While preparing for the competition, they discussed new productions whenever they found spare moments.

Existing scripts and original concepts alike were proposed, debated, and discarded.

Then one day, Ryu Shin brought up Peter Pan.

“What about Peter Pan?”

“Peter Pan...?”

“Yes. On a day you weren't there, Seol Su Yeon brought in some lines from Peter Pan, and it made me wonder what it would be like to perform it.”

“I only read it when I was a kid. All I remember is that it was an adventure story. What part caught your attention?”

“Hmm... the fact that none of the characters seem entirely sane?”

Yu Myeong went to a bookstore and bought a translated copy of the original Peter Pan.

Then he devoured it in a single sitting.

And afterward—

He's right.

He was startled by the strange characterizations he had never recognized as a child.

First, Peter Pan.

"I'm very clever, you know. Really, I'm quite brilliant."

"Wendy, be our mother."

"A mother isn't as wonderful as Wendy says."

A self-centered child.

Arrogant.

Consumed by resentment and longing over being abandoned by his mother.

Then Captain Hook.

"Oh no! The crocodile is coming!"

"Not the crocodile! Anything but that!"

A man incapable of overcoming the trauma symbolized by the ticking clock.

Then Tinker Bell.

"You're a terrible girl."

"Hmph. I'll keep pulling your hair, you idiot."

Obsessively attached to Peter Pan.

Openly hostile toward Wendy simply because Peter paid attention to her.

Every character seemed warped in some way.

What if we leaned into that completely...?

An idea suddenly formed in Yu Myeong's mind.

The next day, he shared it with the team.

“What if we focus directly on their twisted inner worlds? If these characters were patients confined in a hospital...”

“...That's good.”

Ryu Shin immediately nodded.

“What if it begins as a fairy tale and then suddenly turns into a psychiatric ward?”

“That's a great idea too. That kind of reversal would shock the audience and pull them in immediately.”

Once again, Ryu Shin found himself impressed by Yu Myeong's instinct for staging and direction.

He contributed ideas of his own.

Yu Myeong enthusiastically built upon them.

And because they were so absorbed in the discussion—

They failed to notice the sudden darkness that had settled over Su Yeon's expression.

 Mid December.

SBK Channel.

Tick Tack Talk.

The Wednesday night talk show was known for avoiding sensationalism and had become beloved thanks to host Sun Woo Hyeong's calm demeanor and excellent reactions.

“Hello, viewers of Tick Tack Talk. Your Wednesday night companion, Sun Woo Hyeong, is here!”

Waaaaaaah!

“We have three guests tonight.

First, a man who cannot be omitted from Korean film history: director Son Chi Uk of The Clown and Life and Death Road.

Next, Yoon Han Seong, who rose to the ranks of top actors through Life and Death Road and Last Minute.

And finally—hey, you son of a—!”

The audience burst into laughter at Sun Woo Hyeong's utterly inaccurate imitation.

“The talented rookie actor who sparked the Yoon Bo Hyeong phenomenon earlier this year—Yu Myeong! Please welcome all of them with a round of applause!”

Clap clap clap clap clap—

The appearance was promotional, tied to the Christmas season release of Late Goryeo, Early Joseon.

Director Son and Han Seong appeared relaxed.

Yu Myeong, however, was attending a show like this for the first time.

He looked up curiously at the dazzling studio lights.

“Director Son, your new film Late Goryeo, Early Joseon opens next week. Could you briefly introduce it for us?”

“The phrase refers to the turbulent transition from the late Goryeo period into the early Joseon era. This film focuses particularly on two figures from that period—Jeong Mong Ju and Yi Bang Won—and explores their relationship and convictions.”

Sun Woo Hyeong guided the conversation smoothly.

Stories about the film flowed naturally.

Director Son shared his extensive knowledge.

The actors added their perspectives.

And once the atmosphere had fully warmed up, the host asked:

“What was it like working with Yoon Han Seong and Yu Myeong?”

Director Son looked warmly at the two actors.

“Yoon Han Seong, who played Jeong Mong Ju, and Yu Myeong, who played Yi Bang Won.

I am sincerely grateful that I met both of them.

I've spent nearly forty years in the film industry, and it isn't easy to encounter actors who bring characters to life beyond even what I imagined.”

At the end of the sentence, Director Son's eyes reddened slightly.

Sun Woo Hyeong found himself unexpectedly flustered.

He had intended to dismiss the compliment as standard promotional talk.

But genuine emotion was woven into every word.

“Wow... listening to you, Director Son, I'm getting emotional myself. Could you tell us a little more? Everyone's curious, right?”

“Yeeees!”

The audience answered in unison despite receiving no cue from the floor director.

“Yoon Han Seong...”

Director Son spoke softly.

“I think of him as my student.”

It was the first time he had ever used that expression publicly.

Han Seong lowered his head, visibly moved.

“We've worked together on several projects, so I thought I knew him well.

But this time...

he reminded me that there is no end to pursuing the ultimate truth of acting.

He surprised me. He moved me.”

“Director, I heard that Yoon Han Seong fasted for six days during the China location shoot. Is that true?”

Sun Woo Hyeong quickly stepped in to help the story along.

“It is.

And during those six days, I witnessed an actor with twenty years of experience shed another layer and take a step into a new stage of his craft.

You'll understand what I mean once you watch the film.”

“I see. Now I'm genuinely excited.”

“And Yu Myeong...”

Director Son paused, suppressing another surge of emotion before turning toward him.

Mid twenties.

Still young.

Yet his eyes seemed impossibly deep, as though they could pull people in.

“A miracle... perhaps.”

“...A miracle?”

The host shivered slightly.

For a director famous for his exacting standards to choose such a word—

“He's an actor who is already close to complete, yet still pursues something beyond completion and continually creates new surprises.”

“That's an incredible description. Is there a particular story behind it?”

“At the beginning, I let my ambition get the better of me and gave him an unreasonable request.

I told him he needed to possess enough presence that people couldn't help looking at him even when he was standing still.

Then... well...”

“Then?”

Sun Woo Hyeong leaned forward impatiently.

“He volunteered to work as an extra.

He said he wanted to practice standing out while buried in a crowd.”

“Wow...”

The host's mouth dropped open.

Then Director Son delivered the next line.

“He appeared as an extra in fifteen different scenes.”

“What? Fifteen?!”

“Yes.

For the entire month that the child actor portraying young Yi Bang Won was filming, Yu Myeong worked as an extra.

And he exceeded my expectations several times over.”

“He succeeded?”

“He did.

By the final extra shoot, he stood out so much in the crowd that we had no choice but to remove him from the extras.”

The audience and host groaned simultaneously.

“Then viewers can actually try to spot Yu Myeong among the extras? Like Where's Waldo?”

“Haha. That's right. Looking for him might be part of the fun.”

Sun Woo Hyeong turned sharply toward the seemingly quiet twenty five year old actor.

Yu Myeong's face had reddened slightly with embarrassment.

“Yu Myeong, after hearing all of that, I have to ask. How did you develop such skill in such a short acting career?”

Fifteen years flashed through Yu Myeong's mind.

Short acting career?

The thought almost made him laugh.

And the reason he could continue striving upward—higher and higher—even while receiving praise he felt was excessive...

“The director just mentioned the ultimate truth of acting.

I've actually witnessed it before.

I think that's what keeps me from ever becoming satisfied with where I am.”

“Wait...”

The host.

The director.

Even Han Seong.

All stared at him in surprise.

“What kind of actor are we talking about?”

“That's... a secret.”

Yu Myeong looked toward the faint blue studio lights overhead and smiled.

A dizzy, nostalgic smile.

 ["I'm Grateful I Met These Two Actors" — Director Son Chi Uk's Eyes Turn Red]

["We'll Show the Ultimate Truth of Acting" — Late Goryeo, Early Joseon Nears Release]

[Yoon Han Seong's Six Day Fast — Acclaimed Performance Ready to Unfold]

["A Miracle" — Director Son Chi Uk on Rising Actor Yu Myeong]

[Yu Myeong's Fifteen Extra Appearances — Cinema's New Where's Waldo?]

Tick Tack Talk generated an unusually large number of headlines.

Typically, promotional appearances before a film's release were filled with exaggerated praise and predictable marketing talk.

Viewers usually filtered out half of what they heard.

They watched mostly because it was a rare chance to see actors who didn't often appear on variety shows.

But Director Son Chi Uk was different.

A legendary filmmaker.

A man famous for being brutally demanding about acting.

His comments didn't sound like publicity.

They sounded sincere.

Is Director Son's bank account empty or something? There's a limit to promotion.What if the movie opens and gets review bombed after all this hype?I'm a huge movie buff. Son Chi Uk isn't the type of director to throw around empty praise. Maybe he's exaggerating a little, but he wouldn't lie. Just bought tickets for opening day.If that's acting, the director should become an actor himself. Yoon Han Seong and Yu Myeong are already known as acting talents anyway.Seeing an old master sincerely praise younger actors almost made me cry. I'm ridiculously excited.Public opinion gradually shifted toward a single conclusion:

There had to be something special about this film.

The membership of God Named exploded overnight.

The community erupted over every scrap of information.

Fifteen extra appearances, right? Shouldn't the fan club give a prize to the first person who identifies all of them?Hello! New member here. Nice to meet everyone!I booked two screenings on opening day. One for actually watching the movie and one with a notebook so I can play Where's Waldo?Hi everyone, new member reporting in!Was I the only one who teared up listening to the director? A miracle... sigh. I'm so proud of Yu Myeong. Also proud of myself for recognizing him early.Hello, I'm a new member of Yu Myeong's fan club.Meanwhile, another film was preparing for release.

Artist Jang Nok Su.

A historical film that explored the life of Jang Nok Su not merely as King Yeonsan's notorious concubine, but as an artist in her own right.

Its focus differed completely from the political story of Late Goryeo, Early Joseon, yet media attention naturally linked them because both were historical dramas.

Its release date was Christmas Eve.

One day after Late Goryeo, Early Joseon.

[Year End Historical Drama Showdown? Two Major Historical Films Open Simultaneously]

[Yoon Han Seong and Yu Myeong vs. Cheon Seong Yeon and Ryu Shin — A Rich Holiday Feast for Historical Drama Fans]

[Director Praises Ryu Shin's Return Performance in Artist Jang Nok Su]

While Yu Myeong and Ryu Shin remained buried in rehearsals at the July rehearsal room,

the outside world was becoming increasingly obsessed with them.

And then—

Friday, December 23.

Late Goryeo, Early Joseon premiered.

 Given that supporting talented actors had practically become his hobby, perhaps it was inevitable.

Yu Seok was a film fanatic.

Finally...!

At three o'clock in the afternoon on December 23, he headed to the theater for the film's very first screening.

Yu Myeong had invited him multiple times.

Preview screenings.

VIP screenings.

He had declined all of them.

He knew critics had been showering the film with praise, but he hadn't clicked a single review.

He wanted to avoid spoilers.

His philosophy was simple:

Watch it after release.

Watch it with ordinary audiences.

That was how a film felt most alive.

And this movie, in particular, featured one of his favorite discoveries in a leading role.

Every sign suggested it was going to be extraordinary.

I really did recruit him well at that Entertainment Studies audition. It's just a shame he's so self sufficient. Watching someone grow entirely on their own isn't nearly as fun.

Yu Myeong was an actor who stirred all kinds of thoughts in him.

Enough talent to trigger his radar at first sight.

A level of desperation and hunger for acting that made the stereotype of the lazy genius seem ridiculous.

Polite on the surface, yet mature enough to stand his ground and get what he wanted.

There was something strangely addictive about him.

Yu Seok was used to reading people.

Used to manipulating them.

Yet no one had managed to surprise him as consistently as Yu Myeong.

He bought a cola and took his seat.

The best seat in the theater—the one he had secured the moment reservations opened.

The auditorium was packed.

Not a single empty seat remained.

“I hope it's good.”

“The ratings are over nine points. Think they're fake?”

The lights dimmed.

Advertisements began playing.

The whispers throughout the theater gradually faded away.

And then—

The film began.