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

Chapter 228 Ms. Lin's Late-Night Surprise
After hours of toasting and seemingly casual conversation, Kang Jae-hoon had to admit that the value of this dinner far exceeded that of the Blue Dragon Trophy itself.

Those seemingly casual remarks or complaints from representatives of different positions allowed Jiang Zaixun to decipher several key industry insights and future trends in his mind.

Several producers with connections to Hollywood mentioned—

The North American film market has reached a bottleneck in growth, and competition is fierce, making it extremely difficult for new projects to break through.

Facing a local predicament.

Hollywood's major distribution giants are stepping up their efforts to reach out to the huge potential of overseas film markets, attempting to make up for their domestic losses with global revenue.

The explosive growth of the South Korean film market and its cultural exports in recent years have made it one of the most attractive overseas investment destinations in the eyes of Hollywood giants.

Not just Hollywood.

Mainland capital is also aggressively penetrating the market.

The news that "Huayi Brothers intends to acquire a 30% stake in HB Entertainment," confirmed by a senior financial director in the industry, stirred up huge ripples in Jiang Zaixun's heart.

HB Entertainment is the production company that created top-tier K-pop hits like "My Love from the Star"!
This is by no means a simple financial investment.

Rather, it is an important signal of deep involvement in the source of content production.

this means.

A dramatic shift is imminent in the landscape of the Peninsula film and television industry:

The "Big Four" dominance previously held by CJ, SHOWBOX, Rakuten, and NEW is now crumbling under the onslaught of this fierce torrent of capital from Hollywood and China.

The convergence of old and new forces.

The entire South Korean film and television production industry is inevitably sliding from a relatively stable "oligarchic era" into a turbulent "Warring States period" where many powerful players are vying for dominance!
The Warring States period signifies chaos and risk.

But it also means—

The established class barriers have been broken down, and the rules are no longer absolute!
Outlaw heroes, geniuses, and newly rich capitalists will all have a stage to rise!

This is the true meaning of "heroes emerge in times of chaos"!

What does this mean for Kang Jae-hoon?
This is the best window of opportunity for him to enter this bloody and opportunity-filled battlefield and carve out a place for himself!
It's okay to have ambition.

But he was also very clear-headed—in a war of this caliber, there was absolutely no way he, a newcomer, could become a top industry giant overnight.

therefore.

I don't aspire to leap over the dragon gate and become a hegemon!

I only ask—

As the dust settled on this chaotic battle of power and capital, and a new order took shape, it was thanks to the fact that Jiang Zaihun's company was able to survive and stand firm in the industry chain, securing its own foothold.

Survive.

That's the first step to victory!
……

In the banquet hall.

The cups and plates were in disarray.

The luxurious atmosphere was mixed with a hint of fatigue and a slight buzz.

The hands of the wall clock quietly slid past midnight.

This silent confrontation and exchange of values ​​has finally come to an end.

With expressions of satisfaction or scheming, each side headed towards their next "battle"—

An official and a smiling actress beside him exchanged glances, then exchanged a knowing, subtle nod. The actress, with a charming smile and graceful demeanor, lagged behind the official by a few steps, seemingly heading separately towards the exit, but they quickly reunited behind a pillar outside the door.

Those who have successfully curried favor and made initial connections will then fawn over their target, escorting them to the waiting car. The destination, of course, is a VIP club or private residence, where things are more relaxed and easier to "discuss business" than this public dinner.

As for Kang Jae-hoon, he declined the invitation from others to change venues.

His brain is completely overloaded tonight.

I need to go back as soon as possible to digest this valuable industry information and sort out my thoughts.

The goal is clear.

Then your steps will no longer be confused.

He took his personal cell phone from his agent, Kim Dae-won, and began quickly saving the private numbers from the business cards they had just exchanged into his contacts.

Just finished.

Kang Jae-hoon then noticed the small icon in the notification box at the top of his phone.

Drop-down menu.

It was a KakaoTalk message notification from Kim Ji-won, sent three hours earlier.

Click to open.

The content is a screenshot of the moment he kowtowed firmly to the microphone on the awards stage.

Below the photo is a line of text:
[I could keep these scandals about Oppa forever~ [tongue out emoji]]

Kang Jae-hoon couldn't help but laugh out loud at his phone screen.

The tense, calculating atmosphere of the banquet was instantly dispelled by this unexpected teasing.

Immediately, an image of Kim Ji-won holding her phone, laughing uncontrollably at his embarrassing photo, her eyes crinkling into crescent moons, flashed into his mind.

This little girl...

A helpless warmth welled up in Jiang Zaixun's heart, but the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up higher and higher.

The last time we met was at that MMA awards ceremony...

It has indeed been a while since we spent time alone together.

or……

Should we go see her now?

An impulse arose spontaneously.

But—"Where to go?" This incredibly real question suddenly came crashing down on us.

Option A: Go to Kim Ji-won's house?

—It won't work!
She lives with her parents, and why is she visiting at this time?
court death!

Option B: Kim Ji-won visits Seongsu-dong?

—That won't do either!

Danger level MAX!

Although he currently lives here alone.

But Lee Sung-kyung has the key!

In case she suddenly feels like tidying up his house while he's not around.

At that time, "coincidentally" they caught a glimpse of a clue that Kim Ji-won had visited somewhere...

(For example, a strand of hair that doesn't belong to her stuck to the bathroom drain? An earring that accidentally slipped off under the pillow? An unfamiliar perfume scent on the sofa?)
The scene was so beautiful...

Just imagining it made Kang Jae-hoon break out in a cold sweat!

This is a nuclear-level disaster that cannot be quelled with a few words!
Option C: Hotel?
—That won't work either!
It's too easy for President Jiao Pao of the D Company to stake out the place, and their spending records will be checked...

"hiss……"

Standing at the hotel entrance where pedestrians were thinning out, Kang Jae-hoon stared at the embarrassing photo on his phone screen, lost in deep, conflicted thought.

Where are we going?

Just as he was hesitating—

"Bang! Bang!"

Two clear car horn sounds rang out.

Kang Jae-hoon looked in the direction of the sound.

Not far away.

A pearl-white sports car with elegant, sleek lines was rhythmically flashing its high beams at him.

Kang Jae-hoon squinted, intently examining the silhouette partially obscured by shadows on the driver's seat and the license plate.

Good guy.

No need to worry about it now.

The options are automatically reset.

"elder brother."

Kang Jae-hoon turned to Kim Dae-won and said bluntly:

"You drive back by yourself first, thank you for your trouble."

Kim Dae-won followed Kang Jae-hoon's gaze and briefly met the distinctive sports car and the people inside for two seconds.

—No need to say more, I understand.

"Okay, be careful. Call me if you need anything."

Done.

He then turned and walked towards the van not far away, started the engine, and disappeared into the neon lights of Seoul at midnight.

Kang Jae-hoon watched as Kim Dae-won's nanny van taillights merged into the traffic.

He quickly took out his phone and swiped the screen.

I sent a short kkt message to the pinned, simple profile picture:

There are still some social engagements after the celebration banquet tonight, so don't wait up, get some rest.

The message was sent successfully.

Put away your phone.

then.

Take a deep breath of the cool midnight air.

I straightened the front of my suit jacket.

He adjusted his expression to one of gentleness and ease, and walked toward the pearl-white sports car that had been waiting for a long time.

The car door handles were ice cold.

A gentle pull—

"despair."

With a soft unlocking sound, the car door opened.

A warm, sweet peach scent, unique to the car's owner, instantly embraced, enveloped, and enveloped Kang Jae-hoon as he stepped into the car.

Close the car door.

Isolated from the hustle and bustle of the outside world. In the driver's seat.

The beautiful woman, whose beauty seemed to be bathed in moonlight, had a gentle smile on her lips, and her clear, bright eyes, like those of a fawn, were fixed on him without blinking.

How did you find the time to come here?

Kang Jae-hoon sat up sideways, fastened his seatbelt, and asked in a tone that was genuinely surprised and warm.

this point in time.

It must have been when she was exhausted after completing her journey.

Lim Yoona tapped her fingers lightly on the steering wheel, her bright smile undiminished:

"Hey, Kang Jae-hoon-ssi!"

"This is the glorious starting point for your coronation as the Best New Actor at the Blue Dragon Film Awards, such an important milestone moment in your life!"

"How could I possibly be absent, both morally and logically?!"

Kang Jae-hoon's heart skipped a beat.

Yes.

Compared to Lee Sung-kyung, who is used to quietly making soup and watching movies together in daily life, a life as natural as air but lacking in "ritual"...

Actress Yoona, who has always paid attention to details and pursued romance and commemorative value, clearly values ​​this "significant" moment immensely.

He was, after all, a highly anticipated winner of the Blue Dragon Award for Best New Actor.

The emotional value and symbolic meaning it contains must be resonated with and engraved in her heart in the most special way!
Looking at the sparkling light in Lim Yoon-ah's eyes, Kang Jae-hoon felt his heart soften and be filled with tenderness.

His large hand naturally covered her slender hand resting on the steering wheel and gently squeezed it.

The meaning is expressed without words.

"Let's go~"

Lin Yoona grabbed his hand and squeezed it, then started the car.

The silver-white sports car silently glided into the Seoul night.

"Where?"

Looking out the window at the streets that were both strange and familiar rushing past, Kang Jae-hoon couldn't help but ask.

"Shh!"

Lim Yoona made a shushing gesture, her profile appearing mischievous and captivating in the dim light of the dashboard:
"It's a secret for now~ I'm going to give you a surprise!"

"surprise?"

These words successfully piqued Kang Jae-hoon's curiosity, which had been numbed by complex information and alcohol for most of the night.

Leaning back in the comfortable seat, my gaze fell on Yoona's delicate profile as she focused on driving, and a sense of anticipation welled up inside me.

A thoughtful little surprise, made just for him and her, to dispel the fatigue of a long night of scheming?
Cherishing this warm yet hazy expectation.

The car made several turns and twists.

finally--

We stopped on a relatively quiet back street that wasn't a main road.

In front of the car window.

What came into their view was—

It turned out to be a shop with bright incandescent light shining through its glass door and a large "24H" sign hanging above it—

"Seoul Lotto Lottery Station"!
Jiang Jae-hoon: “???”

He was stunned when he saw Yoona unbuckle her seatbelt and get out of the car with an excited "come with me!" expression.

The store is about the size of a grid shop.

The fluorescent tubes were flashing brightly.

The middle-aged shop owner, wearing an old jacket, was smoking a cigarette and squinting as he watched a replay of a late-night baseball game.

"Uncle, could I have a scratch-off lottery ticket?"

Yoona walked to the counter and said crisply.

The shop owner looked up and saw the couple who had come late at night, dressed in fine clothes but with most of their faces covered. A look of surprise and suspicion flashed in his eyes as if they were filming a variety show.

Lin Yoona didn't care at all, paid the money, and took a colorful scratch card.

Turn around.

He handed it to Jiang Zaixun, who was still standing at the door.

Her fair fingers held the thin card and shook it.

"Here! A surprise for you~"

"..."

Kang Jae-hoon stared at the colorful patterns on the card and completely froze for a few seconds.

Through the glass door.

A few car horns occasionally rumble by on the quiet streets late at night.

"Surprised...surprised?"

He glanced at the lottery ticket, then at the deer-like eyes of the person before him, which shone with boundless anticipation.

What kind of surprise is this?!

Kang Jae-hoon's CPU started smoking like crazy.

Trying to understand the thought process behind Lim Yoona jumping to another dimension.

Seeing that he didn't understand, Lim Yoona smiled and urged him:
"Let's scratch it open and see!"

"If I win the lottery—even a small one!"

"That just means—I'm the woman who can bring you good luck!"

original……

This is it.

The absurdity and confusion in Jiang Zai Xun's heart were instantly replaced by an indescribable feeling of being enveloped in softness, and sweet words slipped out:

"The fact that you appeared in my life and that I have your love is already the greatest luck of my life."

"This is lucky."

"It cannot be proven or conferred by the win or loss of a mere lottery ticket."

Hearing him say that, Lim Yoona felt a sweet warmth in her heart, but she deliberately put on a stern face, raised her hand, pinched one of his cheeks, and gently pulled it outwards:

"How many times have I told you not to hang out with that smooth-talking Park Hyung-sik! Look at you! You don't learn anything good! All you learn are these sweet words!"

Kang Jae-hoon couldn't help but chuckle softly.

He grabbed her little hand, which was still waving in the air, trying to "discipline" him.

Lower your head.

He placed a gentle kiss on the back of her hand through her mask.

He looked up and stared at her.

His gaze was deep and intense.
"rhetoric?"

"Do not."

“Every word comes from the heart.”

"Meeting you is the luckiest thing that has ever happened to me."

Yoona felt a tingling sensation in her heart from his series of actions and words.

"Ugh, that's so cheesy!"

She playfully pulled her hand back and lightly punched his shoulder.
"Quickly scratch that card open and let me see!"

Changing the subject was the only way she could think of to cope at that moment.

But the joy in his voice and the smile in his eyes were impossible to hide.

“Okay~ Yes, Ms. Lin.”

Kang Jae-hoon was in a great mood and obediently took the 500-won coin from Lim Yoon-ah's hand.

It started scraping with ease.

The scratching sound of coins scraping against the coating was particularly clear inside the small shop.

Several hidden areas of numbers and text gradually came into view.

Yoona also curiously leaned closer, staring intently at the gradually appearing characters—

All you can see is the area below the scratched-off section.

The four large characters are clearly printed: "Thank you for your patronage".

"........."

The air suddenly became quiet for two seconds.

Only the excited voice of the lottery shop owner on TV, commentating on baseball, rises and falls in the background.

Kang Jae-hoon's expression twitched slightly.

When Yoona next to him saw those words, she was stunned for a moment.

immediately--

The corners of his mouth began to curve upwards... curve upwards... and finally blossomed into a sly and smug smile.

She deftly pulled a small velvet pouch, about the size of her palm, from her coat pocket.

"Aigoo~"

Her slender fingers untied the thin string at the top of the bag.

"Looks like Kang Jae-hoon-ssi~"

She gently shook out a bracelet with a platinum base, featuring a translucent emerald-cut peridot as the main stone and embellished with small diamonds.

"Your surprise..."

The bracelet swayed gently in front of his eyes.

The lighting at the lottery station did not diminish its elegance and charm in the slightest.

"In the end, I'll have to give it to you myself."

[PS: I'll make up for the short update tomorrow...]

(End of this chapter)