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

Chapter 244 Open and Covert Attacks at the Victory Banquet

Gangnam District, Seoul.

The banquet hall of a high-end members-only club.

The atmosphere of the celebration banquet was less like a clash of fame and fortune after a traditional awards ceremony and more like a lively private family party.

Those present included high-ranking officials from KBS, the core team of the production company, representatives of the main investors, as well as the main creators and lead actors of the drama.

The huge projection screen has been lowered.

Let's get ready to watch the upcoming second episode together later.

When Kang Jae-hoon arrived, the hall was already full of people.

He lingered a bit at the premiere of "The Wailing"—

The film was extremely mind-bending and had a bizarre narrative. So much so that after the routine interview, he stayed behind to wait for his teacher, Hwang Jung-min, insisting on getting to the bottom of things before finally confirming that the exorcist he played was indeed in cahoots with the Japanese demon.

Inside the venue.

While being greeted by several producers, Kim Ji-won kept her eyes fixed on the entrance.

Seeing Kang Jae-hoon's familiar figure finally appear, he instantly breathed a sigh of relief.

She is naturally introverted and slow to warm up, and is not very good at situations that require prolonged social smiling and dealing with various tests and compliments.

Adding to the fact that Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo had been teasing her in turn, her ears were burning and she wished she could disappear into the ground. She could only hide her shyness by frequently drinking champagne.

Seeing her "savior" arrive, she immediately bowed to the producer in front of her and apologized, saying, "Excuse me for a moment." Then, lifting her skirt and wearing low heels, she hurriedly ran towards Kang Jae-hoon.

Under the light.

The image of a beautiful woman in a long dress, with skin as white as snow and eyes as clear as water, walking straight towards the crowd is visually striking.

Even Kang Jae-hoon, who was used to seeing all kinds of beautiful women, was momentarily stunned by the "vibrant and fragrant" sight that came his way.

"How come?"

Before she arrived, her soft, coquettish voice preceded her.

Without hesitation, Kim Ji-won reached out and slipped her hand through Kang Jae-hoon's arm, tilting her head slightly to look at him. Her almond-shaped eyes, glistening with tears, were full of complaints, yet strangely mixed with boundless trust and a sense of security.

"There's a bit of traffic on the road."

Kang Jae-hoon turned to look at the pretty face in front of him, which was full of dependence, and smiled as he squeezed her small hand:
"Were you forced to drink?"

"not yet……"

Kim Ji-won answered softly, leaning against him, feeling that the feeling of unease and tension she had just felt instantly dissipate.

However, this reliance did not last long.

"Jae-hoon! He's finally here!"

"Sergeant Xu is here!"

"Come, come, sit here with Xun! I've been waiting for you for a while!"

As soon as he entered the area where the core group was gathered, a wave of enthusiastic greetings surged toward Kang Jae-hoon. Television executives, production representatives, directors, screenwriter Kim Eun-sook... smiling faces all turned to greet this key actor who added a significant touch to the dream start.

"Dear seniors and representatives, I apologize for being late."

Kang Jae-hoon wore an impeccable professional smile and bowed slightly in greeting.

Compared to Kim Ji-won, who is like a hothouse flower just entering a field of precious flowers, Kang Jae-hoon, although young, has experienced a lot of film releases, premieres, and even some more niche but higher-level film festival social occasions.

It's not fair to say they handled it with ease or effortless skill.

But at least they know how to position themselves, what angle to maintain their smile, and what words to use to avoid making a mistake.

He skillfully steered the conversation, subtly protecting Kim Ji-won within his own aura, ensuring that the crowd's enthusiasm didn't completely overwhelm the girl.

Kim Ji-won secretly glanced at his composed profile, feeling relieved but also a little envious of the gap between her own still-developing "professional" skills and his own.

Just as the greetings subsided and the waiters began guiding everyone to their seats in the viewing area in front of the projection screen—

The heavy doors of the banquet hall, inlaid with fine brass trim, were once again pushed open steadily and respectfully by uniformed doormen.

Several figures filed in as the door opened and the light shone through.

Many people instinctively turned around to look.

Then came even more enthusiastic greetings—

"Oh my, what a distinguished guest!"

"..."

The team that arrived was the creative team behind KBS's highly anticipated new drama of the year, "Uncontrollably Fond," which will take over the time slot from "Descendants of the Sun."

Also featuring a huge budget and a 100% pre-production model, starring the currently popular "Nation's First Love" Bae Suzy and rising star Kim Woo-bin, it has also garnered much attention.

The TV station executives specially invited them to the celebration banquet for "Descendants of the Sun".

Nominally, it's "college exchange and mutual learning," but the phenomenal success of "Descendants of the Sun" undoubtedly created a huge attention-grabbing effect and higher expectations for subsequent dramas.

It's understandable to let one's own crew experience the atmosphere of victory and learn from their experience up close.

however!
Kim Ji-won's gaze immediately caught a figure in the group—

Bae Suzy!
Her bright, intelligent eyes swept casually around the venue, instantly locking onto her target like a precise radar – Kang Jae-hoon.

More accurately.

It was locked onto Kim Ji-won, who was practically leaning on Kang Jae-hoon in an incredibly intimate manner!
Eyes facing each other.

The words "they're up to no good" were instantly etched into Kim Ji-won's mind.

It makes perfect sense that TV station leaders would invite directors, screenwriters, and even producers to learn from the "Descendants of the Sun" team about "filming before broadcasting," "script completion control," or "large-scale simultaneous overseas operations."

But you, Bae Suzy, the leading actress, came to the wrap party of "Descendants of the Sun" to "learn from their experience"?
Isn't this a bit too... suspicious?
I'm afraid... they're here to cause trouble for my "obtrusive presence"!
Almost at the same moment.

Kang Jae-hoon glanced in the direction of Kim Ji-won's suddenly stiffened body and gaze—

When Bae Suzy's bright, familiar face, yet tinged with an ominous chill, came into view—

"It's over."

This little auntie is pulling another surprise attack?!

He immediately and subtly freed his hand from Kim Ji-won's arm.

The movement is very light.

It was also quite abrupt.

"..."

The arm that had just been a warm, comforting support was suddenly pulled away, and Kim Ji-won felt a jolt in her heart. Her barely maintained composure instantly crumbled.

She didn't even have the courage to look at Kang Jae-hoon's expression at that moment.

I felt an indescribable sense of grievance and disappointment welling up inside me.

"Haha, you're here? Welcome, welcome!"

KBS executives immediately greeted them with great enthusiasm:
"Double happiness! Come, come, let me introduce it to everyone..."

The executives began enthusiastically introducing the two parties.

The director, producer, and screenwriter of "Uncontrollably Fond" wore polite smiles.

Kim Eun-sook and other members of the "Descendants of the Sun" cast also greeted them warmly.

In the midst of this seemingly harmonious exchange of pleasantries...

Bae Suzy took a step.

Just when Kim Ji-won thought she should greet Song Hye-kyo and Song Joong-ki in the proper order of social etiquette, Bae Suzy walked straight towards her.

Kim Ji-won felt like she couldn't breathe.

Nearly.

closer.

She could smell the sweet lychee perfume on Bae Suzy.

"Jin Zhiyuanxi."

Bae Suzy stood in front of Kim Ji-won, her address as soft as honey, the last syllable rising in a perfectly balanced arc.

Simultaneously.

She politely extended her fair, slender right hand, with perfectly manicured nails, to Kim Ji-won:

"Nice to meet you for the first time..."

Her smile was as radiant as the rising sun, but her eyes, which stared directly at Kim Ji-won, held a chilling coldness.

"Nice to meet you."

Kim Ji-won instinctively reached out and gently shook hands with Bae Suzy's well-maintained hand, forcing a perfectly sweet and innocent smile onto her face:

"Nice to meet you, Bae Suzy-ssi."

After a pointless exchange of empty pleasantries.

Bae Suzy's gaze never left Kim Ji-won's face:

"The response to this drama has been fantastic. Our crew spent the entire morning discussing it, and everyone was marveling at how popular it was from the start. Congratulations, Kim Ji-won! You finally have a truly representative role."

This condescending attitude made Kim Ji-won feel like she had a lump in her throat.

She maintained the formulaic smile on her face and nodded slightly.
"Yes, thank you so much. It's all thanks to the screenwriter, the director, Jae-hoon oppa, Song Hye-kyo senior, Song Joong-ki senior, and the entire crew working together. I'm just lucky to be a part of it."

"yes……"

Bae Suzy seemed to have picked up on what she was saying, and the curve of her lips deepened:

"Ultimately, as actresses, we still need to rely on ourselves to have truly solid works and a real, reliable career. Relying on others is unreliable; everyone understands this principle, right?"

This is practically a blatant warning and admonition.

"Inside……"

Kim Ji-won tried her best to make her voice sound sincere and receptive:

“Sooji-ssi is absolutely right, and I will keep that in mind. You have always been my role model, and I still have a lot to learn from you, both in my career and in how I conduct myself.”

Bae Suzy frowned very slightly.

She had no idea that Kim Ji-won was so skilled at this kind of subtle verbal exchange.

He didn't refute her, didn't get angry, and even accepted her "teachings," and even flattered her.

This accommodating and unyielding attitude made her powerful punch seem like it hit cotton, instead making her appear aggressive.

But because of her status and the many eyes around her, she couldn't bring herself to utter those truly ruthless words that could expose the other party's complete pretense.

After all, we are all "respectable people" in this circle, and we still need to maintain a facade of harmony.

"cough!"

Kang Jae-hoon, who had been silently playing the role of a wooden figure, seized this subtle moment of silence and immediately coughed lightly, successfully attracting the attention of the two women:

"Suzy, it's time to greet the seniors. It would be impolite of us not to."

As he spoke, he subtly gestured with his eyes towards Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo, indicating that that was the "reasonable" direction for the "Uncontrollably Fond" crew to go at that moment.

Bae Suzy glanced at him sideways, but ultimately didn't refuse to offend him.

"Oppa is so thoughtful... We'll have to reward our considerate Oppa properly when we get home tonight~"

She pronounced the word "reward" with an unusually subtle and ambiguous tone.

Done.

Bae Suzy gave Kim Ji-won another warning look before gracefully turning around and walking towards Song Hye-kyo and Song Joong-ki.

Looking at Kim Ji-won's face, which was trying hard to maintain its composure, Kang Jae-hoon felt a surge of guilt that almost overwhelmed him.

"I'm sorry, Ji-won, about what she said earlier... please don't take it to heart."

Even he himself felt that these words sounded somewhat weak and powerless.

"..."

Kim Ji-won did not respond immediately.

Two seconds later, he slowly turned his head to look at Kang Jae-hoon.

Those almond-shaped eyes, always so bright and clear, now held a thousand emotions swirling within them, but she forcibly compressed and filtered them, transforming them into a light, airy sentence:
"I'm okay, Oppa."

The more sensible she was, the deeper Jiang Zaixun's sense of guilt became.

……

Not long after.

As the banquet hall lights dimmed and the giant projection screen lit up, the second episode of "Descendants of the Sun" officially began. The initial greetings and pleasantries of the guests finally subsided, and everyone took their seats.

However, the bizarre arrangement of the viewing area began.

Bae Suzy had no intention of staying with the writer or director of her drama crew. Just before the lights went out completely, she sat down to Kang Jae-hoon's right side with an air of naturalness and extreme deliberation.

Kim Ji-won sat silently to his left.

then.

In the dim light and shadow, especially under the illumination of the huge screen projected behind—

Actor Kang Jae-hoon, Sergeant Seo, and rising star of Chungmuro, were flanked by two young actresses with contrasting styles, creating a striking and visually appealing scene.

Many people, seeing this scene of someone enjoying the "blessings of having multiple wives," revealed undisguised envy and speculation in their eyes.

In their eyes, this was the pinnacle of every man's dream—on one side was Bae Suzy, the nation's first love, and on the other was Kim Ji-won, who could be both sweet and sassy.

but.

Behind this seemingly beautiful scenery

The true suffering and torment are probably only known to the person caught in the middle.

The plot progresses.

The second episode opens by picking up where the first episode left off – Yoo Si-jin and Kang Mo-yeon's first date.

However, the reality is cruel.

Captain Yoo's romantic declaration was still on his lips when an urgent mission summoned him like a bucket of ice water.

What follows can be described as a large-scale live demonstration of the "King of Pigeons'" procrastination.

Every time Yoo Si-jin and Kang Mo-yeon have a date (whether it's a romantic dinner, a chance encounter at the hospital, or a visit to the set), Yoo Si-jin's pager and phone will ring on cue, just like a curse!
Task!

Task!

A mission that never ends!
After several attempts to impress her with elaborate outfits only to be met with longing, Dr. Jiang's patience finally ran out.

She coldly declared, "Let's break up! Don't contact me again!" (even though the two hadn't even officially started dating).

The first half of the episode ends with this bickering couple (who can't really be happy for now) chasing each other and endlessly tug-of-war in their ambiguous relationship.

The second half of the episode shifts the focus to another heavy emotional storyline—the reason behind the "tortured love" between Xu Darong and Yin Mingzhu.

Flashback in the plot.

The story gradually reveals the past of the two individuals.

In the flashback scene, during the crucial moment depicting Xu Darong attending his ex-girlfriend's wedding—

A familiar figure flashed across the screen.

Although there weren't many shots of her.

But those signature cool and aloof eyes, and tall figure... belong to Jung Soo-jung, who is his ex-girlfriend both on and off screen!
Almost at the same time.

Jiang Zai Xun felt a sharp pain suddenly shoot through the soft flesh of his right lower back.

"hiss--"

The force was so great that the unsuspecting Kang Jae-hoon instinctively tensed up and shrank back.

Followed by.

A warm, sweet scent, reminiscent of lychee, brushed past his ear:

"Tsk...we miss Sehun oppa, don't we? Hmm?"

"..."

Kang Jae-hoon was completely wronged.

He didn't even know that Krystal Jung was making a cameo appearance!

How can this be attributed to me?

He instinctively wanted to explain, but the words caught in his throat.

In this setting, discussing his "ex-girlfriend" with Bae Suzy in front of Kim Ji-won and so many people around him would only make things worse, no matter how he explained it, and would only make things more obvious.

"You think too much."

Bae Soo-ji gave a soft snort, then tightened her grip on his waist before reluctantly letting go.

Kang Jae-hoon just breathed a sigh of relief.

When preparing to focus on the plot—

Those two slender fingers pinched down hard again, with even more force than before!
Kang Jae-hoon instinctively flinched again, frowning as he looked at the culprit beside him.

Bae Suzy was staring intently at the big screen.

on the screen.

It was playing a series of sweet memories of Xu Dayong and Yin Mingzhu's past.

A surprise birthday cake on the hospital rooftop, secretly passing fruit candies by the training field, silhouettes of people holding hands secretly on a winter night street...

Every frame is filled with a pure love that transcends military rank and status.

Especially the scene where Kang Jae-hoon, playing Seo Dae-young, looks at Yoon Myung-joo with such "affectionate" eyes...

"Don't get too caught up in the role..."

Kang Jae-hoon was suffering inside.

"Humph."

Bae Suzy suddenly leaned forward and looked at Kim Ji-won, who seemed to be focused on the screen but whose eyes were actually constantly glancing at their intimate interaction.

"Ji-won-xi".

Bae Suzy's voice rose:

"Excuse me, I had a bit too much to drink, and now I'm in a bit of a...trouble. I'm not familiar with this venue, could you please show me to the restroom?"

"……it is good."

Kim Ji-won lowered her eyelashes and responded softly.

She knew this was a diversionary tactic.

Her intention was simply to prevent herself from taking advantage of the moment she was away to "exchange feelings" with Kang Jae-hoon, so she wanted to "keep an eye on things" herself.

The two got up and left their seats one after the other.

Bae Suzy swayed gracefully, while Kim Ji-won appeared much more silent and quiet.

Walk through the crowd of people clinking glasses and talking in hushed tones, and head towards the luxurious and quiet ladies' lounge at the back of the banquet hall.

The corridor was covered with thick carpet, making footsteps barely audible.

The heavy, soundproof door closed behind us.

The huge, gleaming mirror, the marble sink, the hand towels, and the strong fragrance in the air, with its lemongrass and cedar base notes—all these elements combined to create an extremely luxurious yet extremely secluded quiet space.

Kim Ji-won watched as Bae Suzy didn't go in to solve the so-called "problem," but instead slowly turned on the tap, the water flowing over her slender, fair fingers, while her eyes were fixed on her reflection in the mirror.

After checking my impeccable makeup.

Bae Soo-ji then turned off the tap, took out a tissue, and carefully dried herself, finger by finger.

Every second felt incredibly long.

After doing all this, she finally turned around, crossed her arms, and the sweet and friendly mask that had been on her face all night completely disappeared, replaced by a condescending scrutiny.

"Kim Ji-won."

Bae Suzy spoke, without any suffix or "Xi," addressing him by his first name.

"There are no cameras here, and no outsiders. You don't need to pretend to be pitiful anymore."

Before Kim Ji-won could have any chance to explain (in fact, Bae Suzy wasn't interested in listening either):
"I'm not going to beat around the bush with you."

She took a step forward, her high heels clicking crisply and forcefully on the polished tiles.

"listen--"

Bae Suzy slightly raised her chin, and in her meticulously made-up eyes was undisguised disdain:
"I don't care how vows of eternal love or how moving your performances are in the play. Off-screen—"

"Kang Jae-hoon is not someone an actor of your caliber can mess with."

to be honest.

Contention.

That's between her and Im Yoon-ah.

Who do you think you are, Kim Ji-won? You dare to foolishly squeeze into this mess?

"..."

The restroom was deathly silent.

Bae Suzy seemed quite satisfied with the effect of her words.

"so--

"Take control of your restless heart."

"Stay away from him."

"The farther the better."

"Don't let me see you making those disgusting little gestures when you get close to him again."

"otherwise……"

She did not continue.

But the chill emanating from those unspoken words was more suffocating than any concrete threat.

Kim Ji-won's nails dug deeply into her palms, the sharp pain allowing her to barely maintain a semblance of calm. Bae Suzy's merciless humiliation felt like a poisoned ice pick, piercing her heart with a cold and painful sensation.

She wanted to retort.

such as--

And who are you?
You're just a lucky traffic star who was chosen by capital a few years ago, used the idol as a springboard to squeeze into the acting circle, and was promoted to a high position based on your innocent popularity!
Do you really think that just because you've acted in a few low-budget dramas and won some mediocre idol acting awards, you can look down on everyone and trample others under your feet?
In terms of acting skills and education, what do you, Bae Suzy, have to compare with me?

But these strong, sour grapes-like defenses, which were about to come out, were swallowed back down.

direct confrontation...

Aside from satisfying a momentary verbal sparring session, bringing the conflict to the forefront in the most unsightly way does her no real benefit whatsoever.

not to mention.

A shrewish, street-fighting argument was never Kim Ji-won's style; rather...

read this.

Kim Ji-won forcibly suppressed all her surging emotions and silently took a half step back.

This gesture.

The luxurious yet cold lighting and mirrors in the restroom silently accentuated Bae Suzy's aggressive image, making her appear even more... domineering, or rather, "ugly."

Bae Suzy clearly did not expect this reaction.

None of the fierce rebuttals, aggrieved explanations, or blustering but cowardly responses she had anticipated appeared.

On the contrary, her submissive and honest appearance made Bae Suzy feel like she had punched a soft cotton ball. Although she had achieved the purpose of intimidation, she felt inexplicably unsatisfied.

"……snort."

They stood facing off for a few seconds.

Bae Suzy ultimately managed to squeeze out a short syllable from her nose.

Then he turned around.

With haughty strides, she walked out of the restroom, "tap, tap, tap."

Only after the footsteps completely disappeared did Kim Ji-won slowly straighten up. She walked to the sink, turned on the tap, and let the cold water wash over her palms, which had just been pinched so deeply.

Her seemingly fragile and helpless face was reflected in the mirror.

But if you look closely, you'll find that in those downcast almond-shaped eyes, all the previous grievances, anger, and resentment have been replaced by an extreme calmness.

Beneath that calm surface, a faint, dark flame of defiance flickers.

—Bae Suzy, I'll remember this debt.

(End of this chapter)