NIS Agent Reincarnated as a Genius Actor

After the performance ended and all the audience members had left, the group members sat in a circle on the empty floor of the small theater, each holding a can of beer.

Yeon-woo smiled as he looked at his friends.

“How was it for everyone? Today’s experience.”

“Being a newbie, it was really nerve-wracking and tough. I’m completely drained now.”

“But it was fun, right? How should I put it… Like your heart’s about to burst, so you feel alive?”

Hearing his friends’ words, Joo-hyung nodded.

“I was so nervous about presenting my story to people. Compared to that, acting on stage wasn’t even that nerve-wracking.”

Seong-sik, sitting next to him, patted Joo-hyung’s back.

“Did you hear what the audience was saying earlier? They said it was really entertaining.”

“Yeah, I heard. Still, if we had a bit more time, I could have added more detailed elements. I keep feeling like something’s missing.”

As Kim Joo-hyung spoke with a shy smile, Yeon-woo nodded.

“Writer Kim Jin-joo also kept saying that when she was writing the scenario for ‘White Blood’. She said it was so frustrating to have a limited runtime. She agonized over what stories to include and what to leave out.”

“So even a star writer like her has the same concerns.”

Woo Seong-sik, who had been listening to the conversation, took a sip of beer and sprawled out on the stage.

“Ugh. I’m drained. Can we really do this every day?”

Yeon-woo laughed and shook his head.

“We’re beginners, so I don’t think we can manage daily performances no matter how I look at it. Today’s Sunday, so how about we add Wednesday and Friday, making it three days a week?”

Of course, even if they performed every day, Yeon-woo wouldn’t feel physically exhausted or burdened by the acting.

In fact, the same would probably be true for Jin Yu-han, Ha Jae-hoon, and Kim Se-young.

When Yeon-woo looked at the three of them, they quietly nodded and smiled, seemingly understanding that he was being considerate of their friends.

At that moment, Woo Seong-sik, who had been lying down, suddenly sat up.

“Really? Is that okay?”

“Of course. Naturally. It’s not like we’re running this to make money.”

Yeon-woo continued, taking the opportunity to inform the members about how they would manage the income earned from the theater group.

Even before the first performance began, Yeon-woo had already discussed with the foundation and decided to donate all the proceeds from the performances to a leukemia-related foundation he had learned about while filming “White Blood”.

“First, this is already a decided matter, so there’s no room for negotiation. As the theater director, I’m telling you that we’ll donate all the profits from this play, and I’ll pay you separately the amount you would have originally received as salary.”

The members nodded at Yeon-woo’s firm tone.

“I’ll do whatever the director says.”

“Me too!”

After hearing his friends’ responses, Yeon-woo looked at Ha Jae-hoon and Kim Se-young and asked.

“Is that okay with you two as well?”

“Of course. We’re getting paid anyway, and it feels good to be contributing to something great at the same time.”

Then Jin Yu-han, sitting next to Yeon-woo, whispered in his ear.

“It’s not like money has a label on it, so you’re essentially donating from your own pocket. At least I won’t take a salary. I’m doing this purely because it’s fun.”

Yeon-woo nodded with a smile at Jin Yu-han’s words.

If anyone could afford to do that, it was Jin Yu-han.

It made sense for the lighting director and the dispatched actors to receive payment as this was their livelihood, and it was only right for his friends to receive compensation for their efforts, especially since they weren’t even economically active yet.

Even assuming all performances were sold out, the total revenue for the three months of performances wouldn’t exceed 100 million won, which wasn’t a burdensome amount considering Yeon-woo’s current income.

Looking around at the members, Yeon-woo raised his beer can and shouted.

“So, our next play is on Wednesday, which means we’re off tomorrow at least, right? Let’s all drink tonight!”

“Okay!”

Even Jin Yu-han, who usually avoided company dinners, happily smiled and raised his beer can.

Kim Junsoo took a sip of beer and whispered to Yeon-woo.

“By the way, why were you so kind to that rude blonde guy earlier? I saw you talking to him for quite a while.”

Yeon-woo grinned in response.

“Well, I was trying to serve justice in my own unique way. Luckily, Yu-han was right next to me at that time.”

Kim Junsoo tilted his head at Yeon-woo’s words.

Meanwhile, at that moment, news articles were flooding the internet.

– [Culture News] Ryu Yeon-woo · Jin Yu-han’s Advance to Daehangno? Rumors Swirl Around the Play “Mirror”

– [RK Sports] Eccentricity or Artistic Move? Ryu Yeon-woo and Jin Yu-han at a Small Theater in Hyehwa-dong…

– [New Vision] Chungmuro’s Blue Chips Appear in Daehangno. Surprised Audience Members Share Their Experiences…

And the lucky audience members who attended the first performance began posting their testimonials (?) about their blessed experience on the internet.

At first, the community’s reaction was skeptical of the seemingly far-fetched content, but as articles began to appear one after another and verified photos were uploaded to Star, the atmosphere changed.

– Is this for real?

– Seems like it? According to the top post, they said online ticketing will start from the next performance after today’s show

└ The website is already up [Link]

– Crazy lol Can humans even manage to get tickets?

– Do you guys actually do cultural activities like this? I never leave my room, I don’t watch plays anyway

└ That’s true lol But isn’t it a good deal to get a photo with Ryu Yeon-woo and Jin Yu-han for just 10,000 won?

Reporters who heard the news online started flocking to Daehangno like hyenas prowling for prey.

At that moment, after finishing a modest celebration party, the members came up the stairs from the underground theater.

Ha Jae-hoon, who came up first, raised the shutter blocking the theater entrance.

Clatter—

“They’re out! Ryu Yeon-woo and Jin Yu-han are performing…”

“What’s their relationship with the original Theater Myeongseong that was here…”

“……”

Clatter—

And he lowered it again.

“Why is it so noisy outside? Is someone fighting?”

When the members coming up after finishing the theater cleanup asked, Ha Jae-hoon shook his head.

“…We can’t get out.”

“What?”

“There are reporters swarming outside.”

At Ha Jae-hoon’s words, the theater group members hurried up to the second-floor office.

They went to the window and peeked down, seeing quite a number of reporters lined up at the entrance.

“Wow…”

“The impact is bigger than I thought. Yeon-woo and Yu-han.”

At Kim Joo-hyung’s words, Yeon-woo smiled awkwardly and picked up his smartphone.

– Yes, actor.

“Min-soo hyung. I think we’ll need the company to send a car. Reporters have gathered outside the theater.”

– Ah, I’ll report to Team Leader Jeong and take care of it right away.

===

**

===

While waiting for the people sent by the company to arrive, the members in the second-floor office were absorbed in searching on their smartphones.

“Wow. Remember that audience member who took out Sora snacks from her bag when we were taking photos?”

“Ah, that short-haired noona who said, ‘This is all I have to give you’?”

Kim Junsoo nodded at Woo Seong-sik’s words.

“Yeah. Looks like she’s already posted a review.”

“What does it say? Give me the link.”

When Woo Seong-sik clicked the link, there was a review written with impressions of today’s performance and even verification photos with stickers covering the face.

“Hey. She says she thought the guy playing the gangster was a real gangster. Hehe.”

At Kim Junsoo’s words, Woo Seong-sik frowned.

“Ah, my face isn’t that bad.”

Woo Seong-sik touched his face and then smiled as if he found something in the post.

“Did you see this? [The sailor who kept following Ryu Yeon-woo really looked like a newbie sailor.] That’s not acting. You’re just naturally clueless.”

While listening to Kim Junsoo and Woo Seong-sik’s conversation, Yeon-woo also got curious about the review and clicked the link in the group chat.

Scrolling down to see the comments, he found a familiar username at the end.

– LiveHardWorkHard: Wow, I’m so jealous. It’s going to be impossible to get tickets for this now, right?

└ McMorningBeatsSight: Absolutely no chance lol

– AttentionSeeker: But wasn’t the actor playing the gangster kind of handsome?

└ KingJunsoo: Nope, not buying it

As Yeon-woo was looking at his friends, his smartphone suddenly rang.

“Yes, Min-soo hyung.”

– We’ve stationed two cars and a security team downstairs. We’ll escort you as soon as you raise the shutter and come out.

“Thank you. We’ll come down right away.”

Yeon-woo hung up the phone and looked at the members.

“Let’s go. Home.”

===

**

===

The next day, while the other members were all resting at home, Kim Joo-hyung headed to Hyehwa-dong from the morning, unable to contain the overwhelming emotions by just staying still.

‘To think my imagination has become reality.’

It still felt like a dream.

As he entered the alley and was about to climb the stairs after raising the shutter he had closed yesterday, a young man came running from behind.

“Excuse me!”

Kim Joo-hyung tilted his head and looked, and the man, catching his breath, extended a business card with an innocent face.

“Are you by any chance a member of the ‘New Star Theater Company’? I’m Noh Sejun, a reporter from News7!”

It was unexpected, as he had thought there wouldn’t be any reporters waiting from the morning, given that he had come out quite early due to his excitement keeping him up all night.

Kim Joo-hyung accepted the business card offered by the reporter.

“Ah, yes. That’s right.”

“If it’s not too much trouble, could I possibly have an interview? Please, I beg you!”

Seeing the reporter bowing at a 90-degree angle while making his request, Kim Joo-hyung scratched the back of his head, looking a bit troubled.

“Hmm, well… Could I make a phone call to check if it’s okay to do an interview? If you wait out front, I’ll call and let you know.”

“Oh, yes! Thank you!”

Kim Joo-hyung’s wariness eased a bit at the polite attitude.

As reporter Noh Sejun went outside, Kim Joo-hyung went up to the office and called Yeon-woo.

– Yeah, Joo-hyung.

Yeon-woo’s voice came through the receiver.

“Were you sleeping since it’s morning?”

– No, I just finished my early morning workout.

At Yeon-woo’s words, Kim Joo-hyung nodded and continued speaking.

“So, you know… I came to the theater early this morning and met a reporter who wants to do an interview…”

– Oh, really? If you want to do it, go ahead. We don’t have any secrets to keep anymore anyway.

At Yeon-woo’s cool response, Kim Joo-hyung scratched his cheek.

“Is it really okay?”

– Of course. We don’t have any secrets we can’t tell others.

“That’s true. Alright!”

Kim Joo-hyung went down to reporter Noh Sejun who was waiting below.

“Come in. Let’s do the interview on the second floor.”

“Oh, really? Thank you so much!”

Noh Sejun bowed at 90 degrees again and followed Kim Joo-hyung up to the office.

And the interview that started in a light atmosphere flowed quite smoothly.

There were no secrets to hide, and while Ryu Yeon-woo and Jin Yu-han were a shocking combination for a small theater, the other members were unknown and just ordinary college students, so there weren’t any particularly sharp or uncomfortable questions.

“Oh, so you’re both a theater member and the writer?”

“Ah, I’m still a bit embarrassed to call myself a writer…”

Noh Sejun smiled and praised Kim Joo-hyung.

“Come on, you’re the writer of a play starring two big stars.”

The interview progressed in a fairly warm atmosphere as he diligently answered the questions asked.

However, that evening.

The article that came out immediately was completely different from the interview content.

– [Exclusive] The Shocking Truth Behind the Talked-About Play “Mirror”. By Reporter Noh Sejun

Ryu Yeon-woo X Jin Yu-han.

A fierce acting battle between the next-generation stars unfolds in Daehangno.

There’s been a lot of buzz about this since yesterday, but is the reality as great as the rumors suggest?

(Omitted)

According to the information our newspaper has painstakingly gathered, it has been revealed that the playwright has no experience and is an amateur, and most of the actors are college students with no notable experience.

Is it right for a theater company charging admission fees for paid performances to have such low quality?

Of course, the play will still sell out.

But can this really be a measure to evaluate the quality of this play?

It remains to be seen whether they can escape the controversy of ‘fan exploitation’, using the fandom of actors Ryu Yeon-woo and Jin Yu-han who are currently on the rise.

“…W-what is this.”

Kim Joo-hyung’s back bristled as he checked the article.

And then his hands started trembling with a sense of betrayal and injustice.

With shaking hands, Kim Joo-hyung called Yeon-woo.

– Yeah, Joo-hyung.

“H-hey, Yeon-woo. Did you see the article? Aaah. I’m sorry I did the interview. That reporter seemed nice and said he’d write a good article!”

Then, a light chuckle was heard from the other end of the phone.

– Don’t worry about it. It’s nothing. In fact, it’s a good thing.

And then Yeon-woo’s voice continued.

– Reporters always do us such favors like this, you know.