, still wet with tears and filled with worry for his brother, slumped softly beside Yoo Si-jin...

In the distant sky.

Shortly after takeoff, the actors playing Alpha team members saw this scene through the porthole of the helicopter, and their desperate screams came through the sound system.

Followed by.

The prepared explosive point was suddenly detonated!
"Boom——!!!"

The simulated bomb exploded with a bang at the hiding place of Yoo Si-jin and Seo Dae-young!

A massive fireball and billowing smoke shot into the sky, instantly engulfing the two "lying down" figures.

The team members on the helicopter were horrified, their cries of pain echoing through the sky, heart-wrenching and devastating.

……

The script for this scene was short, but the emotional intensity was extremely high during filming. The actions were complex, and the timing of the explosions required precision. It took countless takes to barely achieve the effect the director wanted.

One of the times was a no-go.

It was because Song Joong-ki, who played the "corpse," suddenly lifted one eyelid and weakly uttered a sentence when Kang Jae-hoon was crying so intensely that snot bubbles were almost coming out of his nose:
"Da Rong... I think... I can still be saved..."

Kang Jae-hoon's indignant expression instantly crumbled, infuriating the director who grabbed a megaphone and yelled, "Song Joong-ki! If you add any more lines, you're buying the whole crew supper tonight!"

Another time, he played Kang Jae-hoon, who was shot and fell to the ground. When he fell, he was positioned a little too far back and was almost hit by flying rubble. Kim Ji-won was so frightened that she gasped softly beside him.

These minor incidents diluted the tragic atmosphere.

It also added a touch of light comedy to the tiring filming process.

After finally filming the close-up shots of the team members bursting into tears after the explosion, the director finally yelled "Cut!"

Kang Jae-hoon wiped his face, removing the artificial tears and "blood," and sat up, kicking Song Joong-ki's calf, who was still dutifully playing the role of a charred "corpse" next to him.

"That's a wrap, stop lying there like a corpse."

"Oh, let me lie down a little longer."

Song Joong-ki let out an exaggerated groan, but Kang Jae-hoon still managed to pull him up with a laugh.

The two brushed off the thick layer of dust and fake bloodstains from each other's clothes, then headed towards the rest area.

Under the sunshade.

Kim Ji-won and Song Hye-kyo, who had already finished filming for the day, were sitting side by side resting and chatting.

Seeing two dirty-looking men with relaxed smiles approaching, the two women's gazes almost simultaneously and in unison fell on the men they "cared about"—

Kim Ji-won's gaze was fixed on Kang Jae-hoon, a subtle sweet smile playing on her lips; Song Hye-kyo, on the other hand, gave Song Joong-ki a slightly reproachful look, her eyes full of teasing and concern.

Two pairs of eyes met subtly in the air, then silently looked away.

Kim Ji-won handed the water and phone to Kang Jae-hoon and left.

"Look, your phone was buzzing nonstop just now."

Kang Jae-hoon naturally took the water, but his fingertips took the opportunity to quickly scratch the palm of the hand she handed him the phone.

Kim Ji-won's reproachful gaze still held a sweet shyness that hadn't completely faded from her eyes.

Kang Jae-hoon then looked down at his phone, which had been vibrating wildly for half a day.

Fingertips swipe across the screen.

Unlock.

What came into view was that chat group that had been silent for what seemed like a century—

[The Himalayas Working Group]

Unread messages: 99+.

He raised an eyebrow and clicked.

moment.

The screen was flooded with compliments and emojis of firecrackers.

The trailer is so exciting!

[These special effects! These visuals! The money was well spent!]

[Wow, amazing!! Director Lee is the best!! The trailer is incredible!]

[Anticipation is off the charts! Box office success is guaranteed!]

[@To everyone in the publicity team, thank you for your hard work! December 16th! Let's make the big screens in cinemas across the country tremble!!]

【…】

Kang Jae-hoon scrolled quickly through the information feed.

Above the screen filled with excited comments was a message from director Lee Seok-hoon tagging him and Hwang Jung-min, sent several hours earlier:
[Lee Seok-hoon]: @All staff and colleagues: The final release date for *Himalaya* is December 16th! @Hwang Jung-min @Kang Jae-hoon, please make sure the two lead actors coordinate their schedules to cooperate with the promotional push! Below is the link to the teaser trailer—look forward to our collaborative efforts! Break through the ice!
Scroll up again.

The trailer that sparked this frenzy is the trailer itself – [The official first trailer for Himalaya - HD 1080P].

Kang Jae-hoon's heart skipped a beat.

He was curious.

With a massive investment of 140 billion won, real snow-capped mountains for filming, and the fact that he suffered greatly, including vomiting from altitude sickness in Nepal, what will the final product be like?
"What is it?"

Seeing his focused expression as he stared at his phone, Kim Ji-won couldn't help but lean closer out of curiosity.

"The trailer for 'Himalaya' is out."

Kang Jae-hoon explained, then casually clicked on the high-definition link.

After a few seconds of buffering.

The breathtaking images of snow-capped mountains and icy peaks instantly filled the small phone screen.

The ultra-wide depth of field reveals the majestic and complete view of Mount Everest without reservation.

The continuous snow-capped peaks, like the spine of a giant dragon, shimmer with a sacred yet dangerous light under the thin clouds and dazzling sunlight.

A strong wind whipped up snowflakes.

The world was vast and desolate, and the sense of human insignificance was instantly amplified to the extreme.

Camera switch.

A weathered, rough face filled the screen—Eom Hong-gil (Hwang Jung-min).

He was coldly shaking his head in rejection at a seemingly stubborn young man (Park Moo-taek, played by Kang Jae-hoon).

The scene flashes back quickly.

Park Moo-taek repeatedly faced setbacks, yet he appeared before Eom Hong-gil with even greater determination each time.

at last.

The camera freezes on the scene of the two confronting each other.

The golden rays of the setting sun shone on Yan Hongji's face. He looked at the young man in front of him, who was like a tireless "mad dog," with complicated emotions, and sighed.

He acquiesced.

Thus began a legendary partnership of mentor and friend!

This is followed by a powerful and beautiful montage.

Yan Hongji and Park Moo-taek led the mountaineering team to challenge one dangerous peak after another.

Ice axes chisel into the ice wall, ropes taut across the precipice, pulling and supporting each other as they cross the ice crevasse. The moment of reaching the summit, they unfurl the national flag to greet the rising sun, filled with pride and joy...

The editing of the footage is clean and crisp.

Accompanied by stirring yet tragic background music, the charm and cruelty of mountaineering are vividly displayed.

The color tone of the image suddenly turns warm.

Soft light and cheerful guitar melodies replaced the howling wind and snow.

Sunlight streamed through the church windows, illuminating Sooyoung's (played by Yoona) pristine white wedding dress.

She tilted her head slightly.

The meticulously drawn eyeliner playfully curved at the outer corner of her eye, and her bright, watery eyes reflected the groom's handsomeness, which eclipsed even the sunlight.

Park Moo-taek (Kang Jae-hoon).

I saw.

On screen, Sooyoung suddenly winked her right eye at the groom off-camera, sending an extremely sweet wink.

Park Moo-taek immediately felt as if he had been struck by Cupid's arrow.

He clutched his heart with both hands, staggered backward, and prepared to "fall down" with a pained yet ecstatic expression.

But next second.

He secretly opened one eye to peek at the bride's reaction—

Sooyoung was clearly amused by the groom's childish acting and couldn't hold back any longer; her carefully maintained ladylike demeanor instantly crumbled.

They laughed so hard, like spring flowers in full bloom, that happiness almost overflowed the screen.

The pinnacle of joy, the zenith of sweetness.

"boom!"

A heavy, reverberating heartbeat.

The screen instantly went completely black.

Then came the piercing, howling sound of a blizzard.

The camera seemed to rise from hell.

The frigid blue hues froze everything, and the enormous, all-consuming shadow of Mount Everest reappeared!

The screen shook violently.

The main lock hanging on the ice wall was clearly cracked with a hideous ice pattern.

Under the protective goggles and helmet.

Those eyes, which had been laughing wildly just a moment ago, were now filled with terror.

Park Moo-taek fell backward without warning.

They plummeted rapidly towards a bottomless, enormous blue ice fissure!
"Do not--!!!"

black screen.

The screen lit up again, and time had passed.

Yan Hongji, whose face was now even more wrinkled, received the news that Park Moo had perished on Mount Everest.

He sat there for a long time, holding that blurry photo.

finally.

He abruptly stubbed out his cigarette, picked up the phone, and began contacting the veteran team members who had long since scattered to different places and whose edges had been worn down by life.

The last set of shots.

Yan Hongji led this hastily assembled team of "old, weak, and disabled soldiers" of varying ages back to the sacred mountain that had swallowed their brothers.

The wind howled.

Avalanches surged like a tide.

Every step felt like walking on the line between life and death.

The final image shows the team members struggling forward against the blizzard that could tear everything apart.

Large white lettering slammed into the center of the screen, accompanied by the heavy sound of a timpani:
Can they succeed?

Can you cross the forbidden zone of life and bring back your teammate's remains?

[Released nationwide on December 12.16th! 】

The moment the final credits appeared, the background sound effect was a deafening avalanche roar.

……

The phone screen went dark.

Stable.

Kang Jae-hoon quickly made a judgment in his mind.

The top-notch aerial photography delivers an unparalleled visual experience.

The visual quality, acting tension, and special effects are all top-notch.

The 140 billion won investment was a solid investment on the screen. Although there was a deliberate attempt to create a strong contrast between the sweetness of the wedding and the tragedy of the mountain climbing, the overall production quality was excellent, and the flaws did not detract from the overall success. Hwang Jung-min's acting was rock-solid, the plot based on a true story was solid and moving enough, and his existing popularity, coupled with the unexpectedly brilliant chemistry between him and Im Yoon-a, served as a soft-focus filter...

With this setup and this level of completion, the box office performance should start at five million viewers, and may even reach higher.

It seems the suffering I endured in Nepal wasn't in vain.

In contrast, Kang Jae-hoon was calmly outlining the market response and box office curve after the film's release.

aside.

Kim Ji-won's heart felt as if it had been blasted open by the sweet bomb of those ten-odd seconds in the trailer, leaving a bottomless hole.

In her little mind, the scene that had lasted only about 15 seconds was replaying uncontrollably over and over again—

Wearing a wedding dress, Lim Yoona smiled brightly, flashing a playful yet natural wink; Kang Jae-hoon reacted quickly, clutching his chest in a funny gesture. When the two smiled at each other, the unspoken understanding and sweetness in their eyes almost overflowed the screen…

That wasn't acting.

At least not entirely.

That kind of natural intimacy and spark can't be faked.

A cold, hard truth abruptly shattered the pink bubble that Kim Ji-won had been basking in for days:

The reason Kang Jae-hoon is spending all his time with her now is because she's the only one here.

Under the Aegean sun, in this small world enclosed by the film crew, there is only Kim Ji-won for the time being.

But what if we go back to Seoul?

Returning to that decadent, intricate web of relationships?

Is it possible for him to continue focusing solely on himself and sleeping only on his own pillow, just like he does now?
The answer is ready to come out.

impossible.

So……

Who does Kim Ji-won count for?
Once he returns to Seoul and is juggling relationships with Yoona, Lee Sung-kyung, and Suzy, won't I become the little lover who can only hide in a dark corner and be forgotten at any time?

Kim Ji-won felt increasingly wronged as she thought about it, and her nose started to sting.

But right now, it seems that she only has two paths before her:
【one】:
Couples who work on a film set break up as soon as filming wraps.

The filming is over, and it's time to wake up from the dream. Everyone goes home, everyone goes back to their own... no, it's him going to find his Lee Sung-kyung, Lim Yoon-a, and Bae Suzy.

Although she felt she had "lost out" by giving him her virginity, he compensated her with the endorsement deal for the agricultural cooperative's apple juice, so in a way, they were even.

Trading a physical experience and a brief emotional encounter for a high-quality endorsement.

It sounds like a cold but fair deal.

【two】:
Willing to be humble and unassuming, never competing or vying for anything.

Completely abandon the fantasy of being a legitimate girlfriend and brainwash yourself—it doesn't matter if your boyfriend is with rich women and juggling various goddesses, as long as he remembers to share some of the resources and connections he earns with me.

This is... this is... not unbearable?

But these two options...

She felt suffocated just thinking about it; she didn't want to choose any of them!
Her Buddhist-like attitude is passive, not her true nature!
Whether it's relationships, career, or anything else, you have to fight for it yourself!

The outcome is still uncertain.

But just thinking about the days of waiting for handouts from others, and the feeling of having to watch other people's expressions, is bound to be unbearable.

but……

争？
What can we use to fight?

When she truly faced this immense and complex pressure, Kim Ji-won realized with profound clarity how ridiculous and impractical her advice to Jung Soo-jung had been.

What can she possibly use to compete with Lee Sung-kyung, who has shared an apartment with Kang Jae-hoon for many years, has countless shared memories, and is as close to him as family?

And why should she, as a "defeated opponent," compete with Lim Yoon-ah, who is clearly superior to her in terms of capital, connections, and mental level, and who is already in the position of the rightful queen?

Although I haven't had any direct contact with Bae Suzy yet.

But even a fool could tell that he was definitely not someone to be trifled with, and that he was ruthless and cunning.

A cloud of despair almost enveloped her.

Is there really no way out?

Are we just supposed to watch him return to Seoul, find love with someone else, and then suffer this loss all by ourselves?

Just when things seemed hopeless.

An almost outlandish idea flashed through Kim Ji-won's chaotic mind like lightning:
perhaps……

Could we team up with Little Crystal?

Kang Jae-hoon's ex-girlfriend.

My own "best friend".

She was also one of those forced out.

She still has feelings for Kang Jae-hoon, doesn't she?

She probably harbors the same hostility and resentment towards people like Lim Yoon-ah and Lee Sung-kyung.
What if... what if we could form an alliance with her?
Two "disappointed" people together are better than one person fighting alone, right?
At least... can we regain some more attention and time?

How could he barely manage to carve out a crack for survival amidst the encirclement of those women?
“…What are you thinking about?”

A crisp snap of fingers suddenly appeared before her unfocused eyes.

"what!"

Kim Ji-won's body trembled slightly. She blinked hard, forcibly dispelling the thick fog of despair and scheming, trying to restore a sliver of clarity to her eyes. She quickly shook her head to cover it up, saying:

"nothing……"

The topic needs to be shifted, and their thoughts need to be tested.

"By the way, Oppa."

She turned her head to the side, deliberately asking a "casual question":
"After Crystal's cameo appearance on set last time... have you... still kept in touch with her?"

Kang Jae-hoon was unscrewing the bottle cap to drink water when he heard this, he paused, and his eyes flickered:
"No, I haven't seen you since that time... Oh, I did see you once later at Fashion Week."

Kim Ji-won's eyes lit up slightly as she pressed for an answer:

"How are you? Do you look... alright?"

Kang Jae-hoon shrugged: "Not so great."

Jung Soo-jung was so angered by Lee Sung-kyung's few words that she ran away, and the amulet that he had obtained for her at Bongeunsa Temple, which still held a trace of lingering affection, was forced to be thrown into the Han River.

What else?
They parted on bad terms, that's all.

"Oh."

Kim Ji-won responded with a sound of agreement, then belatedly realized how unnecessary her question had been—

Ask a womanizer if he still has feelings for his ex-girlfriend.
His attention is always on the next one, or... several at the same time.

The most important thing right now is to find a way to mend the rift between myself and the little crystal!

She had confidently advised Jung Soo-jung to "cut her losses" and encouraged her to "find a better man to date"... but now she had fallen headfirst into Kang Jae-hoon's arms, becoming the one who was most "slapped in the face".

The thought of facing possible accusations, resentment, or even slaps from Krystal Jung sent chills down Kim Ji-won's spine.

She needs time, courage, and, more importantly, a perfect entry point.

……

10 month 20 day.

Zakynthos, Greece.

The intense explosions and tragic scenes during the day were physically exhausting, but the nights after work were filled with a languid and nostalgic atmosphere.

Kim Ji-won was slumped in the soft sofa, wearing only a thin shirt that barely covered her upper thighs.

Kang Jae-hoon, with his bare, muscular upper body exposed, rested his head directly on the base of her firm, shapely thighs.

The two were in an intimate and ambiguous posture.

Kim Ji-won's fingers twirled around Kang Jae-hoon's hair.

Jiang Zai Xun had one hand hanging off the sofa, playing with her plump, round feet. Occasionally, his fingertips would glide over the sensitive, smooth flesh on the soles of her feet, sending a series of subtle, suppressed tremors through her body and throat.

In front of the sofa.

The laptop screen was projecting a live broadcast of the 52nd Grand Bell Awards ceremony in South Korea.

The award ceremony in the video was eerily quiet.

The director's camera was clearly "sensible" enough not to linger on the guest seats for too long.

Because there weren't many influential artists sitting below.

The mostly empty seats were occupied by expressionless proxy award recipients sent by various film crews or companies.

An awkward and desolate atmosphere permeated the entire venue, a stark contrast to the dazzling and lively scenes of previous years.

The opening song and dance performance ended amidst sparse applause.

The host tried his best to liven up the atmosphere, but the awkwardness and desolation that permeated the scene could be felt even through the screen.

at last.

They finally made it to the prestigious Best New Actor/Actress award category.

"...Those nominated for Best New Actor at the 52nd Grand Bell Awards include..."

A voice-over read out the names of the five nominees in a melodious and rhythmic tone.

The photos of the five actors on the huge background screen replaced the live footage that should have been projected onto the set.

The winner of the Best New Actor award at the 52nd Grand Bell Awards is—

The award presenters dragged out their words, creating cheap suspense.

The background music was intended to create atmosphere.

A few symbolic cheers rang out from the crowd.

"—Kang Jae-hoon-ssi! Congratulations!"

"Oppa, you won an award!"

Kim Ji-won was even more excited than Kang Jae-hoon himself.

When she saw Kang Jae-hoon's name and a still of Jo Tae-oh from "Veteran" pop up on the screen, she shook Kang Jae-hoon's shoulders, which were resting on her lap, as if she were the one who had won the award.

Jiang Zai Xun was so dizzy from being shaken that he just lazily hummed in response.

There are two main reasons why he remained so calm:

First, the live broadcast, with its cold and awkward atmosphere devoid of any enthusiastic congratulations, made it difficult for viewers to feel any sense of honor or excitement as if they were there in person.
Secondly, deep down he does despise the value of the Grand Bell Awards, which has been greatly diminished due to internal scandals and boycotts, and feels that the title of "Best Newcomer" is more symbolic than substantial.

Followed by.

The live stream feed switches.

Just as he had "prepared" for it.

The video of Kim Ji-won's acceptance speech, which she had recorded herself a few days earlier, was played—the first version, the one with red eyes, a choked voice, and full of gratitude and "sincerity."

In the video, Kang Jae-hoon is wearing a simple white T-shirt, with a hotel room in the background, and he looks solemn.

He first sincerely explained his regret at not being able to be on set due to the tight filming schedule of "Descendants of the Sun," and then began his heartfelt expression of gratitude.

Offscreen.

In real life, Kang Jae-hoon watched his own "tearful" performance on the screen, his lips twitched slightly, and he found it a little funny, and a little... inexplicably comical.

The video has finished playing.

The scene cuts back to the awards ceremony.

Dressed in a formal suit and with impeccable composure, manager Kim Dae-won strode onto the stage, accepted the trophy symbolizing "Best New Actor" from the presenter, and briefly added a few official words of thanks into the microphone, completing the award acceptance process on behalf of Kang Jae-hoon.

This is the end.

Kang Jae-hoon's connection with the Grand Bell Awards has come to an end.

He had no further connection with the awards that followed.

He didn't watch any further.

Actions have replaced words.

A strong arm instantly passed through her waist and closed in, while the other hand scooped up her legs.

"what!"

Kim Ji-won gasped softly, and before she could react, he had already swept her up in his arms.

The thin shirt was lifted even higher by the movement, and her long, shapely legs with an ivory sheen were completely exposed to the slightly cool air.

Ignoring the computer lying on the sofa and the long ceremony still playing on the screen, Kang Jae-hoon strode towards the large bed covered with moonlight-colored Egyptian cotton sheets, carrying the person in his arms.

When emotions are at their peak—

The audio from the awards ceremony broadcast on the laptop was still playing.

"...The winner of the Popularity Award at the 52nd Grand Bell Awards is—Kim Soo-hyun! Congratulations!"

on the screen.

Kim Soo-hyun's photo was enlarged, and the audience erupted in applause that seemed slightly more enthusiastic than before.

"ah……?!"

Her soft panting, still carrying a hurried ending, was abruptly cut off by a huge shock and doubt.

Kim Ji-won even forgot her shyness, and her body was forcibly twisted at a slight angle under Kang Jae-hoon's control:
"I remember... when I looked at the votes before, your votes were way ahead of his, right? How could this be..."

Kang Jae-hoon didn't pay much attention to the subsequent voting results.

He frowned, then seemed to realize something:
"I guess the Grand Bell Awards organizing committee opened up the voting channel in China later on in order to save face and generate some buzz."

This speculation is reasonable.

After all, the immense popularity and charisma that "Professor Do" accumulated in China with "My Love from the Star" is incomparable to that of "Yoon Chan-young" he played in "The Heirs".

therefore.

Given the massive fan base in the Chinese market, it's not surprising that they managed to overtake their opponents.

The distant images and the sound of speeches echoed in the room surrounded by the moonlight and the sound of the waves of the Aegean Sea, and in front of the battlefield formed by two feet forcibly separated, their insteps helplessly taut like white jade bowstrings stretched to their limit.

It has long since become a blurry, insignificant, noisy background.

(End of this chapter)