“Senior, you’ve worked hard.”

“…”

The fact that the very person who had worn him down seemed to have no thoughts about it made Son Jisoo feel even more deflated.

He merely nodded his head in response, not having the strength to speak. Yooil looked at Son Jisoo with puzzled eyes. Just a few hours ago, Son Jisoo had been looking at him with eyes full of passion.

‘…Maybe he’s hungry.’

As Yooil seriously contemplated his stomach situation, Son Jisoo slowly turned his head.

Han Yooil’s face, with wide-open eyes, came into view.

Son Jisoo had been irritated and angered by Han Yooil for over a month.

But now…

Everything just felt futile.

“Are you okay?”

It had to be acknowledged. Han Yooil was not ‘just a rookie.’

Then, the words that had been swirling in Son Jisoo’s mouth burst out.

“…Exactly,”

He couldn’t hold it in any longer.

“What were you thinking? When you were acting?”

“Huh?”

“You didn’t even seem surprised when I broke the vase. What were you thinking, how did you act then?”

Han Yooil looked surprised by the unexpected question.

“I’m not sure.”

He scratched his head and then spoke.

“I was just following your lead in acting… and it turned out that way.”

“…What did you say?”

Son Jisoo’s eyes sharpened as he scrutinized Yooil, but he couldn’t read any malice on Han Yooil’s face. Only clear eyes were looking back at him.

“To be honest, when I practiced alone, I couldn’t bring out that much emotion. I also thought that I didn’t quite fit the character of Sooil. It was because you led the way that I could follow well.”

Han Yooil was sincere.

“It’s all thanks to you, Senior.”

“…”

Son Jisoo, at a loss for words, looked at Yooil and then tried to speak casually.

“Got it… Do well in the remaining shoots.”

Being a supporting actor, he didn’t have many scenes left in this movie. He wouldn’t be on this set for a while after today.

“We probably won’t see each other much anymore.”

【Son Jisoo’s movie “A Day in a Closed Room,” directed by Lee Changwoo 17 years ago, is set to be screened at the Busan International Film Festival as part of the ‘Lee Changwoo Special’.】

When Yooil heard about Brion, he quickly spoke up.

“Senior, are you also going to the film festival?”

“Ah, the Busan International Film Festival?”

Recalling a recent article he had glanced at, Son Jisoo remembered reading about Han Yooil’s movie going to the Busan International Film Festival.

Son Jisoo concealed his bitterness and nodded with a relaxed face.

After getting into the car, he declined the coffee offered by his manager.

“It’s fine, not today.”

The manager looked at Son Jisoo strangely, but Son Jisoo just closed his eyes and leaned back.

‘Irritating.’

…The ad-lib wasn’t even for the sake of acting.

For the first time, he realized that one could feel such endless fatigue and a sense of defeat from a kind counterpart.

* * *

Two days after the second shooting of “The Mysterious Garden.”

It was the opening day of the Busan International Film Festival.

【Yooil, we’ll be arriving soon.】

The film festival was more hectic than expected.

From the morning, Yooil wore an outfit personally selected by Director Jang Jaeyi, proceeded with interviews with his agency, and after receiving final touch-ups in the waiting area, he took the sponsored car to the festival.

“The actor will now alight.”

The door opened at the staff’s words, and as soon as it did, a barrage of flashes hit his face. Han Yooil tried not to squint. Around the red carpet, numerous reporters were standing with their cameras. Yooil bowed his head in greeting and slowly walked forward.

“Yooil, look here please!”

“Over here too~”

Reporters’ voices echoed from all directions. Yooil turned his head following the direction of the voices.

One, two, three.

Then he looked in another direction and counted again, one, two, three.

“Last one~!”

Yooil turned his head towards the voice. The face of the reporter, who had been shouting with a cracked voice, came into view.

When the reporter’s eyes met Han Yooil’s, he gaped for 0.5 seconds before shouting vehemently.

“A heart, pleeeease! Make a heart!”

‘A heart…?’

Yooil slowly raised his hands.

This should do it.

The sound of rapid shutter clicks was like rain.

Yooil crossed the red carpet, greeting everyone he made eye contact with from afar.

* * *

– [Photo] ‘Vitamin Boy’ Han Yooil, Fresh Hand Greetings

– [Photo] Han Yooil ‘First time making a heart…’

– [Busan International Film Festival in Pictures] Han Yooil ‘Awkward heart on the red carpet’

“…”

Director Jang Jaeyi sighed softly as he quickly monitored the articles.

The awkwardly formed heart had grabbed attention, which could be seen as problematic.

‘But his face came out well.’

For a first red carpet, this was acceptable.

After examining a few more photos of Yooil, Director Jang Jaeyi leaned back and smiled faintly. The rookie actor they had recruited was exceeding expectations in every aspect.

Meanwhile, at the same time.

Yooil was still busily enjoying the film festival.

“Yooil!”

“It’s been a while~”

“How have you been, Yooil?”

Yooil’s face softened at the sound of the familiar voices.

Meeting Director Yoo Jaeho and the actors from ‘The Last Diner,’ Yooil sincerely expressed his happiness. Min Sohee, Lee Jongsun, Park Joonki—all had bright faces.

“Thanks to the director, I’m getting to experience the film festival… They say you have to live long to see everything.”

“Are you going to keep saying that in front of me? Huh?”

They were at the first screening of ‘The Last Diner.’

Yooil leaned back in the plush seat and looked at the screen. A quick glance to the side showed that not only Director Yoo Jaeho but also Lee Jongsun and the other actors were a bit nervous.

Although they had done ADR to the rough cut, this was the first time they were seeing the finished film.

【This film festival will likely influence the initial reviews and the number of screenings for ‘The Last Diner.’ Take a deep breath and watch with a relaxed mind, Yooil.】

‘…This makes me even more nervous.’

Han Yooil swallowed.

Soon the cinema plunged into darkness.

* * *

In the cold dawn breeze,

A car drives down an empty road. Inside the car is Yooil, looking lonely and forlorn as he travels alone.

The sound of the car passing by is accompanied by the early to mid-section of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2.

As the opening sequence passes, the title appears.

Jongsun, Joonki, Sohee, and Yooil.

Four characters who met in a suicide community decide to visit gourmet restaurants before they die.

The four constantly argue and distrust each other but can’t let go of one another.

The tension among the characters escalates after Sohee consumes poison at a rest area.

– You said you needed money. That’s why you came this far, even considering death.

– …Was that your doing, sir?

After being treated at the hospital, Sohee is soon discharged without major issues. They get back in the car to head to the last diner, but the atmosphere has changed significantly.

It was around that time when the tire of the car they were in burst.

On a deserted national road,

The four characters step out of the car and stand at a distance, glaring at each other.

Then, Jongsun, who had been expressionless throughout the movie, starts to sob.

– Please, can’t we live like humans, at least before we die…?

The characters then begin to unravel their stories, as if a dam had burst.

Joonki had worked diligently for a small company he joined 30 years ago. The company grew from a tiny office to occupying an entire building. Joonki was proud until he realized the company no longer needed him.

– One day, there was no work for me… And the next day, my desk was outside the office.

He was recommended to resign. Life turned grey in an instant. That’s when he started gambling.

By the time he realized, he was crushed under a huge debt.

Jongsun, a former nurse, had been blamed for a medical accident 20 years ago. Since then, she had done every job from cleaning to working in a restaurant. Her only son ignored her existence.

– The son, who never showed his face, suddenly came and said, ‘I have cancer and will die soon.’ Jongsun didn’t believe him, as he always lied. But half a year later, he died, just like a lie.

One day, while eating alone, Jongsun realized how painfully long each day was.

Sohee believed she had lived a relatively happy life. She dreamt big, even coming from a modest family background. She was talented in business and had built her brand and hired employees with her savings.

She met a kind man and got married when her business stabilized. The man seemed to love her genuinely. He wanted to do business like Sohee. He said he needed a lot of money and connections.

– So I gave him everything he wanted.

It was too late when she learned he had been in a common-law marriage with another woman for years. The only thing she could do was change her insurance beneficiary to her only family, her cousin.

 

Yooil had been living on his own since high school. Survival was more important than studies. One day, a friend he worked part-time with introduced him to cryptocurrency.

– It’s fun. Numbers don’t care who I am.

He made in a week what would have taken a month of part-time work.

That was the beginning. He spent days staring at his phone, trading cryptocurrencies. But something was off. Despite his usual buying and selling, his account was on a downhill trajectory.

In a month, years of savings vanished like melting snow.

Having shared their stories, the characters decide to continue to the last gourmet restaurant as planned.

But in the latter part of the movie, it’s revealed that the person who poisoned the food was none other than Sohee’s cousin, played by Joo Heeyoung in a special appearance.

Heeyoung wanted to isolate Sohee from the group by feeding her a non-lethal poison. But her plan failed as they followed Sohee to the hospital.

Heeyoung tries to take Sohee away.

– Sister, you don’t have anyone left but me. Who else made the person who was depressed and living like they’re about to die want to live? You think I’ll let you die with these lowlifes?!

– …Why can’t you let go?

– What kind of question is that, sister! It’s…

– Is it because of the insurance money?

Heeyoung clamps her mouth shut at Sohee’s words.

– …Ha ha.

Sohee lets out a weak laugh.

Then, someone blocks Heeyoung’s path.

It’s Jongsun.

– You won’t get your way.

– …Step aside, old lady.

– Even if my body breaks, I’ll take Sohee to the end. So get lost!

Joonki joins, threatening Heeyoung with the recorded conversation, successfully sending her away.

As they get into the car, Yooil quickly presses the accelerator.

Sohee, watching the swiftly changing scenery outside the window, suddenly starts to laugh.

The strange laughter gradually becomes contagious. Jongsun and Joonki burst into laughter, and even Yooil, who had been grimacing, starts to laugh.

The car carrying the odd group drives along the highway with laughter.

They decide to go to the last gourmet restaurant Joonki mentioned, a sashimi restaurant in Namhae.

But Sohee, already weakened, collapses halfway. They have to stop their journey.

And the movie jumps two months later.

The opening sequence ties into the scene.

Yooil is seen driving on the dawn road, accompanied by Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2.

Yooil arrived at Sohee’s columbarium.

There, he met Joonki and Jongsun.

– So, where are we going now?

– I’m not telling you.

They set off on another journey.

– You know I’m picky about food, right?

They were not looking for the last gourmet restaurant, but a new one.

* * *

Yooil quickly wiped his cheek. The tears he shed while watching the movie had slightly dried up.

Park Joonki, Jin Soyoung, and Lee Jongsun sitting next to him also had red eyes.

‘The post-sync was even better than when we recorded it.’

Not just the acting, but editing and music played a significant role. The right sound made scenes, which could have been melodramatic, feel sober and genuine.

Even after leaving the cinema, Yooil couldn’t shake off the movie’s lingering effects.

Then, Brion spoke up.

【Would you like to see the reviews for ‘The Last Diner’ after the film festival screening?】

* * *

– Busan International Film Festival Reviews

[I had a great time at the film festival. There were many good films.

I saw Son Jisoo at the Lee Changwoo special exhibition! Lol

Oh! And there was a film that left an impression on me

‘The Last Diner’

> Cried my eyes out watching this… Heard it’s releasing soon, definitely going back to watch it]

┗ Who’s the director of ‘The Last Diner’?

┗┗ Yoo Jaeho

┗ Isn’t it too placid? Personally, not a fan of films that are just calm

┗┗ I wrote this post, and it wasn’t boring at all

┗ Isn’t that the film Han Yooil is in?

┗┗ Yep

┗ Everyone who saw it has great things to say… Looking forward to it

After the film festival, the review of ‘The Last Diner’ by the often TV and YouTube-featured critic Kim Doyun, who frequently leaves negative comments, was shared in communities.

– ★★★★★★★★★☆ 9.0

A profound reflection on the journey of life, gritty yet beautiful.

Another review by the famously critical critic Lee Byungsu also gained modest popularity.

– ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 8.0

Is food really that significant?

┗ Wow, it’s been so long since I saw Lee Byungsu give such a high rating

┗ He hasn’t given 8 points in 5 years ㄷㄷ

┗ Lol, really looking forward to this movie

* * *

While ‘The Last Diner’ was garnering attention, Yooil was reviewing new scripts at the suggestion of CEO Jang Jaehyun.

“You mentioned you liked reading, so I thought you’d be helpful in reviewing scripts.”

Jang Jaehyun pushed Yooil, a Korean Literature major, into the meeting room, adding that he might find the script review helpful.

Yooil looked at the pile of scripts on the table with wide eyes.

JJ Entertainment was in partnership with the drama production company TN ENM. All the scripts on the table had been sent by TN.

【…Analysis complete. Of the 19 scripts, 2 were completed in the last year, 4 in the last three years, and 13 were written over five years ago.】

‘Right.’

Most were works that had won contests or signed contracts with production companies but didn’t make it to the programming stage.

But not making it to programming doesn’t mean the scripts lacked quality or entertainment value.

If they weren’t enjoyable, they wouldn’t have made it this far.

The head of the planning team, also reviewing scripts with Yooil, said lightly,

“Don’t think too deeply, just let me know if you find any script that looks good. We’re not planning to go into production right away anyway.”

Yooil began skimming the outlines of the scripts.

Thrillers, romances, fantasies, SF…

While he was marveling at the variety of genres, something caught his eye.

‘…Huh?’

Yooil’s eyes sparkled as he held a particular project proposal.