BIE 145

Chapter 145…

Finally Revealing the Appearance

This BJ Daegbbak incident was shocking in many ways.

On the web…

‘What? Who is Shirasone?’
‘I mean, who is this?’
‘A rookie?’
‘Rookie… right?’
‘Could it be him? Excellent Beggar? He changes completely when in disguise.’
‘Are you kidding? Even the voice quality is different! If Excellent Beggar came out disguised like this, I’d scream in my underwear in front of King Sejong!’

Most of the action footage only showed the back of the character.
Some clips streamed live only showed the figure appearing briefly.
People were analyzing the remaining footage to figure out who it was, but it only added to the confusion.
Even the clip of him stomping on a dropped phone and saying a few words went viral like crazy.

‘This! So cool!’
‘Awesome!’
‘Sony-hyung! Shout it!’

It was the perfect fodder for the modern world, living for style and dying for memes.
At this point, suspicion towards BJ Daegbbak began to rise.

“Isn’t this a hidden ad? Totally seems like it.”
“Report it!”
“Come on, really? Someone just flies in, kicks the camera, and delivers lines stylishly? This is real? You want me to believe it? Totally a Daegbbak setup.”
“I demand the truth!”

Daegbbak, being investigated at the police station, felt only unfairness.
He even did a broadcast to explain himself regarding the late accusations about being part of a conspiracy.
However, the public remained cold.

“Ah, I really didn’t! I even went to the police station today!”

@dongttae_eye: Police station nonsense…
@AScc3700: Yeah. If he does a live broadcast with the police, then I’ll believe it.
@gaengryun: So, how much did you get? How much for the ad?

“Ah! No! I even showed the summons!”

But nobody believed him. From absurd claims that the documents didn’t even have ‘Daegbbak’ written on them to accusations that someone had forged multiple versions…

“Why won’t you believe me…?”

@4885javabara: So who is it?
@bbakstudyacademy: You saw it, right?
@kkollang333: Tell us! Tell us!
@kkumikkoyam: Admit it if you say it.

As the comments demanding the truth poured in, Daegbbak sighed, lowered his head, looked distressed, and finally spoke.

“I really don’t know… The complainant said that revealing drama-related information could lead to additional lawsuits… But leaving that aside, I really don’t know. But I truly don’t understand why they’re hiding it… It seems like a rookie, maybe a slightly experienced rookie? Should we check the theater scene then?”

Thanks to Daegbbak’s massive misstep, the online investigation team started searching for each theater actor.

“Didn’t get caught…”

Kim Yesung, the head of the PR team, muttered with a hollow expression.

“That can happen.”

Director Lee Jungcheol nodded in front of him.

“Even we, who see him daily, can’t recognize Excellent Beggar on camera.”
“But this time it’s okay since it’s an indoor studio. It will be difficult once outdoor filming starts.”
“Honestly, no one planned to hide him for this long.”

From the PR team leader to the assistant directors and writers, everyone looked troubled.
They initially hid him because the reaction was slightly positive.
Once some footage of Excellent Beggar was made, they planned to reveal it stylishly without raising doubts about the casting.
But the reaction was so intense that the PR team poured their soul into it.
People started tracking it like a pocket game.
The PR team even created a massive character teaser, which led to this situation.

Once is hard, twice is hard.
This time it’s Daegbbak, but anyone could come next.
In recent days, even bird-watching telephoto cameras were used to catch people hiding nearby.

“Actually, because of that, we requested a special episode… The timing is crucial.”

Seeing the PR team leader brighten up, Director Lee replied with a smile.

“Editing will start soon. We plan to release teaser videos on the broadcasting station’s YouTube channel. Including previous character footage and some secret making-of videos, we could keep releasing sources until the broadcast…”
“Possible! That’s even better! Hiding is hard!”
“Then I’ll share the schedule and video as soon as they’re ready. Let’s see it through together.”
“Yes!”

PR team leader Kim Yesung nodded brightly, like someone who had just won glory.

“Let’s do well, then.”
“Yes!”

After the meeting, he gathered his team.
Seeing his bright expression, the team smiled along.

“Finally?”
“Yes. Finally revealed!”
“Kup!”
“Aaaah!”

Some covered their mouths, recalling the times of all kinds of coaxing and threats, weeping.
Some cheered as if releasing pent-up emotions.

“Damn! I believed it!”
“That’s informal speech…”
“Because of Daegbbak, right?”
“Not completely insignificant.”
“Shouldn’t we give him an award?”

Freed from the frustration, everyone spoke excitedly.
They were almost grateful to Daegbbak for triggering this situation.

“If he gets an award now, we’ll have to kill the channel.”
“Ah… Daejinyo (Demanding truth from Daegbbak).”
“The world is scary now. Neither explanation nor truth works…”
“I know.”
“Truth isn’t valued anymore.”

The mood suddenly turned serious.
It’s true that situations like this make things harder.
Public opinion can be shaped by the loud voices of a few.
Especially online, trends sweep people along, and once the truth is revealed, no one cares.

“Now! Let’s move!”

The PR team shook off the heaviness and began to move busily again.

Today, I had a brief moment to visit the old man in the hospital.
I asked why he got hurt, but he refused to say.
Even Director Yoo couldn’t say.
Hemorrhoids? But he didn’t look like it lying down…

“So? That guy?”

The old man asked about him first, before even checking if I was okay.

“Nothing. Just got a warning or something.”
“Just that?”

He seemed curious about Daegbbak’s punishment.
This old man…

“Not just that… It was like a death sentence, you know?”
“Why?”
“Because he supposedly conspired with the broadcasting PR team, even staging some scenes deliberately…”
“Really?”
“……”

This is why the internet is scary.
Instead of answering the old man, I looked at Director Yoo and spoke.

“Sir, block those Shorts and YouTube videos. Like how they block phones during kids’ study time.”
“……That’s impossible. You’re watching it on TV.”
“Ah……”

Right. These days, people watch YouTube on TV.

“So, it’s not true?”
“You believe that?”
“……Eh.”
“What’s with that scowling face?”
“If that part was planned, I would’ve scouted the guy who thought of it.”
“Wow……”

Seeing this, it’s clear this old man really is a tycoon.
He thinks this far ahead.

“Anyway, because of that, he got almost a slap-on-the-wrist punishment, and everyone’s demanding the truth, which harms the channel.”
“That’s not so bad.”

People like that get desperate when you take away their playground.
Like taking a bowl from a beggar.

“So, empty-handed?”
“No. But can the patient eat what was prepared?”
“Just a bit of a back strain…”

Ah, his back is injured.
At that age, even picking up a dropped coin can hurt the back.

“Tsk, take care of your health. But you didn’t do action scenes, why your back hurts?”
“……”
“Hmm?”
“……No! I didn’t copy anything!”
“I didn’t even say anything.”

Ah, this old man did something.
I glanced and saw Director Yoo staring out the window, holding back laughter with all his might.

“Well, that could happen.”
“Ahem. Usually, eating something delicious helps in times like this.”

Why it’s always marinated crab, soybean paste stew, and kimchi stew, I don’t know. That’s all he knows… his rare skill.
But he only eats it when I visit, making it a rare treat.
That’s why he’s so welcoming.

“Let’s eat together.”
“Of course. Haven’t eaten to manage my body recently.”
“You manage your body?”
“Beggar doesn’t gain weight if he eats, right?”
“……Wasn’t that on your bucket list?”
“Now I’m an actor. I have to adapt.”

The old man chuckled at my words.
He had prepared stone pot rice downstairs for us.
Wow… stone pot rice.
Eating together with him and Director Yoo, it tasted great.
It felt like the company mattered more than the food itself.

“So… isn’t it time now?”
“For what?”
“For the special broadcast to be revealed on YouTube.”

The old man had asked us to come exactly at this time.

“Yes, let’s watch it while eating.”
“Sure.”

We ate while staring at the large screen on one wall.

Park Yuna frowned and scolded her older brother, Park Yunseong.

“Oppa, aren’t you going to work?”
“I quit.”
“Huh, are you crazy?”
“Failed.”
“Ah……”

For a moment, Yuna felt sorry.
She saw a tear forming in one of her brother’s eyes.
At that moment, the YouTube channel started broadcasting.

“Doesn’t seem like it.”
“Really. Our Suhan hyung is definitely Sony.”
“What kind of mindless answer is that?”
“They said he joined the drama but it’s not Kim Chunsam. Then it has to be Sony.”

Yuna clicked her tongue at her brother Yunseong’s words.

“Don’t you know this will get him more hate? They’ll talk about cameos. And he recently made a big hit with a cameo in a drama.”
“That’s different. I’m right. If not, you’re right.”
“Ah… if only oppa wasn’t here……”

Clenching her fists, Yuna turned back to the screen.

A yellow dust storm.
A barren landscape.
Men gathered there, some holding swords.
Among them were people clearly dressed as Japanese.
Their hands held Japanese swords, proving it.
A gap opened among them, and one man appeared.

“It’s Hong Junyong! Kanemiya! Kanemiya!”
“Shh.”

Seeing a familiar face, Yuna got excited.
Her brother Yunseong watched the screen intently.
Then a voice was heard.

What is this?
Too much for you.
What? There’s nobody to speak Joseon language?
Huh?
Gathered only fools, huh?
That bastard!
Found… a Joseon guy. One coward.

The man’s voice, heard only from his back, was calm but strong with each word.
It felt like the composure of a strong man.
The screen slowly moved from his back, then gradually revealed his face.
Finally, the much sought-after Shirasone appeared.