Superstar From Age 0

In front of a barbecue restaurant where the wrap-up party for [Babel Tower] was held.

The [Babel Tower] production team had rented the whole place so that the actors could enjoy the party comfortably, but it was a struggle to get inside. It was because of the reporters who came to cover the party.

“Please look over here!”

“Me too!”

As Kwon Kang-min and the other actors appeared one by one, the reporters pressed their shutters and flashes went off.

From the reporters’ reactions alone, the actors knew how much the drama had been talked about and how successful it had been. They smiled and posed for the cameras, and the photos that were taken were soon uploaded to the internet as articles, attracting the attention of the people who were waiting for the last episode of [Babel Tower].

[SBC Babel Tower, wrap-up party today!]

-Oh, wrap-up party! The ratings must have been great, it looks like a party atmosphere.

=22 Babel Tower is the best among weekday dramas.

-I wonder if Lee Seo-jun will come?

=I don't think he will, he was just a cameo, right?

=He may have been a cameo, but didn't he have a huge impact on the drama's success? His appearance was only a cameo, but his promotional power was almost like a lead role??

=??? Working Man and Chick Class were also very popular. You can't get that kind of publicity normally.

=22 I watched it because I was curious about Lee Seo-jun's cameo too… SBC should be grateful to Lee Seo-jun.

“Speaking of Seo-jun.”

Kwon Kang-min, who had entered the restaurant and taken a seat, laughed as he browsed the internet. Almost all of the entertainment news articles were about [Babel Tower] today.

“I've never been in a work that got this much attention before.”

“Me neither. I can only see Babel Tower everywhere.”

The other actors also exchanged stories with excited faces. They knew that their future activities would be much easier thanks to the success of [Babel Tower]. No, it wasn't even a distant future.

“I can't believe I got to shoot a commercial…!”

Some of the actors had already appeared in commercials that matched the image of [Babel Tower]. Kwon Kang-min also thought of the advertising proposals that had come from his agency and smiled satisfiedly.

“Isn't the staff also in a good mood, hyung?”

“I heard from the camera director earlier that they're getting a bonus.”

As Kwon Kang-min mentioned the bonus, the noisy staff raised their glasses and shouted cheers.

“Bonus!!”

The party had not even started yet, but the staff were enjoying themselves. The assistant director, who was in charge of the party instead of the director Shin Ji-hye who had not arrived yet, rubbed his forehead and shrugged his shoulders as if he had no choice.

He knew the broadcasting industry well, where the first and second priorities were ratings. He wondered when he would have such a day again.

Then, there was a commotion outside.

The eyes of the actors and staff turned to the door.

“Who's here?”

“Is it Director Shin and Writer Kim?”

They were curious, but Kwon Kang-min looked at his phone and burst into laughter.

[Lee Seo-jun, attends SBC Babel Tower wrap-up party!]

[Lee Seo-jun, attends Babel Tower wrap-up party with Choi So-yeong!]

The articles with these headlines and a single photo were uploaded in an instant.

“Seo-jun and So-yeong.”

“Ahaha. It's funny that we found out through the articles first.”

The actors and staff laughed at the articles that Kwon Kang-min showed them.

A little later.

The reporters must have been very persistent, because even after the articles about their attendance were posted, it took a while for Seo-jun and Choi So-yeong to enter the restaurant.

“Wow. There are so many reporters outside.”

“Hello.”

Choi So-yeong made a tired expression and nodded her head repeatedly, then greeted the actors and staff. Seo-jun also smiled and greeted them, and took a seat at the actors’ table. Kwon Kang-min and the other actors welcomed the two warmly.

“How did you two come together?”

At Kwon Kang-min's question, choi So-yeong answered with a smile.

“We were with Da-jin… I mean, actor Lee Da-jin, on our way here.”

“Oh, really?”

The actors gasped in admiration at the appearance of Lee Seo-jun, choi So-yeong, and the inseparable actress Lee Da-jin.

“What is Lee Da-jin doing these days?”

“Da-jin hyung is preparing for a play. He said he's very busy because the performance is soon.”

They started talking about Lee Da-jin, and the actors shared their recent news with each other. Some were shooting commercials, some were looking at the next works they had been offered. Seo-jun also joined the conversation happily.

“I never thought that the prior engagement you mentioned was meeting Ha-rang. Oh, what did you do with the handkerchief you got from Ha-rang?”

“I tied it to the Cheongryong doll because it was too precious to use. Like this.”

Seo-jun showed the actors a photo he had taken with his phone. A colorful handkerchief was wrapped around the neck of the Cheongryong doll in a triangular shape.

“That's cute!”

“Right? It suits him well.”

They talked about this and that, and time passed, and Director Shin Ji-hye and the writer arrived at the restaurant.

“Sorry for being late. The chief producer wouldn't let us go. He said we should start working on the next project even though we just finished filming.”

The actors and staff laughed at Director Shin Ji-hye's words.

They say you can tell how successful a work is by the atmosphere of the wrap-up party, and if that was the case, [Babel Tower] must have been a huge hit. Director Shin Ji-hye, who looked around the restaurant that was lively without any darkness, opened her mouth with a bright voice.

“I won't say much since you’re already enjoying the party. Thanks to the actors and staff, we were able to finish filming safely and without any accidents. Thank you very much. I knew it would be a good work, but I didn't expect to reap such a big reward. It's all thanks to you.”

Director Shin Ji-hye smiled and looked at Seo-jun, who was sitting among the actors.

“And I sincerely thank actor Lee Seo-jun, who showed us the strongest promotional power by appearing as a cameo. Well, everyone! Eat and drink as much as you want and have fun!”

Wow, cheers and applause erupted, and the [Babel Tower] wrap-up party officially began.

Director Shin Ji-hye and the writer smiled and went around the tables, chatting with the others. The other people also started to drink and eat in earnest.

“By the way, seo-jun, it's been a long time since you came to a wrap-up party, right?”

“Yes. It's been three years since Spring Has Returned.”

At Choi So-yeong's question, seo-jun nodded his head with a smile.

“Back then, I was a minor, so I couldn't stay long, but today, I can stay as late as I want.”

“…I feel like I should send you home early?”

Kwon Kang-min's words, which made him realize Seo-jun's age, made everyone laugh.

A little later.

The noisy atmosphere died down a bit, and the last episode of [Babel Tower] began.

They had filmed it, but they didn't know how it was edited, so the actors and staff looked at the large TVs that were installed all over the restaurant with curious eyes. The broadcast started from the last part of the previous episode.

Thanks to the pre-production, the overall quality was high, and Director Shin Ji-hye, who was sitting with the writer and the assistant director, smiled satisfiedly.

“The actors were all good, and the staff were all good, so it was a really comfortable filming.”

“Right. The environment was so good that we didn't have to worry about anything else when we were filming, we just prayed that the ratings would be good, right? The work was good, the background was good, the actors were good at acting. But even if the work was good, we always had to worry about the success…”

The assistant director's words were followed by the writer, who was already half drunk.

“Thanks to the sudden appearance of actor Lee Seo-jun, we didn't have to worry about the ratings. I really don't know what kind of luck this is. I feel like I used up all the luck in my life. How did our actors go to Working Man at that time! And Working Man went to that ski resort of all places! How did they end up playing those games!”

The assistant director nodded his head repeatedly.

“That's right. It really seems like reality is stranger than fiction.”

“I think if that hadn't happened, actor Lee Seo-jun wouldn't have appeared in our work, and it wouldn't have been such a hit.”

“That's true, but this actor decided after seeing the script by writer Kim. It's all thanks to the writer's good writing!”

“Hehehe. Thank you. Director Shin. How about working together on our next project?”

“Wow! Really?”

They were chatting like this when they heard a loud noise. The last episode of [Babel Tower] was nearing its end. It was the scene where Seo-jun appeared.

On the screen, Kwon Kang-min burst into laughter at the sight of his own face, mesmerized by the dazzling Lee Seo-jun.

“I was really surprised then. It felt like seeing a celebrity among celebrities. It was different from when I saw him on Working Man. I was shocked.”

“Me too. He seemed like a person from the same world until a moment ago, but suddenly his aura changed and I was stunned.”

The actors agreed with the words of the one who played the role of ‘Superstar Lee Seo-jun’, who smiled shyly as if he was embarrassed.

“I really liked seeing actor Lee Seo-jun. I mean, seo-jun is also Lee Seo-jun, but… How should I put it? The one I always saw on TV… Ah! The Lee Seo-jun who was at the Cannes Film Festival! That kind of feeling!”

Everyone nodded their heads.

The Seo-jun sitting next to them felt friendly, but the Seo-jun they saw during the filming was the kind of person who made them admire him.

On the TV screen, seo-jun went up to the podium and gave a speech, along with the words LIVE and news captions. It looked like a real news broadcast, and everyone was amazed.

“They really brought in a news team for that footage. From the camera to the captions, everything.”

“Really?”

At Kwon Kang-min's words, not only Seo-jun but also the other actors looked at the assistant director who was smiling with a hehehe. They had thought it looked very similar to the news, but they never dreamed it would be a real news production team.

“Director Shin's work, you don't have to worry about the details.”

“That's right.”

Seo-jun and the actors laughed.

Meanwhile, the speech scene passed and Choi So-yeong's narration flowed. The sound of the meat restaurant gradually faded away with her soft voice.

Finally, in silence, the caption appeared.

[We would like to thank Lee Seo-jun for his special appearance.]

[Thank you for watching Babel Tower.]

As if he had been waiting, the assistant director raised his voice.

“Everyone, thank you for your hard work!!”

“Thank you for your hard work!!”

Wow!

The restaurant was filled with applause and cheers from the actors and staff of [Babel Tower].

[SBC Babel Tower, last episode broadcast! What is the ending?]

[Actor Lee Seo-jun, appeared as 000 in Babel Tower!]

[Is this news or drama? SBC drama Babel Tower, which even brought in a real news team!]

-It was really fun?? What do I live for now?

=22 Chick Class also ended and Babel Tower too?

=The joy of the week is over like this???

-000 I guessed it right. It was Lee Seo-jun.

=Who would have thought Lee Seo-jun would appear there?? I couldn't imagine it??

=Me too. When they said the team leader was actor Lee Seo-jun, I thought I heard it wrong?? From there, it felt like breaking the fourth wall.

=22 I felt like I was watching a documentary, not a drama??

-It was different in terms of quality??News team??

=Why did they bring in a news team?? PD??

=SBC what?? Why are they so serious about Babel Tower??

=But looking at the ratings, it makes sense.

=22 They probably wanted to give them the whole newsroom.

-It was so cool. The UN speech scene??

=??I really held my breath. It looked like news, so it felt like a live broadcast and more realistic.

=Seo-jun looked so handsome in a suit?? His makeup was light, so he looked more neat and clean??

=I looked it up and it was an eco-friendly material suit. They made it with minimal environmental pollution.

=……Look at the details;;;

-I did an extra part-time job there and I really wanted to tell you?? Lee Seo-jun was Lee Seo-jun!!

=Oh. There weren't many Koreans there, what role did you play? Lee Seo-jun's manager? Or bodyguard?

=Russian ambassador

=……What?

=Russian ambassador??

=No??? I thought you were Korean??Why are you so good at Korean??

=22 You speak better Korean than me??

-The production team seemed more serious about the UN meeting scene than I thought.

=Why?

=They tried to gather as many foreigners as possible for the extra roles in the UN meeting scene. Everyone was talking about how they did it.

=Oh…… How do you know?

=I appeared as an extra??

=……Which country's ambassador are you?

=??UK??

=……This is scary;;; Why are you all so good at Korean???